Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Teenager arrested in Ikorodu for allegedly selling bar of soap as mobile phones

The Operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
of Lagos State Police Command, have
apprehended an 18 -year-old boy, Segun
Adeyefa, for allegedly selling bar of soap as
mobile phones to unsuspecting members of
public in traffic.
The suspect was arrested by the RRS men on
routine patrol of Ikorodu Motor Park yesterday
at about 19:50 hrs, while trying to defraud a
young man at the motor park.
Upon his arrival at RRS’s Headquarters, the
suspect confessed that before he was caught
on Tuesday, he had duped one person of
N3,500 who wanted to buy the phone.
He noted that he was lured into the fraud after
he was duped through a similar means about a
year ago.
"My action was prompted when I was swindled
by two guys about a year ago by this way. I had
intention of buying a phone but unknowingly to
me it was a cut-to-size bar of soap just looked
similar to a phone shape... The two guys
approached me on my way to work, then, I was
learning a plumbing work somewhere around
Ikorodu... I bought the phone which was
advertised to me as ‘London used phone’ for
N2, 500... As I left the place, I checked the
phone I bought, to my surprise, I discovered it
was a soap I bought for such amount... That
very moment I promised myself to revenge by
doing same to the people," he revealed.
Explaining how he mastered the tactics to
swindle unsuspecting members of public
through that means, he said "after I discovered
that it was a cut-to-size soap I bought as
phone, I learnt that tactics by understudying the
material.... The item contained cut-to-size soap,
carton and wrapped all together with a cello
tape."
The suspect who lived at 81, Oriwu Road,
Ikorodu, Lagos State, further revealed how he
perpetuated the fraud under the false pretence
of selling a genuine phone.
"What I usually do is called exchange. My
prospective victims will have the mind of buying
handset from me but unknowingly to them I
would have changed the real handset to soap
wrapped with cut to size carton put inside an
envelope... I will engage them in discussion
after showing them real phone initially, and in
the process of bargaining for the price, I will
change it with the aid of white handkerchief to
fake phone... And, I will tell them to keep the
phone inside their pockets immediately that
people are watching us. As soon as the buyer
left the spot, I will immediately change my
location by moving to another place."
The suspect further stated that the demise of
his master who was teaching him plumbing
work, also led to his criminal act.
While confirming the arrest, the Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, warned the general public to be weary of individuals who approach them to buy phones on highways in order not to fall victim of con men.
Items such as fake phones, key soap cut to size, shirts, some amount of money, packet of envelopes and cut to size cartons were recovered from him. The suspect has been transferred to Lagos State Task Force on Environment for prosecution.

Nigeria to experience solar eclipse today, public advised to remain calm

A solar eclipse will occur in Nigeria Today Thursday, September 1, between the hours of
7:15am and 10:03am with slight variations in actual timing across the country, the National
Space Research and Development Agency (NSRDA) said.
A press statement by the Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr Felix Ale,
appealed to the general public not to panic or attach any spiritual interpretations to this event.
He said the eclipse cannot be observed with
naked eyes, as this could cause damage.
In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, there will be a partial eclipse, with an obscurity of 60 per
cent, and the first contact at about 7:17am, with maximum eclipse at 8:32am and end at
10:00am.
Lagos will experience its first contact with the
eclipse at 7:15am, with a maximum eclipse
occurring at 8:32am and ending at about
10:00am. The Agency has arranged a viewing
centre tomorrow to enable members of the
public, pupils and students from various schools
to view the eclipse using specially designed
viewing instruments provided by the space
Agency.
The viewing centre which has been set up by
the Agency will be open to the public on
Thursday 1st September, 2016 from 6:45am for
school pupils and students to observe the
annular eclipse as part of its continuous
programmes to expose Nigerians and students
to matters concerning astronomical
environment.

American actor Tyrese Gibson writes about Mark Zuckerberg 'popping into Africa'

American singer and actor Tyrese Gibson
shared a photo of Facebook founder Mark
Zuckerberg with some Nigerians at Tech hub
Andela in Yaba and wrote:
"Some people think we're human beings
having a spiritual experience it's the
other way around - were spiritual beings
having a human experience - Mark
Zuckerberg randomly popped up in Africa
and he's there jogging hanging out and
connected with our people - he looks so
happy and I'm sure they're doing a lot
for his spirit and life - Sometimes you
just have to run away to far places and
find your balance........... I've seen a few
pics and I just love this so much......
Mark I felt the same the people of Africa
are just amazing people and souls"

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg takes a run with others on Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge

Billionaire facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg
shared this photo of himself & others on Lekki-
Ikoyi link bridge, and wrote: "Quick run this
morning across the Ikoyi Bridge with
entrepreneurs in the Lagos Road Warriors
running club. Best way to see a city!"

"Why We Chose A Quiet Wedding" -Funke And JJC Official Confirm Marriage

Nollywood star, Funke Akindele walked down the
aisle on Tuesday, 23, August, 2016 with her
beau, Abdulrasheed Bello in London, United
Kingdom at a quiet wedding witnessed by
immediate family members, the best man, maid
of honour, and friends with strong ties.
The groom, Abdulrasheed aka Skilz is a multi-
talented musician, music producer and a leading
member of the JJC and 419 Squad based in
London.
Until his decision to marry Funke, he was
blessed with three children who are grown up
and living happily in the United Kingdom.
The couple, in an official press statement signed
by Funke Akindele’s publicist, Biodun Kupoluyi,
revealed that they chose a quiet wedding in
London because neither of them wanted to be on
show or at the center of attention having been
on that lane before.
“The decision to do it quietly was right for us
and we pray for the understanding of our close
friends and fans at this offer of a lifetime
moment. At a good time, we shall look back and
in appreciation of divine grace and your support,
we shall celebrate milestones and where we are
in life"
The couple who are currently on their
honeymoon will soon return to Nigeria.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Court turns down request to release El-Zakzaky

by the leader of the Shi’ites Islamic group in
Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, asking the court to
order the Department of State Services, DSS, to
release him from detention immediately.
The Islamic leader has been in detention since
December last year after some of his members
clashed with the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna
state.
Ruling on his application, Justice Abang said
that Zakzaky ought to have obtained the leave
of court for the matter to be heard during
vacation.
The Judge held that the leader of the Shi’ites
Movement failed to serve the DSS, the
Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and
Minister of Justice, who are respondents in the
matter.
Justice Abang, who is sitting as a vacation
Judge held that El-Zakzay’s application was not
competent and he struck it out. El-Zakzaky has
been charged with criminal conspiracy and
inciting public disturbances.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

The Butchers from the North by Femi Fani-Kayode

The Former Aviation Minister shared this article
on his Facebook wall this afternoon. Read
below
The butchers from the north are better
known as the Fulani militants and
herdsmen. They have unleashed horror
and levied war against the people of
Nigeria over the last one year. The
saints are the Christians that they have
slaughtered all over the country in that
same period of time.I consider every
single saint that they have killed as a
martyr because they died for their faith. I
honor them with this essay and I
dedicate it to their memory.
On 24th August 2016 Mr. Phil Smart wrote the
following on Facebook:
"Catholic seminarian butchered, pregnant
woman's stomach cut open....as Fulani
herdsmen continue killing in Enugu".
The words were accompanied by a picture of a
Catholic priest whose body had been shredded
into pieces like fresh mincemeat or a Japanese
sirloin steak.
There was another of a pregnant woman whose
stomach had been slit open right down the
middle and whose unborn foetus and guts were
hanging out for all to see. Clearly she had been
carefully and clinically gutted.
Many other bodies were strewn all over the
burnt out fields and compounds of the village
and some were so badly mutilated and chopped
up that it would have been difficult to convince
anyone that they once belonged to human
beings. Not even babies were spared.
In truth this was not the work of men but rather
of demon-possesed hybrid entities that the
famous British conspiracy-theorist Mr. David
Icke describes as "shape-shifting reptilians" and
sociopathic beasts.
Worse still this was the second time in a matter
of weeks that the relative tranquility of Enugu
was desecrated by the prescence of these
nomadic beasts and murdering bastards.
On the previous occassion they caused as
much havoc, slaughtered as many people and
engendered as much consternation and outrage
as the succeeding one.
Yet it doesn't stop there. On the very same day
that the latest attack in Enugu was going on
other Nigerians were being attacked and "burnt
alive" by people of the same radical Islamist
bent and spirit in far away Zamfara for
"blaspheming against Islam".
Other similar attacks by the same fanatics and
jihadists took place on that day in southern
Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Delta and
various other parts of the country.
If the truth be told this carnage and butchery
has now become a daily occurence in our
country and it is always the same people,
namely the butchers from the north, that
perpetrate them.
The worst aspect of it all is that no-one has
ever been arrested, prosecuted or brought to
justice by the govermment for these hideous
crimes mainly because President Buhari himself
is a Fulani and consequently the authorities
seem to have cultivated a soft-spot for them.
Indeed Buhari is actually the life Patron and
"protector-in-chief" of the umbrella organisation
of all the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria which is
known as Miyetti Allah.
There is of course another view which is that
the herdsmen are actually a tool of conquest
who are being carefully cultivated, co-ordinated,
controlled, organised, armed and funded by a
sinister and dark hidden hand: that they are
something akin to a Fulani "death squad" or
armed militia.
Those that share that view, and yours truly is
amongst them, often refer to the butchers from
the north as Nigeria's "Janjaweed", after the
ruthless camel-riding Arab Muslim militia which
Sudanese President Al Bashir commissioned,
armed and employed to decimate, slaughter and
commit genocide against over one million
defenceless black African Sudanese Christians
in the vast region of Darfur for many years.
It is also why the U.S.-based Global Terror
Index describes them as the "Fulani Militants"
and has designated them as the "fourth most
deadly terrorist organisation" in the world.
Whatever one chooses to call them, whoever is
behind them and whatever their motives may be
one thing is clear: their actions are outrageous
and barbaric and such behaviour has no place in
a civilised society.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage on the
one hand and utter shame and frustration on
the other about what is going on in our country
today and what these butchers from the north
are doing to our people.
Theirs is a scorthed earth policy and they take
no prisoners. They rape, kill, abduct, kidnap and
terrorise people and they rob, burn down,
destroy and pillage their homes, churches and
farmlands at will.
Worse still they commit these atrocities with
total impunity and without any fear of the law
enforcement agencies or security forces.
And all this is done in the name and under the
guise of herding cows and looking for grazing
land for their cattle.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage
towards President Buhari and his government,
because they seem to believe that the constant
spilling and shedding of innocent Christian blood
is something that brings them good fortune.
It also appears to give them immense pleasure
and joy otherwise they would have put a stop to
it long ago.
I feel shame and frustration because the
Nigerian people themselves seem wholly
incapable of standing up to that which is
nothing less than pure evil.
They seem incapable of protesting against
anything, no matter how bestial and barbaric
that thing may be.
I wonder who has bewitched us? Is this the
work of the "mai chanji" sweeping broom brew?
Have the Nigerian people been charmed? Are
we under a spell? Are we like the biblical
Galatians who the Apostle Paul says were
"bewitched"?
Our people appear to be wholly incapable of
resisting and facing down those that have
enthroned sadism and wickedness in their
hearts and that take pleasure in indulging in
mass murder, genocide and ethnic cleansing in
our land.
It is not only the government that has failed but
the political leaders from all the opposition
parties, the traditional rulers, the clerics, the
religious leaders, the media practitioners, the
publishers, the columnists, the writers, the
human rights activists, the editorial boards of
newspapers, the bloggers, the intellectuals, the
businessmen, the teachers, the students, the
writers, the elites, the middle class, the
workers, the unions and the ordinary people
themselves have all failed too.
They have all been gripped by the spirit of fear.
They have been bullied, intimidated, brow-
beaten and shocked into pitiful submission and
a sickening and cowardly timidity.
They have all failed to defend and speak up for
the defenceless, the weak and the vulnerable in
our midst.
They have failed to protect and shield the
thousands that are hacked to pieces and burnt
alive on a regular basis by the rabid islamist
beasts and terrorists in our midst for no just
cause other than the fact that they are
perceived as being nothing but Christian, Middle
Belt and southern slaves.
I am going to say some hard things and speak
some home truths in this conbtribution and
frankly I do not care who takes offence, whose
ox is gored or who feels hurt by it.
People are being killed by the demons in flesh,
the tsetse flies and the religious and ethnic
bigots in our land every day. Buhari's Nigeria is
awash with blood and most of it is Christian
blood that is being shed by his misguided and
dark-hearted Fulani kinsmen.
It is time to speak the truth no matter how ugly
that truth may be and no matter how politically
incorrect it may be to speak it.
It is time to stand up to the evil in the land, to
damn the consequeces and to bear the threats
and insults that always come for speaking and
exposing the truth in what has essentially
become a police state.
It is time to coin that famous Ghanaian phrase
that says "all die be die" and to remember
Shakepeare's words when he wrote "even
though the heavens fall, let the truth be told
and let justice be done".
And that truth is that the evil that has seized
our land has two columns, two heads and two
primary sources of motivation. The first is the
forceful and bloody quest for Fulani supremacy,
ethnic hegemony and racial domination.
The second is the morbid obsession by the
radical Muslims of core northern Nigeria to shed
innocent blood, to take life in the name of their
god, to effect Jihad against those that do not
share their world view, to wipe out Christianity,
to enslave our people and to islamise our
country.
The truth is that every single CORE northern
Muslim leader that has ever ruled this country
has either died on the throne or been removed
from power in a military coup. Not one of them
ended well.
Whether the second coming of Buhari will end
any differently remains to be seen. One thing
that is clear to me though is that the whole
thing is spiritual. It is being orchestrated and
effected by the finger of God and not by any
man.
It is God's way of saying that they were never
meant to rule and be there in the first place
and that He has rejected them. It is the work of
the Ancient of Days and the Lord God of Hosts.
They believe that they were "born to rule" but in
actual fact they have been rejected by the
Living God.
Those that employ mass murder, ethnic
cleansing and genocide as a tool of conquest
and a legitimate weapon of war, that consider
their fellow Nigerians to be sub-human and that
believe that those fellow Nigerians are nothing
but chattel and serfs that are destined to be
ruled over by some distant caliph are in grave
error: they have not fully understood God's plan
and purpose for this country.
They cannot comprehend or understand what is
slowly unfolding. They do not appreciate the
fact that no matter how much evil they visit on
the rest of us that God is at work and His
counsel alone will stand over our people and in
the affairs of our nation.
The truth is that the Lord regards them as
nothing more than unbelieving slaves and they
are far below us. They are of the darkness and
we are of the light.
The bible describes it is a "great evil under the
sun" when "the children of slaves ride on
horseback" whilst "the sons of Kings walk
around barefoot".
That is what has been happening in Nigeria
since 1960. The children of the "bonded
woman" have been riding on horseback whilst
the children "of promise" have been walking
around barefoot.
This is indeed "a great evil under the sun". It is
a spiritual affliction. It is witchcraft. It is an
abomination. It is unacceptable.
It is a total reversal of the way things ought to
be. It is a rejection, usurpation and total
corruption of God's original plan. It is ungodly
and it is anti-Christ.
I blame no-one but the leadership of the body
of Christ in Nigeria for this mess.
There are a few good ones amongst them who
stood firm and spoke out when it mattered the
most but sadly there are others who are more
interested in collecting tiny crumbs from the
President's table and buying fine clothes,
expensive jewelry, fast cars and private jets
than they are in standing up for their flock and
effecting God's purpose and plan for Nigeria.
Worst still there is also a small handful, like that
short and vocal Rev. Father from Enugu, who
have chosen to sell their souls to the devil,
collaborate with the enemies of Christ and
serve as the principal cheerleaders to the
tyrant.
If our men and women of God were bold and
courageous and if they were doing their job
properly the radical Muslims could not have
turned Christians in Nigeria into second class
citizens and toilet paper and a sharia-loving,
Muslim-fundamentalist, closet- jihadist and
Fulani supremacist like Buhari would never
have been in power today.
The bottom line is this: if you are not ready to
die for Christ or to lose your life or liberty for
defending and protecting the gospel, God's
children or the faith then you are not worthy of
being called a Christian.
We must help the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) to stand firm and strengthen their
collective resolve but we must not leave it at
that.
We must also organise ourselves as well, not
only in the political arena, but also by setting
up strong Christian militias and defence squads
to protect our churches and our people from
the terrorists and butchers.
We must aspire to emulate the Christian
Phalange militia in Lebanon which was formed
just before the Lebanese civil war broke out in
the '70's and 80's.
They were disciplined, well organised, gallant
and courageous and they defended the lives of
their people and the honor of their faith. The
truth is that had it not been for the Phalange
the Christians of Lebanon would have been
wiped out by the Muslims in that war.
I abhore violence and neither do I advocate its
use. However we must accept the fact that,
whether we like it or not, ultimately this matter
will be settled not just by prayers, politics, long
essays and press statements but also with guns
and bullets.
This is because violence is the only language
that the butchers from the north appreciate and
can comprehend. If the state is either incapable
or refuses to protect the Christian community in
Nigeria we will be left with no choice but to
defend ourselves and protect our own.
Permit me to conclude this contribution with
the following.
I would urge all those that still love and support
this government to take a long hard look at the
pictures that are strewn all over the internet of
their fellow Nigerians that have been mutilated
and carved up like Christmas turkeys and sallah
goats. This is the work of Buhari's kinsmen, the
Fulani militias and herdsmen.
He has refused to arrest any of them let alone
bring them to justice. Instead he has ruined our
economy, impoverished and destroyed the lives
of our people and aborted their God-given
destiny, divided our nation on religious and
ethnic lines, demonised us before the
international community and labelled every
Nigerian, apart from himself, as being
incompetent and corrupt.
This is a man that spends his time pontificating
about corruption with long and boring speeches
and pointing fingers at others. This is a man
that told Mr. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of
Japan at the Tokyo summit in Nairobi just
yesterday, that Nigeria's "business environment
is not friendly to investors" and that
consistently tells other world leaders how
supposedly "corrupt" his own people are.
He has conveniently refused to tell those same
world leaders how his presidential campaign
was funded, how much money those that ran
his campaign paid Mr. David Axelrod, President
Obama's campaign advisor and publicist, and
how many cars and how much "allowance" he
collected from Col. Sambo Dasuki, President
Goodluck Jonathan's National Security Advisor,
before being "elected" President.
The Bible says "let he who is free of sin cast
the first stone". Nigerians may not know the
truth today but God does and He cannot be
mocked. Let Him judge between us.
Yet the truth is that President Buhari's
administration is not only essentially hypocrital
but they also have no shame. All those that
continue to support them and cheer them on
are equally shameless.
Worst still their supporters are cowards because
they cannot find the courage to admit that they
were wrong in supporting a government that is
manifestly divisive, insensitive, incompetent,
corrupt and intolerant of criticism and dissent.
They are the ones that we must hold
responsible and accountable for what has
happened to those unfortunate people in all
those pictures.
They are the ones that we must blame for what
has been happening to thousands of others at
the hands of the Fulani militants and herdsmen
all over the country for the last one year and
three months.
I say this because they are the ones that have
encouraged the beast and cheered him on.
They are the ones that have fed his blood-lust
and encouraged him in his morbid quest to
steal, kill and destroy. They are the ones that
wanted, and still want, "mai chanji".
I say a pox on all their houses! Shame on them
and shame on the beast and tyrant that they
worship.
May the souls of all the saints, believers and
Christian martyrs that were cut short by the
butchers and barbarians from the north rest in
peace and may the Lord God of Hosts avenge
them speedily.
Shalom.

'Rohr doesn't have the pedigree to coach Super Eagles, he'll lead them to failure' - Ex FIFA chief Amos Adamu

Ex FIFA and CAF executive member Amos
Adamu has criticised the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) for appinting Gernot Rohr as
the new handler of the Nigeria’s senior men
national team.
Gernot was appointed the technical adviser of
the Super Eagles and signed a two-year
contract that will reportedly pay him $47,000 a
month to lead Nigeria through the 2018 World
Cup qualifiers .
Adamu, a member of the organizing committee
for the 2010 South Africa World Cup and an
Executive Committee member of CAF and FIFA
before he was banned said Franco-German
coach, Rohr does not have the pedigree to
handle the Super Eagles and will lead the team
to failure.
“He does not have the pedigree, I don’t
know him,” Adamu told Hot FM Abuja.
For now, we do not have a coach. He
will just damage us and then he will
leave.”
Adamu also questioned how the coach was
recruited by the NFF and said he doesn't
expect NFF president Amaju Pinnick to resign
despite the clamour for him to do so .
It is not in our culture to resign even if it
is the right thing to do, He should take
responsibility for his action, but it won’t
happen. Who will enforce? Who is in that
ministry to enforce it? We are also
suffering from a culture of poverty and
so people asking for him to resign will be
bought over and before you know it, they
will be singing a different song.”

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Vardy Helps Champs Leicester Clinch First Win

Jamie Vardy scored his first goal of the season as Leicester energised their Premier League title defence with a 2-1 win against Swansea in a torrential thunderstorm on Saturday.Vardy’s 32nd-minute strike gave Claudio Ranieri’s side a deserved half-time lead and captain Wes Morgan added the Foxes’ second goal on 52 minutes at the King Power Stadium Leroy Fer scored for Swansea with nine minutes remaining but Leicester stood firm for their first win of the season despite Foxes winger Riyad Mahrez having a penalty saved at 2-0.It was the Algerian’s third failure in his lastfour Premier League penalties but it did not cost his side.After defeat at Hull on the opening day of the season and a draw with Arsenal last week, this was the perfect way for Leicester to head into the international break.Leicester built up a head of steam in the early exchanges and they won a free-kick just outside the Swansea area when Federico Fernandez chopped down JamieVardy on his way to goal.Mahrez struck a shot with his left foot but it crept just past Lukasz Fabianski’s left-hand post.The momentum was maintained when Vardy used pace and strength to get past Kyle Naughton and to the byline, but the striker’s touch let him down and he conceded a goal-kick with two frustrated team-mates waiting for a cross.Gylfi Sigurdsson had a long-range shot saved by Kasper Schmeichel in the Swansea goal before Vardy made up for his earlier frustration with the opening goal.He raced onto a first-time, volleyed pass from Danny Drinkwater and outmuscled Jordi Amat before blasting home a shot off Fabianski’s left-hand post.
Sigurdsson tried his luck again from distance moments later but this time his effort cleared the crossbar.Swansea enjoyed a better spell as half-time approached and a right-wing cross from Modou Barrow, which was flicked towards goal by Wayne Routledge, brought a crucial clearance from Morgan inside his six-yard box.But just before half-time Leicester could have doubled their lead when Shinji Okazaki let fly with a right-footed shot thatbrought a fine save from Fabianski.Leicester should have been more than a single goal clear at half-time but they made their advantage pay just seven minutes into the second half.Morgan and Robert Huth leapt to meet a Marc Albrighton corner and, when the ball dropped for Morgan, the defender lashed home with a powerful volley.Swansea rallied briefly with Sigurdsson sending an effort over the crossbar beforeSchmeichel raced from his goal to deny the advancing Fernando Llorente.But the hosts should have extended their lead moments later when a clumsy challenge by Amat felled Okazaki and handed them a penalty.However, Mahrez’s spot-kick was poor and Fabianski made a smart save low to his right.There was a further blow for the Foxes when it emerged Schmeichel had picked up an injury and the Dane had to be replaced by summer signing Ron-Robert Zieler.The Leicester pressure was maintained, though, and two inviting crosses could have led to goals.The first was flashed across the face of goal by Drinkwater but was missed by his team-mates and the second was bent to the far post by Albrighton but guided wideby Morgan.Swansea gave themselves hope with nine minutes remaining when a cross by Barrow was headed into the bottom corner by Fer but it was not enough to trigger a comeback, with Mahrez curling a shot just wide for Leicester in stoppage-time.With the pitch now close to unplayable due to the heavy rain, Leicester had a finalchance when substitute Ahmed Musa raced clear but fired straight at Fabianks

Tragedy struck Nigerian football!!!


After guiding the U23 team to a bronze medal at the Olympics in Brazil, coach Samson Siasia has called it quit with Nigerian football.
In his words with Vanguard, he said “My next step is that I am done with Nigeria for now.”
“You can’t keep going to a place where they don’t appreciate you. It does not worth it. Sometimes it is not about the money but the approach. They seem not to appreciate the sacrifices. I know how much I have sacrificed since the team began camping two years ago.
“How can you keep going to people who don’t appreciate you? It does not make sense, so I am done for now. I have to go somewhere else where they will appreciate what I have done and what I can do and pay me the respect that I deserve.”
While calling for accountability on the funds allorted for the Olympics team, he said “We are still waiting to see where the money that was meant for us to fly to Brazil has gone to. Nobody has said anything.
“The federal government sent the money to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the NOC said they sent the money to the airline in Florida which up till now they have not received anything, even the airline is planning to sue them for breach of contract because they were supposed to pay some money to them even if they were to cancel the arrangement.
“That is even another issue. We don’t even know how they are going to settle that.”
Siasia who claimed to have always returned for the love of his fans concluded that those at the helm of affairs of Nigerian sports are not reliable to work with.
“I know and that is why I keep coming to do the dirty jobs for them because of my numerous fans out there but I can’t just continue because those fans are not the policy makers. How can you keep toiling for five months without even your salary?
“Nothing has changed in the last two years. It has been from bad to worse, so we must sit down and do something about the structure of Nigerian football and by extension sports in general.

“It doesn’t worth it to work with the people running sports now in Nigeria. From the Federation to the sports ministry. They don’t have it and will not give what they don’t have. It feels bad.”

Tinubu ” Has Never Kept His Words” – Rotimi Akeredolu

Vanguard

ONE of the leading governorship aspirant of the
All Progressive Congress APC in Ondo state,
Chief Rotimi Akeredolu yesterday lashed the
national leader of the party Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
on his endorsement of an aspirant ahead of the
Primaries.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and All Progressive
Congress APC in Ondo state, Chief Rotimi
Akeredolu
He pointedly said that with the action of Tinubu
he has lost his place as a national leader of the
party.
This coming as the National Executive
Committee NEC of the Party for second time
within a week again postponed the governorship
primaries in the state till September 3.
The governorship primaries was initially slated
for today but later shifted to Wednesday August
31 before the latest postponement by the NEC of
the party.
Akeredolu spoke in Akure during a personality
interview tagged ” Heart of the Matter” on Adaba
FM station.
Speaking during the radio programmee
monitored, Akeredolu declared that ”for the
national leader to have endorsed any candidate in
our party he has lost the place of National leader
of the party”
He regretted that Tinubu ” has never kept his
words”
The aspirants also denied that he was imposed
on other aspirants during the 2012 governorship
primaries in the state.
According to him ” I was endorsed by God in
2012 , not by Tinubu. All stakeholders decided I
should be the candidate.
Meanwhile, the party attributed the changes in
the dates to logistic problems but Vanguard
gathered that there are more to it than meet the
eyes.
Vanguard learnt that a high level politicking was
ongoing to douse the tension that had enveloped
the party in the last two weeks over the
endorsement of Dr Olusegun Abraham by the
national leader of the party Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
A source hinted that consultation was ongoing
between Tinubu and many of the aspirants on
the need to support Abraham to fly the flag of
the Party in the November 26 governorship
election.
Over 3000 delegates across the 18 council areas
of the state are expected to elect one of the 25
aspirants contesting for the position.
Confirming the latest change in the date of the
primaries, the party’s Director of Media and
Publicity Steve Otaloro said the new date was at
the instance of the NEC of the state.
Otaloro pointed out that the change ” was still
part of the logistic problem the party is trying to
solve”
He declined further clarifications.
Meanwhile, the governorship aspirants have
expressed mixed feeling over the shift of the
primaries.
Speaking through their media aides , the
aspirants expressed surprise at the decision
which came few days to the election.
While Prof Ajayi Boroffice said the shift came as
a surprise, others such as Olusola Oke and Alhaji
Jamiu Ekungba said since it was the decision of
the NEC, they had no choice.
Boroffice spoke through his media aide kayode
Fakuyi,Okespokethrough Rotimi Ogunleye while
Ekungba spoke through Tunde Olowu.

Polish Olympian sells Rio silver medal to help 3-year-old boy with eye cancer

ESPN
Polish discus thrower Piotr Malachowski sold
the silver medal he won at the Rio de Janeiro
Olympics to help pay for the medication of a 3-
year-old boy suffering from eye cancer.
Malachowski wrote, according to
Facebook's translation: "In Rio I fought
for gold," "Today, I appeal to everyone --
let's fight together about something that
is even more precious. The health of this
fantastic boy."
According to Malachowski, the procedure to
treat the rare form of cancer isn't available in
Poland; it is offered only in New York.

Malachowski said on Facebook that siblings
Dominika and Sebastian Kulczyk,who are
among the richest Poles, "declared the
intention to buy my silver medal," which he put
up for auction to help pay for treatment of the
boy, Olek, who is suffering from retinoblastoma.
Malachowski did not reveal the amount he
raised by selling his medal on Friday, but said
the target, which was almost $130,000, has
been met.
"My silver medal is worth much more
today than it was a week ago,"
Malachowski said

Segun Odegbami Celebrates His 64th Birthday Today

Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, often shortened to
Segun Odegbami (born August 27, 1952, in
Abeokuta) is a retired Nigerian footballer who
played as a forward. He's nicknamed
Mathematical for his precise style of play. He
was famous for running down the touchline with
the ball to prevent opponents from getting it.
Odegbami is regarded as one of the greatest
Nigerian players of all-time.
Career
Odegbami was brought up in the northern city of
Jos, Plateau State. He won 46 caps and scored
23 goals for the National Team, and guided
Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title at
the 1980 tournament in his homeland.
Nicknamed Mathematical, he was famous for his
skill on the ball, speed and precision of his
crosses from the right wing. He played for IICC
Shooting Stars of Ibadan his entire career, from
1970 to 1984. His last game was the 1984
African Champions Cup final defeat to Zamalek
of Egypt. The original source of the nickname
"Mathematical" was because Segun Odegbami
attended and graduated from Nigeria's premier
technical institution; The Polytechnic, Ibadan
where he studied Engineering.
His younger brother, Wole Odegbami, is also a
former national team player. He is currently a
columnist in Nigeria. In 2007 Chief Segun
Odegbami appeared on Nigerian Who Wants To
Be A Millionaire hosted by Frank Edoho. He
played a game for charity with the much loved
Zebrudaya and donated all his winnings to The
Little Saints’ Orphanage on the Strong Tower
Mission.

Man gets 40 years in jail for throwing boiling water on sleeping gay couple

An Atlanta man has been sentenced to 40 years
in prison after he was found guilty on
Wednesday after he threw boiling hot water on
a gay couple, Anthony Gooden and Marquez
Tolbert, as they slept. The man, Martin
Blackwell was convicted of 10 counts – two
counts of aggravated assault and eight counts
of aggravated battery – in the February attack
on the gay couple.
The jury deliberated for about 90 minutes after
the brief trial and returned with the guilty
verdict. Prosecutors have said that on the night
of the attack, Blackwell filled the largest pot in
his home with water and set it to boil before
tossing it on Gooden and Tolbert, who were
sleeping and who had been dating for about a
month.
The couple had been staying with Gooden's
mother, who was dating Blackwell.
"You were soulless, malicious and a
violent person [during the attack],"
Fulton County Superior Court Judge
Henry Newkirk said to Blackwell
Wednesday before sentencing him,
according to the AJC.
Prosecutors argued that Blackwell was
motivated by homophobia.
Tolbert testified at trial that Blackwell grabbed
him after the attack and said, "Get out of my
house with all that gay sh**"
Gooden and Tolbert's injuries were severe.
Gooden was hospitalized for about a month,
including two weeks in a coma, and while his
boyfriend, Tolbert was hospitalized for 10 days.
Both men had several surgeries and both
testified at Blackwell's trial.
Blackwell's defense attorneys did not present
any evidence at trial or call any witnesses but
they argued that the attack was reckless rather
than premeditated.
"It's not about hate. It's about old-school
culture, old-school thinking," attorney
Monique Walker told jurors.
Blackwell's defense argued he was motivated
by a sense of disrespect for the victims'
behavior in the home – a claim the prosecution
dismissed.
After the verdict, Tolbert told reporters he felt
"justice was served," adding "I'm ecstatic,"
Tolbert said Wednesday.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Abia police uncover baby factory, rescue pregnant girls

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
attached to the Abia State Police Command
have uncovered a suspected baby factory at
Ogbor Hill, in the Aba area of the state.
During the operation, the detectives rescued
five pregnant women and arrested a 54-year-old
man, identified as Nkem Nwokocha.
Nwokocha, who hails from Obegu village in the
Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of the
state, allegedly ran the factory with his wife,
identified only as Nurse.
The rescued pregnant women are Chidinma
Chukwu (29), of Isiala Mbano community, Imo
State; Kelechi Sampson (20); Happiness
Godwin, of Mboko Umuanunu village, Obingwa,
Abia State; Okoronkwo Mercy, of Alayi, in the
Bende LGA, Abia State; and Oluebube Onyabu,
of Umuanunu village, in the Obingwa LGA, Abia
State.
While parading the suspect at the police
headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital, the
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr.
Adeleye Oyebade, said the police acted on a
tip-off.

Lagos state gov donates N5m to family of tanker driver who died early this year

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has
approved the donation of N5million to the
family of Late Adamu Slisu Dangwari, a
petroleum tanker driver who lost his life in an
unfortunate incident involving personnel of
Lagos State Traffic Management Authority
(LASTMA) while on duty at 2nd Rainbow Bus
Stop, Mile 2 in Lagos early this year.
Special Adviser to the Governor on
Transportation, Olanrewaju Elegushi, who made
the donation on behalf of the State government
to the Petroleum Drivers’ Association State
Chairman, Tayo Abejoye, said the amount was
to mitigate the effects of the painful loss of
Dangwari on the family and assured that the
case was still being investigated by the law
enforcement agencies.
Prince Elegushi commended leadership of the
Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association and its
parent body, NUPENG for their intervention and
maturity during discussions that led to a
resolution of issues that arose from Dangwari’s
death.
He urged the union to engage their members on
the importance of compliance with traffic laws,
rules and regulations to avoid road hazards.
Abejoye lauded the State Government’s gesture
towards the family of the deceased and gave
assurance that the union and its members
would on their part continue to support the
State in achieving its policies and programmes
as regards the transportation sector.

Buhari Won’t Fight Sanusi For Criticising FG – Presidenc

The Presidency on Thursday said President
Muhammadu Buhari would not fight the Emir of
Kano, Alhaji Mohammadu Sanusi, over his
Wednesday’s criticism of the present
administration.
Sanusi had said the Buhari-led administration
might end up like the immediate past President
Goodluck Jonathan’s administration if it failed to
retrace its steps on some policies.
The traditional ruler, who was the chairman of
the 15th meeting of the Joint Planning Board
and National Council on Development Planning in
Kano State, had argued that the failure of the
Buhari-led government to create employment
opportunities for “the over 80 million youths in
the country,” made terrorism attractive to the
unemployed.
But in an interview with our correspondent on
Thursday, the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,
said criticism such as the one made by the first-
class traditional ruler was healthy for democracy.
Rather than fighting the Emir, Shehu said
Buhari’s government would listen and act on the
criticism.
The presidential spokesman said, “This
government will not fight people for criticising
the present administration led by President
Buhari. This kind of criticism is healthy for our
democracy. One cannot get better without being
criticised. I can assure you that this government
is listening.”
Meanwhile, Buhari on Thursday met behind
closed doors with the Governor of the Central
Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, in what
was believed to be a fallout of Sanusi’s criticism
of Buhari.
A Presidency source told our correspondent that
the CBN would respond appropriately to Sanusi’s
comment.
He said the CBN boss could have used the
opportunity of the meeting with the President to
get approval to reply Sanusi.
The monarch, who titled his speech, “Nigeria in
search of new growth model,” had said some
policies of the government were bad for the
economy, adding that Buhari must retrace his
steps.
He noted that there were times when the Federal
Government tried to get it right, adding that it
failed to follow up, which contributed to the
ongoing economic downturn.
He said, ‘‘I will neither change nor be political by
telling people what they want to hear. The truth
is that there is nothing we are facing today that
we did not know would happen. We made
mistakes, many of them deliberate; we ignored
every single warning.
“If you take a brand-new car and hand it over to
a driver who doesn’t have a licence to drive it
and you are involved in an accident, you can’t
say you are surprised, unless you are some kind
of an idiot.
“We should not just keep blaming the previous
administration; we also made some mistakes in
the current administration.
“They must retrace their steps. They have to
retrace those steps all the way. We should not
fall into the same trap we fell the last time when
the government was always right. The bottom
line is that if your policy is wrong, it means you
must change it and nothing will make it right as
it has to be changed.
“If this government continues to behave the way
the last government behaved, it will end up
where Jonathan ended.”

Hollywood actress Tika Sumpter reacts to Chimamanda Adichie's controversial claims about Michelle Obama's natural hair

American actress and model Tika Sumpter has
reacted to Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie's seemingly controversial comments
where she concluded that president Obama
would not have been elected if the FLOTUS
rocked her natural hair.

Sumpter and co-star Parker Sawyers are set to
bring the Obamas' love story to life on the big
screen, playing young Michelle Obama and
President Barack Obama in the film "Southside
With You"
In an August 9th interview with Britain's
Channel 4 News, Ms Adichie says that Mrs
Obama could not get away with natural hair
because of the negative stereotypes associated
with it, adding that the first lady's natural hair
would prevent Barack Obama from being
elected president in 2008.
"I've often said that if Michelle Obama had
natural hair when Barack Obama was running
for President, he would not have won because
her natural hair would have signified certain
things to people. It would signify that she's
some sort of militant, neo-Black Panther,
frightening" Adichie explains.
In a recent interview on BET, the 36-year-old
The Haves and the Have Nots star who is
expecting her first child, was asked about the
Nigerian writer's comment.
"You can have natural hair and still blow it out
and it'll be straight," she started saying. "I've
had hair where it looked permed but it wasn't.
It was in my natural state but I just blew it out.
I don't know. I mean... What does that mean?"
Parker chipped in, saying just the fact that they
earned their spot in the White House as an
African-American family is proof enough that
nothing else matters.
"I would say that Barack Hussein Obama... Who
thought he could be president?" he said. "Then
who thought a Black family would be in the
White House anyway? No offense to the author,
but I think he still would've been elected."
"I don't know if I can even answer that
question," Tika added. "I think the character of
these two would've shined through regardless.
Natural hair or not. I don't really know. I mean,
I understand what she's saying, but I don't
really know about that. That's a pretty intense
statement because you're basing an outside
characteristic on the character of the human
being."

11-Year-Old Table Tennis Player To Represent Nigeria In Morocco Championship

An 11-year-old Ekiti born table tennis player,
Denis Adeleye, is set to represent Nigeria at the
African Junior Championship that will hold in
Morocco in October 2016.
Adeleye, who is passionately preparing for the
competition, visited the Governor of Ekiti State,
Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday. Denis Adeleye
says he is hopeful of returning victorious.
Governor Fayose promised to support Adeleye
within the limited resources of the State
government.
In a press conference at the Government House
after the meeting with young Adeleye, the young
star said he would do anything possible to make
Nigeria proud.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Bauchi Revokes Certificate Of Occupancy Of DAAR Communications

Bauchi State Government through its Ministry of
Works, Lands and Housing, has revoked a 2013
"Certificate of Occupancy" granted Raymond
Dokpesi's DA'AR Communication Plc.
The letter dated 23rd August, 2016 and entitled
"Withdrawal order in respect of right of
occupancy No. BA/35713 for overriding public
interest" was addressed to the Head of Station,
DA'AR Communication Plc,Tirwun, Maiduguri
Road, Bauchi.

Aliko Dangote Unveils SunTrust Bank, Nigeria’s First Fintech Bank

Aliko Dangote unveils Nigeria’s first Fintech Bank
August 24, 2016
Press Release
It was celebration galore on Monday, August 15,
2016 when the President of the Dangote Group
and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote led other
dignitaries to flag off Nigeria’s first full-fledged
technology bank, SunTrust Bank.
SunTrust Bank is the first regional bank to
receive a new license by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) since 2001 and the first full-
fledged financial technology bank in Nigeria.
The Bank is the first commercial bank that runs
minimal branches and focuses on electronic
channels by offering telephone, mobile and
internet banking services.
According to Mr. Dangote who chaired the
opening ceremony at the bank’s headquarters in
Lagos, Fintech Bank is a welcome development
in this era of cashless economy. He emphasized
that SunTrust Bank will help the country harness
its potential in the digital world.
He explained further that technology-driven
platform would distinguish the bank and make it
the most cost-effective bank in the country with
fewer personnel and attendant lower overhead
cost.
“SunTrust bank has elements that appeal to me
in its Fintech strategy driven by its focus on
technology,” the businessman said.
“SunTrust has recognized that the old model of
business expansion via a network of expensive
branch premises is obsolete. What you need now
is to sit down at home and do your banking
transactions thereby saving money and time.”
Mr. Dangote commended the board, management
and staff of the bank for their courage in taking
the bold step at a time “banks all over the world
are facing multiple challenges and headwinds”
and noted that the Bank’s focus will drive it to
success.

'EMPOWERED BY WORDS' can never be Aborted - James Conco


Michael Babatunde

The convener of 'EMPOWERED BY WORDS', James Ademuyiwa popularly called Conco has assured fans that the programme has come to stay.
EMPOWERED BY WORDS is an annual programme that features music, comedy, drama and most importantly, spoken words. The programme whose aim is to empower students with words as it was tagged held its first and second edition in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta with plans to make the programme more elaborate.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Conco who is a final year student in the department of mass communication, MAPOLY assured that the programme will not leave the school with him, if the school management remains supportive.
"I would love to say, the school had initially played an helpful role by serving as a platform to carry out such creative event, EMPOWERED BY WORDS in the first place.
"The future as a finalist is definitely not going to be a story of abortion of the dream, it would only get bigger
"...it would be left in the hands of the school management if they would like to be part of making it bigger by allowing us do more with a well organized strategy of getting students for next editions and a perfect auditorium in the school premises or we take it out of the school and look for a better auditorium which definitely in turn would lead to more accessibility by other publics of Poetry aside the students of MAPOLY alone."
It was observed that the two editions of the programme fell on the same day with the Kegites celebration, MAPOLY chapter. Conco in his response said "we planned students of stress and to motivate them weeks before their exams. There is no correlation or whatsoever in the selection of dates with the Kegites."
Meanwhile, a veteran poet, Eriata Orhibabor, who was a guest at the programme described the programme as a promoter of poetry in Nigeria adding that those who attended would have been empowered.
"...the programme was thrilling, it can be said to be said to be a very important promoter of poetry in Nigeria.
"If poetry could attract a hall filled with people, it means that so much is happening in the world of poetry. For who paid attention at the event, I'm happy they can say that they have been empowered."
However, Conco has assured fans to expect a bigger show by the next edition (2017) adding that there will be a central theme for the event.
" Fans should expect a well upgraded edition in the next edition. As you could also testify that, it is our tradition to deliver more than previous edition.
"Probably, we would be having a central theme for the next edition, which would serve as a convergence for the thoughts of our diverse Artists." He concluded.

Sanusi to Buhari: Continue this way and you would end up where Jonathan ended

Emir of Kano, Sanusi Muhammad II, says
President Buhari could end up the way the
Goodluck Jonathan administration ended up if
he continues in the manner he is presently
managing the country.
He said this while delivering a lecture at the
ongoing 15th meetings of the joint planning
board and national council on development
planning in Kano, titled ‘Nigeria in search of
new growth model’ today August 24th.
“If we do not expand the economy
through wise investment, we can end up
in classical Malthusian situation. If this
government continues to behave the way
the past government behaved, we will
end up where Jonathan ended.”
Sanusi who was former CBN governor, said to
get out of this present economic recession, the
FG must set the foreign exchange rate to
incentivise capital inflows, catalyse Foreign
Direct Investment and Foreign Direct
Investment Funding.

Rio Olympics: Mugabe Locks medalless athletes up


Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe has instructed the Commissioner General of Zimbabwe Police Republic, Augustine Chihuri to arrest and detain the whole Zimbabwean Olympic Team members immediately they arrived at the Harare International Airport on Tuesday, August 23.
Zimbabwe which is one of the countries in the Olympics without a medal presented a team of 31 athletes. The closest any of the athletes came to win a contest was at the 8th position. Zimbabwe is appearing the 10th time at the Olympics consecutively
Mr. Mugabe who is incensed with the team’s performance told the Police Chief to arrest all the team members and detain them. “We have wasted the country’s money on these rats we call athletes. If you are not ready to sacrifice and win even copper or brass medals (referring the 4th and 5th positions) as our neighbors Botswana did, then why do you go to waste our money” he said.
If we needed people to just go to Brazil to sing our national anthem and hoist our flag, we would have sent some of the beautiful girls and handsome guys from University of Zimbabwe to represent us.
He added that, the money invested in the team to represent the country could have been used to provide amenities and build schools. “This situation is like an impotent man who is married to 5 women, what is the essence? I will make sure we share the cost across board for all of them to pay back to government chest even if it take 10 years recoup, now it turns out to be a soft loan we have given them to go and visit Brazil as tourist, they are useless ‘he concluded.
I will make sure we share the cost across board for all of them to pay back to government chest even if it take 10 years recoup, now it turns out to be a soft loan we have given them to go and visit Brazil as tourist, they are useless ‘he concluded.

List of Top goalscorers in Nigerian Professional Football League

Wikki Tourist's Godwin Obaje is the highest
goalscorer in the NPFL after matchday 32 with
16 goals to his name.

Muslims Who Shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ Before Killing Innocent Are Insane - Osinbajo

Speaking through the Vice President, Yemi
Osinbajo, at the launch of the revised National
Counter Terrorism Strategy, NACTEST, in Abuja,
the President said “it is either they do not know
the meaning of those words or they are simply
deranged.”
The President noted that “these enemies (Boko
Haram) are essentially an insane nuisance
because they revel in cowardly attacks.”
Explaining that the war against terrorism was
unconventional, the President disclosed that his
government will change its strategy in a bid to
win the war against insurgents.
Buhari said, “There must be an understanding
that the war against terrorism is the most
unconventional one. They (terrorists) do not
respect any rules of engagement; kill the
defenseless including prisoners, use children and
humans, girls and consider the killing of anyone
at all at a victory.
“Therefore as we think through our strategy we
must remember that to permanently win the
physical battle, we must win the battle of the
minds of even the most impressionable young
men who sign up to join Boko Haram and other
violent extremist groups.
“We must understand that terrorism is essentially
a psychological warfare and as such is
psychologically sophisticated and we must
educate the youth through the leadership of our
faith that neither Islam nor any other religion
that we know endorses the slaughter of anyone.
“In the past few years our nation faced the
threat of terrorism characterized by mindless
killing of our people including children.”

IPOB SPLITS: Breakaway Faction, TRIPOB, To Burn Biafra Flag On October 1

The CABLE

The Rebranded Indigenous People of Biafra
(TRIPOB), a breakaway group from
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by
Nnamdi Kanu, has picked October 1, Nigeria’s
Independence Day, to publicly denounce Biafra
Republic and burn its flag.
According to Chima ‘Phillip Effiong’ Osuji, who
released a statement on behalf of the group on
Wednesday, CHIMA “PHILLIP EFFIONG” OSUJI,
the decision was taken on Monday at the end of
an emergency meeting of “disaffected” IPOB
members.

TRIPOB said it now sees the Biafra question
“from a different perspective”, as Biafra will now
become “a powerful metaphor for
change, development and greatness of the Igbos
inside a united Nigeria”.
It said it had “accepted the fact that the Biafra
Republic is not a reality but an anachronism”,
and doubts that the south-south region will ever
become a part of a Biafra Republic, except by
force after a declaration of another civil war.
The Rebranded Indigenous People of Biafra
(TRIPOB), a breakaway group from
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by
Nnamdi Kanu, has picked October 1, Nigeria’s
Independence Day, to publicly denounce Biafra
Republic and burn its flag.
According to Chima ‘Phillip Effiong’ Osuji, who
released a statement on behalf of the group on
Wednesday, CHIMA “PHILLIP EFFIONG” OSUJI,
the decision was taken on Monday at the end of
an emergency meeting of “disaffected” IPOB
members.

TRIPOB said it now sees the Biafra question
“from a different perspective”, as Biafra will now
become “a powerful metaphor for
change, development and greatness of the Igbos
inside a united Nigeria”.
It said it had “accepted the fact that the Biafra
Republic is not a reality but an anachronism”,
and doubts that the south-south region will ever
become a part of a Biafra Republic, except by
force after a declaration of another civil war.
THE FULL STATEMENT
At an emergency meeting convened by some
disaffected members of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) on Monday, August 22, 2016 in
Aba, Abia state, it was resolved that due to the
rigid and fatalistic position of the Nnamdi Kanu
led IPOB, several of us with like minds shall
breakaway and form The Rebranded Indigenous
People of Biafra or TRIPOB.
TRIPOB now sees the Biafra question from a
different perspective. Biafra will now become to
us a powerful metaphor for change, development
and greatness of the Igbos inside a united Nigeria,
where the South East axis will be a utopia from
the sheer determination borne out of the Biafra
metaphor.
We believe in being a part of a united Nigeria, and
a new way of thinking, where the victim mentality
will no longer be acceptable.
We have accepted the fact that the Biafra Republic
is not a reality but an anachronism, and doubt
that the South South region will become a part of
a Biafra Republic, except by force; after a
declaration of another civil war.
That the lessons and history of the civil war will
only reinforce the belief in ourselves to reach the
zenith in this great country, Nigeria, where
opportunities abound for every one regardless of
tribe or religion, and even where such narrow
sentiments exists, we will not see ourselves as
victims. Never!
In view of this new mindset, members of the
TRIPOB and any new defectors will on October 1,
2016 make a public denunciation of a
Seccesionist Biafra Republic at the Eagle Square,
Abuja.
The event will also include recitation of the Pledge
to Nigeria our Country, singing of the National
anthem, followed by a solemn burning of the
Biafra flag and unveiling a new Biafra flag
representing pride, change, potential and spirit of
the Igbo race which can thrive any where in the
world.
Long live the Biafra Spirit! Igbo…Kwenu!!!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Nigeria…
Kwenu!!!

Man Vomits Blood & Dies After Winning N2m From Sports Betting In Calabar

Theory choice of celebrating with friends after
winning in football betting has claimed it first
casualty in Calabar as a man dies after being
poisoned while drinking with friends.
A Brainnews NG source gathered that one Mr.
Orok who won 2million Naira at Bet9ja, a football
betting company in Calabar died after celebrating
with friends at a drinking joint.

Mr. Orok (Surname withheld) who was also a
staff of Bet9ja was poisoned by an unknown
human who claimed to be his friend, thereby
terminating the future of this young man.
According to a closed friend, Orok died after
vomiting blood.
The deceased is a native of Calabar South, a
local government in Cross River State and resides
in Mount Zion Lane.
He was buried on the early hours of Tuesday,
August 23 2016 at the Goldie Cemetery.
We extends our condolence message
to the deceased family and prays for God to give
them the grace to bear the lost.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Aregbesola Shows Off His Basketball Skills During School Inspection In Osun

Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola yesterday
evening (Wednesday 17-8-16) was captured on
the Olympic standard basketball court of the
sprawling Osogbo Government High School
during his latest inspection of the education
infrastructure. The school has capacity for 3000
high school pupils, and is one of the three high
schools billed for commissioning end of the
month.

Rio Olympics Sports presenter Charlie Webster fights for her life in a Rio hospital after contracting rare form of malaria

British TV presenter Charlie Webster is currently
fighting for her life in a Brazilian hospital after
being struck down by a rare strain of malaria on
her way to the Olympic Games. She made her
way to the Brazilian city as part of a team who
cycled 3,000 miles from the UK over a six-week
period to raise money for a cancer charity
The 33-year-old former Sky Sports News anchor
began feeling unwell while attending the opening
ceremony but put it down to dehydration - even
tweeting pictures of herself from a hospital bed.
Although the doctors identified the very rare
malaria strain she contracted, her publicist
revealed that her condition has since
deteriorated. Charlie is now in an induced coma
and on a life support machine.

Webster's family, including her mother and
brother, have flown to be at her bedside as she
said to be receiving the right treatment in one of
the best hospitals in Rio de Janeiro.

Don Jazzy: American Artistes Are ‘Scared’ To Work With Me

The CABLE

Micheal Ajereh Collins, Nigerian music producer
and artiste better known as Don Jazzy, has said
that foreign artistes are scared to make music
with him.
He said this while speaking in a recent interview
conducted by Boiler room in collaboration with
British Council.
“Most of these American artistes would call you,
they believe you have something that they like,
so they call you to come and try something out”,
Don Jazzy said.
“A bunch of people that I have tried to work with
or have tried to work with me chicken out at the
end of the day because they aren’t really ready
for the music change; they want me to tweak it
till it gets back to their sound.
“I can give you your sound, but then, you called
me for something and then I try to give to my
sound and I want you to do your thing on top of
it which would give the sound a wider
recognition but they say they aren’t ready for
this switch drastically. I think they are still
scared.”
The 33-year-old Mavin boss said he started
paying more attention to music during the Kennis
Music era.
“I would say I started listening more during the
Kennis music time because after Storm records,
then it was a time for Kennis music and they
came with Tuface, Remedies and all.
“At that point, I was still in secondary school and
I was like “Yo! They were putting a lot of swags
into this my work”. So I started taking note of
the music and it started shaping me into what I
would like to do but then, there was no way for
me to do it.”
Don Jazzy also said that Nigerian music is
designed to make people happy during their
struggles.
“Everyone is struggling; we all have a problem in
the country but there are sometimes when we
need that peace of mind.
“While some people are consciously trying to
make you aware of what is going on in the
struggle, there should be other people that would
keep you happy when you are going through the
struggles and that is where we come in.”

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Annular Eclipse To Occur In Nigeria On September 1st -

Tribune

Annular eclipse to occur all over Nigeria Sept 1
AN annular eclipse that will be visible all over the
country, with different degrees of totality, will
occur on Thursday, September 1.
In a press statement, the Head, Media and
Corporate Communications of National Space
Research and Development Agency (NASRDA),
Dr Felix Ale, said the highest degree of obscurity
in Nigeria during this natural occurence would be
in the Southern part of the country, particularly
in Lagos, where it was expected to have 80 per
cent obscurity, while the lowest degree of
obscurity would be about 45 per cent and this
would be observed in the Northern part of the
country, particularly in Sokoto.
The annular eclipse will be observed as a partial
or near total eclipse across the nation, with
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
expected to be about 60 per cent.
The annular eclipse is expected to occur
between 7.15 a.m. and 10.03 a.m, with slight
variations in actual timing across the country.
In Lagos, the first contact will occur at about
7.15 a.m, while the maximum eclipse will occur
around 8.30 a.m. and will end by 10.03 a.m.
The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja
around 7.17 a.m, with maximum eclipse to be
recorded at about 8.32 a.m. and the eclipse will
end around 10.00 a.m.
It should be noted that eclipse is not a spiritual
issue, but a natural occurrence that can be
accurately predicted by science. Hence, the
NASRDA has developed the capacity to
accurately make this prediction as part of its
mandates.
The Space Agency has also put in place a
viewing centre at her headquarters in Abuja, with
provision of proper eclipse viewing apparatus for
school children to observe the annular eclipse as
part of its continuous programmes to expose
Nigerians and students to matters concerning
astronomical environment.
While appealing to the general public not to
panic or adduce any mystical interpretations to
this event, it is also necessary to advise that
nobody should observe eclipse with Unclad eyes.
Looking at the solar eclipse with Unclad eyes
can lead to permanent damage to the eyes, as
the obstruction does not reduce the luminosity of
the sun.
Therefore, NASRDA has also concluded
arrangements to provide limited number of
special solar filters to members of the public to
savour the rare natural occurrence in
appreciation of science and nature.
An annular eclipse occurs when the sun and
moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of
the moon is smaller than that of the sun, hence,
the sun appears as a very bright ring or annulus
surrounding the dark disk of the moon.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Former FIFA president, João Havelange, dies at 100

Former FIFA President, João Havelenge, has
died at the age of 100. Havelange served as
the seventh FIFA president between 1974 and
1998. He resigned as Fifa’s honorary president
in April 2013 following an investigation into
bribery allegations and was admitted to hospital
the following year with a lung infection.
Joao served as a member of the International
Olympics Committee (IOC) from 1963 to 2011.
He was born on May 8th 1916. May his soul
rest in peace Amen.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Rio Olympics: Usain Bolt Retains His 100m Gold Medal

Usain Bolt claimed a record third 100m title
while tennis player Andy Murray won Britain's
fifth Rio gold medal on GB's best day at an
overseas Olympics.
A 15th gold of the Games, putting GB second in
the table, followed gymnast Max Whitlock's
historic double win and Justin Rose's golf
victory.
Cyclist Jason Kenny defeated team-mate Callum
Skinner for his fifth title.
Bolt, 29, ran 9.81 seconds to beat Justin Gatlin
to gold and follow up his titles at Beijing 2008
and London 2012.
The Jamaican remains on course for the sprint
'treble treble', with the 200m and the 4x100m
relay to come.
"I expected to go faster, but I'm happy I won," he
said. "I did what I had to."
South African Wayde van Niekerk broke Michael
Johnson's 17-year-old world record by 0.15secs
to win 400m gold in 43.03. The mark stood for
6,198 days.
Wimbledon champion Murray, 29, retained his
Olympic title with an epic four-set win over
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro.

Rio Olympics: Boxer Shakhram Giyasov mimics Cristiano Ronaldo's epic goal celebration after win

Cristiano Ronaldo has millions of fans all over
the world and Uzbek boxer Shakhram Giyasov
showed he was one of them last night at Rio
2016 Olympics. He celebrated his Olympics
quarter final win over Cuban fighter Roniel
Iglesias with a homage to Ronaldo's epic goal
celebration

Jibrin Links Omisore To Budget Padding Controversy

The Nation

Embattled former House of Representatives
Appropriation Committee Chairman Abdulmumin
Jibrin has linked Senator Iyiola Omisore with the
budget padding controversy.
Omisore, who represented Osun East, was the
chairman of the seventh Senate’s Appropriation
Committee.
In a letter to All Progressives Congress (APC)
National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun in which
he urged him to advise House of Representatives
Speaker Yakubu Dogara to resign, Jibrin alleged
an unholy alliance between Dogara and Omisore.
In the letter, dated August 12, Jibrin said
Dogara’s exit would enable the House “nominate
a Speaker Pro Tempore and mobilise our
members to support him to take over and
adjourn the House until when we are due for
resumption in September”.
“This will give room for consultations on the
election of a new Speaker when we resume,” he
said.
He urged the party “to discuss on the possibility
of returning the N100 billion constituency
component of the budget under any of our laws
so that all stolen money can be returned,
particularly the N40 billion naira and equitably
distributed to all constituencies.”
The office of the speaker declined to react to
Jibrin’s letter yesterday.
On Omisore’s role, he said: “His godfather is
Senator Iyiola Omisore. During the build up to the
appointment of committee chairmen, I had a
terrible disagreement with him (Dogara). While in
London, before the appointment of committee
chairmen, Jibrin claimed that Dogara “pleaded
with me to join him at a house in London. I went
and I saw him seated very comfortably with
Senator Omisore. It was there he said he was
going to appoint me as chairman, Appropriations
and I should be reporting to Omisore
“I was completely shocked. A nice lunch was
served; we ate and we left. At least, there are
CCTVs in London. I confided in a highly-placed
person who I wouldn’t want to mention his
name. He advised me to remain calm and
concentrate on my job. My refusal to comply
with such questionable instructions largely
accounted for the anger of Mr. Speaker towards
me.
“It was much later that I realised that Senator
Omisore had adopted Speaker Dogara as a
godson since their days as Chairman
Appropriations and House Services in the sixth
Assembly respectively.”
Jibrin also accused Sokoto State Governor Aminu
Tambuwal of not supporting his appointment as
Appropriations Committee chairman.
Jibrin said Dogara was “more interested in telling
me about the forces who didn’t want me to be
appointed chairman, appropriations as if I cared.
He mentioned former Speaker and present
Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal as one. That is how narrow-minded
Dogara can be.”

Former Aston Villa footballer dies after being tasered by police

Former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson has
died after being tasered by police in Telford,
Shropshire. The 48-year-old died 90 minutes
after he was hit by a stun gun on Monday
morning August 15, at around 1.30am in the
Trench area of Telford, Shropshire, UK.
West Mercia Police can confirm that officers
responded to a report for the concern for the
safety of an individual at approximately 1.30am
this morning at an address in Telford," the force
said in a statement.
"Upon arrival Taser was deployed and a 48-year-
old man, who subsequently received medical
attention, was pronounced dead at
approximately 3am. West Mercia Police are
unable to comment any further as the incident
has been referred to the Independent Police
Complaints Commission (IPCC) as is normal
procedure, and will assist the IPCC with their
inquiries."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service
spokesman said Atkinson was being taken to
Princess Royal Hospital when he suffered a
cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead shortly
after arriving the medical facility.
"We were called by West Mercia Police to an
address in Meadow Close in the Trench area of
Telford at about 1.45am this morning. An
ambulance was dispatched and upon arrival
found a man who had been Tasered. As he was
being conveyed to Princess Royal Hospital, his
condition deteriorated and he went into cardiac
arrest. Despite the efforts of the crew and
hospital staff, it was not possible to save him
and he was confirmed dead at hospital, shortly
after arrival."
Former team-mate Tony Daley, who played for
Aston Villa at the same time as Mr Atkinson,
tweeted: "Devastating news...RIP Dalian" with
an image of a broken heart.
Another former player, Ian Taylor, said: "Just
heard news re my old team mate Dalian.
Deepest condolences to his family. Only spoke
to him last week as well. Sad sad news
Atkinson was a top flight striker in the 1990s,
with a goal for league runners-up Aston Villa
against Wimbledon. He went on to score at
Wembley in 1994 as Villa beat Manchester
United to lift the League Cup. Atkinson ended
his career playing in South Korea in 2001.

Buhari’s Administration More Clueless Than Jonathan’s – Chibok Girls’

PUNCH

Esther Yakubu, the mother of one of the
abducted girls, Dorcas, said President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was “more
clueless than Jonathan’s.”
She said this after seeing her daughter speak in
the new video released by the Boko Haram
insurgents demanding swap of their detained
members with the Chibock girls.
Esther said President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration was “more clueless than
Jonathan’s.”
“The Chibok girls must be rescued, they must
have their lives, the future that Boko Haram tries
to truncate,” she said in an emotional outburst.
Earlier, Esther had told one of our
correspondents that she regretted putting Dorcas
in boarding school.
“I wanted her to have the best of education, I
planned to sponsor her education to whatever
level she wanted, but she could not sit for her
final examinations because she was abducted.
“Boko Haram in the video asked the government
to release their members so that they could
release our girls. If the government knows that it
cannot handle the insurgency, it should invite
other countries. It is not a crime to seek
assistance in a war. It is a shame for them to
allow our daughters to languish in captivity for
over two years.
“I don’t regret sending her to school, but I regret
putting her in boarding school. If she was a day
student, she would be home with me that night.
The abduction affected her because she was in
boarding school,” Yakubu added.
She said apart from her daughter, she recognised
about 20 other girls.
“I recognised Saratu Ayuba, Awa Ishaiya and
others. In that video, Dorcas has grown up a little
and she is slimmer. I cried when I saw her in the
video. That is only change I observe, but I thank
God she is alive.”
Dorcas’ father, Kabu Yakubu, urged the
government to release Boko Haram detainees in
exchange for the Chibok girls, adding that the
demand had boosted his hope that his daughter
and others would eventually make it home.
“I will sleep well because since she was
kidnapped, I have never seen her in other videos
released. But today, I saw her in the video, and
my joy was rekindled.
“What we have been telling the government is
what Boko Haram demanded in the video. We
are appealing to the government to help us to
release Boko Haram detainees so they can
release our daughters. In the video, my daughter
was begging the government to negotiate with
the terrorists and they (Boko Haram) said unless
the government releases their members who
were being detained in Abuja, Lagos and
Maiduguri prisons, they won’t release the girls.