#RME: Nigeria no more jaga-jaga — Eedris Abdulkarim

IN October, the Gulf International Technology Exhibition held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from October 12-16, with Nigeria as the official Country Partner of the event, reputed to be the biggest technology show in the MEASA (Miidle East, Africa and South Asia) region. The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, actualized Nigeria's status as official country partner at the event.

One of the highlights of Nigeria's participation at GITEX was an Investors'Dinner which held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Sheikh Rashid Road in Dubai. A top Nigerian crooner, Eedris Abdulkarim, was billed to entertain guests at the gala dinner, but for what he called "technical problems", he could not. In the interview below, Eedris disclosed why he could not perform, saying, Nigeria "is no more jaga-jaga!"Excerpts:

Eedris, what is a musician doing at GITEX 2014?

Eedris Abdulkarim

You know, as a Nigerian and an individual, I like to expand my reach — that is — I like to learn because I believe everybody learns every day. I am here in Dubai to perform during GITEX.

NITDA brought me here to perform; it was a beautiful experience, but the performance didn't take place because of some technical problems and I also used the opportunity to know the age which we are in technology and I must say that technology has gone to digital science and anybody who is not literate with computer is living in the past.

I am here to expand my experience and to learn also to entertain my people.

What hitches prevented you from holding the show?

I came in with a tourist's visa, and it was after this we then understood that I needed a work visa to perform. The work visa took two weeks to get, so I couldn't perform, as the event had held. But definitely I would be performing in Nigeria on November 19th at the next NITDA event, which is the e-Nigeria event in Abuja.

Since your last album it seems you haven't been active. What's with you?

Basically because my kind of music talks about ills in the society, and it needs research which takes time, to know what is going on, evaluate the present government, then compare and contrast with the past governments. I must tell you that for the first time I'm very positive about this government. In three years, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been able to show Nigerians that there actually could be development.

Refurbishing of airports

Our airports are being refurbished. See our road from Lagos to Ore which has been there for fifteen years — he has done it. Now it's three hours from Lagos to Benin. Also the Lagos-Ibadan road has also been there for years and Dr Jonathan is doing it.

I am positive about this government and it is my responsibility to use music as a platform to promote what he has done. NITDA is implementing the Transformation Agenda by adding values to the lives of our children, making sure there are a resource centres everywhere in the community and it is a beautiful thing. I'm really happy with the experience.

So, Nigeria is no more "jaga-jaga?"

No, no no! Twelve years ago Nigeria was jaga-jaga, but now Nigeria is no more jaga jaga, even though we know that the insecurity happening in Nigeria is propaganda against government, but Dr. Jonathan is doing his best and is trying.

This GITEX show is about technology. How do you think technology can improve your calling as an artiste?

Most of our recordings are now digital, no more analog, and you can see digital has gone into science. Everyone is improving every day, new softwares are coming up everyday, unlike when I produced my first album. Digital science has gone so deep that if we apply it, our music will go to the next level.

What's your take on the kind of music making waves now?

For me, music is a call from God; He asked me to speak to the people, I speak for the voiceless. I don't know about the other guys, but for me the music they play today is always talking about boobs, booty and all that. For me I think music should be educative, it should be a platform where you can educate people. Some wouldn't know what education is all about but when they listen to music they learn. If you listen to my music 12years ago, I talked about the ills in the society.

I also remembered then when I came back from Egypt when I represented Nigeria at the Olympic Torch with Prof Pat Utomi, late Dora Akunyili, Chief Olusegun Odegbami and others, I came back and sang about the ills in the society. "Mr Lecturer" was one of them, Jaga-jagawas another. Those are the kinds of songs that I do and for me I think that is the best way to educate the people. There are lots of things to talk about; there is rape, there is insecurity and lot of more things to talk about. So why would you waste time singing about boobs and booty? It's crazy.

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: Spiff Hi - To Marry

Port Harcourt born Erens Spiff  A.K.A Spiff-Hi, a Song writer, Producer and Singer signed to Ekuru Records a Port Harcourt based record label has released a hot single titled TO MARRY this song  is currently receiving massive airplay around various cities in the country with its unique high life feel it is well accepted by the general public.
below is the link to download this hot single TO MARRY.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

#RME: Oh yeah? Footballer Neymar sends private jet to bring model he met in Ibiza to Barcelona

When you are big, you do big things...hehe. 28yr old Serbian model and reality star Soraja Vucelic (pictured) claimed in a recent interview with a Serbian newspaper that 22 year old Real Madrid and Brazilian footballer Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, sent a private jet to pick her up to visit him in Barcelona after the pair met in Ibiza...and she shared a pic of herself in the jet in Neymar's jersey to prove she was not lying.

Soraja told Kurir newspaper that she met Neymar in Ibiza in July and they exchanged contact and frequently chatted via Skype. One day he told her he wanted to see her and sent a private plane to pick her and her friend up. Soraja was in Barcelona for many days with Neymar. This happened this October but Soraja refused to say when exactly and what happened between them. Well, if a man sends you a private jet...ahn! Pic of the two after the cut...

 

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: You go girl! 'My boyfriend said I was too fat for sex so I dropped 30 stone - and him'

A cruel comment from her boyfriend during a romantic getaway made 22 year old Paige Way to drop from a whopping size 28 to a size 12. Paige said her boyfriend told her that belly was too fat for them to have sex. The comment from her boyfriend shamed her into shedding a lot of weight.

"It was absolutely mortifying when my boyfriend told me that my belly was getting in the way, but it gave me the push I needed to finally do something about my weight. I'd always been big as a child, and then I was 'the fat one' in my bunch of friends. Men would say horrible things about me on nights out, like "God, look at the size of her."

"I had no confidence whatsoever, but I tried to kid myself that I was happy being fat. Even when I broke a sun lounger at a family barbeque by sitting on it, I just laughed it off. However, when my boyfriend made that comment, I knew I couldn't kid myself any longer."

So for the next eight months, Paige worked on her weight, exercising and eating small portions of healthy food. By the time she'd lost all the weight, she dumped the man that felt she wasn't good enough. Now she says losing weight has completely changed her life and she's single again and looking for Mr Right

"Every time I think back to the night at the hotel, it makes me cringe. But it made me make a change. Now I'm happier than I've ever been - and I definitely haven't had any complaints about my belly since!"

Source: UK Mirror

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: Photos: President Jonathan picks up PDP Nomination form

President Jonathan picked up the PDP Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination form today October 30th at the party's national headquarters in Abuja. See more photos after the cut...

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: The Dream releases photos from his 3rd wedding to his 4th baby mama

37 year old music producer, singer and song writer Terius Youngdell Nash popularly known as The Dream got married for the 3rd time in July this year but only released some pics from the wedding yesterday. Dream and his new wife Lalonne Martinez are expecting a child together which will make it his 6th child. He has 3 with first wife, Nivea, one with second wife Christina Milian, another one with an ex-girlfriend and expecting another with Lalonne, who he says is his last bus stop. Amen!

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: MTN Ambassadors’ iPulse Challenge Closes with Memorable Experience

The past one week has seen interesting revelations popping up on Twitter and Instagram about what makes Nigeria's popular artistes and youths all across the country 'Pulse'. Well, if you are just coming across this word 'Pulse', it actually means the passion Ur lifestyle expresses.

There have been incredible Twitter and Instagram posts. The Mavins were unbelievable. Tiwa Savage's Pulse is receiving gifts. Don Jazzy's is seeing his crew members make progress. Dr. Sid showed his softer side, revealing his wife makes him pulse. 

 

Even Wazobia FM Nedu, Wizkid, Kcee, Sound Sultan, Yaw, Project Fame's Praise, Chidinma and many others took to the social media to delight their followers. In summary, using #onapulsingp, tweeps, on campuses and corporate offices have spared no words in expressing their life passions.

But here is the latest gist, watch out for exciting times asMTN Ambassadors reach out to you, to pulse with you, and leave you with a memorable experience.

Remember that the re-launched MTN iPulse gives you flat tariff rate to all networks on and off campuses and lowest SMS rate at N2. More interesting, it gives you free access to facebook and other social networking sites to help you stay connected to your friends and loved ones. With the iPulse plan, you will enjoy unrestricted access to millions of other mobile subscribers in the country.

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: Photos of Beyonce’s half-sister...and she looks like the singer

Here are the first photos of Beyonce's half-sister (right). Her mum is former lingerie model, Taqoya Branscomb, the second woman who came out recently saying Matthew Knowles is the father of her daughter born in 2010.

Taqoya revealed photos of her child in a recent interview with Inside Edition, saying the little girl has already shown a passion for singing and dancing...and she kinda looks like Beyonce...or doesn't she? See more photos after the cut...

Proudly RME Nigeria

#RME: Will it affect the company? Apple CEO Tim Cook comes out as gay

Apple Inc CEO, Tim Cook, 53, revealed today October 30th that he is gay. Tim, who became CEO when he succeeded Steve Jobs on August 24th 2011, has never discussed his sexual preference in public before today but said that many of his colleagues knew he was gay.

Tim, who is worth an estimated $500million, came out as gay in an editorial for Bloomberg Business Week, stating: "Let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me". See what he wrote after the cut...

Tim Cook writes for Business Week 

Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don't seek to draw attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products and the incredible things our customers achieve with them.

At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' " I often challenge myself with that question, and I've come to realize that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important. That's what has led me to today.

For years, I've been open with many people about my sexual orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it doesn't seem to make a difference in the way they treat me. Of course, I've had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people's differences. Not everyone is so lucky.

While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.

Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It's made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It's been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you're the CEO of Apple.

The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.

I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy.

I'll admit that this wasn't an easy choice. Privacy remains important to me, and I'd like to hold on to a small amount of it. I've made Apple my life's work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be. That's what our employees deserve—and our customers, developers, shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too. Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by one's sexuality, race, or gender. I'm an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the South, a sports fanatic, and many other things. I hope that people will respect my desire to focus on the things I'm best suited for and the work that brings me joy.

The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and equality for all. We've taken a strong stand in support of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we stood for marriage equality in our home state of California. And we spoke up in Arizona when that state's legislature passed a discriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We'll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.

When I arrive in my office each morning, I'm greeted by framed photos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy. I don't pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I'm doing my part, however small, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick.

Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple

Proudly RME Nigeria