Sunday 13 December 2015

The Gambia becomes an Islamic State


President Yahya Jammeh has declared The Gambia "an Islamic state", but stressed that the rights of the Christian minority in the small west African country would be respected and that women would not be held to a dress code.

The announcement came as the president addressed supporters in the coastal town of Brufut on Thursday, and the comments were later broadcast on state television and repeated on his website.
"Gambia's destiny is in the hands of the Almighty Allah.

As from today, Gambia is an Islamic state. We will be an Islamic state that will respect the rights of the citizens," he was quoted as saying on the presidential website.

In television footage of the address on GRTV, seen by AFP on Saturday, the president did not go into detail about what the change would mean for the country, but he reassured Christians and followers of other faiths they would be able to worship freely.
"Christians will be given their due respect. The way of celebrating Christmas will continue," he said, adding that no one had the right to interfere with others' "way of life".
He also warned against trying to impose a dress code on women.
He said:
"I have not appointed anyone as an Islamic policeman. The way women dress is not your business," he said.
An impoverished former British colony nestled within Senegal, and famed for its white-sand beaches, The Gambia has a population of nearly two million, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim.
The remaining eight per cent are Christian and two per cent are defined as having indigenous beliefs.

Jammeh, 50, a military officer and former wrestler from a rural background, has ruled the country with an iron fist since he seized power in a coup in 1994. The main opposition party on Saturday poured scorn on the president's unexpected proclamation of an Islamic republic, saying it had no legal basis.

Earlier this year, Human Rights Watch branded Jammeh's regime one of the most repressive in the world, blaming paramilitaries and secret police for torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

In 2013, Jammeh withdrew his country from the Commonwealth, saying it represented "an extension of colonialism".


AFP

The Game shares photo with his daughter, gets backlash for her made up face


Rapper, The Game, shared this adorable photo of him sharing a smoothie with his beautiful daughter. The make up on his little girl's face though, got a lot of people talking and throwing insults his way. Waiting for The Game's clapback. Some of the comments after the cut...


Nollywood actress Chika Ike splurges on post Birthday getaway .

Nollywood actress Chika Ike who turned a year older recently splurged on herself by travelling abroad to celebrate her birthday. More photos after the cut...





Mariah Carey shares loved-up photo with billionaire boyfriend James Packer


Mariah Carey and James Packer were back at it over the weekend as they met up in New York.
Posing before a Christmas tree dressed in evening wear, the pair were snapped gazing lovingly into one another's eyes in a photo shared by Mariah on Twitter. Another photo after the cut...

Photos: Genevieve Nnaji, Idris Elba at Beast of No Nation premiere


Genevieve Nnaji pictured with British actor, Idris Elba, and former Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the premiere of Beast of No Nation in Lagos yesterday. More photos after the cut...



Unbreakable premieres video for single, 'Gbosa + new promo


photos

Nigeria International award winning rapper “Unbreakeable D” with the birth name Kismet Engene, is out with the official video and some promo pictures to his most anticipated single titled “Gbosa”. Following the success of his local song “Inwere Message” sometimes last year, Unbreakeable D deemed it fit to churn out another tune to the delight of his fans and indigenous rap music lovers.


Unbreakeable D who also doubles as the CEO of Rap Maf-Ya Recordz is an artiste with international pedigree having his base in Europe and with performances at some major international and national concerts including The Brooklyn Hip Hop Jam, American Football game in Dusseldorf, Germany with over 60,000 spectators and the Felabration concert in Nigeria to mention a few.

 
He is currently on a tour of Europe with Terry G. The new single, Gbosa is an indigenous rap song with a blend of Afro and eastern vibes. The song is produced by Don Adah, for Rap Maf-Ya Records. Stream the video and while you download the audio via the provided link after the video cut below. @Unbreakabledee


AUDIO DOWNLOAD LINK:  http://my.notjustok.com/track/52391/unbreakable-d-gbosa
Watch video below...

Photos from Atiku Abubakar visit to an Orphanage in Yola


The former Vice President visited an Orphanage in Yola, Adamawa State on Friday, December 11, where he spent time with the Internally Displaced children. Atiku Abubakar was accompanied by Adamawa state Governor, Bindow and other state officials. More photos after the cut...



Tweet from Sahara Reporters


My hand is not in this one o...just showing you an allegation from Sahara Reporters...

Blood Billions: Kidnapped Chibok Girls Write Dasuki, Jonathan


               

On the 14th of April in the early hours of the morning, Boko Haram terrorists came to our school. For several hours, they gathered us together and then went into Chibok town to look for lorries. They took their time as we cuddled and prayed and pinched ourselves hoping it was just a dream. The nasty looking terrorists spent more time raiding stores in the town and collecting provisions.
For the over eight hours it took, there was no help for us; there was no one to come rescue us. There was no police or army to save us and put up a fight at least.

On the rough roads they drove us in lorries to their den in Sambisa...
It was a journey of perhaps six hours but to us it felt like a year. We never lost hope through the ride, cuddling together and praying the Good Lord does not abandon us. We never stopped hoping we would hear helicopters and see military vehicles ambush the convoy and rescue us so we could return to our mothers and fathers.

The next day we heard some courageous Civilian-JTF with some of our family men braved it to the edge of the forrest to try to rescue us. We held some hope, that since they knew where we were the Nigerian army, that strong army that sorted out the crisis in Liberia will come rescue us.One night after the other we hoped. As the terrorists laughed at us, telling us we will never be rescued, that the Nigerian government did not care about us; we still held on to hope. We hoped the United States will do something at least if Nigeria didn't. We hoped France will intervene. We held on to faith and then days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. We prayed but also we cursed. As we heard the news that some of our parents were dying, we cursed. We prayed and cursed those who did this to our land, who did this to our parents and to us.

As time passed, some of us died; some got pregnant, some were married and some were taken away. One by one we got used to these men. They fed us, they tended to us, they tried to keep us alive and these monsters became our benefactors. There was no one else but them and God that provided for us and kept us alive.

We held on to hope as we lost trust. Why did this happen to us we asked? Why did this happen in Nigeria? Why were we born in this country where this would happen to us? Why, we asked, why? Why were we being punished for having dreams and going to school? What had we done to deserve this? The terrorists had money. They bragged to us: you see the money your government you are waiting for to rescue you gave us? Can you see the money the French gave us? We care about you, they do not. Forget them. We are your family.

We saw helicopters drop money, food and guns. We saw suspicious men talking with our captors; men who we knew were from the outside. Gradually all hope we had began to fade away.

It is 606 days since. There are bombardments going on around everywhere. We don't really care. We have been diminished. We might as well be dead. There is not much left here to return to normal society. And what society are we returning to? Is your society normal where you leave your daughters to be defiled and no one wages Jihad to liberate them? Some of us are angry, very angry. Some of us have had child for these men, and are connected to them. We do not know how we will fare in that your world anymore, honestly, we do not really care. We stopped caring a long time ago. But there was just one thing we wanted to know. We wanted to know why?

Dear Dasuki; Dear Goodluck Jonathan. Is this why? Was it all about this money?

Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] 
Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian

WHAT!? Naira Falls To Its Lowest Level In 42 Years


In December 1980, exactly 35 years ago, the naira was one dollar and eight cent, but today, a dollar is N260, the weakest it has ever been since its introduction 42 years ago.
The naira fell to its lowest on Friday, trading at 260 to the greenback on the parallel market. It continues to plunge as the CBN holds on to its stringent dollar sales policy at the parallel market. 
Earlier in 2015, CBN introduced the policy of selling over $80m to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, to keep the unofficial rate close to that of the parallel market. The policy is however undergoing review, as the CBN circular reported by Reuters has set out new guidelines for the 2016 BDC transaction of dollars. 
According to The Cable, the circular, which will come into effect in January, “orders retail money exchanges to deposit a mandatory cautionary deposit of N35 million in an account with the central bank, in addition to a minimum capital requirement of N35 million”. 
The decision, experts believe, would trim the number of BDC operators in the country. The Naira was first introduced in introduced in 1973.
President Olusegun Obasanjo is the president who introduced the highest number of notes in Nigeria’s democracy, introducing N100 in 1999, N200 in 2000, N500 in 2001 and N1000 on October 12, 2005.