TOKE MAKINWA PLAYS ‘ARABIAN PRINCESS’ AT FAYROUZ L’ORIGINAL 2 FINALE

Rhythm FM OAP, Toke Makinwa looked every inch an Arabian princess at the finale of Fayrouz L'Original competition that held on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Oriental Hotels, Lagos.

The bubbly 31-year-old rocked a 2-piece number designed by Kunbi Oyelese of the April by Kunbi fame. The full well pleated skirt and the sequined cropped blouse looked just right on her sexy frame.

Kendall & Kylie Jenner Launch Footwear Line & It’s Stylish

In the past the sisters collaborated with Steve Madden for a footwear line, and now the Kendall + Kylie brand will be dishing out haute footwear with addition of bikinis and apparel set to hit stores in Spring 2016.

The collection includes lace-up booties, platform shoes, close-toed pumps and other cool styles. Speaking on the selection of styles, Kylie told Footwear News – "I don't wear flats. Ever. I don't own a pair, not even gladiators." "Just a few sneakers, that's the only time I'll wear a flat…Heels make me feel so much better. I'm not as skinny as Kendall, so when I am in heels, it makes my legs look longer and slimmer."

Also speaking on the new collection, the Kendall + Kylie Creative Director, Chelsea Santry told Footwear -"The time is different. [Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen] were the first to do it, but these girls take it to a whole other level with social media and how they market themselves. Their accounts are so them. Nothing is contrived about it. When you look at how big they are and their reach, it's refreshing to believe it's actually, genuinely coming from them."

The girls already have some major buyers. Taylor Swift, Gigi Hadid and Hailey Baldwin have already placed orders. Judging from their popularity, their shoes should be selling out fast.

Photo Credit: EOnline/FootwearNews

Rita Ora Covers the September Issue of Glamour UK

Rita Ora has landed yet another magazine cover.

The UK singer strips for the upcoming September issue of Glamour, photographed by David Dunan.

The 24-year-old blonde strikes a pose in PVC underwear as she talks about being a judge on X Factor, her exes, her movie career and more.

She shared photos from her shoot with her fans on Instagram and we can't wait to see what she talks about in the magazine – on sale from August 6.

Read the full interview with Rita Ora in the September issue of Glamour.

Photo Credit: @ritaora (Instagram)

Robbers employ new tactics to rob at ATM's- Nigerian Police Warns

The Police on Friday advised members of the public using ATM at various banks to be security conscious as some criminals now disguised as customers queuing to withdraw money.

This is contained in a statement on the Nigeria Police Force website exposing the antics of criminals.

The statement noted that on July 30, at about 12.10 a.m., a male bank customer went to withdraw money from one of the ATMs at the Central Business District (CBD), Abuja.

It stated that three young men who pretended to have come to withdraw money also were on queue with the plan to attack the man.

"The victim raised an alarm which attracted nearby Police Patrol team to the scene. The hoodlums took to their heels upon sighting the advancing policemen.

"One automatic pistol fell from one of the suspects and was recovered by the police and the victim was safely rescued.

"However, another male victim was unlucky as hoodlums attacked him and snatched the N500,000 cash he withdrew from ATMs on July 28.

"Police responded to his distress call and one of the suspects was arrested. Efforts is on to apprehend other gang members,'' the statement said. (NAN) 

ABOUT TO WED! EBUKA DAZZLES ON FAYROUZ L’ORIGINAL 2 GREEN CARPET

Lovely shirt @ebuka can I have that shirt please? Lol! In a few months from now, celebrated TV host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu will walk down the aisle with his partner, Cynthia Obianodo but this hasn't in anyway reduced his red-carpet charm.

The 33-year-old ladies' man looked dapper in a pair of black pants, a navy blue Tee shirt adjoined with a pleated sash and a brown bowler hat to match his footwear.

HIP TV REVEALS NEW HOST FOR CELEBRITY TV SHOW, ‘TRENDING’

- Unveils Former Beauty Queen, Nancy Isime

Africa's hottest urban culture channel, Hip TV has unveiled 2009 Miss Valentine International, Nancy Isime as the new host for its number one celebrity show, "Trending on Hip TV".

The show which was formerly anchored by celebrity OAP, Toke Makinwa was created to review issues and topics trending on social media.

An elated Isime expressed her delight at the opportunity, describing it as a dream come true. She said, 'I feel honoured to be a part of the Hip TV family and I appreciate the chance given me to host their flagship programme, Trending. It's a great feeling and I am looking forward to the experience'

Speaking about the change in personnel, Wole Oyekan, Hip TV channel manager said, "

Nancy is amusing, alluring and engaging, she is guaranteed to make trending a unique programme with her boundless energy.

He further went on to say that;

Toke Makinwa did an amazing job with 'Trending' and she remains a great friend of the house. She is now busy with other projects and engagements, but the relationship she has with Hip TV is so cordial that you can be sure that she will collaborate with Hip TV on subsequent projects. We wish her great success in all her subsequent endeavours."

Isime began her career as a model, winning the Miss Valentine International pageant in 2009. She has since appeared in TV series including Echoes, Haven and music video from celebrity acts like 2Face's Ihaneme, Solid Star's Omotena.

Hip TV is an urban contemporary music and lifestyle channel, with over 26 exciting programmes that cuts across almost any topic under music, entertainment and lifestyle. It was borne out of the need to create rich compelling contents for the youth audience. The channel is known and respected for entertainment news, incisive and exclusive interviews, red carpet moments amongst others.

8 Apps To Help Navigate Traffic In Lagos City

In Lagos, commuting presents untold experiences, with drivers harassed by conditions beyond their control, but traffic remains the biggest challenge. While sitting in traffic in the city may seem like a necessary evil, several app developers have found ways to make navigating the Nigerian roads less agonizing.

Making your way through the streets of Lagos has never been easier thanks to these navigational apps which provide detailed street maps transit information and  provide interesting data on commuting.

If you are stuck in a gridlock or looking for easy ways to get past a roadblock, we've got you covered. Here, Jovago.com, Africa's no.1 online hotel booking portal has rounded up 8 apps that will help you get to your destination faster.

Gidi traffic.

Available on Android and Microsoft

Gidi traffic is a community-based traffic and navigation app that lets you share real-time transit information in Lagos. It alerts you before you approach police, accidents, road hazards or traffic jams and lets you scout the city for jobs, stores, labor, people and places. You can also make inquiries about anything and get replies instantly, as well as share traffic reports with your friends on the numerous Social Networks you are on.

JonnyWaka 316

Available on Android

A mobile app designed to improve road user experience, safe and efficient road management as well as reduction of road hazards, JonnyWaka316 gives users the opportunity to help the administrators upload traffic incidents like accidents, flood and armed robberies for everyone to see and the incidents are then marked on the road, route, and map showing the precise locations. The app assists authorities like Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corp, FRSC and the Nigerian police to monitor and report traffic situations, track road crimes and armed robberies.

The Traffic Lite App

Available on Google Play Store, Blackberry App world and IPhone's iStore

TrafficLiteApp aimed at easing traffic on Lagos routes, is a community-based traffic application which provides real-time traffic updates including accidents, traps and hazards on the road, to subscribers on its platform, helping them save time, money and aids in improving daily commuting for all. Its traffic report shows the actual cumulative speed on the route, actual number of road commuters present on the route, an estimated travel time, route distance and bottlenecks along the route. Users can also save custom routes and share with friends as well as send automatic traffic route reports or alerts.

Tsaboin TrafficTalk app

Available on Blackberry, Android, Windows Phone and Facebook

Tsaboin Traffic Talk app provides a forum for commuters in Lagos to share real-time traffic experiences, road conditions and also other related issues like accidents and bad roads through text updates and photos. These updates are sorted by the thousands of daily users into bus stops or terminals, and these users can also follow friends that ply routes they are interested in, to see what updates their friends post or broadcast on their home feed. The app recently added live traffic cameras, however, their services are limited to Apapa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Island, Surulere and Yaba areas of Lagos.

Traffikator

Available for Blackberry

A social traffic app, Traffikator delivers instant traffic info using a combination of crowd-sourced traffic updates and geolocation. The app allows for easier movement in Lagos via location data (GPS) and reports send to the Traffikator Network and generates maps that show you the traffic situation all over the city. Users can connect and chat with users on the Traffikator Network directly on your mobile phone, and can also tweet at them, vice-versa.

Traffic butter

Available for download for Blackberry devices, Android devices, Apple iPads and iPhones.

TrafficButter eases the Lagos transit stress by providing real-time updates through a mobile App which captures traffic situations, and presents them to its users in a concise manner.

Road Peer

Available on Blackberry (BB OS 6 & 7 compatible)

There's no better way to know what's happening on the roads than to see it for yourself. Roadpeer, a location-based mobile app for viewing and reporting traffic conditions on major roads in Lagos, uses maps and GPS, allowing view and reporting with a click of the button. The app gathers user-reports and uses an intelligent programming algorithm to analyze and publish traffic conditions to all its users in real-time.It also has a social-networking feature, where those in gridlocks can share information; communicate on alternative routes and conditions of the road.

Traffic Chief Nigeria

Available on BlackBerry only (BB10 currently not supported)

A mobile app that features traffic tweets shared by drivers all over the country, including Lagos, in real-time, TrafficChiefNG is considered an online community-based traffic visualization and notification app.  The app gathers relevant traffic data and displays it in an interactive and easy to digest format on a Google Map, that way, users can make informed decisions and save you both time and money on their daily commute.

Nkem Ndem Vivienne,

Travel/Technology Writer, Jovago.

Mob. No: +234(0)7033853356

Late MKO Abiola’s Wife: “Jonathan’s Minister Didn’t Steal $6bn, But $9.3bn”

The Akasoba of Kalabari land, Queen Zainab Duke-Abiola, has stated that she has evidence that the minister who Adams Oshiomole claimed stole $6 billion, stole even more.

Duke-Abiola, who is a wife of the late M.K.O Abiola, revealed that she got her information from the White House.

"According to the information available to us, the minister stole more than $9 billion; not Australian dollars, but US dollars," she said in an interview with The Nation.

"My relationship with White House is over 30 years. Americans are very eager to make sure that the money gets back. They want Nigeria to use that money for education," Duke-Abiola said on the authenticity of the allegations.

"Oshiomhole said it's about $6 billion. Information available to me states that the minister and her associates siphoned away $9.3 billion. I'm watching the game that they're playing. If they don't publish the evidence, I have document to support this," she said.

"Some people said that much money couldn't have been stolen, I was one of those who didn't believe. When they gave me the document, I was shocked. I have sent it to the appropriate Niger Delta elders. So, we know that nobody is accusing anybody wrongly," she said.

“The Press Release Is Dead. Let It Rest In Peace!” ID Africa COO Femi Falodun Speaks On The New Age Of Social PR

The Abuja Hall, NECA House, Lagos on Wednesday July, 2015 witnessed a fiery exposition of modern Public Relations practice as Marketing expert Femi Falodun delivered a presentation entitled "Who Is Afraid Of Social PR?"

Speaking to an audience of Public Relations practitioners at the NIPR Social Digital Workshop, the ID Africa COO pointedly asserted that the days of conventional media relations in PR are over and have been replaced with communication methods which are increasingly more customized and relatable to each recipient.

In his words, "The era of blind mass emailing and generic press releases is dead and buried – please stop sending out those horrible email blasts! No one reads them anymore! In order to be effective, PR messages now must be targeted, customized & localized based on factors like content type, medium of communication, behavior, education and interests of target audiences and connections between users."

Speaking further, he mentioned that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs all compete in the same communications space as PR professionals, making full use of their large semi-captive audiences and integrated targeting options incorporated into the platforms. 

"It's all about social content now. The style, format and nature of your messages can now make or destroy your engagement. We have to speak the language of those we are interacting with. We have to speak to them on the platforms where they are, and if we are not sure how to use those platforms, we must learn. The old press release is dead and it is never coming bacIn closing, he took the audience through a series of infographics demonstrating just how much power social media already has and will yet have as the world becomes more globalized and the so-called 'Millennials' become the larger part of the spending population.

The Digital Workshop, which was one of the activities marking the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations AGM Week featured presentations from Communications and marketing experts such as Falodun and Orimolade Alexander of Microsoft Nigeria.

Watch Part 1 of Falodun's presentation here

Watch Part 2 of Falodun's presentation here

Explore Abuja on a budget

Abuja is one of Nigeria's most expensive cities. Each year, many prospective tourists bypass the country's capital due to the high cost of living.

However, once you learn the things to do and the things to avoid, you will discover that there are plenty of ways to keep the costs associated with a trip under control. Abuja does not have to drain your bank account, and it can offer excellent value compared to most major cities in the country.

Follow these insights from Jovago.com, Africa's No. 1 online hotel booking portal and you should be fine!

GETTING TO ABUJA

Take the bus.

The cheapest way to get to the city if you live on the eastern or western part of the country is the bus. A one-way ticket can cost less than what you'd pay to fill up your car's gas tank. For example, an advance-purchase bus ticket for travel from Lagos, to Abuja costs approximately NGN 3,500 versus NGN 5,000 to fill up a 50 liter tank at the average Lagos gas price of NGN 100 a liter (and you will need to fill up more than once for a drive of that distance).

Consider alternate airports.

The price of an airline ticket can vary dramatically depending on which airport you are flying in from. For instance, round-trip flights in August from Owerri to Abuja are valued at NGN 36,219.00 with a popular Nigerian airline, while flights from Asaba to Abuja are NGN 50,942 with the same carrier.

STAYING IN ABUJA

Opt for an Inn or guesthouse.

Guest houses and Inns offer great values compared to nearby hotels, with rooms starting as lows as NGN1,000 per night. For example, you can get a room for two at Zanzibar Hotel on Jovago.com for NGN 2,010 a night; they generally offer amazing rates on accommodations.

Consider hotels in far-out locations.

Finding a hotel or hostel in an area outside the main tourist zones or far from the upscale regions. Hotels in areas like Maitama or Wuse can be quite expensive, with the lowest room available from about N10,000.

However, hotels and guest houses located in remote or outskirt areas, including Kubwa,Mpape and Gwagwalada are relatively cheaper. This might actually be an advantage as transportation around Abuja is quite affordable. Your meal expenses will heavily depend on exactly where you choose to dine.

*Note that prices climb during the peak holiday months, which is another reason to consider coming outside that period.

GETTING AROUND

Transportation is generally cheap in this city and taxis do not charge prices as exorbitant as the one is Lagos or Port Harcourt will. However, you can save some money by taking public transportation (buses) rather than cabs.

If you're worried about getting lost or ending up on the wrong side of town, use the GPS on your phone or tablet as the city is well planned. Also, you can travel by foot in the town itself, it may be a long walk but its cheaper than all other forms of transportation and you get to see more of the city!

DINING

Abuja is famous for its status as the nation's capital but it is not necessarily a place to visit solely for its cuisine. Excellent food and reasonable prices however are not that hard to find. In fact, the cosmopolitan nature of this city makes it one of the best locations in the country for sampling a variety of dishes on a budget.

Enjoy cheap meals.

There's plenty of good food to be found for bargain prices. You can get some of Abuja's best-value dishes in the ethnic areas like Wuse or Garki.

Stay away from restaurants close to the city's centre, especially Maitama, or you will be paying a lot more than you have to. Street food has really taken off in Abuja, with stalls showcasing dishes from around the country lined at Abuja's markets. There are lots to choose from and even if you aren't certain about paying for a meal, you can get a few tasting samples.

Simply walk a little bit further away from the high-end venues or ask locals for good and cheap restaurants.

WHAT TO DO

Stick with free attractions.

Abuja is filled with pleasures that won't cost you a farthing. Some of the city's most well-known attractions actually are free. Explore the Abuja Art and Craft Village, attend a service at the Abuja National Cathedral, see the Aso Rock, play a song and picnic at the Millennium Park and much more. Plenty of parks also either free or accept contributions.

Patronize the flea markets.

In Abuja,it is advisable to stay out of the shopping malls if you want to stay within your budget. However, if u must shop, there a lot of  high end shopping malls, boutiques and stalls around the city. It is worthwhile to stick with the flea markets or explore Abuja's main markets including the New Wuse Market, Garki International market andFriday Muslim Market.

STEPHANIE LINUS’S MOVIE ‘DRY’ PREMIERES IN NIGERIAN THEATERS

After a successful screening debut in Wales, UK, the critically acclaimed movie ‘Dry’ will premiere nationwide in Nigeria beginning August 14th, 2015. Produced, directed, and starring Nollywood’s A-List actress, Stephanie Linus, the film is an inspired true story that follows a trail of Zara’s (played by Stephanie Linus) trip to Africa, her constant turmoil as a result of inexplicable horrors from her child hood, her experiences and heartaches while working with young girls suffering from complications from early child birth as child brides, against the backdrop of a rich African culture. It is full of intrigue, suspense, unbelievable surprises, the joy of reconciliation and the power of the human spirit that is guaranteed to captivate and engage moviegoers.

The film stars: Darwin Shaw as Dr. Alex, the legendary Liz Benson Ameye as the Matron, Bill McNamara as Dr. Brown, and Introducing Zubaida Ibrahim Fagge as Halima the teenager who had to endure a life not designed for a child: to be married to a man who was more than four times her age. Produced by Next Page Productions, this film was supported by the Office of the special adviser to the president on MDGs Nigeria, Aberystwyth University Wales, Diamond Bank, Ford Foundation, Project Act Nollywood, USAID Acquired fistula, Vlisco and more.

Also starring in the film are Olu Jacobs, Tijjani Faraga, Hauwa Maina, Rahama Hassan, Rekiya Attah, Hakeem Hassan and Afamefuna Klint Igwemba (aka Klint da drunk). The production’s creative team includes director of photography, Angel Barroeta, executive producer, Linus Idahosa, co-produced by Jane Lawalata with Akanimo Odon and Murtza Ali Ghaznavi as line producers and Chinedu Omorie as first assistant.

“Dry journeys into heart-wrenching details of a culture not too many films dare to explore. The issue might seem controversial, but if it will set one girl free and open the minds of the people, and encourage us all to take action, then the movie would have served its purpose.” – Stephanie Linus, Writer, Director & Producer.

The movie trailer for DRY can be watched through this link-http://youtu.be/soXkS9BnKu0

Moviegoers can follow the film on the official movie site at www.themoviedry.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/themoviedry or on Twitter with the handle @Drythemovie

Emmy Nominations Reflect Television’s Embrace of Diversity

Take that, Oscars. In a year when the film industry’s biggest awards were roundly criticized for having an all-white lineup of acting nominees, the Emmy Awards nommed a record 18 black actors in 11 different thesping categories. Impressively, the number comes without any single program leading the charge.

HBO’s “Bessie” landed noms for star Queen Latifah and supporting standouts Mo’Nique and Michael Kenneth Williams, but other than the “How to Get Away With Murder” daughter-mother duo of Viola Davis (lead actress) and Cicely Tyson (guest), the remaining 13 nominees hail from 13 different programs on outlets ranging from ABC to Netflix to Showtime.

That reinforces how the smallscreen’s much-ballyhooed movement toward diversity isn’t just a matter of one or two shows or progressive networks, but instead a wider spread of diverse voices.

But before TV Academy voters give themselves a collective pat on the back, it’s worth noting that only two black creatives were nominated for writing and directing: “Bessie” helmer and co-scripter Dee Rees landed a pair of noms, while “American Crime” showrunner John Ridley picked up one for scripting.

Also, the representation for actors who aren’t either white or black is pretty bleak. With the CW’s Golden Globe-winning “Jane the Virgin” landing only a single nom in the Emmy voiceover category, Latinos were nearly shut out. Asians were completely left off the nom lists, despite the praise for ABC’s freshman “Fresh Off the Boat” and leading lady Constance Wu.

In fact, the lead actress in a comedy category — where “Jane” star Gina Rodriguez was a favorite, and Wu was a darkhorse — is one of the four performer categories this year to include only white nominees.

As much progress as the Emmys have made, there’s still room for improvement.

Source: Variety

Beijing To Host 2022 Winter Olympics

Beijing, China is set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, edging out their only rivals in the race, Almaty in Kazakhstan by 44 votes to 40, with one IOC member abstaining.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted today in Beijing’s favor after the Chinese President promised to deliver an outstanding and spectacular event.

“We are honoured and humbled by the International Olympic Committee’s decision to award Beijing the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” Beijing’s bid committee said in a statement today. “It is with an incredible sense of excitement that we express our thanks to the IOC and the wider Olympic Movement. Just as with the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, the Olympic Family has put its faith in Beijing again to deliver the athlete-centred, sustainable and economical Games we have promised.

“This will be a memorable event at the foot of the Great Wall for the whole Olympic Family, the athletes and the spectators that will further enhance the tremendous potential to grow winter sports in our country, in Asia and around the world. We would like to congratulate Almaty 2022 for their campaign. We wish to thank once again all the Chinese people and people around the world who have supported Beijing 2022 in this extraordinary bid journey.”

New Video: Yemi Alade – Duro Timi

“Sometimes, love can pass you by while you’re busy making plans.”

The official video for Yemi Alade’s ‘Duro Timi’ is finally out and we’ve got the scoop.

After bringing you the BTS footage a few days ago (click here if you missed it), the Effyzie Music star is determined to be the ‘King of Queens’.

Directed by Ovié Étseyatsé and co-directed by Taiye Aliyu, the story-telling video was shot in London, United Kingdom.

“Duro Timi” is a Yoruba phrase which means “Stay with Me” in English.

US ambassador to Nigeria’s holds interesting Q & A with Nigerians on Facebook

US ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle had an interactive session with Nigerians on Facebook this morning where Nigerians asked him questions bordering on the Leahy law, same sex marriage, return of alleged stolen money stashed in US banks and other issues.

Ambassador Entwistle was asked about the controversial $6 billion a US official allegedly told the Buhari-led entourage that a minister in the last administration stole. His response and responses to other questions after the cut.

I Will Keep Attacking You For Being Gay, Ultra Orthodox Jew Stabs 6 Yesterday At Jerusalem Gay Pride March (Photos)

An Orthodox Jewish assailant stabbed and wounded six participants in the annual Gay Pride march in Jerusalem on Thursday, police said. Yishai Shlissel spent 10 years in jail for a similar attack a decade ago when three marchers were wounded.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned 'as a most serious incident' what was the worst attack in years on the event in Jerusalem, a city where the religious population is more prominent than in other parts of Israel.

Marchers numbering about 5,000 and waving banners were heading down an avenue when an ultra-Orthodox man jumped into the crowd and plunged a knife into some of them, witnesses said.

Police arrested Shlissel at the scene. It is understood that Schlissel was only released from prison three weeks ago following his 2005 attack which injured three people.  

Shlissel Captured by a photographer before the incident

Shlissel being pinned down by police