BREAKING NEWS: 419 KINGPIN ADE BENDEL TURNS PASTOR… ANNOUNCES CRUSADE WITH NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES

Story & Photo by Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter

Ade Alumile, the Nigerian born international 419 kingpin a.k.a Ade Bendel declared that old things have indeed passed away in his life.He declared that his ambition is now to ensure that more people are led to Christ Jesus.
Ade Bendel, who finished his jail terms in December 2007, disclosed that Nigerian artistes from movie and music industry would be supporting his first major crusade slated for March 24th at Eleko Beach in Lagos.
A lot of people who were at Terra Kulture,venue of the press conference he addressed this afternoon were moved to tears as Ade Bendel shared testimony of how he accepted to change his ways and move closer to God.
Dapo Oyebanjo, the award winning entertainer popularly known as D’Banj was one of those moved to tears. He shook his head anytime Ade Bendel reel out testimonies that led him to Christ. He told http://www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com/ after the press conference that he was touched by the way Ade Bendel gave testimonies of his past and his readiness to move away totally from it. “I am ready to support his new cause wholeheartedly” he said.
“There was a day in prison, I met two youth between the ages of 18 and 20.They hailed me as Baba Ade Bendel.They told me I was their hero. When I asked what brought them into prison custody, they told me that they were into 419 (swindling people of their hard earned money).They also said that very soon they hope to be like me”
"That day, I broke down in tears. How can I be a hero destroying lives. A hero sending people that you dupe of their money to untimely death. I told God that if you give me the opportunity, I will serve you for the rest of my life” he said.

He also disclosed that immediately he was released,he made contact with the man whom he swindled through his lawyers."The man came all the way from abroad.I told him I have done restitution.We hugged and I promised to pay him back what I took from him and I fufilled it.I thank God for the prison experience and meeting Jesus, if not I may have been dead by now"he said.
Tagged ‘Turning Point with Ade Bendel and Friends' the event is the brain child of YINOX Foundation, a non-governmental foundation he founded to support the anti-graft war embarked upon by the government. The effort is geared at making Nigerian youth make the best of their talent rather than tarnish Nigeria’s image through advance fee fraud.
Top Nigerian entertainers such as Sammy Okposo,Francis Duru, Daddy Showkey,Mike Aremu,D’banj,Basket Mouth,Jeddi,9ice,Dekunle Fuji,Desmond Elliot and several others have already signify their interest in the show. The likes of Segun Arinze, Kingsley Ogoro, Koffi, Ikechukwu, Dare Art Alade, Sammy Okposo and Dan Foster were at the press briefing this afternoon.www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com also gathered that the Actors Guild of Nigeria will also be supporting the event.
Ade Bendel disclosed that effort is being made to collaborate with Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a number of campaigns to prevent people from investing their valuable time into crime.

Before now, Ade Bendel lived his lifeon the fast lane.Musicians particularly from the Juju and Fuji genre benefited enourmously from his loot.They sang his praises at every party in town.He was so flamboyant that he was among those always in possesion of the state of the art cars just released into the market.

Now, the story has changed and Ade Bendel appears ready for the change that would change lives.

Picture-D'banj (left) and Ade Alumile (Ade Bendel) in Victoria Island,Lagos, this afternoon (5 March 2008)

STELLA TOO HAS "CHOP UP!"

By Niyi Tabiti

Chief Reporter

Stella Damasus, model, actress and widow of late Jaiye Aboderin always give us a reason to applaud her looks anytime she step out at events.Here, Stella walk majestically into the party of Eyimofe Atake,the erudite lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who turned 50 about two weeks ago.The event took place at the home of the Atakes in Lekki.Expectedly,Dorothy, his beautiful wife was a perfect hostess.

Stella has also tried all 'triable' means to look trimmer but nothing seems to work.Unlike Genevieve who tried the slim thing and got it right,though many of her fans are complaining that she is now too thin.Anyway, Stella remains a champion anyday when it comes to head turners at event.Weight loss or weight gain, Stella is 'deliciously sexy"anyday.Stella is beautiful and she flaunt it!

On the side, Sammy Okposo,the gospel artiste who shot into limelight by producing sound tracks for top hit Nollywood movies has vehemently denied ever dating Stella.In an interview published in City People this week,he declared that he only dated Kate Henshaw and not Stella.Well, fans are still waiting for RMD,Lanre Nzeribe and others to file their own counter reports.

SHOW THEM!

By Niyi Tabiti

Chief Reporter

This beautiful babe show off her well designed ankara fabric at the TOS Benson's burial in Lagos,last week.

Show them, abeg...!

MORE PICTURES FROM TOS BENSON'S BURIAL

These are some of the pictures from the burial of late Otunba TOS Benson in Ikorodu last week.Most of TOS Benson's children are celebrities in the own right.The list is endless but some of them include Tiwa Benson,the milliner,Bimbo Cardoso, Soga Benson and several others.

FASHION ICONS STORM TOS BENSON'S BURIAL IN IKORODU

By Niyi Tabiti

Chief Reporter

Last week, Ankara, as usual dominated the burial of late elder stateman,Otunba TOS Benson in Ikorodu Town,Lagos.We captured it here for your delight.Nowadays, the rich and the poor wear the same fabric of ankara yet something differentiates them.Did i hear you say carriage,glowing skin...?

2FACE IDIBIA KICKS OFF MTN XTRACOOL TOUR...DONATES TO CHARITY

MTN Xtra Cool Musical Tour with 2Face andFriends of six states finally kicked off in Benin City,Edo State on Saturday 1 March 2008,precisely at University of Benin Sports Complex.There was gift presentations at a charity home known as Good Samaritan Motherless Home at Uselu. MTN donated all the food items ranging from bags of rice,clothes, shoes, vegetable oils, beverages etc. 2Face made the presentation on behalf of MTN. The music star was emotionally touched at the home that he donated a cheque of N100, 000. He was supported by the CEO of Dojoes, Mr. Femi Ogundipe with another N100,000. The tour will get to Ibadan, Enugu, Lagos, Kaduna and Abuja.
www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com will definately serve you more from the tour.

Pix 1 -Shows 2face Idibia thrilling on the stage
Pix 2- 2face in a group photograph with children of the charity home.

OFUNNEKA IS NOW A REAL TOWN GIRL!

Ofunneka Molukwu, the Nigerian girl who featured at the last Big Brother Africa seems to be holding tightly to stardom, unlike Bayo Okoh her predecessor who vanished from limelight shortly after the show. He only managed to do endorsement for a telecom company and a few things here and there.
Now, everywhere you go in the town, you will never miss the smiling face of Ofunneka.She is really networking so that her celebrity status will not diminish. There is no high and mighty event in town hat is complete without her these days. I bet,MNET is trying to project the girl well for 'mighty' endorsements by getting her to be in the right clique. Day or night, Ofunneka is always on the move.www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com has spoted her several times.
Ofus mama,keep moving and keep rocking,its your time!

REPORTER’S DIARY: OLUCHI IS STILL THE MODEL TO BEAT

By Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter

Due to what I consider popular demand, I will now be spicing up www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com, Nigeria’s daily celebrity reports and photo online with what I call a reporter’s diary. Apart from posting latest photos and reports, I will be giving you memoirs in the cause of news gathering.
I will kick off with Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi.I really did not get close to the model whose claim to fame was winning the first MNET Face of Africa contest. She also grabbed a mouth watering model contract with a top agency in the United States of America.Today; she is regarded as Nigeria’s most successful model. I missed that edition but I was at the screening of the following year at Proflex Gym opposite 1004 the following year.
In 2005, I decided to put up a show in Lagos. I decided to use my goodwill with some of the musicians and a lot of them turned up. We had the likes of Ruggedman, Kaffi (the dancer), Gbenga Adeyinka the first, Asha and others. The anchor man of the night was a top model who could not find his way so I had to go and pick him. He was waiting for me a restaurant near Lord Club in Maryland, Lagos.When I got there I met him and a tall, dark-skinned lady. On a closer look, I got to know that she is Oluchi Onweagba.There was no glitz to show that she is indeed a model. She was modestly dressed.
Few minutes we hopped into Oluchi’s Toyota Camry and we drove to the venue of the event.
Trust me not to miss the opportunity to interview her. She was evading every question I was putting to her. She complained that the Nigerian press had been writing rubbish about her. “They wrote I was on drugs and all that”
“Well, goof is not peculiar to any country. The Press goof all over the world. Its good to always put the record straight as a celebrity or get a publicist to help out” I defended.
We chatted for sometime and she told me that she was giving marriage serious considerations.Immediately, the headline flashed through my brain “Top model, Oluchi set to wed”.Thank God,Oluch did not dissapoint.She got married few months after that encounter. She got married to Italian born fashion designer,Luca Orlandi.
When we got to the event she begged that she does not want any attraction as she may not be able to handle the situation. She dodged yet some people still recognized her as the same Oluchi who is doing Nigeria proud in America.
Few hours later, she left for an important appointment. She also requested I followed her in her car so that she would find her way out.
I wouldn’t say whether or not,Oluchi is a fantastic driver but I remember when Bisi Sowemimo another wonderful Nigerian model was given her glittering Toyota XLI car some years ago.It was part of her prize as the winner of the Fashion TV Model contest put together by Legendary Gold Limited.
She was almost frustrated by Lagos commercial bus drivers. While driving with her on Third Mainland one day, almost all the drivers were driving rough. They were also abusing her “Asewo,comot for road who give you motor?”
In turn she barked at them “Shut up! Yeye driver!”
That is Lagos for you.

Photo-Oluchi making a grand entry into This Day Award in Lagos, recently.She is still the Nigerian model to beat or what do you think?

HMMM…WONDER T-SHIRTS!

By Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter

Today, I realise that a lot of people buy T-shirts without taking a good look at the inscription on it. There are some cool ones that I have seen such as ‘Lagos Diva’, I’m hot!’ or ‘Do you want my number?’ and all that.
The one I saw today gave me a reason to think that some people don’t think before buying their T-shirts. I saw this handsome guy at an eatery in Ikeja. He wore a T-shirt with an inscription “I am very stupid” bodly written on it. It baffles everyone that such a big boy could be wearing such a T-shirt with such inscription. A young girl of about 13 years old pointed at the guy and told her mum “Mummy, see they wrote I am very stupid on that uncle’s shirt”. The mum screamed back at her “shut up!”
Everyone bursted into laughter except the guy. A man later walked up to him and said “Ol’boy, please when next you are coming here, don’t ever wear this T-shirt again.Pleeeeease! You are insulting us”.The guy rolled his eyes infront of the man and left without saying anything.
So, who is actually stupid? Is it the wearer of the T-shirt or the people reading the inscription on it?

SURE,YOU MISS THIS GUY!

Photo and report byNiyi Tabiti

Chief Reporter

Inside or outside Nollywood, Saint Obi remains a sex symbol.I bet he is one of the gifted actors that brought Nollywood so much fame and fortune.However,for reasons best known to him,the handsome dude has not been featuring in movies as frequent as he used to be.Alot of people believe that the guy needed some time off to re-package, marry and have children.Others believe that he fell into the 'black' books of some 'powerful' marketers.

Now that Obi is married with a baby, I think he is ready to stage a big comeback.What I don't know is whether or not he would limit his talent to romantic roles just like Ramsey 'fine boy' Noah,RMD,Muyiwa Ademola and others.

I saw a bubbling Saint Obi recently and I believe he is making a big comeback.

Sure,you miss this guy!

Check out the pix,even the usher could not resist a touch from the actor.She left her duty post to toooooouch!

THINKING OF A SCHOOL WITH RIGHT FACILITIES AND STANDARD?TRY HAMEC!

One of the best secondary schools in Nigeria,Henry Alex-Duduyemi Memorial College (HAMEC) is admitting students for the next academic session.Located in Ile-Ife,Osun State,the school has state of the art facilities.Alot of people abroad also bring their children to the place because of the serenity and high teaching standard.They also have boarding facilities compared to any where in the world.

The school was founded some years ago by successful businessman,Chief 'Kunle Alex-Duduyemi,the Aro of Ile-Ife (Friends call him Aro of the World).He is elderstateman is respected within and outside Nigeria.

I covered the school's anniversary sometime last year and I can tell you for free that the school is one of the most sought after right now in the country.Thinking of enrolling your child? Call:08088207117