How To Prepare Isi-Ewu (Goat Head)

Isi-Ewu is a delicacy comprising mostly of Goat Head, associated with the people from the eastern parts of Nigeria. It is quite a delicious meal and is prepared mostly during festivities or found in restaurants.

Ingredients for Isi Ewu

• 1 Goat Head
• 15 cl (150ml) Red Palm Oil
• 2 teaspoons ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
• 1 tablespoon powdered edible potash (Akanwu/Kaun/Keun)
• 2 big beef flavoured stock cubes
• 2 medium onions
• About 10 Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium)
• 2 habanero peppers (or to your taste)
• Salt (to taste)

To garnish the Isi Ewu

• 1 onion
• About 10 Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium)

Before you make the Isi Ewu

1. Cut the goat head into pieces making sure that the essential parts: ears, tongue etc are whole cuts that is, they are not cut into pieces.
2. Remove the brain and put in an aluminium foil bag then fold the bag to close just like with Nigerian Moi Moi.
3. Wash the meat very well with foam and iron sponges where necessary, using a knife to scrape off the tough top skin especially on the tongue. There will also be traces of sooth from burning the fur off the goat, ensure that these are all cleaned.
4. Put the powdered potash into a bowl. Add a small quantity of water (about 4 table spoons) and stir well. Pass it through a fine sieve and set the liquid aside.
5. Cut the 2 onions into 4 big chunks.
6. Crack and remove the outer shell of the ehu then grind with a dry mill eg coffee grinder.
7. Pound the pepper with a mortar and set aside.

Directions for making Isi Ewu

1. Cook the goat head with the chunks of onion, the stock cubes and as little water as possible. Top up the water as necessary but make sure there is as little water as possible in the pot. This is because we do not want any stock in the pot when the meat is done. Remember to cook the brain too.
2. While the meat is cooking, slice the onion for garnishing into thin rings.
3. Cut half of the utazi into thin slices. Cut the other half into tiny pieces. The first will be used for garnishing while the latter will be added into the palm oil paste.
4. When the meat is done, remove the chunks of onion, take out the brain and mash it up till smooth.
5. Add salt, stir and cook till all the water has dried.
6. Set the meat aside to cool down.
7. Now, pour the palm oil into a clean dry pot.
8. Pour in the potash mixture (sieved) into the oil.
9. Stir with a wooden spatula as you pour the potash. You'll notice the palm oil begin to curdle and turn yellow. Keep stiring till all the oil has turned yellow. Use as little potash as possible because too much of it can upset your stomach.
10. Add the pepper, mashed brain, ehu seeds and the utazi that has been cut to tiny pieces. Stir very well till they are all incorporated.
11. Add the goat head to the palm oil paste and stir very well with a wooden spatula.
12. Put it back on the stove/cooker and heat till the Isi Ewu is piping hot.
13. Serve the Isi Ewu in a wooden mortar as shown in the image above.
14. Garnish with the thin slices of utazi and onion rings for the full effects.

Best served with chilled drinks: palm wine, beer or stout and soft drinks.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64497.html

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Our Future Is Now Gone - Father Who Lost Son In Abuja Bomb Blast

 

Hundreds of families are in pain over loss or serious injuries of their relatives in Monday’s terrorist attack in Nyanya Motor Park, FCT. Some of the devastated parents seek closure and share their stories with newsmen. 

One of them a former civil servant (NAN employee), Mr James Udei, could not hide tears when talking to the press. He lost his son, Emmanuel, in the deadly blast.
April 14, 2014, Monday, had started just like any other day for Udei, and his humble family consisting of his wife Angela, son Emmanuel, and daughter Victoria.
But the start of the week did not bring any blessings to them; the inhuman act changed their lives forever.
The family embarked on a journey in search of their first son, who was not at home, minutes after they heard of the bomb blast. Their search had taken them to the Maitama General Hospital. The parents experienced pure shock when they have finally found his mangled body, torn apart by the bomb.
At the hospital, Emma’s mother, a woman in her early 50s, screamed in agony.
“Oh Emma, my first son, my first son, oh Emma, Emma has gone, Emma is finished. Emma don go o. Oh Jesus. I called his number, his number was deceiving me that it is not reachable.”
The father told THISDAY that he had told his son to wait for him so that they could travel together, but the deceased had chosen to go to the park to take a bus alone.
The grieving father, who now works as a driver, said the loss of his son was unbearable:
“A boy of 19 years, whom we used to boast of as our future, is now gone. Oh we are finished,” he said.
It has been learnt that Emmanuel was a painter, who was hardworking and very committed to his job.
Many relatives are still searching for their loved ones in Abuja hospitals amidst tears, despair and hope for the best.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64499.html

Ultimate Warrior Autopsy: Heart Attack Killed Wrestler

According to autopsy results revealed today The Ultimate Warrior - the wrestling legend who died last week  - was killed by a massive heart attack.

The coroner who conducted the autopsy reports that the wrestler - real name James Helwig - was suffering from long-term advanced cardiovascular disease.
Those closest to Helwig initially believed that a heart attack was the cause of the Ultimate Warrior's death as he reportedly clutched his chest before collapsing and came from a family with a history of heart disease.
Just 54 years old, Helwig was admitted to the Wrestling Hall of Fame four days before his untimely demise.
The autopsy results also list Helwig's cause of death as "natural," meaning that no drugs, alcohol or foul play were involved. Many have wondered publicly if the demanding toll taken by a lifetime of pro wrestling didn't contribute to Helwig's fatal condition.
After starting as a bodybuilder, Helwig wrestled professionally for 12 years before retiring in 1998. He remained involved in the sport throughout his retirement and made his final public appearance at a WWE the same week of his death.
Fans of the sport consider Helwig to be among the most popular and successful pro wrestlers of all time.
 

R.I.P.

Abuja Bomb Blast : Actress, Genevieve Nnaji And Colleagues Condemn The Attack

Following the bomb blast that occurred in Abuja on Monday, April 14, 2014, that left scores of people killed, Nollywood Actress, Genevieve Nnaji and some of her colleagues have expressed their sadness over the merciless killings of innocent souls.

Genevieve, Rita Dominic, Emem Isong, Omoni Oboli were among the actresses that took to different social media to share their concern.

Genevieve on Instagram, put up a picture of a burning candle with the caption, ‘May the souls of our brothers and sisters..who had this mornings gift of life taken from them without mercy, rest with The Lord Almighty. Amen!’.

 

Oboli wrote on her Twitter, ‘…another sad day for the country. May God rest the souls of the departed. My heart goes out to their families and friends.’

 

The tragic incident which occurred at the Nyanya motor park in Abuja, has left a total of 71 recorded being dead and 124 injured, according to Nigerian Tribune.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64481.html

READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64481.html

Meet The Man Who Dug Up & Ate More Than 100 Corpses From A Graveyard

A convicted cannibal been rearrested in Pakistan after a young boy's head was discovered in his home.The gruesome discovery of a three-year-old's head was made in the house of Mohammad Arif, 35, and his brother Mohammad Farman, 30. The pair, from the small town of Darya Khan in the country's interior, had previously served two years in jail for cannibalism and were only released last year.At the time, local police said the two men had dug up more than 100 corpses from the local graveyard and eaten them.
Mohammad Arif has now been rearrested as an investigation gets underway in to the grim discovery at his house. His brother Mohammad Farman is still being hunted by police.
District police chief, Ameer Abdullah told Reuters  officers swooped after residents complained of a bad
smell coming from the brothers' home.

'Residents informed police after a stench emanated from the house of the two brothers.We raided the house on Monday morning and found the head of a young boy. We have arrested one of the brothers, Mohammad Arif, and are conducting raids for the arrest of the other brother.'

Police were searching nearby graveyards to see if they had been disturbed, he said.
The pair were initially jailed after police found that the corpse of a 24-year-old woman had disappeared from its grave in 2011.

Survivors of Yesterday's Abuja bomb blast tell it all!

Lucky survivors’ of the deadly bomb blast that occurred yesterday in Abuja have spoken!

 

Vanguard newspaper had this interview below with them:
Survivor A:

I was on the queue to enter a bus

One of the victims admitted at the Wuse General Hospital who gave his name as Cosmas Ugwuanyi from Enugu State told Vanguard that he was on queue to enter the El-Rufai bus when the blast occurred. Though, Mr. Ugwuanyi’s case was not so critical, the blast affected his eardrum and he was having difficulties hearing what people were saying.   

 

Survivor B:

The blast removed my shirt, scattered my car, killed my four friends

A survivor of the blast who escaped unscathed, said his survival without a scratch was because of providence.The victim, who was still in shock as at the time he was responding to questions said he was grateful to God for being gracious to him.

Narrating what he witnessed, the victim who wouldn’t mention his name said:

“I went to Nyanya to pick my friends. I was under the Nyanya Bridge to pick them, one person sat with me in the front, while the other three people sat at the back. I had to enter the Park to pick them because the Task Force would not allow people to pick passengers under the Bridge.We all saw the commotion that was happening as a car drove into the park and the people were complaining about the driver. The last person entering my car shut the door and I tried to move the car and everything went blank. The explosion threw me far away and scattered my car while all the four people with me in the car died.I really can’t say what happened, I just saw myself here, they kept me on a wheel chair, but I got up to call my people.”

An eye witness, Michael Chuks said:

 “Our vehicle just left the park and we have not even left that junction close to the park when we heard loud noise, some people said it was a burst tyre but we knew that the noise was more than burst tyre so we parked and the next we saw were plenty of dead bodies on ground.
“The blast affected more than four el-Rufai buses already loaded with passengers. There were more than 500 people. Very soon now the government will tell us that two or three people died.”

Narrating his ordeal, a survivor, James Igwe said a driver drove into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses and disappeared before the explosion.
According to him:

“A vehicle came in and parked and the driver disappeared from the vehicle, there were many people inside all those long buses you are seeing now, this bomb exploded and everybody was running, some people were seriously injured and we were calling for help but nobody came, because some people were still unconscious and they were on the  ground.

How I cheated death —Chinenye
A food vendor who identified herself as Chinenye Emeka, was grateful to God for sparing her life as the explosion occurred immediately she stepped outside her shop and walked across the road to buy polythene bags with which to sell her snacks.
She, however, regretted that many other food vendors at the park died in the explosion.
Her account:

“The vehicle just drove in at a point where two “El-Rufai” buses which were full of passengers were about moving while many passengers were on queue struggling to board other vehicles.
“I saw a red-coloured space wagon going inside the park as I was trying to cross the road back to where I kept my bread and other things which I sell but while waiting to make sure there was no traffic on the road before I crossed over, I heard a loud sound. I fell down but by the time I got up, there was thick smoke all over the place. I tried running but I couldn’t and when the smoke could clear a bit, I saw many people lying down dead while many vehicles were already on fire”.

Jeremiah Ofem, a civil servant had bruises but survived. Displaying his bruised body to Vanguard, Ofem insisted:

 “Those who planted the vehicle may have driven it to the place earlier and left. I believe they detonated the bomb through the use of a remote control as no one was inside the vehicle.”

How a local bitters saved my life
Though he was aware that driving under the influence of alcohol was a crime that could earn him either imprisonment or a fine if caught by law enforcement agents, Timothy Eze Okorie was grateful for yesterday’s decision to buy a bottle of Alomo, a local alcoholic bitters popular with artisans and commercial vehicle drivers across the country before beginning his job as a commercial bus driver.
 Mr. Okorie who was visibly shaken said he could not explain why he took the decision to buy the bitters rather than go back to Masaka to bring back passengers to the bus terminus when the bomb blast took place.
According to him,

 ‘I Left my House at about six in the morning to bring passengers from Masaka, Mararaba, One Man Village and Ado to the Nyanya bus Terminus where they will board El-Rufai bus to the city centre. I dropped the last passenger under the Nyanya Bridge and was supposed to enter the park to carry passengers back to Masaka. Strangely, I had this sudden and strong feeling to drink before beginning the day’s job. So rather than enter the park, I took the next turn, went round the bridge and headed towards Jukwoyi to buy a bottle of Alomo”.

That decision turned out to be his saving grace as less than three minutes after he left the bus park, a huge explosion  occurred.

What will I tell our parents, cries Francis Alozie

“My sister, Miriam Edozie Chinyere, left this early around 6.30 in the morning to catch up with their staff bus which normally waits for them at Nyanya Bridge.
Unfortunately, when I heard about this bomb issue I tried calling her  but her number was not going through, all the two numbers were switched off. And it is not as if the battery was down because I was the one that charged the battery of the two phones for her. She is my cousin, we live together at Kurudu, she works at the Airport.
I went to Nyanya Hospital first and they said that only one female patient was kept there. They said they had the list where all female patients were compiled.
I tried to see the names and I did not see anywhere they listed names and here too I did not see any names I am just confused. I don’t know what to do. If our parents start calling now, what will I tell them?

I passed out — Abdullahi
One of the victims, who identified himself as Yaro Inusa Abdulahi, an Okada rider from Kano State, said, the blast occurred when he was trying to cross the road to see somebody when he heard a blast.
Abdulahi, who lives at national headquarters lodge, Karu, said:

 “I heard a big blast and fainted, when I opened my eyes, I saw wounds all over my hands, legs and head. About five El-Rufai buses were loading at the scene of the incident.”

Another victim who spoke to our reporter, Daniel Job, who lives in Mararaba said:

 “I came with my brother to board a bus to town, and because there was no motor from Mararaba to town, I decided to enter a bike from Maraba to Nyanya, so that we could board a bus to town. After buying the ticket at Nyanya motor park, I discovered that the first bus had got filled up and we were asked to enter the second one, on our way to enter the next bus, that was when I heard the bomb explosion.
After the explosion, I discovered that I just had a little injury and started looking for my brother and sister, who were already inside the bus I missed.”

I came out of the car through the window-  Busayo
Another victim, Mr. Adeoye Busayo, 40 year-old  security consultant at a private security firm in Abuja, said he left his house around 6.00 am with “my Nissan sunny car with some people I wanted to give a lift.

“When we got to Nyanya around 6:30 am, there was a little traffic between Skakoma and the check point. I was about 30 to 40 meters to Nyanya park; all of a sudden, I heard a terrible blast, and there was dust everywhere, people were running helter skelter. Everybody was panicking, though the sound was very terrifying, after the first blast, all my windscreen and side glasses were already shattered because of the vibration.
“Then I heard another blast. This time, I just heard a terrible noise at the roof of my car; I managed to escape through the window because the door could not open. I over-heard the people in my car shouting help, help and blood was gushing out of their bodies.

“At this point, the weather became dark because there was durst everywhere. We started running and I saw a lady fail down from my car after struggling to get out of the car through the back glass and fire from the car at my back caught her.
“Everybody behind me all left their cars and ran  away, instead of people running for safety, because you could neither see your back nor your front, they ran to where the fire was raging because it was only that direction of the fire that  was a little bit illuminated, that was what deceived a lot of people.”

Abdul Isiaka, a welder at Golden Club company in Nyanya, said:

“We had been at the garage since 6 am and when we could not enter the first bus, we decided to enter the second bus, in the process of entering, all of a sudden, I saw smoke under the El-Rufai bus and we started running, after running to a distance, the bomb exploded, and trying to cross to the other side of the road, another one exploded, that was how I got injured.
“It did not take too long before the rescue team came, in fact I went to them because I was crying for help,” said the 23 year old Mararaba resident.

I just found my self on the ground- Sake
Another victim, Anquer Sake, 40, a public servant in Asokoro, who lives in Orozo area said:

“I got to Nyanya park, got my ticket and queued, I just found myself on the ground, I did not know how I was brought here at Asokoro hospital. I just did my x-ray, waiting for the result because I got an injury on my head.

The worst hit
The worst hit were inter-state commuters going to the Northern states of Benue, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Gombe, Tarraba, as well as, workers leaving the park to the city centre.Others were:  Petty traders, food vendors, Okada riders, tea brewers popularly called Mai-Shai and vehicles conveying passengers to various locations within and outside the FCT.

Mr Romanus Ugwu, an Abuja-based journalist, resident at Nyanya, said that he ran to the scene on hearing the blast.

Ugwu said what he saw could be best described as a “gory sight” because many people were burning in some cars and were calling for help that never came to them while some were on the ground, helpless without limbs.
“You have to be hard hearted to look at these things. I saw a woman lying face down without limbs while one, who was surrounded by her children, struggled for life and gave up in their arms.
“These attackers appear to be more proactive than our rescue organisations and security agencies because so many lives would have been saved if help had come in time.’’

Ugwu said he counted many bodies littered on the ground in the park, but could not say if all of them were dead.

Mr Femi Lawal, a survivor of the blast who could not contain his joy and gratitude to God for sparing him, said he had dropped from one of the green buses from One-man Village and was heading to the park when the blast went off.

Lawal said he fell and was dazed momentarily before realising what had happened.
He said that he heard a loud bang, which nearly blinded him, and saw a thick smoke while people ran in confusion.
The 32-year old man, who was apparently wounded on the wrist and neck, said “it is a day I will live to remember”.
A survivor, Prince Igwe, however, said a vehicle was driven into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses.
“The driver hurriedly parked and disappeared shortly after the explosion went off. I was inside one of the buses; I struggled to come out.

PHOTOS: President Jonathan And Senate President David Mark Visit Abuja Explosion Victims At Asokoro Hospital.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has today visited the Nyanya bomb blast scene and then headed to Asokoro Hospital to see the victims of the explosion.
An explosion hit the busy commuter bus station around 6.30am when hundreds of people were on going to work.
At least 71 people have been killed, while 124 – injured, police has reported.
READ MORE: 

 
President Jonathan visiting Nyanya bomb blast scene in Abuja, Monday, April 14, 2014. Photo:



I wish the injured quick recovery and for the dead, May God Almighty accept their souls in His Kingdom.....Amen!

READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64416.html

Landlord Attacks Tenant, Throws Him Down Storey Building

A 23-year old tenant, Jamiu Isiaka has lost his live after he was thrown down a storey building in Lagos by thugs allegedly sent by a 64-year old landlord.
 

According to report, the mother of a 14-year old girl identified as Bilikisu Yusuf had told the landlord that she sent Bilikisu to buy sugar but instead she went and met a man. The landlord then stormed Jamiu's house with some thugs who pounced on him, thinking he was the man Bilikisu went to meet. He was beaten mercilessly and then thrown down from the storey building.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died two days later.
After the incident, Bilikisu told everyone that Isiaka was not her boyfriend.
"They just killed the innocent boy without any reason," an eyewitness lamented.
Barrister Samuel Iroye, a neighbor and client of the deceased, told journalist that it was Isiaka and his father that built his church and described him as a young, promising man who would be missed by all that knew him, adding that he will make sure that justice was done.
The landlord has been arrested by the police at Ojokoro and has been transferred to the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba, for further interrogation.




READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/64411.html

President Jonathan Visits Abuja Bomb Blast Scene (Photos)

President Goodluck Jonathan has visited the Abuja Nyanya Motor Park bombing scene. He actually canceled his proposed trip to Ibadan Oyo State today to be there. And according to one of the reporters at the scene, Yvonne Ndege, President Jonathan says "we will get over it", referring to Boko Haram.

 

Official death toll at the moment stands at 71.  Meanwhile, there are urgent calls for blood donors at the Asokoro General Hospital. Surviving victims of the blast need help right now.

 

Abandoned belongings of victims of today's Abuja bomb blast

I Don’t Use ‘Pink Ladies’ To Pimp Girls For Politicians—Iyabo Ojo Cries Out

When sultry actress, Iyabo Ojo formed her group, ‘Pink Ladies’ few years ago, tongues began to wag that the clique was an association established by the sexy actress to pimp beautiful ladies to rich men in the society.

The interest group turned three this year and an event held in Lagos to mark the day.

Iyabo, who established a beauty spa in Lagos, explained to Nigeriafilms.com in a chat some days ago that contrary to the wide speculations that she is using her group to supply politicians and society men with ladies, such are not true.

She explained to us that ‘Pink Ladies’ is a group that was set up to help the less privileged in the society. Iyabo Ojo also disclosed that the wrong perception many people have about her group doesn’t affect her because she knows she did not established it for the reasons many people are speculating.

“It doesn’t get to me at all. ‘Pink Ladies’ was not set up to pimp men with ladies. We do different charity works and also task ourselves with good works,” she told Nigeriafilms.com.

On how the group is funded, the single mother of two revealed that “We levy members of the group when there is need to embark on some projects.”