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A lot of Nigerians may soon migrate to Europe as there are indications the EU may sanction granting of asylum to African homos*xuals who can’t openly declare their $-exuality due to laws against same-s*x relationships in the continent, with many saying, even straight people could go as far as changing their sxu_ality or ‘faking’ it in order to be assured of asylum in Europe.

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The European Union’s highest court has ruled that the fear of imprisonment for homos*xuality in African countries is grounds for asylum in the EU.

The ruling follows a request for advice from The Netherlands about three gay refugees seeking asylum from Uganda, Sierra Leone and Senegal.
According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) the existence of laws that could lead to the imprisonment of homos*xuals, “may constitute an act of persecution per se” if they are routinely enforced.

The Luxembourg-based court stated that it was unreasonable to expect gay people to hide their s*xuality in their home countries in order to avoid persecution. Concealing their se*uality would amount to renouncing a “characteristic fundamental to a person’s identity,” the court said.

In the case of the three men seeking asylum in The Netherlands the application was initially denied on the grounds that the men could “exercise restraint” to avoid persecution. The Dutch Council of State, an advisory body to the government, subsequently took the case to the ECJ for a ruling.

Despite the ruling it is up to the authorities in sovereign countries to decide “whether, in the applicant’s country of origin, the term of imprisonment…is applied in practice”.

The ECJ says laws specifically targeting homosexuals do make them a separate group, however, a ban on homosexual acts alone is not grounds to grant asylum.

International law says that a social group with a ‘well-founded’ fear of persecution can claim asylum status if the persecution amounts to a severe violation of human rights.

Homos*xual acts are considered unlawful in most African countries and Amnesty International has said homos*xuality is “increasingly criminalised across Africa,” with 36 nations there having laws against same-s*x conduct.

Nations that consider homosexual acts illegal include Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana and Uganda.

In Nigeria, a convicted homosexual may spend up to 14 years in prison.

Amnesty has also said that homophobic attacks have reached dangerous levels in sub-Saharan Africa and that this relates to the “toxic message” that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are criminals. A number of the continent’s leaders have said homosexuality is un-African.

In 2010 the Supreme Court in the UK ruled that two gay men from Iran and Cameroon have the right to asylum in the UK, after they were initially told by the Home Office that they could safely return home if they were “discreet” about their s*xual orientation.
[Independent]

The casualties have already began to mount for the G7 rebel Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who are currently contemplating cross carpetting to the opposition All Progressives Congress, PAC, as a key ally of Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has resigned rather than cross carpet with him.

It is also possible that Kwankwaso is developing cold feet about the move to the APC as it is almost certain that if he does, he would lose a lot of ground to Mohammed Abacha, the son of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, who crossed over to the PDP after falling out with Muhammadu Buhari. Abacha has the clout, the money and the name recognition to consign Kwankwaso into irrelevance.

Commissioner for education, Barrister Farouk Iya Sambo, tendered his resignation letter on November 1 to the governor, reaffirming his position to remain in the PDP, according to reliably source at Government House. Farouk Iya was the former chairman of the PDP in the state and also one time Speaker of the state House of Assembly during the second republic.

He is a professional lawyer by  profession and associate of the former governor of the old Kano State, the late Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, who parted way with him and joined Kwankwaso camp.

Sources in Kano revealed that the commissioner attended the council meeting yesterday which lasted for about eight hours at Government House.

Singer, Ebele Aituaje Iruobe, popularly known as Waje tells Ademola Olonilua about her fashion style

When it comes to fashion, what would you say is your weakness?

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I do not have an item that I would call a fashion weakness.  It depends on the season. There are times when it is just shoes; the only thing I can think about is great shoes. Now, I am having the hand bag ‘o**rgasm’. Any nice handbag that I get, I would carry, adore it and dust it. I would put newspaper inside and it would be brand new again. I love glasses too. The kinds of glasses that I like are the ones with characters. I guess they just make me feel like a don, a boss.

You were recently made a brand ambassador, how much of the money did you spend on fashion items?

I spent very little and I mean really little. It is not even up to five per cent. I have other things to do with my money, I am a business woman. When the dividend of the business comes, then I would go to Paris and shop.

What business are you talking about?
I have a couple of businesses but they are not for Waje; it is for Ebele. Waje has a record label, Ebele has businesses.

When stepping out for an event, what are the things you consider?

The first thing I bear in mind is comfort; it is not as if I am a size six. Though I work out and try to tighten some areas, there are times when you don’t want to wear pants. I just like being comfortable so I’d probably wear a big top and maybe boyfriend jeans. Sometimes high waist also does it well for me and with that, I can look casual and classy in some ways. I think that is the most important thing. It is better that I am comfortable or else I am not going to enjoy myself.

What is your take on African fabrics?

I just like prints and not necessarily African fabrics. Sometimes I don’t wear Ankara instead I wear something that has print like tiger or some logo. As long as it is print, I love it. Now I am going off the print phase a little. I am now more monochrome and I am looking yellow. I took a picture wearing a yellow dress and I loved it. For some reason it looked really good. I put it on Instagram and I got positive comments. Burnt orange is also a colour that complements me more. I would rather do more loud colours than prints these days.

Which hair style do you prefer the most?

Low cut but my management would not let me for now.

Why is it that most ladies are recently opting for low cut?

It is because you can shower and water would touch the crown of your head to the sole of your feet. It is also cost-effective. Asides that, it is stress free; you take care of a weave the way you take care of a normal hair. We watch movies where we see all these white people with long hair, they sit in front of the mirror to brush it; that is how we take care of all this Peruvian and Brazilian weaves. Short hair, braids, I love them.

You work out regularly, is it for health purpose or to look sexier?

Like I said earlier, I am not trying to be a size six. I just want to firm up a little, do natural surgery on some parts of the body, partially hail myself that I am fine, and most importantly, to live a healthy life.

What do you do to maintain your good voice?

I have rehearsals every Thursday, one of my back-up vocalists Ugo, is very good at vocal training so he helps me. Right now, the fact that I am eating healthy to live longer is also really helping my voice. There are certain things I don’t do that I used to indulge in before. I guess that helps my voice to get stronger.

You recently released your album, Words Are Not Just Enough, how has the feedback been?

It has been amazing. I was shocked at the reviews. I just wanted to drop an album and it was worth the wait for me because I always say that I would only bring out things that I can defend. Hearing the review from other people made it interesting for me. With regards to sales, we are still on it. We are doing so many things to push the album. Everything is working fine and I am thankful about that.

There was outburst over your I Wish video. There were complaints that there were scenes of nudity in it

I heard about it but it did not get to me. Of course people are entitled to their opinion. About 80 per cent of the people that saw that video appreciated the art, the story I was trying to send in the video and for me that is important.

Do you really wish you did not have a heart?

It is a metaphoric expression. I don’t mean it that I really do not want to have a heart. If I don’t have a heart, what would happen to the things God is blessing me with now? I was just saying I wish I was not that vulnerable to allow certain things to happen to me when they happened.

Is the song a personal experience?

Well, yes, sort of.

Share some of those experiences

No. I can’t.

How about your lingerie line?

We put that on hold because it is hard. I have to travel to China and the distance is really far, so I think it would take longer than I wanted it to be. But it would definitely be out. Many times, I had to cancel the appointments that I had booked and even cancel the flights I had booked. I am working on something now that would make me more efficient. It is in the first phase and very important. It is important I get schooled in what I am doing instead of contracting it to someone else and letting them handle it. I want to see how it is so that I can make it better.

Plus ladies complain about getting what they like in Nigeria. If you do your lingerie line would you cater for plus sized ladies?

It is basically for the ‘boobiematrics’ of this country. It is for the women who are well endowed. I am busty and to be honest with you, anytime I have a very good bra, it is either from Omawumi’s elder sister or I buy when I travel abroad. Omawumi’s elder sister has a place she gets amazing bras and she brings them down whenever she is coming. There is no provision for the plus sized. I don’t know why. There are few places, a few shops here but it is not like what you would find in the streets of London. Definitely, my wanting to have such a thing is not just to cater for women that get their sizes everywhere but to have something you are comfortable in your own skin and not something that would cause you back ache. I think it is the same thing with every market. Most fashion designers would want to do smaller sizes because it is convenient but for plus sized women, it is not the case. So it is something I would definitely want to cater for.

How many bags and shoes do you have in your closet?

I don’t have that many, I am very stingy. I am too much of an Igbo woman, I would be thinking about my market and how to replenish it. I have enough but my shoes, I have lost count. There are some that even had to be given away.

When you were growing, who used to do the shopping for you?

It was my mother. It was so bad because my mum knew how to sew. Sometimes when other kids said they were going to buy their Christmas clothes, my mother would be in the house sewing our own. When someone said, she got her clothe from Kingsway, I would say my mum made my own.

When she was sewing for you, did she meet your fashion taste?

Yes she did. I grew up in an era where we were really into watching Cinderella and Mary Poppins. Back then, you would see us in all those ball gown, panty hose with red shoes heading for church. There was one I had; I wore that dress from when I was 11 years old till when I was 16 years old. My mother really tried for us when it comes to fashion. Unfortunately I don’t know how to sew, she never taught me.

Does your mother still buy you gifts?

Yes, she does, she recently just bought me pots, different sizes of big pots. She knows I don’t like loads but she told me she bought pots for me. I told her to still keep them for me that when I need them I would come and get them.



Source: Punch Nigeria

Actress Bimbo Thomas granted an interview recently to The Nollywood Reporter, where she admitted sending nude photos to a married ex-lover. Bimbo says it's one the big mistakes of her life

“Yes, I have been in love before and I have now been associated with relationships I believed was love but wasn't.. There is this relationship I believed would lead to the altar.

 I was committed to it and the guy was committed too however it still didn't work out. We're still friends though. When I came out of the previous  relationship, I didn't want to date anymore.

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I recently desired to be left alone but you realize women and love; I came across another guy, he was the type of guy one will call a gentleman. I fell deeply in love with him; I really could do anything for him. I even made a mistake that also tugs at my conscience till date; I sent him my nu*de photos.

Looking back now, it was one mistake way too many particularly when I realized the guy was deceiving me as he was married with children. I cried and cried! I almost gave up on everything thing but God kept me.”

On asking why she made such a stupid mistake, she replied,

“Yes, it is really a stupid mistake but you realize celebrities are humans too. We hurt, we laugh, we cry, we love, we grief and do everything every other human being does. We fall in love and make mistakes. Though we collapse such as the Bible would say, but we can't stay down, we get up and keep forging ahead. Many guys that approach female celebrities have evil intentions.”

Answering questions on if she will gladly date again, the Omo Ghetto star said she will but will approach the topic cautiously.

 “Dating is now something I dread. I don't think I can give up on love but another guy might purchase the sins of others.” She said amidst laughter laced with vengeance. We can't help but pray God helps another guy.

Bimbo Thomas, a graduate of creative art from the University of Lagos, joined the industry a couple of years ago and after a series of small roles, became a household name, as a result of “Omo Ghetto”, a Yoruba movie produced by popular Actress cum Producer, Funke Akindele.

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has advised President Jonathan and the ruling elite to take into consideration some of the questions being raised about the National Dialogue exercise.

He spoke at a book launch in honour of the retiring President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami. The book a compendium of Salami’s judgments, is authored by Mrs. Funmi Quadri.

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In his address entitled, “Justice is never siddon look,” Soyinka said there must be justice for all whether rich or poor.

He said: “I declare, I quote justice is the first foundation of humanity. At all times, law, even where it is temporary unskilled, emasculated, predominates, written or unwritten, law embodies the total will of the society Yes, law exercises an authority that transcends mere power. That is why we must task those whosoever is administrator of law with an ethical rigour, a measure that is paramount perhaps by only whatsoever the society expects of medical doctors who minister to the people’s physical and mental health or religious ministers who are preoccupied with the requirements of the spirit.

“Governors are blindly selective to what court orders they obey and President becomes completely deaf or blind to judicial orders.

“And that question is this: what is the role of the rest of us the in between humanity, Do we fold our hands and literarily siddon look? Most of the time it does appear that we have no option when justice appears to fail even his own immediate high echelon.”

He added: “Yes, many have warned, they have warned tirelessly and in various forms become deafened by the sound of their voice as it bounces back from the stones walls of a different complacency and sometimes criminality and complicity. The most notorious example of this today is of course the so called national conference.

“As many other propositions, the social context which is ever changing may provide avenue of fresh thinking but the stark truth is that all have been said cogently and relevantly.

“Those who think they can erect a future without first ridding the ground of the past debris flout against natural order or regeneration.”

The Nobel Laureate added: “Of all the conceivable negative baggage I can think of right now, the most pressing, I have always maintained, takes the form of a critical absence, subversion or suppression of – Justice.

“How have we fared, within this environment that most immediately sustains us – well, sort of? I shall evoke here one of the most notorious public profile cases of the serial degradations of Justice that seemingly shook this nation to its foundations. There are other cases we could cite – the murder of Dele Giwa for instance. Or Harry Marshall. Kudirat Abiola. Suliat Adedeji. A.K. Dikibo. Abukakar Rimi. Barnabas and Abigail Igwe, husband and wife, both officers of the law. Or Chief Dina – lest I stand accused of omitting my own homestead. Or indeed numerous others, so quickly relegated into the sump of unsolved cases. 

My choice today, the main reference point for our sobering retrospection is however singularly apt. Despite his terminal absence, that preeminent victim shares with our celebrant, albeit in a tragic mode, the ironic symbolism of ‘Justice in Denial’, a role that interrogates both the very concept and operations of Justice, and also, the main structure for its delivery, which is – the Judiciary. 

No one will question the seismic impact of the circumstances that took him from our midst, a dastardly deed which, as already claimed, shook the nation to its very foundations. However, the nation did not topple over – from all appearances. As we all know however, nations like the United States do not rest satisfied with appearances. Visible or not, internal damages – that very possibility – preoccupied the guardians of public monuments and safety.”

 PM News