Serena Williams Shares Emotional Open Letter

"To all incredible women who strive for excellence,
When I was growing up, I had a dream. I’m sure you did, too. My dream wasn’t like that of an average kid, my dream was to be the best tennis player in the world. Not the best “female” tennis player in the world.
I was fortunate to have a family that supported my dream and encouraged me to follow it. I learned not to be afraid. I learned how important it is to fight for a dream and, most importantly, to dream big. My fight began when I was three and I haven’t taken a break since.
But as we know, too often women are not supported enough or are discouraged from choosing their path. I hope together we can change that. For me, it was a question of resilience. What others marked as flaws or disadvantages about myself – my race, my gender – I embraced as fuel for my success. I never let anything or anyone define me or my potential. I controlled my future
So when the subject of equal pay comes up, it frustrates me because I know firsthand that I, like you, have done the same work and made the same sacrifices as our male counterparts. I would never want my daughter to be paid less than my son for the same work. Nor would you.

As we know, women have to break down many barriers on the road to success. One of those barriers is the way we are constantly reminded we are not men, as if it is a flaw. People call me one of the “world’s greatest female athletes”. Do they say LeBron is one of the world’s best male athletes? Is Tiger? Federer? Why not? They are certainly not female. We should never let this go unchallenged. We should always be judged by our achievements, not by our gender.
For everything I’ve achieved in my life, I am profoundly grateful to have experienced the highs and lows that come with success. It is my hope that my story, and yours, will inspire all young women out there to push for greatness and follow their dreams with steadfast resilience. We must continue to dream big, and in doing so, we empower the next generation of women to be just as bold in their pursuits. 

Naomi Campbell slays for W Magazine ; SEE PICS

WOW: Beyonce’s Lemonade Tops Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Albums Of 2016. See full list

Rolling Stone has released their list of top 50 albums of 2016 and Hip-hop was well represented .Beyonce’s Lemonde took the number 1 spot .Kanye’s Life of Pablo came in at no 8 and the only hiphop album above him is Chance The Rapper at No 3.

 

See the ranking of popular artists on the list

1. Beyoncé – Lemonade

2. David Bowie – Blackstar (it’s a rock album, but the late legend said Kendrick inspired the entire thing) (RIP)

3. Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book

5. Frank Ocean – Blonde

8. Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo

10. Young Thug – Jeffery

11. Solange – A Seat at the Table

25. Rihanna – Anti

32. Alicia Keys – Here

42. Drake – Views

43. Future – Evol

Rolling Stone – 50 Best Albums of 2016

50. Death Grips, ‘Bottomless Pit’

49. Dawes, ‘We’re All Gonna Die’

48. Esperanza Spalding, ‘Emily’s D+Evolution’

47. Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein, ‘Stranger Things, Volume One and Two’

46. Norah Jones, ‘Day Breaks’

45. Iggy Pop, ‘Post Pop Depression’

44. The Monkees, ‘Good Times!’

43. Future, ‘Evol’

42. Drake, ‘Views’

41. Wilco, ‘Schmilco’

40. Maxwell, ‘blackSUMMERS’night’

39. Elton John, ‘Wonderful Crazy Night’

38. Tove Lo, ‘Lady Wood’

37. Bonnie Raitt, ‘Dig In Deep’

36. Metallica, ‘Hardwired… to Self-Destruct’

35. Anohni, ‘Hopelessness’

34. Angel Olsen, ‘My Woman’

33. Sting, ’57th & 9th’

32. Alicia Keys, ‘Here’

31. White Lung, ‘Paradise’

30. A Tribe Called Quest, ‘We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service’

29. Mudcrutch, ‘Mudcrutch 2′

28. Blood Orange, ‘Freetown Sound’

27. Brandy Clark, ‘Big Day in a Small Town’

26. Sturgill Simpson, ‘A Sailor’s Guide to Earth’

25. Rihanna, ‘Anti’

24. Drive-By Truckers, ‘American Band’

23. Mitski, ‘Puberty 2′

22. Bon Iver, ’22, A Million’

21. Margo Price, ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’

20. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, ‘Skeleton Tree’

19. Danny Brown, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’

18. The 1975, ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’

17. Parquet Courts, ‘Human Performance’

16. Miranda Lambert, ‘The Weight of These Wings’

15. Lvl Up, ‘Return to Love’

14. Green Day, ‘Revolution Radio’

13. Maren Morris, ‘Hero’

12. Paul Simon, ‘Stranger to Stranger’

11. Solange, ‘A Seat at the Table’

10. Young Thug, ‘Jeffery’

9. Leonard Cohen, ‘You Want It Darker’

8. Kanye West, ‘The Life of Pablo’

7. Rolling Stones, ‘Blue & Lonesome’

6. Radiohead, ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’

5. Frank Ocean, ‘Blonde’

4. Car Seat Headrest, ‘Teens of Denial’

3. Chance the Rapper, ‘Coloring Book’

2. David Bowie, ‘Blackstar’

1. Beyoncé, ‘Lemonade’

 

MUST READ: “Sleeping With Producers Won’t Take You To Stardom” – Says Iyabo Ojo

Renowned Yoruba actress and producer, Iyabo Ojo speaking at the 2016 City People Magazine’s An Evening with Upcoming Yoruba actresses which was held at White House Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos last weekend revealed how upcoming female actors can overcome sexual harassment from male movie producers in the industry.
According to the mother of two, “I started out from the English movie industry before I joined Yoruba many years ago, and I understand that Glam, stardom and fame are not for everybody. There is no money in the industry but I happened to be one of the fortunate and very lucky few who joined the industry. I have very supportive parents who gave me money.

Aside from acting, try to get something to the side so that you can be financially independent and refuse to get laid by producers. Sleeping with producers won’t take you to stardom. There is a difference between a known face and a commercial face. Be wary of the crew because they are the ones to make you.
Some of the upcoming actors will just look at the crew like they are not human beings. You should know that it is the crew that chooses who plays what before the director finally decides. If you don’t respect them, your career is on the line because your chances to get any role is sometimes subjected to their recommendations”. 

John Legend’s Wife Apologises for showing off her Privates on the Red Carpet at AMA's award 2016

Model and wife of popular music star, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, has apologised for allowing a wardrobe malfunction and showing her privates briefly.
Chrissy Teigen caused quite a stir when she arrived on the red carpet during the recently concluded American Music Awards. She was wearing a fitted black gown with slits all the way up to her waist and held together with a simple gold safety pin.
Many looked at her closely, hoping for a wardrobe malfunction and she did not disappoint. Eventually, there came a time where her slit opened up and most people could see her private parts very clearly.

On Monday, the model apologized for the awkward moment via her Instagram page. She shared photos from the event and added this to her caption: “Apologies to anyone harmed mentally or physically by my hooha.”

MUST READ: Message to Reverend Mbaka from Reno Omokri.

Dear Reverend Fr. Mbaka, The wife of an evangelist was beheaded-you kept quiet. Her suspected killers were acquitted-you kept quiet. However, today you have find your voice to defend President Muhammadu Buhari and condemn former President Goodluck Jonathan. As a Reverend Father, were you called by God to speak for a man who has 5 media aides and a minister of information all speaking for him or where you called to speak for the poor and powerless children of God who face injustice with no one speaking for them?

Super Falcons Sail To AWCON Finals After Defeating South Africa with one goal to none(1-0)

Super Falcons of the Great Nigeria have made it to the finals at the ongoing African Women Cup of Nations (A.W.C.O.N). The team defeated South Africa 1-0 to step into the final this evening. Congrats to them!

Pics of some survivors of the Brazillian footballers flight that crashed in Colombia

There have been 6 survivors, including 4 football players found so far from the ill-fated plane crash carrying Brazilian football players. More photos after the cut..

The goalkeeper supposedly later died.

Donald Trump suggests jail terms or loss of citizenship for flag burners

He made this suggestion due to the recent flags burning in colleges and during protests.

Graphic pic: Final ye Delta Polytechnic female student murdered by her fellow cultist lover

A final year female student of the Delta State Polytechnic, department of Mathematics and Statistics was allegedly murdered by her cultist lover inside her room in a private hostel off Polytechnic Road in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta state last Tuesday November 22nd.
According to Sahara Reporters, the deceased who is simply known as Julia had spent the night with her yet to be identified lover at her room in the Hostel when she was killed.
Other students residing in the hostel said the unknown lover during a previous stay, had stolen the deceased lady’s Credit card.

“After her cultist lover had left the following day she received an alert of a N100,000 deduction from her bank account where she discovered her ATM card was missing. Not comfortable with the development, she went straight to her bathroom to take her bath. Immediately after that, she received another alert of N45,000 making it N145,000 that was [withdrawn] from her account by the unknown person. Before leaving for the bank, she complained to us [about] the strange development. Again, on her return from the bank where she went to complain, she told us the bank assured her that the culprit could only be known and arrested after going through their CCDC camera. She was told to go home and report back the following [day] before meeting her untimely death” one of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said:

The source alleged that the boyfriend sneaked into Julia’s room and murdered her with a battle axe, locked the corpse inside the room and ran away with her keys.

“Not until the next morning when everybody became apprehensive of her whereabouts and we [had] to break her door where we saw her lifeless body with blood stains everywhere in the room. Immediately we raised the alarm and everybody in the area rushed down and the matter was reported to the Ogwashi-Uku Police Station”the source said

The state police command is currently on the trail of the suspected cultist who is presently on the run.

APC indefinitely suspends Senator Shehu Sani

Leaders of Ward 6 in Kaduna state have indefinitely suspended Senator Shehu Sani who represents Kaduna Central in the senate. Sani has been at loggerheads with Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai and leaders of the party in the state.
The party in 2015 suspended Sani for 11 months for committing offences which includes uttering statements that allegedly “violate the rules of engagement of the party, factionalizing the party, and engaging in anti-party activities by criticizing the policies of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.”
The party advised him to.
A letter signed by the secretary of the APC in ward 6, Tudun Wada and addressed to him yesterday November 29th, stated that the 11 months initial suspension had elapsed and that he will now proceed on indefinite suspension. The letter in part reads:

 "As you are aware, your suspension from the party for a period of eleven months elapsed today, being Tuesday 29th November, 2016. The suspension, which was in line with the constitution of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), was to enable you to defend yourself against illegalities committed by you against the party as well as breach of its constitution. We expected the period of your suspension to give you the grace of being remorseful, but you rather choose to play otherwise, and this made our party to be vulnerable to disunity, disharmony and further shattering the existing peace mechanism within our ward and the state at large. Therefore, in consideration of the constitutional provisions as contained in Article 21 (A) i, ii, iii, v, vi, and vii of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you are hereby suspended indefinitely from active participation of APC activities. This is in conformity with article 21 (D) i-(F) which provides punishment for any erring member of the party. With this letter, you are hereby warned to abide by the party’s decision."

Linda Ikeji Gifts Mum N19m Brand New Acura SUV | PHOTO

 
Yesterday, the photos of the new whip Ms. Ikeji bought for her mum took on social media, and the elderly woman burst into tears down as she took delivery of the 2016 Acura MDX whose starting price is a whopping $43,000 that is over ₦19m. 

Meet The Jilted Bride Who Married Her Dog After Fiancé Backed Out Of Wedding (Photos)

A jilted bride dumped by her fiancé just days before her dream wedding went ahead with the ceremony anyway – but married her dog instead.Romina Pitton had been due to tie the knot in San Lorenzo, a city in the Santa Fe province of Argentina, before her boyfriend broke things off at the last minute.

According to Daily Mirror, he claimed she had cheated on him but offered no proof of her alleged infidelity, and she suspects he just got cold feet and changed his mind.
But with everything already in place for the wedding , the bride decided not to let the absence of a groom spoil her big day.

Instead she staged a “single wedding” and voiced her commitment to her pet pooch, who she dressed up in a miniature wedding dress.

Dora Akunyili’s daughter’s painting sells for over $1m at auction

Daughter of former NAFDAC boss, Dora Akunyili, Njideka Akunyili Crosby beat her personal record last Thursday when she sold one of her paintings for almost $1.1 million at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale.
The painting named Drown (pictured above) which was done in 2012, was initially estimated to sell for $200,000 – $300,000 but was eventually sold for $1,092,500.

8 Yobe State College Of Education Staff Die In A Ghastly Road Accident

Eight staffs of Yobe College of Education, Gashua, died on Saturday in a motor accident along Bayamari-Dapchi federal highway, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.
NAN gathered that the eight non-academic staff, including the driver, were travelling from Gashua to Damaturu in the college bus to attend a promotion examination.
The survivors of the accident said the vehicle had a burst tyre, which forced it to somersault several times, thereby killing eight people while five others sustained injuries.

KANYE WEST NOT LEAVING THE HOSPITAL-YET

Kanye West is not out of the woods — not even close — because we’ve learned he will not get out of the hospital as planned. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation told us over the holiday, the plan was to release Kanye today, Monday. We’re told his personal doctor was going to take charge of him upon release.

We’re now told Kanye is still not stable and will not be released today. In fact, there is now no release date set, because he has not gained balance from his breakdown a week ago.
As we reported, Kanye has had a rough time at UCLA Medical Center, struggling with extreme paranoia — at one point he would not even let the doctors touch him.

Kim is still by his bedside … which is where she has been almost nonstop for a week

“We are happy to have you as one of us” – Indimi’s daughter, Rahma welcomes Zahra Buhari to the Family

Ahmed Indimi and Zahra Buhari

Few days ago, news went round that President Muhammadu Buhari‘s daughter, Zahra, and son of billionaire businessman Mohammed Indimi, Ahmed, are set to tie the knots in a few days time.
An introduction ceremony between both families held at the Aso Villa, Abuja on Friday, November 18, 2016, reports say.
Ahmed, the marketing director of his father’s Oriental Energy Resources will be joined in wedlock with Zahra, a graduate of Micro Biology from the University of Surrey, England in wedding ceremonies scheduled to take place between November 30th and December 4th.
Today, Indimi’s daughter posted Zahra’s picture on her Instagram Page, saying that her family is “happy to have (Zahra) as one of” theirs.
See her post below:

I met this young girl many years ago and I was smitten by her cheekiness. Only years later down the line she is to become ours. My darling Zahra, you are an amazing young lady with so much to give. We have seen and conquered our mission. My prayer is for the two of you to have a beautiful marriage and life with plenty of little ‘rahma’s running around (hint hint ) we are happy to have you as one of us. Good things are hard to get and the fight was worth it. We can’t wait#zahmed2016

Omotola Jalade Congratulates Rotimi Akeredolu On His Victory

                                              Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has congratulated the Ondo State Governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu on his victory o Saturday.

Bobby Brown's wife rushed to hospital after suffering a seizure

Bobby Brown's wife Alicia Etheredge was rushed to an Atlanta area hospital after suffering a seizure. Alicia suffered the seizure at a hotel the family was staying at on Saturday night after Bobbi Kristina's funeral ... she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. According to a source, once Alicia got to the hospital, she was able to walk inside with little help. Bobby Brown is by her side.

Photos: Amber Rose backs it up to Chris Brown

 New single Amber Rose spotted backing it up on Chris Brown on the dance floor at Supper Club in LA last night. They are both single and knowing Hollywood...won le rira later. More pics after the cut