Omoshalewa Babalola Makes History as First Graduate of LASPOTECH with 4.0 CGPA

Omoshalewa Adenike Babalola a student who just graduated from the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), has made history as the first student to graduate with the maximum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0.

Omoshalewa, a Science Laboratory graduate, emerged valedictorian and was showered with gifts at the ceremony with a number of  dignitaries in attendance including Deputy Governor of Lagos state Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule representing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Ayangburen of Ikorodu Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and former Group Managing Director of Chams Plc Ademola Aladekomo, among others.

The governor urged the graduands to be innovative and practise the entrepreneurial skills acquired from the school. He said: �There is no gainsaying the fact that we are in a challenging time, especially the current unemployment rate. It is time to bring out your innovative and entrepreneurial skills. You must look and explore other options to engage yourselves.�

The Rector, Dr. Samuel Sogunro who led the procession of graduands and the principal officers at the ceremony, said Omoshalewa is the first student to graduate with the maximum CGPA and the school would offer her a job after her National Youth Service.

Omoshalewa, who attributed her success to group reading and hard work, spoke on behalf of other graduates and hailed the polytechnic staff for their guidance. She described her feat as unbelievable, saying: �I never had it so easy.�

The ceremony held at 10am in the schools auditorium with a graduating set of 8,519 students. 263 of the graduating students were awarded a distinction.

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Federal Government Explains Why Buhari Embarks On Many Foreign Trips

The Federal Government has now given reasons why Presi�dent Muhammadu Buhari travels outside the shores of Nigeria frequently.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Af�fairs, Ambassador Bulus Lolo, told newsmen on the side�line of President Buhari�s visit to China that Nigerians owe him a great debt of gratitude for travelling abroad where he deploys goodwill for the benefit of Nigerians.

Lolo maintained that those criticising the president are rather uninformed, saying Nigeria has benefited a lot from the president�s frequent trips.

On Tuesday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ni�geria signed an agreement with China, providing us a $5 billion window, which is like we have added to our reserve by about five billion because any goods you buy today, either from China or elsewhere, and you want to pay, you don�t have to draw from our national reserve.

We can use this window that has been provided. That is one advantage the president brings from his frequent travels.

Doors were locked against Nigeria, but, now, they are putting red carpet for him to walk through, and as he walks through, Nigeria businessmen are behind him, opening new opportunities. The second advantage of Mr President�s travels comes from the fact that he is trusted around the world. This is not a commodity you pick from a shelf in a shop. It is personal to him, but, he is expend�ing it for the good of the country.

The third benefit of his travels is his integrity. Where there is trust and there is integrity, people believe you. They are ready to do business with you,� Lolo said.

Lolo added that because the president travels, things that Nigeria was denied are presently thrown open to the country.

Talk of three, four years ago in our fight against Boko Haram; with money in our hands, we were looking for equipment to buy, we couldn�t buy. Today, there is not a single country that he has visited where he is not being invited to tell them what he wants to buy, including the very equipment we were denied before. It is ours to ask, and, sometimes, even at subsidised rate.

In a nutshell, the answer is very simple: we owe him a great debt of gratitude for expending his goodwill, his integrity and trust that he enjoys��

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Falz Unveiled As New Host Of �The Bigger Friday Show�

A new season of popular Friday night comedy programme �The Bigger Friday Show� is set to premiere in the coming weeks � with a twist.

Previously hosted by comedian, Basketmouth as �The Big Friday Show�, the show is now revamped and it will be hosted by rapper and widely-admired internet sensation, Falz The Bahd Guy.

�The Bigger Friday Show� is one of the revamped entertainment shows on MTV Base as the channel seeks to make young African audiences the centre of its content and deepen audience participation and interaction.

The past edition of the show featured parody videos, celebrity pranks and entertainment news highlights.

Viewers can also be part of the new season editions and participate in the #BFSChallenge by submitting personalized content on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #BFSChallenge

The show will premiere on MTV Base Channel 322 on Friday April 29, 2016.

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600 Foreigners Cancel Flights To Ghana After TB Joshua�s Prophecy

The fear and panic following increasing terror threats heightened by a doom prophecy by T.B. Joshua, prevented over 600 foreign nationals from attending an international programme being held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), Ghana.

The prophet by T.B. Joshua, founder and leader of Synagogue Church of all Nations, according to organisers, has put fear in the international participants from Europe, America, Asia, and even other African countries, hence, the cancellation of their flights to Ghana.

The daily heritage was reliably informed that the spouses and relatives of some of the participants stopped the foreigners from travelling to Ghana for fear of being attacked by terrorists.

The programme, �Africa-Israel initiative, Ghana� which began on Wednesday, April 13 and will end today had an incredibly low turnout on the opening day though organisers had assurances of participation weeks ago.

The food, drinks and water meant for the invited guests had to be sent to the Osu children�s home to avoid wastage.

On Saturday April 10, Prophet T.B. Joshua during a live church service aired on Emmanuel TV channel warned of possible terrorist attack in Ghana and Nigeria.

I am seeing Thursday, Friday and Saturday � if I may say Thursday � because these evil people they are very funny.

Anything can just happen. You will be very shocked to see what will happen, because when the prayer is going in this direction them (attackers) change to (another) direction.� He predicted.

While stressing that the attack would happen this month, the prophet urged the congregation to pray for Ghana and Nigeria.

Confirming the effects of the prophecy on the programme, the country director of the Africa-Israel initiative, Rev. Perey Gilbert Apreala told the daily heritage that indeed the prophecy was responsible for the low turnout.

He has caused fear and panic among the foreigners so they could not attend the event for fear of any terrorist attack,� Rev. Apreala stated.

The three day conference seeks to strengthen Ghana-Israel relationship, as well as promote Israeli technology and how to tap into the new trends to drive businesses in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

At the conference grounds, security was very tight. Individuals were screened at the main gate and before entering the AICC.

Some of the Ghanaian participants the paper spoke to expressed disquiet about the development, but noted that the programme was educative and the knowledge they have acquired would be utilized to transform their various work places.

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Linda Ikeji Drags Wizkid To Police Commissioner...

The on-going war between Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji and pop star, Wizkid has taken a new turn.

For starters, Wizkid and Linda Ikeji aren�t best of friends.

Wizkid continues to express his haughtiness for the blogger and never fails to take shots at her at any opportunity.

Ikeji, who�s developed a thick skin, after years of multiple celeb spats, hasn�t let the singer�s attitude debar her from covering his misdemeanours.

She joined other blogs to report on his alleged second baby mama. But their beef got worse early April when Linda Ikeji�s blog alleged that Wizkid had been served a quit notice from his Lekki residence in Lagos.

Wizkid who was at Congo at the time took to social media to lash out at the blogger. He was loud-mouthed in his rant, even threatening to arrange to have the blogger beaten.

If I ever see you, I�ll get my 16 year old cousin to beat the poo out of you� he said.

Many pundits told THENETng at the time that there are legal implications should the blogger report to the police.

We can now confirm that Ikeji has reported the threat to the Lagos State commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni.

A source with details told Nigerian Entertainment Today a summon has been issued to Wizkid, with an invitation letter sent to the Surulere office of his manager, Sunday Are.

He was instructed to show up today but he did not�, a source told TheNetNg

His manager, Sunday Are didn�t pick our calls or respond to our messages.

According to a legal source, Section 323 of the criminal code states that:

Any person who, knowing the contents thereof directly or indirectly causes any person to receive any writing threatening to kill any person is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for 7 years�.

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Enugu Community At War Over Slavery

Several people were injured while two houses were burnt at Alor Uno in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State following crises between the Ejuona people and their Ugbene neighbours over which of them were the aborigines or slaves.

 Although the crises started several years ago, the latest trouble began when the Ugbene people discovered that their Ejuona neighbours allegedly wrote a constitution secretly and deposited same with the state government without their knowledge.

Under the secret constitution, the people of Ugbene were barred from taking any title including the traditional ruler ship of the area as they were considered as sub-humans who should not associate with real human beings.

Investigations by Vanguard showed that the Ugbene people were also barred from passing through some track roads in the community as such places were reserved for the true sons and daughters of the land.

A young Ugbene man who passed through the road on Monday was reportedly chased by youths from Ejuona who inflicted serious machete injuries on him. The man who was simply identified as Sunday was said to be still lying critically ill in hospital due to machete cuts on his head.

Some of those who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard that the Ugbene people decided to challenge the obnoxious practice as their youths also carried out reprisal attacks on the Ejuona people following the attack on Sunday, leading to destruction of houses and vehicles on both sides.

The traditional ruler of Alor Uno, Igwe Ngwu Nweze and other leaders of Ejuona, including Mr. Gilbert Omeje and their counterparts in Ugbene were said to be holding a meeting with the Area Commander, Nsukka Police Command, ACP Sunday Kuryasi, even as policemen had already been deployed to Alor Uno to maintain peace.

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CHIBOK GIRLS: 2 Years In Captivity, Assault On Humanity � LABOUR

Labour, yesterday, described government failure to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, in April 14, 2014, as an assault on humanity, saying the girls were not just statistics but wives, daughters, teachers, doctors, lawyers and leaders.

At a briefing in Lagos, Mr. Issa Aremu, General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, who was represented by one of his deputies, Mr. Sylvester Chimezie, said:

Whoever kidnaps a girl child kidnaps a future. 219 in captivity for 639 days is an assault on the future of humanity.

Social dialogue and negotiated settlements are tested mechanisms for resolving social conflicts, not senseless violence in which innocent Chibok girls are victims.� 

Aremu, who is also the Chairman of IndustriALL Global Union, Sub-Sahara Africa, lauded the #Bringbackourgirls group and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to apply same dedication with which he tackled Boko Haram to rescuing the schoolgirls.

Earlier, second Deputy President of NUTGTWN, Mr. Babatunde Yusuf, who represented the President, Mr. John Adaji, said:

Each time we look at our daughters; we must remember the fate of the Chibok girls and put their rescue on the front-burner always.�

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Man Raped His Wife�s 15 Year Old Sister For 10 years

A 36-year-old man, Imeh Akpan accused of raping his wife�s 15-year-old step-sister for 10 years has been arrested by the police in Lagos.

The suspect, who was paraded before reporters on Wednesday afternoon, however denied the allegation, insisting that he only did it once.

Akpan, according to the Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, started defiling the teenager since she was five-year-old.

The teenager has been living with him since she was small. He started raping her when she was five-year-old.

She lives with him and his wife, who�s her step-sister and he has been defiling her since then.

But he was eventually caught at the weekend after the girl ran out of the house and was rescued by some policemen,� said Owoseni. 

However, the victim (names withheld) disclosed that the man has taken advantage of her twice and her sister was not around.

She stated that she has complained to her sister once and when the older woman confronted her husband, he denied raping her.

She said:

My daddy (suspect) raped me because my mummy travelled to Akwa Ibom last Wednesday. I was sleeping on Sunday, around 10pm, my daddy came and removed my clothes and slept with me.

He used the towel to cover my eye and my mouth but I was still shouting and crying. He said nobody will come and help me. So, I ran out of the house when i got chance. After I ran out, I begged my neighbour to give me phone to talk to my mummy (half sister) and he said there is no credit in his phone.

So, I ran towards the police station at the roundabout. On my way there, I saw one man who asked me where I was going. I told him everything and the man said he will take me to police station and to human right.

So, he now took me to hotel that I should come and sleep in hotel till morning before he will take me to the station. I followed the man and I now said I cannot sleep with him inside the hotel.

When I wanted to close my eyes, I was now seeing the man as if his hand was touching me in my dream. I could not close my eyes. Around 3am, I told the man I want to go and ease myself and he allowed me.

The man now said since I want to go and report everything at police station that he will use his own money and that the money will be N50, 000, that I should do him a favour and enter the room. I did but the man wanted to rape me also and I shouted before the owner of the hotel came and opened the door.

That was how I ran outside. As I was walking on the road, policemen saw me and I told them everything and they called one Okada man to take me to Lion Building.

He has slept with me two times. The first time was last year. I told my mummy everything when she came back from church because my daddy told her that I ran out of the house. When I told her, she believed me but when my uncle now denied, he claimed that I left the door open and someone entered the house. That was why he kicked my left and I ran out,� she narrated.

But the victim who claimed he was drunk said he did not know what he did or how he did it.

She is like my daughter and it is an abomination for me to sleep with her. I have been the one training her since she was a baby. I was drunk and I did not know anything. It was the police that invited me and told me I raped her. I did not even know. It is only this once I have done it. I do not know what came over me,� he said.

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Olajumoke Goes Back to School

Bread seller-turned model, Olajumoke Orisaguna has headed back to the classroom. The lovely mother of two whose picture went viral when she stumbled on TY Bello�s set in February this year has reportedly started a programme with Poise Nigeria, a Nigerian etiquette and finishing school run by Mavis Isibor.

Jumoke is said to be taking courses at the up-scale Lekki campus in English Grammar and Communication, and also in Total Personality Development. In only a few months, she became a brand ambassador for Payporte, and scored modelling gigs with fashion brands like Salma Guzel. She has also been interviewed on CNN, and has become the most googled person in Nigeria.

Sequel to catching the eye of  the world, the budding model was advised to acquire some form of education to avoid being taken advantage of, and ensure that her career does not grind to an abrupt halt. One concerned Nigerian undergraduate of the University of Lagos; Nneka Ibemesi put it,

Without an education, she will not go far, and as it is people are just telling her what to do. The day she demands for what she really wants, her career will end.

Since she started making headlines, many people had predicted that her stardom might be short-lived, as she does not have the proper training to sustain where she has been placed.�

Ibemesie stated her fear of the tendency of extortionists to use an ignorant Jumoke to further their own agenda, without necessarily having her interests at heart. I guess people just want to use her illiteracy to make money and gain publicity.�

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The Church Honours The Man That Brought Catholic Faith To Awka In 1916

LATE Chief Chukwuneke Ofodile, who brought the Catholic fate to Awka in 1916, is one of 43 persons to be honoured by the Church during its centenary celebration tomorrow. 

The award would be one of the highlights of the week-long celebration which started last Sunday in all the parishes in the town, with Rosary procession from the parishes, which terminated at the famous St. Patrick�s Cathedral with a benediction.

Awka Chairman of the centenary celebration committee, Professor Austin Nonyelu, went down memory lane on how Chief Ofodile attracted the church to the area despite initial challenges.

Nonyelu said:

 Chief Ofodile went to Igbariam to invite the white Reverend Fathers. They were refered to Nteje to discuss with Father Bubendorff, who accepted to meet them later in Awka.

 As agreed, Father Bubendorff, who was accompanied by Brother Joseph, later arrived in Awka and requested Chief Offodile to gather other chiefs and elders to meet him.

 The meeting became a watershed, as it mid-wifed the birth of the new school and church in Awka.

As part of his personal contribution, Chief Offodile donated a piece of land at the extreme part of Awka to the new church and requested his colleagues to clear the land. A new school was therefore erected there: a mud house thatched with raffia mats. 

The school became operational same year (1916), and one Felix Udeme, from Osomala in the present day Ogbaru, was posted to be in charge.� 

Challenges Nonyelu said the school encountered a number of challenges including lack of pupils and stiff competition from the government school, which was better located and was also better equipped and staffed, adding that it was for that reason that Fr. Bubendorff requested for a change of site for the school which was accepted in 1923.

The school was later moved to the present site: 349, Zik Avenue, Awka, near Nkwo Market, and also doubled as St. Cyprian Catholic Church.

Nonyelu said the centenary celebration will come to a climax with a Concelebrated Mass to be officiated by the Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, to be assisted by many Bishops and over 100 priests from the various parts of the country on April 16 at the Cathedral.

According to the chairman, prominent Nigerians, including Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, minister of employment, Senator Chris Ngige, former Governor Peter Obi, former national Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, among many others, are expected to grace the week-long event.

Nonyelu, who described 2016 as a special year for Awka people and those residing in the city, observed that the Catholic Church had grown substantially over the years with notable infrastructure, accompanied with spiritual and human development.

He said at the beginning of this year, there were 27 indigenous priests of Awka, in addition to many educational and health institutions, adding that despite some challenges, the church was still growing at a tremendous rate.

 Secretary of the committee, Mr. Uba Anene, explained that 43 persons would receive awards as part of the activities during the celebration, adding that among the awardees would be Chief Ofodile who would be honoured posthumously for bringing the Catholic Church to Awka.

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See What Happened To A Lady While Reading At Her Uncle�s House (VIDEO)

24-year-old Jane decided to visit her uncle last weekend in Cape Town, South Africa, and as a student, Jane went with her books so she could read against her exams until the shocking incident happened.

She was in her room reading when her uncle bumped in.

She tried to scream in an attempt to alert their neighbours but the house was so big that no one could hear her from outside.

After succeeding in taking off her clothes, her uncle had his way and R'APED her.

WARNING: Video is for Adults only!

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO

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Kylie Jenner Talks About The Demand To Look Perfect

Kylie Jenner always has to wear make up and look good to shoot her Keeping Up With The Kardashians show and also to make appearances at events. But she said all that can be too much sometimes..

During an interview with AdWeek on Monday, she said:

I feel like people want to see me have a cool hair color and dress a certain way and have pretty makeup and heels. If they were to see me in public, they would expect me to look like that�.it�s also exhausting for everyday life.'

 She also said that she's longer bothered by what her haters have to say anymore. She continued:

Honestly, I feel like at this point I�ve gotten so numb to it. I still do my thing and people still love me�It doesn�t really affect me.' 

There�s a really big part of my life that I don�t share online, and I feel like people think that just because I have a reality TV show and I�m on Snapchat for probably 10 minutes altogether throughout the day, that they know my life.

Like, I don�t show a lot of my relationships or my ups and downs. I�d never have a fight with someone [on Instagram],' she added. 

She's said she's more down to earth in real life than on social media..

 I think that's true for a lot of people, actually,' 'You can't really tell who a person is from, like, an eight-second Snapchat video or an Instagram. I only post on Instagram or Snapchat what I want people to see, you know? But there's a whole other side to me that people don't know.'

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Omotola To Face Tax Evasion Charges By Lagos State Government

Popular Nollywood Actress turned activist, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde might have bitten off more than she can chew as reports claim that she has never paid income tax in Lagos. This was revealed recently when information filtered out that the �crusader� may soon be served legal papers to begin tax evasion proceedings against her.

Of recent, the actress has been very vocal on the social media calling on her fans to resist paying taxes as according to her, gains of such payment is not being felt by the citizens. Her outburst has been well received by fans as they have also not seen any reason to pay the tax.

It would be recalled that earlier this year the agency also discovered huge discrepancies in the popular blogger, Linda Ikeji�s claims as to income tax payment.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem who disclosed this on Monday, said that The Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit has filled all the necessary information at the State High Court for the arraignment of 28 tax defaulters referred by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) and prosecution has begun in earnest.

Under the Personal Income Tax Act, a taxable person is statutorily required to file a return of income for the preceding year within 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment (March 31st being the deadline), while every employer of labour is required to file all emoluments paid to its employees for the preceding year, not later than 31st of January each year. 

Therefore, any taxable person or corporate organization, who fails to file their tax returns with LIRS by the stipulated date, is in breach of the provisions of the law, which is a criminal offence that is punishable under the tax laws.� Kazeem said. He said that the Lagos State Government established the Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit to aid the LIRS in its drive to collect taxes, and warned members of the public to cooperate with tax officers as obstruction of these tax officers in their lawful duty can and will lead to prosecution.

Kazeem said the enforcement of the tax laws became necessary because a large number of Lagosians have not paid their taxes.

He said tax evaders and offenders, upon prosecution, may be fined or imprisoned or made to face both as provided in the Personal Income Tax Act.

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Government Removes 531 Beggars From Lagos Streets

Lagos State Government has rescued 531 beggars, destitute and mentally-challenged persons from the streets, to eradicate any act of begging in the state. 

The state government also rehabilitated 12 drug-dependent individuals rescued from the streets, to a position of functional ability.

This was contained in a publication made available by the state government on the activities of the State Ministry of Youth and Social Development.

The rescue was between October, 2015 and January, this year. According to the statement, the state government through ministry �rescued off the street a total number of 531 beggars, destitute and mentally challenged individuals in the state.

A total of 54 children were reunited with their families within and outside the country.Also, 148 cases of Child Abuses were reported and investigated and are at different stages of prosecutions in various family courts,� the statement added. 

Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf had earlier revealed that this is why Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, pledged his unalloyed support for destitutes and beggars in providing adequate welfare and other social amenities at all special homes built for them.

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OBO!!! Davido Becomes 1st Nigerian To Hit 2m Instagram Followers

Wow!!! Davido is really smashing the Social Media records while others follow�

7 Months ago, Davido became the 1st Nigeria to hit 1m Instagram followers, Months later, the likes of Wizkid, Olamide and many others also hit the milestone created by Davido.

Now, Davido has done it once again, He has reached another Milestone on Instagram, He�s the first Nigerians to hit 2m followers on Instagram.

The 23 year old star has a large presence on social media with 1.74 million followers on Twitter.

This is a good one for the Davido Camp.. Fire on Omo Baba Olowo!!!

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Man Commits Suicide Over Incompetence To Get Married At 40

Residents of  Alhaji Aboki Street in Abaranje area of Ikotun have been thrown into confusion, following the discovery of the lifeless body of a 40-year-old resident known simply as Femi, in an uncompleted building. 

Late Femi was said to have committed suicide out of frustration and his inability to get married at 40. The incident occurred barely two months after he was evicted from his one -room apartment on 27, Alhaji Aboki Street.

Vanguard gathered that late Femi, popularly known as Fela, had earlier attempted to take his life twice.

A resident, who gave his name as Okeseun Olatunde, disclosed that �Femi was evicted by his landlord in February,  after he was discharged from hospital, following a failed suicide attempt. �On one of the occasions he jumped into a well but was rescued.

After the second failed suicide attempt, his landlord asked him to bring his relatives, but none showed up. He had said severally that he was related to late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

We also learned he owed the landlord house rent. The landlord had no choice than to evict him, with his property kept outside. He (Femi) took the property to the uncompleted building where he stayed until he was discovered dead last Friday. 

We suspect he committed suicide.� Another resident, Josiah Madu, who said late Femi was a bricklayer, disclosed that he had complained severally that business was not forth-coming and that he desperately wanted to get married.

 Madu said:

He told some of us in March last year that every woman he approached for marriage complained about his financial status. At a point, he started keeping to himself.�

 Police sources hinted that investigation into the cause of the death had begun.

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35 Year Old Man Rapes 4 Year Old Boy in Ebonyi State

A 35-year-old man, Stephen Ude of Amuzu community, Amasiri Afikpo North local   government area of Ebonyi State has been arrested for allegedly defiling a ten year old boy, 
Victor Agha.

The victim, who hails from Amuzu Ezeke, had followed the suspect to the farm where the man proceeded to defile him, The Nation reports.

It was gathered that when he returned from the farm in the evening, Agha looked very weak and sick prompting the father to ask what happened to him and he told the father that Stephen Ude had sex with him through the anus.

Police spokesman, ASP George Okafor confirmed the incident adding that the suspect had been arrested.
He warned that the command cannot tolerate any homosexual act in the state.

By the time we conclude with the necessary investigation, get the medical report together as well as other necessary facts, we will send the suspect to court and ensure that the law takes it course,� he said.

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Oliseh Gets FIFA Appointment

For the second time, football world governing body, Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, has appointed immediate past chief coach of Nigeria national team, Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, as a member of its new technical department.

Oliseh personally announced the cheering news on his official Twitter handle, @SundayOOliseh, early Monday morning.

�Honoured To Be Appointed Into the �new look� FIFA Technical Department. Next mission; The 2016 Rio Olympics Football.� Oliseh tweeted.

In the tweet, Oliseh didn�t reveal the details of his assignment.

In March 2013, Oliseh, former Nigeria midfielder was appointed by FIFA as a member of its technical study group.

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How I Overcame Sexual Harassment � Tiwa Savage

Speaking at the Youth Enterprise Conference 2016, which  recently held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, singer Tiwa Savage, opened up on her career and how she built the Tiwa Savage brand, revealing some of her best kept secrets including how to remain relevant in the entertainment industry.

I left the country when I was young. I was supposed to go to an Air Force school so my parents shaved my hair but my mummy later took me to the UK and some people started bullying me and saying I looked like a small boy.

Tiwa Savage began, going down memory lane, �while I was in the UK I went to the United States. Whenever I said I was a singer they asked for my name and I said �Tiwa Savage.� Next they asked �where are you from� and I told them I am from Nigeria. I realised that they were so interested in Fela�s music, Tuface and Mo Hits.

It dawned on me that they seemed to be more inter�ested in the music from my country but here I was in the US trying to learn how to sing R n B, hip hop, pop, jazz and gospel music.�

Filling the gap
Starting from age 16, Tiwa Savage has worked with international acts like Mary J Blige, George Michael, Chaka Khan, Babyface and Whitney Houston. When Nigerian hip pop began to gain relevance on the global scene, Tiwa Sav�age said was worried that only few female artistes could be counted among the stars making waves back then. Conse�quently, her resolve to come home and turn the tide around became very intense and this culminated in her relocating to Nigeria in 2010.

�I told myself �why should I wait for someone like Beyonce to do Afro beat songs while I am from Nigeria.� I was like �let me go back and do this myself.� That was when I met my husband who was my friend back then. He was actually playing a lot of Nigerian videos and I fell in love with Yori Yori. That was the best song at that time. I watched videos from Mo Hits and P Square but I noticed there weren�t many female artistes.

�That was when I decided to pack everything and move to Nigeria. I had a good job as a songwriter with Babyface at that time but I sold my car, my belongings and came to Nigeria.

�But when I got to Nigeria I was humbled. I was speaking fone. I was like �hello, I am singer,� and the response in Yo�ruba was like �E jo a ko yen je.� (Please we don�t fancy that). My first performance at Kennis Easter Fiesta was a disaster! I was stoned with pure water bags because I was singing English songs and blowing too much phonetics.

�I ran back to my husband who was my boyfriend at that time and cried �my people are not accepting me, I don�t know what to do.� He told me to start singing songs that they could relate with. And that was how I came up with Kele Kele Love.�

Building the brand
Today, five years after she relocated to Nigeria, Tiwa Savage is one of Nigeria�s most successful singers. She has two albums and a string of hit songs to her credit and is also ambassador to a couple of brands.
Making reference to the advice giving to her by her boss and Mavin Records founder, Don Jazzy, she said:

Some�times, success is not really when you make it but how you sustain it. A lot of musicians were huge when I moved to Nigeria about five years ago but now we don�t really hear much about them."

�What Don Jazzy told me was that getting a hit record is great but building a brand is more important. Music is also a business but we tend to forget the business side of it. You need to create a lifestyle that young people want to emulate. Sometimes, you may not have the biggest song out there but you are still doing shows, getting endorsements and calls to speak to people and that is because you are a brand.�

Leveraging on social media
On how to maximise the benefits of social media she had this to say:�Social media is extremely fantastic for us artistes. It makes you closer to your audience. It has become a great source of revenue for artistes. Some companies want you to endorse their products and they call you. I have over a million followers on Twitter and the same goes for Insta�gram. With YouTube, you get paid for views but it all boils down to building your brand.

I am not the only talented singer that gets on stage to dance and do all the routines but when you build your brand, it makes you stand out. It is not every day that you will have a hit song but the day you don�t have one, your brand will sustain you.�

Sexual harassment
The Nigerian music industry is awash with tales of men asking for sex from female artistes before giving them any form of assistance. It was not different for Tiwa Savage in the early days of her career. This much the singer revealed to Entertainer.

Recounting her experience, Tiwa Savage continued: �A lot of times they said that they wanted to help me but actu�ally they wanted me to do �something� with them. Luckily I had a crazy boyfriend who ended up being my husband. He just shot them down.

If you are really talented and good at what you do and you have God behind you, don�t give in to that kind of temp�tation. I guarantee you that your talent will make a way for you. The same people will be the ones calling and you will even get more than you ever imagined if you don�t give in.�

Commenting on her relationship with her fans, Tiwa Sav�age said she has never had a situation where a fan publicly embarrassed her:

Nobody has physically done anything harmful to me. Even when people say bad things about me, my songs, my husband or my marriage, I don�t think I have to take it personal. Of course, I am human,� the singer con�cluded.

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Chioma Akpotha Reveals How Uche Jombo Lost Quite A Number Of Pregnancies Before Finally Having Her Baby

In early March, Uche Jombo started receiving body shaming comments about her post baby body as many felt she wasn�t doing enough to get rid of the excess weight she had amassed.

As a result of this, her Nollywood colleague and friend, Chioma Akpotha went spare on the body shamers after they flooded her Instagram comment section with some �demeaning� remarks about Uche on two photos she posted with her Wives on Strike co-star.

In defence of Uche, she revealed that the actress had lost quite a number of pregnancies before finally having her baby, Matthew with her husband, Kenney Rodriguez in May last year.
Read what she posted via her Instagram account.

Hello Everyone I'm a bit emotional now but I'd try hard to drive my point home. I took my last post down just like I did another one a few days back all because of the bashing you all come to drop on my page for Uche. Uche is this, Uche is that. "Ha! Is that Uche? I thought that was a panda" . "Uche take it easy o!, diabetes is around the corner" . "Uche, marriage has dragged you down." And it goes on and on and on.... Why if I may ask do you sit behind your laptops and your phones and throw demeaning words at your fellow human being?

And to think most of these hateful comments come from women who I think are full of bitterness themselves because it is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, in this case the hands type. Who died and made you Uche's watchman? Did Uche tell you she doesn't have a mirror in her house? Did she tell she doesn't know her dress size has changed?

Did she by any chance tell you Kenny is complaining ? Did she beg you for money to buy slimming tea and she pocketed the money and bought chocolates instead? Did you give Uche money to hit the gym but instead she pocketed the money and chose to sit at home and watch movies with bowls of caramel coated popcorn and a jumbo size soda? ?? Do you know how many pregnancies she lost before #BabyMatthew came? Did you know whilst we were on set for #WivesOnStrike Uche was over 4mths gone with a baby she eventually lost? And that was not the only one?

Do you then begin to think of the process her body has been through all these years? Do you all not just want to be human or you just feel better when you put the other down? #PullThemDownSyndrome What if @uchejombo were to be your sister, aunt or some sort of relative, would you throw these kinds of comments her way? @okolimaureen @ckelzofficial ? Let Uche be! She was never a #Darego She has never been a slim person. Different strokes for different folks. The way lady A's body reacts to the process of child bearing is different from that of lady B. Life is too difficult as it is already why make it worse for the other person? To what gain? #LetUcheBe ! Stop wasting ur time typing hateful comments #BeProductive go see #WivesOnStrike 1?? 

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Asa To Take Lagos by Storm for 1st Ever Live Concert in Nigeria On The 1st Of May

Barely weeks after her enthralling performance at the Etisalat Prize for Literature Grand Finale in Lagos (click here if you missed it), Asa is set to hold her first ever concert in Nigeria!

Asa, who has three (3) internationally released studio albums � �Live in Paris� and �Live in Tokyo� DVDs and chart-topping singles to her credit, will perform her most popular hits as well as tracks from her three albums including latest album �Bed of Stone�.

Her name has been synonymous with quality music in Nigeria has performed in different cities and countries around the world, winning acclaim for her breathtaking live performances. Her tours have led her to performing at some of the world�s most prestigious venues and the most recent, �Bed Of Stone Tour�, was heralded as one of last year�s must-see tours by critics and fans.

She now brings the #BOSTOUR to Lagos on the 1st of May, 2016 at the Eko Convention Center of Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

As the �Asa Live in Lagos� concert hits Lagos, Asa fans, connoisseurs of good music, and just about everybody in the entertainment industry are about to experience what is likely to be the biggest concert the ever bustling city of Lagos will play host to in a very long time.

The question making the rounds is; will it bring the hottest jostle for concert tickets ever seen in this part of the world? Only time will tell!

Date: 1st of May, 2016
Venue: Eko Convention Center of Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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Uru Eke: It Appears Nothing Goes for Free!

A transactional relationship is based on an expectation that a favor will be returned in kind - Hughes Marino

I want to talk about the transactional model of relationships. In business, transactional relationships make a lot of sense because you are giving something in order to receive something back. But for a romantic relationship is it right to give your love, affection or attention to someone in return for goods, money or favors? No doubt each of us bring a level of expectation to a relationship and what we each consider of value in an exchange will vary. Having said that, I�ve often wondered if chivalry is dead and if my generation will ever go back to the reason I want to believe used to be the bases of a relationship.

Something happened between myself and a friend recently, which has left me puzzled and wondering if out of desperation to get me to desire him he was willing to go into a transactional relationship with me. It has also left me questioning if I want to continue my close friendship with this person or from a very far distance.

For the purpose of this article I�ll call him Julius. Julius has been a friend to my family for a very long time and when I moved to pursue my career in Nigeria, he would call to check up on me periodically and visit me. As time went on I found myself getting comfortable with him and confiding in him about my struggles and challenges. It felt great to have him around. He would offer advice on various things and generally be available for me to vent to. Now Julius is married and as far as I was concerned all he was to me was a really close friend who I could talk to. Unknown to me Julius began to develop feelings. However, the way I am wired if I�m not attracted to you I won�t be mushy, encourage or acknowledge your feelings. Plus he is married, so for me he was off limits. Julius didn�t show he had feelings for me, so I felt we were cool. I thought we were just �close friends�.

I also have to add that it was refreshing to have a man who wasn�t asking you out or trying to smash. As I�ve come to realise, living in Lagos, most friendships between male and female are quite sexual. I don�t know about anyone else but speaking for myself, when I meet a guy it doesn�t matter how serious I seem or what I present before him he�s scheming on how he�s going to get me.

Imagine my shock when Julius, comes round to visit me one day and tries to kiss me. I step back in shock and ask him what he thinks he�s doing. In his words �Uru, I have always liked you and I can�t hold it back any longer� Gosh! I was crestfallen. The one person I felt I could run to and vent about other guys has joined the bandwagon. I put him in check and told him off, that I didn�t feel that way about him; plus what�s the point investing any feelings on him when he is married? (of course that doesn�t matter these days) We talked about it a little bit more and I tried as much as I could to explain why I couldn�t date him and how much his friendship meant to me. He concurred and we moved past it, or so I thought.

Fast forward a few months later during one of our conversations I was venting about the light situation and how my inverter batteries were almost depleted. I complained about the fact that when I first got the inverter installed the batteries were relatively cheap, but with the inflated dollar rate I was dreading how much it would cost to replace them. Julius goes, in his exact words �replacing these batteries is nothing to me, I can do it at the drop of a hat for you but URU you don�t show me any love� I said, �excuse me, show you love how? I confide in you about everything, there�s nothing going on in my life right now that you don�t know about. I call you almost everyday and sometimes it�s not because I particularly have anything to say but just to check on you�.

He continued by talking about his feelings again and how he could do things for me if only I reciprocated and stop acting like Miss Independent.

Don�t get me wrong if I need support I will ask for it and there�s absolutely no shame in that, but I just do not believe that I should lead someone on with the hope of a relationship or even go into one based on what the person can or will do for me. Julius went on and on about how sometimes he would want to do certain things for me but holds back because I don�t show him any affection.

Now my confusion is, would he prefer that I went along with his feelings and led him on just to take whatever he had to offer? Why doesn�t he appreciate my sincerity and the fact our friendship means a lot more than this �transactional relationship� he is proposing because that is essentially what it will be.

Transactional relationships happen all over the world and everyone has their individual reasons why they go into them. I�ve come across men who complain about women and their demand for money when in a relationship but to be honest the men aren�t innocent of being transactional themselves. You meet a girl and immediately you offer her all sorts of things to be with you, she wont go into that relationship with any feelings for you but to simply keep taking what you give and when you stop giving she�s out. Transactional relationships are on the rise and simply the order of the day and no one�s embarrassed about it. Sometimes it�s actually easy to tell which relationships/marriages are transactional and which ones are genuine.

Needless to say this experience has set a dark cloud over my friendship with Julius and I don�t know if we will quite recover from it.

In conclusion, I guess in a way every relationship is somewhat transactional but we need to focus on what is important to us and the people in our lives. Does what you give or take matter if you both agree? Are you giving your time, body for favors or love to be loved back in return.

By: URU EKE

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How Kim Kardashian Came To Be (INFOGRAPHIC)

She now is the most popular woman on earth. How did this come to be?

At least we have an Idea of how she started and where she's going. She really is an inspiration.

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N90bn Onitsha Shopping Mall For commissioning Friday

The N90 billion shopping mall built by Anambra State Government, in collaboration with a private investor in Onitsha is to be commissioned Friday next week.

The construction of the project began 30 months ago, and by yesterday those who rented the shops were putting finishing touches and getting ready to start business after the commissioning.

The mall is one of the three inherited by the Willie Obiano administration from his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi.

The other two are located at Awka and Nnewi and would be completed before the end of this year, according to Governor Obiano�s Special Adviser on Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Mark Okoye.

The Mall has a land size of 40,000 square metres, with gross built area of 18,000 square metres and gross letable area of 12,000 square metres. It also has capacity to accommodate 450 cars. Beside the Mall are an international conference centre, a four-star hotel and a housing estate.

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Nigeria remains best place to invest in the world �Dangote

Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said he will never shy away from investing in Nigeria economy as his company, yesterday, performed the $1 billion ground breaking of Dangote cement plants  at  Okpella, Edo State. 

The new plants are expected to add six million metric tonnes of cement per annum to the company�s current output  bringing it to 41 million metric tonnes per annum with potentials for 6,000 new jobs.

Speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony, Dangote said Nigeria still remains the best place to invest in the world, adding that  a key factor that drives investments in an economy is the presence of an investor-friendly business climate.

The African richest man noted that Edo State is today one of the most attractive investment destinations in Nigeria, saying:

The economic reforms in Edo State, especially in the area of tax, innovations in rural finance and investment on infrastructure, have produced an enabling environment that has further provided a platform for future growth. All these factors made us consider investing in the state. 

Nigeria is a growing economy. Our developmental challenges are quite enormous and will require the combined efforts of government and private sector to overcome them. It is in this light that we are here to contribute our own quota to transforming the economy of Edo State as we have done elsewhere. 

Dangote explained that the investment in Okpella, Edo State was one their several successful projects ongoing in parts of the country and outside in more than 15 other locations in African countries, in line with their Pan African investment strategy.

He said:

Last June, we commissioned our cement plant in Ethiopia, and in August of same year in Zambia and Cameroon. We commissioned our plant in Tanzania in October. We plan to commission very soon, some of our other African plants in Senegal and South Africa. 

Also last year, in Lagos, we signed a deal valued at $4.34 billion, with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited, for the construction of 10 additional new cement plants across Africa, with one in Nepal in Asia. The combined capacity of these new projects will be 25 million metric tons per annum.

By the time all these new projects are completed in the next few years, we will have a total capacity of 81 million metric tons per annum. This will make us one of the top six cement companies in the world. We are currently consolidating our cement businesses across Africa in order to reap the benefits of scale. As a matter of fact, our operational offshore cement plants have started to make substantial contributions to our group revenue.

By God�s grace,  we will all gather here again to commission this plant within the next 26 months. There is no doubt that the presence of the plant here will impact positively on the community, its people and the state.�

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IFRS: ICAN Certifies More Members

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has certified about 30 members with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Certification.

More so, 15 members were certified for the Forensic Accountant of Nigeria and Financial and Information Technology Consultant respectively. Speaking at the occasion of the Faculties Joint Induction Ceremonies for the 2015 Forensic Accounting; IFRS and Consultancy and Information Technology Certification training programmes, ICAN President, Otunba Olufemi Deru, said that the Faculties were created by the Council in 2001 as part of strategies to address the post-qualification specialisation needs of members in response to market demand.

According to him,

Over the years, the institute has been producing chartered accountants who have diverse competencies in the practice of audit, taxation, insolvency, corporate finance, financial advisory services, secretariat services, public finance, information technology amongst others. 

However, developments in the market place now point to the need for specialists in these various areas of accountancy. 

The advent of globalisation and the revolution in information technology have significantly altered the traditional mode of accounting processes and by extension, the pace, mode and the service delivery by chartered accountants.

The challenges imposed on players in the economy by these complex changes have invariably increased the premium placed on the skills and competences of chartered accountants resulting in the expansion of their responsibilities beyond the traditional attestation functions. 

It was in response to these dynamics, the resulting market preference for specialists and the need for post-qualification by members that about seven faculties were created by the Council,� he said.

 Deru charged the inductees to continue to fly the profession�s flag of honesty, integrity and excellence with distinction in their respective spheres of influence, no matter the odds.

This noble Institute, in my view, has pioneered various initiatives and made remarkable progress in various fields both locally and internationally by leveraging on the expertise and ingenuity of its members. 

Therefore, except you continue to demonstrate these great ideals and thrive on the virtues of your profession through exemplary conduct, we cannot legitimately claim to be the conscience of the nation,� he said. 

In his remark, Chairman, Board of Audit, Investigation and Forensic Accounting Faculty, Mr. Francis Medessou, said that there is a need for more accountants due to the rise in economic and financial crimes in the nation.

There is a need for more chartered accountants especially those trained as forensic accountants with skills to investigate financial crime and produce reliable and credible reports with which they will report the evidence that will facilitate judicial decisions on matters of fraud and financial and economic crimes.�

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BREAKING: Buhari Sent People To Kill Me In Prison � Nnamdi Kanu (VIDEO)

Detained Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu has raised an alarm over his life by accusing the presidency of trying to assassinate him in prison.

According to a 4-minute video released by Mr. Kanu�s lawyer as proof, the DSS have arrested two unknown men who tried to evade prison security protocols in an attempt to kill Mr. Kanu.

WARNING: Video Contains Gunshots!

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO

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BREAKING: Buhari Offers Jonathan Advisory Role To Help Resolve Fuel Crisis (VIDEO)

President Buhari has opted to seek former president Goodluck Jonathan�s advice in an attempt to resolve the disastrous fuel crisis hitting the country.

Buhari however did not categorically mention the advisory role he is offering the ex-president but it is widely anticipated that Jonathan might turn down the offer.

Buhari made this known in an interview with BBC Africa which was recorded. In the Shocking Video, Buhari also hinted strongly that he might not contest for a second presidential tenure in 2019. Wow!

Please, do not re-upload Video on other sites.

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Meet FIRST Million Dollar Blogger

Kristina Bazan, 22, from Sweden, launched her blog just five years ago and since then she's amassed millions of fans and is a major player in the fashion world.

She's got 2.3 million Instagram followers, an award-winning blog and was recently featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 List. She's gone behind the scenes at a Victoria's Secret show and even appeared on the cover of Vogue Portugal.

And now, having recently signed a rumoured seven-figure contract with L'Oreal Paris, Kristina Bazan from Sweden is now making millions of dollars.

I feel like I�m leading a double life,� Kristina Bazan reveals to Emirates Woman. My blog was never the finality of what I wanted to do. I launched it as an outlet for me to express my creativity.

I thought I may be an interior architect or a writer - even a painter one day. But I love music and I feel like I�ve been doing it behind the curtain!� she says of her recent foray into songwriting. 

Of course if I�m asked the question, I say I�m a blogger. It is what it is,.

But I do find the word quite diminishing because technically we can all click a button on the internet and suddenly have a blog. It takes so much more to actually make a statement in the industry and create something that�s going to inspire people or change their perception of something.�

When I was growing up I couldn�t afford a designer bag or anything like that, and I�d never showcase expensive clothing on my blog. I experienced challenges as I went along and I think people could feel how excited I was. So many of my readers come up to me and say, "what I love most about your story is that I was living all these things with you".

I didn�t come from money and I�m an example of how you can start with nothing and achieve something pretty cool. It gives hope to a lot of girls.�

And who doesn�t love a good old rags-to-riches tale? The difference here is that hers is no Cinderella story. Instead, she used her entrepreneurial talent as currency and capitalised on her ability to resonate with her readers on a real level.

I think it�s a matter of sensitivity,� she explains. I have a lot of empathy and I manage to put myself in a lot of different positions. I write articles from my point of view but I always have in mind what my readers are going to feel when they read it. And I try not to take myself too seriously. 

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Wizkid Slated To Perform Alongside Ciara, Kendrick Lamar And Others At The Essence Festival 2016

Wizkid is among the musicians slated to perform at the 2016 Essence Music Festival which wiill hold in New Orleans between June 30th and July 3rd. Other artists performing include the music goddess, Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar, Ciara, Leon Bridges

This news is coming few days after the release of Drake's one Dance featuring Wizkid which made it to number on iTunes USA and number 1 in several countries.

Congrats to him!

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Arsenal Will Not Stop Alex Iwobi From Representing Nigeria In The Olympic Games � Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the club will not stop its rising talent, Alex Iwobi, from representing Nigeria at the upcoming Olympic Games this summer.

Iwobi has been in very good form for Arsenal, a club he has been with since the age of 7. Wenger unhappy that Iwobi didn't choose to play for England, where he would have played less and traveled less has reiterated that the club won't stop the Nigerian attacker from participating in the upcoming Olympics games in Rio, Brazil.

FIFA stated in September 2015 that European clubs are not mandated to release players for the Olympic tournament in Rio since it is outside the calendar for international matches, but Arsenal will not stand in Iwobi�s way nonetheless according to Veteran manager Arsene Wenger.

We have to respect his choice. He had the choice between England and Nigeria and in the end he chose Nigeria,� Wenger told Arsenal.com at Thursday�s press conference.

We respect that, and also the possibility that he will go to the Olympic Games, that he will also go to the Africa Cup of Nations and travel a bit more than he would have done here. 

We have to respect that.�

Arsene also confirmed that the club are in talks to hand Jay Jay Okocha's nephew a new contract.

We are discussing extending his contract at the moment,� he said. �He�s a real Arsenal person because he�s been here since the age of eight.

He has three years left at the end of the season anyway but we want to keep him here for longer. If there have been some positives in the last few months, it�s how well and how quickly he�s emerged as a player with a good impact.�

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Super Eagles Defender William Troost-Ekong Session With LIB

From his early days playing in Tottenham academy to featuring for the Super Eagles and displaying impressive performances for parent club, Gent, and FK Haugesund where he is captain at 22, Troost- Ekong has got football fans talking as much as the female fans gushing. Cool, calm and articulated, Troost-Ekong lays it all bare in this exclusive interview with LIB.

Read the interview after the cut...

LIB: What was growing up like for you William? Tell us more about your family.

WTE : I grew up in the Netherlands just outside Amsterdam, but regularly visited my family at our home in Ikeja, Lagos.
I am the middle child with a Junior brother who is 19 and a older sister who is 25.

LIB: Do you have any other family members that are into football and how did your parents initially react to your decision to play football professionally.

WTE: No I was the first one. Having always done well at school, signing for Tottenham Hotspur full time at the age of 16 was a hard decision. Looking back at it I'm confident I made the right choice. As my parents encouraged me to carry on with academia, I didn't give that up completely.

LIB: Why did you chose to play for Nigeria, you were born in Netherlands so you could have as well played for Netherlands?

WTE: I represented the Netherlands at different youth levels but I always knew I wanted to play for Nigeria. When I got the opportunity to commit my international future by playing for the Super Eagles it was an easy choice.

LIB: What necessitated your parent club Gent sending you out on loan, and how did your teammates react when you assumed captaincy of Haugesund despite you being a new player?

WTE: For any young player it is important to play weekly in order to develop and fulfil their potential. Going on loan seemed like the right thing to do for me, and I think it has paid off so far.
I think my teammates have accepted my captaincy well, I am naturally a leader with a voice on and off the pitch regardless of whether I have a band on my arm.

LIB: What other goals do you want to achieve?

WTE: My dream is to play in the premier league and to play for the Super Eagles at a big tournament. Furthermore I would like to be a role model for any kid that decides to follow their dreams.

LIB: At 22 years, captaining your club and playing for Nigeria, 6.3 ft tall and handsome , how do you cope with female admirers especially Nigerian girls?

WTE: It's flattering to get the attention but it's not something I entertain. I am happy in my relationship with my girlfriend.
 
LIB: So your in a relationship? Tell us more about the special one

WTE: That's correct, I really appreciate her. She is a great support for me and knows me better than anyone else.

LIB: Any wedding bells soon?

WTE: I want to keep the element of surprise!

Quick fire questions.. Ronaldo or Messi, Zidane or Raul, Man U or Chelsea, meat or fish, body building or cardio, Mohammed Buhari or Goodluck Jonathan, Beyonce or Rihanna, Eminem, Kanye West or Jayz?

WTE: Messi, Zidane, neither but Spurs, meat, body building, Mohammed Buhari, Rihanna, Jay Z

LIB: Your at a very important stage in your career right now, what will you do to ensure you cement your spot in the Super Eagles in the coming years?

WTE: I'm playing well for my club, that is what I have control over. When I am called upon to represent my country again I will be ready to make the nation proud.

LIB: How did you feel when you got your first Super Eagles call?

WTE: I'm friendly with all the guys. They've all been very welcoming and I think that has made it easier for me to perform with their support. My family and I where very proud when I got my first call-up and cap.

LIB: Anything you want to tell Nigerians ?

WTE: I hope they understand me a bit better now and I would like to thank them for there great support and kind messages on social media. They keep me going!

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Jonathan Blasts Buhari Over Corruption, Challenges Him

Remember Buhari's comment/tweet during President Goodluck Jonathan's administration about fuel scarcity?

Goodluck Jonathan

Buhari, who was Jonathan's rival during the presidential elections, condemned the fuel scarcity that hit former President Jonathan's regime as president.

The ex-president has however referred back to that comment, saying;

Nigeria's productivity is being hindered due to the countless man hours spent on petrol stations today.

Jonathan also condemned Buhari's method of tackling corruption. He said that his strategy for combating corruption is not by indiscriminate arrest and jail of people.

I stand by due process. Any country that does not respect due process is a jungle,� Mr. Jonathan said.

They say to be strong is to jail people indiscriminately. For 300 years. Is that where we're going to?�

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Super Eagles To Play Two Friendly Matches In June

Ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying matches, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has picked London to host two grade A friendly matches in June being arranged for the Super Eagles.

Nigerian national football team poses during the African Cup of Nations qualification match on March 25, 2016 in Kaduna. NFF president, Amaju Pinnick disclosed recently that the federation would utilize the two FIFA windows in June to bring the Super Eagles players together ahead of the qualifying matches for the World Cup.

The  NFF has opened discussions with its London-based agent, who is expected to confirm the two top European countries for the friendly matches in the coming weeks. It was gathered that Pinnick is regularly in contact with the agent who has given him hopes of securing two top grade A countries for the friendly matches.

 An NFF source told our correspondent that the agent is expected to conclude discussions with the countries in two weeks time, adding that the federation will make public the countries as soon as the deal was concluded.

One obvious thing is that the two friendly matches are slated for London in June. We have opened discussions with some top European countries for the two FIFA window dates and I am convinced that they are responding positively.

The choice of London for the friendly matches is because it is centrally located and the federation will not find it difficult to assemble the players.

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Is JAMB Still Significant?

The nation�s education system is not being optimally served by the examination body.

The fiasco of the last entrance examinations for tertiary institutions organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) raises fundamental questions about the organisation`s raison d�etre. The examinations were, to put it mildly, most incompetently organised and supervised. The names of some candidates appeared in states they did not apply in; and to which some of them have never been. Marks were also jumbled with some candidates receiving results even before writing the examination.

So messy was the entire process that the authorities at JAMB have been accused of deploying the wrong software for marking the scripts. And to wit, JAMB has admitted some errors while pledging to take remedial actions. However, that may not only be too little, too late but also an indication of why the examination body can no longer justify its existence.

We recall that JAMB was established as a game-changing tool for keeping the Nigerian university and tertiary education system on the tipping edge of national development. The idea of a �joint� admissions platform was conceived as one way of saving parents and applicants the avoidable expense of multiple applications to several tertiary institutions, complete with travelling long distances to take the qualifying examinations. It was also seen as a reliable source of statistics on the nation`s specialised human capital � to provide a one-glance update on the various skills set developed across several disciplines over the years. All these were planned in addition to helping to monitor and enforce the recommended 60/40 ratio for science and arts courses in our tertiary institutions. Finally, JAMB was part of a cocktail of measures designed to strengthen national unity through institutional means.

Unfortunately, the examinations body stands in bad light today, more because of its dwindling capacity over several decades than the recent entrance examinations blunder. The question therefore is whether JAMB is a success story when viewed against the background of the vision that led to its establishment. We fear that it is not. That is why its continued existence can no longer be justified. Indeed, the nation�s education system is not being optimally served by the organisation.

The cases against JAMB are just too many but the most egregious is that our tertiary institutions now organise further post-JAMB qualifying examinations to confirm the eligibility of successful candidates for final admission. This was not envisaged by the nation in drafting the laws setting up JAMB. In fact, post-JAMB entrance examinations are not only unlawful, they defeat the purpose for establishing JAMB. But to the extent that this �illegality� now routinely override JAMB�s verdict on candidates, the latter�s relevance in determining who gets admitted into our tertiary institutions is then open to question.

If JAMB has become a mere pre-examination clearing house that �screens� candidates for our tertiary institutions, should hapless Nigerians pay so much for such screening? Don�t our tertiary institutions have the capacity to do this? Why should JAMB costs be going up with greater ICT inputs, while the global trend is the reverse with the introduction of ICT?

As it is, parents and candidates spend much more, and largely because JAMB is content to live with the vote-of-no-confidence passed on it by everyone. So the pertinent question remains: what is actually the role of JAMB today when it does not determine who gets admitted, does not originate the data on tertiary education admissions and also has no meaningful role in its originally presumed mandate of being the imperator of access to tertiary education in Nigeria?

All factors considered, we believe it is time the federal government reviewed the role, relevance and continued existence of the JAMB. An examination body that charges so much for an ICT-enabled examination that cannot get one person admitted into any tertiary institution simply cannot be a tool for national development.

Quotes: What is actually the role of JAMB today when it does not determine who gets admitted, does not originate the data on tertiary education admissions and also has no meaningful role in its originally presumed mandate of being the imperator of access to tertiary education in Nigeria?

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