Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker says he has never played in a back three in his entire career, as the German veteran looks set to make his first start of the season in Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea. Mertesacker could be an emergency solution for Arsene Wenger if Shkodran Mustafi can’t play at Wembley, with Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista already ruled out of the game. Mertesacker had not played all season before coming on as a substitute against Everton on Sunday, and has no experience at all playing in Wenger’s new back-three formation. Against Everton, Arsenal had already reverted…
Author: David Folami
Europa League medal completed the striker’s set of domestic and European honours since joining from Everton in 2004. But his bit-part role in Stockholm was more evidence that he has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford. Asked afterwards whether his mind was made up about whether to stay or go, the 31-year-old, who still has two years left on his contract, suggested it was. “More or less, yeah,” he told reporters at the Friends Arena. “There’s lots of offers on the table, both in England, abroad and really that’s what I have to decide on. I’ve played for…
From a certain angle it seems clear Antoine Griezmann has been trying his hardest to force through a move from Atletico Madrid to Manchester United. Griezmann’s behaviour looks similar to anyone who has followed previous summer sagas, such as Paul Pogba’s United move for a world record £89.3 million last summer. Jose Mourinho and his players have also been doing their part, talking about what a great player the France international is. All that remains is for the Old Trafford club to let Atletico know they are triggering his €100m release clause, and the deal can get done. But that…
Former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the achievers’ award his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, is expected to confer on him on Saturday, May 27, 2017. It has been reported that Wike put together the Grand Service Star of Rivers State award as part of activities to mark the 50th year celebration of the state. Recipients of the awards are expected to be the past leaders of the state who have contributed to the development of Rivers when they were in office. Surprisingly, the name of Amaechi, who has continually been criticised by Wike, is said to be on the…
Mercy Aigbe might still have a long way to go in terms of recovering from the last bout of domestic violence that crashed her seven-year-old marriage. The Nollywood actress took to her Instagram page to share photos from her visit to see a surgeon in the UK. Aigbe shared the photos with the caption, “In the UK to see an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. “No woman should go through these much pain, anguish, and trauma all in the name of marriage.. #saynotodomesticviolence #onlyweakmenhittheirwives #sharingmyexperience #pleaseleaveanabusivemarriage #yourlifematters #speakout #conqueror.” As we all know, the popular actress took some serious pounding from…
Hot-shot striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bids to lift his first title with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday amidst growing speculation the German Cup final will be his last appearance for the club. Dortmund face Eintracht Frankfurt at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium at 2000 local time (1800 GMT) with Borussia bidding to end their run of three straight defeats in Germany’s showcase final. “Every time we have been to Berlin in the past three years, we have had to drive home empty-handed,” Dortmund captain Marcel Schmelzer told daily newspaper Die Welt. “It’s high time that we won again.” But this could be the last…
The Nigeria police force on Friday, May 26, raided the Abuja residence of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Hours after the raid, Ike Ekweremadu’s media aide, Uche Anichukwu, said in a statement that the police did not find any incriminating item in the house. Recounting the incident, he said “At about 8am on Friday, May 26, 2017, men of the Nigeria police force from the inspector-general of police special squad raided the official guest house of the deputy president of the senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, located at No. 10 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja.” “The police, however, stated at the…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to the allegations that he gave N2bn each from the Ecological Fund to only states under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2013. Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai had made the allegation in Abuja on Thursday, May 25, while speaking to newsmen after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting. “What President Goodluck Jonathan did was to take N2 billion each from the ecological fund and gave to some PDP states. Any PDP state that was not his friend, like Kano and Kwara, didn’t get,” el-Rufai had said. But Jonathan, speaking through his media aide,…
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday, May 26, took the traders at the Garki Market in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by surprise as he stopped by for a conversation with them. Osinbajo visited the market to feel the pulse of traders and Nigerians ahead of the Democracy Day celebrations.
Antar Laniyan is a Nigerian veteran actor, producer and film director. He began acting in 1981 and the first major role he played as a professional actor was the role of a major general in a film titled “Everybody”. He has featured in several Nigerian films including “Sango”, a film scripted by Wale Ogunyemi and produced by Obafemi Lasode. He was the director of the first episode of “Super Story”, the award-winning Nigerian soap opera produced by Wale Adenuga in the year 2000. Happy Birthday Antar Laniyan!
D’banj is raring to go and comfortably settling in into his new father role following his latest Instagram post which he dropped earlier today. The singer sent his first “Happy Children’s Day” greeting to his new born baby, Daniel and he seems to happy about it. “Happy first ChildrensDay @danieldthird … I can’t really explain this feeling, but I’m so blessed to have you. “Also Happy #ChildrensDay to all the beautiful Children Across Nigeria and the world. God Bless you all. #kingdoncome,” the singer wrote along with an image of the little one. D’banj formerly introduced the new born to…
Nigerian comedian AY Makun has finally apologised to a fan, Precious, he left ‘selfie stranded’ in Dubai. AY who is currently in Dubai on the set of “The Wedding Party” had a fan come over 39km for a selfie but she couldn’t see him after the actor moved from his location. The duo were involved in a bit of banter on social media and now, the humble comedian has apologised. He shared her photo writing, “Who am I not to be readily available for a selfie with you? I only felt bad about you passing judgement on me without knowing…
Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has postponed a schedule appearance in London on Saturday following the Manchester terror attack. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, once a Manchester United player, had been due to promote SIXPAD training gear at a press conference at the InterContinental Hotel on Saturday. But this event has now been called off for the time being after the British government raised the UK’s national terror threat level to critical following Monday’s suicide bomb at the Manchester Arena that killed 22 people and injured dozens more. “Following the upgrading of the UK’s terror threat, it is with regret that we…
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte does not believe Saturday’s meeting with Arsenal in the FA Cup final will be Arsene Wenger’s last game as manager of the north London club. Wenger is yet to extend his contract with Arsenal, which runs out at the end of the season, and has come under fire from fans after failing to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years. But Conte believes it is unfair to suggest Wenger’s time at the Emirates Stadium will soon be up and says the achievements of the Frenchman’s 21-year Arsenal tenure should not be overlooked.…
History-chasing Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his team will upset the form book and overcome their defensive injury crisis by beating Double hopefuls Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup final. Despite Antonio Conte’s claims to the contrary, Chelsea are the favourites, having already swept to glory in the Premier League and with a fully fit squad at their manager’s disposal. But Wenger says the example of the 2005 FA Cup final, when Arsenal weathered a battering by Manchester United to prevail on penalties in Cardiff, shows his team could upset the odds again. “Of course I expect us to win,” said…
The Ebonyi state police command has described the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) as illegal groups. Jude Madu, the command’s spokesman, who said this in an interview with NAN on Saturday, asked Nigerians to reject the intentions of the groups. He confirmed that some pro-Biafra agitators were arrested “for unlawfully sensitising” the public to stay at home on May 30, in observance of the group anniversary. On Monday, the police arrested about 137 protesters in Enugu, Cross River and Ebonyi. Madu said those arrested in Ebonyi would be…
Acting President Professor, Yemi Osinbajo has been spotted in Taormina, Italy, where he had joined other world leaders for the Africa Outreach meeting. Osinbajo was spotted at the G7 Summit alongside French President, Emmanuel Macron alongside other world leaders. According to the acting President’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo was invited to the ongoing G7 summit in Italy to represent Nigeria. Akande also said the acting President left Nigeria for the summit in the early hours of Saturday, May 27, 2017 and he’s scheduled to return to Nigeria later in the evening.
The complex of the Department of Petroleum Resources in Ilorin, Kwara State, was reportedly attacked by armed robbers on Friday, May 26, 2017. According to a report by Punch, the robbers allegedly stormed the complex in a bus after which they inflicted injuries on a security guard that confronted them. The robbers reportedly vandalised many of the offices in the complex and took away several valuable equipment in the raid that lasted one hour. It was further reported that the Operations Controller of the DPR, Phillip Salvation, had declined comments, citing security and administrative reasons. The state Police Public Relations…
Sokoto State Government said on Saturday that it has paid N600 million counterpart fund for the project execution under the tripartite Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2017 Government Track. The State’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Bala Kokani, disclosed this in Sokoto at a news briefing to mark the two years in office of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal. He also stated that N31million was paid to 775 families, under the SDGs Conditional Cash Transfer, in Gada, Gudu, Tangaza, Illela and Tureta local government areas. Kokani explained that each of the benefiting families was given N40, 000 as exit allowance, to further…
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammed Bello, said on Saturday that the Federal Government has approved 470 million dollars for the execution of the Greater Abuja Water project in Abuja. Bello made this known during a media briefing organised as part of events to commemorate two years in office of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja. Bello said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved 470 million dollars for the execution of the Greater Abuja Water project. The minister explained that the Karshi water works would soon start to boost water supply in the…