The Blog: February 2008

Missosology Deux

Remember when I blogged about Missosology (meaning a collection of all the Miss X's i.e. Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International)?

Missosology Part 2 is back!

2007's World Miss University - Miss Nigeria

Name: Chukwudubem Usonwanne OGBUAGU

Born: 8th June1986

University: Nnamdi Azikiwe University(Law)

Future Hope: to have the biggest law firm in the world

Speiciality: disc jockey

Miss University Nigeria

The pageant, which is aimed at unifying university students and also celebrating beauty with brain amongst undergraduates, had 34 University Beauty Queens from across Nigeria camped at the Gateway Hotel, Abeokuta from the 14th-29th September, 2007 vying for One Crown. 20 year old Miss DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, Odogwu Janet Fumnanya emerged as the winner “MISS UNIVERSITY NIGERIA” out of the 20 screened finalists. The pageant was held in partnership with the Ogun State Government.

Check out the beauty queens here - hehehe

2007's Miss Africa USA Pageant - Miss Nigeria and Winner

Nigeria's Mfonobong Essiet was the winner of last year's pageant.

Age: 22

Country: Nigeria

Education: I am Currently studying for a Master's Degree in Biomedical Sciences at Barry University in Miami Florida. I graduated in 2006 from Florida International University with a degree in Biological Sciences/Pre-Medicine.

Hobbies & Talents: Dancer, Choreographer, Model, Web Designer, Graphic Designer, Makeup Artist, Event Planner, Pageant Coach, Tutor, Biography Writer, Paper Editor.

Did you know that 2005's winner of the Annual Miss Africa International Awards was fellow blogger Adaure Achumba?! Wow

Nigeria: The Making of A SuperModel - Want to be on the show? Registrants visit 7, Sapara Williams off Idowu Martins. Victoria Island, Lagos. [www.nigeriansupermodel.com]

Missosology - Miss Universe

See the 2007 winner here

Missosology - Miss Earth 2007 - Miss Nigeria

Nigeria's contestant in the Miss Earth Pageant was Stacey Garvey. That name doesnt sound Nigerian sha.

Missosology - Miss World 2007

Check out last year's contestants (click on the pic) -

Representing Miss Nigeria was Munachi Gail Teresa Nwankwo Abbi (pretty)

Missosology - Miss International 2007

Check out the contestants

Also check out the Miss Nigeria USA website

MORE ON MODELLING

Dear All,

World PR is having an auditions geared towards scouting for upcoming/existing talent in the following categories:
* Models
* Presenters
* Journalists
* Photographers
* Programme Directors and Producers.

If you think you have something to offer in any of the listed castegories above. Send your acknowledgement to careers@world-pr.com.

The auditions/casting process will be held at the Spotlight Venue on 7 Leicester Square on the 27th of February 2008.

See you there.

Team at World Pr.

P. Diddy is also looking for models

That's it!

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor

This is for Arsenal fans :)

Watch Ian Wright on Emmanuel Adebayor, click on the image below:

V/I Traffic News

ROAD WORKS ON OZUMBA MBADIWE AVENUE

Lekki Concession Company would like to inform the general public as follows –
Adeyemo Alakija junction is temporarily closed to Westbound traffic in order to complete the asphalting of this section of road.

Westbound traffic within this section is therefore being diverted into a single lane on the East bound carriage way up to Akin Adesola turning.

This section will be opened to traffic tomorrow.

Please look out for diversion and other road signs that will be placed along the road to guide you, and follow instructions from traffic management and law enforcement officers on the road.

Kindly bear with us and accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. The end of the current phase of the project is near. We are on track to open all the new lanes from the Falomo Bridge loop to Mobil Bridge, by month end.

For more detailed information and for maps of diversionary routes, please visit our website at http://www.lcc.com.ng

Working Together We Will Make The Difference.

Videobyte: Talib Kweli's new video shot in Lagos

Thanks to Lil' Mama.....

Talib Kweli's new video... shot in Lagos.

Observe the danfos, iro and buba, 3rd mainland bridge and cele prayers.

ANd dude was riding on an okada.............

Talib Kweli - Hostile Gospel

Previews

I have really been in the movie-watching mood all week and most of the Hollywood Blockbusters I want to see have not been released yet! So I have had to make do with about 2 Yoruba movies per night. Most have been really good, except for one - Omo Yahoo! I had to take it out of the dvd player sharpish before I threw the case at the TV - Crikey!

Anyway, I am waiting for the following movies to be released (sometime this year). See trailers below:

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins - trailer [http://www.welcomehomeroscoejenkins.com/]

What Happens In Vegas - trailer [http://www.whathappensinvegasmovie.com/]

First Sunday - trailer [http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/firstsunday/index.html]

Leatherheads - trailer [http://www.leatherheadsmovie.net/]

Meet the Browns - trailer [http://www.tylerperry.com/shows/browns/]

Other movies I plan on watching:

Somebody help me - watch trailer here

The Perfect Holiday - watch trailer here [www.ThePerfectHolidayMovie.com]

College Road Trip - watch trailer here [http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/collegeroadtrip/]

Other Hollywood News:

Check out Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony on the photoshoot of ALADDIN in this video

Also check out Jennifer Hudson on the Sex and the City Movie set.

Beyonce Nabs Etta James Role In Upcoming Movie - read

Her "Beyonce Experience " dvd trailer is available on youtube

Speaking of Beyonce, her song "Flaws and All" is featured on the Why Did I Get Married Soundtrack. Track listing:

1. Keith Sweat f/Keysia Love U Better

2. Babyface Sorry for the Stupid Things

3. Anita Baker - You Belong To Me

4. Kelly Price - Why

5. Gerald Levert - DJ Don’t Remix

6. Musiq - Betterman

7. Tyrese - One

8. Hope - Who Am I To Say

9. Beyonce - Flaws And All

10. Laura Izibor - Mmmm

11. Amel Larrieux - No One Else

12. Tamika Scott-Why Did I Get Married

13. Michael Buble - L-O-V-E

14. Jennifer Holiday - Givin’ Up

The album is available to grab here

Finally, I talked about the Bible Experience dvd a while ago (click here) and a reader of my blog went ahead to buy it and spoke of how it is truly amazing. Visit The Bible Experience website.

Have a good weekend! xx

Happy Valentines Day.........

....... from God

John 3:16

For God so loVed the world,
That He gAve
His onLy
BegottEn
SoN
That whoever
Believes In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life.

What Is Going On?

Valentines Day

I got this message from a group on facebook "so you think you can cook?"

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and I’m sure a lot of folks are beating themselves up wondering what to get that special someone in your life. Bump the Victoria Secret crap…..it’s done! The boring old perfume and the gifts in the little blue box! How about something fresh and original that actually takes a bit of effort on your part and is priceless not just MasterCard! How about you cook them some dinner!!! It’s the sweetest thing ever! Set the table, chill some Champaign, dim the lights and cook something special!

So this Valentine get your grub on with the help of some of the most fabulous chefs from all over, take a look at the different recipes and pick one that’s right for you! Besides, a great meal is the perfect aphrodisiac for a special night such as Valentine!
If there is no current special one at the moment, that’s cool too…cook yourself some comfort food! LOL
Have fun and be blessed!!!

That sounds like fun, how about this for a valentine's meal ? LOL see how the guy put everything down, ready to attack. I can imagine his sleeves rolled up!

Alternatively, if you are in Lagos and are the going out/nocturnal type, there are valentines day parties for couples and singles at Piccolomondo and Bacchus.

HBS-ABC 2008

The Harvard Business School Africa Business Conference is coming up this weekend (from 15th Feb.) once again in Boston, MA. For those interested you can still sign up here. It's all about networking, careers, panels discussing about business, investments and Africa. It is worth going for, trust me.

The cocktail reception on Friday night (Feb 15) with executives from Renaissance Capital will include:

Complimentary appetizers and South African wine
African Fashion and Art show
Check out distinguished speakers and panelists that will make the event an eye-opener for all participants.
Formal Banquet on Saturday evening for all participants at Sheraton Boston Hotel with performance by Grammy Award winner Angelique Kidjo! [click]

There will also be two after parties. See flyers below:

An evening with P-Square

They may have been caught up in an unfortunate event recently but thankfully, they are alive and are performing at the Eko Hotel (Lagos, Nigeria) this Saturday (16th Feb). See flyer below:

London Nigerians Rugby Football Club Fundraiser

Press Release: Last year they toured in Nigeria and made waves not only in Nigeria but Africa sponsored by Virgin nigeria and FBN amongst others. Oxfam and Reuters news have taken keen interest in their charity and publicity work. They are set to return in the summer to pick up were they left off.

This Saturday, come drink, dance and party whilst helping to support a good cause! (and pick up a late valentine maybe??) Check out their blog - London Nigerians Rugby.

Entry fee: £10
Location: Lati Ri, Rivington Street, Shoreditch EC2A 3BE.

Watch out for my review on the Imperial College ACS Afro Gala - Pulse

Oprah vs. Tyra

Forbes has just released it's top-earning Black celebrities list and Oprah tops it, of course, with - $260m a year ($2.6bn) i.e. she earns $712,000 a day! Last October, she gave away about $300,000 to her audience (click on link to read). Well, that is just less than a half day's salary innit?

Winfrey, 54, whose publicity got into some hot water last year (click to read) is still on top.

The Top Ten Are:

1. Oprah Winfrey $260 million
2. Tiger Woods $100 million
3. Jay-Z $83 million
4. 50 Cent $33 million
5. Kobe Bryant $33 million
6. Shaquille O’Neal $32 million
7. Michael Jordan $31 million
8. Will Smith $31 million
9. Beyonce $27 million
10. LeBron James $27 million

At the same time, talk show host, producer and supermodel, Tyra Banks is becoming a public role model, she was even given an award (click). That still doesn't stop her from being a tad bit jealous of talk show host, Oprah Winfrey according to a lie detector test. Who wouldn't be? Watch video below:

Now to Forbes Richest African American Celebs, a lot of these girls and guys are philanthropists but not all. It is one thing to make it but another to then reach out and push others higher. Pepsi Firsts celebrates a new generation of African American heroes (not necessarily as wealthy as our Forbes 10) who inspire and lead the way breaking barriers in various industries and life in general. Check out http://www.pepsifirsts.com/

Looking closely at one of the profiles, Sheila C. Johnson is the first African-American female billionaire. She is a successful businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist and oversees a growing portfolio of luxury properties as CEO of Salamander Hospitality. She is also the first woman to have a stake in three professional sports teams - The Washington Mystics (WNBA), the Wizars (NBA) and the Capitals (NHL). She serves as Global Ambassador for CARE and is an avid sponsor of the arts.

Download the Pepsi Firsts calendar here to read about several other profiles in pictures.

Q & A with TopUpNigeria M.D.

Mr. Firopo Akin-Agunbiade (FAA) is the Managing Director of Top Up Nigeria, the one stop online shop for Nigerian GSM Cell phone top up (MTN, Celtel, Glo and Starcomms). In this engaging interview, Naija to the Core finds out more about TopUpNigeria, dealing with the growth of e-commerce and low levels of internet penetration in Nigeria and the future of TopUpNigeria, as well as a word of advice for up and coming entrepreneurs from Mr. Akin-Agunbiade.

Mona: Hello Mr. Akin-Agunbiade, could you please introduce yourself (i.e. who you are in the company) and your academic profile as well as places you have worked prior to starting TopUpNigeria?

FAA: I am the MD of Funtech Communications UK Ltd. We are a company based in the UK with a Nigerian subsidiary called Topupnigeria.com Nig Ltd with big ideas and a lot of determination. The company has primarily 2 directors, that is, me and Tayo Ogunlade.

I am an architect by training and a business man by nature. My CV is quite diverse. I attended UNILAG where I studied architecture. My career started with an Italian Facade engineering company based in the UK - Permasteelisa UK Ltd. There, I worked as assistant project manager for 3 years and rose to Project manager, where I worked for a further 2 years. I went to work for Laing O'rourke Construction UK Ltd as a Facade Project manager before I discovered and created Topupnigeria.com

Mona: Why did you start TopUpNigeria/what was the motivation?

FAA: I started www.topupnigeria.com as a hobby to provide a service to Nigerian’s in disapora to simply have a link back to Nigeria from anywhere you are in the world. It started with a discussion with a friend of mine called Osaze who was visiting the UK and worked for one of the telecoms companies in Nigeria. I was running another International calling card business as a small side business and he was amazed at the technology and wondered why I did not do it for Nigerian recharge cards. The light bulb lit up in my head and it all just came together with other ideas I was developing on paper.

The motivation is the new technology and the potential of the business to give Nigeria a presence in the internet trading world.

Mona: What/Who are your market base?

FAA: Nigerians everywhere in the world i.e. in Nigeria and abroad

Mona: How old is TopUpNigeria?

FAA: 16months

Mona: What has the response been to your product so far?

FAA: Response has been good. We can't complain

Mona: What is the easiest way to advertise and has it been effective?

FAA: Word of mouth is the best and easiest way to advertise and so far our reputation as a clean company is paying off.

Mona: Are you the only one in this segment of the market?

FAA: Well as you know, when a good thing starts others follow. We have some competition.

Mona: Is the business solvent yet and do you have major overheads?

FAA: Yes we are solvent and there are major overheads

Mona: What's the future of top up Nigeria?

FAA: The future is very bright and we are excited about it.

Mona: Is TopUpNigeria accessible ONLY over the internet?

FAA: Yes we are only accessible on the internet for the service we offer right now.

Mona: What impact does this have on your business since internet penetration is very poor in Nigeria?

FAA: Well, the industry is growing very fast in Nigeria. People are getting more comfortable with the internet in Nigeria and Nigerians all over the world

Mona: Do you have a lot of patronage outside of Nigeria and can we pay for the service with foreign payment platforms (MasterCard/Visa etc)?

FAA: Yes we get patronage outside Nigeria and you can pay with any payment card in the world.

Mona: Are you alone or do you have partners?

FAA: Yes I have a major partner call Tayo Ogunlade. He is a director of the company.

Mona: Do you see the internet having a serious impact on Nigerian businesses and how near or far away is this going to happen?

FAA: The internet is already changing the face of Nigerian businesses. I think within the next 5 years Nigeria will begin gain real interest from the international internet community.

Mona: What is your ultimate dream for TopUpNigeria? Is there any chance for a formal partnership with the networks?

FAA: Well we have formal partnerships already. I would rather not disclose our dreams but they are exciting

Mona: Do you currently head any other business(es) and if so which?

FAA: Yes I do. I would prefer not to talk about that.

Mona: What advice do you have for anyone else who want to start a business for themselves?

FAA: Make sure you are clear about what you want to do and do it just don’t talk about it. There 3 types of people in this world, those that hear about what has happen, those that watch what is happening and those that make things happen

Mona: This is slightly out of scope but as a Technology person, I am keen to find out how you leverage customer support, quality, web updates and troubleshooting responsibilities in your e-business?

FAA: Well we do it in-house... we are constantly working hard and get little sleep.

Thank you Mr. Akin-Agunbiade and all the best.

Don't forget you can also buy True Love Nigeria in the UK now, courtesy of TopUpNigeria.

Videobyte: Obama - Yes We Can

I must confess I have not necessarily been following The U.S. Election especially as it was Super Tuesday yesterday (see link). Unlike my fellow friends and relatives, I just catch a glimpse of updates every now and then. I am backing Obama though and I really like this video - of course because there is a lot of celeb dropping (re: name dropping) - the likes of Tatyana Ali, Scarlett Johansson, Will.I.Am, John Legend, Common, Nicole Scherzinger, Tracee Ellis Ross etc. Go Obama! YES WE CAN! P.S. Why did Nick Cannon look like he didn't want to be there?

Super Tuesday is still going on for those who are not following and Hillary Clinton and John McCain won votes in California while Barack Obama leads with 13 states alongside McCain (in a tie).

Speaking of special days, fellow blogger Lil Mama sent me this flyer for an alternative First Fridays to attend rather than the so called "stiff" First Fridays event in Lagos. Lol.

If you are in Lagos still try and go for the event sha and see for yourself.

Anyway the flyer was just an ad as the Trini First Fridays Bash has now passed but I have a free Caribbean PROMO ONLY mixtape for you to download.

World Cancer Day 2008

It's World Cancer Day today. Visit www.uicc.org and www.worldcancercampaign.org

We should remember those we have lost to cancer, those battling with cancer and should celebrate new developments and finds in cancer research as well as sponsor related causes.

Tuface and Armed Robbers Again and Other Showbiz

2Face and Armed Robbers Again

This time he was robbed and his Range Rover Sport thats not even 3 months old was taken from him. May God bless and protect him from all this. Amen

Read rest of the story here

Source: Bizzle

Anyway, he is doing fine and here is a videobyte with him and Beenie Man - Enjoy!

D'banj for Vals Day?

TOUCHING THE RIGHT SPOTS WITH D'BANJ

An unforgettable experience awaits you on every Virgin Nigeria flight. From in-flight services to entertainment and choice meals on board. Our services are crafted to touch you in the right spots. This Valentines, we are giving you the opportunity to choose the flight that you would want D'banj to operate as a cabin crew, and of course dressed in our cabin crew uniform if you are flying business class, you will not only get a copy of his latest CD but a huge goodie bag as well. Send a message to "Noble Igwe" on facebook. D'banj is already an ambassador for one of the Virgin Brands

Nigeria booted out of the Africa Nations Cup by Ghana 10

Very sad.....like someone said: To go down in the quarters is gutting, to go down in the quarters after scoring only 3 goals all tournament is quite irritating (only 2 from open play). To go down in the quarters to 10 men is humiliating to say the least.To go down to a 10 man Ghanaian team... nuf said.

Yep we we lost to Ghana yesterday with only 10 men playing in their own team. Let's hope we can redeem ourselves in future matches to come - but this was a big deal, a whole Nations Cup.

For those who don't know about 9ice, he is a fairly new artist with the new single Gongo Aso - listen to it on his myspace here and also check out his website.

If you want 9ice to perform in your city, click here

Final Videobyte

One of my favourite new Naija jams: Flex by Riz featuring Sauce Kid (enjoy)

Naija: Showbiz, Music and Storm Nigeria Special

True Love WA now available in the UK

Your march 08 edition of True Love West Africa is now available IN THE UK!!

Please call +447951536726 for more details, email help@topupnigeria.com or visit WWW.TOPUPNIGERIA.COM

Cost £3.50

Wind Am Well Video is Out (see below)

Featuring Ikechukwu and other Storm Nig peeps (Don Jazzy and D'banj). More on Storm Nigeria later in this article.