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Updated Thursday, 15th October, 2007

SALLAH

Some Muslims celebrated Sallah on 14 th October

In Kano, Oct. 14, 2007, Some Muslims celebrated Eid-El-Fitr today, three days after the beginning of the annual festival.

The Muslims who declined to celebrate the event along with other adherents on Thursday, continued to fast till Saturday and celebrated the festival on the 14 th of October. It was reported that some of them were seen cooking and exchanging visits. This was going on even as their fellow Muslim brothers who observed the event on Thursday were winding up.

One of them, Malam Ado Abubakar, a civil servant, said he could not start the celebration on Thursday because it was wrong to do so ``when the moon was not actually sighted''. He said: ``I cannot terminate my fasting based on hearsay. The moon was sighted in other places than Kano; when no one has seen it here. I had to complete my fasting. I fasted for 30 days''.

Another one, Malama Magajiya Idris, a bean cake seller, said that she had to fast for 31 days before she could join the sallah celebration. "I don't care what others may say. All I know is that you don't start fasting until you see the moon yourself and you don't end it without sighting it with your own eyes,'' she said.

NIGERIAN MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS HOLDS IN DECEMBER

As preparations to celebrate Nigerian musical videos hots up Cally Ikpe, National Coordinator of the first ever Nigeria Music Video Awards. (NMVA) says the evolution of the Nigerian culture and entertainment industry has come along a tortuous course! “The outcome has been rewarding and all agree that the struggle has been worthwhile. The progress of today cannot be sustained without the establishment and monitoring of a reliable system of measuring and reappraising standards and capacities”.

According to the man who is credited today as producing the longest running entertainment programme on TV, Da New Live Beat, “The exploits of Nigerian music videos in Africa, Europe and North America in the past decade have earned Nigeria some reasonable levels of reckoning. it is an established fact today too that Nigeria exalts some reasonable levels of cultural influences one way or the other on Africans, both at home and in the Diaspora”.

Presently, the Benue State producer said “the Nigerian Music Video industry has moved up and can compete favourably with other music videos produced by their international counterparts, a feat that deserves encouragement. Indeed, there has been a music video revolution in Nigeria. This, he revealed is the basis for the introduction of the first Nigeria Music Video Awards. The Awards is meant to recognise and reward particularly the outstanding creators of music videos (i.e. Directors, Editors, Animators, Directors of photography, choreography e.t.c) in various categories”.

Ikpe revealed that they will be judging videos that where produced between January 2005 to the middle of 2007, “but it will not always be so. Subsequently, it will just be a video that has been produced within a year of the award because it’s going to be an annual thing. It is supposed to be the annual Nigeria music video awards.” he says. He therefore assures that “on behalf of the NMVA organising committee that this will turn out about the
best ever organised music event in Nigeria. Once more I call on every stake holder join hands with us even as we make history”.

The awards,which is the first of its kind is billed to hold December 2, 2007 and has been confirmed now to take place at the Expo Center of the Eko Hotel and Suites.

ENE OLOJA DEBUTS IN AMERICAN MOVIE

Nigerian actress Ene Oloja of the popular TV drama series ``Cock Crow At Dawn'' has featured in a top-rated American movie, ‘The Brave One.'' She had also formerly starred in other Nigerian films, including the soap opera ``Behind The Clouds.'' its been reported that the new thriller, which was released in
September, is now showing in theaters around the world.

The movie has so far grossed 34.4 million Dollars in earnings, according to a Box Office information. A publication entitled: ``African Sun Times'', in New York, stated that Oloja, who has being living in New York in the last 17years, appeared in the movie with Oscar-wining actress, Jodie Foster.

She described her appearance, as ``amazing and a pleasant experience'', adding that ``it is my first outing on the screen here in the U.S.'' She also disclosed that she was engaged in the movie following her experience in the Nigerian and African movie industry and after an audition by the film's production crew.

The actress, who thanked God for ``His wonders'' said: ``His hand is my life.'' Oloja is working at a management company at Staten Island, New York and lives in the city with her son. The Brave One is the story of a successful New York radio talk show host named Erica ( Jodie Foster), who is engaged to the man of her dreams. However, her world suddenly came crashing one evening when thugs waylaid her
and her boyfriend while strolling with their dog. Erica was injured but the emotional damage left indelible mark on her as she was forced to watch the thugs kill her beloved. She went for a revenge and justice
from those who ruined her life.

Oloja played the part of Udo Josai, an African immigrant neighbor who became a friend and confidant to Erica ( Jodie Foster). A brief on Oloja by the film producers stated that: ``Ene Oloja is a veteran actress both on stage and on film, a versatile media practitioner, brilliant and academically well accomplished."

SEPTUAGENARIAN ACTOR SAYS ACTING BEGINS AT 70

A septuagenarian Yoruba actor, Pa James Omojola, says he is just beginning to act, at 70. He said ``As long as my bones are still intact, I will continue to act.''

The actor, who started training under the late Herbert Ogunde in 1962, acted in popular and outstanding Yoruba films such as `Yoruba Ronu',`Ayanmo' and `Taxi Driver'.

He said he made his debut, "The Garden of Eden'', a dance drama, in 1964 which was staged to mark the 20th anniversary of late Hubert Ogunde on stage.

According to him, many of his contemporaries are dead, while some have retired from acting because of old age and hardship.

His current film entitled "AGBALETU", is being shown at the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu. He attributed the low quality of contemporary Yoruba films to lack of professionalism.

"Many people now come to acting out of joblessness, not necessarily out of love for the profession.

"I have to resign my appointment as a teacher in 1962 at Yaba Model Primary School in Yaba, Lagos, to take up a career as an actor, '' he said.

Omojola who still blows the trumpet, said his greatest moment in his career was when in 1968, he led a musical band which performed before Gen. Yakubu Gowon as Head of State.

He appealed to the authorities to step up the onslaught against piracy which, according to him, has sent many actors to their early death, as well as compounded the economic hardships of those living.

HOW NOLLYWOOD GIRLS DATE PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS :DOLLY UNACHUKWU
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Contrary to the widely held view that men are the initiators of the ‘sex-for-role’ malaise in Nollywood, UK returnee actress, Dolly Onachukwu, star of the now defunct Fortunes and Checkmate, soaps that ruled our screens, has declared that the reverse is the case. “The question is ‘who is harassing who? We must begin to look at things objectively. The women are harassing the producers as well as the directors. Why did they not harass us in our own days? The reason is that today, everybody wants to act. Everybody wants to be popular and for this reason, these girls are ready to do anything, including throwing their bodies at directors to get roles.

How many men are you going to sleep with? There are some that would say a capital NO! In desperation, these girls start ‘distributing’ themselves around and end up sleeping with even personal assistants when directors have finished with them.”
According to her: “It is all about up-bringing. The moment we start bringing morals into the industry, we would see a change. Some of them are prostitutes. They are the ones giving us a bad name. If you are a director, beware, she has a warning for you: “I look at them and I see that they don’t know what they are getting into. They carry these women up and down. They are demons looking for whom to devour. It is not only AIDS that they share, they take away your spiritual life.”

UK Experience
Dolly quit Nollywood suddenly in 2000 at the height of a promising career and relocated to the UK, to join her husband. She shared her experience thus.
“I’ve been in the UK for seven years. I did not abandon my acting. I took it with me. I have been doing films and videos and studying at East London University. I took a degree course in film and video production. I also acquired an European Computer Drivers License (ECDL), when I discovered that the world had become a global village.

Nollywood
“Nollywood has moved forward and I am glad to be part of it. We are more acceptable worldwide. Back in the day, acting was not seen as serious but today, there is a shift. Today, every home is watching Nigerian movies. It’s impressive that we are appreciating our movies. Look at African Magic on MNET, the world is watching us too. It has become a very serious business with awesome potentials. Nobody cares about foreign movies any more. Artistes are earning incredibly more. We did not earn like that those days, we did it for the passion but because Nigerians are now accepting our own thing, it is beginning to impact on the lives of practitioners. Nigerian films have become a brand. Some get over a million naira per flick. In our days, the highest ever paid was about N600, 000.

Love Life
Following the break-up of her second marriage, Dolly has turned to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for succour.
“I don’t want to talk about my love life. I don’t want to talk about any man in my life. The only man in my life right now is Jesus Christ. Since I came back to the country, there have been different stories in the papers. One said I was looking for a third husband, another said that I did not care about marriage. My love life is boring. People should leave me alone. People are tired of reading different rumours about me.

Single Parenthood
Dolly is saddled with the responsibility of raising two kids single-handedly. She talked about the challenges.
“It is challenging and fulfilling being a single parent. You look after these children and know that they depend on you. It is great to know that you have the responsibility of bringing them up. You are the one they live with and know. It’s not that they don’t know their fathers but you are the one they believe in because you are the one they see every day and is always there for them. It’s not easy combining acting and raising a child. Now I have to share my time. I remember when I shot my film in the UK, I had my son on set. The few times he was not on set, I missed him. It is quite demanding though. I have two kids and I make out time to relax with them, take them on holiday. I work out a way so that we can be together very often.”

Regrets
“Honestly, if I was to live my life all over again, I would be a lawyer instead of an actress. All my life, I had always wanted to be a lawyer. It was my dream growing up but along the line, acting came. It is not like I don’t like acting but the exposure and publicity takes away your privacy. You are always in the limelight. The attention is too much. Sometimes it’s overbearing. I can’t talk walk down the street. Even if I am in a bad mood, if people greet me, I must smile back at them.

ACTORS CALL FOR UN´S ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER

Actors and actresses from different countries have called on the United Nations to pay urgent attention to the problem of hunger. Representatives from the worlds of Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nigeria's film industry Nollywood recently gathered outside the UN headquarters to protest that the world body isn't doing enough to combat world hunger.

Nigerian movie celebrity, Hilda Dokubo said, "There is enough food in the world to go around everybody twice. It is a shame that that much food is all over the world and yet people cannot access it. There is something fundamentally wrong. Therefore, let's begin to build the capacity of human beings, let's build human beings, let's build lives, not structure."

U. S. BOX OFFICE

1. The Heartbreak Kid	2. Heroes	3. Saw IV	4. The Kingdom	5. The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
6. Resident Evil: Extinction	7. The Game Plan	8. 3:10 To Yuma	9. Across the Universe	10. Knocked Up

BRITNEY WINS MODIFIED VISITATION RULES

It wasn't one of Britney Spears' more overwhelming performances, but her live appearance in court won her back a piece of motherhood. Spears stood up for herself Thursday for the first time in her custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline and faced the court commissioner who took her kids away, citing drug and alcohol abuse by the pop princess. By the time the closed-door session was over, Spears was awarded one overnight stay a week with her two little boys even though she won't be left alone with them — someone appointed by the court will be monitoring her.

She spent about an hour before the commissioner, who earlier declined to rule on her emergency request to expand visitation. She then drove from the courthouse in a white Mercedes-Benz and was swarmed by news media at a stop light, escaping only after sheriff's deputies ran from the courthouse to aid her. Neither Spears nor her attorneys spoke to reporters after the hearing. Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini announced that the visitation order had been modified to permit the children, who were recently placed in Federline's custody, to have one overnight visit a week with their mother.

Spears was previously allowed monitored visits with the children but no overnight stays. Parachini said he could not say who the overnight monitor would be. Spears testified during the hearing, he said. "Her voice was soft and respectful." Federline agreed to the modification, his attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said outside court. "He agreed — didn't have to — but he agreed that he would allow that additional time ... provided that there were additional assurances in place that made him feel the kids were protected," Kaplan said.

Spears' attorney had asked the court to consider her mother, Lynne Spears, as the monitor. Kaplan would not say when the first overnight would occur or who the monitor would be, but he said he opposes use of family members as court-appointed monitors because of a conflict of interest. Spears, 25, and Federline, 29, were married in October 2004 and divorced in July. Both must appear in court Oct. 26 for a status hearing.

Spears came to court a few hours after a hearing in which only lawyers for both sides appeared before Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon in open court. He declined to rule on Spears' emergency motion but told the lawyers to meet outside court to discuss the issue, which led to the singer's appearance. "I'm doing good," Spears said as she headed into court dressed in blue jeans, a long black sweater and aviator sunglasses. She sipped from a Coca-Cola can as she approached the courtroom. An attorney took it from her and placed it on a bench as she entered. Spears played nervously with her jeans pocket as she stood to be sworn in.

The commissioner allowed Spears to keep her dark sunglasses on, telling her, "I understand you have a medical condition." The condition was not disclosed. Reporters were then asked to leave and the hearing continued behind closed doors. During the earlier open hearing, Spears' attorney, Anne Kiley, argued that overnight visits were critical for Spears to bond with her sons, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James. "I do think it is an emergency for them not to have overnights with their mother, which they've always had," she told Gordon.

"What possible concern can he (Federline) have if there are monitors present?" she asked. In the original Oct. 1 order requiring Spears to relinquish custody, Gordon granted her some visitation but said a monitor must be present and the visits could be cut short if the monitor decided Spears' behavior endangered the children. When he took the children away, Gordon said Spears had engaged in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol." He ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week. He reiterated Thursday that he worried that the pop star's troubles could harm the children.

He also criticized Spears for not complying with previous court orders, repeatedly saying that the current custody order taking her children away resulted from her own choices. Gordon told Kiley he had not received any of Spears' drug test results directly from the lab, as he had ordered, although he had an attorney's declaration that she has passed them. Federline's attorney, Kaplan, said it was frustrating that Spears' lawyers would try to change the Oct. 1 custody order so soon after it was issued. "If she could remedy all of those problems ... in one week, that would be a miracle," he said.

BRITNEY LOSES CUSTODY OF KIDS

Troubled Britney Spears was dealt a new blow when a judge ordered her to hand over her children to her ex-husband.It a hearing behind closed doors in Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Scott Gordon ordered the pop star to turn over custody of her two young sons to Kevin Federline.US reports said the couple's children, Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, were currently with Federline, but were due to be handed over to Spears.

The order means they will now remain with Federline, 29, until a further court order is issued. The next hearing will be held in LA.The court document said Federline would retain custody "until further notice of the court". The document, published on celebrity website TMZ.com, read: "Respondent (Federline) is to retain phys ical custody of the minor children on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 12.00pm until further order of the court.

"Respondent's ex parte application is noticed for October 3, 2007 at 1.30pm in Department 88." It went on: "The entire transcript of proceedings for the hearing held in this matter on this date is ordered sealed and is obtainable only by counsel of record appearing this date or by order of the court." Last month, the same judge said the 25-year-old pop singer engaged in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol" and ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week as part of her custody dispute with Federline.

Spears was previously ordered to meet weekly with a "parenting coach" who was to observe and report back to the court about her parenting skills. Both Spears and Federline must complete the court's "Parenting Without Conflict" class. And Spears's former bodyguard Tony Barretto, 28, said he was prepared to testify "on issues of nudity by Ms Spears, drug use, and safety issues involving the children post-rehab" in the custody battle.

TU-FACE RECOUNTS ORDEAL, THANK GOD

Contrary to widespread speculations concerning his health, and erroneous media reports that he was battling for his life, star singer, Innocent Idibia, aka Tu-Face, speaking from his hospital bed on Tuesday assured his fans and well-wishers that he is well and his health is not in anyway deteriorating.

In company with his publicist, Ayeni Adekunle, his manager Joice Ize-Iyamu, a group of cameramen and his security guards, Tu Face, who was shot by armed bandits on Thursday, thanked God for sparing his life, even as he chided his attackers for getting so desperate as to attempt to take another man’s life “I thank God because I know it’s not luck. The bullet could have hit me somewhere more dangerous. So I really thank God, and I’m really trying to understand what He’s trying to tell me with this incident,” he said.

Reminiscing on the sad incident, he explained “we didn’t know it was robbers. We even thought it was a car trying to ram into us. It was not until I saw the gun, and heard the shot that I realised what they wanted. So I told my guy, let’s find our way o... these guys mean business. I didn’t even know the bullet hit me. It was while we were running that my left leg started failing me, that I realised what had happened. “It’s really sad that people would allow frustration lead them into doing such things. There are people on the road, selling stuff, trying so hard to make it.

“As far as I’m comfortable where I am, I’ve got no hassles. Whatever will be will be. I might be in the US and be hit by a stray bullet. Anything good or evil can happen to you anywhere,” he said.

SEGUN ARINZE GOES BACK IN THE DAYS

ON October 12, at Planet One, Lagos, Nigerians who love music of yester-years will savour it to its fullest. Tagged Back in Da Dayz, the initiative is coming from actor and soul singer, Segun Arinze.

It is aimed to be a regular feast of old-school music performed live to rekindle the nostalgia of music in the past. Arinze has put together a tight package that will bring out the best in our past musical heritage. Music icons like Chris Okotie, Onyeka Onwenu, Christie Igbokwe, Sunny Ade, Sunny Okosuns, Alex O, Alex Zitto, Mike Okri among others will all take centre stage and be celebrated.

Others are Bongos Ikwe, Prince Nicco Mbaga, Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, Felix and Moses, Chris Mba, Daniel Wilson and Victor Uwaifo, Ofege, Evi Edna, Oliver D'Coque, Ras Kimono, Oritz Williki, Sir Victor Olaiya, Majek Fashek, Rinkars Experience and Fela Anikulapo. The performance package enjoys the support of Virtuoso Media and Kingsley Ogoro Productions. Back in Da Dayz , according to the star actor, will celebrate Nigeria 's timeless classics that still remain evergreen till date, music that defined the '70s, '80s an d'90s. The concert is also being conceived as a form of appreciation to Nigeria 's musical legends for their undying musical legacy. "It's a way to say thank you to those icons, to get the young ones together to say thank you to the old ones and to provide quality entertainment value for Nigerians of all age categories. The young will be saying thank you to these great icons," Arinze explained. The convener of the all-star performance particularly praised the lyrical prowess of the icons that continues to define the presence.

Arinze said the young ones should borrow a leaf from them to revamp their lyrical content, which he said was raw and lewd, although he admitted that this was a global problem. "In those days there were no lewd, indecent lyrics", he said, "the old charted the course for the younger ones to follow. Now there is better pay, better publicity. Everything is so laid out for the young ones to excel unlike those days. Their messages are still relevant in the present because they talked about timeless issues that have value".

MEMORIES :KING SUNNY ADE

My father was always a very musical man, as a young kid in Britain, not only did he introduce good music to me, most importantly he introduced good African music to me. King Sunny Ade was a staple in my household. I remember the first Sunny Ade song i ever learnt how to sing, it had a chorus that went: sha sha ngele, bi mo l’ogun eru…... ( I still can’t find the actual song that came from) because strangely enough most of Sunny Ade’s stuff had more than one chorus!.

Anyway, KSA as fondly called is and was the cutest man ever, and he had tribal marks which I loved. They sat well on his face, I had heard soo much at school about Africans and all of it was unsavoury (yep the monkey chants, the funny names,all that mess). and here was this chocolate dream with the cutest moustache. I declared that one day I would meet and marry this man. Fast forward a few years late (probably 4 or 5 years). Mom, sis and I were sitting on a plane. Some guy comes over to where we are sitting and says something to my mother, she laughs and says ok give me a minute, she checks on us then gets up and follows the man. 2 minutes later she comes back and says:
girls, I have a surprise for you, come with me we follow her into the first class cabin and the convo goes like this:

Mom: ‘Soul’ ... remember the man you said you want to marry?
Soul: Of course, I’m going to marry Sunny Ade. The guy who sang that sha sha n’gele song (all said in a proper British accent)
Mom: ok, well, here he is, sitting right beside you and he would like to meet you. Say hello to King Sunny Ade.
Soul: oh I’m going to marry you and with that said, I jumped onto his lap, put my arms around his neck and buried my face into his chest.

He laughed out loud. and said.. ‘Is this your morra?’(mother) (erm Nigerians have a way of turning double t’s (which we actually pronounce as a d) into double r’s as a means of softening the intonation on our accents) I nodded my head vigourously but kept myself strapped to him, at which point my mother gave me ‘the look’ and I slowly got off his lap, he patted me on the back and made small talk with all of us. He then turned to my mother and said: I can’t believe you have these big children, more small talk ensued and then we returned to our seats.

Turns out Sunny Ade, had spotted my mother before we boarded the plane and had taken a liking to her, he sent one of his boys to request that she join him for a drink and when my mother said she was traveling with her kids, the guy begged my mother to tell Sunny that face to face, so she did. and then she told him how her children loved his music and asked if he would mind meeting us. That experience was so cool for me, and he was completely gorgeous in person, I still remember what he was wearing, matching deep blue denim trousers and a jacket, cool as a cat, that afro just the right shape and the way he was soo softly spoken.

His music has always appealed to me, possibly because of the use of the African talking drums and his dabbling in electronica.
The sound of those drums just make me want to get up and shake it. (which could be dangerous on soo many levels, cos I might scare the children lol). It’s a conversation, a movement, a rhythm, a language, spoken word, a heartbeat, a mouthpiece. It gives life to something inside you that just makes you want to move. And boy, you need to see the way our mothers shook it when they heard those drums… oh shit! you sat in awe, thinking one day I’m gonna be soo moved by the sounds and rhythms of this drum beat that I’d be shaking even more than this. lol.

You suddenly realized that the drummer was not just communicating on an unseen level. but with every thump of his drum, it seems he communicated with the posterior of every woman around, cos believe me.. there was and still is a synchronism between the drum beat and the way you ‘shook it’.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR... EVER

The worst clothing crimes of all time have been revealed, with the nylon shell suit topping the list of fashion faux-pas.The research, by online clothing company missbutterfly.com, also named clogs, culottes, platform shoes and ra-ra skirts among fashion's top 10 greatest offenders.

Chunky Ugg boots, which boast a huge celebrity following with everyone from style icon Kate Moss to reality TV star Jade Goody wearing them, cut no ice with the 1,500 women surveyed, who named them tenth worst fashion item. Researchers also asked respondents to name their favourite fashion items of all time.

Topping the list came jeans, followed by the little black dress; the mini skirt was in third place; the bikini in fourth; knee-high boots fifth; flares sixth; stilettos seventh; trainers eighth; the polo-neck jumper ninth place; and at number ten, the trench coat. 

WHY THEY CALL ME AREA FADA – CHARLY BOY

Among his fellow musicians and the society in general, Charles Oputa (aka Charly Boy) cuts the picture of an enigmatic personality whose life and ideals are shrouded in radicalism. But the maverick singer, non-conformist and friend of ‘okada’ riders said that right from day one, he had chosen his path and remained focussed towards defending the voiceless.

CB told us recently that his choice of Area Fada as sobriquet is strategic, and not that he has anything to do with the popular Area Boys but that his dream is to rehabilitate the derailing youths and see them on the path of progress.

To actualise his dream, CB disclosed that he is setting up a multi-purpose youth centre in Abuja, adding that the N4.5 billion project aims at training youths and artistes, as well as showcasing talents in all genres of entertainment.

My dream
The biggest of all my dreams in life is to be with the youths and ensure their welfare. My main dream has always been to establish a youth centre where I could take many young Nigerians off the streets and where I could on a wider scale, rehabilitate a lot of damaged youths in this country. Yes, it is true that parents are already failing in their duties-but I can’t totally blame them because they too are victims of a failed social structure.

They are also burning away in currents of agony, owing to the insensitivity of the system. Parents have become so frustrated and deprived that no time is apportioned to their children any longer. Of course, they too can’t take care of themselves, so how can they take care of their children?.

Why they call me Area Fada
Yes, I have explained the fault of parents. Teachers too are no longer interested in imparting knowledge into pupils.They are no longer bothered about taking up the honourable role of building future of the children. So, Charly Boy out of his conviction has decided to take up the role of parents and teachers by coming to the rescue of youths. So, I have become father of the street children and youths, hence they call me Area Fada. The name has nothing to do with the regular Area Boys who are popular on Lagos streets. My role is not to promote or encourage those layabouts who are busy stealing or attacking innocent citizens of this country. I’ve become the spokesperson of all the youths and that is why I’ve decided to build a N4.5 million complex to actualize my dream.

The Youth Complex
The new youth centre is one of the projects of the Charly Boy Foundation. It was conceived as a motivational and training centre with lots of facilities like computers, auditorium, recreational units, stage as well as a radio and television station whose area of coverage would be soon determined.
It is envisaged that on a weekly basis, a credible Nigerian such as Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Dora Akunyuli or Adebambo Adewopo among others would be invited to talk to the youths on how they can build their future.

It’s a centre that would keep youths busy and occupied as well as provide opportunity to learn a trade. We’ve already started to raise the money and I’m sure some of my friends who are well placed and who believe in the project would assist us.

Charly Boy as a name and brand
I look into the future, my works are not about today, but abou future. When I started, many people had wrong perceptions of my dream and that was why I’m misunderstood. People called me names, saying I am mad or that I’m an eccentric. But Charly Boy really is a child of future. I am not a regular Nigerian, I stand out, I don’t think like the rest. I ‘m for people who have depth, people who see beyond the physical appearance and decode the method to this madness.

My book…My Private Part
The book is a social process which comments om my growth and consistency of what the Charly Boy brand represents.

Constituency helps me to make the dream a reality- and I have demonstrated this in life as much as I reflect through the book.

A young, successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry executive jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and said "who are you and what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost me a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister... please, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.

"It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his wheelchair bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice: Listen to the whisper... or wait for the brick!

THE WORLD'S HEAVIEST MAN

This world's heaviest man is called Manuel Uribe , from Mexico's Nuevo Leon State. He suffers a morbid obesity for almost 20 years now, once weighing as much as 1,235 pounds (550kg). The illness has deformed his body and it forces him to remain in his house for more than 5 years already. Currently, he is on strict diet and losing weight.

MATHS GENIUS, MARCH BOEDIHARDJO, THE YOUNGEST UNIVERSITY STUDENT IN HONG KONG

March Boedihardjo, a 9-year-old maths prodigy, has been admitted to the Hong Kong Baptist University, being the youngest university student in Hong Kong. He will be studying for a bachelor's degree and master's degree in a five-year course specially designed by the university.

March Boedihardjo, an Indonesian Chinese born boy was raised in Hong Kong. He and his father Tony Boedihardjo went to UK to accompany his elder brother who is studying in Oxford in 2005. In UK, March, being of special interests in mathematics and advanced mathematics, had studied for two years at a special school and passed numerous examinations required to admit to a university.

He said that he chose to study in Hong Kong University instead its UK counterparts because his father does not have sufficient money.

SATAN VISITS THE CHURCH

One bright, beautiful Sunday morning, everyone in Lagos wakes up early and goes to their local church. Before the service starts, the townspeople sit in their pews and talk about their lives and their families.

Suddenly, at the altar, Satan appears!! Everyone starts screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in their determined efforts to get away from Evil Incarnate. Soon, everyone is evacuated from the church except for one man, who sit calmly in his pew, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy is in his presence. This confuses Satan a bit. Satan walks up to the man and says, "Hey, don't you know who I am?" The man says, "Yep, sure do."

Satan says, "Well, aren't you afraid of me?" The man says, "Nope, sure ain't."

Satan, perturbed, says, "And why aren't you afraid of me?" The man says, "Well, I've been married to your sister for 25 years."

A VERY FAITHFUL WOMAN

An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout "PRAISE THE LORD!"

Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, "There ain't no Lord!!"

Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted "PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!"

The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD."

The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, "Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn't."

The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, "PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. Praise the Lord!"