Friday 29 July 2016

50 Years After: Nigeria's First Lady, Victoria Aguiyi Ironsi Opens Up On Husband's Death



By Anayo Okoli





For Lady Victoria Aguiyi Ironsi, the shock of the news of the tragic death of her husband, the late former Head of State, Lt. General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi can never go away. She described the day and entire period as shocking and terrible dark days. But she remains grateful to God that she weathered it all.
In this interview in Umuahia, Lady Aguiyi Ironsi laments that both the Federal and State Government do not accord the nation’s heroes the respect they deserve.

Today is 50 years of the tragic death of your husband. How did you receive the news?

Well, it is 50 years now, I am happy that God has kept us alive till today. And today, one can look back to those dark days. It is not a day one can forget in life, we keep remembering it. The shock can never go away.

How did you feel when the news came? As the wife at home, all of a sudden the news came that your husband, the Head of State, has been killed. How did you receive the news?

Shocking, it was a terrible thing. But usually when a soldier marries a woman, he always tries to bring her up to his standard, that is to be brave and courageous. Time without number, they go out and they don’t return. They tell us as wives, ‘as a soldier, I can die any day.’ They don’t hesitate to tell us something like that. And when they tell us things like that, we always think they are just talking, but they are teaching us something serious, really. In my case, when I got worried, he would advise me not to be worried. He would tell me, ‘don’t be worried, I am a soldier, I can die any day.’ So on this fateful day, it happened. Where did he go to, a meeting in Ibadan; Fujuyi was hosting him at the State House, Ibadan. From a meeting you don’t see your husband again; he was not sick, nothing. What you do, nothing, you wouldn’t even know what to do, you are just empty. It is only God that can console you, that time you need God most. That was what happened to me, it was shocking. You don’t even know the true situation of things. Nobody told me whether he was dead or alive. For so many months, no information on whether he was killed. People just kept trooping in [to the State House], saying this and saying that, then you are dumb, you can’t even talk. I just kept looking at thousands of people that came to see me. Who were you going to talk to? Some people said they saw him in Umuahia, his home town, some said they saw him in other places, I was just looking at people talking, I did not know what to contribute. I was just confused, looking at them.

But being the wife of a general, and going by what he used to tell you about the risk in his profession, were you able to put one and two together to sense that he was dead?

Oh yes. That was why I called Emeka [Col. Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, the Governor of Eastern Region] and told him to take me down to the East, that I didn’t think I would continue to remain here [State House], Lagos. I called him to make arrangement to move me down, and he did that immediately.

Were you with the children then?

Of course, even my first son who came from London on holidays followed him [Gen Ironsi] to Ibadan for the meeting. I did not even remember that he was there with him, he followed his father to Ibadan for a meeting; he said he wanted to have a sight-seeing. A young boy, who had been in London all his life, just came home on holidays. I didn’t even remember again that he was with his father because my brain was off.

How did your son feel the tragic incident?

He was with his father in the State House, Ibadan, when the soldiers came [to arrest his father]. His father put him in the wardrobe and went down stairs to meet the soldiers who came for him. He warned his son, ‘don’t enter any car, just take train and go back to Lagos.’ A very clever boy, he did as instructed and came back to Lagos on train.

Was he the person who eventually told you what actually happened to your husband?

No, he did not even talk. He just entered and said, ‘oh, I have a brave father. I have a brave father, he didn’t allow them to touch him; he followed them to wherever they were going.’ He said he looked through the window, that his father just entered his car and followed them. And Fujuyi, (who was his host])insisted that he must go with them where they were going. He said he was looking at them as they left. He told me, ‘mummy, dad said I should tell you not to cry.’

How are you planning the memorial service?

The church service will hold Friday, 29th July, at the Martha Day Catholic Cathedral, Umuahia, and reception will hold here in the house. The memorial service is to thank God for keeping us alive. He, himself, being a man of God would be happy where ever he is now. So we have to thank God. Members of the Legions have indicated interest to come and they will go to his burial site to pay him respect.

What of the Military authority, did you extend invitations to them?

My dear, only members of the Legion have said they would come. But the Military know about it. 50 years anniversary is a national thing. Even the Federal and State Governments ought to take it serious, but they are busy doing their politics. It is their responsibility to do everything I am doing now about this programme, but they don’t care, the Government, both Federal and State, are busy doing politics, and the past heroes they don’t recognize them. It is a major event in the nation’s history, but look at how they are handling it. The man who just phoned me is the chairman of the Legions in the State, informing me that they are coming in their uniform.

Courtesy: VANGUARD

“I Love Seeing Kim’s Naked Body,” Says Kanye West



In this interview with America’s lifestyle magazine, Harper’s BAZAAR, world’s weirdest and most famous couple, Kim and Kanye West open up on many issues including nudity, Taylor Swift and what makes their union tick. Kanye says, “I think it's important for Kim to have her figure. To not show it would be like Adele not singing.” Enjoy the interview
Harper's BAZAAR's Laura Brown: Okay! So, this is in no particular order. Kanye, your favorite body part—your own or Kim's.

KW: Is the face a body part? My favorite body part of Kim's: heart.

KKW: Awww, now I have to say the same. But of my own, I like my upper stomach. I just seem to always have abs.When I'm not really pregnant, I have a great two-pack. [Laughs.] And of Kanye's? I have to say his heart. And I've always loved his legs.

LB: Favorite song of all time?

KW:"All Along the Watchtower." The Jimi Hendrix cover.

KKW: I really like the song "Only One" [West with Paul McCartney].

LB: Favorite Taylor Swift song?

KW: For me? I don't have one.

KKW: I was such a fan of hers.

LB: Favorite book?

KKW: Embraced by the Light. It's about a woman who passed away during surgery, and she went to heaven, had her experience, and then came back. My dad [Robert Kardashian] would try to get me to read it, and I wouldn't. Then when he passed away, I was cleaning out my room in his house, and I found it. I read it, and it helped me. I felt like my dad was okay.

KW: Yeah, I don't have an answer for that.

KKW
: Your mom's book or your book?

KW: Yeah, but that's like, you know...

KKW: Too self-promotional?

KW: Yeah, too promotional.

LB: Celebrity crush when you were young?

KKW: I thought Johnny Depp was so cute when I was younger. Kanye, didn't you like Pam Anderson?

KW: Yeah! That's what I would say.

LB: Historical figure you identify with?

KKW: This one is hard.

KW: Us? Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe—all day. Next question.

LB: Hidden talent? I don't know if you guys hide your talents, but if you do ...

KKW: I can smell when someone has a cavity. It's a very specific smell—not a bad-breath smell—but something that is really strong.

KW: I can analyze people's intentions. Immediately.That's just a warning. To everyone.

LB: Biggest insecurity?

KKW: I would say looking fat sometimes. I really do take it seriously. I try to do what I can and diet and stay in shape, and it does make me insecure when I'm heavy.

KW: I used to have insecurity about my finances, then I announced that I had debt, and now I don't have any insecurities.

KKW: Then you didn't have any debt; it seemed to all figure it out.

LB: You just put it out there, like The Secret.

KKW: Don't think that will work for everyone.

KW: People will definitely use that against you if someone knows that. But the one thing I don't have an insecurity about is public perception. I'm not going to conform to it, you know?

LB: Yes, the more attention you pay to the winds, you can overthink things.

KW: Here's something that's contrary to popular belief: I actually don't like thinking. I think people think I like to think a lot. And I don't. I do not like to think at all.

LB: You're an underthinker.

KW: I think about things to put them in a place where I don't have to think about them anymore. Say if I had a child with a really bad mom, I would have to think more than if I had a child with a good mom. I'm just doing my homework early. I told my trainer today, I'm a mix of a 14-year-old high schooler and a 60-year-old guy. It can never fall into the 30s or the 40s. It has to be 100 percent 60 or 100 percent 14, no in between.

LB: Can you please make that into a T-shirt? Okay, how much do you really sleep? On social media you are asleep all the time.

KKW: He can fall asleep anywhere.

KW: I can sleep. I love sleep; it's my favorite.

KKW: He took me to a fashion meeting in Paris once. I'd never met these people; I was so nervous. It was the beginning of our relationship, and I didn't know anyone in fashion. And he passed out at the table. I'm like, "I'm so sorry, we're jet-lagged." You don't know the number of times I've had to say that. I always flat-out lie that he's jet-lagged, even if we've been home for months. [Laughs.] Me? I'm up at like 6 a.m. With my trainer, running up the hill you drove up to get here.

LB: Most annoying habit?

KKW: I think he gets really annoyed because I just hate fittings. I'll just be like,"Ah, I can't find something to wear." I get so worked up every time I'm rushing; I get annoyed with rushing. Then I get in a bad mood—I'm so cranky. I hate being late.

KW: It's so hard to do fittings [for Yeezy] because we want to do things that are inspiring, that people could look at and say, "Wow, I like that color palette, I could put that together." And there are so many images of things that it's almost impossible to have your clothes go up against the amount you're seeing and carry it into one language. That's why I'm always fighting either to have a house work with us or to head a house. It's a lifestyle I can totally see: the future, modern Versailles, modern Versace, modern Calabasas, paparazzi, celebrity language. I just want to build a collection that's around me and my wife and my kids. Because Kris and the family, they have the power of communication. This is the number one communications company.

LB: You're saying you've got the power of the idea.

KW: The idea. I know I wasn't allowed to go to fashion school; I can't cut a dress like Galliano, right? But I had enough wherewithal to go to that studio on my first collection and bring Kim, [stylist] Christine Centenera, Ian Connor, Theophilus London, Virgil Abloh...they all came down to [Vetements/Balenciaga designer] Demna Gvasalia's studio that night and hung out. (And then Demna, as you probably know, he worked on Yeezy Season 1.) Anyway, I want to say a controversial thing for this article...

LB: I'm ready.

KKW: Laura's question was, What's annoying?

KW: What designer on the planet can sell, consistently, 40,000 shoes. In two minutes?

KKW: One minute.

LB: Wow. Yeezy does it. Okay, change of subject. Favorite selfie pose?

KKW: I love a selfie in the mirror.

KW: I love her nude selfies. Like, I love the ones from the side, the back ones, and the front. I just love seeing her naked; I love nudity. And I love beautiful shapes. I feel like it's almost a Renaissance thing, a painting, a modern version of a painting. I think it's important for Kim to have her figure. To not show it would be like Adele not singing.

LB: Kanye, nude selfies?

KW: I used to do nude selfies in my single days.You'd get a good cock shot here and there. [Laughs.] Gotta keep it rock 'n' roll.

LB: I'd assume scale is important.

KW: Yeah, it's all about scale. You don't become a rock star for no reason.

LB:
Who's more vain?

KKW: I mean, me.

KW: Yeah, I think she has vanity. And with me, I don't give a fuck, bro; it is what it is. I'm the best—now what? I don't know if that's a vain statement. I don't particularly like photos of myself, though.

KKW:
Yeah, what is the definition of vain? I want to look up exactly what the definition is.[Googles.] Vain, definition: "having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth."

LB: Speaking of pride, tweets you're proud of and tweets you regret.

KKW: I don't regret any tweets. I'm not a tweeter and deleter. So I have no regrets.

KW: She hates tweeters and deleters.

LB:
Kim, blonde or brunette?

KKW: Blonde. Brunette is who I am obviously, it's my core. Blonde Kim is this alter ego; she has a vibe to her that I love.

LB: Could you have predicted the reaction to your nude selfie with the black bars?

KKW: I was about to get in the shower; I took a nude selfie, kept it in my phone for over a year. I just liked the picture, so I was like,"Let me put censor bars on it and post it." I don't do things to be like, "This is powerful. I'm going to show you guys that this is my 'message.''' I'm not that type of person. I'm empowered by it, but I'm not doing it specifically to show power.

LB: It was a weird response because we've all seen your body before.

KKW: Yeah, that's what was so shocking. And when I put the bars on it, it was more covered up than a bikini!

LB: What was the last thing you bought yourselves and each other?

KKW: The last thing I bought was a pair of Isabel Marant sandals. I don't wear flats, so it's hard for me to buy sandals. Kanye is the hardest person to buy something for, so I bought…

KW: You extended the bathroom and bedroom on the house.

KKW: I rented an island for his birthday. A far, far away place where no one can find us.

KW: You see, those are the type of statements that make people not like us, more so than the "I'm the best" statement. It's more the "Oh, yeah, I just rented an island for his birthday ..." You know in Meet the Parents, Owen Wilson's character? All of our shit is like Owen Wilson's character; he's like, "This is when we jumped off Mount Everest, and we wore turtle flight suits or whatever."

LB: Is there anything you wish the world didn't know about you?

KKW: Definitely. I was going to say some ugly looks and stuff.

KW: Some pregnancy stuff. You killed this second pregnancy, though.Your body slammed that crap. You made that second pregnancy your bitch.

KKW: I wish I had a little bit more privacy.

LB: Okay, TV shows you binge-watch?

KW/KKW: Empire.

LB: What would you do if you were invisible?

KW: Women's locker room.

KKW: I would probably creepily follow my kids around, see how they act, see what they talk about. I record my daughter just talking because the things she says are so funny. I could watch her talk all day.

KW: Yeah, maybe. See, Kim? Yours is so much nicer than mine.

LB: What makes you both laugh?

KKW: Kanye just says the funniest analogies that are so random. I should start keeping a book—in 20 years, I'll have a big book of analogies.They always make me laugh.

KW: Kim's just a funny person in general.

KKW: But I don't get credit for being funny; it's, like, not a thing.

KW: I think my sense of humor is really dark and super twisted and stuff like that. It's like, "Is this a funny joke for real? Or am I just rich?" See? That was funny.


LB: What would you bring to a desert island?

KKW: My kids. My phone.

KW: Not me. [Laughs.] I would bring my laptop and the Internet.

LB: How would you like to be remembered?

KKW: I'd like to be remembered as someone who was smart in business, works hard, and can be sexy and a mom. A powerful but still sexy, nonconforming woman. And I would hope that Kanye would be remembered for being smart and sticking to what he believes.

KW: Determined. I would say my determination is way higher than my smartness.

KKW: A lot of people have strong beliefs, but they don't have the confidence to really stick to them. I really respect Kanye for that.

LB: I personally really enjoy your use of capital letters.

KW: Yeah, all caps. Next time I'm doing all raps in all caps.

KKW: Kanye, what do you want to be remembered for?

KW: Your answer was so much better. I was going to say the whole thing about global warming and we're all going to be gone.

Culled:
www.harpersbazaar.com

Thursday 28 July 2016

Mary J. Blige Files for Divorce After 12 Years Of Marriage





American singer cum actress, Mary J. Bligehas filed for divorce from her manager husband, Kendu Isaacs, after 12 years of marriage, Us Weekly can confirm.
Mary J. Blige's rep released a statement about the divorce to Us Weekly on Thursday, July 28. "Ms. Blige is saddened to say it is true that she has filed for divorce, saying sometimes things don't work how we hoped they would… but there is a divine plan and a reason for everything," the statement read. "Mary will continue writing and working on her album, which is due out later this year, along with her world tour. She thanks and appreciates her fans for their support and love through this very difficult emotional time."
The R&B singer, 45, filed court documents on Tuesday, July 26. According to TMZ, she cited irreconcilable differences and listed the date of separation as "to be determined."
She requested that Isaacs not receive spousal support.
Blige and Isaacs tied the knot in December 2003 and have no children together. Isaacs is dad to three children from a previous relationship.

Actress Sonia Ibrahim & Collins Taabazuing Traditional Wedding Pictures










Fast rising actress and model Sonia Ibrahim and her soldier beau Collins Taabazuing had their traditional wedding on Saturday July 23, 2016 in East Legon, Accra, Ghana. Collins proposed in November 2015.