Gist Arena

Comedienne Princess Damilola was a guest on YNaija's Rubbin Minds today September 14th and she once again spoke about her failed marriage. Princess, who revealed her marriage ended just two weeks after her wedding in May 2013, said negative media contributed to the failure of her marriage. "Its like a mystery. It was based on the fact that individual differences came up and after the two weeks when the marriage ended, I didn't think it was something of joy for me to start announcing to everyone and then my family and the guy's family believed that we could all make it work so we started trying to see how...and then I think around July things came back, wasn't too smooth but we were determined to make it work and that is the most important thing but when everything finally ended, it was really very painful and all that but I didn't tell anybody." I discovered that people in London even get to hear things first even before people in Lagos. I wa...

Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola today visited the site of the collapsed building inside the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun. He commiserated with the church founder, Prophet T.B Joshua and also ordered all church workers to stop work on the site to enable officials of the Nigerian Emergency Management Authority work effectively. See more photos below Meanwhile, the Lagos state Commissioner for Physical planning, Mr Toyin Ayinde, revealed that the 5-storey building had no government approval for its construction. Speaking to newsmen at the site today, the state Commissioner said records in his office shows that no permit was handed to the civil engineers for the building to be erected but said he was awaiting the church engineers to present the building permit they were given to erect the collapsed building.  

Amidst the chaos and pandemonium that ensued when a guest-house at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), suddenly collapsed in the early afternoon of  friday , tales from miraculous survivors have begun to emerge. “Thank You, Jesus”, a cry came out from the crowd of church helpers and rescue workers as bodies were brought out of the wreck hours ago”. A woman, who was being stretchered toward an awaiting ambulance, waved her hands shouting “God of T.B. Joshua, you are wonderful”, she had been in the dark, under the rubble for over 24 hours. Also, a small child and her mum were brought out of the wreckage alive.    “One thing you have to understand, 90% of those being rescued were eating or working at the bottom floor of the building when it collapsed. How they survived beats my imagination”, an official of Nigeria’s Emergency Management Association (NEMA) told journalists on the condition of anonymity. ...

Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff has replied the allegations leveled against him in Wole Soyinka’s ‘Wage of Impunity’ article. Sheriff in an interview with Punch newspaper spoke through the Commissioner of Information and Home Affairs under his administration, Mr. Inuwa Bwala. Sheriff, who has been accused of funding the operations of the deadly islamic sect, Boko Haram, said Soyinka was only entertaining Nigerians with his mastery of the English language.’ “As the ‘cultist’ we know him (Soyinka) to be, being the founder of a confraternity for which the world is still waiting for answers from him, he is the least morally qualified to speak on the alleged involvement of any Nigerian in whatever crime. “We challenge him to name this person he says he knows as a sponsor of Boko Haram in the Central Bank, if he is as patriotic as he claims to be. We also challenge him to prove to Nigerians that he is not the cultist we have always known him to be. “No ...

As part of measures to promote the identity and cultural heritage of the Igbos, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has disclosed of plans to set up a befitting Film Academy in Owerri. He named Nollywood actress Nkiru Sylvanus, as part of the film academy’s management. Okorocha made this known when members of the Imo Chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, Owerri. Governor Okorocha had announced the provision of office accommodation for Imo AGN at the ICAPS premises, Owerri and assured them of the quick commencement of the Film Academy. He appointed Nkiru Sylvanus as the Ag. Director General of the Academy to do oversight functions of ensuring judicious use of finance and other logistics.

Leader of the defunct Niger Delta Volunteers Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo has declared that the Australian negotiator, Stephen Davis is acting a script written by former Olusegun President Obasanjo by his recent disclosure on the sponsors of Boko Haram. Asari-Dokubo in an interview with newsmen insisted that Davis was being economical with the truth. He said it was laughable that the negotiator fingered former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika and former governor Ali Modu Sheriff as sponsors of Boko Haram, when the sect had made statements against the duo. His words: “I know Stephen Davis very well. I know him to his family. I think he is economical with the truth. As somebody I know, I was disappointed. I was the first person Stephen Davis negotiated with. I am totally disappointed in the politics he is playing. “He negotiated with me when I was in the creek on behalf of the European Embassies in Nigeria. He negotiated with me to cease fire and com...

About 150 Boko Haram members were killed on Friday September 12th by the Nigerian army as the militants attempted to attack Konduga village in Borno State. (read the story  here ). The military has released some pictures from the battle scene to re-assure the public that they are capable of defending them. See some of the pics below Vehicle recovered from Boko Haram Another vehicle recovered from Boko Haram Recovered ammunition Boko Haram vehicle recovered

This article was written by journalist Ihechukwu Njoku, who reports for The Synogogue Church of All Nations. Looks like the church is blaming the building collapse on a strange airplane. They shared an eerie video purportedly showing a plane flying over the building before it collapsed. Read Njoku's report below and watch the video below On Sunday 14 th  April 2014, Prophet T.B. Joshua played to his congregation and Emmanuel TV viewers worldwide shocking footage captured by security cameras of the horrific moment a guest-house collapsed within the church premises. Joshua, speaking to a packed auditorium of worshippers seemingly undeterred by the tragic incident that transpired days earlier, began by thanking officials involved in the extensive rescue operation, as well as supporters worldwide for their prayers." Continue.. He then recounted the events that preceded the building collapse at exactly  12:44pm on Friday  afternoon.  “I know this is ...

A self acclaimed evangelist, Chukwukezi Afonogu (pictured above), has been arrested by men of the Enugu state Police command for shooting his 65 year old father, George Afonogu, dead. According to Sunday Sun, Enugu state Police Commissioner, Mr Mohammed Adamu, said 33 year old Chukwukezi attacked and killed his father on  August 25th  during arguement. The suspect said he became very angry after his father called him a mad man. Continue... During interrogation, Chukwukezi, who is the only son of his late father said; "I am an evangelist and a member of the Evergreen Believers Bible Ministry. Before this thing happened, I was having several quarrel with my late father. My father called me on that fateful day and asked me about an electrician that was supposed to work in the house and he gave me N500. My late father was a difficult person. The incident happened around  3.00pm . My father called me a "mad boy" and a quarrel ensued. I went inside the room ...

Determined to eradicate all forms of crimes, detectives at the Delta State Police Command, Asaba have arrested three suspected native doctors and a housewife over their alleged involvement in the discovery of substances suspected to be charms buried at a popular church premises. Reports said trouble has been brewing in the popular Pentecostal church (name withheld) along Abraka road, Asaba after some of its members allegedly confessed to be witches and wizards thereby creating problems in the church. DSP Celestina Kalu, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, confirmed that the detectives arrested the suspects after a tip off adding that the alleged witches, during their confessions, opened cans of worms, especially on how they allegedly hired the native doctors to do the damage in the church. It was gathered that trouble started when the alleged witches and wizards were suspended from their positions as deaconesses and elders in what was said to be a susp...

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed 39 persons dead in the building that collapsed in the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations last Friday. The agency in its latest update on the incident said 130 people were rescued alive. Details later.

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday stormed Jos, the Plateau State capital, at about 5:45pm to visit his son Lt. Col. Adegboye Obasanjo. According to THE NATION reports, Col. Obasanjo was said to have been wounded during a bloody battle between Boko Haram insurgents and troops in Adamawa State where scores of government forces were allegedly killed by the terrorists. Col. Obasanjo is believed to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical centre in Jos since the incidence. Though the visit of the former president was not disclosed, the traffic congestion and heavy security presence along his route from Jos Airport to Obasanjo’s guest house located at Wase Close Jos drew public attention. It was later discovered that the heavy security build up was occasioned by Obasanjo’s private visit to his wounded son. It was learnt that the former president was received at the Yakubu Gowon Airport Jos by the Deputy Governor Ambassador Ignatius Longjan, Gbong Gwom ...

An American citizen detained in North Korea this past April was sentenced to six years in prison with labor by that country's Supreme Court Sunday. Matthew Miller, 24, of Bakersfield, Calif., was found guilty of entering North Korea illegally and trying to commit an act of espionage. The court said that Miller tore up his tourist visa at Pyongyang's airport when he entered the country on April 10 and intended to ""experience prison life so that he could investigate the human rights situation." In an interview with the Associated Press published August 1, Miller said that he expected to be sent to prison, adding "I have been requesting help from the American government, but have received no reply." It was not immediately clear whether his comments were his own or had been coerced by his captors. Carol Stewart, a neighbor of Miller's in Bakersfield, told the Associated Press in July that Miller first traveled to South Korea about four y...

An Alpha Jet (NAF 466) belonging to the Nigerian Air Force and involved in the counter insurgency operation against the extremist Boko Haram sect has gone missing around Adamawa State. The spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, Chris Olukolade, a Major General, said the aircraft, with two pilots onboard, went missing on Friday. In a statement early Sunday, Mr. Olukolade said the aircraft “left Yola at about 10:45a.m on 12 September 2014 on a routine operational mission and was expected back by 12:00 noon”. “Since then, all efforts to establish contact with the aircraft have not yielded any positive result,” the statement said. Mr. Olukolade said search and rescue effort had since commenced “to establish contact with the crew”. Military insiders told PREMIUM TIMES the missing plane is among a number of aircraft deployed for intense aerial bombardment of Boko Haram fighters. The Nigerian military had on September 1 launched heavy air bombardment on Bama, Borno ...

Former Nollywood star Regina Askia Williams took to her Facebook wall to express her thoughts on domestic violence and how it can be avoided. In the piece, she addressed the notion by some women who believe a man beats a woman out of love. She says any violent act in a relationship is the shadow image of fear and that the best thing to do is to deal with the root cause of the fear. Find her incisive post below. Domestic Violence What the heck is that? Folks this is only for mature minds and not a forum for ridicule, small talk nor look good ops. This is a serious issue. We all know when conflict arises, and there is an inability to settle amicably, more often than not violence ensues. Why? One party feels he/she needs to be heard and the other party is just not trying to hear it, voices are raised, words turn salty, things are thrown around including punches, regrettably.   Now if you are at the receiving end of those “salty words” or the landing pad for those flying o...