Connect with us

celebrity radar - gossips

Bank Robber Turned Politician Named As Sports Minister

Published

on

Bank Robber Turned Politician Named As Sports Minister

 

Bank Robber Turned Politician Named As Sports Minister

 

 

A former gangster and bank robber who turned into a nightclub owner and opposition politician, Gayton McKenzie has now risen to become South Africa’s minister of sports, arts and culture.

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Mr McKenzie – the leader of the Patriotic Alliance party (PA) – to the portfolio in the multi-party government that he announced on Sunday after his African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority in the 29 May election.

A prolific tweeter, the 50-year-old relished his appointment, posting a photo of himself putting on football boots and, with a touch of humour, typed: “Thank you for all the well wishing messages, I will reply shortly I’m just busy getting ready, I have work to do”.

At his swearing in ceremony three days later, Mr McKenzie had his audience, including Mr Ramaphosa, laughing when, in response to the chief justice asking him to be seated, he quipped: “The last time a judge asked me to sit, he made me sit for 10 years.”

Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9NoopkUTW8?si=O2Mx9HMYHuN2bFgO

For Mr McKenzie’s admirers, his appointment is the latest sign of how he overcame adversity to achieve success. He robbed his first bank before he turned 16, then became, as he put in an interview with a local radio station, a fully fledged gangster, spent seven years in prison, and vowed to change after his early release.

“I might have had 12 rand ($0.65; £0.50) in my pocket but I had billion rand in my mind. And that is what people do not understand – they concentrate on what they lack instead of how to get what they lack,” he said in a 2013 interview with public broadcaster SABC.

He became a highly paid motivational speaker, got books about his life published, including A Hustler’s Bible, and ventured into various businesses – from mining in Zimbabwe to nightclubs in South Africa – with Kenny Kunene, his soulmate from prison.

These days, he is better known as a politician, having launched the PA in 2013, with Mr Kunene as his deputy.

More than a decade later, the party gained 2% of the national vote and fared better in elections for the provincial government in the Western Cape, getting 8%.

Political analyst Kagiso Pooe told the BBC that Mr McKenzie had a “bravado” style, which appeals to his constituency.

“People want to believe and see someone that comes from their type of background and isn’t shy to say: ‘This is who I am.’ You see it with people like President Zuma, President Trump and other such personalities,” he said.

ANTI-IMMIGRATION

Mr McKenzie’s campaign against undocumented migrants was a vote-winner for him, the analyst added.

“Unfortunately, mainstream politicians and parties have shied away from this and he tackles it directly.”

Critics denounced his campaign as xenophobic. He waged it under the slogan “Abahambe”, which he has translated from the Zulu as “Let them go” – and, in a publicity stunt, he visited the border with Zimbabwe to chase away people trying to enter South Africa.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

celebrity radar - gossips

COAS Ties Battlefield Success to Constitutional Allegiance and Civil Authority

Published

on

COAS Ties Battlefield Success to Constitutional Allegiance and Civil Authority

 

During his operational visit to the 4 Special Forces Command in Doma, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, delivered a stark message, intertwining the elite unit’s combat effectiveness with an unshakeable pledge of allegiance to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian Constitution.

 

While directing troops to intensify high-impact operations, the COAS made it clear that their mission is a direct expression of their constitutional oath. He reaffirmed that the Nigerian Army’s primary role is to defend the nation against external aggression and provide aid to civil authority, all in strict adherence to the supreme law of the land and under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief.

 

This emphasis on loyalty served as a powerful backdrop to his operational directives. By linking the “decisive defeat” of terrorists to the Army’s constitutional mandate and loyalty to the President, Lt. Gen. Shaibu sought to galvanise the Special Forces, framing their upcoming engagements not just as military objectives but as a sacred duty to the democratically elected government and the nation’s founding charter. The message was clear: their fight is a fight for the Constitution and the president it empowers.

Continue Reading

celebrity radar - gossips

Mercy Johnson Okojie, Purity Okojie Lead Campaign for Girls Tag’s All-in-One Period Care Kit

Published

on

*Mercy Johnson Okojie, Purity Okojie Lead Campaign for Girls Tag’s All-in-One Period Care Kit

 

 

iBlend Services, appointed Regional Agency for Girls Tag alongside its PR and marketing firm, Eddie MPR, has officially launched Girls Tag, described as Nigeria’s first all-in-one period care pack designed for girls aged nine and above.

 

The initiative seeks to tackle persistent gaps in menstrual health education and access to sanitary products in Nigeria, where many girls experience their first period with little preparation or guidance. According to the promoters, Girls Tag was created to eliminate the fear, confusion, and stigma often associated with puberty, replacing them with confidence, comfort, and dignity.

 

Beyond hygiene, the brand positions itself as a supportive care system for both girls and parents, offering tools and language to guide families through early puberty conversations.

 

To strengthen its reach, Girls Tag announced a strategic ambassadorial partnership with Nollywood actress and philanthropist Mercy Johnson Okojie and her daughter, Purity Okojie. The mother-daughter collaboration is intended to reflect authenticity and relatability for Nigerian families navigating similar experiences.

 

Speaking on the partnership, the leadership of iBlend Services expressed confidence that the ambassadors’ real-life connection would resonate deeply with mothers and daughters nationwide.

 

Mercy Johnson Okojie, in her remarks, described the initiative as a natural fit, noting that puberty can be an anxious period for both parents and children. She also revealed that her newly authored puberty guide, Youberty, will be included in every Girls Tag kit. The book is designed to help boys and girls aged 10 to 13 better understand the physical and emotional changes that come with growing up.

 

Each Girls Tag care pack contains premium sanitary pads in various sizes, overnight period pants, panty liners, disposable sanitary bags, a discreet sanitary purse, and a copy of Youberty. The kit is tailored to support first-time and early period experiences while promoting proper hygiene and self-care.

 

The company disclosed that the product will be available nationwide in Q2 2026 at select retail stores, pharmacies, and malls, with direct delivery options through its website and social media handle, @girlstag.ng.

 

With its combined focus on education, dignity, and accessibility, Girls Tag aims to reshape menstrual health support for young girls across Nigeria.

Continue Reading

celebrity radar - gossips

DSS Invites Ogun LG Chairman, Alebiosu and others Over Attack At APC Stakeholders Meeting

Published

on

*DSS Invites Ogun LG Chairman, Alebiosu and others Over Attack At APC Stakeholders Meeting*

 

The Department of State Services (DSS) Abeokuta on Monday invited Ijebu Ode local government Chairman, Hon Dare Alebiosu, and some political thugs alleged to have caused disturbance, incitement and physical attack during an APC stakeholders meeting few days to Ward Congress in the area.

A reliable security source disclosed that an aide of the Governor who was reportedly attacked during the stakeholders meeting was said to have petitioned the DSS.

According to the source, there have been growing concerns over the activities of the LG Chairman, who was alleged to be backing cultists and using them as a tool for harassment and intimidation in the community.

As it was reported, the LG boss was accused to have openly confronted and accused the Governor’s aide for identifying some of the cultists to DSS officials, while one of the cultist was said to have hit their target in the face and removing his medicated glasses. The swift and professional intervention of the Men of DSS quickly deescalated the matter and the meeting went on to a conclusive end.

The meeting which held at the residence of Chief Okuboyejo, the Governor’s Advisory Council Chairman at GRA Ijebu ode became tensed, after the LG chairman invaded the private premises of the old man with a large number of cultists which some of them were allegedly believed to be armed.

The source added that the case is presently with the DSS, while the petitioner has also submitted various evidence against the LG Chairman.

In another turn of event, Commisoner for Urban and regional planning was harassed and robbed, so also the former SLG to the Local govt also almost lost his life as he was attacked with cutlass by thugs who were allegedly said to be led by Dapo Adebajo, he was hospitalized. The case has also been reported to the DSS and Police as at the time of filling this report.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending