Gist Arena

As the remains of a great African icon, Nelson Mandela, the first South African post-apartheid President, are committed to mother earth today in Qunu, here are some of the memorable moments of Mandiba's life before his passage.  1918, July 18: Born Rolihlahla at Mvezo village in Transkei, one of 13 children in a family with connections to Thembu royalty. 1925: Attends primary school near Qunu. Teacher names him Nelson, in line with the custom at the time of giving English names to children. 1927: Entrusted to Paramount Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo after his father dies when he is nine-years-old. 1934: Circumcised. 1938: Matriculates from Healdtown Methodist boarding school and enrolls at the SA Native College of Fort Hare. 1940: Elected to Fort Hare student representative council, but is expelled after a student strike. 1941: Leaves for Johannesburg to avoid an arranged, tribal marriage. 1942: Starts articles at the law firm Witkin, Sidelsky and Eidelman. Completes BA de...

The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday said political office holders steal state funds because Nigerians do not stone them. Amaechi, who said this in Lagos at an event organised to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela, challenged Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable. He said, "If you see a thief and you allow him to be stealing, what have you done? You have stoned nobody; that is why we are stealing. Who have you stoned? They came out and started dancing oil subsidy, oil subsidy. They told you that they stole N2.3trn, what did you do? "Instead you are protesting 'bring more oil subsidy'; the oil subsidy that is not reaching the poor. A few individuals are going away with the money and you have done nothing. You are mourning Madiba, who lived up to 95, and he was very angry with Nigeria when he died.

She introduced Sasha Fierce to the world in 2008 with her third studio album I Am…Sasha Fierce. But Friday morning Beyoncé made it clear that Sasha Fierce was no more and there was a new alter-ego in town – Yoncé. And to make sure the 32-year-old’s new side got a memorable welcome – she was joined by models Jourdann Dunn,  Joan Smalls  and Chanel Iman in a very sexy video for the song simply entitled Yoncé. The 30 second teaser was released in the early hours of Friday morning alongside with her self-titled surprise fifth studio album, which she has described as her ‘visual album’.

Congressman Antonio Garcia Conejo of the Democratic Revolution Party stripped down to his underwear during a speech in front of Mexico’s congress on Wednesday, the BBC reported. "This is how you're stripping the nation. Where is the benefit?”  he told the assembly. The historic new energy bill will allow foreign private energy companies to drill for oil and gas in the country for the first time since the country nationalized oil in 1938. Since then, state-run oil company Pemex has had a monopoly on production in the country, according to CBS News.

Do you feel dejected or left behind by your peers because you don’t have a college degree? Do you see your supposed illiteracy as a limitation to achieving your dreams? Or are you in the group that thinks education is the ultimate yardstick for success? If any of these questions best describes you, then please read on. How does it sound to your ears that most of the world’s richest men and women were school drop outs ? Well don’t be surprised; it’s the truth.

According a LIB reader who witnessed the incident which occurred on Tuesday Dec.10th around the Yaba area of Lagos, a car that had been parked on the road for quite a while, cornered a trailer as it approached around 4pm on Tuesday. Two hefty men then jumped out of the car and dragged down the driver of the trailer who was wearing a blue suit and began stabbing him in broad day light. According to eye witnesses, one man concentrated on his head and the other on his tummy, while people watched in horror unable to help the victim. They stabbed him for several minutes while a third man said to be the driver of the car was heard shouting 'kill him', 'kill him' in Yoruba. The incident which lasted a few minutes caused serious traffic and panic as several motorist, who weren't sure of what was going on, abandoned their vehicles and took to their heels. After the men ensured that their victim was dead, they got into their car and drove off. A few minutes later, a huge cr...

RMD's 30 year old son Oghenekome Mofe Damijo married his longtime girlfriend, Eniola Abiodun, in a traditional wedding ceremony which held yesterday Thursday Dec. 12th at the bride's family home in Ikeja. Their white wedding will hold tomorrow in Lagos. See more photos when you click on Read More