After 18years together, Melanie Griffith files for divorce from Antonio Banderas

Awww, was rooting for these two. According TMZ, after 18 years together, actress Melanie Griffith, 56, has filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas, 53, citing irreconcilable differences. Sources tell TMZ the split is 'amicable.' 

Melanie and Antonio married on May 14, 1996. They have a daughter, Stella del Carmen Banderas, born on September 24, 1996. This will be Melanie's fourth divorce: she was twice married to Don Johnson and also married to Steve Bauer. It's Banderas' second divorce.

Nollywood Starlet Sylvya Oluchy: “I Never Say Never to Nudity in Movies”

Nollywood starlet Sylvya Oluchy got everyone buzzing when she released her racy photoshoot. If you missed it, click here.

With that far behind, the “On Bended Knees” actress opens up in an interview with i Campus NGabout her famous shoot, crazy reactions from fans, growing up, her future aspirations, lesbianism, love and actresses who inspire her including Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Omoni Oboli,

To read the full interview, click here
Read excerpts;
On reactions to the photoshoot: “(Laughs) it was mixed. Some liked it; others thoroughly insulted me saying ‘all this celebrity nudity is immoral’.”

On the silly thing she has done for a job: “Once I took a bus to a producer’s office and then hopped on a bike from the bus stop in Surulere. I asked the man to stop me two numbers before the office. Found some shade, touched up my make-up and switched my flats to heels, threw on some perfume and strutted into the producers office acting all hot like I had just come down from an ‘ac-ed’ car. They said it’s showbiz, isn’t that so? (laughs).”

On love: “Love is constant forgiveness of oneself and others, a kind look to life that becomes a habit. Love is peace”

On if love has been fair to her: “Shakespeare says ‘All is fair in love and war’. So I can’t complain.”

On her kind of man in the entertainment industry: “My kind of man is not necessarily in the entertainment industry. I like intellectual and nerdy men. I also like guys who take the time to exercise and work out their bodies. So yeah, I’m a big fan of six packs and big brains. (laughs)”

On the bigger picture for Nollywood: “The bigger picture for me of Nollywood is growth. Already we have been accredited with bringing in 2percent of the country’s GDP. So I want to see Nollywood grow so much to the point that Hollywood and other industries feel inclined to put in African elements in their movies or use African actors so they can submit their movies into our award ceremonies. Just the way we all aspire to the Academy awards now. A Nollywood that is on par with Hollywood both in quality, production budget and box office returns.

Personally, I’m just focused on my work for now. I want to have a good body of work that will be my legacy. So I’m just facing doing my movies and putting in unforgettable performances. But I have lots of other things besides acting that I also want to dabble into.”

On lesbianism: “Lesbianism is a personal choice. As long as no one is forcing another into it, if it is born out of free will, I say, to each man his own.

On if she has been approached: “Yes a few have approached me.”

On if she can act nude: “I haven’t done it. But if I am approached with such a role, I will make my decision based on the script and director. I never say never.”

On Nollywood stars taking drugs: “Well, drug taking is bad for your health and also might be bad for your social life because drugs make people act erratically often. Although some artistes like Bob Marley, Fela and Ray Charles have claimed their best creativity has come to them under the influence of marijuana. I would just say based on it being bad for your health, it’s not a good idea because health is wealth. Good health is the most important thing in life and one doesn’t need drugs to be cool.”

FG decries sentiments in tertiary appointments

Nyesom Wike

The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, on Friday condemned agitations by host communities for localisation of appointment of heads of tertiary institutions.

Wike spoke in Abuja at a meeting with heads of tertiary institutions and chairmen of their governing councils.

He said that Federal Government’s goal of ensuring quality education for the development of the country would not be achieved if merit was not followed in leadership appointments.

“A university, polytechnic or college of education is a federal government institution cited in a community.

“When communities insist that a Vice-Chancellor or Rector must come from their area is not healthy for the system, and we cannot continue to operate like this.

“We are not happy about this and if we do not do something urgently to stop the trend, the consequences will be grave,” he said.

The minister, who said government would not interfere with the running of institutions, however, said it had a responsibility to ensure that diligent processes were followed in determining the leadership of such institutions.

“We encourage every Nigerian to vie for any position as long as they are qualified,” he stated.

Wike advised the governing councils not to allow sentiment to guide them in the selection of VCs, Rectors and Provosts.

He called on heads of institutions to work together with host communities to ensure peace, harmony and progress in the sector.

Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, said the meeting was convened to discuss issues bordering on the administration of tertiary institutions.

“We are worried about the governance structure; it is either the councils are not aware of their responsibilities or there is interference by host communities.

“There is a need for good university-community relations, and communities should understand that such appointments cannot be localised or even made on federal character basis,” Okojie said.

Senator Emma Anosike, council chairman, said the meeting was to explore ways of ensuring synergy between communities, government and institutions.

Anosike said the meeting was also to awaken governing councils to their responsibility to enforce laws empowering them in the appointment of heads of institutions.

He also expressed optimism that the protracted strike by unions of polytechnics and colleges of education would be called off in a few days time

Suspect dead, policeman wounded in US court shootout

A man armed with guns and explosives was killed and a police officer wounded in a shootout Friday at a courthouse in the US state of Georgia, authorities said.

The latest incident came just one day after a gunman killed one person and injured three others at a university in Washington state and two weeks after an apparently mentally disturbed young man opened fire at a California university and killed six people.

Officials identified the suspect as Dennis Marx, a gun seller who had been due in the court Friday on charges of marijuana and gun possession.

The shooting occurred at 9:57 am (1357 GMT) in front of the courthouse, said the local sheriff’s office in Forsyth county, north of Atlanta, adding the building was then evacuated.

Marx “came for the purpose of occupying the courthouse,” armed with explosives and a large stash of ammunition, county sheriff Duane Piper told reporters.

“He had been planning it for a while,” Piper added.

Witnesses said the attacker came in a vehicle to the courthouse gate and engaged in a prolonged shootout with police.

The sheriff said Marx also used smoke bombs.

One deputy was wounded in the leg and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was expected to recover, the sheriff told a local news channel, also confirming the suspect had died.

Piper praised the injured officer, suggesting he saved “many lives” through his actions to quickly engage the suspect.

“Mr. Marx’s intention was to get inside that front door and to take hostages,” the sheriff said.

A bomb squad was sweeping the courthouse and the suspect’s home to check for any possible remaining explosives, authorities said.

A police source told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper that Marx was suspected of belonging to the extremist group “Sovereign Citizens,” which does not recognize federal, state or local authority.

Ann Shafer, who said she was Marx’s lawyer until a few hours before the incident, said she was leaving her car at the courthouse where she was going to resign as his attorney when she heard shots.

“He was at times a little not stable in his understanding of the law or the consequences and always seemed dissatisfied,” Shafer said, explaining she resigned because her client was not happy with her defense.

Andrea Iyamah’s 2014 Swimwear Collection Spotted in Cosmopolitan UK’s July Issue

Ýay for Nigerian design label Andrea Iyamah!

Their 2014 swimwear collection is featured in the July 2014 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine which has Katy Perry as its first world-wide cover star.

BN Style featured the behind-the-scenes photos and lookbook earlier on in the year and are excited to see that the collection is getting international acclaim.

Want to get your hands on your very own? The brand is set to stock its new collection at L’espace, 19A Olosa Street,
Off Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos  this month and will start shipping to Nigeria at the end of the month.

You can order your Andrea Iyamah swimwear at www.shopandreaiyamah.com

To find out more about the brand you can visit www.andreaiyamah.com

Wickedness: Ritualists pluck 12 year-old-boy's eyes for ritual

Persons suspected to be ritualists, yesterday, attacked  a 12 year old boy in Zaki  Local Government Area of Bauchi State and plucked out his eyes.

It was gathered that the victim, Abdu Garba, a native of Miga Local Government of Jigawa state is a student to one Islamic teacher, Mal Haruna  Abdullahi of Sakwa town in Zaki local government.
It was learnt the ritualists followed the movements of Abdu and when they got to isolated area, they abducted him and took him to an unknown destination where they plucked out his eyes.
Confirming the incident, the state Police spokesman, Deputy Superintendent of Police Haruna Mohammed said one  Abdu Garba, a native of Miga local government in Jigawa state was attacked and his eyes removed  by unknown persons in Zaki local government area of the state.
He said the unknown assailants Suspected to ritualists accosted  the victim to a solidarity area and removed his eyes.
According to him, ” after residents of the area informed the police in the local government about  the incident, police detectives went to the scene and rushed the victim to Federal Medical Centre Azare for treatment”
The PPRO added that Investigation had commenced and efforts is been intensified to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

BREAKING NEWS: President Goodluck Jonathan Nominates Four New Ministers

Four nominees have been announced for the post of ministers by the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday.

One of the ministers-to-be is a former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, who recently left the All Progressives Congress, APC, to join the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP. He will represent Kano state in the Federal Executive Council.

In a letter to the Senate Stephen Oruh from Delta State, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye from Ekiti State and Dr. Abdul Bulama from Yobe State were also named as the potential ministers for appointment.

Four names of the new ministers were sent to the Senate for confirmation. Their nominations will be reviewed by the Senate at a later date.