Students in the UK Sponsored by Rivers Government Allegedly Face Deportation Due to Non-Payment of Fees

  According to a CNN iReport article written by one of the students, the Rivers State government has been unable to continue paying their school fees under the RSSDA scholarship scheme, and as a result; they could be facing deportation.
   

  The riversstate.gov website describes RSSDA as:

An agency set up by law under the [former]Governor Chibuike Rotimi Administration in 2008 with the vision of transforming Rivers State rural and urban economies from dependency to self sufficiency. The Agency runs Human Capital Development programmes and Agric/Agro-Allied and Business Development.

These programmes include: Overseas and local scholarship scheme for undergraduate and post-graduate studies in diverse disciplines; and Secondary education scholarships tagged ‘Greater Horizon and Opportunity Programmes’ for exceptionally brilliant pupils from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State; Workmanship and Technical Training programmes,  Hydraform projects; Agricultural projects like the Rivers Songhai Farm, Hatcheries, Cassava farms, Snail Farms, Aquaculture centres, Poultry farms amongst others.

  Here is the CNN ireport story one of the students urged us to share:

I have a story about students abandoned by rivers state government that are facing going back home. Please check my timeline and you will see a video I posted today. Watch it and if you need more info let me know. We need to create awareness about this.

We are 2nd year students with the university of Huddersfield currently hoping to progress to final year by September or going on placement as some of us have chosen.

It is with deep shock that we realised that the RSSDA (Rivers state sustainable development Agency) under the rivers state government who is our sponsor have not paid our fees for 2 years. The university have made all efforts to get the money from them but they have since attributed the non-payment to the government of rivers state not releasing funds. The university even went to the extent of travelling to Nigeria for the money.

 We are more than 11 students with the cost of each student fees being 12,500 pounds each. Since all effort have failed to get the money from the agency, the university have come to the resolve of suspending our studies and revoking their sponsorship on our visas, Hence, giving us 60 days to leave the country. The have 10 days to revoke the visa cancellation if the agency gives them a time frame for payment and the 10 days expires this Friday.

The agency have deliberately refused replying the university on several emails and refused to also commit to them by giving them time frame for payment.

Worst of it all is that the agency have not even acknowledge the situation or even comfort us and take responsibility for whatever damage this might incur. They said and I quote “they don’t even have our flight money back”. We are stranded!!! We have not been paid allowance and rent money for 9 months now which is meant to be 800 pounds a month.

Fees owed by the government around England and other part of the world have amounted to about 3 billion naira. We need this video to spread let the whole world see how politics is affecting the future of the country. PLEASE!!!

Korede Bello, Funke Akindele & More at Tomi’s Colour Pavilion Entrepreneurship Seminar

 More than 400 people were present at the TCP Fashion and Beauty Entrepreneurship Seminar on Sunday 26th July 2015 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Organised by Tomilola Adenuga, make-up artist and owner ofwww.tomiscolourpavilion.com, guests received lessons on how to commence, strengthen and diverse their entrepreneurship projects.

Bimpe Onakoya (Artistic Director of Maybelline), Ugo Igbokwe (CEO of Make Me Hair Salon), Lanre Aina (Business Analyst from Google) and Anechile Okoaye (CEO of Othellz Entertainment) gave insight into their areas expertise and shared their experiences while detailing various steps to succeed in today’s business climate.

The seminar remained lively as guests received fabulous gifts and were entertained by performances from Korede Bello, Funke Akindele, Marcello Da Vinci and Funny-Man.

                                                           Funke Akindele & Tomilola Adenuga

                                           Bimpe Onakoya & Tomilola Adenuga

  [L-R] Gbadesola Adenrele (Marketing Manager, Colgate), Tomilola Adenuga & Lanre Aina

               

                             Anechile Okoaye, (CEO Othellz Entertainment LTD.)

                                                             BIMPE ONAKOYA   (Artistic Director, Maybelline)

                                                                Marcelo Da Vinci

                                                             Korede Bello

Tale Oladapo, Kemi Fabusoro (Media Manager, Cadbury), Tomilola Adenuga

NOLLYWOOD STAR RESPONDS WITH BOMBSHELL

After a video of his ex-girlfriend Yetunde Oduwole crying went viral on social media, Nollywood actor Babatunde Bernard (Baba Tee) has responded with an exclusive interview to E247mag.com

Here are excerpts from the interview:

On responding to the video: I was marveled when I saw what the ‘wannabe’ London big babe, as people write (this makes me laugh), Yetunde wrote on her blog yesterday and today. I think I just need to put some things straight.

On her being the one to ask him out: Please Yetunde, how many stories do you want to tell us? You know deep within your heart that you asked me out, though people may not know. It was even reported when you came to Nigeria to beg me to marry you. You were stalking me around during my movie shoot in order to spite your ex-husband. You went to church and told me that your pastor told you not to think about your husband again. Why are you now turning the story around and telling lies?

On her accusations: Are you also telling people that even though you are living on state benefit support in the UK, you can actually get a stay for someone? Madam, stop this lies. You cannot even invite someone over to the UK, talk more of getting a stay. You and I know that, even if anyone does not know. Stop deceiving people because you don’t have what it takes. “Are you also saying that despite my small manhood, you cried ceaselessly begging me to stay whenever we fought? You said I have a small manhood, yet you stayed with me for four years? I only know that my manhood will only be small to a woman with a wide womanhood (sic). Thank God I have a new relationship in which I can feel the sweetness which I could not feel over the years.

On her threatening him: Between November 2011 that we met till October 2014 when we separated, all I spent with Yetunde was not more than six months as I never lived in the UK as people think. Out of the six months that I stayed with her, she threatened me more than ten times with fake police report for threat to her life, fake NHS report, and so on. She even said that she wants to die because of me.

On trying to leave here: She made series of audio and video clips of her raining curses on me, why? I got to realise that all she told me about her ex-husband, Babs were lies. I sat down and thought of her attitude towards a man that she had two kids for, and I asked myself: ‘am I not in hell fire?’ Anytime I tried to leave, she came up with different threats because I didn’t know much about the UK then; that was why I was in the relationship for that long until people gave me courage. “People can criticise me and say whatever they like, but it’s now in my past.

On moving on with his life: Please leave my girlfriend and my folks out of whatever problems you think you have with me, face me and me alone. (Yetunde), you know you don’t have any cloth in my house that my girlfriend can wear, stop attacking people with your problems. All is history now. Her advisers should talk to her candidly to let me be. I have found a woman and I have peace with her. If you are not in the right place, no matter how hard you try to make it right, it will always go wrong.

ACTRESS EMPRESS NJAMAH ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY IN UAE WITH MUM

 Nollywood actress Empress Njamah is currently on holiday and she has been updating fans about her trip via social media.

Empress Njamah revealed that she is taking the trip for her yearly medical checkup as well as her summer holiday and she decided to take her mum along.

She captioned one of her photos ‘Summer holiday with my sweet mama! She is 74 n still looking sweet 16( I get hope) I can see my old age!’

The two of them have gone sight-seeing, enjoyed a spa day and more on their trip.

PEPSI LAUNCHES VIVA CINEMA IN ILORIN

 To say people of Ilorin love fun and excitement is an understatement as demonstrated by the crowd that turned up on Friday May 22, 2015 when Pepsi and Viva Cinema Entertainment launched yet another world class cinema in Ilorin.

The event which had veteran Nollywood star Olumide Bakare, delectable actressMoyo Lawal, Muyideen Oladapo a.k.a “Lala”, Chukwudi Rozan and Bukumi Oluwashina as special guests at the launch of Viva Cinema at Palms Shopping Mall to the exciting screams from elated fans.

 Movies featuring the stars were shown in the newly launched cinema. Some of the movies watched by excited families and students include Ayo Mi, Beneath the Veil, Where Does Beauty Go and One Minute Man.

                                  Movie producer, Yinka Odunuyi, Moyo Lawal and another guest 

    Moyo Lawal, Brand Manager, Seven bottling company, Segun Ogunleye, Chukwudi Rozan and     Brand Manager, Viva Cinema, Tony Sam-Uje 

 Head of Marketing, Seven-up Bottling Company Plc., Norden Thurston, represented by Brand Manager, Segun Ogunleye said:

“Pepsi cannot help but get involved when it has to do with music, football or movies because these are the passions of youths and as a youth brand Pepsi will make every effort to meet young people at their passion point, in this case its movies.”

General Manager, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Ilorin, Olutayo Ayodele, speaking on Pepsi’s involvement with the cinema industry said:

“Pepsi is a foremost entertainment brand and will always be a part of entertainment whether the platform is sports, music, culture and tourism or the movies.”

 Olumide Bakare commended Pepsi for consistently supporting the entertainment industry, especially the movie industry and wished other brands could emulate Pepsi. Free Pepsi drinks and popcorn were served as Pepsi refreshed the event. 

I WILL LIKE TO SEE AFRICAN WOMEN AS FEARLESS- DJ CUPPY

                                                                     DJ CUPPY

                         DJ Cuppy is steadily making waves in the entertainment industry. 

 With her feature in Forbes Woman Africa magazine’s April/May issue released earlier in the month (click here if you missed it), we’ve got our hands on the interview where she talks about what drives her, her love for Africa and much more.        

OLAMIDE AND PHYNO'S ALBUM '2KINGS' SUPPORTED BY GUINNESS

The recent collaboration of Guinness Made of Black Ambassadors, Olamide and Phyno on a new album titled 2Kings, is stirring up a lot of excitement on social media space in anticipation of the album launch.

 The internet buzz surrounding the album clearly tags it as the most anticipated collaboration for 2015.

 The album launch powered by Guinness on the Made of Black campaign platform, showcased the dexterity of the two leading rap artistes at delivering their distinct “Black” attitudes in all the tracks of the album.

 The album, officially released on April 1, 2015 is set for the top of the charts and adequately portrays the Made of Black ideology.

 You will recall that Guinness recently launched the Made of Black concept; an ideology rooted in youth culture; a force that drives the new generation to be achievers in their various fields.

The songs on the album are available for download on www.cloud9.com.ng