BlackBox Nigeria

A 41-year-old woman, Bunmi Adesanya, who allegedly bit a police officer on the back while on official duty, was on Wednesday brought before a Shomolu Magistrates' Court in Lagos.
Adesanya is facing a two-count-charge of assault and wilfully obstructing a police officer while executing his lawful duty.

The prosecutor, Insp. Thomas Muhammed, told the court that the accused obstructed and prevented some police officers from Alade Division from arresting one Omolara Bello, NAN reports.

Muhammed said the officers were to arrest Bello over an alleged involvement in a criminal matter when the accused assaulted one Cpl. Ocheme David.
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He said that the accused bit the police officer on his back and caused him bodily harm.

The prosecutor said that the offence was committed on Dec. 17 at about 1.00 a.m. along Odunlade Street in Shomolu area of Lagos.

Muhammed said that the offences contravened Sections 172 (a) and 172 (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Osunsanmi adjourned the case till Feb. 2, 2015 for mention.

Few days after winning the coveted Rookie of the year award at the Headies, Mavin act, Reekado Banks has landed on the cover of 4Clique Magazine.

The rising singer headlines the December 2014 edition of the magazine.

Reekado got signed to the Don Jazzy-led Mavin Records in August 2013 and has since enjoyed a steady rise in his career and he recently released his debut single, 'Chop Am' in August this year.‎

Gospel artiste, Kenny Saint Best, who recently lost out in the All Progressive Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary elections to Folajimi Lai Mohammed has declared that she has learnt a lot in her new found romance with politics.

"The experience is that of inner strength. I got stronger because this was a new terrain, unlike entertainment that you have gotten so used to and you take everything for granted. I also got humbled. In entertainment, you have ego but in politics you dare not bring up that ego or you will be messed up" she told Potpourri.

Continuing: "I learnt how to work with the grassroots; I learnt how to respect the grassroots. I learnt how to respect the ward leaders. I learnt to respect not just the ward leaders, but also the leaders at the local government levels. Politics is a terrain where what you say can either make you or mar you. In entertainment, we talk anyhow we like. In politics, you dare not be loose with what you say because it will be used against you, just like it's done in the court of law.  Everybody has their time in politics. On the flipside, overtaking is also allowed."

On her current state of mind, the TV talk show host said: "My state of mind is that of a winner. It's the state of mind of a potential political leader. It's the state of mind of an overcomer because politics is challenging. I am new in politics, losing the first time cannot stop me".‎

It was a night of Naira rain, Saturday, as President Goodluck Jonathan's re-election fund raiser recorded over N21billion.
Some of the donors include businessmen, multinational organisations, governors and individuals.
The sum raised yesterday was apart from the pledges made by anonymous donors.
The Peoples Democratic Party Fund Raising Dinner was held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mr. Tunde Ayeni who chaired the occassion threw the event open with a donation of N2bn on behalf of himself and unnamed friends while the forum of governors under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, donated N1.05billion.
The Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, who spoke on behalf of the PDP governors, said 21 governors donated N50m each.
Some of the donations are: Oil and Gas sector,N5bn; Transport and Aviation, N1bn; Food and Agriculture, N500m; Power, N500m; Construction, N310m; Road Construction, N250m; those in Real Estate and Building donated N4bn; National Automative Association, N450m; and Shelter Development Limited, N250m.
Speaking at the occassion, Chairman of the fundraiser committee, Prof. Jerry Gana who donated N5billion on behalf of himself and his friends, warned that the 2015 general elections would be keenly contested and urged the party not to underestimate their opponents.
President Goodluck Jonathan in a brief remark thanked the donors and pledged that the fund raised would be judiciously utilised.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu'azu, in his speech reiterated that "Power and glory come from God" adding that " those who have won should involve everybody in their campaigns in order to make them family campaigns".‎

Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji took some kids yesterday afternoon to see the movie 'Annie' and after that they enjoyed some yummy ice cream from Cold Stone.‎

We are certain that the kids had a lovely time!

She shared pictures from her day on her Instagram page and captioned one of the pictures 'Me, the kids and Annie'.

Seyi Hunter is one budding actress who continues to reinvent her brand and walk the path less travelled. The sexy Industrial and labour relations graduate recently unveiled her new movie titled Indecent Assault.

On the motive behind becoming a movie producer, she disclosed that she likes the fact that a story can be taken from nothing into something people can learn from. "This is my first movie as a producer. I think I am going to go into movie production fully. I like the fact that you have to take something from nothing and create something people can learn from" she said.

"Indecent Assault is a story about sex, betrayal, greed and hate. It's a story that paints beautifully the picture of how far human beings can go to meet their self-centered desires" she added.

The sexy actress said she wanted to do something different, which made her work with scriptwriters with excellent scripts. "I wanted to do something memorable so I contacted scriptwriters and people that have good stories. I got different scripts before this and when I saw it, I just liked it. I loved the fact that it's touching and sends a message across" she explained. 

Indecent Assault features Angela Phillips, Jude Orhorha, Seyi Hunter and others.

Unidentified gunmen on Friday abducted the wife of the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Osun State University (UNIOSUN) chapter, Dr. Oluseye Abiona.

According to reports, she was abducted at about 7.30pm when she closed from her shop around Oke Bale area of Osogbo and was heading home to meet her husband, Dr. Oluseye Abiona.

She was said to be driving in an unmarked ash colour Toyota Lexus ES 330 salon car with her two children, when the gunmen double-crossed her, smashed the rear wind screen of her vehicle in anger, dragged her into their vehicle and drove her away leaving her two children behind in the car.‎

The abductors are reported to have called her husband to demand a N50m ransom, saying his wife was currently unharmed where she was being kept.

A family source who pleaded anonymity disclosed this, adding that her abductors allowed her to speak with her husband when they called to demand ransom of a N50m.

The source also disclosed that the case had been reported at the state Criminal Investigation Department, Osogbo.

Also, the Vice Chancellor of UNIOSUN, Prof. Bashir Okesina, confirmed the incident.

Governors and leaders from the northern region of the country, supporting the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan have started receiving threat messages for throwing their weight behind the presidents desire to continue in 2015.

This is just as many of the northern political opinion leaders and groups had decided that all necessary support must be given to Buhari to win the February 14, 2015 presidential election.

One of the sources, an influential northern leader and close confidante of President Goodluck Jonathan, revealed that since Buhari's emergence, the 'entire North' had adopted Buhari as its political candidate and was not afraid to stand by him to win the 2015 election.

The PDP big wig pointed out that it was shocking to see how the support base of the APC presidential candidate had evolved beyond political lines, with some radical elements threatening to deal ruthlessly with anyone who betrays Buhari in the North.

"There is a serious change in the political mood in the North since Buhari was elected as the APC candidate last week. Right now, the people do not care whether they are in APC or PDP. All they are interested in is that power must return to the North through the election of the former Head of State", a northern governor supportive of Jonathan's presidential bid said yesterday.

"What is really worrying those of us who are perceived to be pro-Jonathan's governors or supporters is the open threat messages being made directly to our phones".
It was learnt that some radical northern leaders have also been sending threat messages to some of their governors and leaders believed to be working for Jonathan's victory in the 2015 poll to stop the support or be dealt with.

The governor said two of such threat messages written in Hausa and English to him, warning him not to betray the North for the President as he did in the last presidential election.

One of the mails came from a ranking federal northern lawmaker while the other was from a man the governor described as his friend.

It was learnt that the current political mood in the North had since been relayed by the security agencies and some friendly PDP governors to Jonathan, who apparently expressed surprise over the turn of events but promised to do something urgent to swing support in his favour.

The President was said to have assured northern governors that he would fulfil the promises he made to them during his 2011 campaign, but it could not be established whether that would be before or after the next election.

Honourable Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet is the Chairman, House Committee on Establishment, Training, Pension and Public Service in the Lagos State House of Assembly, LSHA. She holds a first degree in English Language from the Lagos State University, LASU, as well as a diploma both in Theology and Computer Science.

In this interview, the elegant and stylish female politician speaks on issues bothering on life as a woman politician, especially as it relates to sexual harassment.

Let us into your world…
I grew up in Lagos, Edo and Ondo states because my father was a civil servant who got transferred frequently. I got married at the age of 20, and that was in 1993. I was so naive and inexperienced, but I had an understanding of family values because I was raised by a civil servant, who was focused and wanted to give value to the society. My husband was in the ministry so after my graduation from a Bible school programme which I embarked on, I was ordained by Pastor Ben Enoch of Communion Chapel in 1995. I became an assistant pastor and later a full time pastor in 1998.
God soon ministered to me and I started an NGO through which I reach the less privileged and youths. The headquarters of the organization is in Ghana.
It was after one of my trips to Ghana that the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) began sensitizing Christians to go into politics, and I heeded the call; which was what led me into politics.
I've lost three elections since 1999 when I tried my hands on politics. But I have since 2007 won two which brought me into the LSHA, representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 2. I have facilitated several projects in my constituency.

As an "inexperienced" young lady, were there challenges and did they affect your home?
It is no longer news that my marriage broke up in 2009, though I hold on to the name because of the three children involved. I am going to re-marry and it will be known to the whole world. But sometimes, you get stories that are not true.
Being a pastor, I try to convince the people around me that you could find yourself in an unpalatable situation. I never envisaged I would have to go through a second marriage; I wanted a marriage that would work because I grew up with my father, mother and siblings.
I should also reiterate the fact that I did not leave my husband Pastor Edet; he left me for reasons best known to him.

I heard about your relationship with King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, can you clear the air on your closeness to him?
The relationship between me and KWAM 1 was orchestrated by God, I met him divinely. I had been working as a board member of the state Ministry of Youth and Sports before I met King Wasiu Ayinde. I had contested several elections and lost until I was advised to visit him as he was living in my area. There are two prominent people in that area; Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, Founder of the Odua Peoples Congress, OPC, and KWAM I. I solicited their support and was endorsed as their candidate.
Unfortunately, people thought I was dating KWAM 1. Meanwhile, I never set eyes on him throughout the first three years that my marriage crashed. He has helped me, and I cannot but make him a friend. But he is not my boyfriend, husband or sugar daddy.

Sexual harassment scares most women from politics, what is your experience?
In 2007 we were only five women out of 40 lawmakers in the LSHA. At first, some male lawmakers tried to woo me, but my response was "I bind you" and so, they nicknamed me 'I bind you'. But with time, I started studying them and found out most of them meant no harm. I however tried not to fall victim, because I knew where I was heading. You can imagine if as a Governor of a state I had slept with male lawmakers, I am sure it will not be a good story to tell.