Wenger : Arsenal have to deal with reality of missing Champions League

Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal must "deal with the reality" of missing out on Champions League qualification by instead focusing completely on a "very open" Premier League title race.

The Gunners finished fifth in the Premier League last term and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in Wenger's reign, meaning they will play in the Europa League instead.

Wenger's men begin their campaign with the traditional Community Shield curtain-raiser against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.
And the Frenchman feels investment from all of last year's top six, aside from local rivals Tottenham, means it is tough to predict who will be lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of the season.
"I would have loved to play in the Champions League, but we have to deal with the reality that we are not in it," Wenger told reporters on Thursday.

"For us it is a good opportunity to focus completely on the Premier League, but anyway I would say that the Premier League has in my opinion taken over from the Champions League interest-wise.
"It happened sometimes that we rested players in the group stage of the Champions League to prepare for the next Premier League game, because every Premier League game is so difficult.

"It's very open and it's very difficult for me to predict exactly what will happen."
"It's very difficult at the moment to evaluate the real forces in the Premier League. Manchester United have bought, City have bought many players, Liverpool have bought, we have bought, Chelsea have bought, Tottenham have a young group that is together for a long time. - Goal

Transfer news : Chelsea linked with unlikely move for Gareth Bale as Madrid exit looms

Chelsea are said to be one of the teams interested in signing Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, according to Marca.

Bale has found his name in the headlines this summer as Zinedine Zidane eyes a move for Monaco teen sensation, Kylian Mbappe.
As a result of the move, one of the infamous ‘BBC’ is expected to leave the club, with Bale the most likely candidate.
The report names Manchester United as the leading contenders for the player’s signature, so it’s unclear how serious the Premier League champions’ interest in the player is.

Manchester United have held a long-standing interest in the player, which makes a move to Stamford Bridge for Bale even more unlikely.
The report from Marca claims that Bale is now more open to the idea of one day returning to the Premier League.

Shocking !!! Video : Drama as Pastor is caught having sex with pregnant sister-in-law

A mild drama occurred on Wednesday in Nyeri town of Kenya, after a Pastor, Timothy Wanyoike, 40, was caught in sexual acts with his pregnant sister-in-law, Scholar Kariuki, 21.
The lovers were caught in Wanyoike’s one-bedroom apartment by Kariuki’s husband identified as Macharia.

Following the discovery, Macharia descended on Wanyoike with kicks and blows.
He claimed that the two have been involved in the illicit affair for the last four years.
Macharia disclosed that he had been monitoring his wife’s text messages and decided to “lay a trap by pretending” he was away on a field assignment.
Upon the discovery, residence of the area joined Macharia and descended on the 40-year-old Pastor.

According to the Star newspaper, Wanyoike’s wife, Margaret, also joined residence in beating her husband.

In the heat of the scuffle that ensued, Police responded and took Wanyoike, who was seriously injured, to Nyeri divisional station.

Watch video below;

- Daily Post

OMG ! Man sentenced for repeatedly raping wife, filming act

A young man in his 30s has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping his wife repeatedly in her sleep and filming the act on his mobile phone.

The victim who got curious of an app called ‘Video Locker’ on her husband’s phone opened it up to take a look

She was shocked to find footages of her husband carrying out sickening sex acts on her while she was asleep, including close-ups of him raping her.
She contacted her husband after discovering the clips, which ranged from 30 seconds to two minutes, telling him: “I’ve just watched videos of you raping me on your phone.”
In a statement, the traumatized victim said her life had been left in tatters as she struggled to come to terms with what her husband had done.
She said, “In March 2017, I discovered my husband had been sexually abusing me.

“Since that day, my life and that of our children has been completely turned upside down in ways I still cannot come to terms with.”
“I never thought he would be capable of doing what he did.’’
“He has completely fooled me. I never want to see him again.”

Mark Giuliani, prosecuting, said, “On March 14 this year, the defendant left for work. As he forgot to take his mobile phone with him, the complainant took the opportunity to look at the phone and noticed something called Video Locker.

‘’It showed video recordings of the defendant participating in sexual activity with his wife while she was asleep.’’

“The defendant returned home immediately.”
“An argument followed and he said “I’m sorry, I f**ked up. I need help”.
“He left the family home never to return again.”
The court was told that, by the time the victim went to the police a short while later, the man had already handed himself in, telling officers “I have had sex with my wife.
“She didn’t consent. She found out and saw videos on my phone”.
“The recordings have subsequently been destroyed,” he added

The victim, who is now on medication, said she now lived in a state of constant paranoia, which had forced her to have extra locks put on her home and for her working life to suffer.
The husband apologized and pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one of assault by penetration, one of attempted rape and one of sexual assault. - Daily Post

Mad man !!! I need N60bn to turn Benue State to London – Ortom

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom said he would be needing no fewer N60bn to turn Benue into London.
Ortom made this statement on Wednesday during a phone-in programme monitored by DAILY POST on Harvest FM, Makuurdi.

According to the governor, the past administration led by Gabriel Suswam looted over N109bn from the state and he had been working round the clock to recover it.
He said, “he past administration stole over 109 billion, if I recover just 40 billion (which is the difference of all salaries and arrears of salaries in Benue state,) I’ll finish the issue of salaries and develop Benue into London.

“I wanted to be paying half salary every month but Labour leaders said, instead, I should pay full salary in every 2 months. And that is what I have been doing.”
Recently a former Minister of Interiro, Abba Moro had lashed out at Ortom, saying he does not deserve a second term. - Daily Post

Crime : EFCC Arraigns Eight Suspected Oil Thieves

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned eight suspected oil bunkerers before Justice H.I. Oshoma of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a 2-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and dealing in petroleum products without a licence.

The suspects: Christian Nwankoafor (Captain); Solomon Avwenaghagha;  Egwiniwin Felix;  Anthony Onyenedum; Bassey Akpan; Ezra Njoku, Moses Jonah and Imeh Michael were arraigned alongside their vessel: MT Rockfish. They were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Pathfinder, around Jonny River, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on March 24 and 20 April, 2017 for suspected illegal bunkering activities and handed over to the EFCC for prosecution.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them.

Count one read: "That you Christian Nwankoafor (Captain), Solomon Avwenaghagha, Egwiniwin Felix, Anthony Onyenedum, Bassey Akpan, Ezra Njoku, Moses Jonah, Imeh Michael and MT Rockfish and others at large  on or about the 24th day of March, 2017 in Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: distribute, deal in or with petroleum product without appropriate licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP 17 of the revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 1(17) of the same Act"
 
Count two read:  "That you Christian Nwankoafor (Captain), Solomon Avwenaghagha, Egwiniwin Felix, Anthony Onyenedum, Bassey Akpan, Ezra Njoku, Moses Jonah, Imeh Michael and others at large on or about the 24th day of March, 2017 in Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this honourable court without appropriate authority or licence distribute, deal in or with petroleum product to wit yet to be ascertained quantity of suspected Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) conveyed in a vessel christened MT ROCKFISH and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(17)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP 17 of the revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 1(17) of the same Act."

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, M. Orji applied for a trial date. The defence counsel, M.S. Agwu told the court that he had filed a consolidated bail application for all the defendants.  Justice Oshoma adjourned the matter to August 2, 2017 for hearing of bail applications and ordered the accused persons be remanded in prison custody. - EFCC

Small fish !!! Gombe Civil Servant Bags One Year Jail Term for Forgery

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today secured the conviction of one Muhammad Nasir of Ministry of Housing and Transport, Gombe State before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court.

He was convicted on one count charge of personation for using the name of one Abdullahi Ibrahim to obtain a One Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine Naira (N121, 999.00) loan without the knowledge of the said Abdullahi, and diverting the proceeds to his use.

 

The convict sometime in August, 2011 accessed the secret files at the Ministry of Housing and Transport’s registry and obtained copies of Abdullahi’s pay slips which he used to apply for the loan from Gombe State Civil Service Union. 

 

The charge read, “That you Muhammed Nasiru sometime in August  2011 or thereabout,  at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did obtain the sum of One Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine Naira (N121, 999.00) as loan in the name and on behalf of one Abdullahi Ibrahim with the pretence that the said loan was applied for by him, which pretence you knew to be false and converted the said sum to your personal use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria and Punishable under Section 322 of the same Law”.

 

When the charge was read to him, the convict pleaded guilty. Consequently, the prosecution counsel Zarami Muhammad urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

 

 Justice Jauro therefore convicted and sentenced him to one year imprisonment with the option of N30, 000 fine. - EFCC

Scam : MMM returns, adopts new strategy to woo Nigerians

Ponzi scheme, Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox (MMM), which collapsed months ago, has launched a weekly promotional stunt, aimed at wooing old and new members.

A letter displayed on the pages of participants of the scheme urges them to invite new members. Members must invite new participants and register them as referrals to qualify for the contest.
They have the opportunity to win cash prizes between N30,000 and N500,000, under an exercise the Ponzi scheme masterminds call, “Promo-Task Contest’
The letter reads in part: “MMM Nigeria launches Promo-Task Contest.
“MMM Nigeria launches the first Promo-Task Contest – which a relevant section has been created for the contest in the Personal Office.
“Winners are selected based on the number of points received for completing promo-tasks. Whoever receives the biggest number of points becomes the winner.

“The contest period is from Monday to Sunday while at the end of each week; winners are announced and awarded Mavros (cash prizes) available for output.
“In the first contest, there are 50 prizes. First place will win N500,000; second place N300,000 and third place winner will take home N200,000.
“Fourth place to 10th place winner get N100,000 each; 11th to 30th place wins N50,000 each while participants who placed 31th to 50th wins N30,000 each.

“Members can complete both online and offline tasks with focus to promoting the community and contribute to growth of the scheme.
“The promo-task contest is a serious tool aimed at community growth, and as such, would be continuously adjusted and refined to enable MMM Nigeria to overcome.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) have warned Nigerians against participating in the scheme which they described as a “Ponzi” scheme.

The scheme has been mired in controversies after it placed a one-month freeze on all withdrawals from the scheme on December 13, 2016.
The scheme, however, made a comeback on January 13 and quickly placed a limit to the number of withdrawals from old-confirmed mavros (money), drawing wild condemnation from members and making many of them walk away, - NAN

Problematic AGF !!! EFCC: Conflict between us and AGF? Corruption is fighting back!

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says there is no conflict between the agency and the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).

An official of the anti-graft agency, who declined to be named, had told TheCable that Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the EFCC, was on Tuesday served a letter from the office of the AGF seeking compliance with the regulation on the prosecution of “serious” cases, usually understood to mean high-profile investigations.
Specifically, the attorney-general, Abubakar Malami, is accusing Magu of breaching section 10(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Enforcement) Regulations 2010.

The regulation mandates the EFCC to forward the outcome of investigations along with its recommendations to the AGF in cases or complaints that are “serious or complex”.
But in a statement issued on Thursday, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said reports of an impending showdown with the AGF were evidence of corruption fighting back.

“The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to the near-daily reportage of either the existence of a face-off or an impending and damaging conflict between the commission and the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN),” the statement read.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to categorically state that it is compliant with all provisions of law and has no intention to stoke a misunderstanding over requests from the office of the attorney-general and minister of justice.
“Furthermore, the commission’s mandate, operational philosophy and the conduct and pronouncements of its officials do not countenance any activity on the fringes of the law. It is therefore untenable for there to be any suggestion that the EFCC or the commission’s principal officials are either in conflict with or readying for a ‘showdown’ with the AGF or other officials of government.

“All the brouhaha raised in recent days over a nonexistent conflict between the EFCC and the office of the AGF only go to underline the fact that corruption can and is fighting back in a variety of ways.” - Cable Nigeria 

Nollywood : ‘I can’t cook as breadwinner’: After facing criticism, Ronke Ojo says she was only joking

Ronke Ojo-Anthony, Nollywood actress, says she was only joking when told an interviewer that she would not cook for her husband if she is the breadwinner.

In an interview with Broadway Africa TV, the actress had said a man would only have full control of his wife when he provides everything for his family.
Responding to a question about the increase in failed celebrity marriages, Ojo-Anthony had said: “It is not just the industry, that is what is trending all over the world. The reason is that everyone is exposed, everybody wants to work before it was our fathers that earned the money. Then, ladies didn’t really go to the university.

“Now, I will bring 50, you will bring 50 or 70/30 because we have to work hand in hand so how do you think we can sustain? It won’t work. It’s not because we don’t want to be married or that we are not submissive enough.

“I pay NEPA bill, cook with my own money when you don’t have money and then you return and expect me to cook for you, it’s not going to work because we have to work hand in hand.
“If you’re a man and you are doing absolutely everything, that is when you can have total control of your wife. But as long as a woman shares part of the responsibility, it won’t work. It’s not because we are in the industry.”
After the video went viral, many fans on social media heavily criticised the actress, leading her to clarify her comment.

In a video on her Instagram page, she said, “we were just playing and chatting that day, the person took that part to the internet. What about the other good things I said? I’m a simple person and I don’t involve anybody so why would you want to ruin my name”.
In another video, the actress said: “Please help me repost this, if you truly love me help me if these internet people will not post it for me. This is defamation.” - Cable Nigeria

PL news : Changes in Premier League Rules Causes Outrage Amongst Football Fans

The latest set of Premier League rules has angered fans, patterned pitches will no longer be seen in the English first league.

Last season saw a rise in groundsmen unleashing their inner artist, the King Power and St Mary's received the most acclaim. With the Foxes not living up to the success of their previous season, most joy came from guessing what pattern would be on the field each week.  
Pitches will now have to follow the boring horizontal lines of European football. The news was published on the official Premier League website which said: "Pitch patterns and designs will no longer be allowed in the Premier League in 2017/18.

"Rules state that the playing surface must contain no markings other than the traditional horizontal and white lines.
"This amendment brings the Premier League Rules into line with UEFA's regulations for its competitions and follows consultation with the Premier League Club groundsmen."

So what's next for the Premier League? Only allowing teams to wear black and white? Removing fans from a stadium for cheering on their team? Ridiculous!

Fans who were looking forward to seeing what the pattern would be for the first Premier League game will now have to get excitement from something else, cheering on their team might win them round. - 90min

Update : Father of teenager who had sex with his physics teacher on a flight speaks out

The boy who had sex with his teacher on a flight home from a school trip, did not want her to lose her job as a result of their fling, his father has said.


Eleanor Wilson was struck off by a professional conduct panel after it emerged she had had oral and full sex with a 16-year-old pupil.
The 28-year-old former physics teacher had already been sacked from her job at the school in Bristol in May 2016.

A friend said the pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had bragged about sleeping with Ms Wilson on a school charity trip to Swaziland.
He had also shown them raunchy text messages between the pair, they said.
“He said they had sex a lot on the trip to Africa and on the flight back,” they told the MailOnline.
But the boy's father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the the website that his son did not “want her to lose her career”.

He said: "He didn't want her to lose her job over it. The relationship was only uncovered when another pupil found out about it and blackmailed her for sex.
“He then told the school and from there it was the school who pursued the investigation, not my son. He didn't want her to lose her career. He's a young man who just wants to put this behind him and move on.”

She was struck off from teaching after a two-day National College for Teaching and Leadership hearing found her guilty of all but two of the allegations made against her.- Independent

PL : Stam demands Manchester United Premier League title bid

Manchester United must target Premier League glory this season, according to former Old Trafford favourite Jaap Stam.

Jose Mourinho added to the club's rich history of silverware last season by collecting the EFL Cup and Europa League but United limped to a disappointing sixth-place finish in the top flight.

Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic have come in as big-money arrivals to bolster the Red Devils' challenge this time around and Stam – a pillar of defensive strength for Alex Ferguson's all-conquering side between 1998 and 2001 – has been impressed by the recruitment drive.
"A club like United, you always want to win the league. It's always their aim. It has to be their aim, to win the league," he told Sky Sports.
"Bringing certain players in with a certain quality, it's always been like that at United as well.
"You're always looking as a manager, Mourinho as well, how last season went and what quality do we need. You're going to be looking for that as a club.

"You can see now, with the signings that they've done, brought some great players in; quality-wise very good, experience-wise very good as well.
"That makes it interesting as well because if you look at the other teams as well, they're all bringing good players in because they all want to win the league or do well in the Champions League."
Juan Mata netted the winning goal as United rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 win over Serie A side Sampdoria in Dublin.

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They face Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup next Tuesday before hosting West Ham on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. - Goal

Only in jungle republic !!! Soldier stabs Okada rider to death, boasts he has killed many people

A soldier identified as Abiola Odedeji has allegedly stabbed an okada rider (commercial motorcyclist), Niyi James, to death for shunning him in Agbado area of Ogun State.
The killer soldier had visited his girlfriend, Amada David, at Agbado Junction around 3.30pm in company of his colleague, Damilare Oni.

The soldier went to the area, close to the Agbado Police Station, on a power bike.
It was gathered that after a short discussion, Odedeji and his girlfriend decided to go out on the motorbike.
He was said to have stopped Niyi, who shuttled between the junction and Agbado Crossing, to take Oni to Ijaiye, Lagos State.
An eyewitness, who gave his name only as Akinjobi, said that the 36-year-old native of Ikogosi, Ekiti State, declined on the grounds that he did not have a ticket to operate in the Ijaiye area.

Akinjobi said, “The soldier (Odedeji) was angry that the okada rider said no to a military man and started flogging him with a horsewhip. Suddenly, he brought out a long knife and stabbed the man on the thigh.
“He also stabbed him on the waist and stomach. He was so confident that he robbed off the bloodstains on the knife on the man’s head. He boasted that he had killed many people. He and his colleague escaped on the power bike, while the lady took another motorcycle. We quickly alerted the police.”

It was learnt that a team of policemen, led by the Agbado Divisional Police
Officer, CSP Sunday Omonijo, immediately went after the suspects.
Odedeji’s girlfriend was apprehended on Clem Road, Ijaiye, while policemen chased the soldiers to Mosalasi bus stop.

Akinjobi further said: “Odedeji stabbed one of the policemen on the arm, but they eventually arrested him and his colleague. He is part of the troops deployed in Borno State to fight Boko Haram. His colleague is serving in Bauchi State. They are both from Osun State. The okada rider died at the Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital.”

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said the suspects would be charged to court after investigations had been concluded. - Daily Post

Matthew and prediction !!! What will happen in Lagos before I die – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Lagos will become Africa’s third largest economy before he dies.

Obasanjo stated this at the launch of a book titled, “Making Africa Work”, co-authored by the former president and three others.

“Lagos will become the third largest economy before I take my boarding pass,” Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo also said that Africa is not a poor continent, adding that the continent is only poor by choice.

He said the Lagos State government was working towards making the state an economic hub.
“(Even though) People said I look like someone who is in the departure lounge.

 - Daily Post

Rubbish !!! Evans to Alaka !!! Badoo: Ogbomoso rises for Magodo landlord

The ancient Ogbomoso town in Oyo State yesterday rose for its son, Alhaji Abayomi Alaka, who is in a running battle with the police over the Badoo killings in Ikorodu, Lagos.

Alaka, who went home to see his parents, was escorted round town by a crowd.

His presence in Ogbomoso debunked the police claim that he was in hospital awaiting “surgery for enlarged testis”.
Alaka, who lives in Magodo, Lagos, was arrested on Monday and taken to a shrine where five graves were found. The police linked the graves to him, but the denied their ownership.
Alaka popularly called Alfa, relived his encounter with the police, saying they lied against him.
He said: “Some policemen came to my house two weeks ago and accused not only myself but other people including traditional rulers of sponsoring Badoo boys. They invited me to the station and later said they wanted to search my house. And this they did and they found nothing in my house. They also told me they heard I used to visit a shrine in Ikorodu and what is my mission there. 

And I explained to them I go there for healing, and they said I must take them there. We got there, the owner of the shrine, one old baba is no more and the whole place is in disuse.
“And when we came back, they asked me to go since they couldn’t find anything. Surprisingly, four days ago, they came back around 11pm and told me their oga (DC Ops) wanted to see me urgently. When we got there, they said they wanted to visit all those listed by some Badoo boys and I must accompany them. We got to the palace of the Oba of Ikorodu, the Oba said he needed an official invitation.

“They were taking me around homes of suspected Badoo boys. They arrested two boys along. When they got to the Oba of Ibeshe, the Oba told them he will not follow them. They arrested one Baale.  The following day, they said they wanted to go back to the shrine where I took them two weeks ago.  As we were going I saw cameras and over 100 mobile police in about 15 vehicles. I asked them what have I done to warrant this, they said they were doing their job. They brought their cameras and started taking my shots. After all this embarrassment, I was asked to go home. I was not asked to write any statement. No person came to bail me. I was shocked when I saw it on the media where the DC Ops addressed media that the police have discovered Badoo shrine in Ikorodu. And that I was arrested and I am now in hospital waiting for operation. And here I am in Ogbomoso, whereas the police said in newspapers that I am in the hospital. “

Notable Ogbomoso indigenes received Alaka, who visited them at home.
Receiving Alaka in his home, former Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Shehu Babalola said the police were confused over the matter. He wondered why the police jumped into conclusion when they had no “concrete evidence” against Alaka.
Soun of Ogbomoso Oba Jimoh Oyewumi prayed for Alaka and advised him to be cautious.
Abayomi’s parents, Alhaji Lasisi Amao Alaka, 97, the Asiwaju Adinni of Ogbomoso and Alhaja Adijatu Alaka, 79, were distraught.
In tears, Pa Alaka said the police lied against his son to gain credibility.

He said: “This is the most painful side of my life to watch my son who is innocent being accused falsely and made to suffer because of the wickedness of some officers. This is very saddening and shocking. My son has no criminal record since he was born. It is all lies by the police. I know my God will fight for my son and punish all those behind this public ridicule.”
Alhaja Alaka absolved her son of having anything to do with Badoo boys. - The Nation

Afrobeat : ‘I still can’t believe Fela is gone’

Seun Kuti, a scion of the late Afrobeat sage, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, yesterday said that he still finds it hard coming to terms with his father’s passing. According to him, what started as a rumour turned out real, leaving him quite traumatized.

Recounting the incident as he remembers on his Facebook page, the singer, who took over his father’s Egypt 80 band wrote; “the week preceding this one 20 years ago was quite traumatizing as rumors of Fela’s death had spread.
“It was so widespread that Fela’s very good friend Michele Avantario #rip flew in from Italy to mourn. He arrived in the morning of this exact day. He stood at the top of our street, too shaken to approach the house. I stumbled upon him while going to see my friend, Arthur. Michele what are you doing here crying? He said Fela is dead! I said no; stop crying it’s just a rumor. He pulled himself together and we went to KK (Kalakuta).
“He said he bought me the new Play station on his way. I was beyond elated. We chilled at KK. I went back to his hotel; we discussed a bit till it was about 8, got my PS and headed back home.”

At that moment, Seun said, he was the happiest man in the whole world.
“As I approached KK I saw a huge crowd outside, my elder brother’s friend Siasia was outside. I asked him what was happening and he said Seun Just go inside. Everyone was crying. ‘FELA DON DIE, FELA DON DIE’ couldn’t believe it. #20years later, I still can’t believe it. YEAR 20 A F E (After Fela Era) PS: Happy post humous birthday Dr Beko Ransome Kuti,” he added.
Fela’s demise was announced a day later, on August 3, 1997 by his elder brother, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, a prominent AIDS activist and former Minister of Health. - The Nation 

Travel : $175m foreign airlines funds trapped in Nigeria

Foreign airlines have $175million  ticket sales proceeds trapped in Nigeia, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said yesterday.

But the organisation applauded the  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for reducing the debt, which could not be paid due to the dearth of foreign exchange, from $600 million in June 2017 to $175m this year.

The global airlines body said non-remittance of such funds was affecting the operations of the affected carriers, as the blocked funds constitute their operating costs.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos, IATA Area Manager, South West Africa, Dr Samson Fatokun, urged the CBN to accelerate the process that would enable carriers access the blocked funds to ease their business.

Fatokun said Nigeria could accelerate the release of the funds as done by some African countries , such as Egypt where the entire blocked fund was released.

He said the negative impact of withholding airlines’ funds could have ripple effects on the aviation value chain.

Fatokun regretted that Iberia and United Airlines pulled out of Nigeria last year because of blocked funds.

He said IATA was worried over rising airport and air navigational charges, taxes and levies which are affecting the capacity of airlines in Nigeria.

The official said IATA would continue to engage aviation authorities, governments and regulators on how to  enable air travel serve as a catalyst for economic growth.

IATA Regional Vice President, Africa and Middle East, Muhammad Ali Albakri, said more jobs could be created and economic growth achieved in Nigeria and West Africa if governments utilised aviation as a pillar of recovery and national development. - The Nation

NaijaBet opens betting on when Buhari will return

NaijaBet, one of the betting sites domiciled in 
Nigeria, has opened a cash-making opportunity for Nigerians to place a bet on when President Muhammadu Buhari will return to Nigeria.

The betting website says Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has promised that the president will return very soon, asking “how soon is soon”?
Buhari has been out of the country for 86 days, and is expected to return to the country soon due to constitutional requirements, while some others argue that the 90-day requirement being quoted is not tenable in Buhari’s case.
Osinbajo had however hinted that the president may not return within the 90 days, saying “no, no” when asked about the 90-day deadline.
“Deadlines aren’t very good things but as I said, he is recuperating fast. We are expecting him very shortly. Much sooner than you will expect,” he had said.

The president, who travelled on May 7, on a second medical vacation in 2017, is said to be doing very well.
After visiting the president in London, Osinbajo said the president is in very high spirit, and would be back soon. 
Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, who also visited the president, said God has healed him.



“Let me thank God for the life of the president and thank God for Nigerians too. And also appreciate Nigerians who have prayed sincerely and earnestly for Mr President and I think God has actual answered the prayers of Nigerians,” Emmanuel had said


“From what you could see from the photographs, you could see that God has actually answered our prayers, so some of us were quite excited to see Mr President welcomed us, discussed with us and he was also happy to see us.
“So what you are seeing both on TV and newspapers are genuine and correct. God has actually healed our president and we thank God for that”. - Cable Nigeria

Buratai's mansion in mind !!! There should be a shake-up in the military - Fayose

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has accused the military of taking advantage of the anti-insurgency war to create “fake defence contracts” for their personal interest.

In a statement by Lere Olayinka, his special assistant on public communications and new media, Fayose said there ought to be a periodic change in the military.
He said without the reshuffle of officers, they would become “institutions to themselves”.
“As revealed by Transparency International, fight against Boko Haram has become a cash cow for some top military officers and corrupt politicians in the Buhari’s government, with the creation of fake defence contracts and laundering the proceeds often laundered abroad in the UK, US and elsewhere,” Fayose said.

“The TI went further to state that the military is left without vital equipment, insufficiently trained, low in morale and under-resourced.
“The federal government must, therefore, address the widespread corruption in the fight against Boko Haram as revealed by the TI and also see to the welfare of the military personnel involved in the fight.
“The government must let the people know the situation on ground so that genuine assistance can be offered.

“There should also be a periodic change in military personnel so that officers don’t become institutions to themselves.”
He also alleged a possible arranged release of some Chibok girls by the federal government to divert attention of Nigerians and give the impression that it was making progress in the fight against the insurgents.
 He had said on Sunday that the war against the group was far from over, flaying the claims of the military that the sect has been “technically defeated”.
He said this after the sect ambushed oil workers that had gone for an exploration near Lake Chad.
He described the United States “Country Report on Terrorism 2016” and the Transparency International Report as a confirmation of his earlier position that the federal government lied to Nigerians that Boko Haram was technically defeated.

“With over 120 Nigerians killed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state last month alone, it is necessary for the federal government to face the reality that it has a very long walk to victory in the fight against the insurgents,” he said.
“This report by the US government has further lent credence to earlier revelation by the Transparency International (TI) that despite President Muhammadu Buhari government’s anti-corruption fight, corruption in the military is weakening Nigeria’s efforts to battle to battle Boko Haram.
“The report is also a confirmation that the SSS has abandoned its core responsibility of intelligence gathering and turned itself into the instrument of political oppression, invading judges residences in the night.

“The government cannot keep telling the public that Boko Haram had been decimated and the same Boko Haram was able to kill over 120 people in just one state in one month.
“Few hours ago, the insurgents invaded a community in Madagali local government in Adamawa state, killing more than 10 people and sacking the entire community.
“The truth, like I said two days ago, is that the battle is not over yet. In fact, it is raging fiercer than ever before. The gory killing of the oil workers confirms this. The wanton destruction of lives and property all over the place by Boko Haram also testifies to this fact.” - Cable Nigeria

Transfer updates : Mourinho wants one more signing and insists Martial is key for Manchester United

Jose Mourinho says he is happy with Manchester United's transfer window but remains in the hunt for one more signing.

United have brought in Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic for a combined sum of nearly £150million since the end of last season.
Inter winger Ivan Perisic has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford, while Paris Saint-Germain full-back Serge Aurier is also a reported target, and Mourinho admits that he hopes to welcome one more new face to the club before August 31.

"It's going to be good, it's going to be fun to choose the team for every match according to the plan, the opponent, our game-plan," he told a news conference following United's 2-1 friendly win over Sampdoria in Dublin.
"The squad is good and as I said a few months ago, I was hoping for four players to improve the squad.
"The club did a fantastic job by getting three of them, which is very difficult in the crazy market we're in now. I thank the club. I'll be happier if they give me four of four but they did a great effort."

It has been suggested that Anthony Martial could be used in a part-exchange deal for Perisic but Mourinho insists he does not want to sell any of his first-team players.

"We need options. Lukaku, Martial, [Marcus] Rashford – all of them are different players. We need everyone."
"Everybody is in the plan – the plan is not to have a good team, but a good squad, with options," he said. "We have important players injured for a long time and they will be back by the end of the year, so our squad is not so big. - Goal

Man Utd's Mata confident of banishing Super Cup curse

Manchester United match-winner Juan Mata believes he is finally poised to end his UEFA Super Cup curse in next week's showpiece against Real Madrid.

The Spanish playmaker scored the decisive goal as United ended their pre-season with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria in Dublin on Wednesday.
Mata's strike ensured Europa League titleholders United will carry impressive form into what will be his third attempt at winning the annual intercontinental curtain-raiser.
The Spain international endured back-to-back defeats with Chelsea in the annual intercontinental curtain-raiser, first to Atletico Madrid in 2012 and then to Bayern Munich the following season.
However, the 29-year-old is encouraged by the Red Devils' pre-season form which has seen them claim six of seven outings.

"We [head into] the Super Cup in brilliant condition," Mata told MUTV.
"I've been lucky to play two [Super Cup finals] and I've been unlucky to lose two.
"We will try again on Tuesday, but it will be hard against Real Madrid."

Mata will be available for next week's blockbuster in Skopje, after returning to full fitness following an injury suffered in the pre-season win over Real Salt Lake which forced him to miss games against Madrid and Barcelona.

"I had a little problem but I'm happy to be back and to get a run out ahead of next week," he said. - Goal

PL : Mourinho hails 'genius' Matic

Jose Mourinho hailed new signing Nemanja Matic "a genius" as the holding midfielder made his first appearance for Manchester United.

Matic started for United in their 2-1 friendly win over Sampdoria in Dublin following his £40m switch from Premier League champions Chelsea.
He lasted 45 minutes, with Mourinho admitting the Serbian still lacked full match fitness.
"He needs time but (his) experience, intelligence, a genius in the way he thinks - he thinks football," Mourinho said.

"We will help him to be ready sooner rather than later."
As well as Matic, fellow new boys Victor Lindelof and Romelu Lukaku also started the game at the Aviva Stadium.
United opening the scoring in the first half when Henrikh Mkhitaryan headed home at the far post after a lightning break that stemmed from a charged-down indirect free-kick on the edge of their own six-yard area.
Sampdoria equalised midway through the second half, with Dennis Praet's deflected effort deceiving David De Gea.

Substitute Juan Mata got the winner with 10 minutes left, coolly side-footing in from the edge of the penalty area.
Mourinho said his club had done a "fantastic job" delivering three of his desired four summer transfers.
He added: "To get three out of four I thank the club for that, I will be happier if they get me four of four but they did a great effort for me."
After the game, Mourinho also described the two-game ban handed to Phil Jones for a breach of UEFA's anti-doping regulations as "very unfair".

Defender Jones has been suspended for two matches for verbally abusing a doping control officer after being selected for testing following the Europa League final win in May.
The player was upset at having to miss out on celebrations and a squad photograph paying tribute to victims of the Manchester terrorist attack.

His manager said the anti-doping authorities should have taken into consideration the significance of the occasion and allowed him some time to celebrate with team-mates.
"It's not a normal match, it's a final, it's a cup, it's a medal, it's the celebration, it's everything," Mourinho said. - SKY

We tried to play, they didn't - Klopp

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool were the only side looking to play football in their Audi Cup final defeat by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Liverpool lost 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena, having beaten Bayern Munich 3-0 in impressive fashion on Tuesday evening.

The German said it was attack versus defence in Bavaria against the La Liga side, but bemoaned his side for switching off for Keidi Bare's opening goal, before Roberto Firmino equalised from the spot late on.
"Atletico wanted to win the cup," he said after the defeat. "We did also, but we also wanted to play football, Atletico only wanted to win the cup.

"You could not have a more difficult job against a team like Atletico. They get results and results and results. It was offence against defence. It doesn't make life easy.
"We weren't concentrating for the goal. Second half we did better. We played more football. We deserved the equaliser. One lost challenge on a header shouldn't mean you go behind.
"It was a completely different job to do from the Bayern game. Atletico left the game to us and said 'come on'."

Liverpool are as yet unbeaten in normal time in pre-season so far, and finish off against Athletic Bilbao in Dublin on Saturday before their Premier League clash against Watford on August 12.

Commenting on Neymar's impending world-record move from Barcelona to PSG, Klopp said: "I thought FFP was made so things like that couldn't happen. I don't know how that happens."
"I'm happy with where we're at. We had a lot of sessions to do. We will get the benefits of it during the season," said Klopp.

KIGALI ; Kagame seems set to win again in Rwanda. But is he a ‘miracle man’ or a nascent dictator?

There is no litter in Kigali, Rwanda’s gleaming modern capital. Traffic sails smoothly along the wide boulevards that snake through the city’s hills, past new buildings of glass and steel.

Across the small East African country, an economic miracle seems to be underway. According to official statistics, people are earning more and living longer. The number of those in extreme poverty has shrunk. Rwanda may lack a seaport and boasts few natural resources, yet it has earned the nickname “Africa’s Singapore.”
None of this would have been imaginable 23 years ago, when neighbors turned on each other in the course of a genocide that lasted 100 days and left at least 800,000 ethnic minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead. The country is often likened to a phoenix risen from the ashes.

Asked to explain this remarkable recovery, many Rwandans point to one man — President Paul Kagame — and in a vote set for Friday, they will almost surely reelect him for a third seven-year term. Others, though, voice profound concern, arguing that behind their country’s dramatic socioeconomic gains lies a climate of suspicion and evidence of a creeping authoritarianism.
In the last presidential election in 2010, Kagame won with 93 percent of the vote. He faces two challengers this time, the Democratic Green Party’s Frank Habineza and independent former journalist Philippe Mpayimana, but neither is expected to peel off more than a few percentage points from the incumbent’s tally.

To his critics, Kagame, 59, has turned Rwanda around by methods that include using violence against political opponents, curtailing freedom of expression and other rights, and maintaining a tight grip on all aspects of government.
“The executive branch of the state here in Rwanda has more powers than others and influences all other decision-making organs,” Habineza said in a telephone interview. “If it’s not checked, it can bring total dictatorship here.”
Human Rights Watch has documented 37 cases over the past year in which security forces have executed alleged criminals for petty crimes, including stealing bananas and using illegal fishing nets.

In 2015, Assinapol Rwigara, a wealthy businessman and former financier of Kagame’s party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), died in a car crash. His daughter, Diane Shima Rwigara, says she suspects that the crash was not accidental and that her father was assassinated after a fallout with the RPF.
“He’s one of the victims of this regime,” she said.

 Earlier this year, Rwigara announced an independent bid for the presidency. Two days later, nude photographs of her appeared online. The electoral commission later disqualified her from running, saying she had not gathered the required number of signatures.
“The terror has paralyzed people from fighting for their rights,” she said.
In 2014, Rwanda’s exiled former intelligence chief was found strangled in a hotel room in South Africa. Before the 2010 elections, the body of the Democratic Green Party’s vice president was found nearly beheaded by the bank of a river.
Some argue that a degree of authoritarianism is unavoidable if countries such as Rwanda are to be lifted out of poverty.

“The Rwandan model [suggests] . . . that you may actually need quite heavy-handed, highly orchestrated states to achieve the kind of socioeconomic goals that they set for themselves,” said Phil Clark, a political scientist at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. “That’s the difficult reality of the RPF as a party and the difficult reality of Rwanda under Kagame.”
In a phone call, Wellars Gasamagera, a spokesman for the RPF, condemned political violence and denied that his party played any role in deaths of its opponents.

Instead, the ruling party’s explanation for Rwanda’s transformation is that, under its watch, the country unified in the wake of the genocide, coming together to build a new national identity. Crucially, violence has not returned.
“Things like national unity cannot be put into question. Things like security cannot actually be put into jeopardy,” Gasamagera said.
Publicly, ethnicity has been all but erased. Rwandans will rarely even say “Hutu” or “Tutsi” out loud.
Last Saturday, as they do on the final Saturday of every month, Rwandans across the country gathered for a day of semicompulsory community service, known as “Umuganda,” which translates roughly as “coming together for a common purpose.”

In a suburb near the Kigali airport, some 100 people showed up at a primary school to clean the grounds and prepare classrooms to be used as polling stations Friday.
The volunteers, many of whom wore RPF T-shirts, praised Kagame. One called him a “miracle man.” Yet, in a sign of their wariness about speaking candidly, none agreed to talk on the record.
Events like the service day, which are part of a tradition going back decades, amount to “a local ownership of politics,” said Eric Ndushabandi, director of the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace in Kigali, who dismissed the characterization of Kagame as an authoritarian.
“Go through the streets. You will see how ordinary people are proud to be Rwandans,” he said. “I could say those are small Kagames. Those are small leaders who are growing up with the values of a nation, with the values of accountable government.”

Despite repeated predictions of a political crisis, Kagame’s hold on power remains firm. Any serious threat dissipated in 2015, when Rwandans voted overwhelmingly for a constitutional amendment that allowed him to run for a third term. The amendment also created a new system of five-year presidential terms with a two-term limit. That new system does not go into effect until 2024, so Kagame could theoretically run again — twice.

“Rwanda is now a country that has set its pace toward development,” said Gasamagera, the RPF spokesman. “Rwanda is a stable country. Rwanda is a secure country, much more than any other country around.”
“This didn’t happen just by chance. We have worked for this.”

Conceivably, he might not leave office until 2034.
Some human rights groups and Western governments, whose aid money has been crucial to Rwanda’s success, have raised concerns about Kagame’s behavior and his efforts to stay in power. But they have had little effect.
In neighboring Burundi and Congo, presidents have run for third terms without constitutional backing or simply declined to hold new elections at all. A few days after Rwandans go to the polls, Kenya will hold a presidential election amid  heightened tensions that analysts fear may devolve into violence.
In comparison, Kagame appears to be a pillar of stability.