Onion Trunk Sale: Tomorrow!

Dresses, dresses, dresses!

Don't miss this!

Igbo Village and Museum in Virginia is just not Baby Talk?

Just like it happens all the time when someone tries to pick on me to talk about something he had no business with, sometimes in a desperate move to figure out all that Igbo mysteries that keeps perturbing the nosy ones among us. Yes, it happened on one of this month's hot weather while I was trying to catch my cool beating the summer heat in an attempt, and as always keeping it real when a whole bunch of stuff popped up. It wasn't anything about music or the crazy-dubby nightlife in the Hollywood-Los Angeles circle that my colleague and friend, Austen Oghuma, sent me an email addressed from one of the Igbo-related forums, penning on a new development regarding Igbo Diaspora. I wasn't shocked anyway, but it was interesting to know, though I have been in the know of the happenings, especially something worthy and commendable.

First of all, how did Oghuma who is not Igbo got to know all about the facts and logics going on in Igbo forums? Who is sending him every piece of information in a supposedly behind closed doors forums we all had thought was a members only area?`

Nevertheless, it was a good thing he found out progress is being made in Diaspora by my kith and kin, and let's not start pumping our chest for it is not yet Uhuru. Of course, those fantastic shots by Amadiebube speaks volumes and the write-ups from around the Staunton area in Virginia was also fascinating. And good to know the whole project had been started on a good foot. Since many volunteers based on media reports acknowledge work is in progress "passing egg-shaped masses of clay, Stan Ogbonna had the honor of slamming each into place as the foundation of a third mud house took shape." Finally, an Igbo village and museum in the United States? Wait a minute, let's hold our breath. For real? An Igbo village in America?

Oghuma often asks this particular question and now that it seems to be taking shape, he is holding his breath. Oghuma has engaged me numerous times in Igbo-related issues, and most of our discourses takes us into the night. But that's beside the point, though.

The Igbo village and museum in Virginia being talked about is real because there has been eye witness accounts. In due course, I should be paying homage myself and what I would be looking forward to seeing should be the originality of Igbo custom and traditions from the way it had been with our forebears and I have used the above images as an indication. The aziza, brooms used in sweeping Igbo village compounds, cassava squeezing machines, the palm tree and a setting of the palm wine tapper, the kolanuts, how the kitchen looked in those mud houses and the odo used in pounding the cassava, yam or cocoyam, whatever the case may be. It's a bunch of cultural stuff and culture, indeed, is an entity.

So far, it's looking good, and Amadiebube, what a great shot you had in there.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman made fashion blogging cool with his well-respected site, The Sartorialist, a collection of street style photographs that showcase the style and whimsy of real people who just happen to be devastatingly fashionable. Scott's eye for inspirational subjects caught fire in the industry, and everyone who is anyone has been captured on his blog. So, his upcoming book by the same name, an anthology of Scott's favorite shots from around the world, is officially a must have for fashion lovers near and far. It includes photos of both well-known fashion industry figures and those lucky passersby whose impeccable taste or clever countenance caught his eye. In a word...inspiration!

The Sartorialist arrives on shelves August 12 but available for pre-order, here.

Live Music Lives!

Who is that fabulous girl on this flyer? She is serving! *wink*

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Hey hotnesses! This week, join me (your girl, Elle) at two (recession proof!) events, where live music will be living! This Wednesday, July 29, my favorite tall drink of water with a twist, W!LL Sheridan, is hosting Blow @ Sway with performances by Sound Wavve, Tenna Torres, & Pill! The New York Times will be in the building, and so should you. Ladies $1, Gentlemen $5, fabulousness guaranteed. RSVP at theblownyc@gmail.com. [UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED! sorry luvbugs]

Aaaand tomorrow, July 26, all my Jersey brethren do yourselves a favor and make your way to Dolce in Elizabeth for The Heart Gallery, a celebration of art, poetry, music and fashion! My young bruh, Mr. Rodney Rikai, is hosting, performing, and otherwise being his entertaining self. No need to be flashy, come as you are. For me of course, flashy is not an option, it's a way of life! Wine tasting all night...leave feeling right! Admission is $5...see you there!

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Hugs, drugs and lots of love, Elle

Gisele Budchen Photoshoot In Shorts

Why We Bother ???
Bündchen was born in the Brazilian town of Três de Maio and grew up in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, to Vânia Nonnenmacher, a bank clerk pensioner, and Valdir Bündchen, a university teacher and writer. She has five sisters — Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela and her fraternal twin Patrícia, Gisele's junior by five minutes. In February 2009, she married American football star Tom Brady. Bündchen is Roman Catholic, speaks Portuguese as her native language and English as a second language.

The BackUp Plan: Jeniffer Lopez

Jeniffer Lopez at the set of "The Backup Plan" in her nice white dress.

Why Do We Bother ???

Birth name: Jennifer Lynn Lopez
Also known as: J.Lo, Jenny
Born: July 24, 1969 (age 40)
Origin: The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genre(s): Dance-pop, Latin pop, R&B pop
Occupation(s): Actress, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion designer, television producer
Years active: 1987–present
Label(s): Epic, Work
Website: www.JenniferLopez.com

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969, popularly nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin America descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S. according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".

Luxe Links

Askmewhats has nail art tutorial for bling bling nails.

The Beauty Chick reviews CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush.

Beauty Junkies Unite shows you the right way to get cheeky with 4 easy cheek stains.

Best Things in Beauty spotlights the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Fall 2009 colors.

Claire's Beauty gives Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream a test drive.

Denim Debutante has an in-depth review of Paige Premium Denim.

Fabulous Over Forty is giving away Sothys Sun Care to one lucky reader. Enter now.

The Glamour Whore shows off the hair raising talent of Olivier Chomienne.

Gloss Menagerie reviews Softlips Pure Honeydew.

Gouldylox Reviews sneak peek at Milani Eye Tech Infinite Liquid Liners.

Hairs My Story has a gorgeous summer tropics FOTD.

in a word...fab has a sneak peek at J.Crew's Fall 2009 Collection.

It's complexion week at the Informed Makeup Maven, and don't forget to enter her cool giveaways this week!

Krasey Beauty discovers the beauty in going organic with Revolution Organics.

Visit Lipgloss Break and Enter to win The Cure 24/7 hair treatment and Sunkissed Glow fragrance by JLo!

My Beauty Bunny shows you how to get gorgeous, healthy, post-beach hair!

Sicka Than Average schools you on the best sunscreens for that pretty little face of yours. Protect ya neck!

ThisThatBeauty runs down fall's hottest collections!

Unfunded takes on Farmer John with some killer denim cut-offs.

VexInTheCity invites you to share her addiction - her make up collection.

***Affiliate of the Week***
The Style and Beauty Doctor will show you how to keep your blowout for blowing up.

For more information on The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate please visit our website.

Beauty Buzz: Solange Crops her Mop

Everyone's favorite wierd little sister, Miss Solange, has decided to trump all the young starlets who have recently shaved half their heads (I'm looking at you Cassie, LaLa and Rihanna) by shaving hers entirely and going au natural. Well now!

I love her courage and short hair is definitely the ish but I tend to like this particular look on more mature women who have liiiived. It's a little jarring on young Solo. I think the key to this look for her will be makeup. In my book, short hair necessitates more makeup! It's a Fabulosity Rule #448.

What's your verdict?

It's All About the "O" Dontcha Know

Hey kittens! Are you a fan of the big "O"??? Overstock.com that is! If you weren't aware (as if) Overstock offers trends for every It Girl at recessionista prices. Whether you're the chicster pictured on the Hamptons party scene pages, the preppy listening to Frank Sinatra while sunbathing on Palm Beach, the bohemian smuggling her new iPhone into a seven-day yoga retreat, the urbanite sporting designer sneakers to stake out her spot at “Shakespeare in the Park” or the tomboy wearing her favorite jeans until they’re hanging by the thread, you can find key pieces to fit right in with your current wardrobe. The best part? Prices are up to 60% off retail and shipping never exceeds $2.95 - so it’s “O” so quick and easy to get those sought-after looks for less.

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Personally, I like to incorporate key pieces from all of the It Girl styles mentioned above into my Summer wardrobe. A girl's personality changes from moment to moment after all! For instance:

I would totally rock the Chicster fedora. Sure they can be kinda douche-y in every day life but I would wear mine on vacation to take the place of last year's floppy straw hat. Very now.

This one is hard because I am the antithesis of a Tomboy but Wayfarers have become classics in the category of Accessories: Sunglasses. They look great on everyone from my mom to my 17- year-old cousin and the cheap ones work just as well as the real deals!

Since everyone and their BFF is already wearing some form of the bejeweled strappy flats, I will instead take the urbanite's Tan satchel! It's utilitarian design is perfect for work or stomping the city streets, and the color definitely says summer. Yummy.

Nothing says easy breezy bohemian like a Maxi dress! Effortless dressing at its finest! I love a look that looks as if you put no thought into it at all (when of course you did). And I'm going with the red (oo-ooop!) because I love a pop of color in the summer.

Finally, Ms. Preppy had me at diamonds but rather than go with what is sparkly (as usual) I'm going to be practical and go with the silk scarf. Layering with scarves is going to be huge for Fall, so why not get started now? Something about them says, "I'm jetsetting to Paris after lunch darling, call you when I get there!"

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So what pieces would you pick? Go ahead, click yourself on over to Overstock and get the goods!

Today! Belvedere Vodka Toasts She-blogs.com!

Italian Vogue's Black Barbie Issue

La Fashion Bomb (via Blog Crazy Sexy Techie Cool) is reporting that as a follow up to last summer's groundbreaking all-black Vogue Italia, the fashion rag has dedicate its July issue to the iconic black Barbie.

Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Italian Vogue explains, “Barbie has been an icon for whole generations which is why I really wanted to give a strong sign in step with the times, and dedicate [this] issue to Black Barbie.”

Here are a few scans to wet your appetite:


I definitely need to see this live and in color!

P.S. Did you hear that Barbie plans to release dolls with more afrocentric features later this year? Love it!

To all of Mimi's Lil Lambs...ready, set, go!

Mimi-la on set of her latest vid, "Obsessed"

VH1 & Gotham Casting Present
Storytellers: Mariah Carey

VH1 is filming a super spesh Storytellers concert
taping LIVE in NYC on August 6th

Featuring the one and only Mariah and they want only her BIGGEST fans to take part!

Want a rare opportunity to see Mariah in the most intimate of settings, discussing the stories behind her biggest hits?

Email Tickets@GothamCasting.com for comp tickets!

These tickets will go FAST, hit them up now!

Make sure to include the following:
NAME
AGE (must be 18 and over)
PHONE
CITY/STATE
RECENT PHOTO
GUEST NAME (1 PER PERSON)
WHAT MAKES YOU SUCH A BIG FAN OF MARIAH'S
YOUR FAVORITE MARIAH SONG
THREE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK MARIAH
A SWORN STATEMENT THAT YOU WILL NAME YOUR FIRST CHILD MARIAH (jk about that one)

Make sure to put "Mariah Storytellers" in the subject line of your email...good luck, buttercups!

Pic Source

Kim K. Wants to Suck Your...

...blood! Our favorite hottie with a body, Kim Kardashian, has been playing dress up again, and this time the result was this bewitching Vampire-inspired makeover crafted by Troy Jensen. Kim is usually bronzed to a sparkly crisp, but here she went positively pale with the use of Bobbi Brown products, including a brow concealing wax that blended with a stick foundation for a look that is haunting!

Troy actually used a cream black eyeliner to fill in her entire lip. Then, using a soft eyeshadow brush, he brushed an eggplant purple shadow over for a faint matte color. I am totally into this look; who know goth could be so glam!

You can check out all the products used for this Twilight-inspired shoot, here. Troy Jensen's blog is kinda awesome, check it out!

Is your fashion health at risk? Elle has your subscriptions!

Are you wondering how to stay in the fashion loop? Are you needing a tad more Andre Leon Talley in your life? Would you like to find something more exciting than your electric bill in the mailbox? Then do yourself a favor and subscribe now to both Vogue (yum) and W (yum to the yum) Magazines for just $1 an issue! (That's $24 if you haven't had your coffee yet.)

Order now and you are guaranteed to receive both September Fall Fashion Issues, which shall serve as your fashion bibles for the entire season. Don't miss all the latest trends and hottest editorials for instant inspiration!

Take advantage, man. Take advantage. Click click to get your fashion fix!

EHIRIM FILES CLASSIC: Otokoto Saga

Illustration depicts Innocent Ekeanyanwu carrying a beheaded 11-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Okonkwo in a plastic bag walking to catch the bus to Lagos

Earlier this year, newspapers around BiafraNigeria carried headlines about a crime syndicate, the Otokoto mafia, which spooked Owerri Township and its neighboring suburbs with acts of murder, mutilaton, and illegal human parts trafficking.

On January 23, 2003, Justice Chioma Nwosu Iheme, the presiding judge in Owerri in the Otokoto case, handed down judgment and condemned Chief Vincent Duru Otokoto, the patriarch of the Otokoto family, and six others to death.

Last week in Los Angeles, Maxwell Vincent Duru Otokoto, the first son of the convicted Chief Duru Otokoto, sat down with BiafraNigeriaWorld’s Los Angeles Bureau Chief, Ambrose Ehrim. According to Maxwell Otokoto, his father’s conviction was a set-up and conspiracy. This is the other side of the Otokoto story.

BNW: Before we proceed in this interview, members of BNW and Ikenga Think Tank would like to know who you are. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Otokoto: My name is Maxwell Vincent Duru Otokoto. I am the first son of Vincent Duru Otokoto. I am a businessman based here in the United States, and I am into real estate investments and exportation of heavy equipments to Nigeria and other African countries.

BNW: Now, the reason we are holding this interview is what has been going on and what transpired over the years regarding your family. Much was said about the criminal activities involving your family. How did you feel when the whole thing exploded?

Otokoto: As a matter of fact, it was like a shock to me to get such a news, starting from my brother. Then I had to deal with that and now again I heard that my father is a mass murderer. I couldn’t believe it because I know what my family and what my father stands for based on how we were raised and taught about right and wrong. So, I was in disbelief.

BNW: Earlier this year, in January, it was reported in the country’s dailies that your father and six others had been condemned to death. Those condemned with your father were: Alban Ajaegbu, Sampson Nnamito, Ebenezer Egwuekwe, Rufus Anyanwu, Lawrence Eboh, and Chief Leonard Unogu. How is your dad related to the names I have mentioned?

Otokoto: Okay, my dad is the chairman and managing director of Otokoto Group of Companies, of which Otokoto Hotel is a subsidiary of Otokoto Group of Companies. Rufus Anyanwu is my father’s manager in the pharmaceutical department, that is Otokoto Chemist, and Rufus Anyanwu is married to my father’s younger sister. Ebenezer Egwuekwe is like a brother, he is like a family to us, you know. We come from the same village and he is about my father’s age right from the time Otokoto Group of Companies was being opened or was being talked about, you know. He is like family.

The rest: Nnamito, Ajaegbu and the other I can’t remember his name, they are like watch nights. I don’t have a personal relationship with those three.

BNW: How about Lawrence Eboh?

Otokoto: He is a watch night, too.

BNW: So you have no relationships with the names you mentioned?

Otokoto: No. no, not at all. They were just employees of Otokoto Hotel.

BNW: Now, the main question is about eleven year old Ikechukwu Anthony Okonkwo whose head was found dripping with blood with the convicted murderer Innocent Ekeanyanwu on a police tip-off inside a traveling commercial bus at Eziama in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State. The widespread report was that Ekeanyanwu was part of a murderous gang headed by your father in which Ekeanyanwu committed those horrific crimes. What is your take on that?

Otokoto: I don’t think if my father is running a gang he will use his gardener, you know. My father is too big to use his gardener as a gang. The way I see it, when you go through the court papers you can see there is a big cover up and a big set up going on here with the guy who murdered this young man Ikechukwu Okonkwo, yes, it’s true he worked at Otokoto Hotel. But my father didn’t employ him. My father is busy running his firm, and only comes in and out of Otokoto Hotel to have lunch, you know, and leaves back to Umudim where he resides. He has been retired for the last fifteen years. But it is not a criminal enterprise like that. It was just like the system where we belong that just wanna make their own story and use somebody for a fall.

BNW: When Ekeanyanwu was arrested and led investigators to Otokoto Hotel where the other parts of the body were found, how was it determined the body parts belonged to the same person?

Otokoto: Okay, what happened from what I know about the case is, first of all, according to the statements and papers in the court, the perpetrator Innocent Ekeanyanwu, I think that’s his name, was arrested in Eziama, Ikeduru, and was taken to the police station in Iho, which is closer to his jurisdiction back there. Then, he was taken back to Owerri, and he made a statement to the police inspector at Iho that he killed the guy at Mbaa River in Uzoagba, in Ikeduru.

He made the same statement to Owerri C.I.D that he killed the boy at Mbaa River which the police men at Owerri State C.I.D went and searched to recover the body. They went to Otokoto Hotel to investigate and all of a sudden the story turned that this boy was killed in a shallow grave in Otokoto Hotel. Meanwhile, the police was in Otokoto Hotel for four days or more, and only one police man had to discover this body and called the rest, and said let’s go and pick up his body.

BNW: What exactly do you mean when you said “only one police man had to discover this body and called the rest?” Are you saying it was a set-up and that no post mortem examination or DNA was performed to identify both body parts as belonging to the same person?

Otokoto: That’s a question the civilized world would like to ask. How do you prove this is the guy with the head? But the society that we come from as you may know or may hear about is just about he is guilty, he is guilty, just to make people feel good. A post mortem, an autopsy, was done supposedly and the body and head were matched. I don’t even know if the coroner saw the head with the body together. This thing never happened.

BNW: It never happened?

Otokoto: It never happened.

BNW: Now the report was that when Ekeanyanwu was arrested, he told investigators he was taking Okonkwo’s head to one Leonard Unogu in Lagos. How was your father involved?

Otokoto: My father was not involved at all. The story was like when he (Ekeanyanwu) was arrested, he said, according to the story I heard, that he got this bodiless head, went to his village supposedly to deliver it to his maternal uncle, Chief Leonard Unogu, “the Ochiriozuo 1 of Eziama.” He left this body at his village and his mother peeped into this bag and found this body and called one for his relatives to go get him, and said take this out of my house.

So when the guy carried him on a motor cycle to drop him off where he was going to catch a bus to go back to Owerri because Leonard Unogu wasn’t home for the weekend to get his delivery from him. And when he got to the bus stop, the guy ran down to the police station and informed them that a guy is carrying a bodiless head on a bus heading to Owerri. So, that’s where they stopped him and found the body. Then he told the police; according to the information I have, that they shouldn’t take this any further. That he’s been doing this thing for his uncle for years. That all they need to do is get in touch with his uncle and this entire thing is gonna be done.

BNW: How is Chief Leonard Unogu himself connected to your dad?

Otokoto: Chief Leonard Unogu is not connected to my dad in any way, relationship or form. My father is an older man. Chief Leonard Unogu is a younger man, he got rich yesterday, and my father has been rich way way back, long time ago. So, according to the judgment that was passed in this case, a good question that you asked, the judge convicted my father and Leonard Unogu besides them saying they don’t know each other. He convicted them because Leonard Unogu is a chief in Ikeduru and my father is a chief in Ikeduru, supposedly as chiefs, they must know each other.
Personally, businesswise, Leonard Unogu is a young man to my father. They don’t have anything at all. They don’t have anything in common or dealings whatsoever.

BNW: Before your father’s trial began, there was this guy named Mathew Anyanwu who was arrested and died under mysterious circumstances in prison. What was his connection?

Otokoto: Mathew Anyanwu was one of my father’s employees at Otokoto Hotel, I think. A lot of people were arrested when the police came to my father’s hotel. Almost everybody at the hotel was arrested and they let them stay in jail, and the police were trying to, in my own opinion, tailor their case and find out who is going to work with them and how it’s going to make sense. So, unfortunately, this guy died but I think his death was from sufferings and maltreatment, probably. I am not sure, but I think he just died.

BNW: So it was about arresting everybody they found in the complex, that is Otokoto Hotel, whether you committed a crime or not?

Otokoto: They arrested everybody in the hotel and took possession of the hotel for days. Then when the body was found supposedly by this one policeman, Obasi Chukwu, he went back and called other police men who were investigating with him that he found the body. Then, they ordered to get my father who was the seventh accused to the hotel to dig up this body. So, when they got there, they came with an angry mob. So when they dug the body up, they left my father sitting in front of the hotel so he can be killed or stoned to death when they set the hotel on fire. These are facts, but not everybody knows about it.

BNW: On January 23, 2003, your father and six others were sentenced to death by hanging. In her judgment, Justice Chioma Nwosu Iheme, beyond reasonable doubt, “recapturing submissions of the defense and prosecution” condemned your father and the rest six to death for collaborating with one another in the gruesome murder of Ikechukwu Okonkwo. What went through your mind when you received this news?

Otokoto: As a matter of fact, I was in Nigeria on that judgment day, January 23rd. This case shouldn’t have gone this far. How can you convict somebody beyond reasonable doubt when the document before the court and all the policemen that investigated the case contradicted each other? The evidence that was tendered in the court was all contradictory.

The policemen were saying different things everywhere, and moreover, my father had an alibi where he was on these days in question. But what put my father in this predicament was exhibit 36 which ‘is a purported statement made by Innocent Ekeanyanwu and written by policeman, Chukwu. Only he witnessed this statement while the other policemen accepted that the original statement was written by Ambrose Nnah. And this purported statement states that when Innocent Ekeanyanwu got this little boy, he went to my dad and said “sir, we’ve gotten another one,” and my father instructed him to kill the boy and “do it like they do” which is send it to their customer.

But by this time they are saying that my father said, “do these things,” my father was not at Otokoto Hotel according to his alibi that wasn’t investigated by State C.I.D Owerri, Zone 6 Police Headquarters Calabar, and the state C.I.D in Lagos. Again, according to the court documents, Zone 6 Calabar and Force State C.I.D Lagos instructed the court that exhibit 36 which was a purported statement by Innocent Ekeanyanwu written by inspector Obasi Chukwu is a purported statement by the police department.

And according to the documents in the court, they said that statement is not gonna pass through the eye of a needle, that the police men purported the statement to choose a victim of their own. So why should my father be convicted beyond reasonable doubt? There is Rufus Anyanwu, there’s Ebenezer Egwuekwe whose names weren’t even mentioned but convicted according to the judge because they worked in Otokoto Hotel; and were supposed to know anything and everything that goes on in Otokoto Hotel.

BNW: How about the reported killing of one Sebastine in Lagos in the home of Leonard Unogu?

Otokoto: Before this case, I did not know Leonard Unogu and I don’t know about his dealings in the past. I knew him about this case and when things like this come up, all kind of things comes with it. All I am interested in is what is related to me and my father and my whole family.

BNW: Is there an appeal to your father’s conviction since you believed his testimony of an alibi was not investigated and was not considered by the court?

Otokoto: When I was in Nigeria after the judgment was passed, I went to my father’s attorney the same day and instructed him that an appeal must be filed immediately, which he did. But you know Nigeria’s system of bureaucracy where they keep things stalling as much as they can.

Yes, an appeal is in process and I will take it to the Supreme Court if an appeal doesn’t work out. And hopefully, people will wake up and understand that something is wrong.

BNW: Do you know Ikechukwu Okonkwo, the little kid that was killed?

Otokoto: I don’t know him. The only person I know in all these things personally is Ajaegbu. Before I came to the United States back then, he was a little boy. Nnamito, I don’t know him. Ajaegbu has been in our hotel for more than sixteen to twenty years working in our hotel.

But if I may say for the people that want to hear and people that like justice, and people that want things done right these days, the question I have is if people have conscience to understand what is really going on, they should ask themselves a question: why supposedly Otokoto committed a crime, his hotel, his investments, and his family home in Owerri was set on fire, and what has that got to do with the neighbor who didn’t commit a crime? Why should his house be set on fire? And why should other people’s houses be set on fire, and then seized by Imo State government who said the angry mobs set these houses on fire?

But I think people know there is a conspiracy going on because why should people’s houses or investments be destroyed and seized by the government of a state instead of investigating and arresting the purported criminals. Now they are part of the conspiracy, in my own opinion.

BNW: Conspiracy? Is there somebody you know who may have played a major role in this conspiracy?

Otokoto: No, I don’t have anybody right now in mind. It’s just like a hide and seek situation. What I am interested in is trying to make sure that justice is served and people would wake up and ask questions why this led to this. But because it’s not happening in your house doesn’t mean it’s not gonna come up to you. The point is if it can be done to Otokoto, then who are you. All I know is there is a big government conspiracy and what proves the conspiracy to me is that peoples property and liberty was taken away from them and the government never asked a question, rather they seized their properties.

BNW: Was this conspiracy out of rivalries?

Otokoto: It might be out of rivalries. That I don’t doubt, but you know, it’s a free world that everybody must find a sport for himself or herself. Life is turn by turn, if you cannot beat them, you join them. We can compromise and get along.

BNW: Do you know Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and how are you guys related?

Otokoto: Yes, I know Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. When I was a child my dad use to take me to his house and I use to sit on his lap.

BNW: If indeed he was not part of the murderous gang, do you suspect in your own opinion that he (Iwuanyanwu) may have been involved in this conspiracy?

Otokoto: In my own opinion, to me, I believe in what I see and when people say what can you do. But at this point in time, I have heard all kinds of things. Like I said earlier, it is not my focus right now. My focus is trying to put my father through the legal system and educate the people to ask themselves questions about what makes sense and what doesn’t make sense, and put them in place. Then when that is done first, we can figure out what happened. It’s just a matter of time and time will tell.

BNW: How was your life like after what happened, I mean your relationship with other people in the Owerri area and especially your closest friends here in the United States?

Otokoto: That’s the funny thing. When things like this happen, it teaches you the biggest lesson in life. Now you can find out that all we’ve been doing, the drinking and partying is just rubbish. To be honest with you my friend, everybody left, you know. I sat in the house here in Los Angeles for four years and nobody knocked on the door.

BNW: Otokoto, thank you for your time and good luck in your appeal.


This interview was conducted and published exclusively for BNW on July 12, 2003

Louis Vuitton's Lunar Landing

Sally Ride, Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell

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In a striking new visual by Annie Leibovitz, Louis Vuitton highlighs the 4oth anniversary of the moon landing by bringing together three giants of space exploration: Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set foot upon the Moon; Jim Lovell, who guided his crew back to Earth as the commander of Apollo 13; and Sally Ride, who in 1983 became the first American woman to enter space.

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Shot in the California desert, the three astronauts stare knowingly at the sky from a battered pickup truck, and just happen to have brought along an LV Icare travel bag in Monogram canvas. The tag line echoes Neil Armstrong’s 1969 quote: “Some journeys change mankind forever.”

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Ummm, this is all well and good but since when does Louis Vuitton care about events in American history? Word is that LV has decided to shift its focus to “core values.” Right, because luxury handbags are about as American as apple pie and space travel. Sounds like a "survive the recession" tactic if I've ever heard one.

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Anyhoo, you can experience more at www.louisvuittonjourneys.com.

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Sneak Peek! J.Crew's Fall 2009 Collection

Since narrowly escaping bankruptcy due to Michelle Obama's well-publicized affinity for the brand, J.Crew is certainly taking the Oba-momentum and running with it! The classically preppy sportswear line's Fall pieces are an opulent collection of ruffled tops, slim cardigans, textured skirts, lean jackets and wool blazers in warm Autumn tones of pumpkin, gold, navy, gray and olive. And the accessories! Skinny belts cinch the lush layers topped with statement jewels and scarves. Take a close look: adding just one or two key pieces will inject the chic into any wardrobe effortlessly. Yup, J.Crew will be seeing a lot of me this Fall.
















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