The bleaching, chameleon crowd - By Reuben Abati

I wrote a piece recently, a tribute to the late veteran actress Bukky Ajayi and the multi-instrumentalist OJB Jezreel, in which I raised a number of issues, including how in Nollywood today, there is an obsession with the whitening of skin, an anti-Negritude yellowing, what I referred to as “the bleaching, chameleon crowd of Nollywood beauties.”


The various reactions to the piece conveniently ignored this subject; two young ladies who felt that I was probing an unpopular theme drew my attention to this. I was reminded that being light-skinned is now the in-thing, indeed the socially acceptable norm, because there is now a universalization of the

Photos: Stephen Keshi lowered into the grave amid tears

Former coach of Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi was buried this afternoon in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria . See more photos below...

Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic Presidential Nomination

Hillary Clinton has officially become the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.  The wife of former U.S President and former Secretary of State accepted her party's nomination in an address at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday evening. 

She was introduced by her daughter Chelsea, as she took the stage to make her speech.

"We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have," she said, during a speech that was regularly interrupted with

Three Nigerians executed in Indonesia for drug trafficking

Three of the six Nigerians convicted for drug related offenses have been executed in Indonesia by firing squad. The Nigerians were put to death along with one Indonesian on Thursday, after midnight Indonesian time.

It was not clear why 10 other drug convicts, who had been expected to face the firing squad, were not

Mary J. Blige speaks on filing divorce from husband, Kendu Isaacs

International RnB star Mary J. Blige has opened up after news of her divorce broke. The singer on Tuesday filed for divorce from her husband, Kendu Isaacs, after 12 years of marriage. 

"Ms. Blige is saddened to say it is true that she has filed for divorce, saying sometimes things don't work how we hoped they would. But, there is a divine plan and a reason for everything." A statement

Tv Star Khloe Kardashian hits back at fans for criticising her weight

Reality Tv star Khloé Kardashian has hit back on people who push her around over her weight, whether she lose or gain more ponds. She took to Twitter to vent her anger towards them. 

"I need to remember the date today!! Never would I have ever thought I would be in the media for

Six Nigerians, others to be Executed in Indonesia for drug related crimes

According to the above stated, Six Nigerians are among the 14 inmates arrested  and slated to be

Photos from former Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi's Burial in Edo

Burial Arrengements and  service of the late former coach of Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi was carried on today in Benin City, Edo State. See more photos from the burial service below...

Ex New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg endorses Hillary Clinton

Former mayor of New York and billionaire Michael Bloomberg has urged Independents to vote for 'sane' Hillary Clinton. Bloomberg, who has been a Republican, Democrat and Independent, called for electing Clinton ‘not for party loyalty but for love of country,’ as he hammered Donald Trump.

‘Trump says he wants to run the nation like he’s running his business? God help us,’ Bloomberg says, after pointing out the fellow moguls bankruptcies and tendency to file lawsuits. I’m a New Yorker,

Obama & Hillary Clinton share hug on stage as he endorses her for President

President Barack Obama last spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where he gave reasons on why he ticked a huge positive mark for Hillary Clinton to be the next President of United States of America. In presence of the crowd gathered, Obama not only endorsed Clinton as U.S President, but also shared incredible hug with her on stage. Keep reading and see more photos…

"That’s the America I know. And there is only one candidate in this race who believes in that future, and has devoted her life to it; a mother and grandmother who’d do anything to help our children thrive; a leader with real plans to break down barriers, blast through glass ceilings, and widen the circle of opportunity to every single American – the next President of the United States, Hillary Clinton.

Now, eight years ago, Hillary and I were rivals for the Democratic nomination. We battled for a year and a half. Let me tell you, it was tough, because Hillary’s tough. Every time I thought I might have

Asari Dokubo loses first wife, Zainab in car accident

Hajia Zainab Dokubo-Asari, the first wife of former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo has died. She died in a car accident on her way to Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday.  This was disclosed by Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni, the Chairman of the Oyo State Muslim community.

Sanni said Zainab was already a Muslim years before she married Dokubo-Asari.

 "When their lives was in danger during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, she and

Adele and Beyonce top MTV Video Music Awards Nomination

International music Star Beyonce on Tuesday led nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards as she basked in acclaim for her film-album “Lemonade.” The pop diva was in the running for 11 awards at MTV’s annual extravaganza, which will take place August 28 in New York’s Madison Square Garden, a shift from the more common venue in Los Angeles.

Adele came in second with eight nominations. All but seven were for the chart-topping English balladeer’s “Hello,” which with more than 1.6 billion views is the fifth most watched video ever on YouTube. “Hello,” filmed by the Canadian director Xavier Dolan, shows Adele on the phone with a younger version of herself and was the first music video created for the high-resolution IMAX

PHOTOS: ISIS terrorist who slit the throat of Catholic Priest in France unveiled

The 19-year-old ISIS knifeman, Adel Kermiche, who went to a church in Normandy, France and slit the throat of an 84-year-old priest has been unveiled.  He had earlier been arrested twice in France and Switzerland for attempting to flee France to join ISIS in series and was being monitored with an electronic ankle tag.

Despite having been released early from prison, Kermiche's bail conditions allowed him to move

David Bowie receives four posthumous nominations at MTV Video Music Awards

The Late legendary musician, David Bowie has received four posthumous nominations at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. The four categories include, Blackstar nominated for Best Art Direction, while Lazarus got a nod for Best Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.


Both tracks were part of the Life on Mars singer's final album, Blackstar, which was released on