Nigerian model, Ufuoma Itoje, 'evicted' for posing nude

Ufuoma's nude pose that sent her out

A Nigeria model, Ufuoma Itoje, was disgraced off stage at the Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model (BINTM) competition after the judges were left unimpressed by her naked photoshoot. The 20-year-old Ufuoma, a law graduate, became the latest girl to be evicted from the competition.
After declaring her unqualified for her rude nude photograph, the panel unanimously decided "she did not have what it takes to make it in the industry."
A judge at the competition, Grace Woodward, an English fashion stylist and television presenter also added that she was a "one trick pony and lacked versatility."
Another judge and presenter, Elle Macpherson said the said Ufuoma's photograph was "full of charm," saying the 20-year-old was ultimately deemed to have the least potential. She's a beautiful girl, and that's it," said a designer, Julien Macdonald.
"I like the fact you're smiling, but it's slightly awkward. You're a sexy girl but I don' t think you're a top model. You're sweet, but verging on the saccharine," she said.
The guest panellist, George Lamb, who agreed with other judges' decision, said that "if this was Ufuoma's best shot, then she wasn't cutting it. For all the criticism, Daily Mail reported that Elle had some good qualities to point out in Ufuoma.
"I think she looks really sweet and gorgeous. The newspaper reported that Elle's compliments were not enough to save Ufuoma and, after facing Stacey in the bottom two, whom Elle singled out as potentially 'too fragile' for the contest, Ufuoma was told to leave.
Earlier in the show, Londoner Ufuoma had expressed excitement about the nude shoot, saying "I loved being naked”.
In the moment though, she said the wig she was given to wear put her off. "I was prepared for the nudity, but not for the wig,” she said. 'It kept moving around and I thought it might fall off.  I just couldn't look natural wearing it. I felt like whatever I did, I looked terrible. I looked like a man.
"I felt Elle looking at me and just thought. After the shoot I said goodbye to everyone, I knew I'd done badly," Ufoma said

When white means bad luck

Coach John Obuh's wards lost in white jersey in Cali

Where is Professor Sam Akpabot? May his soul rest in perfect peace. He had in one of his Tuesday columns in the Nigerian Tribune raised the veracity of using the white jersey in our various national teams when he was alive. Were he to be alive, one would have been waiting for tomorroww to read the psychologic and mystical interpretations of the loss and the mystical white jersey.

Since he died I can count where we had played with the white jersey and got the elimination plank hitting our head. Go check again, in the African Nations Cup, we were in white 11 times and on all the occasions we lost the particular matches. 

Some people may not believe in mythology in sports but I do think it surely exists. Sadly, I do not believe in luck when it comes to sports. Luck belongs to chances and probabilities. Sports belongs to the science clime. 

My conviction in sports and mythology is re-established by the 2-3 loss to France in Cali in the ongoing U-20 World Cup. Even as a young athlete, I used to wear and love the number 7 jersey. Until 1985 when my handball coach, Rasheed Sanusi (Yamgode) told me, try number 33. Matches or championships where I did not use the number 33 jersey until Istopped playing in 1999 came out sad. 

Certain players choose lucky jersey numbers and teams choose certain colours for their home and away kits based on their beliefs. The national teams (senior and cadet) have always been unlucky with white jerseys. I have followed the trend for close to three decades now and am so convinced beyond reasonable doubt about this.
As soon as I saw the Nigerians file out in Cali against France in white, I told the crowd of football friends, the "night is going to be long, nasty and end badly". Only one person asked why. I explained. My explanation drew ire and long arguments.

Many of them, really younger in all directions and magnitude, can't comprehend. Some threw verbal insults and light banters at me. As soon as the game was over, many of them resorted back to me to understand my earlier argument.
I recall, the only time the white jersey did not betray us, yes, in a match I watched, was in the final in Tunis in the 1994 African Nations cup final. An avuncular friend spoke to me on it that, "that jersey was not pure white as the present set of white jersey we use. That jersey has a rich design of green on it. Anytime we wear the plain white background jersey, we are usually doomed for the guilotine."

Scrabble: The "Ranting Nine" and NSC's death knell

The beautiful game waiting to be 'killed' by the NSC

How and why did the National Sports Commission (NSC) took this extremely low and unpopular quality of decision to ignobly order the reversal of the decision by the board and congress of the entire Scrabble fraternity that honestly took its time to suspend the now infamous "Ranting Nine" of its renegade but irresponsible members?
For the records. I presage and quickly too that this ungodly precedence will kill Scrabble in Nigeria. Two, despite this unholy, ugly and useless interference from the NSC, can the NSC hoist unwanted guests on the game and the community of Scrabble in Nigeria? What if the other community members opt not to play with them? Will the NSC come down and take the quanta of irresponsibility demonstrated by these unschooled members they are ordering back to the fold?
Is the reversal decision of the NSC not even a negation of the rules of IOC and even natural justice? Is the NSC buffs aware of the grave damages and the near tearing down of the house the "Ranting Nine" committed?
I want to think, a mind that is not well informed, took a decision that needs to be reversed on behalf of the NSC. Candidly speaking, if the NSC decision must stay, then, they should hand over the entire NSF to the "Ranting Nine" while the entire community vacate the house for them.
I stand up to say it loud and clear, no sports federation is as organised, effective, efficient and democratic in Nigeria as the NSF. I don't know which federation has the quality and quantity of championships like the NSF at no cost to the Federal Government via an NSC that shirked its responsibilities in terms of inputs?
Why then do we have rules? Why are there laws? I then think that the NSC should have their ways and say, but Chief Olobatoke Aka should, as an individual, resign from the NSF presidency and deliver a prohibitive libel and defamation of character suit worth about N30billion against the nine of them, join the NSC and wait for the outcome.
This is by calculating how many Nigerians and none Nigerians had read their lies and fibs. Multioplied by how many television stations, newspapers and online media had heard, listened to and read all they have published against his person which rubbed on his friends, relations and business associates. The onus depends on them to prove their allegations.
If the NSC were this responsible and love the game, how come they've not been funding the activities of the federation?
No wonder I have a symmetry of thought from Koyejo who wrote in from the UK: "Distasteful, you guys backed down so easily and when next you as a board are pushed around, na siddon look I go dey, shameful, whoever forced you guys to make this decision will eventually make you guys a laughing stock and toothless in dealing with further rancours, why then leave Sidespin suspended? Unsuspend the guy and make him NSF board chairman!"

One million reasons why Solomon Ogba has to resign or be sacked

Ogba, will he resign or be sacked?

I know that Amaka Ogoegbunam was not in Calabar. Where has she ran in recent times after the recent positive response of hers to the drug scam she was involved in? She was registered in the relays ahead of those who ran in Calabar. Uhn! What a sweet double standard or a total lack of standard this is?

To also show the improper understanding of the issues of standard in athletics, the other relay teams on the list had seven athletes, why and how did the selectors arrived at the decision of six members in the 4x400m men’s team? I hasten to say it loud and clear that Nigeria should not expect any form of medal (including clay) from the high jump men.

SURPRISES: How suddenly did the AFN removed Mr. Gabriel Opuana’s name from the list? Because he allowed a festered controversy on this blog with their ignoble list of officials or what? I will know in days ahead and if I do, I shall reveal same.

What happened to the names of Mrs Rita Akande (Chaperon) and Navy Capt. Nesiama Omatseye (Camp Commandant)? Any link to the Kenyan controversies? The people in the centre of it all are aware. They know. We that know what we know understand why these two names disappeared. Uhn! The evil that men do live with or after them.

On that same list, there was a phantom “media officer” Emelia Sturham whose name is totally alien to the media in Nigeria. If she had disappeared on merit what happened to Duro Ikhazuagbe, the real media officer who had been for years working so hard for the federation? With the list of jamboree attendees, it is extremely odd for Ikhazuagbe, a most relevant professional to be missing just as there is no team nurse or doctor. We used to have one Dr Ken (I am so sad I forgot his surname). Of course, with Gabriel Okon, Dr Ken would not have been needed! This is true. We know why.

The bigger surprises are those of coaches Innocent Egbunike (as personal coach) and Patience Itanyi (Welfare Officer). Whatever these titles and designations mean. Candidly, if I were in their shoes, I will proudly beg to be left alone and out of the team than join them and allow my name and records to be sorely stained by a planless AFN. The two are arguably some of the nation’s most experienced, trained and knowledgeable coaches. The two will be worshipped in saner climes for their values. Rather, they were decorated with vague titles. I will be utterly shocked if they accept to be in the team. I am waiting to see their responses as the days come by. I understand Mr. Rotimi Obajimi’s inclusion. This is the man who could not account for athletes’ Mobil Prize monies despite allegations that the sponsors actually paid the monies and the federation kept mute than fight the athletes’ interests.

MEDALS GUARANTEED IN ATHLETICS: I took a studied review of the list vis-à-vis the African records and the records of the last All African games, understanding also that, it will be a miracle for an athlete that can manufacture a new timing at short notice, thus, my mathematical estimation of the possibilities of the Nigerian medal hopes. I am sad to say, ceteris paribus, we may be looking forward to a maximum of five gold medals from this event.

My estimation is based on some other details of development I gathered (which I am yet to be able to confirm yet) but are very strong to be believed. If these developments make a final sense (in a matter of days), then, my estimation will come out perfect. When these developments are proven right, then, Nigerians will be shocked at the absolute lack of transparency on the part of the AFN that would have robbed us of medals.

To show our officials don’t know what they are doing. Are they not aware that Nigeria’s Selim Nurudeen ran 20.98secs (1.5 wind) in the 200m on the 30^th July 2011 at the Global Track and Field meet in the USA? These are basic data available on the internet. Yet, they registered Obinna Metu (20.84secs) {which is okay} and Agbaje Fredrick (21.32secs) and Oriala Chinedu who definitely is slower than Agbaje for the event. Is this in the national interests. Nurudeen’s timing at the meet in the 110m hurdles is 13.62 secs (0.0 wind) yet, the AFN has him as second with 13.95sec behind Okon Samuel’s 13.92sec. I know and can confirm that Nurudeen has boycotted the games because of the unprofessional conducts of our officials! Confirm this in a matter of days.

One sure medal we threw away is the possible gold medal of Idiata in the long jump. He had jumped 7.90m this year in Europe. 

So far, my oracular convictions show five gold medals. But based on the final list the AFN has submitted, there are nine gold medals in our kitty. These are the same chances Solomon Ogba counted to say he will return 10 gold medals in Maputo. These include:

Ajoke Odumosu (has a South African girl with the same timing so anything can even happen here), Jessica Ohanaja, Amaechi Morton, Selim Nurudeen, Doreen Amaka, Blessing Okagbare, Damola Osayomi and the 4x100m women. Between these athletes, we could have been counting 10 gold medals. We would be lucky to get six in the event of what I know which is not yet public for now.

UNPROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT: Two quick issues. I had raised earlier the case of three kids who created new national records in Calabar. One of them, Ann, was chopped specifically because she was “indisciplined” for avoiding the World Youth Championship to win the gold medal for her employers, Rivers State thus, diminishing the chances of Delta State, which the AFN president was working for at the festival.

A visit to the IAAF will show the inanity of the person(s) who decided the Nigerian list. Chinwe Okoro is listed as number one in Africa in shot put with 16.79m and in discus, she is number four behind an Ivorien and two South African girls with her personal best at 54.24m. Okwukwe Okolie, another Nigerian, is number 5 with 53.34m.

Okolie was registered on the AFN final list for short put, Okolie the better athlete was not. Why can't they register Chinwe for both discus and shot put?  (madness abi?).   That medal is thrown away deliberately by our own hands.

One quick one. Recall the story on Ann, the young 400m hurdler who was ordered to proceed to the world junior while the National Sports Festival was ongoing. The ploy was to deny Rivers State, her employer, the gold medal for Delta (that of the AFN president) to pick. For that, she was removed from the Commonwealth Youth championships because she is considered to be of “bad behaviour”. I can reveal that Ogba’s pride, Adejoke Odumosu, never neared Ann’s record before leaving the shores of Nigeria for the USA. Why was Ann not exposed to the All African games ahead of the years to come? See my drift? Instead and to spite the girl, they registered only Odumosu for the event. Uhn!

THREE ‘FINISHED’ ATHLETES IN THE LIST: I read in the papers comments of Mr. Solomon Ogba on Noah Akwu and Godday James. His comments showed that these athletes are “finished and gone beyond their prime.” What are they doing on his list to Maputo? So, he can’t manufacture better athletes than the duo?

Ask also, after all the vilifications and vituperations poured on Vivian Chukwuemeka, the AFN can shamelessly ‘smuggle’ her on the list to Maputo. So none of the ones they relied on can return to make Chukwuemeka’s record and defend her gold medal in Maputo. I am interested in seeing whether Vivian will be ‘stupid’ to attend the games in view of the fact that the AFN has not publicly apologised to her person, coaches, family and friends over all the federation had said about her in the public sphere. On the eve of the games, they resorted to her. One quick question, is Vivian in the current form to defend her title? Did she trained to peak for the All African games? Do these people not understand the dynamics and science about training an athlete for championships? If she is able to answer these basic questions and it fits into an all yes setting but wants to prove a point, she can attend the games without an apology from the AFN. Her only saving grace is to win the gold again, which candidly, given the above scenario I sincerely doubt. If she is not in the form, she attends, she will be finally messed up. If she attends and fail to win the gold, she is as good as having taken a gun and shot herself by the foot. If she excuse herself what would she have lost beyond being in Maputo and collecting how much they want to pay as allowances?

CAVEAT: More revelations to come your way in days. Welcome to my calloused world of investigation and reportage.

Will Mr Solomon Ogba resign after failing in Maputo?

Yusuf Suleiman, Sports minister, faces first failure

Sports is no voodoo. Nigeria has recorded so many sports feats without working for it or properly planning for such feats. The 10th All African games holding in Mozambique next month will show the true state of sport development in the country. Mark my words.
Three milestones will form the next stages of this scientific conclusion of mine. To untrained pundits, this decision or conclusion can be seen as hasty. The summary is: Nigeria will return from this edition with the worst ever performance.

THE CUBAN COACHES: That the National Sports Commission (NSC) has secured the services of three Cuban jump coaches for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) ahead of the All Africa Games scheduled to hold in September in Mozambique created a new fun and laughing spree.

According to the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, he said the three coaches were mainly for jumps (long jump, high jump and triple jump), throws (shot put and discus) and stick sprints (100m and 110m hurdles).

The implications are that, of Ogba's 14 crowd of coaches, none is good enough to handle the athletes in these events better than the Cubans? What is the exceptional feat of the Cubans or of Cuba in the jumps in global athletics history to make them magicians that will effect a profound difference in the team with less than 30 days to the games?

THE GHANA FIASCO: Uhn! Nigeria was markedly disgraced in Ghana by the AFN whose relay team I gathered dropped baton at the international athletics meet. I gathered the squad arrived too late (yes, late to Ghana). They had no coach. Is this not the omen of the planlessness of the AFN that is unashamedly promising 10 gold medals out of 48 available in athletics? I will be horribly shocked if they mistakingly meet this high standard of 10 gold medals. I have done my own analysis, I do not see them making that. Will Mr. Solomon Ogba offer to resign if and when he finish failing this mark in Maputo. He has done more harm to athletics than any of his predecessors.

Was this not the same AFN that set inhuman standards for the national athletics meet in Calabar?
Is it not this same AFN that dropped three national record setting athletes from the commonwealth youth championship for "bad behaviour". What qualifies as bad behaviour? When coaches and federation officials ask female athletes for sex and the athletes say no. That makes the athlete one of “bad behaviour” and is discriminated against by being blacked out of the national team. Their events are as a result removed from the events the federation is interested in.

MAPUTO OMEN: This is a nation without records and history. Did the current managers of uNigerian athletics realise that in African athletics, a Nigerian was the first to run under 10 seconds in 100m? do they know that a Nigerian was the first to run under 20secs in 200 metres? The same goes for the 400m flat and even the long jump. Today, it is clear that we are lost in the maze of leadership in African athletics in terms of performance.

TOMORROW: By this time tomorrow, I will deliver my firm verdict on the final list that the AFN released to represent Nigeria in Maputo. It is incisive, detailed and asserts that there is no vision in the house and the nation is set actually for the disaster foretold. Keep a date.

Islamic banking: Why I am not a Christian

CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi Lamido

Bertrand Russel, that exceptional writer had one of his classic outings he titled "Why I am not a Christian", I have decide to 'steal' that work to get to my destination - the unblemished truth.
Transliterate my headline it can mean, 'I'll become a "mallam" to enjoy Islamic banking services. I can and if I do, what sin have I committed? Let every religion do the same and see if I will not change.
Woe to principles in the face of hunger. Ask which religion did I bring when I was born? My father's uncle, Alhaji Busari, may Allah grant him aljannah, did more good to more Christians than pastors. Where were the pastors?

The problem of Nigeria is not the faiths but the faithless-ness of those professing the faiths! You will agree with me this is very profound. i hate when filling forms, mongrels ask me "religion". It hurts me deep. Does my hood make me a monk? The biggest thieves of this land used religion to steal us blind. How many christians did M K O Abiola helped when he was alive? Did he deal with his 'friends' based on his religion?

Hypocrisy:
There is too much hypocrisy and mass psychologic deception floating around over this "Islamic banking" issue. Begad, I swear, it is a PRINCIPLE of banking POPULARIZED by Muslims, consistent with the Holy Bible: namely non-interest-bearing, profit-sharing banking. Like Zakat (obligatory alms giving) and Sadaqa (voluntary alms giving), these are tenets that Christians too could elevate in their faith practice consistent with the Bible.

Haba! In our privacy, do we not loan money to a friend, family or relation and say, "Just give me back my money after you are done"? This is simple non-interest-bearing, zero-profit-sharing loan from your "personal bank!"

Islamic banking like Jega's parties:

Now, about "Islamic banking", what will NOT be acceptable - and will be in violation of the grund norm which is the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are two things:

1.       - if the name of the bank BEARS a religious nomenclature and/or insignia that might SUGGEST (even if it does not practice) discrimination.  This is the same test that a political party in Nigeria must pass in its name and symbol: no religious confusion. - if the bank actually PRACTISES discrimination in its service delivery to citizens (eg in account opening, in loan giving.)
Why must a born again christian not get loan from an Islamic bank. Was Bank PHB not meant to have been in this business with Abiola until the real enemies of this country used the media to kill the idea?

2.       You should for example not have to change your name, title or religion to be responded to.  Again, this is the same test that political party must pass, in its written constitution and practice.Once those two things pass muster, I see no problems at all. 

Our religion at birth:

Wait a minute! Did Nigerians not freely and fairly voted for a muslim-muslim ticket via MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe in 1983? Was it not a muslim, Ibrahim that squashed it? Assuming there were plans to Islamise Nigeria, has the Ibrahim not worked against Allah in this instance?

Seek the truth and let it set you free. More Alhajis and Pastors have worked together to steal us blind. Within the religions, there has been more enemies. Are there no men married to muslim women and whose lives have been more stable. Till tomorrow, my most reliable friends are Muslims. It is not about what religion you profess.

In this matter, Christians must understand that there are millions of Nigerian citizens who are Muslims, and who should be allowed to practice their faith freely so long as they do not stop others from practising their own faith - and I don't see how an "Islamic banking principle" (with the two caveats above) cannot operate.  The prophetic challenge is how to practice our faith consistently and faithfully without being syncretic and how to leave God to defend Himself against assault by the enemy.
The truth compiled:

Romans 14:14. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself.
1 Corinthians 10:25-27 (also 1 Corinthians 8:4-8): Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. Acts 15:29: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21...the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.

Revelation 2:20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. Paul's teaching, which he explains in Romans 14:14-23 and 1 Corinthians 8:4-13, is that eating food sacrificed to idols is not wrong in and of itself, but is better avoided for the sake of Christians who think it is wrong and would consequently be led into sin (Romans 14:23).
While eating food that has been sacrificed to idols is not wrong, participating in idol worship is. Part of the idol worship of the time may have involved sacrificing meat to an idol and then feasting on the meat in celebration of the idol. In this case, participating in the feast would be participating in the worship of the idol, just as partaking of Communion is an act of worshipping Christ - a parallel Paul draws in 1 Corinthians 10:15-18. Therefore v. 20-21 refer to eating sacrificed meat at an idol feast and thus practicing idolatry (as opposed to buying sacrificed meat in the market, or eating sacrificed meat at an ordinary meal in someone's home). The condemnation of eating sacrificed meat in Acts 15:29 and Revelation 2:20 probably refers to participation in an idol feast, but could also refer to the sin of leading others into sin by eating it (1 Cor 8:10-12).

Christian banking:

The Islamic principal banking system is the Biblical way of Banking as instructed by God. Does the above passages not speak the truth without blemish?

See below Bible passages from King James.

9 " You shall not charge interest to your brother -- interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.

20 "To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess. (Deuteronomy 23:19,20)

10 "I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!
11 "Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them." (Nehemiah 5:10,11)

5 He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)

8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor. (Proverbs 28:8)

7 If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;
8 If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man
9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully -- He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18:7-9)

13 If he has exacted usury Or taken increase -- Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him. (Ezekiel 18:13)

17 Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes -- He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live! (Ezekiel 18:17)

12 "In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten me," says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 22:12)

Useless faith leaders:

And I'm amazed how Nigerian Christians quickly come to judgement when the Scriptures say "judge not". The Nigerian Church is so full of itself and falsely arrogates to itself the monopoly of righteousness which it is in dire need of.

Second coming of the church in Nigeria:

There is, no doubt, the second coming of the church in Nigeria. The present church has sold its soul to materialism. This was not the church Joseph Ayo Babalola and Moses Tunolase Orimolade left.
Why are they not championing Christian Banking to give non-interest loan to Christians?
If the Nigerian Church were alive, Nigeria would not be in the thick darkness it is today. We are certainly in the dark. The deception is akin in Islam. Why must the leaders of Islam in Nigeria not be  ashamed of themselves looking at the transformation Islam has carried out in Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar et al.
The problem of Nigeria is not the faiths but the faithless-ness of those professing the faiths!