President Obama Signs Bill To Grant Nigerian Residency

A NIGERIAN immigrant’s dream came true when President Barack Obama signed into law a rare private bill granting him permanent residency in the Unites States.

Victor Chukwueke, who lives in Michigan on an expired visa, came to the United States 11 years ago to undergo treatment for massive face tumors.

He graduated from a university in the state, and plans to attend an Ohio medical school that requires him to have permanent residency, also known as a green card. In a rare act, the United States Congress passed a private bill this month granting him permanent residency. President Barack Obama signed the bill Friday.

Private bills — which only apply to one person and mostly focus on immigration — are rarely approved. His is the only one to pass in Congress in two years.

“I was overwhelmed with joy; it was nothing less than a miracle,” the 26-year-old says. “Only in this country can so many miraculous and wonderful things happen to someone like me.”

Before coming to the United States at age 15, Chukwueke lived in the southeastern Nigeria town of Ovim. He suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes massive life-threatening tumors on his face. Treated as an outcast because of his deformed face, he was depressed and humiliated, he says. His family abandoned him at an orphanage after taking him to the nation’s best facilities for treatment.

“I went to a large teaching hospital in Nigeria and the doctor touched my face and said there was nothing they could do,” he says. “ I cried and begged him to do something. I was so tired of the humiliation.” 

Nuns from the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy rescued him from the orphanage in 2001 and arranged for a Michigan doctor to perform surgery on him. He considers himself lucky to have developed the tumors.

"Without them, I would not have met the nun, left Nigeria, arrived in the U.S. and had the miracle to attend medical school," he says.

He lives with the nuns in Oak Park, Michigan. They have cared for him since he came to the U.S., where he has undergone seven surgeries, including one that left him blind in the right eye.

Despite the obstacles, he remains committed to getting an education.

Visit link for more info:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/23/us/michigan-nigerian-student/

Lagos Countdown Festival: Lagosians Hold Breath as Fireworks Experts Arrive From UK, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Lagos Countdown Festival: Lagosians Hold Breath as Fireworks Experts Arrive From UK, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Carnival Calabar Raises the Bar, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Carnival Calabar Raises the Bar, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Love Knows No Boundaries - World’s Tallest Teen Finds Love.

Elisany da Cruz Silva, is just 17, and she holds the record of the world’s tallest teen girl at 6ft 8in. But if you think that will make the boys feel intimidated by her height you got it wrong because Elisany is in a relationship with Francinaldo da Silva Carvalho, 22, who stands at 5ft 4in.

And such love comes with a high price – he has to practically stand on his toes and crane his neck to get a kiss.

The construction worker said: “My friends say things like, ‘How do you hug her?’. I say, ‘There’s a way of doing everything’.”

Elisany, an aspiring model from Salinopolis, Brazil, is just an inch taller than Stoke City’s Peter Crouch — she has a form of gigantism due to a tumour on her pituitary gland.

She grew faster than her seven siblings from the age of 11 and hit 6ft 9in when she was 14. But her sudden growth caused pain in her limbs and joints.

Surgeons removed the gland two years ago and she shrank by an inch — but she could still not fit on the school bus and had to quit school due to teasing.

But she’s happy now with Francinaldo. She said: “What really attracted me was his personality, the way he acts with people and the way he acts with me.

“The only thing that really affects us is when we hang out holding hands — it seems like he is my little brother or son.”

Muslim Student’s Letter To Santa Goes Viral

A fourth grade Muslim student had never written a letter to Santa but did so for a school assignment. An image of the letter was posted on Reddit and the internet collectively oohed and awed.

Christmas isn’t a holy day for Muslims so this was the young student’s first letter to Santa. But the kid wasn’t jealous of everyone else for getting presents. Instead, the student was very thankful that Santa was “spreading happiness around the earth.”

Still, there was one question on the student’s mind: How does Santa do it all in one night?

Here’s the Muslim student’s letter to Santa.

“Dear Santa,

I know that I never wrote you a letter because I don’t celebrate Christmas but I am writing you this one to thank you for giving everyone presents.

I want to ask you one thing. Is it true you go all around the world in one night? If you do can you tell me how you did it? Santa thank you for spreading happiness around the earth! And say hi to Mrs. Claus for me.”

Kidnappers Demand N200m Ransom for Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Kidnappers Demand N200m Ransom for Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Mike Tyson undergoes operation to become female...

Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world Mike Tyson is said to be “feeling fine” after undergoing successful gender reassignment surgery at a clinic near Beverley Hills.

The boxer once known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, said having his first menstrual cycle “would be a dream come true”, and that from now on he would be known as Michelle.

“Some people might think it strange that I’m now a woman,” said Tyson, who underwent complete facial feminisation, orbital bone contouring and nasal surgery in an operation lasting over 16 hours.

‘But even at the height of my career, when pound for pound I was regarded as the best fighter in the world, I never lost touch with my feminine side and knew that one day I would grow breasts and have a vagina.’

Iron Mike was given the all-clear for gender reassignment surgery following a successful course in hormone replacement therapy which, in his autobiography, the boxer blamed for his 1996 defeat at the hands of Evander Holyfield.

Although at the time Tyson insisted he was fit enough to carry on with the fight, referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in the 11th round saying Tyson looked flushed, was sweating profusely and appeared to be lactating heavily from his left breast.

Tyson, said he hoped being female would finally convince the American people that his “bad-boy” days were over and he had turned over a new leaf.

See What a Landlord’s Son Did to Tiwa Banks, a Fast Rising Female Singer

See What a Landlord’s Son Did to Tiwa Banks, a Fast Rising Female Singer

Jailbreak thwarted when overweight prisoner gets stuck in wall during attempted escape

Firefighters had to free 16-stone Rafael Valadao when his belly stopped hi

m making his break for freedom. The overweight inmate’s attempts to escape jail ended in humiliation - when he got stuck in a hole he helped smash in his cell wall.

Prison guards compounded his embarrassment by standing round laughing as the operation to release him swung into action.

Authorities were last night hunting for a thinner cell-mate who managed to escape first.

Two other inmates waiting behind Rafael also saw their hopes of freedom thwarted by the unexpected hitch in their escape bid.

The four hatched their escape plan at a jail in Ceres in the central Brazilian state of Goias.

Firefighters stepped in around 2am on Tuesday after the two inmates waiting their turn behind Rafael failed in various attempts to push him through the hole they had made with a metal bar.

He was later taken to hospital under police protection with a suspected broken rib.

A police spokesman said: “He was screaming with pain when help arrived.

“He seemed to have underestimated the size of his stomach.” 

25 Year Old Woman Jailed For Dumping Baby In Latrine

A 25-year-old woman, Ms Toyin Akinbobola, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for dumping her day-old baby inside a pit toilet at her idanre home, Ondo State. Akinbobola, who was found guilty by a Chief Magistrate in the Idanre Judicial Division, Mrs. Folashade Aduroja, last Friday dumped the baby in the toilet minutes after giving birth to her on October 18.

It was learnt that a young boy who wanted to use the toilet moments after Akinbobola carried out the criminal act had drawn the attention of other neighbours to the cry of the baby inside the toilet. Some of residents who rushed to the scene immediately reported the matter at Olofin Police Station. The baby was said to have been covered with excreta and maggots when she was removed from the stench by policemen drafted to the scene. The baby, it was learnt, was taken to Idanre General Hospital from where she was referred to the Mother and Child Hospital in Akure for a comprehensive medical treatment.

Although the baby’s life was saved, medical reports indicated that one of her ears and left eye were not functional again. The baby was taken to the Motherless babies’ home on Akure-Oba-Ile Road where she is currently being attended to on the directives of the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs.

The police could not arrest the mother of the baby and the person who impregnated her immediately because they had both fled the town.

However, Akinbobola was later sighted at Omifun village where her mother had a farm and was arrested by the police. She was arraigned on a three-count including  an attempted murder contrary to Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 30 Laws of Ondo State, 1978. Five witnesses testified in the case which lasted a few weeks.

However, there was a melodrama in the court on Friday when the defence counsel pleaded with the magistrate, before delivering her judgment, to temper justice with mercy because Akinbobola was pregnant again.

The magistrate, who was obviously shocked by the piece of information, asked Akinbobola whether the information was true or not. In her response, Akinbobola confessed that one of her mother’s labourers on the farm was responsible for the pregnancy. But the magistrate said Akinbobola was guilty and sentenced her to two and a half years imprisonment, adding that her case would serve as a deterrent to others.

The convict will serve her prison term at Olokuta Prisons, Akure.

Psycho Lover baths fiancee and Okada-rider with acid

A 300 level student at Enugu state College of Education, Chika Egbo and a yet to be identified Okada rider were attacked with acid at Ikotun area of Lagos State by a middle aged man, David Suleiman who claimed to be Egbo's fiancée.

Suleiman who is currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, was said to have attacked his girlfriend with acid for refusing him access to their only child.

According to a Police sources, the couple's trouble started when Egbo became pregnant for Suleiman, who abandoned her with the burden of fending for herself and the baby, claiming to have travelled out of the country.

He suddenly appeared few months after Egbo put to bed requesting to see the baby, but he was refused.

Another source explained that he tricked Egbo who resides in Enugu State to visit him in Lagos where he took her to a hidden spot in Ikotun and poured her acid.

An Okada rider who witnessed the incident the source said, went after Suleiman but received a bath of the acid after Suleiman emptied the can on the Okada rider, who held him strongly waiting for the help.

"Other Okada riders who drove by saw what was happening and came to his rescue and they took Suleiman to Ikotun police station while the Okada rider and Egbo were rushed to a hospital," the source said.

Egbo is in a critical condition at the emergency unit of the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, with her face, chest and some other parts of her body destroyed by the acid bath.

Dr. Dre becomes Highest-Paid Musician of 2012

When it comes to the world’s highest-paid musicians, Hip-hop super-producer Dr. Dre leads the pack this year with $110 million, thanks largely to his Beats headphone line. He collected $100 million pretax when handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in the company last year, at the beginning of our scoring period; he and his partners later bought back half of what they sold.

Dr. Dre leads a slew of pop stars, rock icons, rap moguls and country crooners, many of whom bank the bulk of their bucks outside the recording studio. Though some artists—Jay-Z and Diddy, for example—owe their success partly to business ventures like Dre’s, most of this year’s top 25 are on the list because of touring.

“The concert business had another solid year as both artists and concert promoters used more caution in trying to achieve their touring objectives,” says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert data purveyor Pollstar. “The good seats for major artists continue to be priced at a premium.”

This year’s list has a distinctly international flavor. Among the top five, only Dr. Dre hails from the United States. Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters ranks second with $88 million, nearly all of it coming from his The Wall Live tour. According to Pollstar, he grossed $158 million on 63 shows in the first six months of 2012. Fellow Brit Elton John claims the third spot with $80 million, culled from over 100 shows in our scoring period.

Ireland’s U2 ranks fourth, pulling in $78 million on the tail end of the group’s record-breaking 360 tour—which grossed $736 million over three years. British boy band Take That rounds out the top five with $69 million, thanks to a wildly-popular reunion tour. The group grossed $61 million for eight dates at London’s Wembley Stadium alone, the biggest single-stadium stand recorded to that point, cashing in on dozens of additional dates around Europe as well.

“The enormous level of business Take That did in the U.K. and Europe was truly mind-boggling,” says Bongiovanni. “That’s especially true when you consider that in the U.S. they would only be a theater-level act.”

Our estimates are based on total earnings from May 2011 to May 2012—the amount of money an act makes from record sales, touring, endorsements, merchandise sales and other ventures before subtracting management fees, legal costs and taxes (which can gobble up the bulk of a big payday). The totals were compiled with the help of data from Pollstar, RIAA and others, as well as interviews with industry insiders including concert promoters, lawyers, managers, agents and, in some cases, the musicians themselves.

Other highlights on the list include Toby Keith, who tied Bieber for tenth with $55 million. With his Ford sponsorship now on its second decade and his I Love This Bar And Grill restaurant chain booming, Keith was the top earner among all country artists—unless you count crossover star Taylor Swift, who earned $57 million, same as Paul McCartney. Coldplay and Adele continue the British trend, claiming the 21st and 22nd slots with $37 million and $35 million, respectively. Eight of the top 25 acts hail from England or Ireland.

That success extends to Anglophiles as well: Jay-Z and Beyoncé, both close friends of Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, combined to earn $78 million. The former Destiny’s Child diva is one of just eight ladies on the list, but Beyoncé’s song “Run The World (Girls)” still rings true—despite welcoming baby Blue Ivy earlier this year, she still out-earned her husband by $2 million.