The Nation Newspaper

Category: Celebrity

  • Gani Adams welcomes second child

    Gani Adams welcomes second child

    FEW things are worth waiting for more than a child; a beautiful, living testament of the love between two people. The longer the wait, the sweeter the testimony. Last weekend, the coordinator of the Oodua’s People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, learnt this beautiful lesson for the second time as his wife, Erelu Mojisola Adams, put to bed again after a long wait.

    The birth of the Adams’ second child is a thing of joy for the elated OPC coordinator and his wife who had to wait for nine years for their first child after their wedding. During those trying times, the couple stayed true to each other. While other celebrity unions were falling apart left and right, theirs was a house built on the rock, withstanding the storms of pressure from families and friends.

    With the naming ceremony set for some time this week, high society is already gearing up to celebrate with one of their own.

  • Siju Iluyomade still the stylish pastor’s wife

    Siju Iluyomade still the stylish pastor’s wife

    TWO suns cannot share the day, nor two moons the night. Siju Iluyomade is the silvery moon that brooks no rivals. Aided by an array of polished and expensive jewellery and accoutrements, she glows as the most stylish and elegant ‘woman of God’ in Nigeria. The co-pastor at the City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where her husband, Pastor David, holds sway, Siju is an epitome of elegance and style.

    Although the City of David parish of RCCG is regarded in most quarters as the richest RCCG parish in the country, none of the wealthy, upscale, happening babes who flock to its premises every Sunday can compete with Siju in the fashion stakes. Not only is she their spiritual shepherd, she also sets the pace in stylish adornment while they do their best to follow.

    Unlike some other pastors’ wives who ride their husbands’ coattails to fame, Pastor Siju is a woman worth her weight in gold. She spares no expense in her bid to look good, patronising world class designers like Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Zagliani and Marc Jacobs. She is, in short, the reference point for fashion among Christian ladies.

  • Linda Ikeji set to launch TV station

    Linda Ikeji set to launch TV station

    SUCCESS, they say, is not a destination; it is a journey. The further you get, the further you want to go. That much is true for one of Nigeria’s most successful bloggers, Linda Ikeji. The queen of blogging is moving on to bigger and better things. Like a rich man who decides to take many wives while he still loves the first one, she is moving from blogging into mainstream media with the imminent launch of a new TV station, which is rumoured to be coming on DSTV anytime soon.

    Already, Linda Ikeji Media has started functioning with several arms including Linda Ikeji Radio, Linda Ikeji Music, LIS, and Linda Ikeji TV, an online television station. At the launch, she stated that her initial dream of becoming a television presenter had given way to the reality of her becoming an employer of television presenters. And with Linda Ikeji TV set to make its debut on cable in the coming weeks, it is safe to say that Linda is living her dreams.

  • No changes for Nigerian contingent on Forbes’ rich list

    No changes for Nigerian contingent on Forbes’ rich list

    THE table of the richest people in Nigeria is like the English Premier League table. There is an established order with the same names always occupying the top two or three spots and a little movement up or down in other positions. Thus, when Forbes released their annual rich list for the year, it was no surprise to see familiar faces from the lists of yore still perched atop their lofty branches as the wealthiest the country has to offer.

    Perennial numero uno and chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, retains his place as the champion of the Nigerian money league with an estimated wealth of $12.5 billion. Hot on his heels is the chairman of telecommunication giant, Globacom, Dr Mike Adenuga, whose wealth is put at $10.5 billion. Although the value of the two billionaires’ wealth has declined over the years due in part to the decline in Naira’s value, their respective fortunes still put them way ahead of their nearest challengers.

    The chairman of Zenom and Forte Oil Femi Otedola and Africa’s presumed richest woman Folorunsho Alakija are in third and fourth places with fortunes of $2.3 billion and $2.1 billion respectively. The top six is rounded off by celebrity socialite Daisy Danjuma’s husband, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, and BUA boss Abdulsamad Rabiu, on fortunes of $1.7 billion and $1.5 billion.

    The rest of the top ten are UBA supremo Tony Elumelu ($1.4 billion); Slok Holdings and Sun Newspapers owner Orji Uzor Kalu ($1.1 billion); ex Zenith Bank MD Jim Ovia ($1 billion), and career businessman and Honeywell Group head honcho Oba Otudeko ($650 million).

  • Lesson Tony Elumelu learnt from Mayweather

    Lesson Tony Elumelu learnt from Mayweather

    There is no gainsaying that money unlocks forbidden gates. It is the password to the palace of kings, the ATM card to withdraw connections and buy renown. Money is also the ticket for joining the exclusive club of the lucky few who get to enjoy rare items or once-in-a-lifetime events, whether it be taking delivery of a limited edition Rolls Royce or getting the best arena seats for the “fight of the century”.

    In this, Heirs Holding boss Tony Elumelu can count himself among the lucky few. The chairman of UBA and Transcorp, among other multi-billion naira ventures, was on hand in far-away Las Vegas, Nevada to watch the epic battle between undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr and mixed martial arts specialist Connor McGregor.

    Sitting in one of the premium seats courtside, the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation was mesmerised by the pugilistic power and finesses on display as the two gladiators matched each other blow for blow for 10 rounds before the referee stopped the match.

    As he watched Mayweather torment his hapless opponent with brutal blows, Elumelu must have got some inspiration on how to deal with his own challenges back home.

  • New lease of life for Caroline Danjuma

    New lease of life for Caroline Danjuma

    NOLLYWOOD A-lister Caroline Danjuma seems to have taken the biblical injunction to ‘come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden’ quite literally. Following the crash of her decade-long marriage to society big boy Musa Danjuma, Caroline has found new love in the arms of Christ.

    Caroline’s union with Gen. Theophilus Danjuma’s younger brother, Musa, had been going so well, producing two boys and a girl before ‘irreconcilable differences’ set in and tore the lovers apart. But while Musa swiftly moved on with his life, Caroline was left alone to nurse the wounds from a broken heart.

    But time, as they say, heals all wounds, and Caroline is finally ready to let go. The half-Scottish beautician, who cut her acting teeth in the films of Chico Ejiro in the mid-90s, has found solace and succour in the house of God. She has vowed to pay no more heed to things of the flesh and maintain her body as the temple of God from now on.

    She caused quite a stir recently when she took to the internet to tell everyone she is done with things that have to do with ‘the other room’. All the men plotting to entice the fair-complexioned lady with their wiles have been advised to save their breath as she will remain impermeable to songs of the heart.

  • Terry Waya out and about

    CELEBRITY big boy and ladies’ man, Terry Waya, is a very determined man. So determined is he that not even his rumoured illness would stop him from regaining his groove. For some time now, there have been conflicting reports about the condition of the veteran socialite. But it would seem that all is well with the heartthrob of flower girl Eno Olafisoye, as he has been spotted at high octane parties in recent times, perhaps trying to regain the edge with which he swayed the social scene in the olden days.

    It will be recalled that not long ago, diminutive Terry Waya reigned over the social scene like a Roman emperor. With loads of cash to throw around,  musicians flocked around him like bees do nectar. For a while, he was also in the good graces of powerful politicians. For example, his 40th birthday bash in London was a town-shattering affair which had more than 10 governors in attendance.

    Things began to go downhill for Terry when some of those he hobnobbed with fell out of favour, leading him to scurry into his cocoon to avoid the attention of law enforcement agents. But he has lately appeared at some high profile events, including the wedding of Otunba Niyi Adebayo’s son, Richard. He looked fine and dapper at the event.

  • Igho Sanomi bails out terrorists’ child victim

    Igho Sanomi bails out terrorists’ child victim

    IN an age whose lingua franca is money and amassing wealth mindlessly is the order, the virtues of empathy are mostly consigned to the dustbin while monuments are built for the gods of mercantilism. Good deeds that spring out of noble intentions are few and far between. Yet there are a few people like Igho Charles Sanomi whose love for humanity remains as constant as the northern star.

    On account of his boundless generosity, respite has come the way of Ali Ahmadu, a child victim of a Boko Haram hit-and-run motorcycle rider. The princely sum of $60,000 needed for young Ali’s three-month stay in Dubai for corrective surgery will be borne by the Dickens Sanomi Foundation with Charles Sanomi as its chairman.

    The chairman of multi-billion energy conglomerate, Taleveras, Sanomi has spent decades maintaining the legacy of his father, the late AIG Dickens Sanomi, whose philanthropic acts in education and sports within the Nigerian Police Force are legendary. Igho Charles Sanomi II and his siblings founded the Dickens Sanomi Foundation (DSF) in their father’s memory in 2011.

  • About Pastor Ifeoma Eze

    About Pastor Ifeoma Eze

    JUST like food and rest provide nourishment for the body, music, especially edifying one, captivates the soul and elevates the spirit to a realm where communion between the mortal and the divine is made possible. In the Abuja gospel music scene, Pastor Ifeoma Eze is causing a wave.

    The Senior Pastor at Zion Heritage and Miracles International, Abuja, is very much a hot commodity in Christian music circles. She recently released her fifth album, ‘You’re Powerful’, and it has been making waves since it was recently launched to coincide with her birthday.

    Since she entered the music world in 2011 with her hit maiden album, ‘Phenomenon’, Ifeoma has gone from strength to strength, becoming the toast of Christian gatherings in an around the Federal Capital Territory. Her subsequent releases, like the penultimate album ‘Behind the Scenes’, contain outstanding tracks, which have helped to enhance her reputation as one of the few original gospel singers around.

  • Bankole-for-Governor campaign buses emerge in Ogun

    AS the race to succeed Senator Ibikunle Amosun as the Ogun State governor heats up, most of the aspirants are keeping their ambitions close to their chests, preferring to secretly canvass support and build their structures to coming out openly to declare their interests. However, if recent reports are anything to go by, one person who has decided to open up on the issue is former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole. Buses proclaiming ‘Dimeji for Governor’ have reportedly been cruising around Ogun communities in the past few days.

    In the governorship race of Ogun State, Dimeji appears to have chosen speed over subtlety. The appearance of his campaign buses is said to have given his ambition a big boost as other governorship aspirants in the state were said to have been blindsided by the move that has seemingly put them on the back foot.

    Dimeji Bankole had risen to fame as the youngest Nigerian to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Since then, he has remained a key player in the politics of his home state, although his detractors deride him as a politician without robust grassroots structure that can help him realise his ambition of becoming the next governor of Ogun State. At one point, it seemed his ambition would die before it had even begun to live following reports that his campaign offices had been deserted. However, the latest development would seem to have injected his campaign with fresh venom.