Shittu's fraud - By Gordon James Enaypharo

shittu should have known better than bring himself here with this sick lie. I cannot say I warned him, but I can say I told him “bros it’s not true”.
I still remember how it happened earlier on Tuesday. Work has been shady of late so I took my stand right in front of customer service, not sure who I was waiting for, just hoping business will stroll in. it’s the second day of the week and been the major bank in town, we had a long queue outside. From my position I could see clearly any customer coming in and could start up a conversation.
“Gordon good morning” an elderly customer who I couldn’t place his face said as he offered me a handshake.
“Good morning sir” I replied, took his hand and tried to REAL my smile, but he caught me.
“After persuading me to collect YOUR credit card, now you don’t remember me abi? Even after following me to my house at wamba?” he sarcastically added with a big smile.
“Mr. kunda, you are welcome. Ah, I have not forgotten you sir” I said as we laughed since we both knew I was just been smart.
“Gordon, I want my account statement, where do I apply for it?”
With smiles on my face I led him to customer service, got him the statement request form and filled it for him. We chatted while he waited for his statement to be processed.
“Since you people have refused to bring a branch to wamba, we will continue coming here.” He said with a smile.
I just smiled. We had discussed this issue earlier.
“And you have refused to come and marry our wamba daughters, Gordon.”
I couldn’t help but look at his face as we both laughed.
“Sir the issue is that wamba daughters have refused me, they consider me too black” I joked along.
“No oh, I will give you good one from my village.”
Again we laughed.
Just then he was called by customer service. i got him the statement. He observed it page by page then demanded for envelope. Though it’s not his right, I got it for him anyway. As he headed out, he tipped me 5 dollars (naira equivalent). We just smiled and I watch him leave.
Just then I noticed shittu in the man-trap door. He looked impatient and obviously was more incited to anger by the welcome note the man-trapdoor was reciting. He just wanted to come inside the bank and resolve his complain I concluded.
“Guy, take me to your manager” he almost ordered as he approached me.
Noticing he wasn’t in for pleasantries and feeling insulted by his approach, I just pointed the direction to him.
 As he walked from me, I looked at him fully. He was unusually dressed in native and he wore a cap. Today is not Friday I said to myself. He looked bright. I dint bug myself what the issue was, manager was not on sit, so I expect he would return to me. Which he did.
“Guy me I get complain o” he said to me with an arrogant posture. “And una must treat this issue now fa” he added.
 I just watched him. I knew shittu way back high school, so his approach was very familiar. I wondered why I got upset sef.
“Guy wetin happen”
“broda, see atm pay me fake two thousand.” He loudly said it, that he attracted over six faces to the two one thousand naira notes he was showing me.
I starred at the money. I collected them, to feel them.
“Sneeze, na my sweat be that una wan joke with, and me I no go gree” he lashed out.
Handing him the confirmed papers I said “bros it’s not true”
He walked out on me without further words and headed straight for the bulk room. I watched him again as he walked with strength and vigor like someone heading for battle and is sure of victory. He entered the bulk room.
‘Fake notes in an ATM machine?’ I asked myself.
I knew where he would be directed to, from the bulk room, so I got there before him.
My CSM’s (CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER) office is big and spacious, I still don’t know why. I walked in and greeted him, while I wait for shittu with style.
“My oga, na una get this season oo” I engaged my CSM.
“Chelsea una fall hand” he replied just as I expected, without raising his head off his system. “man city go flog una 3=0 for league start, with una complete squad, guy una fall hand” he added as he finally smiled at me. “How the mighty are falling”.
I just smiled as I picked a newspaper lying on his desk. He replied just as I expected and I was not ready to give him the fun.
Just then shittu was ushered in from the bulk room escorted by a bulk room teller. He still looked confident and I wondered how long before he gets sober. He looked at me with a straight face like I was against his claiming his money.
After over two minutes, the teller spoke.
“my oga we have a situation” he said.
The CSM looked at the customer with a smile then back to the teller.
 “This customer just laid a complain, he said our ATM paid him fake money”
“Sir, look at the money” shittu cut in, holding the money out.
CSM’s reaction was a big frown. He starred at the money, shittu, the teller, then me like some who doesn’t understand what is really going on around him. He was obviously taken aback and speechless.
“Our ATM dispensed this fake currency to you?”  He spoke out, directing his question to shittu with a look.
“Yes sir” shittu replied.
“When was that?”
“On Saturday morning. See the alert” he brought out his phone and showed my CSM.
The room became serious. As far as I am concerned shittu has dug himself in shit. It  practically is impossible for ATMs to dispense counterfeit cash. The process involved in screening bank notes is not in anyway porous. To begin with, all tellers are trained to identify and destroy counterfeit bank notes. All the notes stacked in an ATM must pass through a currency counting machine which has the ability to sort and check for damaged or counterfeit notes. Shittu is in real mess, the bank has zero tolerance for fraud. Every bank note stacked in an ATM also passes through a UV(ultraviolet) mercury lamp, which enable the teller see hidden security features of any real bank note when viewed under less lightening. Therefore, these hidden features will be absent in a counterfeit. Lastly, all ATM machines are built to identify and tear fake bank notes.
“Give me your account number” CSM demanded.
Shittu recited his account number and watched as his details were spooled from the system.... in some seconds his account statement displayed on the screen.
“You withdrew two thousand on Saturday by 2:48 pm” CSM said.
“Yes sir” he replied with a tensed voce.
Silence fell on the office. Only the scroll and click of my CSM’s mouse was heard. It lasted for over a minute. Then he called me over to his system and we discussed in whispers.
In his system i was watching the footage that was recorded by our surveillance camera from the ATM machine and those mounted around the ATM. The ATM camera showed that shittu withdrew two thousand naira and left the ATM stand, but the environmental camera showed that he paid a bike man who apparently was waiting for him from the notes he just withdrew from the ATM. The bike man gave him his change and drove off.
The CSM looked at me with a side cheek smile, apparently hoping I understood that shittu spent one of the notes and said “call two mopol from outside”.
I just walked out of his office. I couldn’t look at shittu. But with a side eye I noticed he was not composed anymore.
Of course I called the mopols.

An ode to journalists- By Gordon James Enaypharo

I'll sing a song.
To you and you.
Men and women of valor.
Pillars of society.
Vocal cords of society.
The very keepers of humanity.

I'll sing a song.
For you and for you.
Men and women of ink on paper.
Personages playing with lens.
For you.
O!
Noble servants.
Humble gatekeepers.
Happy Nosers.
Clothed with passion.
For just and for right.
Brave at heart.
Strong willed.
Crossing borders and breaking boundaries.
Society before self.

I'll sing a song.
For you that did not survive terrorism.
For you that did not survive the scourge.
For you that bowed to death for an unburied story.
For you that keeps society alive at the expense of your sleep.
For you and you and you.

Unsung heroes.
Knights with honours.
Pillars and keepers of humanity.
Live wire of society.
Preservers of custom.
Agents of socialization.

I'll sing a song.
A song of love.
One filled with joy.
A song of hope.
Hope that abounds.
Bounds without limit.

I'll sing a song.
For that profession.
For every journalist dead or alive.

#Gordon James

School ordeal- By Gordon James Enaypharo

The school's clinic is large and spacious. It's a saturday, so the scanty activity clothing the clinic is understood. The setting of the building is rich(a little off noise).

I sat at the waiting room and let time pass as I wait for the card attendant to return. 20 minutes strolled by and I seem to wait for eternity. ‘Is not 20 minutes to long a wait  for a card attendant considering my state of health?’ I asked myself. ‘How long then do I have to wait to see the doctor’?
In my quest for a solution, I stood up and walked through the balcony leading to different wards hoping to find someone I could ask questions. I found two nurses in an office just beside the wards.

“Hello, good afternoon” I greeted.
The uglier one looked at me and raised her eyes lids, obviously prompting me to say what I wanted.
“Please I want to see a doctor and the card attendant is not around”
“Go and wait, he will come. This is not where we give people their files, go and sit down at the waiting room” she replied me with annoying tune and gestures.

“I have been waiting for over 30 minutes” I exaggerated
“oga go and find a sit he went to eat I think” the other less ugly nurse said to me.
I just walked back to my sit. Not sure what to think or do. Obviously I have to wait for the attendant to return.

From where i was sitting I observed the clinic had three consultant rooms meant to be occupied by 3 doctors at a time. By my far left I noticed the clinics lab, pharmacy office and a host of other offices I did not mind to place. The clinic was big and spacious with almost just me inside the hall-like waiting room.

Silence filled the room as I waited and marked another 30 minutes all to myself. The steeliness of the sit had made me lost the feel my bottom. My temperature was telling high but I feeling real cold. A heavy aching head hung on my neck and pains tend to reign at every joint of my body. Definitely should malaria. Should I just avoid the test and a doctor’s scrutiny and get malaria drugs from a chemist? Rather than this long wait? With this a little more thoughts in mind slept off. My companion was off because keffi has vouched not to supply power with constancy.

I woke up just in time to notice a middle aged man walk into the building rather clumsily with strikingly un-kept beards. I adjust my sitting position and checked my time. I had slept for over 15 minutes. I watched him walk into his small contained office and take his seat. I was alone, so there was no need to rush, I gave him time to settle then dragged my ailing body to him.
“good afternoon” I muttered.

“uuhhnn” he happily muttered with a smile as he stretched his hand to receive my card.
He took my card, stood up and disappeared into a row of shelves filled with patient files of orange and blue colors. As he walked away I could hear him speak to himself clumsily; I couldn’t help but noticed his slight staggering state.

“giiiideeeeonnn james?” he stammered  as he approached me from his large ‘chess’.
I nooded because I was in no good health-state to tell him its ‘Gordon’ not Gideon.
His cubicle was small and less spacious. He had an exit door and a window-like opening in front so he could attend to patients who came for file collections and other enquiries. I stood by the window-like opening for the few minutes he took to perform some official ritual on my file.

“ na now you come” he asked with his eyes on his table.
“ehn”
He kept mute as if to let my reply sink.
“you see doctor as you dey here since?”

I just stared blankly at his head that kept going up and down through his note taking process. ‘is he hinting that doctors are not on sit?’ I thought to myself.
“you no see one lekpa woman doctor for that room?” he raised his head to meet my face as he pointed to the third consulting room in a somewhat seriously rude look.

 I looked down at his face. his face was a mess and he looked less young than I thought. His eyes were half red, hanging from two almost swollen sockets. His lips were almost pink and surrounded by un-kept beards and mustache. He just stared back.

“I no see” I replied firmly.
“why you no wan answer na” he faked a smile as he looked at me with half shot eyes like a baby pleading for meat from his older sibling. He said something like “you dey vex” in a less audible tone. I bent a little toward him.
“you say” I chipped

 “I just dey ask you smaaaaaaallll” just then he belched a long stuttering belch before he concluded his sentence.
 Almost immediately I perceived a thick stench of alcohol stroll through my nostril and sat straight in my belly. I felt my head spin and I could almost see my feet wobble. In my lil staggering state I grabbed his window to support myself. He just belched straight into my nostrils and mouth.  I felt really sick and nausea.  My headache tripled and I heard ‘pots and pans’ banging within my skull. Immediately I lost taste of my mouth and it watered. I could not think, speak or see clearly for a split second. I still cannot tell why I did not cry: that cry that forces itself out, out of anger.
I took a sit back at the waiting spot without a word.

“My person sorry” he shouted toward me.
At that point all I needed was rich and quality silence and a softer sit to lie on.
He came beside me with his alcohol laden body, placed his hand on my shoulder as he began a seemingly endless session of ‘sorry’.
I left the clinic two hours later after a long wait for a doctor who took two hours for lunch and a lab scientist who needed a lot of pleads to conduct urgent test.

 Why is there a difference in customer experience in private institutions and government institutions? Why do we have tolerant and dedicated staff at the private schools, hospitals, offices and more while government owned offices are bedeviled with the direct opposite personages and characters?
What has happened to civil service?

Gordon James Enaypharo
©2016

Angry husband stabs wife with broken bottle in private part

A 37-year-old man, Victor Ojiaku, who allegedly stabbed his wife, a student, with a broken bottle in her private part, has been granted bail in the sum of N250,000 by the Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court.

Ojiaku, who sells automobile parts and resides at 22, Arike John Close, White Sand, Isheri-Osun in Lagos State, reportedly stabbed his wife whom he suspected of having a sexual relationship with his sales representative.

Magistrate Akeem Fashola, who gave the ruling, also ordered the accused to produce two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties should be working in reputable organisations and also possess three-year tax clearance as well as the Lagos State resident identity card.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the case has been taken up by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team.

The Coordinator of DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, narrated how the victim was kept indoors and punished severely by her husband.

“The victim, Mrs. Faith Ojiaku, 27, a student, was held hostage by her husband for two days, depriving her of calling any family member for help or receiving medical attention.

“She was subsequently rushed to the hospital for treatment after which she collapsed. She then pleaded with the doctor to make use of his phone to call her sister.

“It was her sister that informed DSVRT which advised her to report the case at the Police station on behalf of her wounded sister.

“He also injured the sales representative with a broken bottle and some dangerous weapons.

“We had an official meeting with the DPO who told us that the suspect was arrested on December 27 and he has promised to ensure that justice would be done in the case,” Vivour-Adeniyi told NAN.

The suspected assailant, a father of three, is facing a six-count charge bordering on grievous bodily harm, threat to life and assault.

No date has been fixed for the trial of the case. (NAN)

International Media organisations, other foreign observers to monitor IPOB leader Kanu’s court session

By Tony Okafor, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday said international observers would monitor the court session of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, coming up on January 10, 2017.

Nnamdi Kanu,

The group called on its supporters and freedom fighters to be in court that day to see things for themselves.

In a press statement made available to our correspondent in Awka, Anambra State by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said among those that would observe the court session in Abuja were International Human Rights Groups, International Media organisations, and other foreign observers.

The group maintained that it had concluded arrangements with such foreign bodies.

The statement read in part, “All Indigenous People of Biafra family members are expected to be in Abuja on that day 10th of January 2017.

“This is to let the world know how formidable and resolute we are towards ensuring that justice is done in the case of our leader and to remind the world that the restoration of our God-given nation called Biafra is irreversible and on course.

“Therefore, we are expecting the entire members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and Biafrans that reside in Abuja and its environs to be in court on that fateful day in Abuja to witness the court proceedings of the case between our leader and Muhammadu Buhari….”

Culled from Punchng

Aisha must be wary for her life- Apostle Suleiman prophesies read several more frightening revelations from the Apostle.

As 2016 gradually winds to an end, many Nigerian religious leaders have been churning out prophecies that are meant to be earth-shaking.

One of such prophecies state that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, risks being poisoned by “Aso Rock forces.”

Apostle John Suleman

According to the President of Omega Fire Ministry, Apostle John Suleman, in his 50 prophecies for 2017, Aisha must be wary for her life.

As reported by Daily Post and other online media, Suleman, in a statement issued by his Public Communications Advisor, Phrank Shaibu, said some ‘forces’ in Aso Rock were planning to poison Aisha and that the same ‘forces’ will alienate vice-president Yemi Osinbajo.

The prophecy states that the “Aso Villa forces” will make attempts to remove Osinbajo from office, but they won’t succeed.

The Apostle also said that “God will humble Buhari in 2017;” and that Mr. President will be bereaved in 2017. He did not elaborate, however.

A summary of the prophecies, with focus on Nigeria and the world at large, is as follows:

1. I see terrorism on the increase
2. Federal Government of Nigeria should not relax yet on Boko Haram. It’s a deception.
3. Buhari to face impeachment threats.
4. America and China to have major face-off
5. Crude Oil to flow in Northern Nigeria.
6. Abuja to experience major fire explosion.
7. Donald Trump to face impeachment attempt as members of congress are divided on his style of leadership.
8. I see an airplane that has Nigeria’s logo (national carrier)
9. Things will pick up a bit in Nigeria but hunger will persist.
10. I saw people crying over Bamanga Tukur
11. Buhari will be bereaved in 2017.
12. Ecobank, Diamond, Fidelity, GTB to retrench staff.
13. President Buhari’s health needs attention.
14. 2017 budget will have crises.
15. More judges to be humiliated.
16. MMM to dupe more Nigerians and I see court cases.
17. Dollar to exchange for N615.
18. Recession in Nigeria to become depression in 2017
19. MTN and Glo to face hardship.
20. A former First Lady of Nigeria needs prayers over her health.
21. Forces in Aso Rock planning to poison current First Lady (Aisha Buhari)
22. I saw huge number of Chibok girls released; some of them with kids
23. Nnamdi Kanu’s detention to cause international crises. God is angry with Buhari for the continued detention.
24. Donald Trump to favour Israel. American Embassy in Israel to be moved to Jerusalem.
25. Liberian election: CONTINUITY.
26. Ghana’s new president to send many to jail.
27. Buhari and Senate to have crucial disagreement.
28. Nigeria’s Budget will be delayed.
29. I see killings in Ekiti.
30. EFCC to come after National Assembly members in Nigeria in a politically motivated arrests because of their refusal to confirm Magu.
31. I see kidnappers entering schools.
32. Nigeria will lose a great man of God and the New Year is when the Nigerian government will fight the Church like never before.
33. Some terrorists will be arrested in Lagos.
34. Traditional rulers indicted and arrested for corruption.
35. Lufthansa, Dana Air, Ghana Air, Aero Contractors… I see staff protests.
36. America to have financial crises.
37. A serving cabinet minister in Nigeria will die.
38. Nigeria to secure foreign funds.
39. Doctors will embark on strike in Nigeria.
40. A new mega party in Nigeria will swallow up APC.
41. I see a new leadership for the APC in Nigeria.
42. I see the DSS being taken to court.
43. France, Spain, Russia to pray against train going off the rail.
44. I saw a huge school building collapse.
45. Nollywood to pray. They will get help but will lose two major people. The Yoruba movie industry too; but prayer can avert it.
46. Fulani herdsmen again! Taraba, Benue, Imo and Jigawa states.
47. Kogi State to organise state prayers to avoid major deaths and natural disasters.
48. Edo State; major celebration but pray against road crashes.
49. I see presidents being removed in Africa, I see presidents being installed.
50. Two times, Nigeria’s vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, will face removal from office. They will alienate him and they will make attempts to remove him. But God will humble Buhari in 2017.

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ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Burnley Vs  Middlesbrough = Draw

Leicester City Vs  Everton = Draw

Watford Vs  Crystal Palace = Watford Win plus Draw

Chelsea Vs  Bournemouth = Chelsea Win

Swansea City  Vs  West Ham United = WestHam win plus draw

Manchester United  Vs  Sunderland = Manchester United Win

Hull City Vs  Manchester City = Manchester City Win

Arsenal  Vs West Bromwich Albion = Arsenal Win Plus Draw

ENGLAND LEAGUE ONE

Bolton Wanderers Vs  Shrewsbury = Bolton Win

Sheffield United Vs  Oldham Athletic = Sheffield United Win

Rochdale Vs  Chesterfield = Rochdale Win

Fleetwood Town Vs  Bury = Fleetwood Town Win

ENGLAND NATIONAL LEAGUE 

Barrow Vs Gateshead = Barrow Win

Dover Athletic Vs Maidstone = Dover Win

North Ferribly United Vs York City = Draw

Guisely Vs Lincoln City = Lincoln City Win


ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

Wolverhampton Vs  Bristol City = Draw

Preston North End  Vs  Leeds = Draw

Reading  Vs  Norwich = Reading Win plus Draw


WALES PREMIER LEAGUE

Aberystwyth Town  Vs  Newton =  Draw

Airbus UK  Vs  Connah Quay = Connahs Quay Win

Bala Town Vs  Rhyl = Bala Town Win

The New Saints Vs  Cefn Druids = The New Saints (TNS) Win


BELGIUM FIRST DIVISION A

Club Brugge Vs   Mouscron = Club Brugge Win

KV Oostende Vs  AS Eupen = KV Oostende Win

Lokeren Vs  Waasland-Beveren = Lokeren Win plus Draw

Sporting Charleroi Vs  Anderlecht = Sporting Charleroi Win plus Draw

Zulte- Waregem Vs  Mechelen = Zulte-Waregem Win plus Draw

Elderly man beaten, stripped for planting 'juju' in someone's house (photo)

In Umudiopara Umunakanu, Owerri, Imo state, an elderly man was caught on Tuesday, December 20, while making moves to plant ‘juju’ in someone else’s home.

 Making the whole world aware of this act, someone who was present at the scene decided to share several pictures of how the man was stripped and mercilessly beaten by angry mob on Facebook with the caption: “the man you're seeing here naked is Mr Gabon Iyiaka from Umudiopara Umunakanu owerri. in Ehime Mbano LGA.

Gabon Iyiaka

 He was caught with charm today at Chief Marcel Nnodim's ( Marley) house when he was attempting to plant the charm at marley's house in the same Umudiopara. Mr Gabon used the key his native doctor gave him to lock Chief. Marley Nnodim's house before he was caught.

This same Gabon Iyiaka was caught sometime last year when he was naked at a mango tree at umudiopara square bathing. this man was caught in chief marley's house on 14th december 2016, he said he was doing what the holy spirit directed him to do. the case was postponed till during the xmas. just last night 19th december 2016, this same man was caught again red handed doing the main thing, planting charms in the same chief marley's house. According to witnesses who chose to remain anonymous, ''this man is evil right from childhood. He deserve no pity. thank god today is my village market day''.

Guess what the youths are doing with him in the market. Chief Marley is a politician, philanthropist, a well known individual in Ehime Mbano but he has been finding it so difficult to eat for the past 2 years.”

Cameroon legend back from the brink of death after suffering stroke.

The 40-year-old was airlifted to France for specialist treatment after suffering a cerebral aneurysm and falling into a coma.

 Former Liverpool and West Ham defender Rigobert Song was rushed to hospital from his Yaounde home in early October after suffering a cerebral aneurysm (AFP/File)

Former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song is fit again after a narrow brush with death when suffering a stroke in early October, he explained in an interview published by French daily L'Equipe on Saturday.  "I'm back from the brink," the former Liverpool and West Ham defender who led Cameroon to back-to-back African Cup of Nations declared.

Then Cameroon defender Rigobert Song pictured recovering in a hospital and surrounded by well wishers in France.

 "My blood pressure was up at like 25 and it felt like my head was exploding," he said of his stroke, suffered at his home in Yaounde October 3. "I was lucky to fall on my side and that way when I went down my tongue came out." "My dog started barking and the concierge came up but didn't dare come in. But then a friend showed up and got me help," he explained.

 The 40-year-old was airlifted to France for specialist treatment after suffering a cerebral aneurysm and falling into a coma. Unmissable on the pitch with his flowing dreadlocks that were dyed blond later in his career, Song also played for Metz and Lens in France and won two league titles at Galatasaray in Turkey.

Rigobert Song.

 For Cameroon he played in the same team as the veteran Roger Milla at the 1994 World Cup before the emergence of goal king Samuel Eto'o alongside whom he helped forge Cameroon's global status. He was capped 137 times, 36 of them were at CAN finals where he captained his country to the trophy twice in 2000 and 2002 and also won Olympic gold in 2000.

 Perhaps the lowest point of his career came at the 2003 Confederations Cup when his friend and central defence partner Marc Vivien Foe died during a game against Colombia from a hereditary heart condition.

Woman left blind after dog ATE her face is now doing her bit to improve disabled people's lives

Wendy Hamriding, 56, was knocked unconscious when she fell down the stairs at home .

Wendy Hamriding was left blind after the horrifying incident (Photo: SWNS)

 She woke in agony two hours later and was covered in blood because her dog, Cassie, had gorged on her face. The Rhodesian ridgeback cross-breed had eaten her right eye and the bone around the socket - and Wendy needed 100 operations to restore her sight. 

 The grandma was still able to see out of her left eye initially, but had been so badly mauled that she lost her remaining sight during extensive plastic surgery and skin grafts. She woke in agony two hours later and was covered in blood because her dog, Cassie, had gorged on her face. The Rhodesian ridgeback cross-breed had eaten her right eye and the bone around the socket - and Wendy needed 100 operations to restore her sight.

Wendy 

 The grandma was still able to see out of her left eye initially, but had been so badly mauled that she lost her remaining sight during extensive plastic surgery and skin grafts. Her dog was put down afterwards but, bizarrely, Wendy says she owes her life to the attack because it saved her from an early grave through alcoholism.

 She believes she was weeks away from dying as a result of her own addiction when she fell down the stairs at home in Preston, Lancashire, after downing a full bottle of vodka. Wendy said: "Cassie saved my life and I would rather be blind for life than dead."Before this happened, I was weeks away from dying as a result of drink. "I was drunk from the moment I woke up and would stay drunk all day. I would even wake up during the night to have a drink.

Wendy is a keen knitter and now wants to share her passion(Photo: SWNS)

 "I was dying. I knew alcohol was killing me, but I could not stop drinking. "I lost my eye and I lost my dog, but it was the best thing that could have happened." She added: "She didn't just eat my eye, she ate the bone around my eye socket too.

 "They had to rebuild a lot - the palate was taken out of my mouth to rebuild my eye socket. I had over 100 operations." Wendy believes Cassie was initially trying to wake her after the fall, but her instincts took over and the dog began to maul her.

Blunder: News presenter forgets she's sitting at a glass desk and gives viewers an eyeful on live TV

The journalist was sitting at the desk with her legs apart when the camera panned out to reveal the embarrassing wardrobe malfunction live on TV.

Journalist Costanza Calabrese presents the nightly bulletin on Italian TV channel TG 5

A news presenter suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction live on TV - when she forgot she was sitting at a glass desk.

Journalist Costanza Calabrese was presenting the late night bulletin on Italian TV channel TG 5 when she gave viewers a bit of an eyeful.

As the 38-year-old starts talking, the camera is zoomed in on her face.

But it soon begins to pan out, to show her full desk, covered in papers as she reads the bulletin.

The journalist accidentally flashed her knickers to viewers

Unfortunately, what Costanza doesn't seem to realise, is that her desk - being made from glass - shows absolutely everything.

Which meant that the reporter, who was sitting with her legs apart, flashed her knickers to the entire watching audience.

And to make matters worse, the clip has now been uploaded to YouTube, where it has been seen by over 40,000 people.

One viewer wrote: "Poor woman! Surely her producers should have let her know something was up!"

Another added: "How was her dress so high in the first place?"

Breaking: Russian plane disappears moments after take off from Sochi.

A Russian plane has vanished from radar moments after take off, it has been reported.

Tupolev-154 (TU-154) aircraft of Russian airline Sibir at Moscow airport. A similar Tu-154 airliner with 46 people on board went missing near the southern city of Rostov-on-Don during a flight from Moscow to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, officials said. According to the plane's owner, Siberian Airlines, 38 passengers and eight crew were aboard the Tu-154, which had been flying since 1982 (Photo: Getty

The airliner has set off from the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Christmas Eve carrying around 70 people, according to Russian media.

The missing jet is believed to be a Tu-154 belonging to the Russian Defense Ministry, RT reported.

According to RT, a source in the country's Emergencies Ministry told RIA Novosti: "According to preliminary data, a Russian Defense Ministry Tu-154 disappeared from radar screens after departing from Sochi.

"Approximately 70 people were onboard."

According to preliminary information the plane had 82 passengers onboard and ten crew members.

The aircraft is believed to have lost contact with air traffic control at 5.40am after taking off at 5.20am.

The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviation) told RIA Novosti that the flight was “not civilian”. According to sources cited by Russia's LifeNews, the plane had allegedly been heading to Latakia province in Syria.

Embattled Acting Chairman of the EFCC replies AGF’s query, Buhari gets report this week.

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has replied a query issued to him on Monday by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, Felitolaroy.blogspot.com has learnt

Ibrahim Magu Acting EFCC Boss

THE PUNCH had reported exclusively on Wednesday that the AGF issued a query to Magu based on the allegations levelled against him in the security report prepared and sent to the Senate by the Department of State Services. The Senate had on the basis of the DSS’ report rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Magu as substantive EFCC chairman.

 Malami, whose office has a measure of supervisory role on EFCC, queried Magu on Monday following an order by President Buhari on Sunday directing the AGF to investigate some top Federal Government officials accused of corruption. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, is also believed to be part of the target of the probe ordered by the President.

 But it could not be confirmed if the AGF had taken any action with respect to the allegations against Lawal. Sources close to Magu and the AGF confirmed to our correspondents on Saturday that the acting EFCC boss was given 48 hours to reply to the query dated December 19. One of the sources said, “The query was dated December 19 and delivered to Magu on the same date. “It was stated in the query that he must respond within 48 hours.”

Kcee, Harrysong end beef at award show

We would recall that earlier in the year, the trend from Headies was the beef that started between YBNL boss Olamide and Mavins boss Don Jazzy.

Harrysong and Kcee

Once again Headies Award has come and gone and the memories will once again last for another year. This time, Wizkid took over the headlines with his attitude towards Eva Alohdia's fiance on arrival to the venue hall.

The show which held at Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island saw two music stars end their beef right on stage. Harrysong’s ‘Reggae Blues’ won the award for Song Of The Year, and Kcee, who collaborated with him on the track climbed the stage to welcome.

“We been dey fight, but it is all settled,” the singer said, as they hugged and accepted the award from presenter Uti Nwachukwu.

The duo later showed up to collect present the award for Best Recording (Male), which was won by Shaydee.

We hope this is truly the end of the beef.

Chronicles of idris.

Shukura idris has enjoyed a great deal of his life as the third son of his father. He has enjoyed the wealth that comes along with petroleum business owned by his father and registered in his family name. idris, like his siblings had formal and religious  education as insisted by abdulkadir shukura, his father.
A year ago when idris became 23 years old, his father tried talking him into marriage and settling down. “idris”, his father had called him that Friday night into their visitors parlor, “get me water and come, I want to talk to you, ka ji ko?”. Idris was not so close to his father and wasn’t used to having discussions with him, only on issues that directly concerned idris and his sister, Hafsat. Hafsat is his only sister. So when his father used the sentence ‘I want to talk to you’, idris felt a little uncomfortable and totally uncertain over this discussion.
“baba, here is the water” idris dropped the bottled water and a glass cup in a small wooden tray on baba’s stool. “I just opened the last carton of water available and called the station to buy more”. He sat on the couch directly opposite his father; picked a plate of groundnut and garden egg he kept earlier.
Folding his newspaper, he removed his glasses and cased it. Filled his glass and drank a half the bottle. “ina hafsat?” he asked.
“Na tabbata tana daki”
“ ta san na shigo?” his father asked almost absent minded.
“kuwa?, tana gama girki ta shiga dakin ta, bata kara fito ba”
His father cleared his voice “how is she?”
“She?” not knowing what his father really meant. “She is fine. Was she sick?” a somewhat confused idris questioned.
“idi, I don’t mean hafsat”
“Toh baba who are we talking about?”
“Oho! You should know better idi” he said with a smile.
 “haba baba, I don’t  know who fa”.  He replied with a guilt filled smile. He knows what his father is meaning but really choose to coy away. He instantly picks his phone and sent hafsat a bbm a message ‘maza maza ki zo, baba ya dawo’, hoping her presence will take his father’s concentration off him.
“You see my son, I want the best for my children, and I don’t relent until I offer the best to them. Your brothers are happily married today, business is fine for them and they have focused lives because the old man you are looking at sank fatherly wisdom in them. So you see idris, I want to tell you what I told them”…he grabbed his glass of water and drank two mouth full’s. “Idris, at 23 you should be married and own your family. You have the resources any young man craves, most especially age and time”.
Idris almost couldn’t listen to his father. He did not see marriage suggestion coming from his father, at least not now; he is 23 and has just returned from service.
“A wife gives you focus in life, a high sense of responsibility, boosts your status in town, and really gets you connected, which is good for business.” His father spoke convincingly. “I married your mother at 26, ‘o may allah rest her soul’, and she was 17 then, I began a little late and that is because I lacked support. You should have a better start like your brothers”.
Hafsat walks into the palour, “baba ka dawo? Sannu da zuwa.” She then sits at his feet.
Although till this day his father have not raised the topic again, idris is certain his father has his ears to the ground.

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Prostitute dispossess businessman of briefcase, money, driving licence

 

A businessman has lost his valuables including hard currency to a prostitute in a brothel in Delta.

A businessman who was passing through Umunede in Delta State, on his way to the eastern parts of the country during the last Easter celebration, is currently biting his fingers as his decision to quench his sexual thirst with a prostitute at a roadside brothel, ended with him losing his briefcase, huge sum of money and drivers' licence after the lady cleaned him off.

Brothel worker

 Read: "In Delta: Prostitutes reportedly beat male customers for paying less than agreed price" It was gathered that the man who got stuck in the snarling traffic along the way, decided to cool it off before continuing on his journey and made his way to the brothel where he allegedly engaged the lady identified as Ebere, and negotiated for an all night sex with her. But by the time he woke up the next morning, the lady said to be 31-years-old, had made away with the items and he had to report the incident to the police.

A police source at the Umunede Division, narrated that after the man who is said to be a very highly placed business mogul, had bargained for an all night sex, called till-day-break, with the prostitute and after the first round of sex, asked for a drink which the prostitute allegedly laced with a drug that made him sleep off. Read: "Shame: Prostitutes hold top politician hostage in Asaba" After he had gone into a deep slumber, the commercial sex worker took off with the man's property including hard currency. Another prostitute at the brothel who identified herself as Gloria, said the man had lodged in with the girl while carrying a big brief case, only to wake up the following morning screaming for help after the girl had disappeared into the thin air. The police source said: “We are investigating a report of a stolen briefcase containing huge sums of money and a driving licence and we hope to bring the girl to book.”

culled from pulse.ng

Angolan rapper jailed for rebellion

Angolan rapper Luaty Beirao jailed for rebellion

The bespectacled rapper has been an outspoken critic of the president

A prominent Angolan rapper has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for planning a rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Luaty Beirao was sentenced by a court in the capital, Luanda, along with 16 other activists who were given jail terms of between two and eight years. Amnesty International said they had been sentenced by a "kangaroo court".

The 17 were arrested in June after discussing a book about non-violent resistance at their book club.
Mr dos Santos has ruled oil-rich Angola since 1979.

Beirao, also known by his stage name Ikonoklasta, has been an outspoken critic of the government, calling for a fairer distribution of the southern African state's oil wealth.
He embarked on a five-week hunger strike in September in protest at his detention.
The judge convicted him of "rebellion against the president of the republic, criminal association and falsifying documents", AFP news agency reports.

Mr Dos Santos is one of Africa's longest-serving rulers

The trial had prompted global outrage, with rights groups saying it showed that Mr dos Santos' government was becoming increasingly repressive in its attempts to remain in power. 
Human Rights Watch said the verdict was "a ridiculous scandal", while Amnesty International described the defendants on Twitter as "prisoners of conscience" who had been subjected to a "kangaroo court trial [which] violated international standards".

Prosecutors defended the arrests, arguing that the 17 were planning an uprising among students and workers "with incalculable consequences". The jailed activists, who belonged to a youth movement, had previously held demonstrations demanding the resignation of Mr dos Santos, who has been in power for 36 years.

Their book club had discussed the 1993 book by Gene Sharp called From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation. Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer, and has witnessed an economic boom since the end of a civil war in 2002. However, critics of the elected government say the wealth has only benefited a small elite.

Fidel Castro blasts Obama's trip to Cuba

Fidel Castro blasts Obama's trip: Says, Cuba doesn't need 'empire' for anything

Havana, Cuba (CNN)

 As Cubans debate the impact of President Barack Obama's historic trip to the island last week, one prominent figure is lambasting the visit: Fidel Castro.

In a full page column titled "Brother Obama," published in the Cuban communist-party newspaper Granma, the former Cuban president rejected Obama's visit and words of reconciliation. "We don't need the empire to give us anything," Castro wrote, referring to the United States, in his acidly critical and rambling column. In 2008, Fidel Castro turned power over to his brother Raul following a mystery intestinal illness that nearly killed him. While officially retired, Fidel Castro, 89, still wields enormous influence in Cuba and observers study his sporadic columns and appearances for insights into Cuba's opaque political system.

 

During his two-day visit, the first of any U.S. president to Cuba in 88 years, Obama was seen frequently with Cuban President Raul Castro. In addition to a bilateral meeting and a joint news conference, the men dined together at a state dinner and attended a U.S.-Cuba baseball game.

Obama did not meet with Fidel Castro during the trip. Cubans applauded when the American leader said both countries should move beyond decades of mistrust and animosity.

 

"It is time for us to look forward to the future together -- a future of hope," Obama said in a speech that was carried on Cuban state-TV. "And it won't be easy, and there will be setbacks. It will take time. But my time here in Cuba renews my hope and my confidence in what the Cuban people will do. We can make this journey as friends, and as neighbors, and as family -- together."

 

But apparently Fidel Castro isn't so eager to bury the past.

That section of Obama's speech "risked giving one a heart attack," Castro wrote, before listing a litany of what he said were abuses the United States had perpetuated against Cuba.

 

 

 

Man claims he saw Christ in garden on Easter Sunday

Can you see Jesus in this shrub? Man claims he saw Christ in garden on Easter Sunday 

Gobsmacked Michael Coughlan, 55, was peering out his back window when he says he saw the image of in his shrubbery

Michael Coughlan's back garden hedge - seen through a window in his house - which appears to show the face of Jesus

A man claims he had a religious experience on Easter Sunday when the 'face of Jesus appeared' in his garden bush.Gobsmacked Michael Coughlan, 55, was peering out his back window when he says he saw the image in his shrubbery. Michael claims to have witnessed the holy face looking back at him yesterday, the day that celebrates the son of God's return from the dead. Dad-of-four Michael, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, said: "I went into the room on Sunday and looked out the window and saw this face."

The hedge Mr Coughlan claims looks like Jesus

"I joked about it being Jesus but in the afternoon my friend came round and said it looked more like Rick Parfitt from Status Quo," he continued. "Hand on my heart I had never noticed it before.
"I'm not even religious."

Mr Coughlan said he isn't even religious but couldn't believe what he saw

Michael, who is a full-time carer for his wife, noticed that later when he went outside the face had disappeared. He said: "It just looks like a normal bush when you go outside. "It's all very strange."