Indian Army to change canvas shoes commissioned since 2nd World War

Good times are here as the Indian Army wants its jawans to look and feel better in brand new footwear that fits this age and time.

Till now the army was using footwear that was commissioned back in the days of second world war. But these brown canvas shoes don't really find fancy with the current crop of jawans who prefer branded sports shoes with their casual attire. Even the quality of the PT shoes has not increased much since the days of its entry into service.

But now the vintage World War II style PT shoes may be on their way out according to a report in The New Indian Express.

“Today’s jawans don’t like to wear those shoes. They are paid good salaries and wear smart sneakers when they are in civil dress. In fact, we give our unit’s basketball and cross-country teams branded sports shoes from our own regimental funds. Providing better quality uniform, proper shoes and functional equipment is our topmost priority. The present defence minister is equally committed to the cause,” a Colonel from an infantry batallion told The Indian Express.

The Army, which currently procures around 20 lakh shoes from the Ordinance Factories Board every year, is waking up to the fact that not all physical activities can be done with same shoes.

A few years back they had tried to introduce a simillar change but it didn't work out. The current standard issue shoes have an official lifespan of only 6 months, the army also aims to double or triple this with new shoes.

The last time, army tried to introduce new shoes, then BJP MP Maneka Gandhi threw a spanner into their plans as the shoes shortlisted by the army were made of cow leather. After her tantrums, then defence minister A K Anthony cancelled the procurement order.

But now, bolstered by a support of defence minister Manohar Parriker, the army jawans may finally get new age sports shoes; and may be they will not be made from cow leather but most modern technology too.

Various shoes are under consideration by different units and a contract may be lurking in the near future.

DAVIDO 'BRANDS' DAUGHTER

Nigerian singer, Davido’s O.B.O is gradually turning to a brand he will like to be associated with as the singer is trying everything possible to maintain it.

Aside hyping it in his music, the singer also has the slang encrusted as part of his jewelry collections. But recently, the singer took many by surprise when he spent a huge amount of money to make a similar chain with the OBO brand designed for his baby.

Davido has bought a gold chain for his little princess and to make sure everyone knows she is proud of his little girl, a gold 'O.B.O' pendant was attached with the piece of jewelry.

WE, COMEDIANS, ARE RICHER THAN NIGERIAN ACTORS - ALI BABA BOASTS

Veteran Nigerian comedian, Ali Baba, has thrown another bomb shell as he recently discloses that comedians are richer than Nigerian actors.

According to him, when movies take about four months before its release, a comedian within that time frame would have made much more money.

He boasted that there is hardly an actor that that charges N1 million or N2 million per movie unless you are in the top end of the hierarchy such as RMD, Genevieve, and Omotola but comedianscharge up to such amount.

"Nigerian comedians make a lot of money than actors. You wouldn't’t believe but let me tell you. You shoot a movie, it takes 4 months for the movie to be released and they get paid. There is hardly an actor that charges N1 million or N2 million per movie unless you are in the top end of the hierarchy such as RMD, Genevieve, and Omotola. But then, there are comedians that charges N800,000 or N1 million per event. In four months, such comedian would have done maybe 30 events but because he doesn’t do a movie that is on cable TV that can be seen in Kenya, South Africa, and all across the country, people do not think he is making that kind of money" he told a popular daily newspaper.

"Actors shoot a movie and it takes there are quite a number of Nigerian comedians whose wives do not have a job but they still live large. A popular comedian would have performed at 6 to 8 different shows in a month before a Nollywood actor wraps up shoot on set of a movie" he further said.

POPULAR SOCIALITE YETUNDE BUSTLINE, BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS AS SHE WARNS EX-LOVER, BABA TEE

Popular socialite Yetunde Bustline Oduwole and actor, Babatunde Bernard aka Baba Tee, are really not having it rosy after their breakup was made public.

Despite that both parties have gone their separate ways, Yetunde seems to still have strong feelings for Baba Tee as she has just felt embarrassed with his recent actions.

Yetunde recently accused Baba Tee of deleting her pictures from his social media page which was brought to her notice by some friends.

In a show of sadness, the actress made some minutes' video warning the actor to be careful of things he does and how he goes around disgracing her.

“Tunde, this afternoon again, you embarrassed me before the whole world. You’ve been embarrassing me right from the 18th of January. I got about 20 messages today from your Facebook friends, and they were asking me if we are quarreling that you have removed all my pictures from your wall.

Even to the extent that you went to the albums I created for you, and removed all my
photos there, and you left my friends, Tolu and the rest of them. Why should you embarrass me this much? What did I do to you? Is it a crime to date you?

Why is it that every time we fight, you do drastic things? Hmm, I pity you… I really pity you. Don’t you know that they don’t offend me? I’m always sincere with all the men I date, and if they are dishonest with me, they find it terrible and difficult to climb up in life again.

I told my God that he should greatly punish any man that upsets me, and He always does it for me. Just yesterday, Babs ( my former husband ) and his wife were calling me, begging me to please have mercy on them.

His wife begged me to forgive him, but I said there was nothing he did to me that I have forgiven him. Look at all the years…10 good years he has been struggling, and he has been unable to achieve success. And I doubt if he can make it because he has wronged me.

I have forgiven him, and I have asked God to restore all his possessions. I’m just warning you Tunde Bernard. hmm, I’m not the kind of person you offend. If you still want to bear the name Baba Tee, you better stop being on my matter.

You had better beg my creator because I did not offend you; I have never held grudges against you for a whole day. You are wicked, and you don’t think.

I’m enjoying my single fatherhood - Joseph Benjamin

Nollywood actor and event compere, Joseph Benjamin, has disclosed that being a single father is not an easy job but grateful that he has been able to balance his home front with work.

The actor stated that he does not see being a father as a task but an experience which has helped him define the very essence of being a man.

“It’s not a task. It’s an experience, and a beautiful one. Being a father has helped me build the very fabric of who I am as a man. It’s helped me to grow and mature.

It’s taught me responsibility and so I would say being a father has been a blessing for me because I have been able to draw strength from that and put it into my work. It has helped me balance my life in a sense,” he told Genevieve magazine.

The actor seems not to be in a rush to take another wife as he noted that he is more focused with his work and making a good life for his children.

In his words, “I am right now so focused on work and giving a good life to my children. I am not searching. I am good where I am.”

MAN DIES DURING DELIVERANCE SESSION

Recently, tragedy struck a church in Benin, Hope Ministry also known as Holy Ghost Deliverance Centre, when a 45-year-old man, Osayande Ekhator, died during a deliverance session at the Pentecostal church.

Osayande Ekhator was said to be suffering from an undisclosed ailment and had indicated interest to take part in the spiritual exercise where he eventually met his death.

The father of the deceased, Pa Ekhator, said he knew that the deliverance session had gone wrong when his late son was thrown to the ground, with his hands and legs tied.

“They tied him up and threw him to the ground. Then, they poured a bucket of water on his body. When his mother queried the action, they said that was the usual practice. Then, they said they wanted him to rest; but after about five minutes she came out crying that Osayande was dead,” he told Punch.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Stephen Onwochei, said the pastor had been arrested.

Explosion rocks as Court nullifies election of 22 LGA Chairmen in Rivers

 

There was an explosion this morning at the Federal High court sitting in Rivers state as Justice Lambo Akanbi nullified the election of 22 local government areas conducted by the Rotimi Amaechi administration on May 23rd. 

 

 In the said election, APC won all the seats while PDP members boycotted the election after complaining of electoral fraud by members of the APC.

Justice Lambo Akanbi in his ruling stated that the decision of the former governor, Chibuike Amaechi's administration to go ahead with the council election on May 23 inspite of a court order asking all parties to maintain status quo, was a flagrant abuse of court process and disregard for the rule of law. 

 

He afterwards nullified the elections of the 22 Local government chairmen.

Court grants Ohakim N270m bail for N270m fraud

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Imo state governor, Ikedi Ohakim bail of N270 million in a N270 million fraud case which he is standing trial for. The former governor was arraigned over a N270 million fraud he allegedly committed in 2008 while he was governor. 

Iyaloja of Ijebu Ode assassinated

The Iyaloja-General of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadia Elewuju has been assassinated. She was 82 years old. Six men reportedly stormed her home in Ijebu Ode Ogun state at about 3pm yesterday July 8th and shot her at close range. Then they proceeded to cut her body with a machete.

BET AWARDS: ORGANISERS SLAM AFRICAN ARTISTES

The 2015 edition of BET Awards will not be easily forgotten because of the outrage that followed it in Nigeria, which was mainly spurred by Nigerian artistes, who did not win in their award category.

First, Dencia criticised the organisers, accusing them of presenting the BET Best International Act: Africa award before the main event started.

Later, Yemi Alade and Wizkid gave their views on the event, which generated wild criticisms.

But the BET Director, Lilian N. Blankson, has cleared the air on some of the issues raised. She accused African artistes of not doing enough to sell their brands to the global world.

According to her, “First of all, tell the truth and stop tweeting lies and mis-truths. There has never been a backstage presentation of any award. Pre recorded. We need to work hard and get our music on the radio here in the US. How do people respect your brand when you are not on the radio?”

“Make your music more internationally appealing. Think of ways to get all audiences invested. Oliver Twist is a great example. Universal story,” she added.

SHAN GEORGE RUNS TO VILLAGE HERBALIST TO PROTECT FILM AGAINST PIRACY

If there is one thing that is giving Nigerian filmmakers headache, then you are sure that it is piracy, which has almost wrecked the industry.

The cankerworm has eaten so deep into the industry that the government cannot do anything to solve the problem.

Even when practitioners try to fight it, they get bitten hard by the pirates, who some have claimed are more powerful than the government.

Since her last award-winning film, Finding Goodluck, Shan George has not embarked on another and now, she is ready to hit location for her new film titled ‘One Good Man’.

But the sultry actress is ready for a fight with pirates and this time, she wants to go traditional, applying her ‘village voodoo’.

Shan George warned pirates to stay off her movie and stressed that she is not ready to beg them, but be ready to face the consequence of duplicating her flick.

In her words on Twitter on Monday, July 6, 2015, “I am about to shoot a new movie. Since government is doing nothing about piracy, I’ve decided to use my village juju to protect d film. Pirates beware!”

Cristiano Ronaldo Finds A Girl's Lost Phone And Takes Her Out For Dinner

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo made the dreams of one fan come true in an unusual manner during his current holiday in Las Vegas. A girl had lost her phone and she had lost all hopes of finding it. During the weekend, the phone was found and delivered to her by none other than Ronaldo.

Austin Woolstenhulme, the girl who had lost her phone, tweeted her excitement by stating:

Austin Woolstenhulme @Ausssst
Bad news is I lost my phone. Good news is it's with Cristiano Ronaldo.
9:21 PM - 4 Jul 2015

After giving her the phone, Ronaldo went one step further and took her and her friends out for dinner. One of Austin's friends, Kenzie Sellers, tweeted about the dinner with the simple description, Not Lying. If there ever was a dream weekend for Austin and her friends, this has to be it.

Man dresses as giant penis in Norway to teach safe sex

The video of a man running around Norway dressed as a giant penis is taking internet troll rooms by storm.

The idea behind this campaign by RFSU - Swedish Association for Sexuality Education - was to spread the message of safe-sex but somehow it has managed to offend a lot of people.

The creepy dick guy usually stalks unsuspecting people and surprises them with a confetti burst from the tip of his costume's head after sneaking up on them.

The idea was to tell people to practise safe sex and use condoms but unfortunately all this was lost amidst the laughs, trolling and the utter shock that his victims are left with.

Credit: Indiatimes

Obama's grandmum vows to cook for him during Kenya's visit this month

President Barack Obama's Kenyan grandmother, known as Mama Sarah, vowed Friday to cook a traditional meal for her grandson when he visits the East African nation, the birthplace of his father, later this month.

Mama Sarah was the third wife of US president's paternal grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, and lives in the small village of Kogelo in western Kenya which is home to a number of the president's relatives.

"With regards to what food I will prepare for Barack on his visit, I will prepare all the traditional food available,"  she said, speaking her Luo language through a translator on a visit to Nairobi.

She tempted him with the offer of dishes including fish, chicken and maize porridge.

"It does not matter whether Barack is a senator or a president," she added. "He will have what I have prepared for him."

She said she had asked him to travel to Kogelo "to pay respect to his father's grave", but it was not clear if Obama was scheduled to travel outside the capital Nairobi.

Obama's late father was born in Kogelo and grew up there before travelling abroad to study, where he met Obama's American mother in Hawaii.

Although Mama Sarah is not a blood relative, Obama calls her "granny" and has visited her in the past.

It will be Obama's fourth visit to Africa since becoming US president, but his first to Kenya since taking office in 2009.

A presidential visit to Kenya had been put on hold while President Uhuru Kenyatta faced charges of crimes against humanity for his role in 2007-2008 post-election violence.

The International Criminal Court has since suspended that prosecution, citing a lack of evidence and Kenya's failure to cooperate.

After Kenya, Obama then travels on to neighbouring Ethiopia, where he will become the first sitting American leader to visit. Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa also hosts the headquarters of the African Union, the 54-nation continental bloc.

Nigerian Media Trying To Ruin My Life With Negative Stories - Majek Fashek Cries Out

In a recent interview, Nigerian reggae legend, Majek Fashek has accused the press of trying to ruin him by writing negative stories about him.

Nigeria's reggae legend, Majek Fashek, who sadly has been trailed with reports of poor mental and physical health, has accused the Nigerian media of blackmail, saying they want to ruin him with their negative reports.

The 'rain maker', who made this known in an interview with Encomium Weekly, said: "The Nigerian press, the print in particular, not electronic, have been blackmailing me. They are trying to ruin me, writing all sorts of things against me. I did nothing".

He also dismissed as another lie, the story by a Nigerian blogger, Joseph Edgar, whose sad encounter with him last month reminded most people of just how serious the 'Send Down The Rain' singer needs help.

Edgar, an investment banker, who was heading to work that particular day said "I spotted a loony figure. Pants sagged, dirty black underwear showing, a caftan perched precariously on his extra lean shoulders, shock of long unkempt dreadlocks cascading down his head and teeth yellowed by years of hard living and a face still surprisingly handsome despite the ravages of illicit living. This was Majek, my hero, the one who brought down the rain".

The blogger went further to claim Majek begged for money to buy 'ogogoro' - a locally brewed alcoholic drink.

But the legendary singer dismissed the blogger's account of what transpired, telling his own side of the story as he recalls it.

"It's not true. The thing is I'm a Rasta Man and a prisoner of conscience. These are my two movements. And a prisoner of conscience and Rasta Man does not avoid the poor. Poverty is a sin, I cannot discriminate against the streets, even though I am a millionaire. I have $100, 000 in one of the biggest banks in America. I'm not a careless man. I'm a father with four boys. What happened was the hotel I was staying didn't have light and they didn't put on the generator. I was bored. So, I went into the streets to buy myself a drink. I like Guinness, sometimes Apeteshi or malt. I use the Apeteshi to consult with the holy spirit.

"The Nigerian print is trying me, I will pour fire on them. Don't they want me to live? You people, the media control the world. People believe whatever you write. You control even the presidents of the world. The area boys and girls are the ones that saved my stardom.

"I didn't even know that guy wrote this thing came to investigate me. Is he CIA? I even bought him bread that day", he narrated.

Not done, Majek claimed that he owns a bungalow in Ogba area of Lagos.

The music legend also explained why he didn't permit his family to travel down to Nigeria to see him a few years ago because according to him it wasn't practical for them even though they were missing him.

"I told them not to, especially because my first son, Randy he has a good job with the American government with a wife and children. And I didn't want him to risk all that", Majek said.

Photos: I must marry by fire by thunder!

44-YEAR-OLD FAKE DOCTOR CAUGHT AFTER 9 YEARS OF PRACTICE

The long arm of the law caught up with a 44-year-old secondary school certificate holder, Martins Ugwu Okpeh, who, for over nine years had practiced as a medical doctor and collected salaries from the ministry.

Okpeh had over the years been parading himself as a medical doctor and even rose to become the chairman of a branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, until he was caught.

An anonymous petition led the police to investigate his activities and he was paraded on Tuesday by the deputy force spokesman, CSP Abayomi Shogunle.

Shogunle said investigation conducted through the records available at the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria showed that the Okpeh adopted the identity of Dr. Davidson, a true medical doctor on residency training in Jos.

Confirming his involvement, Okpeh said he actually took the certificates from his friend to join the Health Ministry in order to unearth the fraud and “mess” there as an insider.

“I never opted for clinical services to avoid damage that may occur; I went into administration and research. It is in the Health Services, Research and Statistics that all the fraud in the health sector is found.

“I have great remorse but it’s my desire to save my country that pushed me into this, I have great passion for Nigeria, I participated in the Ebola mission and much more and have not even been paid,” he said.

Credit: Nigeriafilms