Witchcraft is a myth, it doesn’t exist – Advocacy for Alleged Witches says

A group, Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW) has said that witchcraft does not exist and that the concept is a myth.



In an interview with PM news, the leader of the group, Leo Igwe, said the act of killing women and children on suspection that they are witches is barbaric and must be stopped. He added that witchcraft and other forms of harms believed to have been caused by occultic activities, are based on hearsay and misinformation, panic and anxieties, fear and superstition.




“AFAW uses a secular, humanist, skeptical and human rights approach to examine witchcraft narratives and address related abuses. Our campaign is founded on the principles that witchcraft is a myth and an imaginary crime which no one commits.

“It is founded in the principles that attributions or causing harm through occult means are based on hearsay and misinformation, panic and anxieties, fear and superstition.

“Witch persecution, killings and trials are forms of human rights abuses that should not be tolerated in the name of religion, culture or tradition. I urge all Africans as well as none Africans, including all Africans in the diaspora to join efforts with us to achieve this important objective,” Igwe said

Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to new criminal charges in Chicago

Jussie Smollett returned to court Monday morning in Chicago to enter not guilty pleas to new felony charges accusing him of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack last year.



The actor appeared at the Cook County courthouse with his family members and lawyer Tina Glandian, who entered not guilty pleas to each of the six counts. She also requested Judge James B. Linn to stop the case, WGN Chicago reports.



Abel and Ola Osundairo, the two Nigerian brothers who claimed he paid them to attack him were also in court with their attorney.



Smollett had pleaded not guilty to 16 counts last year before the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office announced it was dismissing the case. But retired appellate judge Sheila O’Brien later petitioned the court to appoint a special prosecutor to reopen the case and examine why charges against Smollett were dropped.







The case is now being handled by Special Prosecutor Dan Webb who was appointed to represent the state. Webb is also investigating Foxx’s office and how they handled the case.



Smollett, who is black and gay, told police that two masked men attacked him as he was walking home in January 2019. He said they made racist and homophobic insults, beat him and looped a noose around his neck before fleeing, and that at least one of his attackers was a white man who told him he was in “MAGA country,” a reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”



Weeks later, police alleged that Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo $3,500 to stage the attack.

Atiku Abubakar calls for reform of SARS

Former Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has called for the reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), days after a Remo Stars player identified as Kazeem Tiyamiyu (Kaka) was allegedly killed by some operatives of the security outfit deployed to Sagamu-Abeokuta road.



In his tweet, the former Vice President stated that the reform of the Nigeria Police especially the SARS unit, is long overdue. He added that the police was created to protect the life and property of citizens and not to put them into harms way.



Atiku tweeted;




The reform of the Nigeria Police, especially the SARS unit, is long overdue. The@PoliceNG is meant to protect the life and property of our citizens and not to put them into harm's way. -AA

Donald Trump stumbles on Indian names, Hindi word during speech at Motera stadium in India (video)

During Donald Trump's visit to India on Monday, February 24, the US President gave a special mention to cricket greats Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. However, he stumbled over their names.



In a speech during a rally with the prime minister, Narendra Modi, at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad – the world’s largest cricket stadium – Trump incorrectly pronounced the name of India’s greatest ever player Sachin Tendulkar.



Viewers noticed this and took to Twitter to comment on it.



"Something about Donald Trump's pronunciation of Sachin Tendulkar tells me he isn't a huge cricket fan," @AndySilke wrote in reaction to the video.



The US President also has a problem pronouncing Virat Kohli's name, an error Twitter users feel a president shouldn't make, since he should have been prepared by practising the pronunciation of the names ahead of his speech.



Reacting to Trump's error, Cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council, jokingly asked on its Twitter account whether anyone knew if "Sooch-", "Sutch-", or other variations of Tendulkar’s first name were correct.







Trump also stumbled over other words, including Ahmedabad ( which he pronounced as Ahba-bard) and the word for tea-seller – chaiwalla –, which he pronounced as "cheewalla", and he himself chuckled at his attempt to pronounce the name of Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda ( which he pronounced as Swami Vivekamandan").



Watch the video below.








Andy Silke@andysilke




Something about Donald Trump's pronunciation of Sachin Tendulkar tells me he isn't a huge cricket fan

"Thank you for being the best purpose partner" Lala Akindoju showers husband Chef Fregz with encomium on his birthday

Actress Lala Akindoju took to Instagram to celebrate her husband Gbubemi Fregene, popularly known as Chef Fregz, with touching words as he marks his birthday today.



Sharing photos she took with Chef Fregz, she wrote:




Excuse me sir, why are you so fresh like today’s bread? I need to toast you! Please step into my office....
.
Writing this post to declare that your path will keep shining brighter and brighter, your dreams will manifest quicker this year and your joy will be full forever. The whole world is awaiting your manifestion...
.
.
I want the world to know you are so kind, dedicated and loving to everyone that crosses your path. You look out for me in ways I could never have imagined, you literally carry my whole matter on your head- my community have become yours, and you’ve become my strongest backbones after the the Holy Spirit. .
.
Thank you for being the best purpose partner.
Thank you for always buying me hot baffs.
Thank you for all my photo shoots- sometimes you show up at events just to take my pictures.
Thank you for cooking for me- you make the best asaro and palm oil stew
Thank you for always bringing flowers to my plays- please don’t stop.

Thank you for always reminding me of God’s word.
Thank you for being my head of team.
.
.
Happy birthday Mr A
#DaddyWa
#à?éw??r??ni???olúwa .
.
You guys should help me celebrate the best chef in the world!

Tyson Fury makes his first social media post since his sensational win over Deontay Wilder, and it's a classy one

Tyson Fury has made his first social media post since his stunning victory over Deontay Wilder, wishing the Bronze Bomber a quick recovery while also calling him 'dance partner' of the century.



Fury brilliantly beat the American fighter Wilder on Saturday night to become the new WBC world heavyweight champion in a much-anticipated rematch. He floored Wilder twice in a stunning display before the towel was thrown in by the Wilder's corner in the seventh round.







Fury instead of taunting Wilder like many fighters do after beating an opponent, rather sent him a message of love alongside a picture of him kissing Wilder's forehead.



Fury posting on Instagram, wrote: ‘Love and respect to the dance partner of the century, @bronzebomber #speedyrecovery’