Nigerian grandfather caught selling human head for 1,000 naira

Mr Segun Kayode

A grandfather and former employee of Epe Area cemetery in Lagos State, Mr Segun Kayode, was arrested by men of Lagos State Police Command for allegedly exhuming and selling human parts at his residence.

The suspect was arrested following a report by a resident and had disclosed that his poor and jobless state were responsible for his act.

According to the police, the suspect, who had worked at a cemetery in Epe area of the state, was arrested with a human skull.

Police source told reporters that the suspect sell human parts for a living, adding that he had become notorious in the area for selling human parts.

It was learnt that the suspect was arrested following a report by a resident who saw him displaying a skull for sale.

The culprit who could not give his exact age said, “I live at 2,Tungbehin Street, Epe. I have two children and I am a grandfather. I have always been poor all my life because I had no formal or informal education. I used to be a fisherman, but when there were no more fishes in riversaround my area, I became a gardener at Epe Local Government Secretariat.“About four years ago, the LG said they no longer need my services, so I started trimming grass at a cemetery in the area.”

The suspect, who did not deny the allegations, said there was nothing wrong in selling dead people’s parts since the dead never used them.

He said one day, while he was clearing weeds in the cemetery, he noticed a human skull which had been dug up.

He said, “Most times, when a corpse is not buried with a coffin, the possibility of the corpse resurfacing is very high. So, what workers at the cemetery do is to gather some of the corpses and burn them instead of burying them again.

“I realized that this was not the smart thing to do since it would be better to make money from it. The families of these dead people never cared about them once they are buried and weeds take over the cemetery.”

The suspect said he had sold only two corpses, while he had on numerous occasions given them out for free.

Sarcastically he said, “I have sold only two human heads. I sold the first one for N1, 000 while I sold the second one for N1, 500. Last week, a resident approached me saying a herbalist needed the head, so I got a decomposed head, for him, washed it and put it on the fence to dry.

“A resident saw me and raised the alarm and that was how I was arrested.”

Culled from DAILY POST

Pedophile who 'murdered elderly couple and raped two-year-old girl' had been released from prison few HOURS earlier

Jerry Active

A man charged with murdering an elderly couple and sexually assaulting their two year old grandchild had been released from prison just hours earlier after serving time for a similar attack.

Jerry Active, 24, broke in to the house where Touch Chea, 71, and his wife, Sorn Sreap, 73, were babysitting their granddaughter and allegedly beat the couple to death and raped the little girl.

The toddler's parents returned to their home in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday night to find Active naked in their bedroom with the two-year-old.

A few hours earlier Active had been released on probation after serving part of a seven-year sentence for a similar crime committed in 2009.

Active broke into a house and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old while her parents were asleep, before attacking three members of the family.

The 24-year-old was convicted for the attack in Dillingham, Alaska, after a guilty plea but it has not been made clear why Active was allowed on probation. 

He was first released on the case on October 2, 2011, but violated probation and was sent back to prison two days later, according to records.

Since then, he has been in and out of prison after committing other probation violations.

Victims Mr Chea and Ms Sreap both suffered significant blunt force injuries, and police said both Sreap and the toddler were raped.

Officers arrested Active as he fled the east Anchorage homicide scene wearing just his boxer shorts.

The registered sex offender has been charged with first and second-degree murder, sexual assault and burglary, with bail set at $1.5 million.

Police said the younger couple, who are in their twenties, went to a movie on Saturday night with their son and left the two-year-old in the care of Chea and Sreap.

They returned shortly before 8pm and found the door locked from the inside by the chain, but were able to spot the body of one of their grandparents from outside.

The father told police he forced his way in through a window and found the bodies of Chea and Sreap before  discovering a naked man in the bedroom with their daughter.

The mother called police and dispatchers said they heard screaming over the phone as the woman, who is pregnant, reported that a man had broken into her home and killed 73-year-old Ms Sreap.

The couple tried to apprehend Active but he was able to get away after a short struggle, Police Sergeant Slawomir Markiewicz said. 

Officers found Active about a block away wearing nothing but his boxers.

'He did offer some resistance but he was arrested,' Markiewicz said.

The suspect apparently entered the apartment through a window, Markiewicz said.

The two-year-old was taken to hospital for a forensic physical examination, and it was discovered that she had also been physically assaulted. 

She was taken to a hospital where she underwent surgery for her injuries.

Investigators were affected by the brutality and the ages of the victims, police department spokeswoman Anita Shell said.

'They said this was the worst thing they had ever seen in their lives, and these are seasoned detectives,' Shell said.

Police Sergeant Markiewicz said that there are no indications that the victims were connected to the suspect.

'It doesn't appear that he knew them,' he said. 'It looks like a totally random act.'

The victims were part of an extended family that lived in a ground-floor, east Anchorage apartment with their granddaughter and her husband, who are the parents of the toddler and her four-year-old brother.

The younger couple's 90-year-old great-grandmother also lives in the apartment and was at home during the incident.

Markiewicz said the case is unusual.

'It's certainly very rare to see this kind of violence - a complete stranger, sexually assaulting and murdering someone,' he said.

The bodies of Sreap and Chea were taken to the state medical examiner's office for autopsies.

Names of the toddler and her parents were withheld.

Culled from DAILY MAIL

Drunken driver 'was having SEX while driving and caused a crash that sent his naked lover flying out of the SUV'

Luis Briones, 25, was found hiding behind a cactus with one shoe on and his shorts on inside-out after he crashed his SUV while having sex with a woman in the driver's seat

A New Mexico man faces multiple charges after police say he was having sex with a woman while driving drunk and crashed, ejecting his naked paramour from the vehicle.

The driver, 25-year-old Luis Briones, was found with one shoe on and his shorts on inside-out Monday night after he wrecked his Ford Explorer in Albuquerque.

Police say Briones' female passenger, who has not been named, was found without any clothes on lying on the pavement after being thrown from the SUV. She was taken to an area hospital in stable condition to be treated for deep cuts to her face and head.

Authorities allege Briones tried to drive away after the crash and leave his passenger behind, but a witness grabbed his keys from the ignition.

The 25-year-old also allegedly tried to hide from responding officers behind a cactus, The Albuquerque Journal reported.

Briones is now facing nine charges, including aggravated DWI, reckless driving and evading police.

It all started when Briones was spotted allegedly having intercourse while driving east on a busy Albuquerque street with a naked woman planted in his lap.

The 25-year-old driver ran a red light in the 2600 block of Pennsylvania Northeast and slammed into a westbound car, according to police.

According to police, the 25-year-old suspect tried to take off from the scene of the accident, but a man who witnessed the bizarre incident knocked on his window and forced him to come out.

The Good Samaritan told the local channel KOAT that he then went to check on the injured woman, who was lying completely exposed on the ground with her arm over her bruised face.

The woman is expected to recover. She will not be facing any charges.

When police arrived on the scene, Briones attempted to seek shelter behind a succulent plant and became hostile at the approach of officers and paramedics.

After being placed inside a police cruiser, officers say the 25-year-old refused to keep his pants on. 

According to online records, Briones was arrested twice in April for violating probation. 

Culled from DAILY MAIL

British millionaire spends £330,000 on a single round of champagne in one night (VIDEO)

A wealthy Briton splashed out £330,000 pounds on a single round of champagne as he partied with Hollywood stars including Leonardo DiCaprio at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Charles Shaker, a British entrepreneur and adviser to the ultra wealthy, forked out the fortune on an extremely rare Armand de Brignac Brut Gold 'Dynastie' collection of champagne.

The extravagant buy was ordered at the exclusive 'Armand de Brignac Gold Party' hosted by the Billionaire Club Monaco.

According to an eyewitness, it took a procession of 12 waiting staff to carry the nine-bottle collection through the club

This included a Midas bottle, which holds a huge 30-litres of champagne, and alone required four men to carry it in a custom-made gold 'Roman Litter' champagne bucket.

Splashing out: Brett Berish, CEO of Armand de Brignac Champagne, Charles Shaker and Flavio Briatore hold up a 30-litre Midas bottle of Armand de Brignac champagne at the Billionaire Club in Monte Carlo

The stunned partygoer said: 'Everyone was dancing, when the music suddenly stopped.

'The DJ then came on the mic and congratulated Charles Shaker on "buying the world's first Armand de Brignac Dynastie Collection".

'We then saw what seemed like a spectacular, never-ending stream of gold bottles being bought through the club - all different sizes.

'The club went crazy, everyone was trying to take pictures, cheering and clapping.

'Shaker's table then started opening bottles and waiters were pouring champagne for everyone. 

'It was an amazing night.'

The Billionaire's Club is one of the most glamorous venues in Monaco and is often frequented by top Hollywood A-listers, famous singers and super-rich businessman.

The nightclub has sweeping views over the luxurious resort of Monte Carlo, which is renowned for its playground status of the rich and famous. 

Samy Sass and Flavio Briatore, founders of the Billionaire Club Monaco, also congratulated him on the record-breaking evening, the eyewitness said.

High life: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured second left at the Billionaire Club in Monaco in August 2010, was also said to be at the venue when the champagne was purchased

Hollywood actor Leonard DiCaprio was also in the club at the time, they said, along with Italian businessman Flavio Briatore.

According to Armand de Brignac, the Dynastie collection consists of nine different Brut Gold Champagne bottle sizes.

It includes every available bottle format, from the standard 750ml bottle to the exclusive and world-record breaking 30L Midas. 

Collectively it amounts to 109 bottles of the luxury Champagne. 

The record-breaking Midas bottle, which weighs over 100lb and is equivalent to 40 standard-sized bottles, is the same as that bought in London by businessman and entrepreneur Don Johnson for £120,000 in June 2011.

Height of luxury: The Billionaires Club in Monaco is a favourite haunt of the rich and famous visiting Monte Carlo

The collection is also listed for $500,000 at Hakkasan Las Vegas, the five-level culinary and nightlife mecca at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

Culled from DAILY MAIL

Female Zoo worker mauled to death by TIGER as she fed it in its enclosure

Killed: Keeper Sarah McClay died after being mauled by a tiger at the zoo where she worked

A young zookeeper died last night after being mauled by one of her Sumatran tigers.

Sarah McClay, 24, from the Barrow area in Cumbria, was in the tiger enclosure at a zoo in the Lake District when she was attacked.

Police are investigating whether systems keeping the animals separate from keepers 'failed' at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Dalton-in-Furness.

But Owner David Gill said it was 'not the park's fault' and that Miss McClay had broken safety protocols by going into the tiger enclosure while the animals were loose.

Ambulance crews said Miss McClay had suffered ‘very traumatic injuries’ to her head and neck and went into cardiac arrest.

She was resuscitated by paramedics and airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital following the attack at around 4pm yesterday, but she later died.

Mr Gill told Sky News that zoo staff had heard a scream over the radio and ran to the scene.

'Within two minutes we had firearms on scene but sadly we just could not get a clean shot to do anything about it because of exactly where the animal was, so we did our best, we moved around to find a shot,' he said.

'Very, very quickly I let off two shots to frighten the animals and it did what it needed to do which was to lift them off and they ran back into the house and other keepers locked them up.

'Once we knew we were secure and safe we went into the enclosure to retrieve Sarah.'

Visitors were asked to leave the wildlife park yesterday before it closed early. It has reopened today.

Police and Barrow Borough Council are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Today officers issued a statement saying: 'Sarah fell victim to an attack by a Sumatran tiger whilst, police believe, going about her routine duties in the big cat enclosure building.

'The enclosure concerned consists of a number of compartments both indoor and outdoor connected by lockable doors. Keepers are required to enter various parts enclosures in the course of their routine duties.

'However, systems are in place to ensure that animals and keepers remain apart at all times. At some stage this has failed and the animal and Sarah came together with tragic consequences. The police are working to establish whether this was a result of human or technical factors.'

Police are not treating the death as a criminal investigation but said they were keeping 'an open mind' about what caused the tragedy.

Mr Gill said Miss McClay had worked at the wildlife park for a number of years and was ‘very proficient’ in her work with big cats.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday: ‘After investigation by the authorities here and the police, it does seem that she just basically failed to follow the correct procedures.

'Not the park's fault': Owner David Gill said neither the zoo or the tiger was to blame for the death of keeper Sarah McClay

‘For some unknown reason, an inexplicable reason, because there is no reason for why she did it, she opened the door and went into the tiger enclosure and straight into the tigers, and now we'll never know why.’

He said that it was against strict safety protocols to walk into the tiger's cage, adding that the zoo had passed a major inspection on Monday, in which it was praised for its safety standards.

The incident happened at about 4pm, when staff were working as normal and the park was open to the public.

Mr Gill told the BBC: ‘An emergency call went out over the radio and we responded immediately. I was on the scene within 30 seconds.

One of the park's tigers is pictured

‘It was just unfortunate that everything happened so quick. It's so difficult to talk about because it was so upsetting.

‘We moved all the public back of course. I think one member of the public did witness a part of the attack but I don't think there was anyone else who saw that.’

Emphasizing that at no point was there any threat to the public, he said: ‘It just seems quite inexplicable. None of us have been able to come up with a really reasonable conclusion.

‘All we know is that no one else was involved, there was nobody with her, and for some unknown reason she opened a door and walked straight into the tigers.’

Mr Gill described Miss McClay as ‘a very passionate girl, very enthusiastic’ who was ‘extremely good at delivering conservation talks. A very valued part of our team. A very bubbly character, a very happy girl.’

He said that Miss McClay's death was the second tragedy for the park this month, after another employee was killed in a road accident.

Police said Miss McClay's family were ‘very shocked and distressed’ and had requested privacy to grieve.

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service said paramedics were on the scene within nine minutes.

‘We sent an ambulance and helicopter and she was air lifted to hospital in Preston. She was extremely ill, the spokesman said.

‘They were very traumatic injuries. She was very badly mauled. She went into cardiac arrest at the scene.

‘The crews performed CPR on her and managed to bring her back so that she could be flown by helicopter.

‘The crews who were there were offered counselling afterwards, as is standard procedure with this kind of incident.’

Culled from DAILY MAIL

Sri Lankan monk sets self ablaze to protest the killing of cattle

A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk died Saturday of severe burns a day after setting himself on fire to protest the slaughter of cattle, an official said.

Bowatte Indaratna, 30, succumbed to his injuries at the National Hospital in Colombo where he was rushed Friday after his self-immolation bid in front of the highly venerated Temple of the Tooth in the central town of Kandy.

“He died of severe burns. He had 95 percent burns and was fighting for his life,” hospital spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa told AFP.

He becomes the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monk to self-immolate.

A local television channel showed dramatic images of the monk using a cigarette lighter to set himself ablaze and bystanders, including police throwing buckets of water to put out the flames.

“This is a sacrifice of a life. This is not a suicide,” the monk told the local Swarnavahini television cameraman minutes before the self-immolation bid. “There are over 5,000 cattle slaughtered in Sri Lanka each morning and it must stop.”

In a leaflet distributed to devotees outside the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, 72 miles (115 kilometres) east of the capital Colombo, the monk said he was also against proselytising by Christian groups.

His unannounced protest came as the country celebrated Wesak, the commemoration of the birth, enlightenment and the death of the Buddha, in the Buddhist-majority country which marks the occasion with two days of holidays.

Eating meat is common in Buddhist Sri Lanka, although according to the religion killing animals is a sin.

Animal rights groups have tried unsuccessfully to secure a ban on meat eating in Sri Lanka.

An animal rights activist said she did not condone the monk’s action, but she added that the unprecedented move demonstrated the anger towards the inhuman treatment of animals.

The monk’s action came amid rising religious tensions after Buddhist extremists campaigned to boycott halal-slaughtered meat as well as other products that carry a halal certificate.

Culled from VANGUARD

Teacher who had sex with her 17-yr-old student will only serve FOUR months of an 11 year sentence after being diagnosed of hypersexuality

Guilty plea: Kathleen Cawthorne pleaded no contest to the charges after having sex with a student

A 33-year-old teacher who had sudden sex urges and slept with one of her students will only serve four months of her 11 year sentence.

Despite the prosecution demanding the minimum of a year behind bars, Kathleen Cawthorne, of Virginia, was shown leniency by the judge after she apologized for her actions.

The teacher's husband Duncan also said he was standing by his wife after she apologized for having sex with the 17 year old.

A court in Virginia was told that Cawthorne had been diagnosed with bipolar and she also had facets of hypersexuality - a sudden increase in sexual urges.

Cawthorne had sex with one of her students from the William Campbell Combined school,Rustburg, Virginia, in March 2012.

She picked up the teen and drove to a field where they had sex.

The pair also exchanged intimate photos of each other before the affair was discovered by school chiefs and Cawthorne arrested.

Cawthorne pleaded no contest to one charge of indecent liberties with a child and three counts of electronic solicitation of a minor in January.

At the sentencing hearing, Rick McGee, an associate pastor at Hyland Heights Baptist Church, testified that Cawthorne, a member of the church, had expressed 'extreme remorse' for what she had done.

He said Cawthorne had accepted responsibility for what she did. 

McGee also said the church community would continue to be supportive of her as she worked on her recovery.

Prosecutor Brooke Willse-Gaddy said at the time the crimes were committed, Cawthorne had been 32 years old, nearly twice the age of her victim. 

She said, as a teacher, Cawthorne was trained in reporting sexual abuse.

'We trust our teachers,' said Willse-Gaddy. 

She said Cawthorne had violated that trust and asked the judge to exceed the guidelines and give Cawthorne at least a year in jail

Defense attorney Gordon Peters asked that his client receive no time to serve. 

He said Cawthorne had no prior record and she could no longer teach.

Peters said having to register as a sex offender, meant she was 'essentially lepers in this day and age.'

Before judge John T Cook ordered her to serve four months Cawthorne apologized to her victim and to his family.

She also said she had apologized to the principal at William Campbell Combined School.

Cawthorne's husband Duncan has decided to stand by his wife throughout the ordeal (the couple pictured hugging)

Culled from DAILY MAIL

How Islamic terrorists beheaded a British soldier on a London street in broad daylight

This is the moment two terrorists who butchered soldier Lee Rigby also tried to kill a hero woman cop who was first on the scene of the carnage.           

Shocking footage obtained by the Daily Mirror shows how the calculating pair lured officers to the scene by dragging the body into the middle of the road and brazenly waiting for armed police to arrive.

When the first police car arrived the pair split up in a pre-planned manoeuvre with knife-wielding Michael Adebolajo charging them head-on, while his accomplice ran up alongside, aiming his revolver at them.

The film of the 10 seconds of terror show how Adebolajo got within TWO FEET of the terrified female cop who was driving the armed response vehicle.

She was armed with just a Taser as she sat in the driver’s seat of the BMW X5 and was only saved when a male colleague sitting in the back made a split-second decision to fire his machine-gun from point blank range through the window.

As he is sent sprawling to the ground by the force of the two shots and the two cops jump out to cover him they appear to fail to spot the other suspect aiming his hand gun at them.

Luckily a third SO19 marksman running round from the far side of the specialist Trojan unit spots him and he is brought to the ground as a further volley of six shots ring out in the suburban street in Woolwich, south east London.

Former Det Ch Ins Peter Kirkham, an expert in firearms tactics said after watching the footage today: “ I have never seen anything like this before, or even heard of it happening before.

"For two suspects to carry out a brutal attack like this then stand around in plain sight waiting for the police is crazy.

“The instant the spot the police car come round the corner they are on it straight away. The first one is sprinting full speed towards the cops before they have even got out the car.

"The female officer only has her Taser out and must have been terrified. They had no option but to open fire to stop them.”

The dramatic climax to the horrific attack was filmed by a resident in a tower block over looking the scene in Artillery Road and captures the moment the terrorist charges the officers in a suspected death-by-cop suicide bid.

 The footage reveals how, after beheading the soldier, they hatched a plot to ambush and murder the first police officers to come to his aid.

The soldier killed in an attack in London has been named as Drummer Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The murdered soldier has been named as 25-year-old Drummer Lee Rigby

Drummer Rigby, 25, from Manchester, leaves behind a two-year-old son.

For eight minutes in the film before the armed police arrive the suspects can be seen talking to passers-by and three women who are trying to help the victim.

They made no attempt to try and harm them.

But as soon they see the patrol car turn the corner they spring into action in a pre-meditated attack, carefully designed to give the gunman time to target the officers.

The birds-eye 15 minute 50 second long footage, obtained exclusively by the Daily Mirror, was filmed from 100ft up a tower block, which overlooks the scene on Artillery Place at the corner of Rectory Place.

Calls started flooding in to the police at 2.20pm yesterday and Scotland Yard said it was assigned to a armed response unit four minutes later, who arrived on the scene ten minutes after that.

The filming opens shortly after the suspects have picked up the body and dumped it in the road and can then be seen talking to those filming them and the brave women trying to tend to their victims.

A couple of minutes into the footage a lone ambulance drives slowly up the street towards the butchered victim and looks like it is going to stop.

But when they spot the two armed suspects standing nearby they have no option but to swerve round his body and keep going.

Suddenly eight minutes and 21 seconds into the footage the men sprint into action when the police BMW X5 comes round the corner and skids to a halt 25 feet away.

Instantly the knife and cleaver wielding suspect, wearing a charcoal hooded top and black woolly hat, runs head-long towards the driver’s side of the marked silver patrol car.

He can be seen dropping one of his blades and moving the other into his right hand as he rushes wildly at the vehicle.

Just as he is within touching distance of the car two shots ring out and the man is sent sprawling to the ground by the force of the bullets.

The split-second decision to open fire means that the officers had to shoot while they were still sitting in the vehicle, either through open windows or partially opened doors.

Simultaneously the second terrorist, armed with the handgun, takes off, running along the pavement past the three officers as the emerge from the car.

In his light-coloured trench coat he can be seen raising his right arm and pointing the revolver at the officers as they tackle his accomplice.

As he disappears briefly behind a tree four more shots ring out, including one from him according to some witnesses, and he then stumbles and falls near a road sign.

As the cops advance on the blade carrying suspect the female driver of the car can be seen to be carrying a bright yellow Taser.

She is flanked by two male colleagues who ran out from either side of the vehicle, carrying their Heckler and Koch MP5 submachine guns.

One trains his gun on the downed knifeman and the other opens fire on the running gunman who also slumps to the floor as he is hit.

It is likely the marksmen were using newly introduced hollow-point bullets which flatten on impact for more stopping power.

The knifeman cartwheels 6-8ft feet making it appear that the special rounds were used.

The design also means that they are also less likely to pass through the body of the intended target and hit any passerbys.

Despite being hit the gunman then can be seen lying on the ground on his back before appearing to roll on to his left side towards the advancing police.

The final two shots, of the eight fired in the film clip are from by the specialist officers at the gunman as he lies of the floor.

Witnesses say he was still holding the gun despite being shot.

At the same time the female officer can be seen dropping her stun gun and pulling out a handgun from her holster and covering the knifeman as he lays prone on the ground, kicking his legs.

Amazingly as all the shooting is taking a place a woman can be seen just feet away from the suspects talking on her mobile phone.

During the footage before the police arrives scores of people are visible in the background walking along both sides of the street.

They either have their heads down staring straight ahead or nervously looking over at the body and the suspects.

Culled from MIRROR NEWS

Literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe laid to rest in his home town, Idemili

Prof. Chinua Achebe, the late Nigerian literary icon was buried this afternoon at his country home in Ogidi, headquarters of Idemili North local government area of Anambra state in a blaze of glory.

Leading hundreds of dignitaries from all over the world to bid Achebe final goodbye was President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan whose chopper touched down at about 10.50 am.

All governors of the eastern states were at the burial ceremony, with the exception of Sullivan Chime of Enugu state who was represented by his deputy. Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan was also on hand to say bye for now to Achebe.

Also at the burial service which was held at the St. Phillips Anglican Church, Ogidi were eminent dignitaries from all works of life, including members of the international community of writers.

Chief host at the event, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state walked beside the ambulance carrying the remains of Achebe from Achebe’s compound to the church premises.

In his homily, the Bishop of the Niger, Rev. Father Owen Nwokolo, urged Nigerian leaders to learn from Achebe who he said devoted his entire life to service to humanity.

Rev. Father Nwokolo called on the members of Achebe’s family to rejoice at the exit of their illustrious son because, in his word, “Chinua Achebe could not have lived a better life.”

Prof. Achebe was later interred at the tomb erected in his compound by priests from across the easter states.

Earlier on Thursday evening, the well-polished mahogany casket bearing the remains of Achebe arrived at the community town hall at about 5 p.m where he laid in state. His body arrived at his country home at exactly 6.30 pm where a service of songs was held in his honour by the Anglican Communium.

Wife of the late writer, Prof. Christie Achebe, took no consolation as she literarily fell on the Mercedes Benz ambulance bearing the casket and wept uncontrollably, just as women of the Achebe family also thronged the compound, wailing and calling out in Igbo language, Ugo na abo (two eagle on a tree), meaning that Achebe, a rare person has gone.

The officiating priest, Reverend Father Osita Amacheze, based his sermon on the subject, A Time for Everything. Reading from the Bible book of Eccliastes chapter 3, he said there was time for affair by man on the surface of the earth, adding that it was the time for Achebe to exit the earth.

He urged the congregation, friends and relatives of the departed not to mourn his exit since he lived a fulfilled life that touched millions of lives.

“We came to make a joyful shouting to the Lord. We are not here to mourn because we are here for a celebration of life, a life that has been so well spent, that has touched so many of us,” Rev. Father Amacheze said.

Performance by various traditional groups spiced up the night.

Dame Ngozi Ezejum, née Achebe, first niece of the Achebe family, described the late writer as a traditional man whom she had fond memories of during his days at the University of Ibadan.

“Prof. Achebe was a humble and a traditional man to the core. He was fond of me, being the first niece of the Achebe family. Whenever he return from Ibadan in those days, he did his own cooking. I ran errands for him in getting condiments for his cooking, and in return, he would entertain me with music from his gramophone,” Dame Ezejum told PM NWES.

In the delegation of international community of writers that accompanied the remains of Prof. Achebe from the US to his country home were scholars from the Department of African Studies of the University of Massachusetts, including Prof. Ekwueme Michael Thelwell, Prof. Bill Lawler and a host of others.

Achebe received Nigeria’s highest national prize for intellectual and academic achievement, that is the Nigeria Order of Merit (NOM). As a literary icon, he was celebrated as Eagle on Iroko on his 60th birthday at University of Nigeria Nsukka before my very eyes.

He received honorary doctorate degree from at least 30 universities worldwide along with numerous other academics.  Not through godfatherism, not through using the national, not through any corrupt practice but by diligently maximizing his God-given talent. He stood out as a perfect gentleman of honour and transparent integrity.

A motor vehicle accident in 1990 confined Achebe to the wheel chair for the rest of his life. Lesser mortals could have thrown in the towel but Chinua held from the wheelchair.

Culled from PM news

Andres Gardin, Panama legend, peels 500 coconuts in 6 hrs with his teeth(VIDEO)

A man in Panama with indestructible teeth, astonishing jaws of steel and an awesome resemblance to Mr. T is gnawing his way toward a Guinness World Record.

At 64-years-old, Andres Gardin -- who chomps under the moniker "Coconut Peeler" -- is vying for immortality in the Guinness Book of World Records, with his ability to shuck 500 coconuts in six hours. He proved the feat last September, MSN reports.

He's been honing his peeling skills since he was 11 and says he has shredded more than 100,000 coconuts in his lifetime, AFP reports.

The master of the hairy fruit recently proved his skills on a disheveled basketball court in Panama after he peeled off a coconut's hardened skin in an impressive eight seconds (video above).

"Peeling coconuts is not as easy as you all think," Gardin told a group of fans. "To peel coconuts, you've got to have jaw power. You've got to have teeth power," AFP reported.

While Guinness officials have yet to verify Gardin's record, he is determined to get world-reconigition for his feats of strength.

"I want to get in the Guinness Book, because I know that I have what it takes," he said.

His oral skills don't stop there. On May 10, Gardin, who drives a cab as his day-job, demonstrated his impressive dental strength to a crowd of onlookers in Rio Alejandro, about 85 km north of Panama City, when he dragged two cars by his teeth through a crowd of flabbergasted onlookers.

Culled from HUFF POST