Why I chose Wolfsburg — Osimhen

Victor Osimhen, the most outstanding player of the victorious 2015 Golden Eaglets squad, has said that he will pursue his professional career at Wolfsburg, a German Bundesliga club.

Osimhen made the disclosure in an interview on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the Wolfsburg’s coach assurances are morale booster for him and that he prefers playing for the German club to any other club in Europe.

“I just want to clear the air on this; I visited Wolfsburg and I think with the promises the Head Coach of the team made to me when I visited the arena, I think Wolfsburg is my destination.
“As long as I am enjoying myself there, I will be there for some years then, I will move on.’’

African player of year Aubameyang home to hero’s welcome

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the newly-crowned African Player of the Year, received a hero’s homecoming on Friday where he was hailed by thousands of fans as the pride of Gabon.

The 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund star pipped four-time winner Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Ivory Coast to win the prestigious award, an achievement which had fans dreaming of Africa Cup of Nations success on home soil in 2017.
“He has risen through the ranks and this is a just reward,” said Brice Ignegue, the president of the Panthers’ (the national team’s nickname) fan club.

Wolves Felicitate With Etebo Over CAF Award

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Warri Wolves, have felicitated with one of their players, Etebo Oghenekaro, following his emergence on Thursday as the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s Most Promising Talent of the Year, 2015.
Etebo, a member of the National U-23 Team, otherwise called Dream Team VI, scooped the award during the 2015 Glo-CAF Award ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria.

In a terse statement, Warri Wolves media officer, Azuka said the chairman and the management staff of the club were pleased with the prolific striker for his exalted award.

“The club chairman and the entire management team salute the Warri Wolves’ player for making the club, state and country proud,” the statement read in part.

“The club, therefore, expresses happiness over the growth and rapid development of the player in all aspects of his career and believe the well-deserved award will motivate him to work harder for more laurels for club and country.”

The player announced over the weekend that he is heading off to Europe for a deal with a club.

How FIFA decides World Ranking – Onigbinde

Onigbinde told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday that the world ranking showed the true state of every nation’s current football development

A former FIFA Instructor, Adegboye Onigbinde, says the quality of friendly matches undertaken by the Super Eagles determine the team’s ranking in the monthly world ranking.
Onigbinde told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday that the world ranking showed the true state of every nation’s current football development.

He said the FIFA world ranking system was based on teams’ success, with the most successful teams being ranked highest.
The Super Eagles are currently ranked 66 on the world ranking log.
The former Eagles coach said with good administrative structure, the future of quality football would be ensured in the country.

Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo is still extraordinary - but no longer the best

Ronaldo has changed as a player over the last two seasons and though he is still lethal, is not the explosive all-action machine he once was

It is widely expected that this season will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last at Real Madrid.

The galactic Galactico has been the focal point for Real for several years now, scoring an amount of goals that makes you wonder whether the people keeping track of data might actually be making it up. Yet his time in Spain, whether by choice or force, looks to be up come May, amid claims by many that he has peaked.

In 2015 Ronaldo scored 54 goals in 52 games. He remains an absolute phenomenon but the signs suggest that we may already have seen the best of Portugal's superstar.

Buhari to host Eaglets, others January 21

President Muhammadu Buhari

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Friday Olokor, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally agreed to host the victorious Golden Eaglets at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on January 21.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung stated this on Thursday night in Abuja during the Glo/CAF African Footballer of the Year Awards.

He also stated that the National Sports Commission has forwarded a proposal for the reception, which the Presidency has approved.

Buhari had earlier disclosed during the recent presidential media chat that he has approved the proposals brought to him for the hosting of the players and athletes.

Biafra comments: ‘Sagay has diminished himself and disappointed Nigerians’ – Igbo youths

Professor Itse Sagay, has been tongue-lashed over his comments that the grand plot of Biafra agitators is to intimidate President Muhammadu Buhari into giving unmerited positions to the Igbos.
Igbo youths, under the aegis of Igbo Youths Movement, IYM and South East Democratic Coalition, SEDC, have described Sagay’s comments as a ‘blanket abuse of the Igbo nation’.

Sagay insinuated that some Igbo leaders, who had voted themselves out of contention in the present government, were behind the wave of pro-Biafra agitators.
He was also reported to have said that the Igbos occupied about 50% of federal positions during the administration of former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Who killed Ibrahim Abubakar?

By: Jude Opara, Abuja
Since the dastardly murder in cold blood of the Head of Protocol Unit of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Ibrahim Abubakar, many people who knew this amiable gentleman before his untimely death have been asking one question; what could have made anybody to want to kill him even in his own house?

Ibrahim-Abubakar

Ibro, as Ibrahim was fondly called by his friends and associates, joined the Protocol Unit of the NFF in 2006 from where he rose to become the head of that unit, a position he held until gunmen suspected to be hired killers snuffed life out of him in the early hours of Wednesday, January 7, 2016. A visit to his residence in Kado Estate revealed an environment that was greatly subdued by what they experienced when the men of the underworld came calling. Neighbours and other sympathizers were seen discussing the ugly incident in hush tones.

Selfish leaders hindering Nigeria’s growth – Obasanjo

Erstwhile President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has enjoined Nigerian leaders to make the interest of the people their paramount interest, stressing that the selfishness of leaders has hindered the growth and prosperity of the country.

Obasanjo, said this on Friday when the leadership and members of the Scout Association of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit and decorated him as Messenger of Peace Ambassador for Africa at his Presidential Hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, Ogun State.



The former President who said the decoration rekindled memories of when he became Queen’s Scout, pointed out that for any leader to succeed, he must be prepared to face unexpected challenges at all times.
“We need a Scout spirit in our country not just for individual benefit alone but also for services to the nation. Work collectively and provide the leadership that will make us get progress”, he said.
Obasanjo further noted that the nation needed to work collectively to ensure that the nation progresses in all spheres.

EFCC Invades Ex-Customs Boss’ Abuja Residence

 

Some security operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday invaded the Abuja residence of the immediate past Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko.
The operatives reportedly stormed the house when Dikko was away from Abuja.
The spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Wilson Ewujieren, however said he was not aware of the incident as at the time of filing this report.

It will be recalled that Dikko voluntarily retired from the service shortly after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari despite the fact that his second term had just begun.

Presidency sources disclosed that his successor in office, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) was said to have met a messy and stinking Customs when he came into the office and top officers who worked with Dikko were said not to be ready to work with him.

They all afterwards retired voluntarily except one and Ali had to resort to prosecuting reforms which it was gathered have started yielding positive results.

BREAKING: Jim Nwobodo, Fidelis Okoro dump PDP for APC

 

 The wave of defection continued in Enugu State on Friday as three top leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors included Senator Jim Nwobodo, who was the first executive Governor of old Anambra State and Senator Fidelis Okoro, who was a senator between 1999 and 2007.

They declared for APC at a State APC stakeholders meeting convened by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Jeffrey Onyeama on Thursday.
Nwobodo was recently named by embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) among those who benefited from the multi-billion naira Armsgate fraud, currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Three Reasons Southern Ijaw Is Of Key To PDP, APC

Since the gubernatorial election earlier scheduled for Saturday December 5, 2015, in Bayelsa was declared inconclusive, Southern Ijaw Local Government Council has been like a bride waiting to be walked down the aisle for political gladiators.

Governor Seriake Dickson of the PDP (L) and Chief Timipre Sylva of thre APC (R)

Issues related to Southern Ijaw have been grabbing news headlines while the most popular political warriors; Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Timipre Slyva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been jostling for control.

'Why I shunned Barrister's 5th memorial concert,' Fuji maestro reveals

Fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Omogbolahan Anifowoshe aka K1, has revealed why he shunned the fifth memorial service and concert of legendary Fuji singer, Sikiru Ayinde Agbajelola aka Barrister.

In a report by Punch Newspaper, K1 revealed that he decided to shun the concert when he realised the children of the deceased singer were bent on having a regular shindig as against an intellectual seminar to immortalise his former boss.