Nigeria's President Buhari under pressure to reveal illness read it all on Tafia world

 

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Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari speaks at the US-Africa Business Forum, September 21, 2016 in New York.

Lagos, Nigeria  Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is under pressure to disclose the state of his health after he embarked on a fourth medical trip to London.

Nigeria's opposition party, People's Democractic Party (PDP), said it was time for the president to reveal his medical condition.

PDP spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan said: "We need full disclosure about the president's health. He needs to be honest with Nigerians to say he his unwell. He can't travel for an official meeting to the US and sneak into London to see his doctor, then tell Nigerians it was a technical stopover due to flight issues."

Buhari,75, announced Monday he will travel to the United Kingdom to see his doctor, reigniting speculation about the state of his health and ability to rule Africa's biggest economy.

The president also saw his doctor last week in London on his way back from Washington where he had met with the US President Donald Trump at the White House, his aide said.

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Nigerians on social media have also joined in the call for Buhari to make his health records public. These calls have grown louder since he announced plans to seek re-election next year.

 

 

Trump did not discuss 's---hole countries' remark with Nigerian president
 

But the president's spokesman Garba Shehu told CNN Buhari was under no obligation to disclose his medical records.

According to the spokesman, Buhari is the first Nigerian president to make public his need to see a doctor.

"The constitution does not say the president must disclose his health status, it only says he should make his medical vacation public to the House of Assembly."

"Let's check the records, no other president in this country has made public their medical trips abroad," Shehu said.

He added that Buhari's latest trip to the UK did not mean that he was ill and it was merely a review after his treatment nine months ago.

111 Nigerian migrants in Libya arrive Nigeria today Thursday what is the future for this returnees?? read it on Tafia World.

 

Returnees queue to be attended to by state officials after alighting from chartered aircraft that brought home 150 migrants from Libya at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, on December 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

Amb. Ketil Karlsen, the Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, says 111 Nigerian migrants trapped in Libya are expected to return home on Thursday.
Karlsen made this known on Wednesday while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja.
He said that EU, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), had so far facilitated the safe and voluntary return of 7,720 stranded Nigerians in Libya.

 

The envoy said that the situation of Nigerian migrants trapped in Libya was a matter of priority to EU.
He noted that the union was intensifying dialogue with partners on finding a durable and long term solution to the problem of irregular migration.
“For us,
“It is vital for us that the return is done in an orderly manner where the returnees are giving opportunity to start life again.
”We are partnering with IOM to give them funding and vocational training to enable them to start something,” Karlsen said.
He said that EU had established a Trust Fund aimed at investing in youth through training and jobs creation as part of the efforts to address the root cause of irregular migration.
“We are also working on increasing the European investments in Nigeria as part of solution to the challenge.
“We recognise Nigerian youths’ contribution everywhere in the world.
”We are trying to redouble access to students’ visa and access to students’ exchange programme; this is the kind of partnership we want to have,” he said.
The envoy also said that EU was expanding its humanitarian support in the North-Eastern part of the country to include jobs creation for the displaced populations.
“From the period of 2015 to 2017, we have provided 144.5 million Euros in humanitarian aid, mainly in the North-East.
“In 2018, we set aside 34.5 million Euros for provision of food aid.
“We are working in Borno and currently in dialogue with Yobe on how we can expand our support to the area.
”All together, we have set aside 257.5 million Euros in our support, not only for humanitarian support, but also in our long term development in that region,” he said.
Karlsen said that EU had supported water and sanitation projects in 14 states to the tune of 353.5 million Euros, reaching and benefitting more than four million people in the country.
“We need to think of the North-East in economic terms.

Trump finally confirms ‘reimbursement’ of lawyer for payment to porn star, read it all on Tafia World News

 

 

(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 16, 2018 adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels speaks outside US Federal Court with her lawyer Michael Avenatti (R) in Lower Manhattan, New York.
Adult film star Stormy Daniels filed a defamation suit on April 30, 2018 against US President Donald Trump for a tweet in which he dismissed a composite sketch that Daniels says depicted a man who threatened her in 2011. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ

US President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday he reimbursed his personal lawyer for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to stop what he described as her “false and extortionist” claims of an affair.
Trump’s comment contradicted his earlier statements the he had no knowledge of the hush payment by his long-time lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

 

The payment was made days before the November 2016 US presidential election, which has prompted allegations of a possible violation of campaign financing laws.
In a burst of tweets, Trump denied the funds used to make the payment were connected to his campaign, calling it a “private agreement.”

Read More

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• Trump reimbursed lawyer for payment to porn star, says Giuliani

He also said non-disclosure agreements were “very common among celebrities and people of wealth.”
“Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA,” Trump said.
“The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair, despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair,” he said.
“Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll [sic] in this transaction.”
The admission came after former Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor who recently joined the president’s legal team, disclosed Wednesday that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment over a period of several months.
It also followed an FBI raid in early April on Cohen’s home, office and hotel room in which information related to the payments was reportedly seized.

 

Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, has sued to have the non-disclosure agreement invalidated on grounds that he never signed it.
In his tweets, Trump insisted the agreement is “in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels),” he said.
– Money’s source –
Giuliani told Fox News host Sean Hannity the money was funneled through a law firm “and the president repaid it.”
“That was money that was paid by his lawyer, the way I would do, out of his law firm funds or whatever funds, it doesn’t matter. The president reimbursed that over a period of several months,” Giuliani said.
He added that the payment did not represent a campaign financing violation because it was “not campaign money.”
Giuliani told The New York Times he had documentation proving Trump had reimbursed the sum, which he said “removes the campaign finance violation” prospect.
“Some time after the campaign is over, they set up a reimbursement, $35,000 a month, out of his personal family account,” Giuliani told the Times, adding that Trump gave Cohen between $460,000 and $470,000 via this method to repay the sum to the porn star as well as “incidental expenses.”
Trump had previously denied all knowledge of the payment to Daniels, before admitting last week that Cohen struck a “deal” with the porn star on his behalf.
Asked by reporters on Air Force One earlier this month about the deal, Trump said: “You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael,” he said.
Pressed on whether he knew where Cohen got the money to make the payment, he said: “No, I don’t know. No.”
– ‘Blatant lie’ –
Giuliani also told The Wall Street Journal Trump was “probably not aware” of the payment at the time it was made, having given Cohen broad “discretion to solve” a variety of situations.
Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti reacted swiftly to the revelation, calling out the US president over his “lies.”
“We predicted months ago that it would be proven that the American people had been lied to as to the $130k payment and what Mr. Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did in connection with it,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Every American, regardless of their politics, should be outraged by what we have now learned. Mr. Trump stood on AF1 and blatantly lied.”
Daniels filed a lawsuit against the president on Monday for defamation after he trashed her claim that she had been threatened by a man representing Trump in 2011.

Kanye West just said 400 years of slavery was a choice, put in his place by Van Lathan read it on Tafia World.

Van Lathan just became a champion of Kanye West critics and an example, for some, of the need for racial diversity in the workplace.

Lathan is the African-American TMZ employee who offered a powerful rebuttal after West, during an interview Tuesday on "TMZ Live," said American slavery was a "choice." 

 

Kanye West just said 400 years of slavery was a choice

 

Kanye West just said 400 years of slavery was a choice

"Do you feel like I'm thinking free and feeling free," West asked those in the newsroom.

"I actually don't think you're thinking anything," Lathan said. "I think what you're doing right now is actually the absence of thought."

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After validating West's right to offer up an opinion, Lathan noted that there are "real-world, real-life consequence behind everything that you just said."

"And while you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you've earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives," Lathan said. "We have to deal with the marginalization that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said, for our people, was a choice."

"Frankly, I'm disappointed, I'm appalled and, brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that's not real," Lathan concluded.

It was the mic drop heard round the social media world.

'Thank You @VanLathan'

Comedian Chloe A. Hilliard tweeted: "This is why it's important to have diversity on your staff. No one else was gonna speak up. And #Kanye wasn't going to respect anyone else speaking to him like this. Thank You @VanLathan #TMZ."

Kanye West: 5 takeaways from rapper's Charlamagne interview

Tweets also poured in from fans, pundits and celebs, condemning West (who has been on a tear lately with controversial comments and tweets) and praising Lathan.

Here's what else you should know about Lathan:

TMZ isn't the only place you can catch him

Lathan also hosts the podcast, "Van Lathan's The Red Pill."

In it, he "serves up a weekly dose of truth, sonically force feeding listeners the red pill, and NEVER apologizing. News, politics, and pop-culture are all on the menu, with reality so sizzling it'll fry your echo chamber."

The show's title references the movie, "The Matrix," in which "taking the red pill" means waking up to the brutal reality of life.

He had more to say about Kanye

Lathan later Tuesday released an "emergency" episode of his podcast focusing on West, whom he called "someone I've lost all respect for."

Fight for Kogi: Why Governor Yahaya Bello is losing out read it all on Tafia World.

After promising so much and delivering so little, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is turning out not to be the messiah Kogi has been waiting for. How did a governor who was a darling of his Ebira people and the face of youths suddenly become the man many like to hate and treat with contempt? Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State While it is not yet possible to conclusively explain the governor’s inability to deliver on good governance, a pattern is emerging that helps to explain why his government is turning out to be a huge disappointment FIGHTING As soon as he came into power in 2016, Bello declared a toga of ‘New Direction.’ Fast forward to 25 months later, political pundits say the administration is better addressed as ‘No Direction’. Bello seems to have penchants for fighting. He started the war with the House of Assembly orchestrating the change of leadership twice in a year, and extended it to the labour unions with some already proscribed. He is at loggerheads with his party (APC), creating a parallel executive. He is presently at war with two of the senators from Kogi, Dino Melaye and Ahmed Ogembe, while being indifferent to the House of Reps members from his state. Of all the wars he is fighting, the one with Dino and Ogembe seems odd. It shouldn’t be easy for Bello to forget how Dino ‘helped’ him to achieve his dream of becoming governor. Those who know say Dino was one of those who were privy to Prince Abubakar Audu’s death and quickly leaked it to influential people. Had Dino kept mute, Audu would have been declared the winner of the 2016 governorship election before the announcement of his death and his running mate, James Faleke, would have naturally inherited the governorship. Dino’s early song changed the narrative and brought the intrigues which settled in Bello’s favour. And Dino played a significant role in Bello’s inauguration trying hard to sell him and give him legitimacy before the courts backed him. Ogembe hails from the same town with Bello. Despite being from a different political party, kinsmen affinity was there at the beginning. How the story suddenly changed still baffles many. The political hatred got to the peak when, penultimate Saturday, Ogembe’s empowerment program was disrupted, and his house ransacked with property destroyed. The senator alleged that the governor was behind the attack. The Ogembe/Bello supremacy battle, if not addressed quickly, may lead to the return of political violence that characterised the old Kogi Central. It will start another clannish supremacy. The governor has also extended his battle with Dino to the Senate. Last year, at a public function in Akwa Ibom, Dino was a guest of Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate Minority Leader. At the function, Governor Udom Emanuel heaped praises on Dino. This irked Bello who took a swipe on his fellow governor in the open. He also berated Akpabio. A move to address the issue by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekeremadu, saw him caught in the crossfire. And that was how a Dino/ Bello battle enlarged to Bello vs Senate. Bello’s fighting nature has turned so big that many begin to ask if Bello is a governor or a fighter. At the last count, Bello has fought or is at loggerheads with two senators, House of Assembly members, House of Reps members, party executive, labour, NMA, journalists, the Senate and Hon. James Faleke. To Bello, every misunderstanding must end in fight. He seems not to have room for diplomacy. DIVISIVE GOVERNANCE STYLE Despite attempts by his aides to diffuse tension generated by the governor’s emergence, it was obvious Bello never thought of reconciliation with those aggrieved over his choice as replacement for the late Audu. Bello jettisoned those who laboured from the Audu’s camp to win the governorship election and picked 75 per cent of his appointees from those in his camp who decamped to Accord Party and only returned to APC when he was announced as Audu’s replacement. The remaining 25 per cent were from his allies in the PDP. So much for a man who voiced his intention for proper reconciliation. HERDSMEN ANGLE The fatal clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers across Kogi did not start today. The clashes had become deadly such that many voiced out against the establishment of cattle colony as proposed by the Federal government. But Bello, before gauging the mind-set of his people, quickly accepted to have the state used as testing ground for cattle colony. Even when the opposition against it was rife, the governor ignored all and announced three local government areas in Kogi for the scheme. He gave out open invitation to the Fulani to come to the state without proper preparation for the scheme and social implications. Today, the menace of the herdsmen has continued unabated. HUNGER IN THE LAND. There is hunger in the land. Kogi is purely a civil service state where the bulk of the money in circulation comes from civil servants. A delay in payment of salary thus leads to the lack of monetary flow. The governor’s handling of salary payment is one of the factors threatening to wipe off his support base. Many Kogi people, especially civil servants, are disillusioned about the manner Bello handled the public service sector. First was the screening exercise for workers that lasted close to two years, and left many out of job. This was followed by the “traffic light” style of salary payment – in a particular month some will get their salary while others in the same category will not get; only for the trend to change in the next pay day for those that got to be ignored while those who were not fortunate earlier will now get. WITCH-HUNTING In the beginning when Bello began inquiries into past administrations, it was easier to defend the government’s war against corruption. Not anymore. The contradiction in the governor’s war against corruption is best illustrated by the Audu’s era he left out of the probes simply because they are from the same party. It has become obvious that the panel of inquiries were set up by Bello to witch-hunt his predecessors. REDUNDANT APPOINTEES Seventy per cent of Bello’s aides, according to analysts, perform below expectation. There’s nothing concrete one can view as their contributions to the state or the offices they hold. Aside the commissioners for agric, environment (now in education), health, women affairs, works, and finance, most of the rest are relatively unknown and believed to be under performers. Analysts characterize them as “Under -17” commissioners. Same goes for some Special Advisers. No wonder the people of the state went to town last week with joy when reports of cabinet dissolution filtered out. But within an hour after the governor dissolved the cabinet, he reversed the decision. To the PDP, Bello is confused. CHIEF OF STAFF The claim of Bello’s Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja, being in charge of government has been rife. Onoja has continued to enjoy limelight. He makes policy statements and has a retinue of aides. ONE WEEK, ONE TROUBLE Many are beginning to read meaning to the happenings in the state. No matter how novel the governor’s ideas may be, they always come out in bad light. Bello is cast in the toga of one -week -one- trouble-governor. The alleged double registration (for election) palaver, the claim of military gears importation and the alleged secret police detention camp are a few examples. Sadly, Bello is losing out in Kogi politics.

Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima has never had any peace since she was involved in the auto accident that killed Dr. Giwa Suraj along Lekki–Epe expressway read it all on Tafia world

 

Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima has never had any peace since she was involved in the auto accident that killed Dr. Giwa Suraj along Lekki–Epe expressway, Lagos in 2006. The former beauty queen has been in and out of prison following that ugly incident. The last was in 2016, when the matter returned to court again after she was slammed with a 5-years jail term. However, two years after she regained her freedom, the former president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria,AGN, has taken time out to recount her tales of woes. In an interview she granted to seasoned journalist, Azuka Jebose, which he posted on his Facebook page, Ibinabo apologized to Nigerians for whatever wrong she has done. Ibinabo She also pleaded with the Suraji family to forgive her for causing them unforgettable pain. She said “I have had periods of feeling miserable in the last 12 years as a result of this accident. I need to find peace. I seek forgiveness. I am sorry.” I need to tell my story. I stayed silent for so long and watched as my life, character and person were being ruined in published reports, including social media. This is my story, told for the first time on social media platform. My heart has never stopped aching. It will not. An accident took the life of someone. I am forever in mourning because of this. Two families’ lives have been changed forever with this unfortunate fatal accident. It was an accident. Dr. Suraj Giwa didn’t have to die. I wished I could bring him back. I am sorry for the pains caused. I have also been maligned and disparaged in the media: I am a monster. I am a killer and a murderer, I am a drunk… No. Azuka. I am none of these. I am just another human being that was in a deadly accident and the accident caused the death of Dr. Suraj Giwa. It’s been 12 years of heartache, pain and depression for me. My eyes are rivers of tears. Some days I feel like killing myself. Life has no meaning to me. I think about Dr. Giwa every day. I pray for his soul and I pray and seek forgiveness from his family for the pain and agony. I am very sorry. It didn’t have to happen. I wished I knew it would happen that unfortunate day, I would not have travelled that road. I was not drunk that day. Azuka, I was driving along Lekki road, returning home after picking up a friend’s daughter from a church Fellowship. Suddenly, a red car overtook the SUV in front of me. The SUV was travelling slowly, so I shifted to its front, too. The red vehicle was being driven by a young man and had his friends with him…I drove past the red car. I think that might have angered the young chap because he swiftly sped from behind, drove past me and made a sudden stop in my front. I tried to avoid hitting those boys in the red car. I swerved and lost control in that moment, the impact dived my vehicle into inbound lane.. Dr. Giwa was inbound, thus he drove into my car and both cars collided. I collapsed and passed out.. Three days later, I woke up in a hospital bed to learn what had happened. I was weak, sore and in pains. I could not move my legs. I had been sedated for three days. Doctors said they had to sedate me to numb my pain. Meanwhile, the police had been informed that I was in that hospital. The Lagos State Police came to the hospital to take my statement of what happened. After I gave them my statement, I was arrested at the hospital and charged to court. At my court appearance for hearing, the judge noticed how sick, weak, incoherent an disoriented I was: he also saw my injuries. He ordered that I should be sent back to the hospital for further treatment until I was well enough to stand trial. I could not walk then. Later at the hospital, I woke up from coma and to reality. I was afraid and shocked. I could not believe I was involved in an accident that had taken a life. I was like: Wow!..Someone died in that accident. Oh my God!. I didn’t know the family. While I was in the hospital my family contacted the family of Late dr. Giwa who died in the accident. My family was there for the funeral and did everything during the mourning season. I was afraid. But I met them in court and tried to approach them. I understood the anger and pain I had caused them, so I accepted their anger toward me….his sister was really angry at me… I wanted to talk to her… it was hard for me to get close to her… I understood all these: the pain and distress they felt as a result of the accident. I felt their pain. I wanted to tell them how sorry and remorseful I was… It was an accident. I did not intend to wake up that morning, went out and had a fatal collision. Weeks later, I was arraigned. I attended all my court appearances. During the process I visited the family and attempted several times to make peace. I never ignored them. I am always sorry. I know the pain is tough, so I understood their anger but I kept begging. I am sorry. I had gone to so many good people and friends to assist me in pleading for forgiveness from the family. One of such friends is late Iyalode of Lagos. She assisted me in begging the Giwa family: when I became well and able to walk, she took me to The former Imam of Lagos and the incumbent Oba of Lagos: these traditional and religious leaders begged on my behalf, pleading with the family for forgiveness and showed how sorry and remorseful I was that the accident happened. I never ran away from the scene of the accident. I was unconscious. How could an unconscious accident victim remove plate license and registration papers from the vehicle as reported in the media? Why would I do a thing like that? How could I have done a thing like that? These were all lies manufactured and circulated in the media to tarnish me. Days after the wreck, I woke up in a hospital. I was never drunk as being speculated and alleged. I was never charged for drunk driving. I was charged for reckless and dangerous driving. I am forever very sorry this accident happened. I never planned for it. I plead with the family. I reached out to the GO of the church where the late doctor’s wife worships to beg him to join me plead with her. He was on a crusade in Benue and I went and met with him. I am very sorry it happened. I am not arrogant or careless. I have just been wrongly represented and maligned in the media. The story has several versions that make me a heartless beautiful beast and monster. I have not said much because the family is bereaved. It hurts. I need to respect their sorrows and what they are going through:trying to explain myself, I thought, would sound arrogant. So I kept quiet. I have been sorry from the moment I learnt the accident took a dear life. Life has never been the same for both families. I am sorry. Losing Dr Giwa altered our lives and I regret that. It’s devastating. As the case was progressing, I began to read so many false stories about me being arrogant, being an alcoholic and drove under the influence on that day; that I refused to ask the family to forgive me.. Wow…I was stunned. How are all these possible?. So I approached Giwa’s family to find out the source of all these stories that do not make sense. The family said my Nollywood colleagues told them all kinds of things and lies about me. The lies included: that I owned a night club and so I must have been returning from my night club, drunk. I owned a night club years before the accident. They said someone that sells alcohol is an alcoholic. I am being punished with false statements saturating the media. I am broken… Soon, I was stopped from going to visit Giwa’s Mother…. The only person that always met with me was Barrister Giwa , he is the eldest in the family…who would tell me “Ibinabo you were at the wrong place at the wrong time… things happen…” What do I do?… Meantime, I became pregnant and my due date was approaching. At that point, I was sentenced to fine because the judge said I had shown remorse. I didn’t even have any money in court that day. A woman I didn’t know paid for me. So I left for UK to go and have my baby. After the birth of my child, I returned to continue seeking peace and forgiveness with the family. My lawyer informed me of another court appearance. I came back to start all over again…. I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t look at myself anymore…why would this case reopen?. What have I done?.. In the middle of this craziness, false statements began to spread and track, again: that I was throwing parties and celebrating… How could I be doing that?. I wasn’t even in Nigeria…I just returned then from child birthing. How could I have been throwing parties when I was pregnant?. Parties for what celebration?.. I couldn’t do all these things…… somebody lost his life, why should I party? But I kept quiet, secretly begging the family, seeking forgiveness. I kept begging… I feel their pain. I was involved in an accident: a wonderful son, father and husband lost his Life: I kept begging.. I dint know what else to do…. Giwa’s family said that somebody told them I was drunk at my club and must have been coming from there, that day. Are you serious?. My club was closed eight years before the accident happened.. There was no alcohol involved. I wasn’t drunk on the day of the accident. These silly rumors manifested in the mainstream and social media: the rumors continue to spread that I was drunk when the accident happened… The accident had nothing to do with alcohol. Nothing!. My charge was reckless driving that caused someone’s death. It wasn’t driving while impaired. It wasn’t alcohol that caused the death of Dr. Suraj. It wasn’t… it wasn’t…there was nothing that concerned alcohol with the unintentional accident. They keep breaking me with these false accusations in public. The public bought into them and perhaps, accepted I was drunk on that day. I keep praying to God to release me from this miserable bondage…I am broken! My life is uncomfortable.. I do not go out. I hardly socialize. I am afraid

 

IBINABO FIBERESIMA: MY STORY‘ DEAR NIGERIA, I AM SORRY.” Nigerians read it all on Tafia world

 I greet you. Thank you for allowing me to respond to your recent post here about my political ambition and the fatal accident of 2006. I need to tell my story. I stayed silent for so long and watched as my life, character and person were being ruined in published reports, including social media. This is my story, told for the first time on social media platform.
My heart has never stopped aching. It will not. An accident took the life of someone. I am forever in mourning because of this. Two families’ lives have been changed forever with this unfortunate fatal accident.
It was an accident.
Dr. Suraj Giwa didn’t have to die.
I wished I could bring him back.
I am sorry for the pains caused.

I have also been maligned and disparaged in the media: I am a monster. I am a killer and a murderer, I am a drunk... No. Azuka. I am none of these.
I am just another human being that was in a deadly accident and the accident caused the death of Dr. Suraj Giwa.
It’s been 12 years of heartache, pain and depression for me.
My eyes are rivers of tears.
Some days I feel like killing myself.
Life has no meaning to me.
I think about Dr. Giwa every day.
I pray for his soul and I pray and seek forgiveness from his family for the pain and agony.
I am very sorry.
It didn’t have to happen. I wished I knew it would happen that unfortunate day, I would not have travelled that road.
I was not drunk that day.
Azuka, I was driving along Lekki road, returning home after picking up a friend’s daughter from a church Fellowship. Suddenly, a red car overtook the SUV in front of me. The SUV was travelling slowly, so I shifted to its front, too. The red vehicle was being driven by a young man and had his friends with him…I drove past the red car. I think that might have angered the young chap because he swiftly sped from behind, drove past me and made a sudden stop in my front.
I tried to avoid hitting those boys in the red car. I swerved and lost control in that moment, the impact dived my vehicle into inbound lane.. Dr. Giwa was inbound, thus he drove into my car and both cars collided. I collapsed and passed out..
Three days later, I WOKE UP IN A HOSPITAL bed to learn what had happened. I was weak, sore and in pains. I could not move my legs. I had been sedated for three days. Doctors said they had to sedate me to numb my pain. Meanwhile, the police had been informed that I was in that hospital. The Lagos State Police came to the hospital to take my statement of what happened. After I gave them my statement, I was arrested at the hospital and charged to court.
At my court appearance for hearing, the judge noticed how sick, weak, incoherent an disoriented I was: he also saw my injuries. He ordered that I should be sent back to the hospital for further treatment until I was well enough to stand trial. I could not walk then.
Later at the hospital, I woke up from coma and to reality. I was afraid and shocked. I could not believe I was involved in an accident that had taken a life. I was like: Wow!..Someone died in that accident. Oh my God!. I didn’t know the family. While I was in the hospital my family contacted the family of Late dr. Giwa who died in the accident. My family was there for the funeral and did everything during the mourning season. I was afraid. But I met them in court and tried to approach them. I understood the anger and pain I had caused them, so I accepted their anger toward me….his sister was really angry at me… I wanted to talk to her… it was hard for me to get close to her… I understood all these: the pain and distress they felt as a result of the accident. I felt their pain. I wanted to tell them how sorry and remorseful I was… It was an accident. I did not intend to wake up that morning, went out and had a fatal collision.
Weeks later, I was arraigned. I attended all my court appearances. During the process I visited the family and attempted several times to make peace. I never ignored them. I am always sorry. I know the pain is tough, so I understood their anger but I kept begging. I am sorry. I had gone to so many good people and friends to assist me in pleading for forgiveness from the family. One of such friends is late Iyalode of Lagos. She assisted me in begging the Giwa family: when I became well and able to walk, she took me to The former Imam of Lagos and the Present Oba of Lagos: these traditional and religious leaders begged on my behalf, pleading with the family for forgiveness and showed how sorry and remorseful I was that the accident happened.
I never ran away from the scene of the accident.
I was unconscious.
How could an unconscious accident victim remove plate license and registration papers from the vehicle as reported in the media? Why would I do a thing like that? How could I have done a thing like that?
Azuka, these were all lies manufactured and circulated in the media to tarnish me.
Days after the wreck, I woke up in a hospital.
I was never drunk as being speculated and alleged.
I was never charged for drunk driving.
I was charged for reckless and dangerous driving.
I am forever very sorry this accident happened. I never planned for it. I plead with the family. I reached out to the GO of the church where the late doctor’s wife worships to beg him to join me plead with her. He was on a crusade in Benue and I went and met with him. I am very sorry it happened. I am not arrogant or careless. I have just been wrongly represented and maligned in the media. The story has several versions that make me a heartless beautiful beast and monster. I have not said much because the family is bereaved. It hurts. I need to respect their sorrows and what they are going through:trying to explain myself, I thought, would sound arrogant. So I kept quiet. I have been sorry from the moment I learnt the accident took a dear life.
Life has never been the same for both families. I am sorry. Losing Dr Giwa altered our lives and I regret that. It’s devastating.
As the case was progressing, I began to read so many false stories about me being arrogant, being an alcoholic and drove under the influence on that day; that I refused to ask the family to forgive me..
Wow...I was stunned. How are all these possible?. So I approached Giwa’s family to find out the source of all these stories that do not make sense. The family said my Nollywood colleagues told them all kinds of things and lies about me. The lies included: that I owned a night club and so I must have been returning from my night club, drunk. I owned a night club years before the accident. They said someone that sells alcohol is an alcoholic. Azuka I am being punished with false statements saturating the media. I am broken…
Soon, I was stopped from going to visit Giwa’s Mother…. The only person that always met with me was Barrister Giwa , he is the Eldest in the family...who would tell me “Ibinabo you were at the wrong place at the wrong time… things happen…” What do I do?…
Meantime, I became pregnant and my due date was approaching. At that point I was sentenced to fine because the judge said I had shown remorse. I didn’t even have any money in court that day. A woman I didn’t know paid for me. So I left for UK to go and have my baby.
After the birth of my child, I returned to continue seeking peace and forgiveness with the family. My lawyer informed me of another court appearance. Hmmm, Azuka, I came back to start all over again….
I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t look at myself anymore…why would this case reopen?. What have I done?.. In the middle of this craziness, false statements began to spread and track, again: that I was throwing parties and celebrating… How could I be doing that?. I wasn’t even in Nigeria…I just returned then from child birthing..How could I have been throwing parties when I was pregnant?. Parties for what celebration?.. Azuka… I couldn’t do all these things…… somebody lost his life, why should I party, Azuka? But I kept quiet, secretly begging the family, seeking forgiveness, Azuka. I kept begging… I feel their pain. I was involved in an accident: a wonderful son, father and husband lost his Life: I kept begging.. I dint know what else to do….
Giwa’s family said that somebody told them I was drunk at my club and must have been coming from there, that day. Are you serious?. My club was closed eight years before the accident happened..
There was no alcohol involved. I wasn’t drunk on the day of the accident.
These silly rumors manifested in the mainstream and social media: the rumors continue to spread that I was drunk when the accident happened…
The accident had nothing to do with alcohol. Azuka: Nothing!.
My charge was reckless driving that caused someone’s death.
It wasn’t driving while impaired.
It wasn’t alcohol that caused the death of Dr. Suraj.
It wasn’t… it wasn’t…there was nothing that concerned alcohol with the unintentional accident.. Nothing, Azuka!... NOTHING!!!!
They keep breaking me with these false accusations in public. The public bought into them and perhaps, accepted I was drunk on that day. I keep praying to God to release me from this miserable bondage…I am broken! My life is uncomfortable.. I do not go out. I hardly socialize. I am afraid. I do not know what to do….I don’t know…..
I have been rubbished as a heartless, careless, monster, inhuman party girl and jail bird: I am none of these…
Azuka, I am not a cold blooded murderer....I am not a Killer.
I am not.
I was never charged for drunk driving.
I was charged with reckless and dangerous driving.
I am very sorry this accident happened.
It was unintentional.
I am still pleading with the family….I can’t hurt anyone. I am a human being.
I wanted to end my life. I said that was it. It’s over for me. I was tired.
I wanted to commit suicide because I was tired of reading things I never knew about: false stories that dehumanized me. It hurts. Its agonizing.
Everything that was wrong became my story.
I would ask where and when did such stories happened to me. I became a monster in the eyes of everyone. So I thought suicide was the best option to end all these and find peace for my family and Dr. Giwa’s family.
I lost myself.
I was no longer Ibinabo.
I didn’t know who I was.
I became a stranger to myself and my family, afraid of life and living, scarred by and scared of human beings.
I withdrew and became clinically depressed.
I could not take care of my children.
I was dying.
Azuka, I was dying. Life had no meaning to me.
I became a lonely zombie: a mother that could not care for her children, distressed, disturbed and severely depressed.
I was sent to Kirikiri female Prison. I wanted to die there.
I accepted to end it.
But one preacher came to the prison and preached to us. It was like he was talking to me. During his sermon, I fainted… I was revived by prisoners that attended the service. When I woke up, I was soaked in water and the prisoners gathered around me… I asked what happened and they told me I had Passed out during the service.. That opened my eyes. I asked myself then: Ibinabo, do you really want to die?. I said no. I must turn my life to purpose driven, to rescue the weak and helped those that society had turned against.. I held onto God. I told Him it was up to Him. I didn’t want to see any lawyer again, I had no money. My family bailed me out after three months and three days…. I came out to pursue the appeal…
I was living my simple life…I engaged in works with youths in my village. I enjoy spending time in my town. They know me there. They love me there… I was on my way to a funeral when my lawyer called me.. Earlier the previous day, I called to inform him I would be out of town and hoped the appeal date would not be scheduled while I was out of town.
He said no. I told him I didn’t want the court to think I jumped bail… He called me on my way to the funeral, the next day and said the court date was actually that morning. I had to hurry back to court.
I lost the appeal.
I was shocked.
My lawyer did not understand what was going on. That day, I was taken back to Kirikiri maximum security prison… that was 2016…
While at Kirikiri, I discovered I had a lump in my breast. I had to do surgery… when I was released, I went to the village so that I would not breakdown and collapse into depression again…
Yes I want to serve my people.. I want to be positive and impact people’s lives. And yes, Azuka, I remember that this sad situation is still here…
I do not know who else to talk to…
I do not know what else to do.
I need help…
The family sued me for N200Million in a civil case…
Where will I get that money from?. So we have been negotiating to see where we can get to, so I can begin making payment by installment.
We have agreed to settle out of court… we are not there yet. It’s a process… Though I have appealed this case to the Supreme Court, what is important to me now is making peace with the family: that is more important because it will heal me… his family and I would have peace.
Azuka I am not a bad person. I do not know what else to do. People think I am a murderer. I am not. I am not. Azuka, free me….Free me… It was an unfortunate accident. I didn’t do it intentionally. That’s all I have been begging…
I have begged…I do not know what to do…I am truly sorry it happened…
I am not running for any political office. My people wanted me. A group of youths from my place asked me to run for office, I said no. They went and printed poster and placed it on social media. So I endorsed it.
Eventually, I must live. I have to do things to my fulfillment, to what God wants me to do; to be able to help youths help people generally… Life in Okrika is not easy… I need to help the youths believe in themselves… they are aching.. In my region, simple things of life are a struggle to get. I need to change their mindset that there is alternative way to Life… I have become a seeker of peace for my people… Life hasn’t been a bed of roses…
But I must deal with this issue. I seek forgiveness from the family and peace of mind. I need to find closure and peace.…
I am not a killer… I care too much… I am a caring person. I put myself in the shoes of Giwa’s family and I can understand their pains. I am very sorry for the loss of life of Dr. Giwa. I am. I am not arrogant.
I never, ever said to his family that I would not offer public apology.
I was offered to do a public service announcement across country with regards to Driving While Impaired. I said if I did that, it then meant I accepted I was drunk when I drove my car. I wasn’t drunk. I would do anything but that. I wasn’t drunk… they assumed because I owned a night club in the past, so I must be an alcoholic.
This is exactly the truth. It’s not fair to admit that I was drunk.
The police did not arrest me for drunk driving..
The court never charged me with drunk driving..
There were reckless and dangerous driving charges.
Those were what I was charged by the court….
I was not charged with manslaughter.
Not murder…
My pains through the years include:
Bouts of depression
Attempted suicide
I Had surgeries in my breast to remove lumps.
I cannot do a lot.
This unfortunate experience has affected my job prospects. I am unemployable I have stopped acting for a while. I just do charity works.. I am not flamboyant..
Dear Nigeria, I am sorry. I will forever regret what happened.
Giwa was a father, husband and son. He was the sole and soul provider of his family. I feel terrible he died during an accident which I was involved. I feel really bad. I am sorry.
I need prayers. Please pray for me and the soul of Giwa and his family.
I know I have found God through this experience. But I still need help. I am receiving therapy for my depression and suicidal thoughts… I am able to share these with you.. I am healing… one moment at a time..I am not a killer. I am not a murderer. I am not an alcoholic. I did not drive while intoxicated. I was involved in an accident that resulted in death and for that I am very sorry. I have had periods of feeling miserable in the last 12years as a result of this accident. I need to find peace. I seek forgiveness. I am sorry."

 

Deejay Avicii's family reveals his personal struggles in new statement read it all on Tafia world.

The family of Tim Bergling, the Swedish DJ and producing star known as Avicii, has issued a new statement regarding the musician's sudden death last week at age 28.

"Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions," the statement obtained by CNN read. "An over-achieving perfectionist who traveled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most -- music."

The statement continued: "He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive."

Avicii was found dead last Friday in Muscat, Oman. A cause of death has not been announced, but police said over the weekend that there is no suspicion of foul play.

Musicians like Madonna, Calvin Harris and Charlie Puth shared messages of condolence on social media following his death.

 

A town in Utrecht, Netherlands paid tribute to the Swedish artist by playing some of his most popular tunes over its bell tower.

 

Related: Avicii's family arrives in Oman as new details emerge on his death

Avicii was one of the world's most successful DJs and a big name in the musical genre known as EDM, or electronic dance music. He worked with Madonna and Chris Martin, among other artists, and had a crossover pop hit in 2013 with "Wake Me Up."

Despite a life of jam-packed arenas and screaming fans, Avicii acknowledged struggling with fame and health issues. He retired from performing two years ago to take a break from touring.

In messages posted on social media, he said stress, anxiety and illness were factors in his decision. Walking away was tough, he said, but he also needed to pursue other interests.

"Creating music is what makes me happy and I have gotten to know so many great people in my days of touring, seen so many amazing places and created endless of good memories," Avicii wrote at the time.

"The decision I made might seem odd to some