Wednesday, June 13, 2007

TIDBITS

Hey Everyone!!!
It’s Wednesday already! WOW! The week is going by really fast!
So what have you been up to see far? Nothing much is happening over here….same ol’, same ol’ really.
Since, nothing much is happening, here are some tidbits. ENJOY

The ThisDay Festival is back!!!
SOURCE
After all the drama and debate that last year’s inaugural event caused, Nduka and the ThisDay family are back with another stellar lineup.
Shakira, R&B rising star, John Legend and UB40, are among 12 Nigerian and international artistes who have confirmed participation at the second edition of THISDAY Music Festival scheduled to hold on July 14 and 15 at THISDAY's brand new event centre in Lagos. The centre has a seating capacity of 15,000. More artistes billed to perform in the star-studded music festival are expected to confirm their participation next week.

Tickets for the two-day event will go on sale at all branches of GTBank on June 14. The classic ticket will cost N10,000 per day, while the VIP ticket will go for N25,000 per day. Tickets for the exclusive but limited state box will go for N50,000 per day.
I am actually surprised by the ticket prices ‘cause I thought they would ‘give it to them’ by pricing VIP tickets at 500k or something. On a more serious note, it should be fun.

Banned Nigerian Actress, Ini Edo now dedicated to Charity
SOURCE
Recently banned screen goddess, Iniobong Edo seems to have taken her fate with all equanimity and opted for a new job as a humanitarian worker.
The Akwa-Ibom State born actress who has been in a sober mood since proscription by the Actors Guild a few weeks ago, recently visited three charity homes in Lagos as part of her contribution to the society that made her.
The ‘World Apart’ star spent the day with them giving them gift items worth half a million naira to appreciate God for what he has done for her.

LOL...I think its a good move on her part! All the best to Ini!

New Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Munachi Nwankwo Interview

All the beauty queens always disclaim having a boyfriend, I wonder why....
On a more serious note, she was brought up by a single mother who was crippled by polio yet she persevered and is going very well for herself. So I am proud of her!

Genevieve Mag
A reader named Toke (I am not sure if she wants her surname to be published) sent me this scan of the Editor's note of the new edition of Genevieve Magazine, the editor's note referred to an incident that occurred when shooting the cover of the March 2007 Edition of the magazine which featured HIV-Positive mother and activist, Yinka Jegede-Ekpe. Read the Editor's Note below.


I love and respect Betty Irabor but the article left a bitter taste. I decided to give it some more thought before posting it on my site. During that time, I received an emailed apology from Betty which is posted below. I do not believe Betty intended any harm but incidences like this highlight the fact that we need to educate ourselves and get rid of the stigma attached to HIV positive people. We (Women and Men) also have to take proper steps when we go to the barbers, hair salons (you know those weave needles) and manicurists/pedicurists. That said, I believe we should not turn being careful into discrimination and paranoia. I respect the fact that Betty issued an apology.

Re: C’est la vie – An Apology
My attention has been drawn to the outrage my last MorningDew has evoked in my readers, and to say the least, I’m mortified. But like the title says, C’est la vie. That’s life. Let’s just say that it took our readers’ ire for me to see the specs in my eyes this time. I accept and I apologize. Let’s just say that my view has been misconstrued to mean that I’m being judgmental, but who am I to judge? I never meant it that way, and like I said, I am simply mortified. What I wrote in that piece was just a reflection, or should I say, an expression of how any average human being can feel given that circumstance. I was only trying to show how panicky and ignorant the best of us can be about HIV/AIDS. Perhaps it’s just the human side of me taking over. For over four years, Morning dew has inspired; it has taught and shaped people, and those are the things that I love to do and they have kept me going! Morning dew is where I keep it real and that’s what I’d hoped to do with Cest La Vie but it went very awry and I stepped on our readers’ sensitivity in a big way. If what I wrote to playfully caution people has come across so wrongly, I can only apologize.
I have also apologized to Yinka Ekpe herself and her husband, and they’ve taken it in good spirit and forgiven me. Maybe this is the time for me to crave your indulgence – all you readers out there. To err is human, and if after over four years of Morning Dew, you’re finding me guilty just this once, then I deserve the privilege of a pardon. PLEASE, it’s not in my character to hurt people.
Betty Irabor

Please share your thoughts and thanks for all the voice messages!
Thanks to Toke for highlighting this issue.
Take care...
Ciao!

101 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhh madd Shakira will be in Lagos?!!!

Araceli said...

Shakira. Shakira... I have to see those hips in action.

My daughter bought me Shakira's CD sometime ago and I can almost memorise most of the songs.

Anonymous said...

Shake the hips ...
Anyway, I read Betty Irabor's article and I hope our people can glean from it. my mom owns an assisted living facility in MD, a nigerian was the only one to quit his job after he learned one of the able-bodied residents is HIV-positive! Hopefully, some form of awareness will reduce the stigma we associate with it.

Unknown said...

damn top 5

Anonymous said...

please read and sign this petition....

http://www.wilsonappeal.com

Anonymous said...

In regards to the HIV issue, I'm glad it was highlighted and hopefully people guilty of treating people with HIV or AIDs as outcasts, can learn from this read...although it's obvious and almost understandable Y ppl panick at 1st...

This can serve as some kind of reminder, that they are humans with feelings, and should be treated accordingly!!...I'm sure Betty Irabor meant no harm :(, Yinka Jegede - Ekpe, is such an inspiration!! and reason she's a cover girl!!

Anonymous said...

You suck! why dint u tell me that you had posted...i will get my thanks for prompting you later.
Im glad that lady did an apology tho...but i still dont think she should have written that there. Ini Edo is BEAUTIFUL!

Anonymous said...

i think Betty Irabor did the right thing by apologising. To err is human. we learn from our mistakes.The hero for me is actually the Yinka Ekpe lady

Adaure Achumba said...

EHN!! My lover in Naija!!! Addy shall be there live and direct. The search for a FREE pass and VIP hook up begins RIGHT NOW!! Lol. Nice post Bella. I thought I was theonly one who wrinkled my nose at Betty's original reflection.

Anonymous said...

Although i'm glad that betty Irabor apoligized, but i think the damage is already done.. She had the opportunity to review the article before it was eventually published..
There are 2 things i observed in the article... 1)The grandiloquent exchange with the make-up artists and 2) the obvious rejection of the lady she called Hero (the HIV+ mom). I bet during the interview she kept her distance to prevent any body contact...
Hopefully, She has published the apology in subsequent edition of her magazine.. and I employ her to take additional steps to educate her readers and nigerians about the stigmas associated with HIV.

Just my 2cents...

Anonymous said...

(HIV article issue) - Yep, only goes to show how ignorant everyone can be at one point in their life. I guess I can imagine why pple would be outraged by Betty's article. But goodness, she's only human now and the fact that she had the courage to be honest on paper should be applauded. Everyone (including myself) should merely learn from this and be informed.

Anyway I think I'm glad everything went the way it did. Can y'all imagine if instead she had immediately ran out of there and shared the ordeal with whoever she could out of trust and it becomes public knowledge? Not only will she lose friends from the public but I am very sure she would have made a new enemy out of Yinka! And then come to think of it, the lady's eyebrows weren't even done anywhere the studio. Well, everyone now knows that Betty Irabor, the talented writer, is aware that she is also human and is scared of being HIV positive - and the plus side is that it came directly from her own mouth (well, sorta).

Does anyone know if she has received any letters appreciating her honesty for sharing her fear with the readers? Just wondering...

Anonymous said...

I read the morning dew and i was disappointed. why did she write about it in the first place? She put the woman on the cover of her magazine, but doesnt believe in her, what a load of crap, its like just putting on a show - this is what people want to read about. And she justifies it so much she wrote about it, in thesame edition the woman was featured in.
If no one had complained, would she have apologised or just think she can just say it, write it, and get away with. Apologies are accepted, but i see her as fake now, she has let the celebrity thingy go to her brain. harsh words, i know... HIV is harsh, let alone making a mockery of the woman.

Anonymous said...

I think it was VERY irresponsible to print that story in the forst- yes! Forst place I am razz. But then again I guess she did it to highlight her ignorance and those of others.. But I am still looking at Betty now with the very crooked eye. She should be a little more enlightened than that and moreover a little sensitive. HIV can happen to ANYBODY. Lets just learn to be a little more tolerant, inform ourselves and keep those our pum-pums LOCKED down.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Betty disappointed. It’s shocking that she had those thoughts and decided to tell everyone- Thank God! Does Yinka not have a God?

And yes her exchange with the makeup person sucks! Nigerians really need to start talking to ‘lesser’ human beings with some respect!

And I detest the use of Cest la vie in her 'apology'.

Anonymous said...

BETTY IRABOR WAS RIGHT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

I personally think that Bettys main wrong doing was in publishing that piece after Yinka had given up her time to be interviewed by her magazine. That was EXTREMELY INSENSITIVE.

HOWEVER SHE IS SOMEWHAT RIGHT. Any health official would warn you NEVER to share stuff like razors or needles with ANYONE (because you never know who is HIV POSITIVE).

I guess her act of the disrimination comes in in this case because she might not have bothered so much if she didn't know that Yinka had aids.

I believe that the main lesson to be learned here is that we should AVOID sharing sharp objects (Like Betty tried to) because AIDS is not written on anyone's forehead.

I do find alarming however, that even Betty is not that educated. Even if Betty had become infected with HIV on that day (GOD FORBID) as a result of using an infected razor, it could take up to six (6) months for the HIV to show up. So her saying she started to rush to get herself on that same day is IGNORANT.

Her worded apology is important but I think she needs to take action and get more education and on this HIV disaster and create awareness. Now that would be an APOLOGY.

pamela said...

OMG I was actually a huge fan of that cover and story. Now I really understand what people living positively have to face.

Betty's apology is an offensive piece of crap.
What was "playful" about what she wrote? Abi i no sabi read again?
Imagine referring repeatedly to Yinka Jegede as "the woman with HIV/AIDS". A woman on your cover page suddenly has lost the right to the dignity of her own name! All she was to Madame was a scoop, a first. She even admitted her smile to Yinka after the poor woman said her brows were pucked at home was "sacharin sweet". Fake by her own admission. This woman is living in lala land, dizzy from over dieting and the weight of her channel bags.

Anonymous said...

Reading her story...no where does it tell us how she contracted HIV...shouldnt that be part of her life story.....lessons can be learned from that.

Unknown said...

50K??? let hellfire burn then jare, too bad it will more than likely be sold out, for some damn UB40, tufiakwa! Sha I can see its time for some boyfriends to start fading out.

@ ini edo hisssssssssss. Ehn so somebody lied and told you, you were a diva abi, so that's why you started acting up. You better come back to earth sister, you know everyone's replaceable in Nollywood.


as per the Morning Dew article, it just goes to show you how badly Nigerians need to be educated about HIV. I think a few things she said were not just insensitive but completely irresponsible. The one that really ticked me off was the rushing off for an HIV test. I thought it was common knowledge that it takes a while before the HIV antibodies show up in the system, so that trip would have been wasted. Then the "AIDS PEOPLE" exclamation, ugh!
Her playful cautioning was a missed opportunity to further educate about the epidemic that kills us disproportionately. The majority of our people getting infected with HIV are getting the virus through sexual contact, I can see people reading this and being super vigilant about razors now and continuing to have risky sex with their partner(s).
I can certainly appreciate her apology and I seriously doubt she had any malicious intent when she wrote and published her honest thoughts and reactions. I hope she continues to use her magazine as a vehicle to inform and educate.

Anonymous said...

wow she said that watch my post later today bella I will be profiling transformations of AIDS patients who with proper ARVS have gone from so called "bones" to living life. good post!

lala said...

Hmm, maybe I'm as dumb as a bucket of rocks but the Betty Irabor shows somebody who was worried she had SHARED the same razor blade with a woman that was HIV positive. I'm not really sure why its wrong that she's detailing the panic she experienced...
Are we saying we would be confortable SHARING a razor blade with someone we KNEW was HIV positive or we would not be comfortable TALKING about it in a magazine? I'm not really sure what people are upset about. I was so ready to cuss her out cos I read the comments before reading her article but when I read the article, I couldn't figure out the problem really. As a somebody who once got a needle prick in the hospital, I know the panic I felt inside.
Also comparing the case of the assisted living facility to Betty's case is like comparing apples and oranges to me.
If the nigerian had no contact with the HIV+ patient, then there was no reason to leave but the man would be foolhardy to SHARE a razor with this patient.
Please HIV is caused by a VIRUS, how many "viruses" can you fit on a pinhead? Trust me, a huge number because it is that small.
I think it is wise to worry if you SHARE a razor with an HIV+ person because there is a risk of bodily fluid exchange if there is an open wound somewhere
True HIV is more of a chronic disease than a death bullet now but please we still need to be careful ... AND SMART!

Unknown said...

lala, nobody is saying she should be sharing needles or razor (who still shaves their eyebrows bikonu?) and I don't think anyone is outraged by her natural panicked reaction, at least I know I'm not, however her words seemed to be carelessly chosen and her message (playful cautioning as she called it) was lost.

Anonymous said...

wow UB40 and JL in the same place...Thisday is doing it big..next up na Ciara lol
I wonder if John Legend will take this opportunity to carry palmy to his girlfriend's family lol

Ini Edo is beautiful! She should take it a step further and be a spokesperson for a non-profit org in naija.

Anonymous said...

@lala,

The issue is how she portrayed it. I can imagine if I was HIV positive and everyone was hysterical around me. Yinka was renamed HIV positive woman. It never stops at needles or razor blades alone. I have read stories about spoons, cups or using the same restroom.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you touched on this months editorial in Genevieve by Betty Irabor. When I read "c'est la vie", I honestly felt it was totally unlike her. It really did leave a bitter taste in my mouth as well. I thought she would reflect on the positive impact bringing Yinka's story to light felt like. I was surprised when it focused more on "possibly sharing a razor with an HIV positive woman."

I didn't think people will pick up on the undertone of the article, which I found was patronizing and very judgmental. I am really happy to find out people - Nigerian people are becoming more sensitive and empathetic to the whole HIV stigma and issues.

I am glad Betty apologized and took full responsibilty for negating such an inspiring woman and issue. I really hope with this, Genevieve can focus more on enlightening the masses and eradicating that knee jerk fear when you realize the lovely lady to your left or right has HIV. Education is key. Moving on - let bygones be bygones.

Rinsola said...

The did has been done, but all the same i'm glad she owned up to her mistake and apologised. But should'nt she be checking into rehab soon, or releasing a PSA (just kidding).

matt williams said...

HIV can not surive on surfaces. NOw hepatitis(SP) is another story.

Anonymous said...

Let's face it, Betty reacted like most normal human beings would have reacted. Now publishing her reaction was very inconsiderate and of course she apologized and we are moving on i guess....:)

how far bella?
What's the Yinka Ekpe story? Was she HIV positive before or after she got married? Just curious as to how she could have possibly landed a hussy being HIV positive in that our pyopic society called Nigeria...

Bella Naija said...

Yinka's story as I know it
- Thinks she was infected through the unhygienic practices of her dentist

- Tested positive at 19 (in 1997) while she was a nursing student and she developed an oddly persistent rash

- When she revealed her HIV status while still in nursing school, the principal tried to expel her. Her dorm-mates locked her out of the women's bathrooms and relegated her to menial chores. But she fought for her right to continue studying

- Her husband, who is/was in the Nigerian military was already HIV+
- They were friends for a while before tying the quot
- He already had children before they got married

She is an inspiration for being so bold and looking great given her status

Anonymous said...

all the respect i have for betty irabor just crumbled after reading her comment; even her apology doesn't change anything. why would she print it in the first place. and to comment about yinka's well-shaped brows after making that kind of comment behind her back is just crazy.
moreover, who uses razor to shape eyebrows in this age when there is wax.

My 2 cents said...

Permit me to say that this is the most ignorant piece of ish I have ever read and this is coming from a supposedly exposed individual that knows better than to insult all the millions of people living with HIV/AIDS.

bibi said...

i can't believe that commentary was actually published...the damage is done..and i dont think the apology makes a difference...but the HIV positive woman was good enough to grace the cover of ur magazine...

all she had to say was "ill like u to unwrap a new razor in my presence"...she didnt need to go into any unnecessary details..she prolly wont have shared a cup with the lady sef...ignorance in the 1st order..

Nilla said...

Shakira in lagos!!
I hope i'll be in lagos around then.

RE: the c'est la vie
No comment, as I'm yet to read it (don't know why the "editor's note" is not opening fully on my end :-()

Have a nice rest of the week.

Lola said...

I'm so glad that people have reacted negatively to that article. Like many people, I didn't think people were going to notice as I thought maybe my "ears" are just to sensitive to these things or whatever but i'm pleasantly, pleasantly surprised at the outrage it has ensued.

I remember reading the thing and I was just appalled that Betty would write what she did, at the very least I saw it as being very inconsiderate to her guest, who graced the cover of her magazine in what was probably the most touching interview/story I've read in Nigerian media.

I don't think the problem is the reaction that Mrs. Irabor had, its a natural one, but the fact that she had a really good opportunity to educate her readers in a way that would be so relatable to many of them and she somehow for some reason chose go the shallow end.

But still all things happen for a reason, she should print her apology in her next edition so this opportunity wouldn't be totally lost.

Uzo said...

I shall be at the This Day concert to see John Legend. I understand Rihanna, UB40 and Ne-yo will be there as well...so it should be a good show

Uzo said...

On the Betty Irabor issue - i expected more but hey - its life. She has apologised and we must all do what we can to break the stigma of AIDS. Or at least think before we talk or act. I had an experience with someone who had AIDs walking into my mom's shop. My first instinct was to run but i calmed myself and said hello and gave her a hug.

I think fear is the first reaction. Its what we do after that matters

Anonymous said...

Hey, can we cut her some slack?
and that applies to people who may be HIV+ or live and love those who are.
She really was being honest and obviously is being careful, i freak out at hair salons or when i'm in proximity to any blade,etc being shared whether or not i know there are HIV+ ppl around- i still prefer to use a blade to shape my brows-so for people who wonder if people still do,there's ur answer-
maybe her story doesnt have a 'moral of the story' and its not exactly inspirational,maybe she could have ended it differently,but to go on crucufying her even after she has apologised-i dont agree with.
Must we measure her apology?
and to people saying they hold her up to one standard or she now believes her own hype- havent we learnt enough from hollywood celebs?? Dont be looking up to people like that o especially when you do not KNOW them,forget that you read betty Irabor every month-she goes to my church but is not particularly friendly-does that bother me?-NO-cos i dont need anything from her or expect her to be,read the mag and leave story-i understand that some people are 'upset'(no comment) but this is a chance to focus on the whole HIV awareness issue, which the mag has brought into focus in the first place...

Anonymous said...

so i just read the Betty Irabor thingie. It's sad and it goes to show how uneducated we are about relating to people who are HIV+

It also goes to show that Yinka J-E and other HIV/AIDS activists have a long fight ahead of them in increasing awareness when it comes to how people should relate to people with HIV.

I also hope Mrs. Irhabor will use this lesson to better educate her readers about this awareness. Perhaphs give Yinka a monthly column, so people can know that those with HIV+ status are not monsters.

Also for everyone of you who that are outraged, turn your anger about this into something positive and educate the next person beside you about relating to people living with HIV.

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Mr.Fineboy said...

Just read Betty Irabor's editorial and apology. Her article was at best, ignorant. condescending and pompous, but at least she realised it and apologised. I'm a little shocked that she needed readers' reactions to let her know that though. Her "saccharine sweet" smile at Mrs.Yinka J-E was also very patronising. Throughout the article, I kept waiting for the eureka moment when she would realise how insensitive she was being, but it just continued until the end, where she proclaims her joy at not being possibly HIV positive like "the woman!" Wow. Glad she apologised though...she is right, to err is human, but I sincerely hope that she understands why some people would have been offended. Interestingly, her apology includes the note that she has made just one error of judgement in four years! OMG,does she get it? It's not about her! It was hugely insensitive to our 'hero,' Mr.Yinka Jegede-Ekpe and her family. C'est la vie though, right? Great post Bella. Keep us hooked.

Anonymous said...

I'm with lala on this one. Betty's reacted the way most people-no matter how educated they may be-would. That said, I think it was wise to publish the incident in the papers. Yes, we're all scared of AIDS( and rightly so)and should be careful about sharing needles and blades, but we should also remember that the victims of this disease have feelings too.


SassyCassie

BOBBY said...

In regards to Betty's case...hmmm...now lets try to picture this...
If you walked into a studio and a razor was goign to be used on you, and there was a possiblity that it had also been used on someone with a deadly disease...
Will you smile and say "Madam use am well well, because i wan die today" or would you freak?

I dont think that Betty's reaction was off radar...not at all. HOWEVER, the fact that she featured this woman on her magazine and then referred to her in such a manner in her write-up is what was just DEAD WRONG.

If you so hate AIDS PEOPLE, then why feature them on your mag.

When you feature someone with HIV on your mag and go as far as putting them on the front cover, it makes your readers feel like you are educated on the issue and blah blah blah...and not ignorant...and then to now come off ignorant again?

Well her apology is good. I am glad she did that and so far the woman she offended is at peace with her...its all good.
I hope all the other people with HIV/AIDS in naija, are also at peace with her.

HIV/AIDS is a horrible thing and we shouldnt walk around making others feel less human. Godforbid it can happen to anyone.

Imagine going to your dentist and catching the disease? how is it your fault?

Although our beloved country likes to see AIDS/HIV as a FUCKAROUND disease, there are other ways of getting the virus.

Cheers folks.

Anonymous said...

Is yinka's baby HIV positive?
Please tell me no...

Anonymous said...

Give aunty Betty a break now..All of u too woulda flipped. What she wrote most of us would be thinking in our minds..So we could all be guilty. Its just that nobody caught us..saying it

Anonymous said...

Yinka's baby isn't HIV positive. And for the other reader - she was HIV positive before she got married. You can google her name to find out more about her and her hubby's brilliant work in Nigeria.

I think Betty Irabor let's her journalistic instinct to print so called 'interesting' editorials get the better of her.

Her apology for me is too late and the content of the editorial was in complete contradiction of the purpose of showcasing Yinka on the cover of her magazine.

Anonymous said...

SORRY VERY LONG COMMENT!!
my blood was boiling when i read that piece written by betty irabor.hoity toity at best when she was dealing with the "lesser" make up crew.(I cant imagine talking down on one of the guys at the make up crew at MAC,or Bobbi Brown etc,they’d give it to you back a thousand folds with a right snap of the fingers.)well she is suffering from the typical naija madam mentality.
Now back to the main the main, the way she just referred to yinka as that woman was so..low?insensitive?
i mean whats with the AIDS PEOPLE comment?
this smacks of insular ignorance(she claimed she was educated by yinka in an interview yet acted like a typical ignorant person when faced with the real life situation of “maybe” and “what if”)coupled with an appalling disconnection with reality and basic common sense.is that what celebrity status does to a person?hmmm…

yinka wasn’t “the woman” when mrs irabor needed her to grace the covers of her glossy mag hence raking in the cheddar right?

I really have no care for her tongue in cheek apology.this is just a woman who is up her own backside and is used to having her own way.

Cest la vie you say betty?
Well cest la (yinka’s)vie..get it?
Try walking in the shoes of someone with HIV for a day then you will know that cest ne pas effing vie.
Its hard enough they live in an environment that is harsh at best and unwelcoming at most.YET they still strive to find a place for themselves and LIVE.without having petty nonsense thrown in their faces everyday.

Maybe im like this because I had an aunt who died from HIV.(and NO the virus itself didn’t kill her)it was the ostracisation(abegii I no fit spell).
All that “ahh,did you hear,hajia so and so has AIDS o”
“when you go to her house,don’t EVEN SIT ON THE FRIGGING CHAIR UNLESS THE THING WILL ENTER YOUR YANSH”
“don’t touch her” etc etc.

And on and on it went.someone spread the “gist” to a top salon that she goes in lagos AND SHE WAS BARRED.
And on and on it went.

And it was due to ignorance like such exhibited by madam betty.
Theres nobody saying share a frigging razor with ANYONE HIV+ OR NOT.i don’t even share razors with my own mother.BUT theres a way to go about it.and the least is NOT SHARING YOUR NONSENSE VIEWS TO YOUR SO AND SO NUMBER OF READERS.there are some things best kept to oneself.
I cannot imagine if betty had to eat in yinkas house…oohh am I getting carried away now?or does a little bird tell me she might be “FULL” all of a sudden.

I have seen first hand the PSYCHOLOGICAL damage that people around the carriers cause.even more than the virus itself.
Ive known a NURSE,A NURSE.who quit working in the hospital my aunt was because she learnt she was HIV+.going into various charity work also for this virus,it is sad what the people go through on a daily basis.

Yinka might be HIV+,hell fuck I don’t even care how she got it,all I know is that she is a frigging strong woman.all I know is that in my eyes and in the eyes of every SANE person.she is not one of those AIDS PEOPLE.she is not JUST “THE WOMAN”.
She has an identity,a NAME.she has a voice,a message.
To me she is a HEROINE.
To come forth and grace the cover of a magazine,with her child,in the face of the type of society we live in.
She could be cowering in some seedy run down place and waiting for life to end,she might have given up years back like thousands before her.or worse still.she might have opted to PUNISH the world and spread it all around.(afterall,she never asked to get it through a rassclaat dentist)
But she chose to RISE UP,AND SPEAK.BREAK BARRIERS AND SHATTER THAT GLASS CEILING THAT IGNORANCE BUILDS.(aunty betty,you listening?)

Yinka I salute you.
You babes are a true soldier!!

Anonymous said...

WOW.excessive diva.i never knew you had it in you to be so serious,about the best comment i have read and also fineboys comment was deep too.

i read the mag itself and i was shocked that someone like betty could have such views(natural or not).

well her apology seems a bit untrue to me.more like let the people leave me alone type of apology.

my opinion on this issue is too colorful to spread across bellas page.
but i am highly disapointed.

Anonymous said...

ewoooo diva don come again o,whish one be rasclat dentist.
girl you too funny.but ah dey feel u so,na true aunty betty fuk up for dis one oh.whish one nah?

but ah like as say de yinka girl forgive am,im show am say im dey pass aunty betty.

so abeg efrybody make we forgive aunty betty too.person dey suppose fuck up once in a while.
e just be say she do im own for public and for very foolish way.

ngbo aunty betty na de dizzy for over dieting and carrying disigna bag dey worry you so?

carry go jo.

bella na you biko.

Demi said...

I didn't think i'd ever return to comment on here but Excessive Diva's comment brought me right out of the wood work and I had to publicly applaud her!

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Anonymous said...

This was beyond an honest mistake or mere panic. This was grossly insensitive, intellectually dubious, and condescendingly pathetic. The fact that this happened, is bad enough. But add to this fact, that in the time it took Betty to go home, reflect on the article, send it off to be added to the mag, then it probably had to be typeset for the mag, and then edited, before finally sending it off to print, she had more than enough time to reflect on what she wrote and how it came across and that what is worse that she still did not 'get it' until folks began to complain, shows someone as insensitive and shallow as they come. My respects to Yinka for forgiving, and my disrespects to Betty for not understanding the true value of a genuine apology. Her comments in the apology further rubbed me the wrong way too.

Anonymous said...

E don do o!!!
Aseju o da- she has apologised and i'm sure she doesnt 'HATE AIDS PEOPLE'
Can we move on to costructive criticism now? such as how are we going to start producing ARV in naija and distribute it fairly to those living with aids,abbl?
The fact that Betty Irabor messed up is part of what is firing up all the 'i know ppl with aids' stories- so i guess something +ve did come out of her -ve comments which we now only know because she published it-bet you dont wwant to knwo what a lot of ur white bosses and coworkers are thinking!
So,get over it and wait until the next genevieve mag for a retraction!!!ce la vie
as for people saying she be madam, you best believe she is and i would love to know how you talk to your hairdressers at Ivory health or Bobby's -you speak 'fone',you pay the bill-its ok-next comments pls-tell us what you have done about the AIDS matter-btw i dont send betty irabor and i wasnt 'disppointed' or 'heartbroken' that 'someone of her standing' would write that...

Anonymous said...

Betty's article was mindless and insensitive...not wicked. But she showed her hand this time.

The article was bad on many different levels. Besides, our reigning queen of Nigerian Female lifestyle Magazines seems to be nothing more than the greatest social climber since cindarella

There are very few truly evil people in this world...it takes real genius to be that a quality Betty clearly does not possess.

She just mindlessly tried to write a light hearted, but piercing article that went awry...goes to show that not all of us should be writers...lest we expose our ignorance and snobbish ways.

Mr.Fineboy said...

Preach, Excessive Diva. Preach!

Anonymous said...

@DAMILOLA,deluded cunts like you make me sick.
what are you?on bettys pay roll?
why the need to be so aggressive?
if you have something to say,say it in a way that doesnt require you taking a cheap dig at those who have commented before you.
remember the same way you believe you have your own say and views is the same way everybody else can comment.
if you feel non-challant about it,fine,but dont agress those that feel passionate about the issue.
and the cheapest statement you made being "i dont send betty".
that points to am assumption that you just might know her.its a common blanket people use,when they are trying to fight a corner of people they know,but are trying to distance themselves from.
keep your views,but let others have theirs.
have a good day.

Anonymous said...

EXCESSIVE DIVA:i bow for your comment,about the best on here so far..it captures everything without leaving room for unecessary molly-codling of betty.i never knew u had it in you to be so deep.(no offense intended o)

@DAMILOLA.i guess the anonymous has given you a well deserved answer.
if i didnt know any better i would assume you were attempting to take a dig at excesive diva and soul sister and fineboy.but each to their own.you are entitled to your views,albeit irritating.

@MR.FINEBOY,u also impressed me,your comment was super.

@SOULSISTER;u go girl.

and to people saying betty just reacted normally.
indeed.

Anonymous said...

So because betty made one 'mistake' thats why everyone wants to chop-off her head. As she quoted 'to err is human and to forgive is divine"

I dont think anyone is perfect, but i and a few people i've shown the article got the point she was driving at because we looked beyond the fault. Thats what people should be doing and if you must criticize, make it constructive not destructive.


Mark

also, i would like o use this opportunity to invite you all to our open discussion forum:

www.oneafrika.net

Anonymous said...

@MARK5.story story.
just say u dey look style advertise your website.
ogbanje like you.

Cheetarah said...

What bothers me is that Betty Irabor is apologizing becoz she offended her readers but not because what she said was wrong, ignorant, dismissive and hurtful! It one thing to think that way, its another to write about it for millions to read. She needs to print a retraction in a national daily and not wait till thr next issue. Tru dat she said sorry, but does she mean it? Hopefully its becoz she sorry and not becoz she doesnt want to loose magazine subscription.
Betty know the power of the media more than anyone else and she must be mindful that her so called playful words should be carefully worded.

I might be wrong but this is my take.

rjeme said...

I read the Morning Dew article and quite frankly, I’m not sure I get what all the fuss is about. The only wrong to me as the fact that Betty put Yinka on the cover of her magazine without fully understanding herself what she was doing.

I think Betty acted just in the way any other person who hasn’t had much relation with HIV+ people would. I mean, no matter how much we know, we would still be cautious in our initial contact with a HIV+ person and it would take a while before we become comfortable enough to touch, shake or hug and even then, something in our heads would still go “what if”.

Betty has been used as the proverbial scapegoat because she has been the one to air her thoughts honestly (and maybe a bit too carelessly, I must admit).

We need to look inwards and decide whether our reaction woulda been all that different if we were her shoes because it’s really easy to judge when we are on the outside looking in.

Contrary to some of the other comments, I think her apology is sincere. Betty has done a lot of work with her magazine and we should let it be. What’s done is done and to err is human.

Good luck to Yinka in her fight, she is a true example and an inspiration to all who need some, that life can begin again!

Anonymous said...

butterfliesandstars, I think you've missed the point. Most people would have behaved that way, no doubt. But Betty writing an article and speaking about it that way was very thoughtless, as if Yinka Ekpe was a leper. It is her attitude and tone in the article that was wrong. Imagine how you would feel if you were the HIV person that was being spoken about like that. She gave no thought to Yinka Ekpe in what was a very selfish and shallow article.

Wordsbody said...

That Betty Irabor composed that editor's letter, and failed to twig how wrong it was until her readers showed better sense, says a lot.

She effectively ostracised and stigmatised the lady on her magazine's cover all over again - undid all the good work the cover was supposed to do. Plus it showed that she never really considered the young lady and herself to be the same kind of human. How superficial. What an airy-fairy life she must live.

To write about a woman gracing your cover in those terms, was highly ingracious of Betty Irabor.

And what did she mean by THOSE AIDS PEOPLE?!

I'm saddened.

You know what they say about first impressions. Iraboh's apology was too little too late.

Idemili said...

I was going to rake at Betty Irabor but I changed my mind. That being said, did she really mean the apology or was she afraid of losing her readers?


Referring to sufferers as 'Those AIDS people' is not only insensitive, it is judgemental and while I do understand the human feelings and instinct for survival behind her panic and subsequent statements, when you are pointing with one finger, four others are pointing back at you. You never know who has the virus.

It could be anyone.

Anonymous said...

@ANONYMOUS
sorry to disappoint you ..but i really havent met betty irabor before and No, i'm not on her payroll...guess your assumption is wrong.
so you are a 'deluded cunt' interesting cos i'm not sure i was bring aggressive when i made my comment...you too keep your views and say what you gotta say without calling yourself a 'deluded cunt'- btw where is the comment moderation on here????
i dont have to agree with you and vic-versa...read my comment again, i dont see anything constructive or informative in your comment
@obaro...yeah,what a fantastic 'deserved answer'-deserved because?
Anyway,not fazed

BiMbyLaDs** said...

after all said and done,...I pray God heals Yinka and her husband for the world to see Gods glory...

great job bella, cos i got this thing in my mailbox and had no idea what it was about... knew u would enlighten me!

Anonymous said...

Betty should have written what she thought, then at the end of that sentence she could have shown us how our instinctive reaction is not the best reaction. Something to the tune of "Dear readers, as that thought raced through my mind, I was chagrined to acknowledge that even I myself have a lot of education to go through per AIDS issue in Nigeria. Here I was interviewing a lady with AIDS and I was already freaking out about a razor. If I who have met her and wanted to profile her could think this way how would we expect others to think"... something to that effect. Well, too late now.

Anonymous said...

i second Cheeterah's last comment. Clearly, this lady isnt sorry for what she said, but is rather concerned about the possibility of loosing her audience. She repeatedly apologized to her readers while only mentioned apologising to Yinka once. It really doesn't seem like she's sorry to be frank...it seems more like she made the apology because she was forced to.

I'm really disappointed in her and i have totally lost ALL respect for her. I was shocked that it was her saying such rubbish in such a childish manner !

I however condone Yetty for her bravery in such a country as ours where many as still as ignorant as Betty....She is a true hero...a real fighter.

nma

Anonymous said...

ROTFLMAO @ .....anonymous 6:42pm

OMG....d "ogbanje" bit just came outta nowhere!...lolololololol...or as fineboi has invented....LAWL LAWL LAWL !

Excessive Diva...Rawk on babe!...u said it all!

Mimi said...

When confronted with HIV everyone gets scared, even if you dont get scared, at least your heart skips a beat even if it is just one second, then if i am wrong, then maybe I need to meet you. so it is understandable that Betty felt these fears she did INSIDE HER HEAD.

HOWEVER, sitting down and putting pen to paper, writing a page's worth of words, the article going through series of editing (I seriously hope it was Betty who edited it herself because I will be highly dissapointed if anybody else read this and did not point out how ludicrous the article was). I mean if it was a comment said, then we would say she did not think before she said it,

but it was a written article that was probably read over and over, to make sure it was as perfect as the magazine would be preferred to be, which means, there was plenty of time to see that the article was very insensitive and dehumanizing.

the apology did not sound like an apology, it just sounded like 'Washington's check in to Rehab for his Gay Slurs --- I believe he did it to appease the nation'

anyway bottom line, the milk has been spilt, there is no point crying over it. let's just hope this disastrous error will not be repeating itself.

Anonymous said...

The Betty comments come as no surprise to me. In fact, I am rather puzzled and astonished by the response on this blog. I believe that it is no news to us that people in unfortunate conditions and predicaments are often the subject of public ridicule, prejudice and discrimination. This incidence only goes to show that a lot of work needs to be done in educating the public about such health issues. Unluckily, Betty just happens to be the scape goat that exposes this faux pas in our community. It is very disappointing to realize that such an unnecessary behavior would come from a lady that has attained such a high level of education and acclaim; However, it is even more intriguing that she published such a ridiculous article after realizing that an uninfected blade was used on her. This is not to say that we do not err or that we should careless about our health and safety. Of course it is human to make mistakes and to forgive is divine, which only makes me wonder, what would she have done had her reputation not been on the verge of disaster?

Anonymous said...

Hmm...Betty's initial reaction is excusable but she must have failed to reassess the script cos while I read it,I had my mouth wide open in shock.

The harm was clearly unintentional.The fact that she featured Yinka in the same edition should give you that clue...drrh.

I adore both women and I am somewhat happy it happened to a celeb, a mentor-material. If it were that the makeup-artist's assistant got cut with the blade and was aware of Yinka's status, the story won't ever surface and expose what is clearly a uniform societial perception of HIV/AIDS survivors(what I view them as).

Now guess how has been circumstantially elected to preach avoidance of the stigma numerous uncelebrated NGOs and individuals have spent a fortune and loads of time trying to get out (in most cases unsuccessfully)?
....The lovely Betty Irabor.

I'm glad ignorance has surpassed being a poor man's disease. The rich and highly-knowledgeable suffer from it too...theirs is just coated with glamour.

Kudos to both women. Even through that post they have displayed their strength and humility in different ways.

Bella I bet you missed those spunky 'areaish' remarks comment moderation (aka your .....attempt at sanity)denied you.

Ms. Catwalq said...

Betty Irabor Issue:
Her reaction mirrors the fear of millions. The sad part was that it came from someone whose actions many seek to emulate. Like many, I read the article from Niajablog's posting and hoped to see at the end of it some declaration of how unreasonable and insensitive her fears were but that was not written in.
I wrote in to the magazine and recieved an apology much like the one in your post.
This incident is a clear indication of the lack of understanding people have of the responsibility that comes with positions of import. She is the editor of one of the fastest growing magazines in the country; a publication that many will agree has helped to elevate the standard of publishing. Many read it and are inspired. If someone like her behaves like that, I am sad to say that she is mirroring the sentiment of many others in positions of power. Is it any wonder that we make very few and far between advancements as a nation when ignorance permeates every level of society.
My mother always said that an education did not necessarily mean you were educated, it just meant that in whatever language you were taught, you can read and write.

O.Å¡eyĂ¯ said...

I think her reaction was uncalled for but i also think her apology goes a long way simply because she accepts she was wrong and has obviously tried to take it back. I think in the end thats what matters. I hope this stigma against HIV goes away because thats the only way we can combat it. First we accept it, then we address the issue.

Thanks for bringing up an important issue Bella. New to blogville as a blogger but read your blog ever so often.

Anonymous said...

betty irabors apology sucks!...i hope she issues an open printed apology in her mag to yinka.i used to have alot of respect for her but sometime about that wirteup just crashed all my respect for her,i dont think she meant that apology,she just did cos she had.imagine saying that''in 4yrs of writing morning dew if she erred just once then its allowed ''i bet she stayed way out of yinkas way during the interview and she disposed of everything yinka used or stepped on during her stay.hisssss
@thisday festival,abeg they should let us hear word,there r so mayn hungry folks in that country,who would spend so much money going to watch shakira or john when their cds can be bought and that moeny given to a hungry family?

@ini edo lol,what a smart move that is coming seconds too late.pity,i hope the ban doesnt render her redundant in nollywood,its a growing industry and more prettier talents are emerging everyday dammit!

Anonymous said...

Why not let it go people?Everyone makes mistakes and slip-ups sometime, and I guess this is one of them.
This only goes to show us that sometimes, we're not as open-minded as we think.Her realising it and making an apology means we should be big enough to accept it.Don't u think?

Anonymous said...

bella
like you did'nt knw that the average nigerian only plays @ been open minded.....

the above average ones (like you knw who) are even worse, only bc you expect so much better frm them...
mrs bush

Anonymous said...

I agree 100% with you, Thoughts

BlogVille Idol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BlogVille Idol said...

okay i have read the article

Wordsbody said...

***If anyone out there has a copy of the March '07 edition of GENEVIEVE (the Yinka Jegede-Ekpe cover), can you please send me scanned pages of the actual interview?

Please send the scans to me at: laralara8@hotmail.com.

Thanks in advance.

MW

Aramide said...

Kai my aunty betty mezz up small sha (which is why I refused to comment all along)...however, she did apologise (whether or not it was a deep thought about apology), we all make mistakes, even ppl we look up to/idols....and some of us are lucky enough to learn from them....frankly the article is hurtful, downright effed, etc. but it has happened it has happened, she has said sorry and life will go on, well done to the strong Yinka lady, she is probably more of an icon now

Aijay said...

Wow, Yinka is such an inspiration. Betty's note was rather condescending. My goodness! I can't get over it. Hope her apology has been published.

Waffarian said...

Wordsbody, ask jeremy from "naijablog", I think he has it!

Anonymous said...

check it here
http://genevievemag.com/morning.htm#apology

My attention has been drawn to the outrage my last MorningDew has evoked in my readers, and to say the least, I’m mortified. But like the title says, C’est la vie. That’s life. Let’s just say that it took our readers’ ire for me to see the specs in my eyes this time. I accept and I apologize. Let’s just say that my view has been misconstrued to mean that I’m being judgmental, but who am I to judge? I never meant it that way, and like I said, I am simply mortified.

What I wrote in that piece was just a reflection, or should I say, an expression of how any average human being can feel given that circumstance. I was only trying to show how panicky and ignorant the best of us can be about HIV/AIDS. Perhaps it’s just the human side of me taking over. For over four years, Morning dew has inspired; it has taught and shaped people, and those are the things that I love to do and they have kept me going!

Morning dew is where I keep it real and that’s what I’d hoped to do with Cest La Vie but it went very awry and I stepped on our readers’ sensitivity in a big way. If what I wrote to playfully caution people has come across so wrongly, I can only apologize. I have also apologized to Yinka Ekpe herself and her husband, and they’ve taken it in good spirit and forgiven me. Maybe this is the time for me to crave your indulgence – all you readers out there. To err is human, and if after over four years of Morning Dew, you’re finding me guilty just this once, then I deserve the privilege of a pardon. PLEASE, it’s not in my character to hurt people.

- Betty Irabor

diary of a G said...

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I'll holla
thank u

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Chude! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

hey bella i did a piece on kaffy u may want to read it on my page...

btw:i mailed betty irabor concerning the issue and she replied me..guys she is sorry!...i think in that article she was trying to be realistic!as in this is the way i reacted to an hiv positive woman...which is how most of us will react...she was just beign real with herself and d public-tho her approcah and tone in d article was a bit wrong...but Betty irabor rocks jare

Anonymous said...

A lot has been said. I do believe Betty's apologies are sincere. I also believe what was negative has become positive because we are addressing it and hopefully have the incentive to begin taking concrete steps to deal with the AIDS epidemic, especially among our girls and women. Betty, I'd suggest you consider an extensive feature addressing the AIDS epidemic and ways Nigerian citizens within &/outside Nigeria can make a difference. We all make mistakes, sometimes as a result of ignorance. She's made hers and was woman enough to acknowledge and apologize. I respect that.

Anonymous said...

Betty Irabor made a terrible mistake. Let's be honest she really doesn't see anything wrong with what she said, but she realises that everybody's upset so she's "mortified" which is fair enough. I was going to say we should all forgive her and move on, but I just saw that she wrote "I deserve the privilege of a pardon" or something to that effect. You DESERVE it? LOL! If you deserve to be forgiven, then why be sorry? How can you apologise for something and DESERVE a pardon??? I'm speechless. Leave Betty Irabor alone. The woman does not get it.

Anonymous said...

I usually don't get involved with a lot of issues but I had to speak up about this one. Betty's so called apology did not seem like one to me. There was a touch of arrogance to it. Below, you will find the e-mail that was sent to her.


I am a female 25 year old female living in the United States and I am extremely appalled by the article you wrote about the HIV positive mother and eyebrow shaping episode. How ignorant, close-minded, and heartless can you be? I am not a fan of your magazine but this article was posted on the Bellanaija website and I cringed at the thought of an older woman with such a great avenue to educate the nigerian community and an education be portrayed as a market woman off the streets. If you have nothing to write about, I'll be more than happy to think up topics for you. Might I say, pick up a book and educate yourself.

Anonymous said...

loads of word "razors" tossed at Betty, but salient take-away from the write up is that quite a lot of us need ,ore edcation on the subject. when she says she was rushing out of the photo shoot scene with the intention of getting a HIV status check, i did a take back cos we have been told that can't detect the virus for at least a couple of months after initial transmission.. ..i'll need to research on this further but then feel free to jumpstart the research...

AbujaBabe said...

Betty Irabor is entitled to her own opinion as we all are....
But I am totally DISGUSTED!! by Betty Irabor..

As a woman who has a powerfull medium to educate, she has abused her voice by spouting out such ignorant garbage!!

I am equally apalled by her apology.. a load of self rightious crap.. why do i sense arrogance in that letter!

Nooo Betty Irabor you no do well at all!!!..

Ciao.xx

shandy said...

FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK

Re the HIV article: I have to firstly say that i did not find any problem with Betty, rather i had a problem with the fact that she wrote an article about the experience - everybody does think same way she does, though such thoughts are better off as *thoughts*

Secondly, who still uses razor blades for thier eyebrows, that's just a total waste of time and resources as it grows back the next day. They should try tweezing, waxing or threading..lol

QUESTION:
Why was the beautiful Nigerian actress Ini Edo banned??? (must be slacking on my gossip cred.)

Anonymous said...

Hey peeps

I have an idea to crank the debate up a gear and wake Ms Irabor up from her arrogant complacency: why not campaign to boycott Genevieve until the magazine prints a full-length feature dispelling all hte myths around HIV-AIDS, as well as a full-length apology (not that uppity excuse for one she pasted in the comments above)..

Copido said...

Personally, I reckon many of us woulda panicked if we were in her shoes. Did anyone notice that Betty did mention she was careless despite all the education she got from Mrs Ekpe!!!
U all might crucify her but the truth is: even the best of us slip/say the wrong things and make mistakes. Y not concentrate on the moral of that piece and be careful....and pls let go, she's apologised, what more can she do?

Btw, I hope that edition is still selling, that Yinka Ekpe is beautiful.

Pls where can I get tickets to THIS DAY’s gig?

Anonymous said...

The question of who still uses razors for eyebrows. I asked myself that when I visited Naija last year. Was suprised they used razors in prepping models for high end fashion show. The makeup artists explained they used it because it's better than waxing. Hmmm . . . I think I'll stick with waxing or threading.

Anonymous said...

@shandy: Hilarious blade talk. I still prefer blading to threading. Dudette that thing hurts me like crap.lol.

@Mr/Mrs T: I don't think boycotting Genevieve provides any solution. This isn't about putting more sand in Betty 'glamour garium' but about using her flaw to unveil societal prejudice.

Anonymous said...

madame Betty Irabor just made matters worse. what did she mean by she call what was published in yesterdays Guardian newspapers? attributting the article in morning dew to an editorial mix up is appalling and a big lie. hasn't anyone told her yet? what she has done is totally and unbelievably wrong, she should just say she is sorry and done that sincerely by coming down from her high mountain of airs. haba this wrong has to be made right.
what was published in the Guardian of yesterday page 2 is not acceptable!!!

Anonymous said...

can someone scan and post the Guardian article?

oasis said...

Yes,she just made matters worse cos now am never going to believe she takes on the people she interviews with an unbiased mind. Y compound matters by lieing after apologising for what we all no was a humane reaction to an issue we naijas still cringe to talk or think about.
That is insulting our intelligence and further insulting the trust we put in her.On the lighter side by lieing she as just shown that she is really humane!What an example

oasis said...

Yes,she just made matters worse cos now am never going to believe she takes on the people she interviews with an unbiased mind. Y compound matters by lieing after apologising for what we all no was a humane reaction to an issue we naijas still cringe to talk or think about.
That is insulting our intelligence and further insulting the trust we put in her.On the lighter side by lieing she as just shown that she is really humane!What an example

Anonymous said...

I have only just read the infamous morning dew issue and i am appalled.
it is a shame that someone who purports to be openminded and accepting of all should behave so shabbilly. And actually permit it to be printed.
I have always believed that if u cannot deal with something dont even go into it, imagine the insult on Yinka??? So because she decided to help others by speaking about HIV so some silly lagos 'big gal'(as i hear they call themselves in nigeria now) should help her spread it to all and sundry with her mouth?
I mean does betty irawateva think u become a publisher by writing whateva crap u please?
So much for all the campaigns she pretends to be so taken up by...its all just for the fun of it.
No be naija again, people just do things for the money.
The good thing about it is that a leopard cannot hide its spots, lol. I am glad she shamelessly exposed herself..AN APOLOGY DOES NOTHING, she has clearly demonstrated her true xter.Only God knows what else she must have done to that lady but did not mention...lol, probably glad she didnt now, eh!
betty better go do the test tho, cos the fact that the poor lady was not primped with that razor does not mean another HIV person wasnt..yeah?
'Aids People', really!..she should be thoroughly ashamed of herself.