California Allows First-Ever State Recognized Human-Animal Marriage

Paul Horner and his dog Mac at their wedding on Monday in front of friends, family and a priest declaring their love towards each other for eternity.

San Francisco, CA — On Monday history was made at the Chapel of Our Lady at the Presidio in San Francisco as the first-ever state recognized human-animal marriage took place.
Local resident 35-year-old Paul Horner was the groom during the ceremony. Joining him was his faithful dog Mac who is 36-years-old in dog years. Mac also decided to be the groom but ended up wearing a white veil at the last moment.

Father McHale who officiated the outdoor wedding told reporters he was extremely happy to be a part of this joyous moment of life. “This is the definition of true love my friends. There is nothing more sacred than the bond between a man and his faithful dog,” McHale said. “Now, since it is recognized as a legally binding marriage in the state of California, Mr. Horner and Mac will have all the same tax benefits and everything else coming to them that a regular married couple would receive. It’s a fantastic day to be alive!”

 

So how could this have happened?

In the book of California’s State Laws and Regulations there is a little known law that was passed as the state was first forming in 1850. According to article 155, paragraph 10, it clearly states:

If a man and a man can get married and a woman and a woman can get married, if ever comes that day, then a human and animal will have the exact same rights to marriage in every eye of the law. God help us if this ever is to happen!

Resolving Marital Issues

If someone ever comes to you and says “I’ve never had an argument with my husband” or “we never fight”, they are lying to you! Every marriage has its fair share of issues, whether you want to call them conflicts, confusions or problems. What is more important is to get yourself out of these conflicting areas and ensure that they are kept at the bay. Have a quick look at some of the common problems that plague every marriage on the planet.


1. Dishonesty
If there was one thing that came above anything else while ruining a marriage, this would be it – dishonesty. Many a times, you let out ‘little lies’ and then call them ‘white lies’ for your own convenience. If you are confident of yourself and not faking anything in your marriage, there should be no reason for even the smallest of lies. Talk about things that are not too appropriate to be said directly, but do not lie! Be honest about yourself, your thoughts, ideas, expectations, and your love. Dishonesty may save you from a small argument today, but can come back and haunt you years later. You will break his trust and his heart, if he ever finds out that you have been dishonest. There is nothing more painful than lack of trust in a marriage.

2. Unrealistic expectations
Whenever you find yourself struggling to come in terms with ‘unfair’ situations in your marriage, sit back, take a deep breath and think to yourself, “What do I really expect? Is this what I deserve?” Most women often expect too much, and in some cases, too less. It is very tough to keep a balance between more and less, but a moment of thought can usually help you to come to terms with your expectations.

3. Lack of intimate compatibility
Intimate relations with your partner play a very important role in your marriage. Lack of sex can lead to depression, arguments, loss of excitement and, in worst cases, even infidelity. Find time from your busy routine for each other’s physical needs. Be adventurous, try new things inside the bedroom, and spice things up!

4. Lack of respect
It is very important that you treat your partner with respect. There is no single thing that you can say or do to show respect. It just means backing him up no matter what. It can be something as small as taking his side in an argument on the dinner table with friends, or agreeing with his views while having a challenging conversation with the family. You must expect the same. Loss of respect is a significant blow to the balance of a relationship. Give respect, get respect.

Disney Channel Introduces Its First Ever Homosexual Couple On The Kids' Channel!

If you are a follower of my blog, then you would know i have posted several articles aimed at throwing the light of God's word on homosexuality and what God says about it. When some of us raise alarms about the mad perversion of sex called Homosexuality, a lot of people sit on the fence and form pity party. Well, their next plan is to corrupt kids and make them begin to question their sexuality...your kids too if we don't stop this madness. All those speaking against the Nigerian government for outlawing these perverted way of life will have to think twice unless they are with the planners on this one. Please protect your children, biko.

Last weekend, Kids' oriented TV network, Disney Channel, introduced its first-ever openly gay couple on the family series, Good Luck Charlie in an episode that made the lifestyle look perfectly normal.

In the groundbreaking episode, parents Amy and Bob Duncan, played by Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer, set up a playdate for their preschooler Charlie (Mia Talerico) and one of her new friends, who, it turns out, has two mothers.

Secondary School Students Threaten to Kill Corpers in Kogi

Below is a mesage from a batch A Corp member serving in Victory Model College, Efodo - Okpo, Olamaboro L.G.A of Kogi State. The mail below and the threat written on a blackboard in pictures.

It's no good news to hear that NYSC Corp Members are treated with discontentment in Kogi State, especially in remote local government like Olamaboro.

There have been cases of some drunk youths ganging up to launch attack on corpers at their capital project sites, accusing them of integrating strange norms into their culture

Let me go straight to what I witnessed this morning. I woke up this morning like every other boring mornings in the village where I serve, dressed up, and went to the school. On arrival, all the students were gathered at one corner looking at me and the other Corp members, some with satisfaction, while others with pity.

Continue to read more with pictures.

Toni Payne Finally Addresses Rumours About Her Cheating On 9ice

Four years after her 2010 separation from singer 9ice amidst cheating rumours, publicist and spoken word artist Toni Payne has finally addressed the rumours that has followed her for years. Toni & 9ice got married on July 17th 2008 and by January 2010, a year and a half later, the marriage was over. There were several reports at the time that she was caught cheating. 9ice actually started the cheating rumours by making a song where he said his woman cheated on him with a friend. People assumed he was referring to his wife and a rapper friend, who he later seriously quarreled with in the media

In a post on her blog yesterday, Toni said she never cheated on her ex-husband. Her words below...


Continue to ....

Read more

OC Ukeje Shows Off His Fiancee

Delicious actor, OC Ukeje is engaged to the world's best boo - her name is Ibukun Togonu, and she is the woman OC hopes to marry. He calls her "Da homie"!

Months ago, OC said he will getting married this year. "God willing, I plan to get married next year (2014). There is a woman in my life and she is not into this business. We have never had issues over me and my female fans. This is not to say that she is not aware.

She is definitely aware but I am not also settling down with someone that is not good looking because she gets chased by men as well. There are people, who are higher in level than I am, they have more money than I have and might be interested in her. I see some of those and might be worried.

It is a two-way streak; she’s scared, I’m scared but we are together and making it work” He disclosed.
See the cute photo of them he shared a while ago after cut.........

Mother Was Having Sex While Her Kids Died In Hot Car

The mother of the two boys who died of hyperthermia has been arrested. Authorities say they found out she was having sex with her boyfriend while the kids were left alone for two hours with the heat on in the car.

She locked them in the car with a heater running, while she had sex in another vehicle. She is now on trial for homicide.

Prosecutors say Heather Jensen, 25, carried out a "death sentence" against her two young sons when she locked then in the hot car, Fox 31 Denver reports.

The charges against Ms Jensen include criminally negligent homicide, child abuse resulting in death and false reporting.

Continue to read more with picture of the boys and their father.

Man holds girlfriend hostage after her parents refused to let them get married

A construction worker held his girlfriend hostage on a Chinese rooftop with a meat cleaver for five hours after her parents reportedly refused to approve their marriage.

Hundreds of onlookers and armed police watched as the man stripped to his underwear and ordered his girlfriend to do the same so she would be shamed in front of their neighbours.

He announced he was going to kill her and claimed the 29-year-old regularly had affairs when he went to work, according to various local media reports.

Continue reading after the cut and view more pictures.

See Levels......Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson buys his housekeeper(house girl) a brand new car.

The action star surprised his house keeper(house girl in naija terms) of 10 years with a brand new car and shared the info and pics on twitter. He bought his dear Esperanza a 2013 Ford Edge Limited Edition worth $40,000.

See picture of Rock and Esperanza beside the Ford after the cut.

Peter Okoye shows off his daughter with Lola.

Isn't she beautiful!  Seems to me fatherhood and marriage has made Peter develop a kind of maturity and calmness in all his recent pictures.

Well, he shared the photos below of his beloved daughter Aliona Okoye as she celebrates her 1 year birthday.

See another picture after cut

Child abuse: Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests

Close to 400 priests were defrocked in only two years by the former Pope Benedict XVI over claims of child abuse, the Vatican has confirmed.The statistics for 2011 and 2012 show a dramatic increase compared to previous years, according to a document obtained by the Associated Press. The file was part of Vatican data collected for a UN hearing on Thursday.

It was the first time the Holy See was publicly confronted over the sexual abuse of children by clergy.
Church officials at the hearing in Geneva faced a barrage of hard questions covering why they were withholding data and what they were doing to prevent future abuse. Victims’ advocates complained there was still too little transparency.

The flood of allegations, lawsuits and official reports into clerical abuse reached a peak in 2009 and 2010, which observers say may explain the spike shown in the document.

8-year-old boy saves 6 in blaze before dying while trying to save another

A fourth-grade boy died in a fire in his grandfather's Penfield, N.Y., trailer home after helping to save six of his relatives. Tyler Doohan, 8, had returned to the blaze in an attempt to help rescue his disabled uncle. Tyler, his uncle Steve Smith and his grandfather Louis J. Beach died in the inferno this past weekend. Tyler took it upon himself to wake his sleeping relatives once he detected the fire at around 4:45 a.m. on Monday.

 Two of the people Tyler helped save were children, ages 4 and 6.  Tyler's body was found near the bed of his deceased uncle. His uncle Joseph Breyette said "The kid has more guts than I know of," to run back in there and go through what he went through to try to save his uncle — what can you say for the kid? He was a great kid.”

HOW FAST THEY GROW!!! Psquare's Peter Okoye chilling with Son.

Can you remember our previous post on the Okoye's? I must say that the young man has really grown. See swaggggg!!!!

Foundation Releases Teenage Girl Caged For 30 Months By Her Parents.

How does someone meant to protect and love you become your tormentor? It simply does not make sense. This is an extreme case of child abuse. A teenage girl said to have been locked up in a wooden cage for about 30 months by her parents over an alleged strange ailment attributed to witchcraft has been released by members of a foundation.

Blessing Olokumo, a twin child and an indigene of Bayelsa State, according to investigation conducted by the foundation was diagnosed with a strange illness. This led to her being isolated by her parents due to her constant incidence of defecation and soiling of the house.

Photos: Banker who sliced husband's penis and husband reconcile

About a week ago you guys read about the banker who sliced her husband's penis with a knife during a fight at their home in Surulere. Read about it here if you did not. We also asked that readers should pray for the couple. Prayer works indeed.

Well, the good news now is that the couple have reconciled. A family member of the couple who wanted people to know that they've sorted out their problems made the pictures above available.(They are pictured together)

Not only that, Lekan Daniju has recovered and is out of the hospital. The gospel singer is currently in the studio recording a new single titled, Still Standing.

Buy Leapfrog DVDs to Help Your Kids Excel In School

It's a New Year, 2014. Its our prayer at HTPB Blog that your children will grow strong and smart all year through. None shall be sick and none shall die in Jesus name.

Talking about the new year, a new term also approaches fast for the children. In about 3-10 days, all schols will be back in session. We know many of our kids have enjoyed the fun and thrill of the Christmas holidays but now is time to start preparing them for school.  We have good news for parents with younger children.

DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE A EDGE AND ADVANTAGE AT LEARNING FAST WHILE REMEMBERING WHAT THEY ARE THOUGHT?

Then our leapfrog pre scholars DVDs are a perfect tutorial/workshop that will prepare them for school and make them excel amongst their peers. These dvds are very interactive, captivating, and makes learning fun and very easy. Watch your children learn letters, words, spelling, reading, calendars, time telling, additions and more with ease. You will marvel at how well they will learn what may have seemed elusive to them in classes before now.

Leapfrog activates the power of animation and cartoons positively in this Box set of 4 DVDs each. Does your child jump in excitement when watching favorite cartoon characters but get sober when its time to learn? The Solution is here! Entertainment meets Education and the resultant effect is Effortless Excellence.

We have seen the DVDs excel in making children understand Basic English, arithmetic, reading, rhyming and other areas where teachers and expensive schools had failed.

Find list and titles below.

Box set 1
LeapFrog - Let's Go To School
LeapFrog-The Letter Factory
LeapFrog-Talking Words Factory
LeapFrog -Numbers Ahoy


Box set 2
LeapFrog - Storybook Factory
LeapFrog - Sing and Learn With Us.
LeapFrog -Phonics Farm
LeapFrog- Maths Circus


Each DVD cost =N=1,500 while each Boxset of 4 dvds cost =N=5,000 only. Trust us; the cost is extremely low for the value these DVDs will input in your children.


Invest in that child today.

Comment on this post to order or send email to olufunkealawode@gmail.com. Your order should contain details of the items you want and your contact telephone. Comments/Orders will not be published for those ordering.

If you know any parent whose children can benefit from these developmental materials, please feel free to forward their email address to us or you can forward this message to them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR READERS

Just to say a Happy new year to our numerous readers worldwide. We are in 2014 and it promises to be a fulfilling one for all who believe. Go get that dream of yours and make the children proud of you. Don't forget to spend quality time with them as you pursue the vision and goals for 2014. Have a wonderful year. From HTP Blog.

Lagos Banker Explains Why She Nearly Cuts Off Husband's Manhood

There is so much wrong with the mindset of these couple as regards what marriage is all about. They need some serious spiritual mentoring and counseling. As you read their story, please say a prayer for them and other couples going through a turbulent marriage.

Thirty-one-year-old banker, Bimbo Daniju, who was accused of using a kitchen knife to cut her husband’s penis at Surulere area of Lagos, has refuted the accusation. She said she was compelled to hold her husband’s manhood to escape his beating.

 Her husband, Lekan, who lost his job with a Lagos insurance company in 2013, had accused his wife of three years of using a kitchen knife to cut his penis after a disagreement they had on December 16, 2013. The deep cut on Lekan’s manhood now threatens his procreational ability.

One would have thought the cause of disagreement between the couple had to do with infidelity. But when contacted,  Bimbo gave a version of the story which totally contrasted with the allegation by Lekan, who  said his wife had used a kitchen knife to cut his penis while he slept after their disagreement. The banker, who sounded gentle over the phone, explained that her husband was being economical with the truth.

She said, “Please, kindly judge this by yourself. As a pregnant woman, will I willingly attempt to cut off my husband’s penis? I ordinarily would not have said anything. I did not realise this will escalate to this stage. The case is being handled by my lawyer at the moment. “My husband is not a hot-tempered man but he gets angry once in a while. He lied that he washes my clothes. He only did that once or twice when I was ill. We had a disagreement that day and he beat me up. My mother came to the house and took away our son.

“Without telling anybody, I went to my hospital and was treated. I did not tell him. But when I got home, he continued to harass me. He said I must ensure his son was returned to the house. “I was so tired and I went to sleep. But in the middle of the night, he woke me up and asked me again to produce his son. We started fighting and he was beating me. In order to escape his beating, I had to hold his penis. I wanted him to leave me alone. I held on to it until I had a chance to escape.” Bimbo said it was a lie that he chased Lekan down the street or dropped his certificate on the street during a fight. “Please ask him, which certificate is he even talking about? When I married my husband, he told me he graduated from the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, but that he had an accident some time ago, in which his certificates were burnt,” she said.

She said when she went to the police station after their last fight, the officer who heard their case at the station said the wound looked like a knife wound, saying that was why Lekan changed his story that she used knife on him. Bimbo insisted she loved her husband and never for once used the fact that he did not have a job to react to him at home. “When I married him, he did not have a job. He said he was working on a CD and all the money I made, I spent on him.”

A Wife Gives Reasons Why She Is Thankful For Her Husband.

During a message in church where we are reminded of why it’s important to give thanks, I find myself thinking about the things and people in my life that I am thankful for.  I am pretty good at expressing gratitude. I always have been, and I thank my mom for that. I could go on and on, telling you all about my wonderful kids, my awesome friends, and the hundred other things I’m thankful for. But, instead, I am going to share why I am thankful for my husband.

So often we can focus on the negative in our relationships.  Maybe your spouse has a bad habit, maybe things have been a little rocky, or maybe they recently did something that pissed you off.  I’m not saying my husband is perfect.  He’s definitely not.  But neither am I.  However, he is a good man.  His imperfections are part of why I love him so much.

I know that things in your relationship may not be what you want them to be.  Maybe you are even experiencing a rough patch, and you aren’t sure what to do next.  Take some time this week to really think about why you married your spouse.  Take a moment to reflect on all the qualities that you are thankful for.  They say when we start to lose sight of what matters, expressing gratitude can help us regain focus.  May this Thanksgiving give you an opportunity to not just express gratitude, but regain focus.

Here are a few reasons why I am thankful for my husband.

1. He gets me.  I’m a pretty easygoing person, but even with that, I can be hard to figure out.  This man has me figured out. He knows what I’m thinking before I even say it – even if it’s outrageous.
2. He’s a good dad.  I feel like there are so many negative images out there about Black men being bad dads. Frankly, I’ve had enough.  Oh, how thankful I am that I have a man in my life who adores his children and shows them so every single day.
3. He can cook.  Nothing beats a man that can hook up a tasty dish.  And not only does it taste good, but the presentation is even on point.  Where’s my plate?
4. He’s very handy around the house.  I love to act like I can do everything on my own, and although I probably could if I had to, I don’t want to.  I am so grateful for a man that fixes things, mows the lawn and keeps our house in tip-top shape.

The 10 Phrases To Avoid Saying To Your Man

To you, it's just a few words. To him, it's a short sentence that he'll never, ever forget. Here, the seemingly innocent observations that can really rock a relationship.

"I really don't respect you."
"My wife and I probably use the word 'respect' about as much as we use the word 'love.' Both words were in our wedding vows," says Dave, 36, about why the R-word is just as important to him as the L-word. "And when I hear that she doesn't respect me, it's almost like her saying she doesn't love me. Luckily, she's never said it-precisely because we had a whole conversation about how we'll never throw around that word like that."

Your tummy is so cute! "Please, call it what it is-a beer gut!" jokes Chad, 38. All kidding aside, the men we spoke with said that they have the same body image issues as women, which means that making fun of him when he's gained a few will make him feel insecure too. 


"I love when you get all mad."
Is he fuming because he's behind a car that's oh-so-annoyingly crawling along in the left lane? Sure, it's fine to make a joke, but Jeff, 40, suggests making it at the other driver's expense. "I know I can get worked up about minor stuff, but when I hear this, I feel like it's harder to be honest about my feelings when it comes to things that really matter to me, because I'm worried she's going to shoot me down."

"He acts like such a baby when his team loses."
"This is something I've overheard my wife say on the phone to her friends," says Charles, 38. "I know she's talking about me, but she uses the same voice she uses when she's talking about our 3-year-old having a temper tantrum." While no one likes to be talked about behind their back, guys are especially sensitive to lack of loyalty. Yes, the way he freaks out when his team blows a playoff game is funny-but if he's not laughing, it's best to keep it on the DL, at least while your husband is in earshot. There's another reason: "When I hear her talking about me to her friends when she thinks I'm not listening, I can't help but wonder what else she may talk about."

A Good Naija Daughter Builds A House For Her Parents

We at HTPB are happy for a fellow blogger, Linda Ikeji who is about completing the house she built for her parents in their hometown. Yeah, you heard it right. Daughters are doing exploits y'all. I hope this calms the nerves of some men who are just crazy about having sons. Congrats Linda's father, Congrats daughter. And BTW Linda, i totally agree with your dad on the marriage tins. Range Rover tins may result in #scaredtoapproachguys.

Find her post and another picture of the house after cut.

Mariah Carey Says No more Babies Unless Husband Nick Cannon Can Get Pregnant

Mother of two Mariah Carey says she's done having kids and if her husband Nick Cannon wants more children, he will have to get pregnant and have the babies himself.

During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, the 44 year old singer was asked by a fan caller whether or not she and Nick were planning to have more children...

"If Nick could have the babies himself, then yeah, bring 'em on. We love kids," Mariah answered. "Here's the thing: This is real. I'm responsible for the kids for like forever. I look at it like, they didn't ask for this lifestyle but here they are."

"To anyone who has ever carried twins, it is a totally different experience...You don't even know who you are. I had a very difficult pregnancy, but I was alone most of the time. We love Nick, but he's working. He's the hardest-working man in show business."

More pictures after the cut

American Actor Suspended By Network Following Anti-Gay Remarks in GQ Magazine

We are truly at the end times. The double standard of the world is irritating. The article below is so disturbing considering how these lovers of sin are fast to shout about freedom of association, expression and speech. Meanwhile they just fired someone for expressing an opinion they hate to hear. God deliver us from these evil from the West. However you try to cover the truth, it remains the truth. And Truth they say is bitter. Phil has spoken the truth and though it has cost him a job, he is on the way to eternal glory. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul. HTPB salutes your courage Phil Robertson.

On Wednesday afternoon, A&E, the cable network which airs "Duck Dynasty," suspended Phil Robertson indefinitely from filming, issuing the following statement: "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series 'Duck Dynasty.' His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

GLAAD issued the following statement in response to A&E's decision, attributed to GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz: "What’s clear is that such hateful anti-gay comments are unacceptable to fans, viewers, and networks alike. By taking quick action and removing Robertson from future filming, A&E has sent a strong message that discrimination is neither a Christian nor an American value."

Video: 2 of the 6 men who raped a 16 year old girl in Akure, paraded

Two of the six cult boys who raped a 16 year old secondary school student in Akure, Ondo State last week have been arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

The men, said to members of a cult group known as Blue Angel, saw the girl as she was returning from school, they stopped her, took her to their hideout and raped her. All six of them. They recorded the act with a mobile phone and threatened to post the video online if she told anyone what happened.

Fortunately she did and two of the rapists, Wale Fadahunsi, 28, and Banji Olaseinde, 25, have been arrested, while four others are on the run. Those on the run include Tope Oluwole; Tope Jigan and Muyideen. The two that were arrested were paraded a few days ago where they confessed to raping the helpless girl whose identity is being concealed because of her age. Watch the video after the cut.............

WARNING PARENTS! Caught on camera: chilling moment a 6yr old girl was led away by man who raped and killed her

This chilling photo below shows a 6 year old girl walking hand in hand with a man through the lobby of a skytrain station in Bangkok, Thailand, ten days ago. Her body was later found, raped & violently murdered.

According to Daily Mail UK, her disappearance sparked a 10-day manhunt which ended yesterday after her strangled and decomposing body was found in a deserted area near the city's Suklhumvit Soi 105. Within hours of the discovery police arrested the man in the pic following a tip-off.

The girl known simply as Nong Cartoon went with her father to go see a folk music concert, but when she became sleepy, her father took her to nap in his truck outside the venue around 10pm and returned to finish watching the show. By the time he came back 40mins later, the girl had vanished.

The man pictured with Nong is a 32 year old man named Nui, who was released from prison in August 2013 after serving three years and eight months for the abduction of a child under 15 years.

View more pictures of how he walked her away below.

Joke Of The Day........ A Wife's Emotional Needs.

A man and his wife were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says "I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me."

He said "WHAT??!! What was that?!" (Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed)

So she says, "You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man." She responded to his puzzled look by saying, "Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?" (Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed Lips sealed)

Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, the man went to sleep.

Status Of The Week

Our Status of the week is from Lanre Olagbaju a performing musician. It is worth reading.

Clarion Chukwura: My Bitter Experience When Shina Peters Impregnanted Me

Picture of Sir Shina Peters And Clarion Chukwura During Their Dating Period Decades Ago

And out of this love wan tin tin came Clarence Peters, the Music Video Director. Just saying ni o. Read Full Interview below.

For over 30 years, Clarion Chukwura has been doing what gives her joy and gladness. She’s been exhibiting her acting prowess on the stage and screen, and this has brought her fame and fortune. But for the Nollywood diva, life is not all bed of roses. Clarion has been rejected, betrayed and cast out as a slot. She has also swum in the river of failed marriages. At the end of the day, however, the delectable actress triumphed and came out stronger. Clarion says her driving force is her unshakable faith in God, and more importantly, her never-say-die spirit.

Hear her: “My driving force is first and foremost my faith in God. My faith in God is a very important aspect of me. I believe that whatever I set out to do if I commit it into the hands of God, it may take time to manifest, delay is not denial, I’m sure I will get there. I just need to be patient and persevere. Another thing is my never-say-die spirit. I am not a quitter because the alternative is not for me. I cannot live a life of nobody.”

In this exclusive interview with , Clarion bares it all, as she has never done before.

Could you tell us about your childhood?
I was born in Lagos and remained there till when I was 11 years old. From the age of 11 to 14, I stayed in Aba and Onitsha. I came to Ibadan when I was 14 and lived there till the age of 19. However, I lost my father at the age of 11. This incident completely shattered me. My father was the centre of my life and when he died, everything just fell apart. That was the beginning of a different chapter of my life. How did I cope? I coped by the special mercy of Almighty God. I coped by taking decisions. I coped by being driven by determination to succeed and I had my focus very early that I wanted to be an actress. I was five years old and my father was still alive when I decided that I wanted to be an actress. My father had a driver that used to take us to the cinemas. So, I was seeing all those 20th Century Fox movies and other legendary Hollywood movies that inspired me. I was also inspired by Michael Jackson and all those stuffs I used to watch on TV, when I was a kid.

Some people say you are fond of Michael Jackson. Is this true?
I was highly inspired by Michael Jackson. No, it isn’t necessary I go into music because Michael Jackson inspired me. When someone inspired you, it doesn’t mean that you must do what the person is doing. Michael was a kid but his showmanship was great. That’s what struck me. As an actress, it’s music that inspires me. I remember the movie, “Egg of Life;” it was music that gave me the inspiration for the character I played. The death of Michael Jackson was a personal loss to me. I took time to mourn him; that’s why I didn’t attend all the events that were held in his honour. I felt like I had lost a part of me.

WHAT CHANGED? Children vs Time, Sanity & Money

I grew up listening to stories of our fore fathers who had several kids. Then men used to beat their chests proudly because of the number of children they had. The children helped in the farms, with house chores, fetched water e.t.c. I can recall when I read ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe; I fell in love with the idea of having a large family.  In Africa, one of the most celebrated occasions is a newborn’s naming ceremony and mothers take pride in going to stay with their daughters and daughters’ in-law to help raise their grand children at least for a year. The Igbo’s took pride in ‘OMUGO’ while the Yoruba’s ‘IKOMO’. Movies far back displayed families with lots of children running around in the yards; playing, singing, eating, e.t.c. There was hardly a movie without children and having lots of children were a priority.

Present day couple especially in Lagos, Nigeria will tell you they don’t want more than 2 children. It’s like 2 is in vogue now, it could be more than that when the couple have a particular sex and want the other. I recently heard a mum tell her daughter to have the number of children she can take care of conveniently without her help because she is still working. Movies today can run for hours without any kid in sight or will have no kid at all. What happens to the chores and the work front of the present day family? It looks like we found a solution for the chores, what about the work front? What about children taking over the empire built by their parents? 

I’m usually excited when I come across couples that want to have a lot of children, one day a friend of mine mentioned that she wanted 7 kids and that she really loves kids and moreover her mum had loads of kids too, but after having just 2 kids her tune changed and she said herself and her husband have hung the boot. I said to her, what happened to the 5 children yearning to be born? Are we running away from the kids or are the kids running from us? If most of our parents stopped at 2 kids we won’t be here today. God said be fruitful and multiply. And also says’ blessed is a man that has a quiver full of children’.

I think that our generation likes to work things out logically; we are so thoughtful and that’s why we are committed to balancing nature since our fore fathers over populated it. LOL

What do you think really changed? What is our priority now as parents? Share with us.