3rd Mainland Bridge: FG, Lagos to parley on new repair date

LAGOS – Federal Government, yesterday, said a new date for the commencement of repair of the Third Mainland Bridge would be announced soon.

It would be recalled that the repair on the bridge which was scheduled to commence on on Sunday, was postponed due to  logistic reasons by the government a day before.

Federal Comptroller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Ejike Mgbemena, at a briefing, said: “You will be informed when the project will commence between today (yesterday) and Tuesday (today). We will hold a briefing on Friday where the Minister of Works will brief you on the details.”

“The minister will be coming to Lagos on Thursday to meet with Lagos State governor on the project before a world press conference on Friday.”

He noted that this will douse the tension that the Federal Government was suspending repairs of the 22-year-old bridge indefinitely.

He, however, blamed the anxiety created over the project on the ineptitude of the contractor.  “What we were considering was first week of July not a specific day in July.”

The controller stated that the Federal Government will collaborate with the Lagos State Government to ensure a hitch-free repair.

Also speaking on the project, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, assured residents that the government would be working closely with the Federal Government to ensure that motorists experience minimal discomfort.

Ibirogba said the state government had effectively managed such issue of partial road closure through the joint efforts of the various state traffic control agencies before now, urging the residents not to panic whenever the government begins the repair.

He said: “There is no need to fear, it’s all about management, the government has done this before, and when we did it, we all remained calm, there were some little traffic, but we are better off now than where we were then.

“What the government did was to divert traffic to Funsho Williams Avenue (formerly Western Avenue),  Ikorodu Road and also through Murtala Muhammed Way, through Carter Bridge, Lagos Island and out.

Family celebrates Christy Essien-Igbokwe one year after

Family members and fans of the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe on Sunday, July 1, 2012 gathered at the Archbishop Vining Cathedral, Ikeja, in Lagos, for the one year remembrance-thanksgiving of the late singer.

The thanksgiving service which kicked off shortly after the Holy Communion service, saw friends and fans join the family members of the singer as they danced to the alter. A short prayer was rendered by Reverend C.K Olubodun, in appreciation of the life and works of the late singer and also for the life of her son, Chinwuba Igbokwe, who survived an armed robbery attack on  Sunday, April 22, 2012.

In a chat with NET, Christy Essien’s widower, Edwin Igbokwe  says ‘I am coping by the grace of God but it’s not been easy and it’s still not easy but we know that with God, everything is possible’.

When asked what he misses most about his late wife, he responds ‘There is no single thing I don’t miss. I miss her a lot, every moment of my life; I know I really miss her’.

Igbokwe tells us there are plans to continue with her foundation, which he announced has been renamed Christy Essien-Igbokwe Memorial Foundation.

The foundation, he says will carry on with her philanthropic activities and seek to help abandoned and disabled children.

The singer who died on Thursday, June 30, 2011 began her musical career at age 17 and released several albums including ‘Ever Liked My Person’ which was produced by Lemmy Jackson and released in 1981


Culled from the NET

Pastor Bakare Hits Harder: “Down, Down Jonathan”

Fiery Pastor Tunde Bakare, who was last week declared wanted by the State Investigation Bureau over a sermon proclaiming President Jonathan as determined to bankrupt Nigeria, today hit even harder in his latest sermon.
 
Mr. Bakare, who heads the Latter Rain Assembly, began on a musical note, imploring the congregation to join him in singing a popular Pentecostal retreat song that inserted “Jonathan” into the lyrics.
 
“Let us carry Jesus up and throw Jonathan away. Up, up Jesus; down, down Jonathan,” the pastor proclaimed, warming into his sermon this Sunday.
 
Wanted by the SIB over a recent sermon, Pastor Bakare told his congregation that the letter inviting him to attest to the rippling sermon he gave last week arrived while he was
away in Ukraine. He said he had defied the advice of many who counseled that he should not return when he was being sought by the government’s security department.
 
“I received lots of calls and I was advised not to come to Nigeria until Monday, but I have nothing [to hide],” Mr. Bakare announced, narrating his experience of last week.
 
The pastor also reacted to the news of a N25 billion lawsuit reportedly filed against him by a firm owned by oil magnate Femi Otedola over the pastor’s statement accusing Otedola of fraud in last week’s sermon.
 
“I am now in the country for anyone that is looking for me,” said Mr. Bakare, adding, “Let him bring his lawsuit so that we can put his integrity to the test.” Mr. Bakare stated, “He wants to see the lawyer in me.” 
 
Mr. Bakare also announced that his church was planning a prayer event for the nation this July, adding that the fraudulent party and people in power would be swept away for a new dawn in the nation, come Nigeria’s next national anniversary in October.
 
“I invite the South, the North, the East and the West on the 22nd of July to join us in sweeping off the frauds in the government of Nigeria. Only the foolish will wait for 2015 or 2020. We are throwing the corrupt people out of power. July will be intense for them, August will be more intense for them and September will be the darkest night that will usher in the new dawn for Nigeria,” he declared as he raised his voice. 
 
Last Sunday, Pastor Tunde Bakare had claimed in his sermon that President Goodluck Jonathan’s destiny was to run the nation bankrupt. The SIB had reportedly sought to invite Mr. Bakare for questioning, but he was away in Ukraine as the letter arrived. The SIB’s invitation has been widely perceived as an attempt to arrest and detain Pastor Bakare who was a vice presidential candidate to General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).
 
Pastor Bakare gave assurances today that he did not flee the country to evade detectives, adding that he was back now and ready to receive those seeking him.

I Did Not Shun Jonathan, Anenih, Others ... Oba Of Benin

Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo , Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediuwa, has denied reports in some Blogs (Not Obehi Okoawo's Blog) and national dailies, which suggested on Sunday that he shunned  President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Tony Anenih and other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during their visit to the Benin monarch at his palace.
Jonathan and other leaders of the PDP were in Benin City, the Edo State capital, for the governorship rally towards the July 14, 2012 governorship poll and was reported to have been shunned by the Benin monarch.
The monarch, while reacting in a press statement signed by the secretary to the Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Irabor, described the report as mischievous.
“The attention of the Palace has been drawn to certain mischievous publications in some national newspapers on the recent visit to Oba’s palace by President Goodluck Jonathan. The palace would like to make it clear that the Benin monarch did not shun Mr. President and the PDP members that came to visit him,” the palace stated.
The Oba advised politicians to avoid violence in the forthcoming election, stressing that the meeting with the president by the monarch in his inner chamber was, indeed, a mark of respect and love for the president.
“It was respect for the monarch to see the president under the difficult circumstances.”
 “The public is reminded that, two weeks ago, the Omo N’ Oba waited for over two hours in his open office, where he received the vice-president, Dr. Namadi Sambo. The monarch uses the medium to advise politicians to shun violence in Edo State,” as politics should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, he added

Beyonce And Jay-Z Double Date With Kanye West And Kim Kardashian At BET Awards 2012 (PHOTOS)

KIM Kardashian and Beyoncé dispel rumours at this year’s BET Awards
Though this year’s BET Awards was jammed pack with celebs, all eyes fell to music icons Beyonce and Jay-Z when they arrived at Los Angeles’ Shine Auditorium to take their seats next to Jay’s Watch the Throne collaborator, Kanye West, and his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian

Kanye West And Pusha T Show Off Their 'New God Flow'

Nothing Kanye West does is by accident, so when Yeezy debuted a brand new a cappella verse at Sunday night's BET Awards, of course it was a sign of things to come. On Monday (July 2), 'Ye and Pusha T dropped "New God Flow," a single they have been teasing for the past week, and boy, was it worth the wait.
The track starts off with a vocal sample from Ghostface Killah's "Mighty Healthy" from his 2000 classic Supreme Clientele LP. "Shake that body, party that," the Wu-Tang Clansman is heard saying in the track's opening seconds.
Though the track for "New God Flow" is markedly different, like Ghost's "Mighty Healthy," it does sample its drums from Melvin Bliss' 1973 break record "Synthetic Substitution." Pusha, who has been on a tear lately, appearing on G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy" and his own "Exodus 23:1," sets things off lyrically with a spirited verse. "I believe there's a God above me, I'm just the God of everything else/ I put holes in everything else, new God flow, f--- everything else," he rhymes.
In his verse, the Clipse MC references his drug-dealing past, vacations to Ibiza and exotic car collection. "Well, if you goin' coupe, I'm goin' four-door," he playfully spits, challenging Kanye.
In his second verse, Pusha baits all his competitors, though just like on "Exodus 23:1," they go unnamed. "Step on their necks till they can't breathe/ Claim they five stars, but sell your dreams," he starts off before he steps it up further, spitting "F--- 'em, 'Ye/ I wouldn't piss on that n---a with Grand Marnier."
Once Push gets all of his rap frustration off his chest, Kanye jumps in for the song's climactic third verse, the same one he performed at the 2012 BET Awards. "Hold up, I ain't tryna stunt, man/ But the Yeezys jumped over the Jumpman," he raps, referencing the popularity of his sneakers in comparison to the industry standard: the mighty Air Jordan.
Like on "Mercy," West commands a beat change for his bars. Three-quarters of the way through his closer, the dusty hip-hop track changes and takes on the characteristics of a stadium chant — think Queen's 1977 classic "We Will Rock You." "Did Moses not part the water with the cane?/ Did strippers not make an arc when I made it rain?/ Did Yeezy not get signed by Hov and Dame?/ And ran to Jacob to make the new Jesus chain," he asks in a rhetorical rhyme.
The truth is, Kanye cemented himself as a rap God way before releasing this new single, but just in case fans forgot, the "Jesus Walks" rapper turns musical water into wine with his "New God Flow."
What do you think of "New God Flow"? Let us know in the comments

Who Won At The 2012 BET Awards? Full Winners List

There were a few notable wins at Sunday night's BET Awards . Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown took home big trophies, but Kanye West and Jay-Z were certainly the talk of the town, both coming on stage to pick up a prize for Best Group. Check out the full list of winners below.
Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z collected two awards each. After Kanye West, the married duo topped the nominations list and mockingly duked it out for the night's big award, Video of the Year (the Throne won, and B playfully jabbed her husband when their name was called). Beyoncé was the second-most-nominated act of the night with six awards. Chris Brown also snagged two awards.
Centric Award
Common
Youngstars Award
Diggy
Best Group
The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West)
Best Actor
Kevin Hart, "Think Like a Man"
Best New Artist
Big Sean
Best Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Best Collaboration
Wale (featuring Miguel), "Lotus Flower Bomb"
Best Gospel
Yolanda Adams
Best Female R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj
Lifetime Achievement Award
Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly
Video of the Year
The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West), featuring Otis Redding, "Otis"
Humanitarian Award
The Reverend Al Sharpton
Viewers' Choice Award
Mindless Behavior
Video Director of the Year
Beyoncé and Alan Ferguson
Entertainer of the Year
Chris Brown