Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Egyptian club snap Mfon Udoh

2015-02-03 15:32
Lagos - Top Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) striker Mfon Udoh has departed Enyimba for Egyptian side Ismaily Sporting Club.

Udoh, the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player of the Season, netted a record 23 goals during the 2013/14 Glo Premier League campaign to better the previous record tally of 20 goals achieved by Jude Aneke.

Udoh's form has resulted Ismaily snapping him up on a four-and-a-half year deal, having reportedly paid the player $500,000 for his services.

"Udoh and his representatives have agreed a deal with Ismaily. Interestingly, top officials of his club, Enyimba, have approved the deal," the SuperSport website quoted a source as saying.

The 22-year-old has three senior Nigerian national team caps to his name, and has scored once for the Super Eagles.

Udoh began his career with lower league side Unicem Rovers, before signing for Akwa United, where he netted 15 goals during his second season at the club.

Nigerian Navy collaborates with INEC


Abuja - The Nigerian Navy has pledged to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission with conveying of electoral materials in the Cross River State and surrounding riverines, Vanguard reported.

The navy will deploy their men to assist people who stay in the Cross River State and will be voting. They will keep the water safe by patrolling and making sure security is upheld.


The Flag Officer Commander, Henry Babalola, has stated that no violence will be tolerated and the public is advised to obey the law during the elections.

The Navy is expected to stand by the INEC if needed be at all times during the upcoming elections to move electoral materials across the state.

For more on this story visit Vanguard

Expressing Valentine's love at the polls

2015-02-03 17:28
It is not an exaggeration to say that whenever Valentine’s Day celebration is mentioned that what comes to mind are Roses, Cupid’s arrows, chocolates, cards and even romantic feelings.

While it is not arguable that the foregoing are collectively synonymous with Valentine’s Day celebration, it is not laughable to say that the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) that are been lopsidedly distributed to duly registered voters across the country has somewhat become a paraphernalia of Valentine’s Day as the much-awaited presidential election is scheduled to hold on the day the Lover’s Day is traditionally celebrated all over the world.

The beauty that is inherent in the coincidence of the conduct of the presidential election and the celebration of the widely celebrated Lover’s Day come February 14, 2015 cannot be far-fetched when seen from the prism of the fact that the love which Saint Valentine exhibited while on his earthly journey can be emulated at the polls to make the presidential election that coincided with Lover’s Day, including the governorship and state house of assembly elections scheduled to hold on February 28, 2015, are peaceful elections that would make any book on Nigeria’s political history a must-read for political students and gurus across the world.

At this juncture, one is compelled to ask, how can voters express Valentine’s love at the polls to make the election peaceful? First and foremost, voters and party s would not go to the polls to be involved in the nefarious activities of ballot snatching and snuffing. Given the undiluted love which St. Valentine professed and exhibited, it can be argued that there is no justifiable reason that would make any voter to be enmeshed in the labyrinth of electoral violence that comes in the similitude of clashes among supporters of rival candidates.

Secondly, voters that purposely left their homes to vote for their choice candidates would in the spirit of Valentine not forsake their choice candidate and accept monetary gifts from supporters of other candidates at the polls in order to buy their consciences and usurp their freedom of choice. There is no denying the fact that the expression of Valentine’s love at the polls would make voters that are truly patriotic not to take up the cudgels for their choice candidates. The voters that truly understand the essence of Valentine’s love may not on the day of its celebration think of even hurting his or her neighbor; not to talk of going to the polls to foment trouble and engage in electoral malpractices.

One may not be wrong to say that some readers of this opinion article may have disagreed with the views expressed herein. However, the truth of the matter remains that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear…” The foregoing biblical scripture is the word of encouragement in the book of 1st John chapter 4 verse 18 on the need for the expression of love under any situation and circumstances as it is capable of engendering peace.

With this in mind, one can say that it would not be out of place for politicians and electorates to express love at the polls come February 14, 2015 and beyond in order to let peace reign on the nation’s political landscape. At this juncture, one cannot deny the fact that expressing the kind of love which St. Valentine exhibited throughout his earthly journey in order to engender peaceful coexistence has become an indispensable panacea for all Nigerians of votable age come February 2015. The spirit of Valentine’s love should be exhibited on the day of presidential election to enable peace to reign.

When viewed from another perspective many Nigerians have no doubt developed apathy, and to a large extent, hatred towards some politicians that are wont to see the game of politics as a dubious means of amassing ill-gotten wealth to themselves. Rather than been compelled to stay away from the polls by the spirit of apathy and hatred which they have overtime developed towardthe politicians, they should resort to expressing Valentine’s love by going to the polls and vote for the candidates of their choice. Nigerians of votable age who have already developed apathy should remember the admonitions of Abraham Lincoln that says “The ballot is stronger than the bullet“ and that of William E. Simon that says “Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.”

Translated to suit our environment, it can be said that “Bad politicians are sent to Abuja by good people who don’t vote.” Permit me to say that this piece would not be brought to conclusion without admonishing desperate and greedy politicians that being elected into one political office or another would make them to be fulfilled in life. If some of them who are Christians should go through the book of Ecclessiastes, it would clearly dawn on them that their collective thinking is erroneous. The scriptures in chapter 6 verse 1 and verse 2 has it that “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men; A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth and honour, so that he wanted nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient for politicians that are destined to obtain victories in various political positions come February 2015 to hold on to the love which St. Valentine demonstrated rather than thinking of how to carry out nefarious activities at the polls.

Finally, politicians should endeavor to be expressing Valentine’s love toward the country growth in all ramifications rather than thinking of how to milk her dry.
- MyNews24

12 extremists killed in French operation in Mali

2015-02-03 16:28
Bamako — A Malian official says that a French military operation killed 12 extremists in far northern Mali, amid renewed violence in the region.

The French Defense Ministry says that French troops put a dozen fighters "out of action" after moving in on the group in the rugged Adrar des Ifoghas area Saturday. A local official in northern Mali confirmed Tuesday that the 12 were killed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The French ministry said no French troops were killed.

French and U.N. troops remain in the region after France intervened in former colony Mali two years ago and dispersed Islamic extremists who had taken control of the arid north. Recent months have seen repeated attacks by extremists and rising tensions with the Tuaregs.

Political thugs kill three in Lagos

2015-02-03 16:28
Lagos - Suspected political thugs, have killed three persons in separate clashes in the Ajegunle and Lagos Island areas of Lagos, Punch reports.

The thugs, who reportedly belonged to a cult gang known as Campos boys, caused mayhem at Akindele and Apata streets in Amukoko on Sunday.

One of the two victims in the Amukoko, Ajegunle area was identified simply as Raimi, the deceased in the Lagos Island incident was identified as Ahmed Igbagbo. The third person had yet to be identified.

Two factions clashed in the area, and had a gun duel during which Raimi was shot in the chest.
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Policemen from the Amukoko Police Division were said to have arrived the scene to curtail the crisis.

Read more at Punch

Ronaldo 'won't leave Real Madrid' - agent

2015-02-03 17:17
London - Cristiano Ronaldo will finish his career at Real Madrid, the Portuguese superstar's agent said Tuesday as he put a 300 million ($452 million, 298 million euros) price-tag on the world footballer of the year.

"He is the best player ever in the world. You can't compare him with anybody else," agent Jorge Mendes said of Ronaldo in an interview with the BBC.


"If for any reason the club decide to sell him tomorrow for 300 million, someone will pay," Mendes added.
But the agent said there was no danger of his 29-year-old compatriot, voted the world's best player for a third time last month beating Barcelona's Lionel Messi to the award leaving Real's Bernabeu Stadium.

"Cristano Ronaldo? One billion. His buyout clause one billion, so it is one billion. It is impossible to find someone like him."

Asked if Ronaldo, who joined Real from Manchester United for a world record 80 million in 2009, would end his career with the Spanish giants, Mendes said "for sure".
"He will not leave Real Madrid," Mendes insisted.

Couple has sex in office and entire bar witnesses it

2015-02-03 17:17

Lagos – Two colleagues who were involving themselves in some extracurricular activities after hours at work were caught with their pants down when they forgot to turn the lights off and patrons at the bar across the street were privy to their affair, Daily Mail reports.

The duo work at an insurance company in Christchurch, New Zealand, which unfortunately for them is right opposite Carlton Bar and Eatery.

According to patrons at the bar, the couple provided them with a show as many people filmed the event while watching from the windows and posted the proof to Facebook and Twitter. Apparently at one point, the band in the bar stopped playing to watch the rendezvous.

The insurance company, Marsh Ltd, said the company was taking the matter seriously and the pair have been identified and will be dealt with accordingly.
Read more at Daily Mail