How I won God’s Children Great Talent’s millions – Esther Benyeogo

It was an action packed show which was broadcast live on HIPTV, EbonyLife TV, Wazobia Max and Dove TV last Saturday. It was indeed the grand finale and the last chance for the final ten contestants to enchant the judges and audience with their performances at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos.

The show also featured highlights from the season’s auditions as well as performances by Nikki Laoye, GCGT season 6 winner, Onome Enakerakpor, Darey Art Alade, Frank Edwards and Enitan Adaba.

However, at the end of the day, 19-years-old Esther Benyeogo beat nine others including Joseph Odi, Damilare Bafunso, Anderson Peter, Deborah Oladipupo, Olawonuola Kehinde, Sophia Albert, Goodluck Enoch, Nengi Jaja and Emmanuel Osahor in a keenly contested competition to emerge the winner.

With this feat, Benyeogo smiled home with a grand prize of N250 million worth of management contract, N10 million cash and a brand new Kia Rio. Senior Pastor at City of David Parish, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, chairperson, GCGT Board of Trustees, Pastor (Mrs) Siju Iluyomade, Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank and Founder, The How Foundation, Dr. Herbert Wigwe all presented the prizes to the winner.

A fans’ favouyrite, Benyeogo has been a standout phenomenon on GCGT 7 since her very first performance and through the entire competition. Now as this season’s winner, her career is about to take off with the GCGT team providing close guidance.

An emotional Benyeogo was grateful for how far she has come giving all glory to God for being so faithful. “The journey has been long. Weeks of practice and focus, but in the end, it is has been a blessing to remain in God’s grace. I thank the Almighty God for helping me express my talent through GCGT and more importantly, making my light shine among thousands. Here I am, standing,” she said.

Tribunal sacks Rivers PDP senator

Rivers State Elections Petition Tribunal has sacked Senator George Sekibo, representing Rivers East in the Eighth Senate.

The three-man panel, which sat at Apo Quarters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, affirmed the petition of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Andrew Uchendu and declared him winner of the March 28, 2015 election.

The tribunal also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Sekibo and issue a fresh certificate to Uchendu.

The tribunal’s decision was hinged on the fact that Uchendu won the lawful majority votes cast during the Rivers re-run legislative election.

Uchendu had approached the tribunal with a petition, asking the court to declare him the winner of the poll, and alleged that INEC failed to take into cognisance, results of some wards and polling units before declaring Sekibo winner of the polls.

The tribunal specifically hinged its decision on “substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.”

Sekibo is a three-term senator.

How I’ll celebrate my 50th birthday –Saheed Balogun, actor

“I feel successful even after being in the industry for a fulfilling 35 years and more. For me, 50 marks the end of my first half and the beginning of the second half. I ended the first in a big way, I am starting the next in a bigger way.” This is popular actor, Saheed Balogun’s response when asked how he felt turning 50.

Giving a breakdown of his plans for his 50th birthday ceremony scheduled for July 4 – 7, the actor explained that on the first day, he would visit the accident victims at University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and later deliver a public lecture at the Theatre Arts department of the institution.

According to him, Day 2 will be “An Evening with Saheed Balogun, Corporate Bodies and Stars” with two segments being anchored by comedian Ali Baba and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and with ace comic, Gbenga Adeyinka the 1st and screen diva, Kate Henshaw as MCs while Denrele Edun would be on the red carpet.

On Day 3, the actor said he would be visiting the Remand Home and Nigerian Prison; while Day 4, which is the grand finale, will have star actress Joke Silva and comedian Omobaba as anchors, as fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde aka K1 the Ultimate, rounds off the ceremony with grand performance at Grandeur Events Centre, Oregun, Lagos.

Miss Anambra sex scandal: How it all happened – Chidinma Okeke

Former Miss Anambra, Chidinma Okeke, has spoken on the sex scandal that nearly ruined her life few months back.

There have been different versions of what transpired between the embattled 20-year-old beauty queen and the organisers of the pageant.

Recall that Chidinma Okeke, a former beauty queen was seen in an x-rated video with a lesbian partner.

Chidinma Okeke, who won the Miss Anambra beauty pageant, organised by the Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, has remained incommunicado.

She reportedly went into hiding due to alleged threat to her life.

But Okeke has finally broken her silence, she spoke In an interview with The Nation, debunking claims that she threatened to commit suicide.

Narrating her own side of the story, the former beauty queen said, “Early last year, the ABS advertised for the Miss Anambra beauty pageant. I heard of it and went to make enquiry.

“My roommate was also interested, but one of the organisers told me to apply. I told them I was not interested but the man insisted that I might win the competition.

“He also promised to give me the form for free if I indicated interest, and he did when I agreed to contest.

“But one Jane told me that before a winner would be declared, there were certain things to be done, including the (sex) video.

“I consented after some persuasion from the organisers. I later went for the contest at the Marble Arch Hotels in Awka, and I was declared winner with a Kia Rio vehicle as star prize.

“When I went for my car after the contest, the organisers brought out a contract form for me to sign, but I told them I wanted to contact my lawyer to see it. I was not given the opportunity to do so.

“What they kept telling me was that if I insisted on not signing the contract or wanted to contact my lawyer, they would release the video.

“At that point, I became uncomfortable and signed the contract to avoid such embarrassment, and the car was released to me from where it was packed within the premises of ABS.

“From that moment, I became a slave to them. On October 11, 2016, they called me to come and make presentations inside the office of one the organisers. After that, the man excused some people in that room and showed me the video again.

“They told me to drop my car and removed my crown from me. I told them I would take the car as stipulated in the contract. They insisted I should pack it in the premises of (ABS).

“I told my uncle in Abuja about the situation. My uncle called them and asked them to release my car to me. Instead, they forwarded the video to him as part of the blackmail. That was what happened.”

[Photos] 50-year-old man who stopped growing at age five says he feels blessed

Fifty-year-old Basori Lal. Photos: MailOnline

A 50-year-old man whose height is that of a healthy five-year-old is currently the toast of villagers and visitors to their tiny Indian village.
As a toddler, there was nothing to distinguish Basori Lal from his peers, and it was only around age five that his family started to notice that he had stopped growing.
However, because they were poor, his family could not seek medical attention to at least know what was wrong with him, and to also see if the situation could be treated.
As reported by MailOnline, Basori was never given a medical diagnosis, and to this day, his relatives have no idea what caused him to be so short.

Basori, being held by older brother Gopi Lal’s wife, Satia Bai.

Basori (right) playing with a toddler

His 55-year-old elder brother, Gopi Lal, said: “Nobody was able to take him to a doctor. We are poor people, I am a labourer. Where would I take him?”
As Basori grew older, he encountered some tough times and experienced some bullying in his village, but thankfully, those days are past.
He said: “People used to bully me a lot. They used to call me an alien. But that time is gone now. I am the only one who is being loved by the villagers.”
Now, at the age of 50, Basori lives with his brother Gopi and Gopi’s wife, Satia.
The 50-year-old works in a factory with his relatives, and says he enjoys a glass of whiskey every night before bed.
He has never married and says he doesn’t want to.

Why PDP chieftains are planning one-million-man march against my govt — Okorocha

The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has claimed that the planned one-million-man march against his government on July 3 was because he “does not share money,” for people in the state.

Okorocha’s claim was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo and issued to newsmen in Owerri, the state capital, on Wednesday.

The governor accused the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kelechi Nwagwu of being behind the alleged march.

The statement reads, “This is to bring to the knowledge of the general public and indeed, the good people of the state in particular that, for months now, the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly during the administration of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kelechi Nwagwu, has inundated the media, especially the social media, with repeated threats of organising PDP members for one million-man match protest on Monday, July 3, 2017, against the Rescue Mission Government in the state, with the People’s Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, as the superintendent.

“The former Speaker, who belongs to the Alhaji Makarfi faction of the PDP, has also followed the threat with avalanche of infantile blackmail and infernal propaganda, mostly in the social media where it appears there is no control over marketing of falsehood.

“Again, in all these, the government has chosen to remain calm at least to see whether Chief Nwagwu could tell the world his reasons for the planned protest march.

“But he was not forthcoming, making the government to have no other option than to take home or believe the general contention that the anger of the former Speaker and his co-travellers is that, the era of “share the money” and the era of gala nights” on daily basis have all become jettisoned under Governor Rochas Okorocha and, indeed, for good.

“It is also on record that the PDP government in the state for 12 years did nothing for the state and her people, and left no legacy except the unfortunate legacy of flogging indigenes of the state at random, including a Rev. Father and a human rights activist.”