Boko Haram kills 6 in fresh Borno village attack

MAIDUGURI – Six people were reportedly killed while one person sustained gunshot injury when suspected members of Boko Haram sect invaded Goniambari village in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno state.

The insurgents, according to sources also burnt down some houses and vehicles using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs before looting foodstuffs and livestock.

This photo shows razed homes in Mainok, outside Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria,

The incident according to a fleeing resident, Mallam Modu Abari took place on Monday between 6:30pm to 7pm.

Goniambari village is south and 15 kilometres from Beneshiekh, the council headquarters of Kaga Local Government of the state. Kaga is  about 80 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Saturday, last week, four members of the Civilian JTF and a volunteer were killed with four others injured when their Hilux patrol vehicle stepped on a landmine in Buma village in Ngamdu District of Beneshiekh.

All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer of the Borno state Command, Mr. Victor Isuku proved abortive

Olamide To Sign First Female Artist To YBNL; He Wants You To Suggest An Artist For Him

Olamide took to his Twitter page to make the announcement that he and his team are already searching for their first YBNL female artist.
Olamide revealed that he wanted a combination of Asa and Dej Loaf and asked for his fans to recommend someone for him. If you know any upcoming female artist that fits the description, kindly leave a comment and let us know.
   

Olamide Adedeji ✔ @olamide_YBNL

My YBNL First Lady should be combination of àśà and Dejloaf .. What do u suggest ? #YBNL1StLADY

Reekado Banks Says He’s Not Close Friends With Lil’Kesh

Mavin star, Reekado Banks who recently bagged The Headies 2015 Next Rated awards, a category that had YBNL star, Lil’Kesh in it too and has caused major controversy between the label bosses of the two talented acts, recenly admitted he and Lil’Kesh aren’t close friends but they are cool.
During an interview he had recently with HipTV, Reeky talked about his relationship with the YBNL act, Kesh and he opened up that they aren’t really close.
     “We weren’t the closest of friends like close, close, close. It wasn’t like we talked everyday but we talked once in a while. He called me once in a while. I called him once in a while. And same as now, it still happens that way. There’s nothing really that has changed” he said.
     

Young John Explains Why He Is Scarce on Olamide’s Latest Album

Hitmaker Young John has finally revealed to the world the reason he didn’t make many appearance on Olamide’s latest project Eyan Mayweather.
John produced only 1 song on the chart topping album  which was Bobo, which happened to be the most successful song on it. Many expected him to be prominent on the album but that was not the case.
    
He told Hip TV that he was busy with other things while the album was being recorded hence he needed time off. He however added that his fans should expect a lot from him in 2016.
Young John produced Lil Kesh latest song, Ibile.

The art of the nonsense remix: the case of Davido and Osinachi By Chilee Agunanna

Article written by entertainment journalist, Chilee Agunana

The remix has always been a popular part of the music industry and adds a different flavour to an already good song or gives a new lease of life to a song that initially did not perform so well. A remix simply means another artist’s version of a song where he or she must have added something to it. And while the remix mustn’t necessarily be better, it largely involves an ‘addition’ to the original song rather than removing ‘something’ from it.

That being said, some of the songs remixed in this country in recent times have actually removed `things’ from the original songs and one xample of this is Davido’s remix of Humblesmith’s Osinachi.

The young singer had already introduced himself to the Nigerian music audience with Chairmo and then in August 2015 dropped a career-defining single which he titled, Osinachi, featuring Phyno. The song was an immediate hit and the fact it combined excellent Hip Hop elements with didactic lyrics was a plus and in that regard somehow similar to Korede Bello’s Godwin which led to the latter’s controversial invitation to some church programmes. Osinachi had an even cleaner claim to church performances but Humblesmith may have closed that door by allowing Davido to burden it with his Dubai-infected baggage.

Osinachi, an Igbo word, literally means ‘It’s from God’ and can be figuratively adapted to mean `Destiny’ or ‘blessing’. It’s also a beautiful name which many parents have gladly bestowed on their offsprings just like Godwin. A look at the original lyrics makes for an interesting read and further highlighted the very essence of the song as originally composed:

Plenty people don dey ask,

Na which baba do the jazz,

Say the baba do well for me oh,

Now my life don better

Not because I suffer pass

Not because I pray and fast

No be osho no be jazz, okwa chinenye

Also look at Phyno’s verse with some loose translation provided in brackets:

Ibe, ekene kenelum olisa bi ne nu igwe (Greetings to God in heaven)

Daddy ne mezi nu m obi oma (Daddy has made me happy)

Nwanne inee aya, n’ime ndum o (Brother if you look into my life)

Iga fu na chukwu emego nu aka boys achaa (You will see God has blessed boys)

God I dey beg you don't leave me oh

Okwa ikwelu nkwa si na ima rapum oo (Remember you promised you won’t leave me)

Baba obi ni'gwe o-oo-o (Father in heaven)

Wee simu golibe oooo (Told me to enjoy)

Hey, nwanne okwa ima na oke chineke di okpotopo (Brother you know God’s grace is big)

Amamihe gi kam choro (I want your wisdom)

Maka m di ogogoro (Because I’m empty)

Some dey think say na jazz how the boy came up fast

Mana ha maro na ngozi gi na di ogonogo (But they don’t know you blessing is long)

Okwa, everyday nne kpe ekpere (I pray every day)

Chineke iwee nyemu the reason m ji enye ekele (God you gave me to give thanks)

Now m nanwuli with my family and friends (Now I’m rejoicing with family and friends)

Ayin n’eme the money down ka (We are doing the money down like)

Nwanne oburo jazz (Brother it’s not jazz)

The lyrics of Davido's remix is a sharp and confused contrast that not only presents a total deviation from the initial spirit of the song but also reduced it to a platform for advancing some personal issues which is a complete let-down to such a beautiful song.

My humble father sinachi

My loving daughter sinachi mo

My baby mama sinachi

Dele Momodu sinachi mo

No be by force to go Dubai

Abi na wetin cause the fight

And I just dey my own dey laugh eh

Because God dey my side

They want to take away my favour

They want to spoil my career

Them no know say I get flavour

You fit ask Nabania

I forgive and forget

Baba God knows the best

My papa just buy jet

And about to take off everywhere oh

Humblesmith in allowing this remix may have mortgaged his immediate progress for a few coins from the Omo Baba Olowo as this remix has stunted his immediate growth because, one, it removed attention from the main song which was doing marvellously well and redirected it to Davido. Secondly what Davido brought to the song was immediately expendable as the Baby mama drama while being stupidly negative and shouldn’t even come close to a song like Osinachi, it died once Davido moved on from it and in this sense, the Sony signing immediately took over the Davido narrative and Humblesmith is now left with the few Judas coins he made from betraying such a good song.

Apart from being one of the most hardworking and talented artists in the country, Davido is also one of the most mischievous—scheming out one publicity scheme (positive and negative in same measure) immediately after the other, and the narrative of Humblesmith’s career as regards the traction he would have gained from his hit song has now been subsumed in the shenanigans of an already made act.

This is the danger ‘upcoming’ acts face when they excitedly allow bigger artists to buy into their arrival and remix their already successful songs. This happened to Kiss Daniels when he allowed Davido once again and Tiwa Savage to guzzle up whatever attention and goodwill he had garnered with his hit, Woju, and his successive attempts to resurrect that success with new singles using virtually the same beat, have largely failed.

Another sad case is Oritsefemi whose struck gold with his version of Fela’s, Double Wahala, but he then allowed a fading D’banj to hijack his song. Not to mention what D’banj also did to Iyanya’s Kukere but by then, Iyanya had already exhausted the song’s goodwill and revenue, so D’banj’s remix never really affected the success of the song or Iyanya’s progress.

A new ‘upcoming’ artist is supposed to ride on the back of the success of the older artist he features in his song, not the other way round. Naeto C did it for Davido and Phyno has already done it for Humblesmith on the original Osinachi track, so there was no need for this remix, not at this time.

Humblesmith is no doubt a good artist and would most definitely release other good songs who knows how long it will take fortune to smile on him again with another hit seeing that he humbly threw away the `Destiny’ already given to him?

Chilee Agunanna is a Lagos-based journalist and you can reach him on Twitter: @ChileeChills.

APC Publicists Converge In Akure, Vow To Wrestle Power From Mimiko-Government

The All Progressives Congress (APC) State Publicity Secretaries have converged in Akure, the Ondo State capital to strategize ahead of the governorship elections coming up in the State and Edo State.

Omo'ba Abayomi Adesanya, the Publicity Secretary of the Party in Ondo State, noted that the image markers have already been looking inward on the propagation of the Party's ideas and ideology to the people.‎
‎SaharaReporters correspondent gathered that the party's Publicity Secretary in Edo state, Godwin Erhahon, his counterpart from Osun state, Morakinyo Akintola, and Taiwo Olatubosun from Ekiti State were in attendance at the meeting held in Akure.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, Mr. Adesanya said the publicists were in Akure to strategize towards winning the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, to install a progressive and people's government in power.
"This meeting is camaraderie, strategic and sacrosanct towards winning the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the states (Edo and Ondo).
"Like what we have in Edo and Osun which the immediate past APC government in Ekiti, under Kayode Fayemi symbolized, we want to install a progressive and people's government in Ondo State", he said.
Godwin Erhahon‎, the Edo State APC publicist revealed that they were ready to join hands with the Ondo State chapter of the Party to end the misrule of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr. Erhahon decried Ondo State has not benefitted from the 13% Derivative Funds being managed by Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
"Ondo is richer than Edo State, yet Edo State Oil and Gas Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (EDSOMPADEC) has judiciously managed the 13% Oil Derivative Funds to build over 600 kilometers of roads, 90 world class secondary schools, across Edo State," Mr. Erhahon stated.
He added that given Ondo State’s status as an oil and gas producing-State there is no excuse for the infrastructural deficit, high rate of unemployment, economic downturn, and non-payment of workers’ salaries.
Morakinyo Akintola, Osun State Spokesman of the Party, appealed for unity and peace among leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State and recognized the importance of Ondo State in the collective economic development of the southwest.
"My interaction with people since I entered the State shows that, te people are tired of the present government- there is a need for drastic change,” Mr. Akintola stated.
Contributing to the conversation, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the spokesperson for the Party in Ekiti State, urged the electorates in Ondo State to shine their eyes and avoid selling their votes in order to not repeat a big mistake in Ekiti State which saw the emergence of the embattled Governor Ayodele Fayose.
"Don't repeat the mistakes made in Ekiti during the last general elections that saw Ayodele Fayose becoming the governor", he said.

WHO Declares Zika Virus A Global Emergency

The World Health Organisation has declared the on-going Zika virus epidemic, a global health emergency.

The World Health Organization WHO
The WHO director-general, Margaret Chan, who issued the health alert after a meeting with  the organisations disease control committees in Geneva on Monday, said it is high time the world began a united response to fight the virus.
Chan said that experts are worried at the alarming rate of infection and its deadly consequences.
By this action from the global body, the WHO alert puts Zika in the same category of international concern as Ebola.
Chan said, “I am now declaring that the recent cluster of Zika virus- related microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities reported in Latin America following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014 constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.She said countries priorities were to protect pregnant women and their babies from harm and to control the mosquitoes that are spreading the virus.
The WHO warned that Zika is likely to spread explosively across nearly all of the Americas with more than 20 countries, including Brazil reporting new cases daily.
Chan added, “Currently, there is no vaccine or medication to stop Zika.The only way to avoid catching it is to avoid getting bitten by the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the infection.”
There have been around 4,000 reported cases of microcephaly – babies born with small brains – in Brazil alone since October.

Hennessy launches first Hennessy Airport Bar in Nigeria

History was made on the 24th of January, 2016 as Hennessy unveiled the first ever Hennessy Airport Bar in Nigeria located at the D-wing, departure hall of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Bar will offer to prospective consumers (who must be 18 years of age and above), in addition to Hennessy products, majority of the Champagne and Spirits brands within the Moet Hennessy portfolio in a most conducive and exquisite setting befitting the high standards that the Hennessy brand is known for.

The bar was created in partnership with a leading Nigerian entrepreneur; Adeola Omikunle, CEO of Things Remembered.

In separate interviews with newsmen, the Brand Manager Hennessy & Spirits Portfolio Nigeria; Lere Awokoya, and the Moët Hennessy General Manager Nigeria; Paul Auriol described the partnership as a means of providing an avenue for travelers’ relaxation in comfort and style.

With the opening of the prestigious Airport Bar, the Hennessy brand has again set the pace by crystallizing its popular mantra; Never Stop, Never Settle with the unveiling of yet another first-of-its-kind innovation aimed at providing unlimited satisfaction for its esteemed consumers.

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Buhari To Speak To EU Parliament In France, Source Says He Will Also See Doctors In UK

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to depart for France on Wednesday to address a special session of the European Union Parliament in Strasbourg.

Buhari at a meeting with the Nigerian community in Addis Ababa Bayo Omoboriowo/ State House Photos A statement on Monday by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina disclosed that he will travel on to London where he will reportedly attend an event on Syria.  The trips follow closely on the heels of a just-ended state visit to Kenya, as well as to Ethiopia for a meeting of African leaders.
A SaharaReporters source said that during his visit to the United Kingdom, he will undertake a visit to medical doctors in a London hospital.
Our presidency source said President Buhari agreed to participate in the Syrian event because it provides a perfect cover for the medical visit.
The source further said there has been a debate within the presidency about the medical visit, with some of his handlers arguing that the Syrian meeting provides a perfect alibi as the President should not be seen to be sick less than one year after taking power.
It might be recalled that following the six-week postponement of the presidential election, Mr. Buhari spent a prolonged period in London, reportedly to rest.  He subsequently spent another nine days in London to meet with his doctors, returning only one day before his inauguration.
According to the current schedule, President Buhari will return home next weekend if everything goes well.
SaharaReporters has revealed that Mr. Buhari’s personal physician, Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi, has been playing a prominent role in preparing him for foreign trips in recent months.
Upon his return from London, the President will embark on another trip to the Middle East, visiting Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia between February 28 and March 3 2016.

Weapons bought by Jonathan were refurbished, expired weapons - Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, says the weapons purchased by former President Goodluck Jonathan to fight Boko Haram, were substandard. Lai Mohammed said this in a statement he released yesterday February 1st. He was reacting to a statement made by former Jonathan in Geneva, Switzerland last week that the success so far recorded by this administration in the fight against Boko Haram was as a result of the arms and ammunition his administration bought before leaving office.

The statement by Lai Mohammed reads in part

“The weapons, ammunition and equipment, which the former President said he bought, were refurbished and lacked the basic components and spare parts. Additionally, the ammunition bought for both high calibre and small weapons have mostly expired, incompatible with weapons and grossly inadequate. It is pertinent to state that the ammunition he was referring to were back-loaded because they explode within the barrel when fired, thus leading to deaths and injuries among soldiers. The situation was so pathetic that soldiers were often transported in civilian JTF vehicles, civilian vehicles, trailers and water tankers when going to the theatres of operation. The revelations on the sorry state of things in the past, which have emanated from the investigative panel so far, point clearly to the kind of legacy bequeathed to this administration by the past government. That explains why troops remained largely static and were unable to effectively deploy to completely rout the Boko Haram terrorists in all their known enclaves. The high level of casualties sustained by our gallant soldiers was most unprecedented and cannot be compared to any known military operations in recent times, all because of the terrible state of affairs suffered by the military under the Jonathan administration. It is also clear, as has been shown so far by the outcome of the panel probing past arms deals, that the purchase of substandard weapons apparently resulted from the massive corruption that enveloped the deals, the kind of horrifying graft that saw the purchase of refurbished choppers that lacked rotors, or fighter jets that could not be deployed in the theatre of war because they were not up to par. The needless loss of lives of many of our gallant troops, resulting from the lack of standard weaponry and low morale in the past, is not a matter to be trivialised under any circumstance.”.