Buhari to visit China next week

President Buhari will pay a state visit to China between Monday to Friday next week at the invitation of Chinese President, Xi Jinping. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, announced this at a press conference today April 6th

“China and Nigeria enjoy a traditional friendship. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Nigeria diplomatic ties. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will hold talks with Buhari, and Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang will have separate meetings with him, exchanging views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern. ‎

 The two sides will sign cooperation agreements and jointly hold a forum on production capacity cooperation as well as a reception marking the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties. We believe President Buhari’s visit will give new impetus to the all-round development of the China-Nigeria strategic partnership of cooperation,” Lu said"Lu said

Hollywood’s Youngest IT Couple Gigi Hadid & Zayn Malik Pose in Italy for Vogue

Model Gigi Hadid and singer Zayn Malik are Hollywood’s youngest hottest power couple. The pair posed it up against the breathtaking architecture of Naples, Italy for this new photo shoot.

The shoot captured European charm with a rock and roll vibe – leather and plaid prints, with Zayn’s tattoos on show.

You can see all the photos on Vogue.com here.

Photo Credit: Mario Testino for Vogue

Buhari bans ministers and top govt officials from flying first class

In the face of the financial crisis being experienced in the country presently, President Buhari has banned all ministers and all top government officials from flying first class while embarking on officials trips. The directive is contained in a statement released by Festus Akanbi, media adviser to Kemi Adeosun, Minister of finance, today April 6th.

‎The Federal Government in the statement said permanent secretaries, chairmen of federal government committees, chairmen and chief executives of parastatals and agencies are to travel on business class.

Why Would Linda Ikeji Not Publish Drake Featuring Wizkid?

This has been on my mind for a while now, basically since the feud between celebrity blogger Linda Ikeji and Wizkid went from bad to worse few days ago after Wizkiddropped the epic comment on Linda Ikeji’spage. Here is my concern, why would Linda Ikeji publish only the “negatives” of most musicians then turn a blind eye on their major achievements ?

Well its easy to say, its her blog so its her choice right ? but ill say that is a rather bad decision to only bring out the shortcomings of these artists tarnishing the image they built over the years. It will not only make you an ethical and righteous blogger publishing these guys’ achievements but you will also be more respected and celebrated for your work.

You are making dope money, yikes! we all know its all about the money but not at the detriment of other people’s careers. You are a blogger I get the fact that there is no way you can be at that level and not hurt some people, but all I’m saying is you can be happier with yourself when you also write good things about these same people. Then you made mention of something I read on another blog, they said and I quot;

Linda Ikeji shared a major key with Nigerian bloggers – Don’t be friends with Nigerian celebrities because it gives you less to write about

This above is not entirely true. It all depends on perspectives. You could be that blogger who has exclusive news of artists signing big endorsements and becoming brand ambassadors based on your personal relationships with them, which would also mostly come with other benefits for your blog’s exclusivity. Noble Igwe (360nobs) is an example of a successful blogger who has a cordial relationship with celebrities, I watched clips from his wedding ceremony it was graced by many notable celebrities who were there to rejoice with him on his special day. So that aunty Linda it is from the point at which you view yourself as a blogger and what derive joy writing about.

One of the biggest achievements of Wizkidas a Nigerian singer happened few hours ago when Drake featured him on a song which features on Drake’s album titled One Dance. I believe that should make you proud as a Nigerian. Its not every time money! publish it, If you cant publish it, tweet something about it, if you cant, post on IG something nice about it. If you cant do any of that then don’t publish it whenWizkid impregnates third “BabyMama”. That would,nt be fair to Wizkid’s brand.

Convince us its nothing personal like you claimed. Well you actually don’t need to convince anyone though. But that said, celebrate him, you have the ability to reach thousands without moving a foot, share more good news on your blog. You can even add the iTunes link where they can buy the song in the article which I did anyways as I am a huge fan of Wizkid and the reason I’m writing you this letter. You are not trying to get on Wizkid‘s good side, but you are doing this for yourself, cause sometimes I wonder how you are at peace with yourself writing only bad news about these artists, this goes for Olamide‘s career too, you handle it the same way as Wizkid’s.

Aunty Linda, you once said in an interview that Uche Pedro (BellaNaija) inspired you to start blogging, she is the perfect example of the word “role model” she is not “loud” if you know what I mean, you can learn one or two things from her. She is well respected for her work and loved by many celebrities and yet she is still very successful as well.

I do not want to talk about your being married or not which as been an issue of concern for your fans but ill tell you this is your personal decision and you don’t deserve to be crucified for this people are just concerned because its uncommon in this part of the world, and from your last note to Wizkid, it shows you are bothered about it contrary to what you claim which isnt fair to you either.

I want to leave you with this, ask yourself what you want to be remembered for when you are gone. Do you want to be remembered as the blogger who ruined marriages, flaunted expensive bags and shoes and destroyed people’s careers or the blogger who was diligent, unbiased, ethical and absolutely professional  and was just doing her job ??? You choose.

From a concerned Nigerian

Jimi Agbaje Drags Ambode To Tribunal Over Election Results

According to reports by Pulse, PDP Governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje who congratulated his opponent, Akinwunmi Ambode, APC, for winning the governorship election in Lagos State has dragged the APC candidate to court.

A close source revealed that “Agbaje’s lawyers filed the case on Thursday”

The petitioners in the case are Agbaje and the PDP while the respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambode, APC and the INEC REC for Lagos State, Akin Orebiyi.

The source also revealed that PDP insiders forced Agbaje to take the case to court.

“He already accepted the result but they [PDP] convinced him to challenge it”- the source added.

The Lagos State election tribunal will begin sitting on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.

Obama smacks down Trump’s border wall plan

Olivier Knox

April 5, 2016

President Obama on Tuesday bluntly dismissed Donald Trump’s proposal to force Mexico to pay for a border wall as “half-baked” and counterproductive and said the Republican frontrunner’s “wackier” foreign policy ideas were hurting the United States abroad.

In a memo obtained by the Washington Post, Trump said he would threaten to cut off money transfers from workers inside the United States — including U.S. citizens — to relatives in Mexico unless that country makes a one-time payment of $5 billion to $10 billion to pay for the construction of a 1,000-mile border fence.

Obama, speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, said that doing so could cause “enormous” damage to Mexico’s economy, which depends on those transfers, usually known as remittances. The proposal is also “impractical,” he said.

“The notion that we’re going to track every Western Union bit of money that’s being sent to Mexico — you know, good luck with that,” Obama said derisively. “Then we’ve got the issue of the implications for the Mexican economy, which, in turn, if it’s collapsing, actually sends more immigrants north because they can’t find jobs back in Mexico.”

President Obama reacts to a question while delivering remarks on the economy in the White House press briefing room. (Photo: Gary Cameron/Reuters)

Trump’s plan “is just one more example of something that is not thought through and is primarily put forward for political consumption,” Obama said.

World leaders “don’t expect half-baked notions coming out of the White House. We can’t afford that,” the president said. “I am getting questions constantly from foreign leaders about some of the wackier suggestions that are being made.”

Obama said he was hearing worries over proposals from Trump as well as his nearest rival for the GOP nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Cruz’s ideas “in some ways are just as draconian when it comes to immigration, for example,” Obama said.

Lagos Government Bans Indiscriminate Ques at Petrol Stations

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it would no longer allow indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road networks across the state on the basis of queuing up for Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as fuel, just as it threatened to sanction any erring filling stations and motorists who flout the directive

Dutch Prisons to Shut Down Due to Lack of Criminals

In 2013, 19 prisons in the Netherlands closed because the country didn’t have enough criminals to fill them.

Now, five more are slated to close their doors by the end of the summer, according to internal documents obtained by The Telegraaf.

While these closures will result in the loss of nearly 2,000 jobs, only 700 of which will transition into other unknown roles within Dutch law enforcement, the trend of closing prisons follows a steady drop in crime since 2004.

The problem of empty jail cells has even gotten to the point where, last September, the country imported 240 prisoners from Norway just to keep the facilities full.

Still, according to The Telegraaf’s report, Justice Minister Ard van der Steur announced to parliament that the cost of maintaining sparsely-filled prisons was cost-prohibitive for the small country.

A number of factors underlie the Netherlands’ ability to keep its crime rate so low, namely, relaxed drug laws, a focus on rehabilitation over punishment, and an electronic ankle monitoring system that allows people to re-enter the workforce.

A study published in 2008 found the ankle monitoring system reduced the recidivism rate by up to half compared to traditional incarceration. Instead of wasting a

way in a jail cell, eating up federal dollars, convicted criminals are given the opportunity to contribute to society.

These measures all add up to an unbelievably low incarceration rate: Although the Netherlands has a population of 17 million, only 11,600 people are locked up. That’s a rate of 69 incarcerations per 100,000 people.

The US, meanwhile, has a rate of 716 per 100,000 — the highest in the world. It’s marked largely by its lack of attention to social services and rehabilitation programs once prisoners finish their sentences. Without a safety net to give them any other options, many fall back into their old habits.

Seeing as how the Netherlands is literally importing prisoners to keep jails full, larger countries like the US could learn a thing or two from the Dutch model.

Couple Arrive Wedding Venue Bicycle

Couple Arrive Their Wedding Venue On Bicycle | PHOTOS

Dammy NGTrends

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This is one of those rare weddings you get to see. Somewhere in Choba, Kenya the groom and bride arrived the venue of their special day on a bicycle. The groom carried his Bride while the bridesmaid held her wedding dress. Lol really interesting.
Abeg e no easy joor. Show them some love


photo credit:hypenigeria

National Assembly send details of the 2016 budget to President Buhari for his assent

National Assembly send details of the 2016 budget to President Buhari for his assent

The National Assembly says it has submitted the details of the 2016 budget to the clerk of the Assembly who will immediately forward the documents to President Buhari for scrutiny and his assent. Chairmen of the Appropriation committee of the senate and House of Representatives,  ‎Sen. Danjuma Goje and Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, in a joint statement released today, disclosed the recent development.


Buhari had earlier stated that he will not be assenting to the budget if the National Assembly did not pass the details of the budget to him so he can scrutinize it to know if the details presented were from the original budget he sent to the Assembly or were details from the padded budget. Part of the statement released by the National Assembly reads :

"Being the most important economic policy tool of government, the budget provides a comprehensive statement of our priorities as a nation; and as representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations. Therefore, what we have been doing in these past few weeks is to balance the projections for revenue against the estimates for expenditure based on the reality of our situation today. Unfortunately, that task has been made very difficult by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive such that many of the officials who came before our various committees practically disowned the inputs from their own departments and ministries.

In most instances, and across several agencies, the bill that was initially presented to us failed in many respects to connect with the policy thrust of the government and the needs of our people. That is aside the fact that most of the figures simply did not just add up. It was one of the most controversial budgets that ever came to the National Assembly from the Executive. Fortunately, President Muhammadu Buhari, who we must commend for showing leadership, intervened and that helped in resolving what had become a serious logjam. Some officials in the executive branch have also been removed from their duty posts because of these glaring lapses. That happened because the president took direct responsibility and got involved in the process, not only to ensure synergy between the executive and the legislature but also so that we could both arrive at a budget that is implementable for the good of all Nigerians. However, it is important to stress that this is the first time we would have a transition from the ruling political party to the opposition, so some of these problems are understandable.

We therefore believe that the executive will learn from the mistakes of this year, going forward. But we must also commend the leadership of the National Assembly as well as members of our own committees who have had to endure sleepless nights, especially in recent weeks. To the extent that the budget drafting phase is a long process, the committee stage provides the most significant opportunity for members of the public, including the media and civil society organizations to make their own contributions and we have taken into account all shades of opinions in arriving at the breakdown, which is now with the executive. Now that the 2016 budget has been passed, our next role is to add value to the process through legislative oversight functions that enable us to ensure adherence to priorities while monitoring effective allocation of resources. But there is a lesson that should not be lost on the executive given the current experience. We specifically urge the president to abide strictly with provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which stipulates that the appropriation bill be presented early so that there could be sufficient time for interactive sessions between the executive and the legislature before the commencement of committee hearings."