Mrs Aisha Buhari, has commiserated with the first lady of Sierra Leone, Mrs Sia Koroma over the unfortunate mudslide that killed over 300 people in Sierra Leone. “As we mourn those that lost their lives, we also continue to pray to Almighty God to give the families the fortitude to bear the loss” she said. “Mrs Koroma, please extend my heartfelt sympathy to your dear husband, President Ernest Bai Koroma, may God give you all the strength and wisdom to overcome this devastating situation,” she said. In her response, the Sierra Leonean high commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Afsatu Kabba, expressed…
Author: David Folami
The Osun state government has refuted claims that it had paid the sum of N50 million each as severance allowance to political office holders who served in the state for four years between November 2010 and November 2014. The government’s anger with the claim was revealed in a press release by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, who said the claims are politically motivated. “We read with dismay a report in The Punch of Wednesday August 16, 2017, in which one of the associations of retirees, the Forum of 2011/2012 Pensioners, led by one Mr Omoniyi Ilesanmi falsely alleged…
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has asked Nigeria’s chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) to use the 2018 edition of the institute’s world congress in Abuja to project the country’s image around the world. He gave the advice when the board of the Nigerian chapter of the IPI paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa. According to him, “It is a very important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase ourselves and also to show that Nigeria is safe and secure for business.” “It is also an opportunity to advertise all of our ease of doing business initiatives.’’ “The forum…
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has come out in full force to condemne a recent report of bribery among police officers as misleading. A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that bribes were paid 82.3 million times by Nigerians between 2015 and 2016, and police officers were said to have requested directly for bribes the most times. Jimoh Moshood, the force urged Nigerians to disregard the false information. He said, “We have not seen such report and we cannot react to what we have not seen but what I know is that the Nigerian Police Force is…
Usain Bolt will not achieve his dream of playing for Manchester United by the hamstring injury suffered in his farewell race. United Legends take on their Barcelona counterparts in a charity match at Old Trafford on Sept. 2, with the event raising money for the Manchester United Foundation and its work in the local community. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Denis Irwin and Dwight Yorke are among those signed up for the Bryan Robson-managed United side, who had hoped to be able to play alongside the fastest man in history. Bolt has long dreamed of playing at Old Trafford and had been…
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerian leaders to voice out against hate speech in the country, calling it another form of terrorism. Yemi Osinbajo stressed that it is vital for leaders to always condemn hate speech as silence could be misinterpreted as an endorsement. “The Federal Government has today drawn the line on hate speech. Hate speech is a specie of terrorism. Terrorism as it is defined popularly is the unlawful use of violence or intimidation against individuals or groups especially for political ends. “The law, that is the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended), defines terrorism as inter…
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has said his decision to keep Kylian Mbappe on the bench is to “protect him from the storm” over a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain. “We’ve never been in the habit of punishing our players,” he told reporters. “It’s not the right word. It’s rather to protect him. With all these things around an 18-year-old kid, it’s our responsibility to protect him from the storm. It’s a decision of the club. “That means me, Vadim [Vasilyev, Monaco vice-president] and the sporting director [Antonio Cordon]. It’s our decision for the player, the squad, the club. “I’m always…
Arsene Wenger is still remaining “optimistic” that Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will both sign contract extensions — but only if Arsenal deliver success on the pitch this season. “I am optimistic on both [signing extensions],” Wenger said. “Look, both players are happy at the club. After, you have to meet their needs. Their needs are their desire for success and their needs are as well financial. I think if we can meet their needs on the pitch, there is more chance to extend their contracts.” “Look, every club has a different policy and you have to respect that. You…
After taking their wing wizard frm them just oone week ago, Paris Saint-Germain appeared to troll Barcelona during the latter’s terrible Spanish Super Cup defeat against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Already losing 3-1 from the first leg, another early goal from Marco Asensio saw the Catalans eventually go down 4-1 on aggregate at the Bernabeu as dominant Real showed their might as quickly as possible. While Lionel Messi & Co. were still trying to salvage the result, PSG used their official Twitter account to post a photo of a smiling Neymar, along with a suitably smug emoji. Of course, the…
Jurgen Klopp says Philippe Coutinho will still not be available against Crystal Palace on Saturday with a back injury and claims the club’s medical department have reported no attitude concerns with the midfielder who wants to leave the club. Coutinho handed in a transfer request last week after Liverpool, who still say the player is not for sale, rejected two offers from Barcelona. The Brazil international did not travel with the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League playoff first leg at Hoffenheim, with Klopp saying in Germany the player “cannot play for Liverpool in this moment.” “Phil is not available. He’s…
West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady has said that the majority of Premier League clubs support the closing the transfer window before the start of the season. Reports have it that Manchester United are one of the few clubs who have reservations, with Watford likely opposing it, with concerns over the edge it gives to European clubs who will continue to work to the end-of-August deadline and would still be able to sign players from English clubs. “We’d started debating this around March 2017 at the Premier League and 17 clubs were broadly in favour of the window being closed,”…
Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre has come out to say the board would prefer “respect not insults” after the club unveiled Paulinho as their fourth signing of the summer on Thursday. Paulinho joins Barcelona from Guangzhou Evergrande for €40 million in a transfer most Barcelona supporters despise and has led to calling for president Josep Maria Bartomeu to resign. The campaign comes after a series of poor management decision fans feel the club have made, with the signing of a 29-year-old for such a high fee from the Chinese Super League deemed the “can’t take it no more” moment. “Fans are…
Barcelona have confirmed that Luis Suarez will be out for the next month but hope to have Gerard Pique fit and ready for Sunday’s La Liga curtain-raiser against Real Betis at Camp Nou. Both players finished Wednesday’s Spanish Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid with knocks, and tests at the club’s training ground on Thursday showed the extent of Suarez’s knee problem. “Luis Suarez will be out of action for around four weeks,” the Catalan club said in a statement. “Tests carried out on Thursday confirmed that the Uruguayan has a distension in the posterior articular capsule in his right…
Bayern Munich centre-back Mats Hummels has followed Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata’s lead in giving part of his salary to charity. Germany international Hummels, 28, joins Mata in donating one percent of his wage — around €75,000. Earlier this month, Mata became the first footballer to join Common Goal, a collective fund that supports football charities around the world. Mata also begged his fellow professionals to follow suit, and it enabled Hummels to make the pledge after seeing the Spain international’s announcement on social media. Hummels said: “As soon as I heard of Common Goal I knew this was a…
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of 24 players to have been nominated for the Best FIFA Men’s Player award. The award, which was voted for football actions around the period of Nov. 20, 2016, to July 2, 2017, is determined for by national team coaches, captains, selected media and fans and will be handed out at the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony on Oct. 23 in London. Ronaldo faces competition from long-time rival Lionel Messi, who finished up as La Liga’s top scorer with 37 goals — 12 ahead of Ronaldo — and helped Barcelona to Copa del Rey success in…
Jesse Lingard says the mood in the Manchester United dressing room has risen and has welcomed talk of winning the title. United are currently top of the Premier League following a 4-0 win over West Ham in the opening round of fixtures last weekend, with new £90m signing Romelu Lukaku scoring twice in the victory. “There’s a lot of confidence flying around at the moment and it’s good that we can stick together and be a part of it,” Lingard, who came on as a substitute in United’s win over West Ham, told Sky Sports News. “Even the lads who…
Antonio Conte has been given a timely boost after summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko confirmed he had returned to Chelsea training. The France international is yet to play a game for Chelsea following his £40million move from Monaco earlier in the summer due to a knee injury. Nemanja Matic’s exit to Manchester United has left the Blues short of midfield options and Conte’s squad was further depleted at the weekend after Cesc Fabregas was shown red. The Spaniard has been suspended for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham but Conte received better news regarding 22-year-old Bakayoko. The former Monaco sensation uploaded a picture…
Pablo Zabaleta must have felt a lot older than his 32 years. The veteran Argentine will not have been the only West Ham player who was causing referee Martin Atkinson to blow his whistle but his team-mates were at least spared the task of trying to hack Marcus Rashford down throughout the game. Zabaleta, on the other hand, never got a breather. One former player who knows a whole lot about cutting in at pace from the left and wreaking havoc against defences is Thierry Henry, and from his position in the pundit’s chair on Sunday, the former Arsenal striker’s…
Steven Davis insists Southampton’s players would happily welcome back Virgil van Dijk. Davis insists the squad would welcome Van Dijk back into the fold, despite the Dutchman expressing a desire to leave. “It’s a situation Virgil has got to deal with himself,” says Davis. “Nobody else is living in that moment so nobody knows what’s going through his head. “But we’re all there to support him and we’d welcome him back with open arms. That goes without question because of the quality that he’s got.”
Liverpool midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, has told manager Jurgen Klopp, that he will never play for the club again. The Brazil international submitted a transfer request last week and is not ready to change his stance, even if it costs him a place at next year’s World Cup. Coutinho is desperate to quit Anfield and move to Barcelona, who have already seen two offers turned down. Mundo Deportivo reports that Coutinho, who is currently sidelined with a back problem, has now told Klopp he will never play for the club again. It is suggested he is so intent on leaving the…