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Entertainment

I danced vigorously to God for remembering my daughter – Jumoke Orisaguna's mother

Nigerian Tribune writer, Oluwole Ige recently had an interview with Mrs Ramota Kamorudeen, a vegetable seller at Obada market in Iree, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, and the mum to rave of the moment, Olajumoke Orisagunna. Find Excerpts below.

How did you receive the news of your daughter becoming a celebrity overnight?

I was very happy when I heard. It is a thing of joy that my daughter has become an important person in life.
Was there previously a sign or prophecy that Olajumoke would be great in life?
There was no sign and we did not receive any prophecy from a pastor or alfa that she would become famous in the future. What I have always known, however, is that only God has the power to change a person’s status from nothing to something.
What did you discuss with her before she left for Lagos where fortune eventually smiled on her?
I beseeched God to open the door of opportunities for her, let her make it and let anything she laid her hands on in Lagos turn to gold. I prayed God to make her meet somebody who would help her. Those were my prayers and I thank God that He has answered them.
How would you describe Olajumoke?

She is a lovely child, well-behaved and easygoing. She does not do anything that can bring problem to her or others.

Why did her education stop at the primary school level?
After she left primary school, she told me that she wanted to learn hairdressing, so, we took her to a shop here in Iree where she started to learn the occupation. That was the reason she did not go beyond primary school. After she completed her apprenticeship a few years ago, we organised a graduation ceremony for her.
Now that Olajumoke’s status has changed, what is your advice for her?
I know that God does things His own way but my advice for her is to allow God to lead her in everything she does and listen to the instructions of people who have helped her to become what she is today. My prayer is that as God started something great in her life, He would continue to help her so that she would rise and become successful.
Has she called you since her life changed?
Yes, she has called me several times. She even called me the day the good thing happened and explained everything to me. She told me about how she was discovered by the lady called T. Y. Bello. I was so excited. I danced vigorously to appreciate God for ‘remembering’ my daughter. She has not come back to Iree since that remarkable thing happened to her but we have been communicating on the telephone. We speak on the phone at least six times a day.
Did Olajumoke grow up in Iree?

Yes, she grew up here in Iree.

What do you do for a living?

I am a vegetable seller. I have been doing this work for a long time. This is my stand. This is where I sell vegetables, including ewedu. Olajumoke’s siblings are in nursery and primary schools.

How do you see your daughter’s sudden fame?

God has done something so wonderful in my life that I cannot express how joyous I am. My daughter has made me proud. God has set her feet on the path of greatness.

What is your plan now? Do you intend to go and meet your daughter in Lagos?

I want her to settle down first. I will go and meet her in Lagos later. She told me that they would soon travel.

What about her husband, Sunday Orisagunna?

Her husband has gone to meet her since the time she was discovered by T. Y. Bello. One of Jumoke’s children is with her and the other one is here in Iree.

She should remember the daughter of whom she is —Uncle
An uncle to Olajumoke, Mr Isiaka Olubonku, also shares his thoughts and experience with OLUWOLE IGE.
When you heard about Olajumoke’s newfound fame, how did you feel?

I felt very happy when I heard about the good thing that happened to her. I saw it on Facebook. When I saw her pictures and read the news about her on Facebook, I could not tell her mother because I was not sure if it was actually my niece or another person. When I was eventually convinced that it was her, I went to meet my sister, her mother, and asked if she had heard the news of her daughter’s fortune and she said yes. I know Jumoke to be a lovely child destined for good things. My prayer is that God grant her long life because this is not the last of the good things that will come her way. In fact, this is the beginning of great things to come for her. She is going to be known worldwide. I also pray God to give her wisdom and knowledge required to sustain her new status so that she will not misbehave or jeopardise her relationship with people. She has always been a responsible girl.

What is your advice for Olajumoke?

My advice for her is to be patient. She should remember her parents always and be mindful of her background in Iree town. She must also remember what she has passed through. She should be wary of negative advice and be good to her relations and friends.

I took her in after my son impregnated her –Mother-in-law
Olajumoke’s mother-in-law, Mrs Janet Orisagunna, also speaks with OLUWOLE IGE on her daughter-in-law.
How did you receive the news of Olajumoke’s fortune with her pictures in newspapers and on social media?
She is my son’s wife but I treat her as my own daughter. I felt very happy when I heard the good news.
Since your son, Sunday, married Olajumoke, how would you describe her attitude?

She has always exhibited a good character. My son met and impregnated her when she was learning hairdressing. My son had phoned me from Lagos and said that if I heard that he impregnated a girl, it was true and he was ready to marry her. In the evening of that day, somebody brought Jumoke and mentioned Sunday as the one who put her in the family way. I said there was no problem and asked her to come and stay with me. Some weeks later, she brought her luggage and began living with me here. I soon went to meet her parents and told them that we had accepted her as our wife and daughter. Since she gave birth, I have been taking care of her. Sometime last year, she told me that she was going to Lagos to work and I gave her my blessing. She dropped her firstborn for her mother but when the child was sick, my in-law brought her to me, saying that she said he wanted to see her father (Sunday), who was then in Osogbo, where he was learning to make aluminium doors and windows. Sunday came to Iree for the weekend and we took the child to the hospital and thereafter, she was okay. But when Jumoke heard that her child was sick, she said she wanted to come and take her to Lagos and I said there was no need for that. Not quite long afterwards, she came to Iree and started staying here.

However, in January, this year, she told me that she was going back to Lagos and I asked about her decision to return to Lagos. This time, she took her two children to Lagos but I was not comfortable with it and I gave her husband money to go and bring back the first child so that she could continue her education in Iree. I didn’t want anything to disrupt her education because it might be difficult to find a school for her in Lagos. She later brought the child back to Iree. About a week after, she went back to Lagos and the next thing we heard in the news is that she has become a model. We did not really take the news seriously at first. Her husband called and told me that he wanted to travel to Lagos because some people took the picture of Jumoke and they were looking for her and eventually found her at the bakery where she usually bought bread in large quantities. He said they asked him to come to Lagos over the matter. I gave him the transport fare and he left for Lagos. When he got to Lagos, Sunday called me and said that it was good news and we were all happy.
What is your advice for Olajumoke now?

This is a thing of joy for me and Jumoke’s parents. For us in the Orisagunna family, we see it as a big success. Jumoke and her husband, my son, should continue to pray and thank God and realise that it is God who has brought them this far in life.

I also catered for her and her husband so I’m relieved at their independence –Brother-in-law
Olajumoke’s brother-in-law, Olakunle Orisagunna, in a chat with OLUWOLE IGE, equally speaks on the new status of his younger brother’s wife.
What was your reaction when you heard that Olajumoke had become a model, a celebrity in Lagos?
I was very happy because I was partly responsible for them. I was not far from our family house here in Iree. Jumoke was here with my mother when she had her children. I thank God that they have become independent now. If she were still here, Mama would be struggling to feed them. God, in His infinite mercies, has placed Jumoke on a level where she could not have dreamt of ever been. I have told them to pray every day and be grateful to God for His kindness and mercy. I pray God to give them long life and good health to enjoy this goodness. I thank my mother for all she has done for the two of them. If they were still here, she would be catering for the couple and their children. Wherever they may be now, I am sure they remember the role this old woman has played in their lives. Similarly, I thank T. Y. Bello for what she has done for Jumoke. From what I have read in the newspapers and online, T. Y. Bello has been very supportive of my brother and sister-in-law. She has been responsible for their upkeep since she discovered Jumoke. On Valentine’s Day, I saw pictures of Jumoke in different attires on Facebook. At events where she has signed contracts, Jumoke has worn different clothes. All these are the making of T. Y. Bello.
How would you counsel Olajumoke at this point?
I would admonish her not to disrespect those people who have helped her. She should persevere and be humble to her boss. She needs to be patient because people will say things. She must not listen to them so as not to give room for friction between her and T. Y. Bello.
Credit : Nigerian Tribune
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Entertainment

Nigerian professor to receive highest honour for Scientists and Engineers in the US.

Another Nigerian hoisting the country’s flag. Deji Akinwande, a Nigerian professor is set to receive the U.S government’s highest honor for scientists and engineers.

An associate professor in electrical and computer engineering and the Jack Kilby/Texas Instruments Endowed Faculty Fellow in Computer Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, he was selected for having research that is both innovative and beneficial to society.

He is considered one of the top researchers in the world in the areas of graphene, silicon electronics and 2-D nanomaterials for use in flexible electronics. Known for his groundbreaking research on nanomaterials, sensors, devices and flexible technology, in 2015, Akinwande created the first transistor out of silicene, the world’s thinnest silicon material, and he is continuing to advance the capabilities of computer chips and other electronics.

A statement released by the University of Texas, reads: “Deji Akinwande has been selected to receive a 2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by President Obama, the United States government’s highest honor for scientists and engineers in the early stages of research. 

Prestigious awards under his belt include the Inaugural IEEE NANO “Geim and Novoselov Graphene Prize,” an  IEEE Early Career Award in Nanotechnology, a National Science Foundation Career Award, an Army Research Office Young Investigator award, a Young Investigator award from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. 

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Entertainment

Bayern Munich fans unveil banner against Pep Guardiola

2 Bundelsiga titles, the 3rd on the way,  UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, one DFB-Pokal, isn’t it reallyyyy obvious Pep was never their thing. How come this reaction didn’t come when he was leading them to victories.

Bayern Munich fans yesterday unveiled a banner against current coach, Pep Guardiola reacting to his decision to exit the club next season. Wordings on the banner which was held up in the club’s 3-1 win over Darmstadt read: “Pep war eh nie unser ding” meaning “Pep was never our thing anyway”

The Spaniard who is to take up the reins at English club Manchester City.

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Entertainment

Olajumoke Orisaguna: The Nigerian Cinderella |By : Reuben Abati

About three weeks ago, 27-year old Olajumoke Orisaguna was a complete unknown on the streets of Lagos, hawking bread.  A loaf of bread is about N100, and even with a full tray such as she carried in her first public embrace of fame, her whole ware for a day may not be more than N3,000, with daily profit between N300-N700.
She had trained as a hair stylist, got married but had to leave her husband and a daughter back home in Ire, Osun state, to ‘hustle’ as it were in Lagos. The life of a bread seller in Lagos is easily imaginable: exposure to the elements, to sundry abuse, including the possibility of being raped by unruly artisans and bachelors, who will offer to buy bread and something else along with it, if the hawker is willing.
This was Olajumoke Orisaguna’s reality until she ran into TY Bello and Tinie Tempah and her life changed. Today, she has been enrolled as a model. Her story has appeared in all newspapers, on CNN, Huffington Post, and virtually everywhere online.
Two companies: StanbicIBTC and PayPorte have made her their brand ambassador. The former even awarded her two daughters scholarships up to university level. Her face has appeared on the cover of magazines. She is now a student at Poise Finishing School, an intern with two beauty salons, and a motivational speaker, even if she reportedly can’t speak English.
When she went to the office of the National Identity Management Commission to get an identity card, NIMC also cashed in on her new found fame to use her to promote the agency: “Olajumoke knows she needs to NIMC. She walked into a NIMC centre yesterday unsolicited. Olajumoke is smart. Be like her.”  This must be the most saccharine endorsement of Olajumoke so far.
To crown it all, a construction company has given her a luxury apartment in Lagos. From hawking bread in Agege, she is now within weeks, the darling of corporate Nigeria, the poster girl for corporate social responsibility, a landlady, and a role model. She had probably never seen the inside of an aircraft, but a few days ago, she was on a flight to Abuja to give a speech!
Mrs Orisaguna is Nigeria’s Cinderella. Hers is a sudden, unplanned, unexpected, unprepared for grass to grace, rags to riches story, a kind of I–just-dey-waka-my-own-jeje-luck-come-jam-me-tale. It doesn’t happen everyday.  It is the kind of accident that many Nigerians seek: accidental fame and fortune. It is perhaps the magical, miraculous, I-don’t believe-it-but-it-is-true quality of this story that has captured the public imagination.
Olajumoke was hawking her bread innocently in Sabo, when she stumbled upon a photo session by that gifted mother of twins, artist and photographer, TY Bello, working on a series of shots for the international hip hop star, Tinie Tempah.
We have been told that Olajumoke Orisaguna ‘photobombed’ herself into the activity. I guess she just happened to walk by trying to sell bread, and TY Bello who is a spirit in action when she is at work, had a brain wave and took her picture.  Enormously creative, T Y Bello thinks on her feet. When she has that her big camera in her hands, she is an agile, inventive artist.
Her camera is a weapon for interpreting space and reality, and for discovering new meanings. It must have occurred to her that asking the international musician to pose with a bread seller would give the picture a much deeper meaning, inherent in the open contrasts and auto-suggestions.  It is that split second decision that has turned Jumoke Orisaguna into a superstar.
The shot was brilliant, the result was impressive with people asking: ‘Who is that girl? She will make a good model.’ TY Bello took on the challenge, and became Olajumoke Orisaguna’s promoter, mentor, adviser, godmother, and supporter, taking her to new heightswithin three weeks. Nobody is talking about Tempah, the main subject of the photo shoot; the focus is on the wanderer who walked onto the set, the bread seller who has taken the bread of the show, the waka-pass whobecame the star. I understand Tempah is quite happy; don’t be surprised then if he composes a special song soon, titled ‘The Bread Seller!’  or ‘Photobombed’ or simply ‘Olajumoke.’
The Olajumoke Orisaguna story is a perfect demonstration of the witchcraft quality of  photography and that single shot that has changed a life may well be one of TY Bello’s most remarkable efforts in her chosen genre.  But I find around Olajumoke’s sudden transformation from person to brand, too much capitalist hypocrisy and opportunism.
The brand is selling like hot cake, but the person needs protection. I feel for her. I fear for her. There is a sense in which she is a potential victim.  The brand experts now taking her from place to place probably would not have even patronized her. They don’t eat the kind of bread that she sold.
Many of them don’t even know what part of Lagos is called Sabo. They don’t buy their bread from hawkers; they would rather go to supermarkets or confectionery stores. Before luck smiled on this young lady, many of those now posing for photos with her would never have noticed her presence.
There are definitely many of her type, still hawking bread, or some other items, some even sitting in front of the bank, with a baby strapped to the back, but they may never be noticed or helped. The same companies that are using Olajumoke to talk about corporate social responsibility, are actually joking, they know that this is not CSR; it is brand exploitation!
And it may not last. There is nothing in Olajumoke’s background or exposure that has prepared her for the life of glitz being imposed on her.  The skills she has acquired as a bread seller and hair stylist may not carry her far in the cruel world of modeling.  When this blitz is over, she will need to compete for jobs and attention, if she must remain a model.
She will have to learn sooner or later, to survive on her own.  She will have to maintain the luxury apartment that she has been given. She has been taught fancy dressing, including the magic of make up and those magical colours that change a dull face into a phallus-teasing one do not come cheap.
She is at best an art work that other people have created: she has been made up into a siren, her hitherto dull skin now glows, in one photo, her hair had a queenly allure, they have given her new clothes, jazzing her up, to look feminine and sensual, and they have taught her how to smile in a tempting manner. Wow. That smile!
The sorry part of it all is that her narrative is quite innocent and hauntingly brief, as is the case with all overnight sensations. The capitalist hypocrites will soon find something else to excite them, just as the media will find a new story.
It probably would have been much better to help Olajumoke Orisaguna set up a small-scale business, to take her off the street-life of hawking, rather than this world of sharks into which she has been thrown. Perhaps the best that has been done for her is sending her on internship at beauty salons. She could at least set up a beauty salon of her own and live happily thereafter.
In a normal society, no young woman should be on the streets hawking bread in order to survive. In a normal society, Olajumoke Orisaguna would have been given the opportunity to go to school, and have a proper career. She is being given, all within three weeks, the kind of empowerment that society has denied her and many like her, but how about all the other Olajumokes who may never ‘photobomb’ their way to luck?
Her new life is a reminder of what she could have been but which she could not become because of the kind of society in which she has found herself. She should never have had to hawk bread to support her husband and children.
Her husband! Yes, Mr. Sunday Orisaguna. I have seen him in the photographs, either carrying their baby, or just putting up appearance. He looks lost, confused, overwhelmed, harassed and uncertain.  He must be wondering what has happened or is happening to the woman he married.
There is a clear difference between Olajumoke, the wife and bread seller, and Olajumoke, the model and celebrity. While Olajumoke is beginning to wear designer clothes, her humble husband is still managing his one-day-me-too-go-jam-luck attires. His wife has been sent to finishing school. By the time she finishes, I hope her new persona will not finish her marriage.
Olajumoke is now learning to speak English, but her husband is a humble, sliding door installer who probably speaks only Yoruba. In our kind of society, given the social level and cultural background of the parties involved, it won’t be long before the demons will begin to crawl out of the woods, from in-laws who may begin to psycho-analyse Olajumoke, to family members who will scrutinize her every gesture, and friends with whom she hawked bread and has now left behind.
Lack of clarity over role interpretation and the new persona could also confuse the young mother. She needs a different set of skills to manage new relationships, especially the new friends coming her way, including those lecherous uncles who may show up and seek to exploit her innocence.
The people turning her into a sex symbol should also tarry a while, and remember that she is a married mother of two. She needs counseling. And her sliding door installer husband, who has featured in her fairytale so far as a hanger-on, no matter what happens, should not be made to slide away. Sunday Orisaguna should also be counseled, given new clothes, taught English and sent to finishing school. He should not be left behind.
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Entertainment, Weddings

Actress, Monalisa Chinda remarries

Years after her first marriage to Dejo Richards crashed, beautiful Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda has given matrimony another shot. Her traditional wedding Ceremony with lover, Victor Coker took place at Port Harcourt today. 
Congratulations to her. 


Additional Images by -Daniel Sync photography

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Entertainment

Wizkid dubbed Nigeria's best-dressed pop star by Vogue magazine

British print media outfit, Vogue Magazine has dubbed Nigerian act, Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun as Nigeria’s best-dressed pop star. In an interview ‘Wizkidtoday’ published by the mag on February 19, his fashion sense was described as “trendsetting” with “a thoughtful and fun approach to wardrobe: clean lines and minimalism; a mix of fresh streetwear with traditional Nigerian clothes; and bold, bright accessories.”

Vogue writer, Alex Frank chipped in. “Wizkid is pretty much the biggest thing in Nigerian pop, which itself seems to advance on the global music stage almost as quickly as the country’s economy, one of the fastest growing in the world”

The ‘holla at your boy’ crooner confessed to have a predilection for designer wears. “Yeah, I like me some Bape, you know. But I wear anything to be honest. Adyn, Rick Owens, Givenchy, anything. I shop from everywhere. We’re talking with BBC to make clothes for my tour”


He continued, “I design everything myself, and I get them to make it. I do a little sketch; sometimes I just sit down with a tailor and describe what I want. Sometimes we go back and forth, like, for days, trying to get it right. Sometimes it’ll take a day to make it, sometimes three, four days. I have a lot of tailors. If I want something made in 12 hours, it will be made in 12 hours.”


 “I live in Lekki now. There are new clubs popping up every day. We go to places like Escape, Sip, and it’s madness. December is the craziest time to be in Lagos. I just left there, so I’m pretty exhausted from going hard. Africa is the next thing right now. Talking fashion, music, anything—Africa is on top of all that.” He affirmed.

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Entertainment

Chelsea send Jose Mourinho replica trophies and a Thank-You letter.

Is it just me but I felt this should have been done the week he left. I might not be right anyways. Jose Mourinho might have left Chelsea but there’s no denying of the fact that he’s been adored by fans and the club alike.

The Blues through their Chairman, Bruce Buck reportedly sent the Portuguese replica versions of the Premier League and Capital One Cup trophies he won last season and a Thank-You letter for his second spell at the club adding that he would always be welcome back at the club.

Recall that he was sacked for the second time on December 17, after a very dismal first half of the season,  and seven months after he lifted his third Premier League title with the club.

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Entertainment

Dolphin FC and Sharks FC merge to form Rivers United FC

Dolphins and Sharks Football clubs have merged to form the new Rivers United FC. The permission was given to Rivers State Government by the League Management Company this week. The announcement was made yesterday by the Rivers State commissioner, Boma Iyaye. 
The approval conveyed in a letter by the LMC read in parr:
“Pursuant to the provisions to the article A5.4 of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League, having duly considered your permission to change the name of the club from “Dolphins Football Club” to “Rivers United Football Club”.
“We are pleased to convey to you the approval of the League Management Company.”

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Entertainment

President Buhari Should Be Very Worried – Etcetera

The expatriates in Nigeria are having the best of times. There is never going to be a better time to be paid in foreign currencies in Nigeria. And while President Buhari is busy trying to out-tour Rihanna, discussions on the fall in the naira have brought up macro-economic matters such as slowing down of economic growth, corporate earnings and market volatility. For the common man on the street, the falling rate of the naira is hurting the most.
From essentials such as food and education to foreign vacation and the hi-tech gadget you plan to buy, the falling naira will hurt you in more ways than one. Not too long ago, President Buhari and his economic advisers called for ‘a weaker currency.’ Now that we have one; their silence is deafening. Had it been that Nigeria exported anything, a weaker currency would make it easier for exporters to compete internationally.
You don’t need to be as high up as the president to know that the disadvantages of a weaker currency are much more harmful than the possible benefits. The most obvious disadvantage is that we are all poorer because of the naira’s weakness. Everything that is denominated in naira is worthless today than before the collapse of the currency. This includes wages, shares, houses, pensions, foodstuff, everything.
Some prices adjusted automatically and quickly to the fall in the naira, but in most instances, it will take a long time for all prices to ‘catch up’ to previous levels. Wages and salaries are good examples of prices that will take time to reach previous levels. Since certain prices adjust faster to the new level of the naira, all sorts of distortions will take place in the economy.
Many asset prices, especially liquid assets like listed shares, usually adjust quickly to the weaker currency. But prices that are determined mostly by local conditions, like salary, local produce and services, usually take time to adjust. The result of this skewed adjustment in prices is that we have to part with more of our money to those that use strong currencies like the US dollar, Euro and Pounds Sterling, which leaves Nigerians worse off, relative to the rest of the world.
Those that have assets, especially liquid assets, are better off. The inevitable result is that those with assets, the wealthy, are protected to an extent against a falling naira while those without assets, the poor, do not have the luxury of such ‘protection.’ Even amongst the poor, distortions will take place. Those with scarce skills will quickly demand higher wages and the more scarce their skills, the more successful they will be.
Those without scarce skills, and, especially those without jobs, are particularly hard hit. Their wage increases will be last in the chain of price increases. In the case of the unemployed, they have no way of increasing any of their own prices simply because they have no income, yet their cost of living has gone up like that of everybody else. And to add to our miseries, changing prices make it difficult to plan or do business. And again, it will be the poor and the unemployed who will be the hardest hit.
Expect inflation, social tension, weak economic growth, high unemployment and poverty after the collapse of the naira. Personally, I think even if the currency will soon regain some lost ground, much damage has been done already and the consequences will be painful.
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Entertainment

Ooni of Ife emerges UNN Chancellor

The paramount ruler of Ife, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has been named the chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka by President Mohammadu Buhari. In a statement issued by Yera Moses Olafare, the director of media, Ooni’s palace, reads.

“Ile Oodua is thankful to the people’s President Mohammadu Buhari of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria for the appointment of Ooni, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, as the chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN”

The statements continued,

“It is incontrovertible today that Ooni Ogunwusi is a bridge builder and being the youngest chancellor appointed for the only university bearing “Nigeria” is worth the celebration.


“His appointment as chancellor, University Of Nigeria, Nsukka is considered as a positive sign that can further enhance peaceful coexistence of our dear nation as it was clearly stated in the letter of appointment written and signed by Honorable Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu on behalf of Mr President that Kabiyesi’ appointment is based on his wealth of experience and his capacity to manage men and resources which he has demonstrated in the administration of his Kingdom in the last three months.”




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