UK Attack: Michael Adebowale's mother tried to prevent radicalisation

Michael Adebowale, the 22-year-old son of a Christian probation officer and a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission, was filmed holding a bloodied cleaver in his hand after Drummer Lee Rigby was butchered in a London street.
READ MORE

source: the telegraph

Soldier Killed in grizzly London attack

A man thought to be a serving British soldier was killed by two armed men in a frenzied attack on a London street Wednesday, in what the government is treating as a suspected act of terrorism.

Witnesses told of a gruesome scene in which the man was hit by a car, then hacked with cleavers and his body dumped in the middle of the road. SOURCE: CNN

READ MORE

Tornado Rips through Oklahoma City

 A monstrous tornado as much as a mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school.

READ MORE 

Award winning artist; Folasayo Dele-Ogunrinde passes at 45

Folasayo Dele-Ogunrinde, award-winning Nigerian writer, visual artist, performance poet, public speaker, filmmaker and actor is dead. She passed away in her home in Houston, Texas on Saturday, May 18 around 1:30 a.m. after a courageous and protracted battle with stomach cancer. She was 45 years old. She received treatment for stomach cancer from oncologists who are affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her brother Mr. Ayodele Ogunrinde confirmed her death saying she was surrounded by her 74-year-old father who flew in from Nigeria and other relatives when she died.

Folasayo Dele-Ogunrinde was born March 2, 1968 in Lagos, Nigeria. She was the first child and an only daughter; she is survived by four brothers and both parents. Ms. Ogunrinde was a consummate artist who has exhibited her work widely in the United States. She performed solo with a live band or recorded music blending vintage Afro-folksy and Afro-jazz music, contemporary jazz or instrumentals with her spoken word.

After graduating with a degree in Animal Science from the University of Ibadan in the mid- 1980s, she gave up her career as a Scientist to pursue her innate interests in acting, modeling, writing and the visual arts. While studying at Ibadan, she was mesmerized by an undergraduate Theatre Arts student's production play she saw and it influenced her to switched career and write her first play as well. She is the author of a 1989 British Council/Association of Nigerian Authors award-winning play, The Woman With a Past(Heinemann Books, Nigeria). She is also a recipient of the Christopher Okigbo Poetry Prize.

But in the year 1995, Ms. Ogunrinde relocated to the United States where she pursued a master's degree in Animal Nutrition from the Iowa State University. She has a patented innovative artistic mixed media style in the United States. She is the author ofConversations With The Soul At 3:00 A.M. a collection of love poems and art photography. A performance poet, she had been captivating audiences with passionate rendition of this collection prior to publication. Her performance work balances indigenous musical and lyrical traditions from Africa with adapted influences from European, American and Asian sources, to reveal a hybrid expressive impulse that elaborates on issues of vulnerability and power.

Folasayo Dele-Ogunrinde, was an engaging and provocative artist; she described herself as a divinely inspired artist. Her work also explored issues of domestic abuse, rape, and dominance-submission tensions in heterosexual relationships. She impacted so many people's lives positively. She was a very spiritual and devout Christian. The family has assured that her works will continue to be preserved and celebrated throughout the world.

A memorial service will be held for her in Corpus Christi Catholic church Houston, Texas on Saturday, May 25, 2013 before she will be flown to Nigeria for the final funeral rites.

Source: Huffington post                                                                                                        

Want to Exhibit for FREE? Join us at the DALLAS Int. Festival

Trendy Africa Magazine has been generously offered a booth at the DALLAS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL scheduled for the 25th of May, 2013 at Fair Park in Dallas. The fair which is organized by the DFW alliance International Community Alliance will host about 85 Nations and an expected attendance of about 28,000.
Trendy Africa is therefore offering African businesses an opportunity to exhibit for FREE at it's booth. This offer will only be open to the first FIVE small business start up respondents. Priority will be given to hand made products and should be cultural in outlook.
For inquiries, send an email with the key word; "TRENDY BOOTH" to; info@trendyafrica.com with a bio of products.
The DALLAS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL will hold at the Centennial Building at Fair Park in DALLAS and will run between 8p-10p on May 25th, 2013.

TRENDY AFRICA

Nigeria: State of Emergency declared in three Northern States

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a State of Emergency in three Northern States namely; Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Below is the full text of his address;

Dear compatriots,
1. It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states. These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

2. The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

3. The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

4. Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

5. These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

6. They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

7. Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

8. We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

9. Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

10. While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

11. We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

12.Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

13. Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

14. This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

15. The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

16.I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

17. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

18. Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

19. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

20. I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.