Gist Arena

To mark Nigeria's Centenary anniversary ,GEJ addressed the  nagging Boko haram issue  My dear compatriots, as we celebrate our centenary, the security situation in some of our North-Eastern States, sadly remains a major concern for us. Just yesterday, young students, full of hopes and dreams for a great future, were callously murdered as they slept in their college dormitories in Yobe State. I am deeply saddened by their deaths and that of other Nigerians at the hands of terrorists. Our hearts go out to their parents and relatives, colleagues and school authorities.  We will continue to do everything possible to permanently eradicate the scourge of terrorism and insurgency from our country.  We recognise that the root cause of militancy, terrorism and insurgency is not the strength of extremist ideas but corrupted values and ignorance. That is why our counter-terrorism strategy is not just about enforcing law and order as we have equipped our security force...

The Rev. Cho Yong-gi, founder and pastor emeritus of Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea, one of the largest Pentecostal churches in the world, has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling church funds. Cho was found guilty of causing $12 million in losses to the church by having officials in 2002 buy stocks owned by his eldest son, Cho Hee-jun, at four times the market value,  Yonhap  reported on Thursday. The 78-year-old pastor, who founded the church in 1958, will also have to pay about $4.6 million in fines. The junior Cho will also be serving a three-year prison term for colluding with his father, the Seoul Central District Court ruled.

President Goodluck Jonathan will make a broadcast to the nation at 9 pm tonight on Nigeria's centenary. The broadcast will be relayed on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON). According to Presidential Media Adviser, Reuben Abati, 'All other television and radio stations in the country are urged to hook-up to NTA and FRCN to relay the broadcast to their viewers and listeners". Gist Arena

29 year old Rabelani Ramali (pictured right), a community worker from rural Limpopo province in South African has launched a contest in the country where girls who are virgins at 35 and below would be rewarded with R100,000 or less plus medals; gold, silver or bronze, depending on their ages. Rabelani who has fathered five children by four women out of wedlock, says he decided to come up with this idea to help checkmate the rate of unwanted pregnancies and HIV cases amongst south African women. He said his NGO, SA Virgin Girls Awards, which was registered in November 2013, is set to take on this task as he has recruited 31 volunteer workers who would help disburse forms among women in schools, market, churches and other places. Rabelani said he has contacted local medical doctors who have agreed to help him carry out the virginity test on the girls who would come forward to get tested. R100,000 would be given to virgins between the ages of 31 and 35, R50,000 for those aged 26 to 30...

Toke Makinwa revealed her saddest moment in a recent interview with Genevieve magazine "I lost both my parents in a fire incident in 1993. I remember that morning and I haven’t been able to speak about it ever since." she said

Peter Okoye just released these photos on his instagram page. Says The Alingos  cartoon series, which is centred around the singing brothers, will hit on our TV screens soon. Peter said they have been working on the project for five years. Find more photos and a press release after the cut...

At last , I am also writing my story after reading from other ladies on your blog. I need to share mine too. I am not writing because I need advise, I am not depressed at all and I won't let my feeble self be. I am writing because I can't trust any of my friends. Can't confide in them, they might betray me. After reading  your blog for this long, I am beginning to feel with you the freedom one feels around a close elder sister.  Aunty  Eya , my Traditional wedding took place last week Thursday. Last night while looking for spare keys in my husband's brief case, I bumped into an envelope of lovely pictures he took with his ex at the Ranch just a week to our traditional marriage. The same time he went to see his sick friend.