Beyonce wishes Kim and Kanye a lifetime of unconditional love

She didn't attend their wedding but Beyonce took time out of her busy schedule to share a pic of Kim, Kanye and their daughter on instagram and wish them all the best as they begin life as man and wife.

Another bomb blast rocks jos

A few days after multiple bomb blast killed over 200 people in Jos, another round of explosion has been reported along Bauchi Road, near the University of Jos, Jos. The blast reportedly occurred this evening around 9:30 at a viewing centre where football fans gathered to watch the UEFA Champions League final match between Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid...which ended a few minutes ago.

Manzo Ezekiel, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the incident to AFP but said it was not clear what caused the blast nor if there were casualties.

Details later...

Why can't Nigerians watch country's biggest movie?' - Biyi Bandele

The director of "Half of a Yellow Sun" Biyi Bandele writes about the Nigerian Film & Video Censors Board refusing to give certification for the movie to be shown in Nigerian cinemas. Find below...

When I heard last month that the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board, headquartered in Abuja, had indicated that it would be unable to issue certification for "Half of a Yellow Sun" in time for the film's release date, I naturally assumed, at first, that what we were faced with was nothing more sinister than another instance of the typical, if frustrating, culture of wilful incompetence that we'd grappled with during the making of the film -- while shooting the film in Nigeria two years ago, there were times when we felt ensnared in impenetrable jungles of red tape, when we would be given the go-head by one arm of the government only to find our path blocked by the other arm.

I had no reason to assume that there might be anything more to it than that. I had no reason to assume, for instance, that the inability of the board to issue the film with a certificate might actually be a clumsy, heavy-handed ban in all but name.

After all, when the movie had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last autumn, amongst the entourage of Nigerians who flew in to Toronto for the occasion was Patricia Bala, director-general of the Nigerian censorship board.

Bala had arrived in Toronto -- I was told -- with several of her colleagues from the censor's office. I know for a fact that they watched the movie. I do not know for a fact that they all liked it. I cannot say if any one of them stood up when, as the end credits rolled, the audience rose and gave the film three standing ovations. But I do know that Bala was gracious enough to tell us after the screening how much she loved the movie. At no point did she express any reservations about the contents of the film.

It is now nearly eight months since Bala and her board first saw the movie in Toronto and a few weeks since she and her board have failed to issue "Half of a Yellow Sun" the certification that it needs -- that the law requires it obtains before it can be shown in cinemas in Nigeria.

In those several days I've been assailed -- on Twitter, Facebook, and by email -- with rumors, innuendos, half-truths, and downright lies, disseminated sometimes directly from the censorship board (they have issued at least one press statement), about why "Half of a Yellow Sun" still hasn't been issued with a ratings certificate.

The board claims that is has not banned the film but certain aspects of it "have some unresolved issues which have to be sorted out in accordance with the law and laid down regulations."
It has been rumored that FilmOne, the Nigerian distributors of "Half of a Yellow Sun," might have been late in submitting the film for certification. Not true. Most films that are screened in Nigerian cinemas are shown to the censor only a day or two before the films open to the paying public. In documentations that have been shown to me, there are instances even of movies being shown to the censor days after the movies had officially opened to the public. "Half of a Yellow Sun" was scheduled to open on April 25. It was submitted to the censorship board at least two weeks earlier.

Whether or not the film eventually gets a ratings certificate in Nigeria, "Half of a Yellow Sun" will be seen by millions of Nigerians.

I've also heard tell that the censorship board's inability to make a decision about a ratings certificate for my film has been brought upon it because of a sudden concern that a movie that depicts scenes from the Biafra war might provoke "tribal violence" in a country that has in recent months been besieged with terrorist bombings and profoundly shaken by the abduction of over 200 school girls by Boko Haram.

Since the Toronto premiere those many months ago, I've seen "Half of a Yellow Sun" at other film festivals in all corners of the globe. And Nigerians being the ubiquitous people that we are have been present in the audiences -- quite often in great numbers -- at each of these festivals.

I am yet to meet a single Nigerian who has seen the film who came out of the cinema thinking that they had just seen a film that would incite anyone to violence. If anything, more than once, I've been accosted by cinema-goers -- some Nigerian, but really, people of all races -- who have been profoundly moved by the experience of watching the film. The refrain I've heard from them is, war is nasty, isn't it.

Whether or not the film eventually gets a ratings certificate in Nigeria, "Half of a Yellow Sun" will be seen by millions of Nigerians. The question is: will they be allowed to see it in their local cinemas and on legally acquired DVDs or will they be forced to watch it on pirate DVDs and through illegal downloads? If the biggest film that's ever been made in Nigeria is available to Nigerians only in bootleg form, the censorship board will be doing to the Nigerian film industry what Boko Haram is trying to do to Nigeria: drive a stake through its heart. I sincerely hope they both fail.

118 confirmed dead from Jos blast today, there may be more - NEMA

According to a report by AFP, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA told them that 118 people have been confirmed dead from today's bomb blast in Jos, with several others still under the debris

"The exact figure of the dead bodies recovered as of now is 118 and more bodies may be in the debris of buildings which collapsed due to the intensity of the blasts.” Mohammed Abdulsalam told AFP. He also revealed that 56 people were injured in the twin blasts.

Plateau state Police commissioner Chris Olakpe had earlier told reporters that only 46 people were killed and 45 others were injured. He later said "We are saying 46. That’s the number we have in the morgues. But we are not ruling out more bodies.”

Well, eye-witnesses insists there are way more bodies. At least 200. Many have not been recovered.

Jonathan condemns Jos bomb blast, releases press statement

The President has released a press statement condemning the bomb blast that occurred this afternoon at Terminus market in Jos. Find the statement signed by his spokesperson, Reuben Abati, below

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan strongly condemns the bomb blasts in Jos, Plateau state, today, describing the perpetrators of this tragic assault on human freedom as cruel and evil.  He has also directed all relevant agencies to mobilise support and relief efforts in aid of the victims. The President extends his heartfelt sympathies to the affected families and persons.

President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror, and this administration will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilization. Continue...

President Jonathan has also expressed Nigeria’s deepest appreciation to the international community on the success of the recent Summit in Paris on the security situation in Nigeria hosted by the President of France, H.E. Francois Hollande.

He reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to the implementation of the resolutions reached by the Summit, in addition to existing measures already being taken by the administration to combat terrorism and ensure the safety of lives.

President Jonathan states that the Federal Government of Nigeria is prepared to strengthen existing mechanisms to ensure the immediate implementation of the resolutions of The Summit, among which are:

1. That every necessary measure should be taken to find the school girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on 14^th April 2014;
    
2. That Nigeria and other countries in the sub-region will continue to co-operate and co-ordinate efforts to combat the Boko Haram menace.
    
3. That the Heads of State have agreed that each country will contribute one battalion of troops to the international force set up to patrol the border areas, in line with the Resolution of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. France, United States of America and the United Kingdom will extend technical assistance to achieve this objective;
    
    
4. That the countries will come together to put in place an effective border management regime;
    
5. That no effort will be spared to stop the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the supply of arms and equipment made available to terrorists.
    
   President Jonathan considers these measures very useful aspects of the concerted international effort to combat terrorism and put an end to the Boko Haram menace. In addition, the President, in Abuja, today, directed relevant government agencies to ensure enhanced implementation of the following programmes in the areas affected by Boko Haram atrocities:
    
   (i)      Emergency relief assistance:  The intensification of on-going relief assistance programmes by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)) in partnership with donor agencies.  The programme will ensure rapid deployment of relief assistance to the affected local government areas and communities.  This will include provision of food supplies, medical supplies, basic relief commodities, and conditional cash transfer programmes for affected households;
    
   (ii)     Rapid needs assessment:  To support additional intervention programmes in the region, the President has also directed that on-going rapid needs assessment by government agencies should be accelerated to identify affected communities and households and assess the extent of damage to public and private infrastructure, amongst others.
    
   (iii)    Safety of schools: President Jonathan has also reiterated Nigeria’s determination to ensure the safety and security of schools in Borno and other parts of the country and also provide counselling services to any affected students to enable them return to school and continue with their academic work.
   Furthermore, the Federal Government of Nigeria will rebuild the Chibok School and fortify security in schools. In collaboration with the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the private sector, the government will launch the “Safe Schools Initiative” which will address security issues; re-build the destroyed schools; and provide equipment and materials.
   Reuben Abati
   Special Adviser to the President
   (Media and Publicity)
   May 20, 2014

Over 200 killed this afternoon in Jos twin bomb blast

The bomb explosion that occurred this afternoon at the densely populated Terminus Market near Murtala Mohammed way in Jos is more serious than we thought. The twin explosion, which occurred 30 minutes apart, reportedly killed at least 200 people according to eye-witnesses, making it deadlier than the Nyanya blast.

The bomb was planted in two cars, a Peugeot J5 van and a Toyota Sienna SUV with a Gombe state license plate number. Eye-witnesses said the car had been parked near the busy market since early this morning and had even drawn the curiosity of people in the area who allegedly alerted the police. It exploded many hours later. See a pic of some bodies being removed from the scene after the cut

EXPENDABLE 3 CAST CARRY #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS PLACARD

The cast of action movie Expendables 3 all carried the #bringbackourgirls posters at their film premiere in Cannes this afternoon. From left: Harrison Ford...Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallon and Mel Gibson. Awww,

BOMB BLAST IN KANO

A car bomb hit a crowded entertainment spot in Kano, Sunday night, witnesses have said.

The bomb, which exploded at a popular Kano street occupied by many bars and night spots, left 10 people dead, an uncomfirmed report said.

The area, where the explosion took place, is also mostly inhabited by Christians, the Reuters news agency reports.

 

we will get you more information.

I will visit Chibok but does that solve the problem?" - Pres. Jonathan

At a press conference for the Regional Security Summit that held in France today, President Jonathan explained why he hasn't visited the Chibok community, the school or parents of the missing girls...

"The school is owned by the State Government but it is the commitment of the Federal government to rebuild the school, build walls to protect it and provide facilities since it is predominantly a school that takes care of girls education so that the girls would be protected. Yes I will visit Chibok, no doubt about that but what we are anxious about now is to locate the girls. These girls are not held in Chibok. If the President goes to Chibok today, does that solve any problem? Maybe psychological problem or for media relevance but you have not solved the problem. The problem facing the President and indeed the Nigerian government is to get these girls from wherever they are" he said

President Jonathan is currently at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France where him and other African leaders including presidents of Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin, with the President of France are brainstorming on how to tackle the problem of insecurity in the continent. Here are five quotes the President made during his presentation at the summit

1. "This is not anymore a challenge to Nigeria alone; it is a threat to each and every one of us"
2. "This latest attack is a wake up call for all of us. A line has been drawn in the sand, a test is put to each of us"
3. "Nigeria will rise up to this challenge and prevail. I call upon each one of you to stand up and be counted with us"
4."An attack on one country is an attack on all of us and our common humanity."5. "We will not succumb to terrorists and their dangerous tactics.T errorists will not be allowed to define who we are"
pix of Jonathan at the summit