Beyonce's mother makes red carpet debut with boyfriend--Richard Lawson

step aside mattews

Tina Knowles is stepping out with her man!

Beyoncé's hot mama walked the red carpet at the Angel Ball in New York City Tuesday evening with a brand-spanking-new accessory: her boyfriend Richard Lawson.

E! News has learned that the fashion designer is dating the V actor and that the duo danced throughout the evening.

An eyewitness says that the couple was "very cute together" at the swanky affair.

Tina, 59, looked positively stunning in a black lace gown with a feathered hem.

She opted for sleek long locks and a bold red lip to ramp up the drama factor for the black-tie gala. 

Kim Kardashian dazzles in White Lace dress @ Jay Leno

The reality star proudly showed off her curves in a sexy white lace dress as she appeared on Jay Leno to talk weight loss, wedding plans and that very sexy selfie



Dressed in a dazzling white lace, underwear-revealing dress, the blonde yummy mummy shared her big news on the Jay Leno show on Wednesday night.
Proud Kimmy beamed: "Actually I got on the scale today and it said that I am 50lbs down. That made me so excited."
read what she says about the nude pix she posted recently

"I was trying on a bathing suit and I actually just sent that to my boyfriend and I was like, 'Babe, can I post this up? This is like my big middle finger to the world on everyone that called me fat.'

Chidinma gets open Marriage proposal from Peeshawn

We don't really know why most Nigerian male artistes are dying to have Chidinma.

But sure, they must have seen something in her though.  Peeshawn, one half of singing group Skuki confessed his love for Chidinma in an interview with Encomium mag. It's a must read.

Excerpts from the interview below...

But, there are some you also admire that you don’t mind spending the rest of your life with?

Yes, of course! Nigeria is blessed with pretty babes. If you study me well, you will observe that I am a very romantic guy, at the same time, I am very emotional. I definitely have someone that I love so much.

In the industry or out of the industry?

(Pause for seconds) In the industry, I have someone I really love so much.

Who is the lucky lady?

(Pauses again) Chidinma. She’s really attractive. I really love her so much, but we’ve not really had time to chat closely, except when we met at backstage during shows. I hope she will read this, for her to know that Peeshaun of Skuki loves her.

But Chidinma doesn’t read newspapers. She told us in an interview recently

I am sure her friends, family will read it. They will definitely tell her I said so. I will love to marry her.

Are you serious?

Yes, of course!

What do you really like about Chidinma?

First, I love her music. I love her style. I love her composure. Apart from that, what I love in a woman is a beautiful face and I think Chidinma has 10/10 of that. The low cut on her head is making her look more beautiful anytime I see her performing or watch her video.

Are you directly or indirectly proposing to her?I don’t want to talk about that now. Next question, please.

Oduah Shuns house committee hearing as Cars presented are diffrent

Maduka Cosmos, whose Coscharis Motors sold the controversial armoured cars to a department of the Ministry Civil Aviation, has told the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation the matter that his company followed due process.

Mrs. Stella Oduah, the Minister who is implicated in the alleged fraud, is absent at the hearing, from which Premium Times is carrying live updates.

“Absence of the Minister is a slap on the face of the House,” said an angry Jerry Manwe, a member of the committee from Taraba State.  Last week, the committee gave Mrs. Oduah up till yesterday to appear before it, recognizing that she was away in Israel on official duty.

“To the best of my knowledge, we followed all due process,” Coscharis said.  “We were interviewed by SSS.

We were interviewed by the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed. We do business with morality.”

The Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Daniel Jatau, has told the committee that Coscharis imported the cars without paying import duties because there was a waiver from the Ministry of Finance.  He added that Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles being imported for the Sports Festival in Lagos last year.  The impression given, therefore, was that the beneficiary of the waiver would be the government of Lagos State.

LIVE UPDATES
15:45

The cars inspected by the House committee yesterday, Tuesday, are different from the ones stated in the documents between NCAA and Coscharis, the reps said.

Lawmakers say they saw cars with different chassis number from those on the communication between NCAA and Coscharis.

But Coscharis said since it did not inspect the cars with the House members, it cannot say whether that was the car they delivered to NCAA. The firm insists it has done no wrong.

15:31

Coscharis admits telling the Ministry of Finance/NSA the cars were meant for Lagos state government, but said the arrangement was a usual “sponsor practice” for an event like the sports festival, and there was nothing wrong with that.

The company insists it did not lie. It said during events the company gives cars for use by government, in exchange for waivers that would be used for importing new ones as replacement.

With a lot of gusto, Coscharis said it price was right. But lawmakers have busted that claim by revealing that the firm sent different prices to NCAA and NSA.

Coscharis also claims the car in question goes for about N87 .7 million(factory price) without tax, shipping etc.

But a lawmaker has confirmed that he received a quotation from an American firm for the same car for about N42 million.

Jerry Manwe( a member): “Your own bullet proof is not manufactured in the moon”

Coscharis says a seven series in America is different with what they got from Europe.

Again, the committee said the cars they inspected yesterday are different9in terms of chassis number) from those stated in the documents between Coscharis and NCAA.

15: 07

Coscharis’ Maduka: To the best of my knowledge, we followed all due process. We were interviewed by SSS. We were interviewed by the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed. “We do business with morality,” he says.

Another Coscharis official: Armoured cars are in levels; Level B7 is the highest for any civilian/VIP armoured cars. More than that is for military tanks.

Coscharis: The controversial cars are level B7. The BMW 760 series, bought by NCAA, goes for 418 thousand Euro from factory without shipping cost, taxes, etc.

Coscharis offers to demonstrate a powerpoint to show how it arrived at the cost. But is disallowed by committee.

14.55

Coscharis’ Maduka: “People have spoken, different media have written, I kept quiet. Nobody has called me to ask anything. But I thank God for this opportunity to state my own side of the story.”

“People have called me from US embassy to ask when did you start money laundering.”

He says the whole controversy is “politically motivated”. He pleads to be allowed to speak.

Mr Maduka said the matter is so important that his Uncle died and will be buried tomorrow, but he has to attend the sitting.

He said he is prepared to give details how Coscharis arrived at the price.

14.46

First Bank asked to step aside.

Coscharis takes over.

Coscharis chief, Cosmas Maduka, calls the car scandal “very controversial matter that has made newspaper headlines for two consecutive weeks” as he takes the hot seat.

14.37

First Bank cannot explain how the loan given to NCAA for all its 54 cars climbed from earlier stated N564 million to N643 million.

The bank claimed earlier that the difference was because the two armoured cars were not included-apparently untrue because of the cost.
Under questioning by the committee, the bank now says only the NCAA can explain the difference; the bank says it was only concerned about what the NCAA as a customer asked for.

“Our job as financier are based on what the customers are asking for”

14.29

Interaction with First Bank representative continues…

First Bank: The armoured BMWs were not part of the first order from NCAA which comprised mainly Land Cruisers totaling less than N600 million.
House chair, Nkiruka Onyejeocha: So could it be that the BMWs were an afterthought?

First Bank: That’s for the NCAA to answer.

14.24

“Absence of the minister is a slap on the face of the House,” Jerry Manwe, a member of the committee from Taraba state said, apparently angered by the minister’s absence.

14.23

First Bank official, Seyi Oyefeso, that oversaw the transaction addressed the House committee on behalf of the Executive Director of the bank.
First Bank was invited to make proposals alongside other banks and tender was opened publicly on 21 of May, 2013 in the presence of other banks and media

First Bank was afterwards shortlisted alongside 7 others.

First Bank granted a loan facility of N643 million for purchase of assorted cars.

14.19

The Customs representatives at the hearing said Coscharis lied to the Ministry of Finance and NSA, making them to believe that the cars were for Lagos state government, for the National Sports festival.

The NSA office issued End User certificate without knowing that it was doing so for cars to be delivered to Stella Oduah or the NCAA.

So, in a way, the NSA office is right to have told PREMIUM TIMES it did not issue end user certificate for any bullet proof cars for Minister Oduah and the NCAA.

14.11

Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Daniel Jatau, said the following
The two cars were imported through Tin Can Port 2; Imported from Antwerp Netherlands.

The vehicles were cleared 19/6/2013.
Coscharis imported the cars without paying import duties since there was a waiver from the ministry of finance.
Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles imported for the Sports festival in Lagos last year, and therefore the beneficiary was Lagos state government.

The due import duty should have been N10.1 million.

The cars had an End User Certificate from the NSA office in the name of Coscharis.

The waiver obtained by Coscharis was for one year; as such the time of importation this year was covered.

Customs admit its laws requires that it enforces duty on any item for which waiver was obtained, which was not used for the purpose stated-in this case, for Sports festival.

13.53

Car dealers as well as end users of armoured cars are mandated to seek authorization from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, before ordering or importing such vehicles into Nigeria.

Last week, reliable sources at the office of the NSA told PREMIUM TIMES no authorization certificate was ever issued to either Minister Oduah or the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to procure the controversial vehicles.

13.50

Nigerian Customs confirmed that the two cars were imported and cleared at Tin Can 2.

The Customs said the import duty on the two cars which should have been N10 million plus were not paid because there was a waiver note issued by the finance ministry.

Customs also confirmed there was an End User certificate issued by the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.

13.43

The hearing, proposed to start at noon, started 25 minutes late. The minister is absent at the hearing. The committee said it will take a position on that later

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/embattled-stella-oduah-shuns-house-committee-hearing-cars-presented-committee-are-differen

Worm- infested weaves now in the market- Ladies beware

Irene Myangoh, a personal assistant working at a law firm in Nairobi went to an upmarket hair salon along Kenyatta Avenue, and spent more than N5,500 on a human hair weave.
Two weeks later she started suffering from severe headache that would not go away. She would wake up with severe headache at night. She went to a private doctor who gave her drugs for the relief of mild to moderate pain of inflammatory origin with or without fever; they would only work for a few hours and then the headache would be back worse than even before. Desperate, she went to see a specialist who did blood tests and even a brain scan. All the tests were negative but the headache persisted, making her unable to concentrate at work and sleeping very poorly. She went back to her doctor who decided to examine her scalp and under the beautiful weave he found worms!


The worms were burrowing into her skull and after sending the samples to the lab they found that the hair had eggs from which the worms had Irene had to shave after this ordeal and took antibiotics for two weeks. Elsewhere, 16-year-old girl from Buruburu, a Nairobi surburb, also suffered the same fate but unfortunately for her she died. Cobweb eggs were found in her hair after she died.


There was a profound cobweb design in her weaved hair. She dropped dead after constant headaches.
The root cause? The weave had unnoticed spider eggs. The warmth produced after weaving provided a very conducive environment for the eggs to hatch. A spider grew in her scalp and bit her. The poison found its way to her blood. She could not survive the attack.

Ini Edo and IK Ogbonna covers house of Maliq's November Edition

Actress Ini Edo and Ik Ogbonna covers house of Maliq's 2013 november edition

Rihanna poses completly naked with GQ magazine

Ssssultry? Rihanna ditched her clothes for snake-wear (the live, slithering kind) on the cover of British GQ's 25th anniversary issue. The singer, always one to constantly push every boundary imaginable, worked on the shoot with superstar artist Damien Hirst for the publication's special edition.

pictures from Lola Omotayo's bachorlorett party held in Lagos

Lola's bachelorette party held on Sunday in Lagos. Lola Omotayo will be getting married to Peter Okoye on the 27th of November 2013.

Clara Chime under house arrest imposed by Governor Chime

Clara Chime, the First Lady of Enugu State, says Governor Sullivan Chime, has placed her under house arrest, and has cried out for assistance to reach human rights bodies to rescue her.
In a letter dripping with pain and suffering, Mrs. Chime disclosed that she married Mr. Chime in October 2008 but that she has been unable to share the matrimonial bed with him for over four years.

Describing her desperate situation, she said that even President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan have intervened with her husband without success.

“My father is late, my Mum and few of my siblings are confused and have done all kinds of prayers they know of, 3 of my siblings prefers me dead than to see me leave the Government house.  He treats my Mum and my siblings bad,” she wrote.
The Enugu State First Lady said she has been introduced to two psychiatrists whose names she gave as Dr. Onwukwe and Dr. Agumo, who have prescribed “all kinds of drugs that ends up keeping me acute depressed and also drives me into hallucinations.”
The doctors, she noted, are scared of her husband the Governor, to whom nobody can tell the truth.  
 According to the letter, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu state (Callistus Onaga), and top priests have come to intervene, as have the President and the First Lady of the nation, without success.  
Mrs. Chime further complains that Governor Chime has ordered her to leave with her four-year old son whom she conceived before their wedding.  However, the governor, according to her, later threatened to disown the boy should she leave with him.
“He has told everyone he can reach that there is no marriage between us that I can leave if I wish to but whenever I plan to leave he instructs them to lock me in.  I have told him through Sms that I will leave my son behind and leave alone but still he instructed
his securities to lock me inside the house.”
Mrs. Chime further complains she has lost touch with the real world and all that makes her beautiful because of the side effects of the drugs she is taking, stressing that she is under house arrest for committing no crime.
Of the situation in Government House, she said, “He does not take care of me personally, the government gives me allowance to run the house and that's where I save little from to take care of my elf, my Mum and few of my siblings,” she said in the letter.  He shut me out of his life years ago; I don't have access to his apartment. The problem is enormous; I don't know where to start to explain from.”
She said that even the security detail in the lodge has resorted to praying for her, while the few that can be bought with money are taking advantage of the situation.
“Police and SS men have been instructed by Br Sullivan Chime to confine me in a place for a long time now against my wish [but] it is my wish to leave these premises,” she said, begging, “Please assist me to reach to the human rights and say to them to please come hastily and release me.”


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/clara-chime-first-lady-enugu-state-begs-human-rights-groups-release-her-house-arrest-impos

Things you must not tell others about your relationship

Sometimes we tend to share our relationships wahala or joys with our friends, family and sometimes random colleagues. There are so many reasons why we do, if you’re riding on the waves of love with your boo, we tend to update our bbm status, update facebook status, ping friends to chat about how AWESOME your boo is and how HE IS THE BEST boo

 Some other times when the ship is not riding smoothly we become inspirational and update with sentimental things that everyone can decipher that, ol’boy, e be like say this one dey fight with her boo.

Nothing wrong with sharing these things with friends if done in moderation; you don’t need to share EVERYTHING! Here are some things you should try NEVER to share with others about your partner, they can and will be used against you.

1.MONEY – Never tell anyone how much your boo earns, or if you’re having money problems. People don’t need to know this. Who wears the financial pants? Who pays for what? If you have an agreement with le boo about how you both want to manage your finances then this should not be up for debate with your friends. The "you can chop my money" status of your relationship should be hidden.

2. BEDROOM – Do not share what went down last night, how you were kissed senseless, how does this information affect the price of garri in the market? If your boo is a stallion and he steady gives you the "grin", keep it to yourself unless you don’t mind sharing him? If you’re celibate avoid discussing it too as your friends may envy you, and if you’re not celibate, you may be tagged as “loose”. They will yimu no matter what.

3.DETAILS – Avoid giving details. “My boo’s favourite food is Amala and gbegiri, my boo scratches her bosoms first thing in the morning, my boo doesn’t like this or that”. Why are you furnishing others with this privileged information? Haven’t you heard stories where a friend snatches le boo? Why do you think that happens? They already know your boo's likes, dislikes, habits e.t.c Do not tell any one where your boo's mumu button is (thanks Honeydame)

4. FIGHTS – Couples fight all the time, if you don’t fight in your relationship then I put it to you that you are a liar! LOL. Friction is normal as long as you kiss and make up… but telling your parents, your friends about every single quarrel will not help. Its always awkward because your friends will always be on your side and will keep condemning you boo… after you say they don’t respect him/her, why should they? After you’ve forgiven and moved on, those you told will always remember. This point is null and void if your boo is abusive!

5.SECRETS – We all have secrets and your boo may have told you some of his/hers, it would be totally out of place for you to share something confidential like that with others. Also, if you have a secret you’re keeping from your boo then you should never tell someone else that “biko I don’t want him/her to find out or my boo doesn’t know about this oh”…you’re only giving outsiders ammunition. What if they accidentally or purposely jabo the gist to your boo? Kasala go burst!

6. DREAMS/PLANS – Dreams, aspirations, plans are things we share with people we love, when your boo is telling you of the mansion he wants to build in 5 years time, or the business he wants to start, avoid being a tatafo, do NOT share this with anyone. Keep their plans, aspirations between the both of you. Your partner will feel betrayed when they find out you’ve been talking about your private matters, they wouldn't trust you with anything; If you discuss these matters with your colleagues it breeds see-finish, biko stop. Your friends will wonder what your saying about them to others if your can be so open with details of your boo’s life. People will think you have no self control… they will never confide in you.

Source:sisiyemmie.com

Okonjo-Iweala baks Bloomberg TV's Operation in Nigeria

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has expressed her support for the recent inauguration of the Bloomberg TV Africa in the country.

During the North American launch of Bloomberg TV Africa in Washington DC, Okonjo-Iweala said the establishment of the media unit in Nigeria was a welcome addition to the country’s growing economy.

“This will be the first station – TV station – from abroad to be based in Nigeria and I think you’ve got it right,” the minister said, according to a Bloomberg statement.

Addressing an audience of 70 delegates, who were in Washington DC to attend the World Bank-International Monetary Fund annual meetings, she commended the Bloomberg Media Group for having the foresight to base its production and operational hub in Nigeria.

She added, “I want to say to all who are not in Nigeria that if you’re not in Nigeria, you’re not in Africa; so, I think Bloomberg TV has got it right.”

The Chairman, Bloomberg Media Group, Mr. Andy Lack, expressed excitement at his organisation’s plans for the Nigerian market.

He said, “We at Bloomberg believe in Nigeria, its people and its role in the developing African growth story. Our partnership with the Nigeria-based Optima Media Group has enabled us to develop a platform for Africa’s growing business and financial community that will significantly extend our presence across the continent.”

The Chairman, Optima Media Group and Vice-Chairman of Bloomberg TV Africa, Mr. Rotimi Pedro, said, “Bloomberg TV Africa will deliver the highest quality news and business programming that will empower Africans to tell their story from their own perspectives.

“We aim to provide relevant and up-to-date information to enable African business leaders to make informed business and investment decisions.”

According to the statement, the event was attended by several personalities, including the President, African Development Bank, Dr. Donald Kaberuka; the Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza; and Managing Director, Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Otti.

Others were Executive Director, Heritage Bank, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, and a representative of the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, among others.

The North America launch of Bloomberg TV Africa is the first in a series of launches, according to the statement.

It said further events would be held in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

Bloomberg TV Africa is expected to begin full operations from its Lagos hub in the first quarter of 2014, with three to four hours of business programming available to African viewers each day.

http://www.punchng.com/business/money/okonjo-iweala-backs-bloomberg-tvs-operation-in-nigeria/t

26 tips for managing stress

26 TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS

1. Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per
day.
2. Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step
back and cool down.
3. Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without
controlling
everybody else.
4. Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.
5. Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give
your body the best for it to perform at its best.
6. Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant --
not everyone is as capable as you.
7. Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?
8. Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid
to share your feelings with others.
9. Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better
next time.
10. Judge your own performance realistically; don't set
goals out of your own reach.
11. Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence
outcomes and the way others treat you.
12. Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect
your perception and behaviour.
13. Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10
per cent of what you earn.
14. No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling
guilty.
15. Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and
family, can be a great way to relax.
16. Play your favourite music rather than watching
television.
17. Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to
mention killing you too.
18. Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen
more and talk less.
19. Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive
pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of
ventilation.
20. Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out,
the movies: Moderation is the key.
21. Understand things from the other person's point of
view.
22. Verify information from the source before exploding.
23. Worry less, it really does not get things completed
better or quicker.
24. Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space,
make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.
25. Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve
based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.
26. Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful
that you are a part of the bigger picture.
Like&share

Rihanna ordered to leave Abu Dhabi Mosque over improper photoshoot pose

After Rihanna posed for photos at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque last weekend, its staff asked the singer to leave, according to The Associated Press. Overseers at the mosque later explained

that Rihanna had been in an area that was typically off-limits to visitors and that her fashion-style shoot didn't support the "status and sanctity of the mosque.

" Images of the photo shoot, which Rihanna posted to her Instagram account, depict the pop star in a black outfit with her hair covered striking poses and lying down around the grounds of the mosque.

The singer was accused of violating the mosque rules by "behaving in any way that is inconsistent with the sanctity of this religious place"

Information has it that, she was told to put more clothes on by a farmer in 2011 when she turned up topless on his land to film a music video.

And is seems Rihanna's care free attitude and decision to do what she wants when she wants has landed her in a bit of trouble again.

This time she was fully clothed, yeah shock horror, but sparked outrage when she posted pictures of herself on Instagram posing at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in UAE.

The controversial singer was dressed head-to-toe in black and complied with the mosque's guidelines by covering her hair.

But not content with the lack of pizazz, she sexed up her look with crimson lippy, painted nails and a pout that would make a bloke's heart skip a beat.

Her actions have been slammed as being "disrespectful" for a place of worship and it's reported to have violated rules on the "status and sanctity of the mosque."

One person wrote on Twitter: "I love Rihanna but then posing so seductively in front of the mosque is so disrespectful."

Another added: "Rihanna pics at Sheikh Zayed mosque are disrespectful to the place of worship."

While someone writing under the alias of @BinttAlthee tweeted: "Rihanna modelling in the Sheikh Zayed mosque is just plain wrong. Who let her in?"

A statement issued by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre to The National said: "The Centre strives to ensure that visitors enter the mosque in a decent fashion, and refrain from behaving in any way that is inconsistent with the sanctity of this religious place.

"Here, the Centre refers to a recent incident, involving a singer who came for a private visit to the mosque, at a gate that is not reserved for visitors, without prior coordination with the Centre's management and without identifying herself.

"She was directed by visitor services to proceed to the visitors' main gate and take the guided tour, according to procedure.

"She left without entering the mosque, after being asked to do so, due to the fact that she had taken some pictures that do not conform with the conditions and regulations put in place by the Centre's management to regulate visits in a way that takes the status and sanctity of the mosque into consideration."

Things to avoid if you want progress at work place

There are an endless amount of characters in the workplace.

There’s the lady you find in the break room, always on a diet and commenting on your weight (God help you if you are proportionate, she will eat you alive). The guy who shows off way too many baby pictures of his not-that-cute-kid. The girl who stays in her office with the door shut, even during fire drills. And the dreaded over-talker who never gets the hint (which might explain why that one girl stays in her office).

We all play roles in our workplaces, many of which are unique to only our office. But there’s a standard cast of characters as well. You can find varieties of them anywhere you go, but they all share the same skill sets. They are the ones who will succeed and the ones who will fail.

In lieu of filling you with fluffy “this is what a successful person looks like” talk, I thought I’d take the opposite route. The following is a list of people who stand out for all the wrong reasons. Fair warning: If you don’t know who this person is at your office, it might be you.

1. The Gullible One. 

If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that you should never believe everything a company says. Don’t believe them when they say they don’t expect layoffs (the mere mention of that word suggests they’re on the way). Don’t believe that they’ve offered you the highest salary they can. Don’t believe them when they say they can’t negotiate your raise. And definitely don’t believe them when they say “this year has been really bad, but next year you’re going to get hooked up on that promotion you want!”

When a boss, HR rep or recruiter (or anyone playing a role in your career and financial success) states something that makes you tilt your head to the side and think “huh…that seems sketch,” don’t just accept it.

As I’ve said before, the car dealer will act like he can’t budge on a number. But if you stand up and start walking to the door he’ll automatically find a discount for you. Companies are in it for the bottom line even when they’re negotiating things with their employees. They want to encourage you to stick around while also finding a way to save money. And it saves them money to give you a smaller raise, to skip a round of promotions, to make you work through Christmas. Don’t fall for it.


2. The Groupthinker. 

Groupthink is a psychological problem that runs rampant in workplaces. Even more if you’ve got a large population of “longtermers” in a corporation. Groupthink is why technology isn’t updated, why policies are outdated, why there’s no new blood (or ideas) on a team, why you hear the sentence “you can’t do that, that’s not how we’ve always done it!”

It’s easy to spot these people, especially if you’re new to a company. They sit in clumps together and they make bizarre statements in meetings, they do the same things every day and they complain when their life is disrupted by something (or someone) new.

If you fight against a mass of groupthinkers, you run a high risk of failure, persecution, derailment and tons of frustration. But if you engage and join them, you will become silly and possibly unmarketable for your next career jump. Take your pick.


3. The Fearful One. 

People do ridiculous things when they’re scared. Just ask anyone who’s died in a horror movie (I mean, who drops the phone and runs up the stairs?!).

Fearful people will cause you serious amounts of trouble at work. If they’re scared of getting fired, they will find a way to point a finger at you. If their project is failing, they will suggest your role was to blame. Drowning people will grab whatever they can to keep their head above water. Don’t stand too close and become that object.

And don’t become the drowning person. If you ever feel worried about something at work, you sense something bad coming your way or you screw up big time, avoid the fear by taking some action. Talk to someone, your boss, your mentor or a peer to get information that will quell your fears. Or fess up and find out immediately what repercussions are headed your way for the screw-up so you’re not worried about the unknowns. Do whatever you need to do in order to avoid becoming the fearful one.


4. Apathetic Guy. 

The other day, a friend of mine posted a message on Facebook FB +3.3% stating her frustration that people keep calling her upcoming maternity leave a “vacation.” She mentioned a litany of things that have to be done while you’re on maternity leave (none of it sounded remotely vacation’ish). She referenced this because she felt judged and persecuted for her decision to take the time off.

Consider now the single person. If you haven’t been in this demo for awhile, you might not be aware of this, but single people are also victims of workplace apathy. I’ve actually heard the sentence, “You can stay late tonight to finish this, right? I gotta get out of here and it’s not like you’re going home to a family.”


Everyone is dealing with something. Everyone feels judged and misunderstood every once in awhile. And everyone feels the sting from these moments. Show some compassion even when you’re having trouble putting yourself in their shoes.

Don’t be the apathetic coworker. The grass isn’t always greener, even though it may appear so.


5. The Sore Loser. 

Anytime you’re successful or experience something great in life or your career, I guarantee you that someone somewhere will doubt that you earned it the good ‘ol hard-working way. That someone somewhere is the sore loser.

A sore loser will think you got that deal because you’ve got an important last name. Or that you were hired because your Mom sits in the corner office. Or that you simply got lucky (literally and figuratively).

You can’t stop a sore loser from thinking what they want and you can’t convince them out of their opinion. The only way to battle a sore loser is to make sure they’re not right (it might surprise some of you ladies that yes, business can indeed be conducted outside the bedroom!).

Update: It’s been called to my attention by several female readers that the comment above was offensive and diminishes the hard-earned success of females in the workplace. I realize now it was a poor example and misrepresented the very reason I have this column. It wasn’t my goal to suggest that women are perpetuating a Mad Men-era stereotype and that men are absolved of their roles in these scenarios. While it exists, this in fact is NOT a common problem in the workplace. I mentioned it as merely a side note to emphasize the importance in making sure “Sore Losers” are not making accurate accusations by carrying yourself properly in the workplace.

Use your connections and your network to get ahead, but do your own dang work. Show results. Then the sore losers will disappear one by one.


6. Malicious Gossiper.

There’s harmless gossip and then there’s malicious gossip. Harmless gossip is…harmless. But you must avoid the malicious gossiper completely. In fact, put large amounts of space between you and this person.

Assume that since they’re willing to share really bad information with you, they’re sharing it with other people. They’re kind of like the flu.

If you run across a malicious gossiper and they start talking, whatever you do, don’t agree with them. Because the next thing you know, your sentence of “Oh, I agree with you – I bet she totally slept with that guy to get that job” will be shortened to “So and so just told me that so and so slept with so and so!” And voila, you’re screwed.


7. The Apologizer. 

I recently attended an event where several startups were invited to pitch. One woman stood up to sell her idea to a room undoubtedly full of millions, a big opportunity for a small company. She looked sharp and ready. But then she opened with, “Don’t worry, this isn’t a crappy website that does blah…”

Well shoot. For the remainder of her presentation, I assumed her website was crappy.

The Apologizer will discredit themselves as soon as they open their mouth. They will start a presentation with qualifying statements like the one above or they will ask for a raise by saying, “I know we don’t have a lot of money, but…” They lose these deals because they show a massive lack of confidence in the statement, regardless of topic.

You don’t necessarily have to avoid this person. Just don’t be this person. The company pays you a salary because they think you’re worth it. You have every right to be in the room and to be having that conversation right then. Why act like you don’t belong there?

Repeat the following statement as many times as you need to before you have an important conversation or make a presentation: Be confident, not cocky.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glassheel/2013/09/18/the-7-people-who-never-succeed-at-work/

See Pictures from Chris Ubah's daughter's wedding

Daughter of Anambra State political godfather. Chris Ubah, Barr. Nonyelum Obiageli Ubah tied the knot with the son of Senator Anyim Ude, Anyim Ude Jnr at The Conference Center in Abuja on 13th October, 2013 .  

The bride looked flawless in her mermaid style wedding gown which enhanced her hourglass figure.

Her uncle Andy Ubah who is Obasanjo's close friend is gearing to become the next governor of Anambra State.

Kalu Ikeagwu- is Single and ready to mingle-good news for the single ladies

Kalu Ikeagwu is undoubtedly one of Nollywood’s sexiest bachelors & actors. He opened up to Daily Sun on why he is not yet married.
“Do I want to get married? Yes. But that would be when I find the right person; I mean that person I love so much and want to spend the rest of my life with; that’s when I’ll settle down.
The reason why I am not married now is that marriage is very important to me. I have come to terms with the fact that marriage is the most important institution from God. And I take that very seriously.
Ultimately I would like my relationship with my wife to be like that between God and the church; that’s why it is important to me. I wouldn’t say it’s been challenging though. I have gone through a lot of experiences that made me wise. When I get married, my experiences would make me a wise, good and a loving father.
I like a woman with a great sense of humor; that’s very important to me. And of course, she has to be very attractive and intelligent. Above everything else she should have a close relationship with God because that’s very important to me as well. That’s exactly why I am yet to get married. I want to be successful in my marriage just as I am in my career.”

Maheeda shows off her cute family

Her hubby isn’t the biological dad but I guess they are a happy family. They live in the Netherlands now.. All those X-rated photos she posts are with his consent

ASUU Strike: FG agrees #200b in 2014 budget on Universities

Towards ending the ongoing ASUU strike, the Federal Government has committed to spending N200 billion in the 2014 budget on the universities as well as on each of the next three-four years until the universities are brought to world-class standard. This is in addition to the N100 billion dedicated and already made available for 2013.

The government has also increased to N40 billion as a first installment, funds for the payment of earned allowances to the striking lecturers, an improvement from the N30 billion previously released.

This information is contained in an internal Federal University of Otuoke statement by Professor Bolaji Aluko, its Vice-Chancellor, seen on Wednesday night by SaharaReporters.

On the earned allowances, he explained, “Government will top it up with further releases once universities are through with the disbursement of this new figure of N40 million, so Vice-Chancellors are urged to expedite this disbursement within the shortest possible time using guiding templates that have been sent by the CVC,” the circular said. 

Professor Aluko said the development followed meetings on September 19 and Oct 11 of representatives of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, led by CVC Chairman, Prof. Hamisu of ATBU and ASUU Representatives led by its President, Dr. N. Fagge with the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Arc. Namadi. Sambo, Minister of Education Barr. N. Wike and others.

Of great interest to stakeholders, Vice-President Sambo, appealing to ASUU to call off the strike, apologized for the "take-it-or-leave-it" comments credited to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the onset of the strike. The Minister did not seem to have been involved in either meeting, perhaps as the government’s way of soothing the feelings of the university teachers.

Other points of agreement at the meetings include the following:

Project Prioritization: Universities will now be allowed to determine their priorities and not be “rail-roaded” into implementing a pre-determined set of projects with respect to the NEEDS assessment. Decisions are not to be centralized. 
TETFund Intervention: Government assured that the operations of the TETFund will not be impaired, and that the regular TETFund intervention disbursement to Universities will continue, unaffected. So the NEEDS assessment capital outlays are in addition to regular TETFund intervention. 
Project Monitoring: A new Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) for the NEEDS Assessment intervention for universities has been set up to take over from the Suswan Committee. The new one is under the Federal Ministry of Education and chaired by the Honorable Minister of Education. In addition, to build confidence and ensure faithful implementation and prevent any relapse as before, the Vice President will meet quarterly with the IMC to monitor progress. 
Blueprint: ASUU was mandated to submit a blue print for revitalizing the Universities to the Vice President. 
Prof. Aluko further stated that a signed document will soon be issued to itemize the full issues on which the consensus he had outlined here, as brokered by AVCNU, was reached.








http://saharareporters.com/news-page/ASUU-strike-government-blinks-agrees-spend-n200b-each-four-years-bring-nigerian-universiti

Kate Henshaw & Rita Dominic share studio pictures on Instagram

Breaking news: Timbaland's wife Monique Mosley files for divorce

Justine Timbaland's marriage has come to what could be a very expensive end. The famed music producer's wife, Monique Mosley, has filed for divorce and is requesting a large sum of money from her soon-to-be ex-husband.

According to legal documents obtained by the site, Mosley is asking for child support not just for her five-year-old daughter with Timbaland, but also for her 10-year-old child from a previous relationship.

She reasons that the rapper has "publicly and privately proclaimed this child as his own."

Additionally, Mosley is requesting life insurance, alimony, and money for private schooling, vacations, and summer camp.

Per TMZ, she's also asking her ex to cover her legal expenses and wants "rehabilitative alimony" as well as permanent alimony.

Van Vicker and wife celebrate 10 years anniversary

This is a picture of Van Vicker and his wife, Adjoa, in Secondary School - 19 years ago! They've been married for 10 years now and today's their 10th wedding anniversary! Congrats to the Van Vickers. May God continue to bless your union! 

Some people think celebrity marriages dont just work, but all you need to do is to look at the right model, I respect Van Vicker alot for being a real professional - He maintains a great home and manages to stay professional at same time

Kim Kardashian reveals hot Bikini Body

Reality TV's most famous booty is back on full display! Kim Kardashian shared her most revealing, sexiest post-baby body selfie so far on Instagram late Wednesday, Oct. 16. Four months after the birth of daughter North West, the 32-year-old gave fans what they want: A bathing suit self-portrait! Clutching her iPhone, the currently blonde E! star gives a sultry sideways glance in a skimpy one-piece which shows off her world-famous booty and a startling amount of sideboob.

Check out behind the scene photos from Davido"s Skelewu vidoe

Like Davido’s Skelewu needs anymore attention than it has garnered in the last few months since its first release. First, Davido created a frenzy via a competition by offering $3,000 USD to anyone who could create the best dance video to the song – which after many fun attempts by various people including footballer Emmanuel Adebayor and Nigerian comedian AY, a winner was announced. Davido shared an image of the winner of the Skelewu dance competition , Kiddy via instagram last week.
On the 15th of October, an official Skelewu video was released which we later learnt from Davido via tiwtter and an official press release that the released video which was shot by Sesan was infact an online leak which he, Davido never signed off.
On the 16th of October, just less than 24hrs after the leak of the unapproved video, Davido has shot a totally new video under the directorship of Moe Musa in London under the production of Pheonix Global Media.
What we are now expected to see is an epic adventure that has never been seen before. Abi Wilson-Obruche of Pheonix Global Media said, “It was a pleasure working with Davido. Given the short period of time we had to put the video together, it was interesting working on an adventurous concept and HKN proved to be a excellent partner in delivering the video”.
Moe Musa and his team has pulled out all the stops to create a “28 Days Later” concept for the video to prove to the world that “Skelewu” has officially taken over.
The video is said to première worldwide on Monday.

LAO Airlines plane crashes into a river, killing 49 passengers Asia

A Lao Airlines plane crashed today Wednesday October 16th killing all 44 passengers and five crew members on board. The twin-engine turbo plane was on a domestic flight from the capital Vientiane to the airport in the Champasak province in the Southern Asian country when it plunged into the river as it tried to land at Pakse International Airport. Passengers from 11 different countries were in the plane including three South Koreans, seven French, one American, one Chinese, one Taiwanese, one Canadian, five Australians and two Vietnamese.

State-owned Lao Airlines issued a statement saying the small plane ran into "extreme bad weather conditions" and crashed at 4:00pm (local time).

Photo: Locals in Pakse watch as debris from the crashed Lao Airlines twin engine plane washes ashore.

Lagos State Deputy -Governor to Iyanya"s dancers-- you are downgrading women

Sensational artists Iyanya performed with his dancers, but in the end an unexpected thing happened…
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Orelope Adefulire fired one of Iyanya’s female dancers. Here is the conversation between the dancer and the Deputy Governor held at the closing ceremony of the MTN Lagos Street Soccer at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos Island

Deputy Governor: I guess you are professional dancers?

Iyanya’s Dancers: Yes ma!

Deputy Governor: If you must entertain without pants on, certainly not in a gathering like this. Just see how you are disgracing and degrading womanhood. Don’t try it again.

Dakore Akande shows off baby bump

Actress Dakore Akande showed off her cute baby at the Nigeria movies award which held at the Eko hotel and suites on Saturday. She was the female host for the night. See more photos of her baby bump below

Pharrell Williams Marries his long time girlfriend Helen Lasichanh

Record producer Pharrell Williams married his longtime girlfriend Helen Lasichanh in a star-studded wedding in Miami, Fla., on Saturday, Oct. 12
Credit: Jeff Vespa/WireImage
Pharrell Williams is one lucky guy! The Grammy award-winning record producer tied the knot with his girlfriend model Helen Lasichanh on Saturday, Oct. 12, Us Weekly can confirm. The "Get Lucky" singer and his new bride exchanged vows in Miami, Fla.

The newlyweds were feted by several famous pals, including Usher and Busta Rhymes. "Usher and Busta Rhymes did a mini concert at the wedding," a source revealed to Us. "It was so fun. The little concert was amazing. It [was] the most fun wedding I've ever been to.
big congrats to them