Video - Controversy - Beyonce darkens her face in photoshoot to pay homage to Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti

They say it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white – but Beyonce has caused quite a stir by wearing blackface make-up in a recent photo shoot.

The singer darkened down her complexion to pay homage to Nigerian musician and humanitarian Fela Kuti – who has reportedly heavily influenced her fourth album – in French fashion magazine L’Officiel Paris.

Focused on the theme of “African rituals”, the photos show Beyonce donned in tribal-style clothing and accessories for the 90th anniversary of the glossy.

In the photos her face is distinctly black in contrast with the rest of her body, which has been left in her natural caramel skin tones.

The Crazy in Love star was reportedly inspired by Broadway musical "Fela", based on the icon's life and brave defiance against government corruption and of which her husband, Jay-Z, is a producer.

But the “African Queen” themed photos have come under fire in the blogging world, including from feminist blogger Jezebel.

“When you paint your face darker in order to look more "African," aren't you reducing an entire continent, full of different nations, tribes, cultures and histories, into one brown color?” wrote Jezebel.

“What makes someone black — or African, for that matter — is not her skin tone. The African diaspora reaches from Brazil to Haiti to the United Kingdom and Pakistan. It's one thing to feel moved by Fela Kuti, and quite another to treat blackness as a fashion accessory, like a pair of glittery heels you put on because it looks cool.”

Atlanta Post writer Charing Ball has also slammed the photos, saying: “While my adoration for Beyonce’s talent and work ethic are unparalleled, I’m not quite sure as to why she would agree to do a photo shoot that associates her with one of the most deeply rooted racist images in American history.”

L’Officiel Paris has defended the shoot, saying the Beyonce star was “paying homage to African queens” by replicating several African rituals in which paint is used on the face.

The use of blackface make-up on white models has become something of a trend in the fashion world.

French Vogue caused a racism uproar in 2009 when they ran a 14-page editorial featuring Dutch model Lara Stone in black make-up in their October issue. The issue was dedicated to “Supermodels” but did not feature any models with naturally black skin.

Rumours that Beyonce had actually contrastingly lightened her skin circulated earlier this month when she appeared with bleached blonde hair and what seemed to be a paler complexion.

In 2008 L’Oreal was also accused of digitally lightening her skin tone for one its commercials.

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Embattled President Muammar Gaddafi Threatens to Blow Up Oil Pipelines

Embattled Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi has threatened to blow up oil pipelines. If the threat is carried out it could trigger off global economic crisis of dire dimensions. The threat is part of a desperate bid to rein in the mounting opposition in his country.

Agency reports yesterday put the death toll in the country at 1000 in the latest round of bloodshed as the defiant leader clings to power.

Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini said the death toll of 1000 in the unrest was "credible," a higher toll than previously estimated based on reports from rights groups.

President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to the situation by directing that Nigerians residing in the troubled countries of the Middle East be evacuated immediately.

Also, the federal government has condemned what it described as " disproportionate use of force to disperse protesters in Libya and elsewhere in the Middle East."

Speaking after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday presided over by vice-president Namadi Sambo, the minister of information and communications, Mr. Labaran Maku and his foreign affairs counterpart, Odein Ajumogobia told State House correspondents that, "Government deplores the violence; it also condemns the disproportional use of force to disperse protesters. The crisis can and should be resolved through dialogue in those countries".

As a mark of solidarity with the Lybian people, international community might have started mobilising against Gaddafi and his family.

According to a report, a plane conveying Gaddafi's daughter, Aisha, to Malta was turned back. Also another plane carrying his son's daughter was refused landing rights in Beirut, the Lebanese capital.

Meanwhile, there were strong indications that President Barack Obama of the United States of America is under pressure to make a statement on the Libyan crisis.

News of the growing unrest came as a former Libyan justice minister claimed Gaddafi personally ordered the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988

Mustapha Abdeljalil told Swedish newspaper the Expressen that he had evidence that the Libyan leader was behind the deadly attack.

The Italian government in its assessment of the situation said Gaddafi had lost control of the eastern half of Libya amid growing deadly unrest.

Mr. Frattini said Gaddafi's regime had perpetrated a "horrible bloodbath" and was no longer in control of the eastern province of Cyrenaica, one of the three regions which make up Libya and includes the country's second city Benghazi, where the rebellion against his iron hand rule began.

The BBC reported that Ghadafi's control was limited to parts of capital Tripoli and the southern city Sabha.

Sky News broadcast the first live images to emerge from Libya, which showed an opposition rally in the city of Tobruk, the eastern-most major city.

Mr Frattini also warned that the collapse of Gaddafi's regime would spark a mass influx of Libyans towards Italy, the former colonial power in the north African oil producer.

Italy is already struggling to deal with a wave of post-revolution refugees from Tunisia.

"There would be an exodus of biblical proportions, a problem that Italy cannot, must not underestimate," Minister Frattini said.

China, India, South Korea, France and the United States, among other countries, have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from the turbulent nation, as the international community condemned the crackdown a day after Gadhafi vowed to defend his rule and called on supporters to crack down on anti-government protesters.

Gadhafi's retaliation has already been the harshest in the wave of anti-government protests sweeping the Middle East.

The Libyan ambassadors in the US, the UN, India and Bangladesh have already quit their posts in protest against the brutal acts of Ghadafi's regime.

Defections of senior officials and diplomats continued, with Libya's ambassador to Indonesia, Salaheddin M. El Bishari, becoming the latest to quit in protest.

"Soldiers are killing unarmed civilians mercilessly using heavy weaponry, fighter jets and mercenaries against its own people. It is not acceptable," El Bishari told The Jakarta Post.

In parliament yesterday, Australian foreign minister, Kevin Rudd labelled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi a "dictator out of control" and called for sanctions against the north African nation. Mr Rudd said Gaddafi had described protesters as "rats" who needed purging from his country.

"These are not the words of a responsible political leader. These are the words of a dictator out of control," Mr Rudd said.

Meanwhile, Libya's interior minister is believed to have been kidnapped in Benghazi after he resigned to join protesters, state media reported.

Libya's interior minister Abdul Fattah Younis announced his defection yesterday, shortly after leader Muammar Gaddafi threatened violence in an address on state TV.

Al Jazeera reported that another senior official, an aide to Gaddafi's eldest son Saif al Islam Gaddafi, had resigned in protest against the violence.

French energy giant Total said yesterday that it was "starting to suspend" part of its oil production in Libya adding to concerns over the impact of Arab unrest on oil price.

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President Goodluck Jonathan Promises to Rid the Country of Tribalism

President Goodluck Jonathan, has promised to build a Nigeria where everywhere will be home for every Nigerian citizen, irrespective of tribe, religion or state of origin if he was voted into power during April elections.

Dr. Jonathan, who made the promise in Owerri while flagging off the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, campaign in Imo State, also warned that there would be unimaginable crisis if youths were not adequately provided for in the next 10 years.

"We stand for the unity of this country. We are going to run a government where we will not discriminate against anybody, irrespective of your tongue, religion, nationality or your place of birth," Jonathan said.

He also expressed hope that his administration would create a Nigeria where every citizen will have equal rights and justice, stressing that the issue of marginalization would be removed in the country.

"We hope to work with you to recreate the consciousness and awareness that any son or daughter of Nigeria, from Owerri to Enugu, Ibadan, Katsina or Maiduguri, will have equal rights in Nigeria. You will get whatever you deserve, whatever you are qualified to get and nobody will discriminate against you. That is our aspiration. That is our commitment," the President said.

He also disclosed that the federal government had a number of infrastructural development projects going on in Imo State, adding that government would continue with it until the entire nation was transformed.

"We have a nation of about 150 million. Seventy percent of this figure are people under the age of 30 and 50 percent of them are very young people, under the age of 19. So, we must prepare for this coming generation of youths, otherwise in the next 10 years, we will have crisis on our hands," Jonathan said.

It was the considered view of the President that "to do this, the nation must industrialize and we must encourage commercial agriculture, and that is why we are emphasizing on power generation."

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Seventeen Killed in Fresh Plateau Violence

Mercenaries, who on Monday threatened to invade Jos, Plateau State capital, struck in the early hours of Tuesday in Bere village of Barkin Ladi Local Government of Plateau North Senatorial District.

Sixteen villagers fell in an attack which eyewitnesses told Daily Independent involved over 200 mercenaries suspected to be hired.

It was wailing and shedding of tears at the Local Government headquarters in Kwol on Tuesday morning, as the council chairman, councillors and supporting staff, were seen rushing survivors to different hospitals in the area for emergency treatment,

The victims sustained gun shot wounds as a result of the attack by the night marauders.

Those who were in critical condition, according to Daily Independent findings, were brought to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for treatment.

Council Chairman, Dr. Fom Dakwak, in a press statement, stated that "Bere in Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government area, a border village with Mangu LGA, was attacked at 1.a.m today (Tuesday).

"Sixteen people were killed and many others were injured. One of the killers, who is a Fulani man, was also gunned down'".

Following the development, crack security teams of soldiers from the Joint Security Task Force (JTF) and Police were deployed to strategic locations within Jos, on the orders of the JTF Chairman, Brigadier General Hassan Umaru, and the Plateau State Commissioner of Police (CP), Abdulraman Akaino.

When Daily Independent went round Jos on Tuesday afternoon, business activities were going on smoothly, although the atmosphere was tense.

Heavily armed Army personnel and anti-riot Mobile policemen were seen manning the city centre and keeping eyes on those plying the streets.

When contacted, Commissioner for Information, Gregory Nyelong, could not be reached. He was said to be in a meeting at Governor Jonah Jang's Du country home in Jos South Local Government Area.

Daily Independent further gathered that the Permanent Secretary (Security) in the state's Cabinet Office, was immediately summoned by Jang to the scene of the incident who furnished him with details of the attack.

It would be recalled that Jang had recently announced that his government had secured Presidency approval to set up a new security outfit, Operation Rainbow, to take care of the reoccurring skirmishes in local communities in the state.

Violence in the state had lingered since 2001 when the first Jos ethno-religious crisis broke out.

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Super Eagles off to America for Green Bowl Football tournament

The senior national team, Super Eagles will on Wednesday fly out to the United States of America to take part in this year's United States' President's Holiday Celebration Soccer Tournament, otherwise known as the Green Bowl Soccer event.

A team of 20 players and eight officials led by the Super Eagles' Head Coach, Samson Siasia will fly from Abuja to Lagos in the afternoon before connecting a Delta Airline flight from Lagos to Dallas, taking off at 10.25pm. The delegation will touch down in Dallas, Texas at 10am on Thursday (4pm Nigeria time).

Tournament organisers say the Super Eagles will trade tackles with Mexico at the Cotton Bowl Soccer Stadium in Dallas at 7pm on Saturday (1am, Sunday in Nigeria), after Costa Rica and Panama would have played the tournament's first match.

The double headers continue on Sunday with the Losers' Final at 4.30pm (Dallas time) and the Final Match at 7pm (1am, Monday in Nigeria).

The Nigeria delegation will stay at the Double Tree Hotel, Dallas.

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