My Nasty Encounter with South Africa High Commission -FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

In the heat of the current xenophobic attacks South Africans are meting out to Nigerians in their country, Funke Osa-Brown a Nigeria based journalist has in this article told her nasty or rather nauseating experience with the South African High Commission. Read the details below and be guided when next you think South Africa as your tourist destination.

Towards the end of January this year, I got an invitation to be in South Africa on the 1st of March, 2017 to experience the new BMW 5 Series. It was an event I had looked forward to considering my love for fast cars and the kind of beat I cover as a journalist.

As soon as I received the itinerary and other documents needed for my journey, I applied for the South African visa on the 13th of February. Conscious of the many challenges that come with getting a South African visa, I was advised to apply through one of South Africa’s accredited trade partners World ‘N’ Traveland (WONTRA).

The WONTRA staff who assisted me with the application process was very courteous. She guided me through the application requirements. At a point, she advised I get a statement of account from my host BMW in South Africa or their certificate of incorporation. I declined to do this because I felt my statement of account and a letter of introduction from my organisation should be enough. She also advised I get a letter of authorization from my husband. I told her I have that already because the last application I did I was asked for it. This is a letter my husband find ridiculous to write! He argues it is a sexist requirement from an embassy. Why would he authorized a full-grown woman to travel because she is his wife, he reasoned? Anyway, I got him to give him the letter, even though I found it ridiculous too!

Since I was applying through WONTRA, I had to pay a premium price of N70, 000 instead of the official N8, 600 for visa fee and N22, 310 for VFS courier service. The lady at WONTRA told me the visa should be ready within the stipulated 10 to 15 working days by the High Commission. Based on a past experience and what others have told me, I decided to notify the few people I know handling South Africa related travel and tourism matters in Nigeria to use their connection to pull strings at the embassy so that my visa could be ready on or before my travel date. I knew I had about 13 days between my submission and travel dates to get my visa.

After 10 working days, I didn’t receive any news from the VFS. I decided to notify my contacts on the possibility of checking out my application status at the High Commission, they all told me to wait that I will surely get my passport on or before my travel date. As I sat behind my laptop to type this today, March 1st 2017, I am yet to receive my passport from the South African High Commission. I am supposed to travel tonight.

What is most painful about this experience is it seems the South Africa High Commission in Lagos smacks of arrogance and is consumed by a nonchalant attitude. For a country, that is promoting itself as a tourists’ destination in Nigeria, to be so rude to its visa applicants, beats me. In spite of all my efforts and my host’s (BMW) in South Africa effort to reach the High Commission in Lagos, there has been no response from the High Commission to emails sent and calls put through to them. It seems to me the High Commission is populated by lazy staff who have just refused to understand the importance of their job to the growth of the economy of their country. How can one explain applying for visa and you are yet to receive your passport 12 days or a month after application?

The South African High Commission can never claim to be busier that the United Kingdom or United States of America’s embassies in Nigeria. If you apply for UK or US visa, you can be assured to get your passport within 10 working days or less.  There are people who have applied for the South African visa since February 3rd 2017 who are yet to receive their visas today, March 1st; that is almost a month after submitting their applications. Delaying the issuance of my visa and that of other four journalists’ I am supposed to travel with means BMW has lost a lot of money on booking business class tickets for us, paying for our accommodation, airport pick up and drop off and food for the number of days we are supposed to spend in South Africa.

You can imagine the loss to those going on personal trips who have paid for their flights, accommodation not to have received their visas days after their travel dates have passed?

If South Africa is truly serious about marketing itself as a tourists’ destination, its High Commission needs to drop its toga of arrogance and emulate countries like Dubai and Kenya where you get your visa within two days as is the case with Dubai or Kenya that issues visa on arrival. Little wonder, Dubai has the largest tourism market share in Nigeria! SOUTH AFRICA HIGH COMMISSION RELEASE MY PASSPORT!!!! #SOUTHAFRICAHIGHCOMMISSION #RELEASEMYPASSPORT - Luxury Reporter Magazine

Shettima & Amosun in UN headquarters as Amina Mohammed takes oath of office as deputy secretary-general of the UN

Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State, and His Borno state counterpart, were among the Nigerian politicians who witnessed the swearing in of Amina Mohammed as deputy secretary-general of the United Nations (UN).

Antonio Guterres, Secretary-general of the UN, administered the oath on Mohammed, former Minister of environment, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

She had served Ban Ki-moon, the immediate past UN secretary-general, as under-secretary-general and special adviser on post-2015 development planning.

Mohammed was instrumental in bringing about the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, including the sustainable development goals.

Before joining the UN, she worked for three successive administrations in Nigeria, serving as special adviser on millennium development goals.

She provided advice on issues including poverty, public sector reform and sustainable development, and coordinating poverty reduction interventions.

An adjunct professor in Development Practice at Columbia University, Mohammed has served on numerous international advisory boards and panels.

Speaking in Abuja during a valedictory service organised in her honour last week, Mohammed said the development of Nigeria and Africa, will be her priority at UN.

One of the notable projects that the ministry of environment embarked upon under her watch was the flagging off of the cleanup of Ogoni land.

Nicki Minaj will not be doing a response to Remy Ma..and here's why

According to someone close to Nicki Minaj, the rapper is 'not giving that broke b*tch' the time of day.”. Below is the full response;

We are not giving that broke b*tch any light. Her career was Shettered when she went to jail. She came out with that old 1995 flow, and the song was whack.

There weren’t any real bars in it, she was just spitting some old MediaTakeOut gossip to a Nas beat. In a week no one is gonna be talking about that song, cause it’s whack.
People are just talking about it cause of the gossip in it which is all LIES by the way. Once people get over the gossip, no one is going to be bumping it.
Nicki could destroy her, but why. It would only make that dumb b*tch more relevant. We’d rather watch her starve. That b*tch is gonna be on EBT soon.
We’re going to continue to make hit songs, and hit movies.

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger rejects £30m per year deal to manage in China

According to new reports, Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's coach since 1996 has rejected a mammoth £30m per year deal to manage in the Chinese super league, even though he isn't sure of his future at Arsenal following fan protests at the Emirates.

Wenger has a £8m-a-year deal with Arsenal that expires this summer, and has signaled that he'll still like to continue coaching but with his future still unclear, many people feel he should have accepted an offer as huge as this from China- which would have made him the highest earning coach in the world.

Read the report by Mirror Uk, below...

Arsene Wenger has turned down a huge £30million-a-year offer to move to China — DOUBLE what Pep Guardiola is on at Manchester City.

Arsenal manager Wenger was sounded out with an offer to make him the highest paid manager in world football with his long-term future at the Gunners in serious doubt. But there is serious doubt among the hierarchy at the club over whether he will stay, and Arsenal have already made discreet enquiries about potential replacements.

Wenger could yet stay on though, with most of the potential successors struggling at their current clubs.

The leading contender, Thomas Tuchel, has endured a disappointing season at Germany's Borussia Dortmund. while Juventus boss Max Allegri is undecided on his own future at a club on course for a sixth successive Italian title.

Most nollywood actresses no longer wear panties to movie locations – Uche Maduagwu

Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu has claimed that most single ladies in the industry now visit movie locations without underwear.

Maduagwu, who recently predicted the collapse of another celebrity marriage after popular actress, Tonto Dike, broke up with her husband accused said most single Nigerian actresses do not wear their panties to movie locations.

The actor made the allegation via his Instagram page, where he claimed that he has confirmed the development himself, describing the act as suspicious and disgusting.

He wrote, “Why is it that most female Nollywood Actresses who are single No longer Wear ‘PANTS’ to movie locations? This is giving me headaches.

“Is it that most female celebrities, especially Nollywood actresses who are single have developed the habit of not wearing pants to movie locations? I can tell you of 4 different star actresses I had personally confirmed, and this is really giving me headaches because, aside the very fact that it is suspicious, its also disgusting.

“That’s why most of our directors are always losing concentration when they are directing on set, the worst is that these group of actresses are fond of spreading their legs wide unnecessarily just to seduce fellow actors and directors.

''Their aim and motives are what I am yet to understand, that’s how I walked out of a shoot in Asaba when one actress was just misbehaving on set, someone said she just finished smoking marijuana, but that’s not my own business, I am an actor and not her doctor, but what I frown at is when someone is opening her legs any how and misbehaving in the middle of a shoot, distracting both the directors, actors and crews, that’s what I can’t stand, if we want to shoot a movie, let’s be professional and let’s not turn movie locations into strip clubs.

“May God deliver us in this industry, some people are just here to play around, they are the very few giving nollywood a bad name.”

Man Chops Off Wife’s Body Into Pieces [Graphic Photos]

A Lagos driver, Shakiru Bello, who was arrested for allegedly killing his wife, Sherifat, said he cut her body into pieces to avoid being prosecuted for her death, - Punch

Shakiru told the police that after cutting her into bits and hiding her body in different uncompleted buildings, he fled Lagos to hide in Ibadan, Oyo State.

 The police, however, discovered Sherifat’s body parts hidden at different locations across the state. Her head and neck were recovered in Morocco, Yaba, while other parts of her body were recovered in another uncompleted building on Moshalashi Street, Somolu.

The couple who were married for nine years became separated in July 2016. Sherifat approached Shakiru on Monday for money for the upkeep of their three children. It was alleged that Shakiru invited her to meet him at a location ad she never returned home after the meeting.

The victim’s father, Akeem, last Tuesday, reported a missing person case to the police, leading to a search for the suspect.

A source said Akeem told policemen that an unidentified number called to inform him that his daughter had fallen into the lagoon.

The source said, “The police tracked the number, and discovered that the caller was in Ibadan. He (Shakiru) was arrested and brought down to Lagos around 1am on Saturday.”

The suspect was said to have led the police to the two uncompleted buildings where the remains of the late Sherifat were recovered.

Shakiru said, “After we separated, I secretly reconciled with her and we started meeting. On the average, I gave her N15,000 in a week. On that Monday, she called me that she needed money and we agreed to meet.

“I gave her N10,000 that evening. She later begged me to accompany her to Lagos Island where her niece was admitted in a hospital. We took a motorcycle and were on the Third Mainland Bridge when a truck hit us from behind.

“I took her to my house on Olaleye Street, Somolu, around 12am. I went out to get her balm and some drugs. Unfortunately, she died. I was afraid of her father, who didn’t want to see us together. Also, I couldn’t report to the police, so I decided to put her body in a sack and dispose of it. When it was not going into the sack, I cut off her arms, head, legs and other parts.”

A police source, however, told our correspondent that the private parts of the victim were missing, saying the suspect might not be acting alone.

Sherifat’s younger sister, Shakirat Kareem, said her sister was separated from the husband sometime in July 2016.

She said, “He told her that he was given a medicine which both of them must rub on their bodies before making love.  My sister tricked him and secretly told another relative, who informed my father. My father ordered us to go and pack her luggage. That was how they separated.

“But four weeks ago, he called her on the telephone and said he wanted to see her, but my sister refused. I grabbed the phone from her and told him never to call her again.”
(Viewers discretion is strongly advised)

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Hairdresser creates ‘hand of God’ on Nigerian boy’s head, causes uproar on social media (photos)

A Twitter user, @ToneC2X, recently shared funny photos of a man who shaved his hair in the shape of a hand.

The hilarious photos got a lot of users talking and most of them had nothing nice to say.

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson has proven over time that her marriage blossoms like a flower

Ever since her marriage to the man of her dreams, Prince Odianosen Okojie on August 27, 2011, she has remained an example to other celebrities with her marital life.

The proud mother of three took to her Instagram page to say a powerful prayer for all mothers out there.

N40m scam: Court remands movie producer, Seun Egbegbe, one other in prison

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday ordered a Lagos socialite and movie producer, Mr Olajide Oluwaseun Kareem, popularly known as Seun Egbegbe, to be remanded in prison custody for alleged foreign exchange scam of over N40 million and hundreds of thousands of dollars and pound sterling.

Egbegbe will be in the custody of prison authorities pending hearing of his bail application Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID)of Lagos State Police Command, Panti-Yaba, yesterday arraigned Egbegbe, before the court on 36 count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

He was arraigned alongside his accomplice, one Oyekan Ayomide.

In the charge marked FHC/L/40c/2017, filed before the court by the SCIID’s Head of Legal department, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), the two suspected fraudster were alleged to have between 2016 and February 2, 2017, defrauded the BDC Operators at various places in Lagos State to the tune of N40.647 million; $29, 800,00 USD; and £4, 815 United Kingdom Pounds Sterling.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor Innocent, are contrary to sections 8 and 1(1)(a)(B)(3) of Advance Fee Fraud and  Other Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under section 1(1) of the same Act.

Among the BDC operators allegedly defrauded by the defendants include Issa Adamu, Mohammed Sanni, Jubril Ado, Hassan Amodu, Bala Mohammed, Sanni Hassan, Abdullahi Mumuni, Suraju Garuba, Mutairu Shuaibu, Sanusi Muhammad, Kabiru Jubril.

 Others are Barowo Abdullahi, Yahu, Abubakar Musa, Abdullahi Babatunde, Nasir Musa, Umaru Haruna, Umaru Sanni, Mohammed Bello, Mohammed Alli, Abdulrazaq Sanni, Tairu Musa, Sulaiman Sheu, Amadu Abda and Dauda Ibrahim.

The defendants pleaded not guilty. Owing to their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor, urged the court to remand them in Prison’s custody pending trial.

But their counsel, A. O. Gbadamosi, pleaded with the court to give date for the hearing of his clients’ bail applications.

He informed the court that he is yet to file the application.

Justice Oguntoyinbo granted the request of the defence and ordered that the two defendants be remanded in Prison’s custody.

She thereafter adjourned the matter till March 10, for trial.

The Nation 

Seun Egbegbe has settled down well, Adapting To His Ikoyi Prisons General Cell

Remanded suspected fraudster, Seun Egbegbe, has settled down well in his new temporary home, the Ikoyi Prisons, Ribadu Road (Ikoyi, Lagos) where he is being held.

He has now spent over a week at the medium security prison since he was arrested for swindling some bureau de change operators on February 2, 2017.

The popular movie marketer has been receiving guests and feeding well since his incarceration. He is being kept in a general cell with about 50 inmates under conditions that pale in comparison to his 3-bedroom flat on Gbemisola Street in Ikeja where he has four posh cars. He has not shaved since he was detained on Friday, February 10.

His bail application is set for hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, February 21, 2017 and his friends are confident that he will be granted bail by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo.

He is facing another case of nine iPhone handsets theft.

Why I need longer period of rest – Buhari tells Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday explained why he requested for longer period to rest in the United Kingdom.

A four-paragraph statement sent to DAILY POST by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted the President as saying results of the series of medical checkups he carried out in the cause of his medical vacation had necessitated his stay in London, United Kingdom longer than he had planned.

The statement reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari thanks millions of Nigerians who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being in mosques and churches throughout the country.

“The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern.

“President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry.

‘”During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than originally planned.”

Recall that shortly after Buhari embarked on his vacation few weeks ago, rumour had it that he was dead.

This was further fuelled by the fact that the President who was expected back in the country, following the completion of his vacation, sent a letter to the National Assembly same day extending his 10-day vacation in the UK  to enable him complete and receive medical results.

Touch not my anointed – Salvation Ministries denies claim Iyabo Ojo, Pastor Ibiyiomie in sexual relationship

The Salvation Ministries, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has responded to a report making the rounds that the senior pastor, David Ibiyiomie, is having a sexual affair with Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo.

Reports making the rounds have it that the actress allegedly uses ‘juju’ to lure the pastor, who has allegedly been showering her with expensive gifts.

The report by popular US trained journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, on her Instagram page @hnnAfrica revealed that a letter was allegedly sent to her from an unnamed Salvation Ministries church member.

The member accused the actress of using juju to make her pastor sleep with her and spend lavishly on her.

See the letter below, ‘as shared on her Instagram page’:

“Good morning Madam KOO. My name is Ebiye Patience and I’m a dedicated member of Salvation Ministries, Port Harcourt. Our Pastor, David Ibiyiomie is shamelessy frolicking with yoruba prostitute Iyabo Ojo. All these prostitutes in the name of actresses.

''We learnt that he has been spending the church’s money on this girl and some other nollywood actresses to the point that Iyabo and Vivian Metchie had a nasty fight on him after catching her in bed with a boy she picked from the club.

“She has used juju on our pastor. The range rover 2008 model she uses now used to be in our pastor garage before he dashed her. The Toyota corolla she claimed she bought her PA last year is one of the cars that her former minister ex boyfriend dumped her after church gave its members for Christmas.

“This story was almost out last year but she paid off the press with cash and her body. She is a grade one harlot who picks little boys on the street to sleep with.
Our pastor is gradually destroying Gods name as he is now a sugar daddy to iyabo ojo.

“Even though she paid press, I know madam KOO is one who can’t be bought by money and will do investigation and let the world know the truth. @IyaboOjofespris and @DayoAmusa visits all herbalists everywhere. Our pastor is even building a house for this girl as I speak.

“They should stop destroying Nollywood. Pls fish out this prostitutes. Pastor has a hidden house in PH that’s where he houses Iyabo anytime he wants to see her. She is also dating a series of men. Hustling between them all so that she can form big lifestyle with money gotten from them all. There is no herbalist that doesn’t know her.

“She pretends to be nice but inside, she is a snake. She has a shop off Allen but she sells nothing. You can send someone there to investigate. You’d meet no one. Its a cover up for her prostitution business. She should definitely be exposed. Every prostitute must be fished out. God bless you ma.”

But DAILY POST on Friday reached out to Salvation Ministries via its Help Desk mobile contact.

A man, who declined disclosing his identity told our reporter, ” You can go on and do the report but I assure you, you will see the end result.

“Go and ask Naij in Port Harcourt the last time they tried to publish this kind of rubbish.

“You know the truth, so I don’t know why you want curses on you.

“What kind of confirmation do you want? That I should tell you my Pastor is sleeping with someone?

“Are you married? May you never have problems in your marriage with this kind of report you are doing.

“Go and ask Christians.”

When asked if DAILY POST should take this as his official response to the allegation, he said, “that is my official response.

“You don’t touch the anointed of God and go free.

“Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm.

“You are asking these questions now, you better ask yourself a question…in short, I don’t know.

“If you have not tested it before.

“God bless you,” he added.

Recall that Ms. Olunloyo, whose public criticisms of people know no bounds, is known for exposing actresses who according to her, hide under the charade of the movie industry to prostitute.

Just recently, the ‘Snitch Lady’ accused actress Angela Okori of ‘prostituting’ in the movie industry, and outside the shores of Nigeria. 

Madame KOO as she is fondly called had similarly accused actress Georgina Onuoha and a host of others of allegedly selling their bodies.

Controversial Kemi Olunloyo publicly begs singer, Flavour for sex (PHOTO)

Popular US trained journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, Thursday, drew another controversy on social media after he publicity asked popular singer, Flavour Na’bania for sex.

The Ada Ada crooner had posted a photo of him topless on his Twitter page after which the controversial queen quickly commented by asking when will the singer ‘bang’ her.

Though Flavour did not reply her request, but many of her fans and followers berated her for making such crude comment on social media.

Miss Olunloyo, 52, who is the daughter of a former governor of Oyo State, was recently accused of dating former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Stop calling me your friend, we dont know each other – Tonto Dikeh tells Uche Maduagwu

Actress Tonto Dikeh has, in an Instagram post, said that she and actor Uche Maduagwu are not friends, adding that they do not know each other.

Uche, had in an Instagram post two days ago, referred to Tonto as his “friend” and “sister.”

He had said, “This woman [referring to Tonto Dikeh] is my very close friend, aside being a colleague, she is someone I call my sister, because that’s what she is to me.”

But in a reaction to the claim, the actress, who confirmed separation from her husband earlier in the week, said, “Hi Uche, it’s been brought to my knowledge about Our suppose friendship and About me opening up to you about My life.

“First of I appreciate you as I see Actor written on your page,this post is not TO ridicule you or non of that but please I beg you to stop!!

“I don’t have friends,I don’t speak to people about my life be it good or bad. Yes I will love to be your friend someday as I will never be one to judge or condemn BUT FOR NOW we are not because we don’t know each other.

“We don’t even have our digits to talk more of TO have Phone call conversations!

“Please I have a son I am living for and I want him to grow up to love and respect me and his father no matter what, Not to discredit YOU I have read incredible stuffs off your page but this isn’t Healthy for me and my Baby ATM..

“I also understand that we have too many impostors as Tonto Dikeh, Just to make excuses for all of this.

Court verdict: I will make Fayose, Wike irrelevant in PDP – Senator Sheriff

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s National Chairman, Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff says he will shut out Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and the Rivers State Governor, Nyensom Wike from the party.

An Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, held that Sheriff remains the authentic Chairman of the PDP.

Reacting to the judgment, Senator Sheriff, vowed to put in place a machinery that would not give room to people like Wike and Fayose in any future arrangement in the party.

The former Borno State Governor told reporters, “I will engineer a restructuring of PDP such that characters like Wike and Fayose cannot find a way through to attain any position of prominence in our party in the future.

“They have brought shame and agony through the application of their crude and godless politics which is at variance with the principles upon which our founding fathers built our great party.

“We must find a way to sieve things so that only men of character and integrity can come through for positions of responsibility at all levels of our political engagement in the country.

“We must urgently steer the ship of PDP clear of the path of infamy which Wike and Fayose has brought our party, making Nigerians to mistaken PDP as a training ground for thugs. That is the urgent task we have. We cannot continue to advertise thug brand and expect Nigerians to take us seriously.”