Naija Stories Publishing Debuts Series Beautifully on Paperback ...

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Finally, Naija Stories, (the online writer's forum where yours truly thrives) is launching out as NS publishing with paperback, audiobooks, ebooks and Apps. The first set of books are out which contain stories gathered from the website. The ventured was embarked on to bring back the reading culture that we had during the Pacesetters' series era. Check out the full info from the site:

Naija Stories is an imprint of NS Publishing Ltd, a new publishing and marketing company dedicated to developing and distributing Nigerian written content through eBooks, paperbacks, audio, websites, mobile apps and other channels. NS Publishing believes that by nurturing writers and readers, it will help develop engaged, empowered and educated Nigerians, as well as contribute to the economy through their business. 

Many people say Nigerians don’t read, but NS publishing begs to disagree based on the evidence of flagship website, naijastories.com, and the rate at which foreign fiction and non-fiction books are sold in the markets. What may be underrepresented is the production, distribution, and sales of quality Nigerian leisure books outside of what is demanded for educational purposes through school curriculums.

 

To change this aspect of Nigerian reading culture, NS Publishing has developed our special branded Naija Stories genre series, which feature romance, horror, mystery and crime, all in easily accessible language that will draw in readers who want to read for enjoyment. With relatable stories, the short length of the books and their recognizable characters will keep readers coming back for more.

 

Using home-grown authors – 100% of NS authors are Nigerian and 80% live in Nigeria – means that writing will become a profitable career for young talented Nigerians in this sector. NS Publishing intends to replicate, in the leisure books publishing sector, what Nollywood and Afropop has done in making Nigerian movies and music globally popular.

 

After being comatose for decades since the demise of the Pacesetter series, NS Publishing is kickstarting a publishing industry that will not just throw up literary stars every five years, but one that’ll support writers, graphic artists/designers/illustrators, cover models, and will produce works that can be translated to the stage or adapted to movies, or given life by voice-over talents in audio books. They see a billion naira industry in the future, and are heading there.

NS Publishing will produce great stories and books, and other literary content targeted at a broad base of emerging and established readers, and across different age groups and mid/low income communities. Their paperbacks will be pocket size and pocket friendly, and they promise never to sell a book more than N500.

 

The success of naijastories.com website has informed this current project, to bring selected Naija Stories to paperbacks, selling and marketing books – pocket-size popular fiction books – directly to Nigerians where they can be found. Some of these places include intra-state or inter-state bus stations, higher institutions, fast food locations, and more.

 

Look out for the Naija Stories books whereever you are, online and offline, and if you would like to order please contact info@naijastories.com. Check out www.ns-publishing.com for more details.

Those published paperbacks...boy, do they have beautiful cover designs. None of these ones has any of my works in them (since they contain many of the early works on the website) but I'm sure subsequent ones will.

Lovely aren't they? Makes any budding writer want to get published by all means.

Many of the writers of the short stories are online friends with cool works. Some stopped writing (maybe because some responsibilities ate up their time...but their good job is documented for all to read.

Thumbs up for Naija Stories!

Randoms: Mariah Carey & Misyarn from Radaronline, 'Fanta' Governor Alao-Akala, Beyonce's strange track, Wale's outburst on Complex, Rukky's 'Sesky' Photo

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Monday, December 16, 2013

Hello y'all!

Please forgive me for staying away on a one week hiatus. It was due to a one week event that require my presence at church. Now I'm back, ready to post. I came across interesting news I would have posted last week but I'll just have to let that go since they would be stale by now.

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So on with the randoms for today...

The news of Mariah Carey arriving in Nigeria to perform at a Christmas party and send-off event of Access Bank's retired MD Aigboje Aig-Imoukhede. She took a backstage photo before the performance and one blog called her dress a 'stunning outfit'. Seriously, what's stunning about what she's wearing - a partitioned gown with fishnet effects? That outfit couldn't stun a cockroach. Some Bloggers need to stop sensationalizing things.

See dress...wetin hot for this one?
Oh...is it because she show belle under fishnet?

But then the shocking aspect was the report given by Radaronline, some foreign site that paints Nigeria in bad light with a headline that screamed 'Mariah Carey Performs For Money Men In Nigeria, World’s Center Of Bank Fraud & Human Trafficking'. The site goes on to suggest that Carey should have done a research on Naija before accepting to get paid for the gig; and then goes on to highlight all the 'bad things' ever said about Naija - human trafficking, Email scams (the knuckleheads even called it '411 Scams' instead of '419'...and they are telling Carey to do research when they themselves know nuthin!)

Radaronline's headline...they even labelled the thing as 'Exclusive'!

Then they end the article with these corny references...

Carey isn’t the first performer who has taken a paycheck for appearing in countries known for terror, death and fraud.
In 2011, Beyoncé sang for Moammar Gadhafi’s sons and Jennifer Lopez performed in Turkmenistan.

And so?

What if a country has fraud, death or terror issues? Should it stop celebrities from making their money? With harsh economic times, it makes sense. And they need to stop talking rubbish about Naija and other nations as being known for terror and fraud. We know what the United States were up to in Iraq and many of us know that Osama Bin Laden and the war on terror, was a grandiose scheme to defraud Americans.

Rubbish...stop casting the first stone when you're worse off.

Too bad...Mariah knew where to get the money while una dey run ya mouth.

And that does not leave Access Bank in the clear oh...wetin make dem go hire a whole Mariah Carey for Christmas party? Has somebody stolen bank funds again?

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Some reporters get liver sha...And I don't blame them, that's what they are trained for; just like lawyers, they ask you questions that will put you on the edge. Former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala was probably caught unawares when a Punch Newspaper reporter asked him the question:

'Is it part of your own fashion to bleach?' 

The enraged ex-governor was reported to have replied...

'Bleach? That is stupidity; you are asking a very stupid question, how can I bleach? You are very stupid to ask that question. What do you mean by that? What gave you that impression?
(He pulled up his clothe and singlet to show his fair complexion.)
Is this bleaching? Have you seen the cream that I use that makes me bleach or did you know me when I was black? So if you want to write that, put it there that I said you are very stupid to ask me that kind of question. Don’t ask that kind of question again. What you don’t know; you ask. You don’t even know my parents. Is my wife complaining or my children? I don’t know what gave anybody the impression that I bleach. You don’t know me; do you know what it takes to bleach?'

Okay, we've heard the ex-governor...but it would have been nice if he could tell us if his 'Fanta' complexion is natural nah...or if he too was suffering from vertiligo like the late Michael Jackson...or if he accidentally fell inside a bucket of Tura cream as a baby. Ehen...at least we can say eeya...its not his fault. Because seriously speaking, with fingers that like look overcooked sausages and that 'Fanta' complexion, I'm not falling for that lie that he doesn't bleach...or maybe the reporter should have asked his question differently...like - 'Sir do you use exotic creams for you 'beautiful' complexion?'

Maybe he would have proudly replied 'Yes'.

Abi?

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Nowadays, when I hear that some celebrity is glamorously married to another celebrity, I hardly expect it to last. But fortunately, While some have succeeded in breaking the jinx others that looked promising are not always so lucky. People up till now may have been thinking that Beyonce's marriage to Jay Z was meant to last but Beyonce's recent album is said to have a track titled 'Mine' which sings about marriage troubles.

In an axcerpt from the track which features Drake, Beyonce sings:

I’ve been watching for the signs/Took a trip to clear my mind/Now I’m even more lost/And you’re still so fine, oh my oh my/Been having conversations about breakups and separations/I’m not feeling like myself since the baby/Are we gonna even make it? Oooh/Cause if we are, we’re taking this a little too far/Me being wherever I’m at, worried about wherever you are

Its not the first time an artiste bares his or her real life challenges through their music. Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball' track reflected a recent heartbreak she just went through, DMX and Tupac rapped a number of times about what they were actually going through, Eminem made a number of tracks that where a cry for help from his travails, majority of Micheal Jackson's songs of defiance centred around the things the industry and the powers that be were putting him through...the list goes.

And when you sing about something that's really happening to you, everything about you goes into it. 

Beyonce's new album is said to talk about so much and reveal a lot. Whether it shows that her marriage is deteriorating cannot be clear yet, maybe its just another approach to sell the album and create fan empathy. Conspiracy theorists should get ready...she might be letting out some valuable hidden info within her music.

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Its apparent that even the priviledge of being a celebrity never means one will be rid of a complex. Nigerian-born American rapper, Wale demonstrated this when he blew hot against Complex magazine for not including his album on the 50 best albums of 2013 list.

In a 3 minute phone convo, Wale blasted a Complex Magazine staff saying that the publication had a personal bias against him.

Seriously?

You need to listen to that conversation to know how serious the rapper took the matter. From all the ranting and raving, I can say that he may soon end up in a bad place one day. He sounded all gangsta and threatening; its almost enough to get him issued a restraining order.

According to Complex Magazine: 

Contrary to Wale's claims, Complex does not hold any personal bias towards him or any other artist. Wale's album was considered for our list, along with many other albums, but it did not make the cut. Furthermore, Wale has made a number of Complex lists this year. His song "LoveHate Thing" was No. 24 on our list of The Best Songs of 2013 (So Far). We also list his mixtape, The Mixtape About Nothing, No. 20 on our list of The 50 Best Rapper Mixtapes. And finally, earlier this year, we had him on our list of The 20 Best Rappers in Their 20s

Wale later posted an instagram video in an attempt to make fun of the whole situation of his threats. Maybe someone spoke some sense into him and he realized his error. Thus he embarked on a weak attempt at damage control. 

For any artiste who has potential to blow hot over a simple rejection, its only a matter of time before we start seeing them on a downward spiral. Not everybody go like wetin you dey sing nah...even me sef no dig the guy. 

You definitely can't try that in Naija...where people sabi take your BS and return it back to sender.

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So here's a picture of Rukky Sanda which somebody calls a 'sexy pic'. Okay...I won't argue that but man...the photo is creepy on some levels...she looks like a plastic doll, mannequin...or a body that was recently embalmed.

Please if you be Rukky Fan, no vex oh...I just have an outrageous and weird sense of imagination! I'm struggling to see the sexy in the pic...is it because she yellow like 'mammy water'? Is it because she's got a face that has undergone plastic surgery? Or because she has contact lenses on or 'albino' eyes? Is it because her dress exposes some laps or showcases some cleavage? 

Okay I'm rambling too much...Abeg don't mind my own oh. I know she is somebody's perfect spec...like one of our clients that keeps insisting we use 'yellow gals' for his press Ads.

Creepy Video: The Mark of The Beast Will Make You Superhuman??

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Sunday, December 15, 2013

Biblical Prophecies have been starring at us right in the face and with every passing day, the reality gets clearer. A few years back, stories went round about this Biochip which will revolutionize life as we know it; a chip that will register your identity and allow you access to a host of things. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the mark of the beast; prophecy is being fulfilled before our korokoro eyes.
In this video, we get to see the so called 'benefits' of having this chip in you. 

Watch as this woman (who has worked for DARPA and now with google and is at the forefront of this Anti-Christ technology), explains how it gives you superhuman abilities. Also watch the propaganda infocommercial that tries to make us see the 'good' in embracing this technology.

I guess the makers of this product came to realize that people will kick against the chip and thus decided to 'sugar coat' it with what it would allow you to do. Of course, its only the good stuff that we will hear about, nobody will tell you about the bad stuff, after all its an advertising gimmick; a way of fooling people into buying into an idea they would naturally hate.

Hosea 4:6 in the Bible states that "My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge." The more we are aware and knowledgeable of this prophetic Anti-Christ hi-tech shenanigans, the better we are set to brace ourselves for the fulfillment of end time prophecy and most importantly embrace God.

Flashback Fridays: Wande Coal the Back-Up Dancer

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Friday, December 06, 2013

Wow....this life is something. One of the most important lessons we should always take to heart concerning life is that we should never take any human being for granted because life can play a funny game that will end up where you least expect it to end.

Wande Coal...third from left.

Years back who would have thought Wamde Coal would end up the big star he is today? I came across this old music video of OGD All Stars, directed by Tade Ogidan. Here we get to see the likes of Teju Babyface in his hey days, Ramsey Noah looking a tad bit younger, rapper Abounce who just faded away from the music scene and appeared occasionally in TV production and one dreadlocked dude who I can't place. Wande Cola unlike all those mentioned was not involved in singing. Rather he was a back-up dancer!

Teju Babyface forming artiste

Abounce...looking like the future of his career

The dreadlocked guy with Abounce...who is he?

While watching the video, I noticed that there was more focus on two of the four-man back-up dancers. These two guys were apparently the finest of the crew and had good body physique. In comparison, Wande Coal was flabby while the other fourth guy (the fairest in complexion) was on the skinny side . We see the 'fine boys' appearing more frequently than Wande and his skinny counterpart.

This is where we see who has 'chest' and who doesn't.

The fine boys

What an irony. The same Wande Coal who was insignificant is now a star that belts out tunes that shakes audiences. They felt he needn't appear too much in the video...if only they knew the guy had a voice. 

Here's the video:

I think the music was a soundtrack for a movie titled 'Madam Dearest' which was an expensively shot movie and a hit back then. I can't say if it made much money but it was popular.

Randoms: Cossy the Mentor, Matchmaking Oshiomole, Tunde Ednut's idleness, Brandy's ugly beauties, Burna Boy an ex-con and under ban..

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Friday, December 06, 2013

I'm here with another set of randoms (this is fast becoming a trend with me om this blog, lol!) and there's a bunch of issues I just took a look at. There would have been more but I didn't want to end up with an extra extra long post. 

So lets begin.

The news went round the internet recently about Cossy Orjiakor and Tony Tetuila's visit to the Next Movie Star house (I didn't even know the show still existed) to mentor the contestants. Cossy was said to have brought her 'gang' of chicks along.

I can understand Tony Tetuila dropping a thing or two from his past success in music but somebody please tell me wetin Cossy wan teach these housemates? What on earth is she going to mentor them on? How to strip and post it on twitter? Many of us know that Cossy is just famous for having big tits and for other unmentionables; she's like a Kim Kardashian that got famous for a sex tape and hardly any real talent. I'm not sure the producers of the show know what they are doing. Or is it because they could not afford other celebrities to come on the show? 

But according to one of Cossy's Tweets where she blasted Hiphopworld, she was on the show just to party with the housemates. 

Cossy's ridiculed Hiphopworld's Headies award as a 'cheapo' award that cost just 20k. I don't know if an award trophy is supposed to cost a fortune after all, I've seen award plaques that were no doubt cheaply assembled by some local artisan.

Back to the Next movie star scenario - the pictures didn't look like a party though, they looked like she was instructing, addressing them or being interviewed. But then I may be wrong.

Well, lets hope the producers know what they are doing...and hope they don't go too far by inviting another shocking wonder like 'Afrocandy'  to come mentor or party on the programme.

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Ever since Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole made the infamous erroneous remark to an erring widow and later apologized, people have not stopped talking about it. While sensible people are commnending the governor for making amends and even compensating the widow with N2 million and a job offer, others that seem to have lost proper brain functions went ahead to rant rubbish on websites like the piece written by one Olabode Emmanuel Olawumi.

Governor Oshiomole having tea with the widow, Mrs Joy Ifije...
but seriously she doesn't look bad though

Then after the compensation of the widow, some weird folks now say that the governor should marry the widow since he is also a widower. Haba!

A report that carried the news stated:

"According to some respondents in Ogun state, the meeting between the governor and the widow may have been occasioned by divine forces. The respondents were of the opinion that, being a widower, there was no harm in the Governor remarrying and that it would be appropriate to marry a widow.Albert Ashipa, a politician in the state, said, “I am of the opinion and conviction that the meeting and the incident between the governor and the widow, which later attracted public attention, was divine. As we can see today, the governor felt for the woman, had to apologise over the error and even empowered her.”“From my own opinion, I think God has a purpose for the two of them and there is nothing wrong if the two eventually fall in love, in view of their marital positions. I believe both cannot and should not remain single parents for life,” Adunni Eweje, a petty trader in Kuto market said.Razaq Ayinla, a civil servant, while commending the governor for his gesture, concurred that the development was God’s doing and advised both the governor and the woman to make good use of the opportunity.Adesola Adenopo, a resident of Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Abeokuta, in her reaction, noted that biblically, it is appropriate for the two of them to re-marry."

I don't know who begged these Ogun state indiegenes to make comments like these. Wetin concern them with Edo State governor? Edo State people are not clamouring for their governor to marry the widow, so wetin concern una? Abeg...my state people, una dey fall my hand.

Mtccheew!

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Tunde Ednut was reported to have mocked fat people over instagram. Why did he have to do that? Was it because he needed to get some attention? Maybe...because I really don't what what the guy excels in...they said he's a comedian but I only saw him do the funny in a comedy show ad once, they say he's a artiste but there's nothing wow in his music (I personally felt it the move was a big mistake). But why make fun of fat people? Eniola badmus reacted maturedly to his immature post by stating:

 “Being fat doesn’t mean you can’t make it in life, beauty is not size, you niggaz have a problem with being fat. Bring no one down, we are all human, no discrimination, we are all created by God. I rep plus size”

Thank God he warmed up apologetically to her...or he for hear whin. Somebody needs to come to his rescue and give him some gigs so as to put him out of his idle misery.

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Brandy and her 'beautiful' pictures.
She even snapped a naked mad person...chai!

And while Tunde Ednut was making fun of fat people, Brandy, the american R&B singer, was indirectly making fun of Africa when she posted pictures depicting abject poverty on her visit to a number of places in Africa including Nigeria. 

She tagged the pictures as 'beautiful' but people were not swayed. The pictures sparked an outrage. What's beautiful about poverty? And why did she go snapping unflattering photos when she could have taken photos that showcased interesting African cultures?

There are lots and lots of real beautiful pictures that could have been taken, what she did painted Africa and Africans in a negative light. How is she expected to sell out well in African tours if she makes fun of its people?

Wrong move Ms Norwood!

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Heh? What is this piece of info circulating? That Burna Boy is an ex-convict? That he was part of a gang that stabbed someone to death? 

Oh boy!

I remember watching an episode of 'The Big Friday Show' where a prank was played on Burna Boy. I can't remember what the prank actually was but it was aimed at making him percieve he was in some kind of trouble. Right there before our korokoro eyes, Burna Boy lost it and was about beating up the prankster. His anger was so vivid I came to the conclusion that this dude is someone you never want to mess around with.

And then we hear this news cropping up about him having a dark past. Does this remind you of someone?

Yes it does....it reminds me vividly of Kayode Oshin.

Do they all always have to be like that? Must a rap or dancehall artistes have a criminal past or background?

According to Thenet.ng:

"Burna Boy’s ‘uncontrollable’ mannerism and persona didn’t just start yesterday; NET investigations and sources have linked him to a criminal past, a period of his life he would rather not make public knowledge.We are told on good authority that while in the UK back in 2010, Burna Boy was arrested by London Police for allegedly being part of a gang and stabbing someone to death. He was tried as a minor and sent to jail.After 11 months, he was released and given two months parole plus community service on the grounds of being of ‘good behaviour’. But Burna is said to have disobeyed authorities and travelled back to Nigeria where he signed a record deal with Aristokrat.He later travelled back to the UK but was arrested at the airport and deported to Nigeria. He is currently barred from the UK for the next 15 years"

Is that why Nigerian telecom giant Globacom is not willing to extend their contract with him?.

Man...and I was kind of rooting for him oh...

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And that's all for today's randoms folks. Have an awesome weekend!

Was Paul Walker Murdered?

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Thursday, December 05, 2013

Paul Walker's death shocked the world and was ruled out as an accident but emerging reports from investigations may suggest that there is more to it than meets the eye on the Fast And Furious star's accident tragedy.

According to a report excerpt from beforeitsnews.com, there were a number of loopholes in the report of the accident. Check out some of them below:

The Trees
Exactly what Walker’s car hit first and in what order depends on which report you believe. According to a November 30, 2013, report by CBS Los Angeles, Walker’s car “crashed into a tree and then a light pole before bursting into flames”. This report by CBS was later contradicted by Jim Torp, and apparent intelligence operative, who stated in a December 2, 2013, report that “Roger lost control of the control. They didn’t spin or anything. They went into a tree. They hit four trees and took a big light pole down. The light pole came down and the car bounced off of it. And then they crashed into a tree, that’s what eventually stopped the car”. In a pathetic attempt to explain away the massive damage to Walker’s car, it has now been alleged to have hit a total of 5 trees and 1 light pole, yet the hood of the car is remains mysteriously unscathed.

The Mysterious light pole
Knowing that the public would not buy the notion that a small tree could literally blow up a sports car, Walker’s car is alleged to have also hit a light pole. According to a December 1, 2013, report by the Huffington Post, “the Porsche [Walker] was riding in smashed into a light pole and tree” and that “the downed light pole had a speed limit sign of 45 mph”. Although the order of the objects hit by Walker’s car clearly don’t match, Jim Torp, and apparent intelligence operative, stated in a December 2, 2013, report that “They hit four trees and took a big light pole down. The light pole came down and the car bounced off of it“. In the event that Torp was actually telling the truth, the videos and photos of the crash scene would show the downed light pole, which they clearly do not. There is no pole in sight and not one witness at the crash scene made reference to one laying in the street or on the side of the road.

The Explosion
On December 2, 2013, TMZ reported that the crash that killed Paul Walker resulted in a “huge explosion and fireball that could be seen for miles” and that the blast sent a “fireball high into the sky”. The explosion depicted by TMZ does not sound at all like something ever witnessed in the suburban streets of America but rather like something witnessed in Iraq of Afghanistan. 

The Crash Video
In an apparent move to dispel the rumors that Walker was assassinated by a drone strike, TMZ released a video report on December 3, 2013, entitled “Paul Walker Crash—The Moment of Impact & Massive Inferno”. Just like the headline, the video fails to show the reported “explosion” or any sound of an explosion whatsoever. As evidenced in the silent surveillance video, the smoke from Walker’s crash scene goes from barely there to all over, instantaneously. The unnatural manner of the smoke dispersion indicates that there is likely a video edit, cut or splice at 00:18-00:19 seconds in the TMZ video or 13:00-14:00 in this YouTube video. Also, the video starts off with white smoke (indicative of burning trees and leaves) and is followed by black smoke (indicative of burining gas, oil and rubber). Obvioulsy, the car was on fire prior to the trees which also suggests that the video has been tampered with.

Mechanical Failure
In another brazen attempt to steer the public away from the notion of foul play, on December 2, 2013, a New York Post report entitled “Mechanical Failure Behind Paul Walker Crash: Report” revealed that, “The trouble-prone Porsche that “Fast & Furious” star Paul Walker was riding in when he died in a crash suffered a mechanical failure that was likely caused by a power steering fluid leak”. According to the report, sources told TMZ that they saw “evidence of a fluid burst and subsequent fluid trail before the skid marks at the accident scene.” The report went on to state that the “lack of skid marks until just before the point of impact suggests the driver didn’t have control of the speeding car’s steering”.

Click here to read the full report

In addition this, a report where Walker's Dad was interviewed revealed that Walker had badly wanted to leave the acting profession.

Could it be that Paul wanted out of the game and some powers that be just wouldn't take that? Or was he just another 'sacrifice' for some diabolic purpose? He was the major star of an awesome movie franchise that's one of a kind; the ultimate cash cow of some ambitious producers; the goose that laid the golden eggs...now that's a valuable individual and any sacrifice that must be made must have value. 

There currently circulating info suggesting that Walker was murdered in a Drone strike was quite baffling. A video analyzing the footage tried to point it out. It really did look like a Drone strike, but was it really one? After the mind-boggling truths of the 9/11 attacks, there's temptation to believe its possible. You watch the video and decide whether it really does look like a drone attack. 

So the question hangs....

Was Paul Walker murdered or sacrificed?

Amazing Story of Nigerian Man Who survived 3 Days at Bottom of Atlantic [Photos + Video]

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Sometime in May this year, the story of the rescue of Harrison Odjegba Okene who had been trapped in a sunken tugboat at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean for 3 days made the news. But just recently several months after, the amazing video footage of his rescue went viral. Okene had kept calling on God to save his life. 

Harrison Odjegba Okene, second left, poses inside a decompression chamber
with members of the DCN Diving team who saved his life after being trapped
for three days underwater. (DCN Diving)

God definitely answered his call. Read the whole story below as reported by CTV news.

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Entombed at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in an upended tugboat for three days, Harrison Odjegba Okene begged God for a miracle.

The Nigerian cook survived by breathing an ever-dwindling supply of oxygen in an air pocket. A video of Okene's rescue in May that was posted on the Internet more than six months later has gone viral this week.

As the temperature dropped to freezing, Okene, dressed only in boxer shorts, recited the last psalm his wife had sent by text message, sometimes called the Prayer for Deliverance: "Oh God, by your name, save me. ... The Lord sustains my life."

To this day, Okene believes his rescue after 72 hours underwater at a depth of 30 metres is a sign of divine deliverance. The other 11 seamen aboard the Jascon 4 died.

Divers sent to the scene were looking only for bodies, according to Tony Walker, project manager for the Dutch company DCN Diving.

The divers, who were working on a neighbouring oil field 120 kilometres away when they were deployed, had already pulled up four bodies.

So when a hand appeared on the TV screen Walker was monitoring in the rescue boat, showing what the diver in the Jascon saw, everybody assumed it was another corpse.

Okene in the sunken tugboat

"The diver acknowledged that he had seen the hand and then, when he went to grab the hand, the hand grabbed him!" Walker said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

"It was frightening for everybody," he said. "For the guy that was trapped because he didn't know what was happening. It was a shock for the diver while he was down there looking for bodies, and we (in the control room) shot back when the hand grabbed him on the screen."

On the video, there's an exclamation of fear and shock from Okene's rescuer, and then joy as the realization sets in. Okene recalls hearing: "There's a survivor! He's alive."

Walker said Okene couldn't have lasted much longer.

"He was incredibly lucky he was in an air pocket but he would have had a limited time (before) ... he wouldn't be able to breathe anymore."

The full video of the rescue captured by divers was released by DCN Diving after a request from The Associated Press. Initially, a shorter version of the rescue emerged on the Internet. The authenticity of the video was confirmed through conversations with DCN employees in the Netherlands. The video showing Okene was also consistent with additional photos of him on the rescue ship. The AP also contacted Okene on Tuesday who confirmed the events.

Okene's ordeal began around 4:30 a.m. on May 26. Always an early riser, he was in the toilet when the tug, one of three towing an oil tanker in Nigeria's oil-rich Delta waters, gave a sudden lurch and then keeled over.

"I was dazed and everywhere was dark as I was thrown from one end of the small cubicle to another," Okene said in an exclusive interview after his rescue with Nigeria's Nation newspaper.

He groped his way out of the toilet and tried to find a vent, propping doors open as he moved on. He discovered some tools and a life vest with two flashlights, which he stuffed into his shorts.

When he found a cabin of the sunken vessel that felt safe, he began the long wait, getting colder and colder as he played back a mental tape of his life -- remembering his mother, friends, mostly the woman he'd married five years before with whom he hadn't yet fathered a child.

He worried about his colleagues -- 10 Nigerians and the Ukrainian captain including four young cadets from Nigeria's Maritime Academy. They would have locked themselves into their cabins, standard procedure in an area stalked by pirates.

He got really worried when he heard the sound of fish, shark or barracudas he supposed, eating and fighting over something big.

As the waters rose, he made a rack on top of a platform and piled two mattresses on top.
According to his interview with the Nation: "I started calling on the name of God. ... I started reminiscing on the verses I read before I slept. I read the Bible from Psalm 54 to 92. My wife had sent me the verses to read that night when she called me before I went to bed."

He survived off just one bottle of Coke, all he had to sustain him during the trauma.
Okene really thought he was going to die, he told the Nation, when he heard the sound of a boat engine and anchor dropping, but failed to get the attention of rescuers. He figured, given the size of the boat, that it would take a miracle for a diver to locate him. So he waded across the cabin, stripped the wall down to its steel body, then knocked on it with a hammer.

But "I heard them moving away. They were far away from where I was."

By the time he was saved, relatives already had been told the sailors were dead.

Okene kept faith with the psalm he recited, that promises to "give thanks in your name, Lord," at a service at his Redeemed Christian Church of God.


He was rescued by a diver who first used hot water to warm him up, then attached him to an oxygen mask. Once free of the sunken boat, he was put into a decompression chamber and then safely returned to the surface.

I can imagine what Okene must have been going through. But for his resilient spirit and steadfast faith, he would have become part of the casualty. His testimony is proof that God answers prayers. How else would he have survived 3 days? The rescuers were expecting to see everyone dead but were surprised that one survived - at the bottom of the ocean!

God is still in the business of doing miraculous wonders!

There's a lesson to learn from this - we should never loose hope when the waters of circumstance seem to be closing in the more.

Gay Mannequins?

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Monday, December 02, 2013

The thought just caught my mind as our bus stood in a hold up and just opposite us we could see this local boutique with a collection of mannequins on display, modelling their wares.

Are majority of mannequins built after gay stereotypes?

I observed that most male mannequins I see around always look effeminate.

Why do they always look like that? If the faces don't look as though they wore make-up, then it's that they've got this characteristic slim long necks. The worst at times is the fact that they strike this pose that looks so gay.

I know gays have dominated the fashion industry ( I guess that and make-up is what they are best at) and influenced clothes that trend these days - like jeans that was designed never to cover every bit of your ass, allowing for sagging or exposure of the top of a man's behind. Women too have their own version which allow for exposure of nyansh cheeks or G-string.

Its like they have hatched a plan to oppress the straight sexes via fashion.

And somehow, mannequins have been designed to add abominable gay flavour to things.

I mean, I see them wearing jeans and I get discouraged from buying that outfit because it looks kind of gay.

Or is it that these kind of mannequins are the cheapest in the market than the manly ones?

Nyeergh...I don't think so.