Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog |
- Jay Z addresses Tidal flop reports, says his cousin moved to Nigeria to discover new talent
- Gen Buhari signifies interest to probe alleged missing $20bn NNPC money
- Graphic photo: Body dumped on 3rd Mainland bridge this evening
- New photos of Mercy Johnson's son, Henry
- South African govt expresses anger over Nigerian govts recall of her ambassadors
- Asari Dokubo shares photos of himself and his children. Dem plenty o...:-)
- Photos and profiles of the 4 Nigerians to be executed in Indonesia for drug trafficking
- Sen. Hope Uzodimma denies being arrested over ballot thumb printing
- Lovely photo of Oyo state governor and his family
- Photo: Floyd Mayweather's car dealer an Igbo man?
- Tiwa Savage declares love for Teebillz as they celebrate 1st wedding anniversary
- Gen. Buhari (supposedly) reads riot act to family members
- MC Galaxy drops debut album, goes back to his root for the launch
- Photos: Jude Okoye and wife dedicate their daughter
- APC Taraba female governorship candidate loses rerun election to PDP candidate
- John Fashanu claims wife (Adaeze Yobo's mum) tried to kill him after accusing him of threesome
- Photos: Accident along Niger Government Office
- Beautiful new photos of Blue Ivy,..she's growing up so fast!
- Patience Jonathan’s attitude & anti-gay bill made Jonathan lose the election - PDP chieftain
- 2face, Davido, Wizkid, MI, Seyi Shay Unveiled as Artistes for 2015 #StarMusicTrek
- Must read! Bruce Jenner's ex-wife Linda Thompson writes about him
- Mercy Johnson & husband looking lovely at their son's dedication
- Photos: Man baths ex-lover with acid in Kogi state
- Photos: Road leading to Ikpeazu's home in Abia blocked after he's declared winner
- Kris Humphries apologizes for the Bruce Jenner diss
| Jay Z addresses Tidal flop reports, says his cousin moved to Nigeria to discover new talent Posted: 26 Apr 2015 02:04 PM PDT    Read Jay Z's Tweets from bottom up...     |
| Gen Buhari signifies interest to probe alleged missing $20bn NNPC money Posted: 26 Apr 2015 01:52 PM PDT President-elect Gen. Buhari has signified interest to probe the alleged missing $20 billion from the coffers of the NNPC. Speaking with APC members from Adamawa state at the APC National headquarters in Abuja today April 26th, Gen Buhari queried the dismissal of Former CBN governor now Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II who raised alarm over the missing money. "I heard that some people have started returning money; I will not believe it until I go and see for myself. Imagine a situation where the former CBN governor who by God 's grace would later become the Emir of Kano raised an issue of missing billions of money, not in Naira but in Dollars, $20 billion. What happened, instead of investigating to know whether it was true that the money was missing or not, they simply found a reason to remove him. So these are the issues we are talking about" he said in Hausa |
| Graphic photo: Body dumped on 3rd Mainland bridge this evening Posted: 26 Apr 2015 12:06 PM PDT |
| New photos of Mercy Johnson's son, Henry Posted: 26 Apr 2015 11:37 AM PDT |
| South African govt expresses anger over Nigerian govts recall of her ambassadors Posted: 26 Apr 2015 09:22 AM PDT  South African government has released a statement expressing their displeasure over Nigerian government's decision to recall her envoys following Xenophobic attacks in SA. In a statement released by the South African government's Department of International Relations and Co-operations, SA government described the decision as an unfortunate and regrettable step, adding that only Nigeria has taken such a decision since the xenophobic attacks began. According to the statement, the South African government did not blame Nigeria when 84 of her citizens died in the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse some months back. (how is it the same thing?) Find the statement released after the cut... We are not sure which actions or behavior of the South African Government the Nigerian Government is protesting. It is only Nigeria that has taken this unfortunate and regrettable step. If this action is based on the incidents of attacks on foreign nationals in some parts of our country, it would be curious for a sisterly country to want to exploit such a painful episode for whatever agenda. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has just returned from Indonesia to attend the Africa-Asia Summit and the 60th Anniversary of the historic Bandung Conference. At no stage did the Nigerian delegation present at that gathering, expressed its intention to formally raise the issue with the South African side. South Africa remains committed to a strong bond of friendship and bilateral relations with Nigeria. It is for this reason that when 84 of our citizens perished on Nigerian soil, we did not blame the Nigerian Government for the deaths and more than nine (9) months delay in the repatriation of the bodies of our fallen compatriots, or for the fact that when these bodies eventually returned, they were in a state that they could not be touched or viewed as required by our burial practice. We will raise our concerns through diplomatic channels with the new administration that will assume office in Nigeria next month. The South African Government, as well as all political parties, religious organisations, non-governmental organisations, business, sports fraternities, including artists, musicians and ordinary people of South Africa, have been decisive and unequivocal in condemning and rejecting the attacks on foreign nationals. Through our interventions, relative calm and order has been restored. We are encouraged by the solidarity our country continues to receive from other African countries and the international community. We shall also continue to support and not blame the Nigerian Government as it battles to deal with Boko Haram that continues to kill many innocent civilians. We hope that the more than 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram will someday be reunited with their families. Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974 ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION OR Tambo Building 460 Soutpansberg Road Rietondale, Pretoria |
| Asari Dokubo shares photos of himself and his children. Dem plenty o...:-) Posted: 26 Apr 2015 09:17 AM PDT             Meanwhile, responding to one of his followers on Facebook, Dokubo said the President elect, Gen Buhari does not have the power to send anyone to jail. What he posted below...  |
| Photos and profiles of the 4 Nigerians to be executed in Indonesia for drug trafficking Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:39 AM PDT  Martin Anderson: 50 year old Martin Anderson (above) was arrested in Jakarta in 2003 on a charge of possessing about 1.8 ounces of heroin and was accused of being part of a local drug ring. He had traveled to Indonesia on a fake Ghanaian passport and has been incorrectly identified as Ghanaian. He was sentenced to death in 2004. According to his lawyer, Kusmanto, who like many Indonesians uses one name, Mr. Anderson was shot in the leg during his arrest — a method the Indonesian police are sometimes known to use when apprehending a suspect — and remains bothered by the wound to this day.  Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise's story, as his wife tells it, is similar to those of other Nigerians on Indonesia's death row for drug trafficking. Unemployed in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, he was lured to Pakistan by fellow Nigerians on the promise of a job with good wages. But once in Pakistan, instead of a job, he got an offer to swallow some capsules – filled with goat horn powder, his wife, Fatimah Farwin, says he was told – and fly to Indonesia. "They said they didn't want to pay tax on it," Ms. Fatimah said. "When he arrived at the airport in Jakarta, the police saw him – I don't know how – they caught him and X-rayed him, and they found it and it was drugs." Arrested in 2001, Mr. Nwolise was convicted the following year of bringing 2.6 pounds of heroin into the country, and was sentenced to death. During his trial, according to Ms. Fatimah, Mr. Nwolise had no translator, and his Indonesian lawyer could barely communicate with him. She said that a judge, through an intermediary, offered to sentence him to prison rather than death if he paid a bribe of 200 million rupiah, worth about $22,000 at the time. "But he was just a poor courier. He didn't have any money," Ms. Fatimah said. Ms. Fatimah, who is Indonesian, met Mr. Nwolise in prison in 2007, when she was accompanying a friend who was visiting another inmate. The two married later that year; they have since had two children, now 5 and 3, but she has not brought them to see him since they were infants. She has told them that their father is working in an office in another country. In January, the Indonesian police accused Mr. Nwolise of running a drug syndicate from prison. No charges were brought, but Ms. Fatimah, who says emphatically that her husband is innocent of the accusation, believes it resulted in his being placed in the group of inmates now facing imminent execution. "Some woman on the outside blamed him," Ms. Fatimah said, referring to a police informant, "but when they came to his cell, they never found anything – never, never, never. He never had a trial and next thing, they wanted to execute him."  Jamiu Owolabi Abashin was living on the streets of Bangkok in 1998 when a fellow African living there took pity on him and brought him home. Shortly thereafter, according to Mr. Abashin, his new friend asked whether he wanted a quick-paying job, in which he would get $400 for bringing a package of clothing to the friend's wife in Surabaya, Indonesia, where she sold used shirts and pants. Mr. Abashin readily agreed, but soon wished he hadn't: The package contained nearly 12 pounds of heroin, and he was arrested after landing at Surabaya's airport. Mr. Abashin, who was traveling on a false Spanish passport, contended he was duped. He was convicted in 1999 and sentenced to life in prison, which was reduced to 20 years on appeal. State prosecutors challenged the sentence reduction before the Indonesian Supreme Court, which in 2006 sentenced Mr. Abashin to death. In a request for presidential clemency in 2008, he admitted knowingly smuggling the drugs. The request was denied in January. The Indonesian government refers to him as Raheem Agbaje Salami, the name on the fake Spanish passport he was using when he was arrested. Ursa Supit, an Indonesian legal activist who is advocating on Mr. Abashin's behalf, says that because he had no money, he was assigned a state lawyer for his trial and had no legal counsel when he appealed to the Supreme Court. Mr. Abashin, who now has a lawyer, is challenging Mr. Joko's rejection of his clemency request. "He has been inside now for 17 years, and he has never broken a rule inside," Ms. Supit said. "And now they are going to execute him. He's never had money for lawyers. It's not fair."  The YouTube clip shows what seems to be a typical Sunday religious service at a small church. A young African man, accompanied by an Asian guitarist, sings a heartfelt gospel song as the audience sings along. But the camera does not show the security guards, iron bars and barbed wire fences that would have indicated this was no ordinary place. The singer, Okwudili Oyatanze, was giving his regular performance at a penitentiary outside the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Known in Indonesia's penal system as "The Death Row Gospel Singer," Mr. Oyatanze, 41, was arrested in 2001 while trying to smuggle 5.5 pounds of heroin through Jakarta's international airport, in his stomach, after arriving on a flight from Pakistan. He was convicted the following year and sentenced to death. Mr. Oyatanze has made the most of his incarceration, writing more than 70 songs and recording multiple albums behind bars. He has performed with prison guards as well as fellow inmates. In the video, shot in 2008, Mr. Oyatanze sang his song "God You Know," which was also the name of an album he released that year. "He has turned his life around in jail," said the Rev. Charles Burrows, a Catholic priest from Ireland who now lives in Indonesia and is offering religious counseling to Mr. Oyatanze as he awaits his execution. Raised in outheastern Nigeria, Mr. Oyatanze started a garment business in 1999, traveling to Indonesia to buy clothing and resell it in Nigeria. The business collapsed, and Mr. Oyatanze, heavily in debt, traveled to Pakistan to try to revive it, at the suggestion of a fellow Nigerian living there. The plan involved swallowing capsules of heroin before boarding a flight to Jakarta. "There was a chance to earn some easy money, so he became a courier," Mr. Burrows said. Source: NYTimes.com |
| Sen. Hope Uzodimma denies being arrested over ballot thumb printing Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:46 AM PDT 
Reacting to allegations that he, along with some of his family members were arrested by the police in his Omuma country home in Imo State over alleged electoral malpractices during last Saturday's re-run Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in the State,Uzodimma said that neither he nor any member of his family was arrested. He said as a lawmaker who has distinguished himself in the Upper Chamber,he would not break any of the country's laws or any law for that matter and that he would not encourage any of his family members to do so. Uzodimma said that what transpired on the day is that the All Progressives Alliance (APC) in the state in concert with some thugs and the party's agents had unsuccessfully tried to snatch some ballot boxes from Oru East and Oru West which are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s strongholds under his leadership in the state. "Vigilant members of the PDP were able to foil the opponents' attempts and having failed in their bid they resorted to blackmail,ridicule and tarnish my name.I know this is elections period but to concort any story at a given time to disparage an opponent is unbecoming.This is unfortune", he added. The Senator said he was the person who called in the police when he was alerted of the attempts to hijack the ballot boxes " and the police promptly came and brought the situation under control.For people to turn around to say the direct opposite is unfortunate". |
| Lovely photo of Oyo state governor and his family Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:24 AM PDT  |
| Photo: Floyd Mayweather's car dealer an Igbo man? Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:24 AM PDT  |
| Tiwa Savage declares love for Teebillz as they celebrate 1st wedding anniversary Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:47 AM PDT   Their traditional wedding was in November 2013 but their white wedding was in Dubai on April 26th 2014. Happy anniversary to them. Beautiful couple! |
| Gen. Buhari (supposedly) reads riot act to family members Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:05 AM PDT  According to Daily Trust, Gen Buhari read the riot act to members of his family in Daura, Katsina state recently. A Family source said he gathered all his children and family members together and advised them to seek meaningful ways to make a living, stressing that no family member of his will enjoy any preferential treatment. He also told them that non of them is welcomed to Aso Rock if they are not invited, adding that the Villa is a place for serious minded people and not for idle family members. |
| MC Galaxy drops debut album, goes back to his root for the launch Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:15 AM PDT  Nationwide. The Album is marketed & distributed by Obaino Music.  On the 2nd of May he is going back to his home town in Uyo for his 1st ever album launch tagged #BreakthroughAlbum with a dazzling line up of Artists and comedians. Klint da Drunk * I Go Dye * Akpororo * Funny Bone * Acapela * Ushbebe * Mc shakara * Oritse femi * Skales * Praiz * Cynthia Morgan Skuki , Orezi, Dj PJay And lots more. Hosts of the night TOOLZ (Beat Fm) AY (COMEDIAN) Red Carpet by Denrele. Mc Galaxy will on the same evening unveil his newly signed artists & Management under MCG Entertainment. VENUE: emerald event center, edet akpan avenue, uyo TIME: red carpet 5pm * show starts 6pm Gate fee regular N5000 * vip N30,000 * table for 8, N500,000 and 1m . TICKETS ALREADY SELLING AT: MONTY SUITES, ENI STORES, EEMJM HOTEL, OLIVA TWEEST, CRUNCHES YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/  |
| Photos: Jude Okoye and wife dedicate their daughter Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:02 AM PDT |
| APC Taraba female governorship candidate loses rerun election to PDP candidate Posted: 26 Apr 2015 05:56 AM PDT   INEC this afternoon declared Mr Ishaku winner of the rerun election held yesterday April 25th. Mr Ishaku pulled a total of 369, 318 votes while Aisha Alhassan pulled a total of 275, 984. |
| John Fashanu claims wife (Adaeze Yobo's mum) tried to kill him after accusing him of threesome Posted: 26 Apr 2015 04:09 AM PDT  UK Mirror reports Soccer legend John Fashanu has accused his wife of trying to kill him – after she allegedly found him bedding two women at the same time. The retired former Wimbledon and England striker said estranged Abigail Onyekwelu went for him with a knife during a furious row at their home. Fashanu, also a former Gladiators host, is now at the centre of a bitter divorce battle with Abigail – and insists she cheated on him with a woman. She denies his claims and the astonishing battle – which includes the accusation that he bedded their maid – is to be played out in the high court in Abuja, Nigeria.Furious Abigail, 48, said last night: "Good riddance to bad rubbish! I've left him and washed my hands." But Fashanu, 52 – dubbed Fash the Bash for his hardman reputation in Wimbledon's famous "Crazy Gang" – hit back with an extraordinary series of allegations. He said he had to call in police to protect him from knife-wielding Abigail and was devastated to find her in bed with another woman. He also alleged that she stole thousands of pounds in cash from their marital home. Speaking exclusively to the Sunday People the star – who now presents the Nigerian version of TV's Deal or No Deal – said: "She attempted to use knives on me. It was terrifying. "My life was at stake, there's no two ways about that. "Even if you did think I was sleeping with the maid, or even if you thought I was sleeping with Miss Nigeria, don't kill me! Just leave me and go. The violence was just too much." 6ft 2in Fashanu added: "My life was at risk and I didn't want it to happen again. That's why I filed for divorce." He denied his wife's claim to have discovered him in bed with two other women – one of them their maid. "I've been very fortunate to date some of the most beautiful women in the world," Fash insisted. "I certainly don't have to sleep with my cleaner! "This is me, John Fashanu, you're talking to. It's absolute nonsense. If she wants to make up that story, at least let her say it's Beyoncé or someone. "Don't say it's my cleaner, that's just b******s. It's not true at all. "The truth is she's been cheating on me with a woman she calls her spiritual partner. "I caught them in the bed many times. That was why I kicked her out of my house." Abigail is the mother of former beauty queen Adaeze Yobo. Fashanu met her in 2009. They married two years later but the relationship hit the skids last year. Father-of-five Fashanu claimed police are now investigating an attack on him. He also alleged that officers are trying to retrieve missing cash from Abigail. He said: "I'm the one who is filing for divorce. I couldn't stand her and, to be honest, she probably couldn't stand me. With Abigail it was just money, money, money. "I've never seen a woman who has such an appetite for money. Nearly one million Nigerian naira (around £3,300) was stolen from my house in Abuja. There are police reports you can see. "There were so many assaults, it was just getting too much. It was absolutely ridiculous. She attacked me on multiple occasions. The whole situation was far too hot for me. There are some wonderful, wonderful women. It's just that I met the wrong one." Glamorous socialite Abigail, a qualified lawyer and mother-in-law to former Nigerian football captain Joseph Yobo, paints a totally different picture of the marriage breakdown. The mother of four said: "John's saying I tried to kill him? Oh my God, this is so funny. I don't quite understand all this. "How can I kill him? How can somebody like me kill this huge man who is an expert in karate. I don't understand how I can kill him." Told that he had accused her of going to his house armed with knives before trying to attack him, Abigail retorted: "Oh my God, that is ridiculous." She also rejected Fashanu's claim that he threw her out of his house after finding her in bed with another woman. Abigail said: "He didn't kick me out of his house. We were living in my house. He couldn't have kicked me out of my own house – I kicked him out." Of the woman concerned, she insisted: "She is a good friend to me. She has a husband and children. It is ridiculous. She was living with me for a while to get back on her feet." Abigail went on: "I caught him in bed with two women, the housemaid and one other woman. There were two women, it was awful. "They were on the bed. They were undressed. I said to them, 'Who are you and what's going on here?' "He told me that he doesn't know what he's doing and I should pray for him. He knows how to manipulate people, that's one thing he is good at. "I last saw him in April last year. I didn't know he'd filed for divorce. He has been calling people asking them to plead with me to get back with him. "I would have filed for divorce myself but I haven't because I've been very busy. And he asked me not to because he did not want to make it known that we had separated. "So I went on my way and I left him but I didn't tell anybody anything. "I've told him, 'I don't want you any more, I have forgiven you, I'm a Christian. But I don't want you any more, just leave me alone.' I don't take him seriously. I don't have time for him. If I should be angry at anyone, I should be angry at myself for descending so low as to enter into marriage with such a person." Responding to claims she stole money from Fashanu, Abigail added: "Anybody can say anything – but how can I go to his house and steal from him in his house? "I wasn't living there with him. He's sick and he needs help." Wife Abigail claims he has fathered six children by three different women. Meanwhile he added: "I filed the divorce petition in September and it's listed for mention on the 19th of next month at the court in Abuja. We're trying to move it through." |
| Photos: Accident along Niger Government Office Posted: 26 Apr 2015 03:54 AM PDT   |
| Beautiful new photos of Blue Ivy,..she's growing up so fast! Posted: 26 Apr 2015 03:50 AM PDT |
| Patience Jonathan’s attitude & anti-gay bill made Jonathan lose the election - PDP chieftain Posted: 26 Apr 2015 03:30 AM PDT  "Jonathan was a victim and target of international cum domestic esoteric codes and conspiracies. On the international level, the passage of the anti-gay legislation led to criticisms and face-off with the US, and the West. The strides made in the economic sphere, especially domestic rice promotion, calculated by the Jonathan administration to flip economic growth, and boost import substitution, also negatively alerted the West. |
| 2face, Davido, Wizkid, MI, Seyi Shay Unveiled as Artistes for 2015 #StarMusicTrek Posted: 26 Apr 2015 03:44 AM PDT   The gig was attended by some notable faces including Corporate Affairs Adviser NB PLC, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Media & Brand PR Manager Edem Vindah, Senior Brand Manager STAR, Ita Bassey, Sound Sultan, Brand Manager STAR, Obabiyi Fagade, Yaw, Banky W, Fade Ogunro, Tunde Demuren, Colette Otusheso, Endia, Yung L, Skales, Oritse Femi, Lil Kesh amongst others. The DJs on board are DJSnoop, DJXclusive, DJ Snoop Damaja, DJ Switch, Tony Blaze and DJ Big N. Hosts are Lafup, Gbenga Adeyinka and Do2dtun. The trekwill kick off on Saturday, May 2, 2015 in Calabar, Cross Rivers State at the Calabar Municipal Garden and will span eight weeks. Other cities to be visited include Awka, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Sapele, Auchi, Ibadan and Lagos.  Photos from the unveiling below...                       |
| Must read! Bruce Jenner's ex-wife Linda Thompson writes about him Posted: 26 Apr 2015 02:48 AM PDT   By now, Bruce Jenner has revealed his struggle with gender dysphoria. I never would have dared to speak on this issue before he was comfortable enough to do so first. It is, after all, his truth, so I knew he should be afforded the dignity to reveal that truth on his own time and in the way he sees fit. I have respectfully kept his secrets private and would have taken his confidences to my grave had he not spoken out.  Bruce and Linda got married in 1981, days after he finalized divorce from his first wife But now, many years into his remarkable life, he has spoken out. His legacy will likely be sprinkled with references like "Olympian," "decathlon gold medalist," "world's greatest athlete," "son," "brother," "husband," "father," "grandfather," "friend," and, hopefully, "pioneer" and "trailblazer for the civil rights of the transgender community." So as much as this is about Bruce, it's not all about him. The sharing of my experience is meant to enlighten and inform -- to lend a modicum of comfort and support for all those disenfranchised, struggling, discriminated-against, searching souls. Bruce's story and his struggle are uniquely his; my experiences with Bruce are commensurately uniquely my own. Following is a brief history of my time with Bruce -- a life experience that shaped my existence immeasurably.   Linda (former Miss Tennessee USA) dated Elvis Presley for four years and lived with him until a year before he died One hot Memphis night in July 1976, Elvis (yes, that Elvis) and I were watching the Summer Olympics that were being held in Montréal. We were lying in bed (our usual perch) at Graceland and had been watching the telecast for days. We were pretty closely following the American athlete Bruce Jenner, who was dominating the decathlon competition. Bruce was on the final lap of his last race, the 10th event, and as he crossed the finish line to win the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon competition, distinguishing himself as the "world's greatest athlete," Elvis and I were exuberant about the win for the United States! We were also commenting on what an amazing specimen of a man Bruce Jenner was. Elvis remarked, "Damn if that guy is not handsome! I'm not gay, but damn, he's good-looking!" I quite agreed and teasingly said, '"Wow! He is gorgeous! I'm going to marry that guy someday!" Elvis replied, "Yeah, sure, honey, over my dead body." I met Bruce Jenner at a celebrity tennis tournament three years later, in the spring of 1979. The tournament was a benefit for the John Tracy Clinic for deaf children. The event was held at the Playboy Mansion. I had never been to the mansion before, but Bruce had been living there part-time since his separation from his then-wife Chrystie. I was a regular cast member on the TV variety show Hee Haw and a fledgling actress of some note (think Aaron Spelling shows), so I was invited to the mansion to hand out the winning trophies to the participants playing tennis. No surprise, Bruce won the tournament, and I presented him with his trophy. That's how we first met, on a tennis court. Bruce was clad in shorts and a sweaty T-shirt, his well-toned, muscular body still in Olympic form. He was sweet, shy, and very gentlemanly. He asked me if I came to the Playboy Mansion often, and I said, "Oh, gosh, no! I've never even been here before!" I remember thinking I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. I didn't want him to think I was an aspiring Playmate! His friendliness became a little flirty, so I asked him outright, "Hey, aren't you married?! I watched you win the Olympics, and as I recall, your wife was very present!" Bruce's whole demeanor changed as he sadly responded, "No, I'm separated, and it's really not a lot of fun." He seemed so childlike and lost in that moment that my heart truly went out to him. I said I was sorry to hear that, and we continued to chat for a while, still on the court. Everyone at the John Tracy Clinic event was reconvening for dinner after tennis, and Bruce had planned to go home, shower, and change clothes before coming back to the event for dinner. However, he kept hanging around and finally explained, "I really don't want to leave you alone here, even for a little while. I've seen how George Peppard and others are looking at you and just waiting for me to leave so they can hit on you." I thought, "How charming and gallant!" Bruce stayed in his shorts and T-shirt while others were dressed for dinner, and he and I continued to get to know each other. Bruce asked me out for dinner, and, of course, I said yes. Thus began a romantic relationship that lasted several years and produced two wonderful sons. Bruce already had an adorable young son named Burt, and during a brief reconciliation with Christie, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Cassandra. Burt and Casey (as I call her) have always been a tremendous blessing and gift to my life. During the course of our dating, Bruce and I traveled to Australia to promote his upcoming film with the Village People, Can't Stop the Music. Alan Carr had produced the movie, and we became fast friends. Alan was very flamboyant, funny, creative, and generous. Alan insisted that, on our return trip from Australia, Bruce and I let him treat us to a pre-honeymoon of four days on the incredibly gorgeous island of Bora Bora in Tahiti. Bruce and I had a relaxing and romantic time on this enchanting island. We stayed in one of those thatched-roofed, over-the-water huts, so we could just step off our deck into the crystal-clear water and be swimming with the multicolored fish instantly. At night we would lie under the stars and talk about our future and the magical quality of the universe in which we lived. The Bruce I knew back then was an easygoing, down-to-earth, casual, romantic, good and loving man. I was extremely happy to have found such a remarkable partner with whom to share my life. I found him to be honorable and, well, just too good to be true. Just too good to be true indeed. I found myself pregnant for the first time in my life. When the doctor's office called me to tell me the results of the pregnancy test, I fell to my knees with joy and prayed that I would be worthy of carrying that precious life. It is a feeling I'll never forget. I really felt in that moment that whatever had transpired in my life of any negative nature, any transgression I had ever perpetrated, had somehow been cleansed away from my being. This was a new start for my life. Clearly I was deliriously delighted with the news. Bruce and I were married Jan. 5, 1981. We were married at the beautiful, beachfront Hawaiian home of Alan Carr. There were only about 35 people in attendance, including our parents. Bruce's son Burt served as the best man, even though he was only 2 years old and was constantly interrupting our nuptials with "I want up." It was very sweet and lent a warm, familial touch to the ceremony. My nieces, Jennifer and Amy Thompson, served as the flower girls, and my sister-in-law Louise was my matron of honor. It really was quite an extraordinarily beautiful wedding. We said our I-dos at 6 p.m., just as the sun was setting over the placid, blue Pacific Ocean.  Brandon Thompson Jenner was born June 4, 1981. I thought I knew what love was before giving birth to my baby, but whatever I had experienced in the past paled in comparison to the utterly unconditional love I immediately felt for the little bundle I now held in my arms. Burt and Casey came to the hospital and got to see and bond with their new little brother Brandon. Those were very happy days for me. I truly loved Burt and Casey, and Brandon was the absolute sunshine in every day of my life! This newfound motherhood thing seemed to be my natural calling in life. I had already practiced on Burt and Casey, since Bruce and I frequently had them in our home, and they were still very young. So I felt prepared to be a mommy to Brandon. I loved having this little ready-made family to enjoy and spend time with. Bruce and I actually made quite a great couple at the time. We got along exceedingly well and enjoyed many of the same activities, once he taught me how to do the sports that he enjoyed. Bruce taught me how to jet ski, water ski, snow ski, play tennis, eat healthfully, work out regularly, and basically lose my fear of getting my hair wet and opening my eyes underwater. Well, I may be exaggerating about losing my fear, but it is fair to say that Bruce unleashed a natural athlete in me. I became a pretty good tennis player, and Bruce and I even hosted our own celebrity tennis tournament benefiting United Cerebral Palsy in Children for several years. It was called the Bruce and Linda Jenner Love Match. Bruce and I appeared on red carpets regularly, and we were perceived as a "glamour couple." We also lent our time to charitable causes. We were the national honorary chairpersons of the Juvenile Diabetes Association and regularly supported the Special Olympics.  One day we got a call from the White House asking if we would be available to meet President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office as representatives of the Juvenile Diabetes Association. I was still nursing Brandon, and the timetable was, basically, "We would need you here in Washington the day after tomorrow." We didn't want to miss the opportunity to have an audience with the leader of the free world, so I barely had time to store up some breast milk, find something appropriate to wear, and get on that plane to our nation's capital. It was a quick turnaround. We were back in Malibu in a matter of hours, but the honor of meeting the president of the United States is a lasting memory. I was very content to be back home in Malibu with my sweet baby Brandon in my arms and an interesting memory to tell him about when he was older. After Brandon and Brody were grown and I did reveal their father's issue, I think the knowledge helped them put the pieces together and explain some of Bruce's dysfunctional parenting. I certainly did my share of rationalizing through it all.Bruce possessed such a natural athleticism in everything he attempted to do. He seemed to excel in every sport he tried. Whatever he did, he was daring and cut an amazing form. Bruce was pretty much the perfect specimen of a man. Men aspired to be like him and wanted to hang out and play sports with him, and women were clearly attracted to him. The Bruce I knew back then was unstudied, affable, and seemingly very comfortable in his own skin. So it seemed. One summer Bruce and I were asked to do a summer stock production of Li'l Abner in Birmingham, Alabama. We thought that sounded like fun, so we agreed to do it. Bruce was surprisingly very musical and liked to dance. We traveled to Birmingham and went into rehearsals. Of course we took Brandon along, and he had a great time parading onstage right along with us, in his very own Li'l Abner costume. We actually got good reviews, although I discovered live theater was incredibly nerve-racking. I had done plays in high school before, but this was a full-on musical and was really quite demanding. Bruce and I spent our days living at the beach, jet skiing, walking on the beach every morning with our coffee, sailing on a Hobie Cat, playing tennis, and otherwise just enjoying each other and many of the same activities. I thought we lived a pretty idyllic life.  Those were the happiest days of my life. I had a wonderful husband, who was the most athletic, high-spirited, energetic, easygoing, manly man imaginable. I had two beautiful, healthy baby boys. I had two great stepchildren. Life was just about as good as it gets. We had moved into a sweet, one-acre mini-estate where I planted roses, fruit trees, and flowers, and where many lasting memories were made. Bruce traveled a lot, doing motivational speaking, working for NBC SportsWorld, racing cars, and throwing himself into other assorted jobs and activities. I often accompanied him, always bringing our sons, and sometimes I stayed home with the boys while he traveled. When Brody was about 18 months old and Brandon was about 3 and a half years old, Bruce came to me one day with a very somber look on his face and said, "There's something about me that I really need to tell you, something you need to know." I truly thought he might possibly tell me he had had an affair while on the road. But that's not what he wanted to confess to me. Bruce told me that he identified as a woman. Not understanding exactly what he meant, I questioned him. "What do you mean you identify as a woman?" I asked. "What does that mean?" He replied that it meant that for as long as he could remember, he had looked in the mirror and seen a masculine image staring back at him where there should have been a feminine reflection. Bruce lamented, "I have lived in the wrong skin, the wrong body, my whole life. It is a living hell for me, and I really feel that I would like to move forward with the process of becoming a woman, the woman I have always been inside." People have asked me, "Were there any signs or clues through the years that Bruce might have had this issue? Any evidence he wore your clothes?" No. Not a clue. Nothing. Nada. Never. I would venture to say that 30 years ago, very few of us were adequately educated about the world of gender dysphoria. I certainly wasn't. I was living in my little Malibu cocoon of marital, motherly bliss with my world-champion, muscular, athletic, handsome husband. So my reaction to Bruce's shocking declaration was one of confusion, even desperation. I suggested that we go to therapy. I needed to understand fully what Bruce's issue was, and then to determine if it was something we could overcome or "fix." I was naïve. As I said, I was pretty ignorant of the fact that being transgender isn't something that can be overcome, fixed, prayed away, exorcised or obliterated by any other arcane notion. Being transgender, like being gay, tall, short, white, black, male, or female, is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique, and something over which we have no control. We are who we are in the deepest recesses of our minds, hearts and identities. I had to learn that life lesson and apply it to my own expectations for my future and the future of my family. I found a therapist who specialized in gender dysphoria. Her name was Dr. Gertrude Hill, and we began going to her right away. She was a lovely woman who very calmly, and as gently as she could, massacred me with the information that broke my heart into a million pieces. She told me in one of the first few sessions, "Linda, this is who Bruce is. His identity is that of a woman, and that will never, ever go away. You have a choice to make. If Bruce goes through with his gender reassignment, as he is now planning to do, you have the option of staying with him after he becomes she, or you can divorce him and move on with your life." She told us that 25 percent of transgender people commit suicide because they are so depressed and feel so hopeless. Around that time Bruce considered traveling out of the country, possibly to Denmark, to have the gender-confirmation surgery and then come back to the U.S. identifying as female. I asked Bruce, "What about the children?" He thought maybe he could reenter their lives as "Aunt Heather." As devastated as I was, my heart bled for Bruce and what he must have lived with his entire life. It's impossible for those of us who are comfortable living in our own skin to fully grasp what an imprisonment that must feel like to be born into the wrong body. I know it's difficult to understand, to emotionally or even intelligently wrap your head around. It was extremely difficult for me to comprehend, and adjust my life accordingly to, the realization that the man I had married -- the very masculine, gorgeous, ideal, wonderful hunk of a man -- would be no more. The human entity was still alive, but it truly was like mourning the death of the person I had grown to know and love. Bruce and I separated after going to therapy for about six months -- just to exhaust any hope of keeping our family together. Being married to a woman was not what I had envisioned for my life. I was so heartbroken that I would get in my car day and night and aimlessly drive up and down Pacific Coast Highway, crying. I mourned the death of my marriage, my man, and my dream of enjoying a lifetime of family togetherness. But I was also empathetic to, and mourned for, the pain that Bruce had experienced every day of his life. As earth-shattering as his confession had been for me, pulling the proverbial rug out from under my world, Bruce's struggle made mine pale in comparison. I now had to "man up," support Bruce and his decisions regarding his own body, take care of my sons, and move on with my life. Bruce went to see a Dr. O'Dea and began taking female hormones. Thirty years ago the only hair removal that was permanent was electrolysis. There were no laser hair removal places then, as far as I know. Poor Bruce began the process of having electrolysis performed on his heavily bearded face. He then began having the hair on his chest removed. One excruciatingly painful hair at a time was targeted by an electrical current. Unimaginable. Bruce began to grow breasts as a result of the female hormones he was injecting. My life, my psyche, my femininity, my sexuality, my sanity was in a state of upheaval. I panicked about what I would ever tell my two boys about their former Olympian father, and how I would raise them alone. And then I would experience waves of crippling sorrow, not only for myself and my sons but for Bruce. I may be the only woman in the state of California to have waived child support and alimony. But when Bruce and I divorced, that's what I did. As confused and sad as I was, Bruce was also very confused and extremely distraught. Again, Dr. Hill had told me that one in four transgender people commits suicide. I knew I didn't want that to happen. I had an open-door policy for Bruce when it came to visitation, letting him see his sons any time he wanted to. Brandon and Brody went over to his home occasionally but never spent the night there. One day, after having spent a little time at Bruce's house, both boys came into the kitchen and said to me, "Mommy, we saw Daddy getting out of the shower naked, and Daddy has boobs!" That day I began trying to cover for Bruce, trying to protect him and trying to explain away what was clearly happening to his visage. I said, "Well, boys, you know how your dad was super-muscular and trained very hard for the Olympics? He had big muscles, and some of those muscles are called 'pectorals.' When you stop training and you stop lifting weights, sometimes the muscle turns to fat. So his pectoral muscles have probably just gotten a little flabby and look like boobs." I was trying to shield Brandon and Brody from the truth and protect Bruce at the same time. It was exhausting. I began dating David Foster, whom I subsequently married a few years later. Bruce dated several women, even though he had begun his transition and showed signs of it. He had no facial hair, no chest hair, and boobs, and he had gotten a nose job and trimmed his Adam's apple. Clearly he was still confused and conflicted as to how fully he was ready to commit to changing his life completely. If Bruce had told me about his gender issue when we first began getting romantically involved, I would not have married him. Pure and simple. But looking back, I'm so grateful to God, the universe, and Bruce that I didn't know, and that Bruce played the role in my life that he did. What a tragedy that truth, if Bruce had confessed it in 1979, would have been for my existence as I have known it! I would never have experienced the joy, the honor, the privilege of being the mother of the two most precious gifts I have ever known, Brandon and Brody. As life has a way of unfolding as it is meant to, I have learned to trust life.   After having harbored his secret, and feeling in my heart and mind that I have protected him through these years, I can now breathe a little easier, knowing he now has found the strength and the courage to fulfill his dream. He can finally realize his need to be who he authentically is, who he was born to be. That takes tremendous courage. For that I commend him. Bruce has already "gone through the fire," suffered unfathomable discomfort and pain, been held prisoner in his own flesh. It is certainly not our place to judge him or others who may feel trapped, ostracized, or alone. My hope and my prayer is that humanity has evolved enough and been properly educated to exercise kindness toward those who have struggled or who we may perceive to be "different." Our uniqueness, our individuality, and our life experience molds us into fascinating beings. I hope we can embrace that. I pray we may all challenge ourselves to delve into the deepest resources of our hearts to cultivate an atmosphere of understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. We are all in this life together. As Henry James so wisely advised, the three most important things in life are:
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| Mercy Johnson & husband looking lovely at their son's dedication Posted: 26 Apr 2015 02:01 AM PDT |
| Photos: Man baths ex-lover with acid in Kogi state Posted: 26 Apr 2015 02:04 AM PDT   Then when they began to have problems, the man married someone else, prompting Ladi to leave the house. Then the man came begging but her family demanded that he marry her properly first before she moves back in with her. While they were making wedding preparations, the man rented a house for Ladi, who also managed to get some money to start a fruits shop. Eventually, the man decided he no longer wanted to marry Ladi and asked her to pack out from the home he rented for her. When Ladi refused, he threatened to deal with her and destroy the 'beauty' sh was using to pose around town. Aladi didn't take him serious. Then he showed how serious he was. A few weeks ago, Kazeem came to her house in the middle of the night and attacked her with acid. Kazeem was arrested but released three days later after his family agreed to pay the medical bills for Aladi who is currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State. |
| Photos: Road leading to Ikpeazu's home in Abia blocked after he's declared winner Posted: 26 Apr 2015 01:17 AM PDT   There's chaos in Abia state this morning after PDP Governorship candidate in the state Okezie Ikepazu was declared winner of yesterday's governorship election. There's an ongoing fight between APGA and PDP Youths in the state. The road leading to Ikpeazu's house has been blocked by angry youths. PDP supporters dressed a coffin in APGA flag while chopping off fowls head which is a symbol for APGA. See the photos after the cut...       |
| Kris Humphries apologizes for the Bruce Jenner diss Posted: 26 Apr 2015 01:01 AM PDT   |
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