In the 25-year history of the Premier League, few footballers have offered an impact as sudden and as crucial as Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante. Plucked from relative obscurity two summers ago, Kante became the first footballer to play a significant role in consecutive Premier League title campaigns with two different clubs, triumphing with unlikely winner Leicester City before jumping ship to Chelsea and again performing excellently — well enough, in fact, to win both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards. Kante has, to a certain extent, redefined what managers demand from their central midfielders. His mould of midfielder…
Author: David Folami
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 75th international goal as Portugal trounced New Zealand 4-0 in Saint Petersburg on Saturday to advance to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup. The Real Madrid star struck from the penalty spot on 33 minutes to fire the European champions in front before Bernardo Silva turned in a second goal four minutes later. Andre Silva added a third on 80 minutes before Nani completed the rout in stoppage time to ensure Portugal progressed to last four as winners of Group A, finishing above Mexico on goal difference. Mexico eliminated hosts Russia with a 2-1 win in…
As Tonto Dikeh’s marriage saga rages on, her brother-in-law, Tokunbo has spoken on his truth about his brother, Oladunni Churchill’s marriage to the controversial Nollywood actress. The young man took to his Instagram page to address the issue of a leaked text message which Poko is alleged to have sent to her mother-in-law, his mother. He described the seemingly dedicated mother-of-one as a psychopath, saying that the text message never got to his mother. Churchill’s brother claimed to have blocked Tonto on his mother’s phone since the first message she sent left his mum traumatised. He said that he had…
Believe it or not, music all over the world has always been rooted in crime for ages, but this fact is obviously better acknowledged when there are no pointed fingers. Since Falz The Bahd Guy came out to express his views on musicians glorifying crime, mostly fraud, during an interview with Hip TV, there has been controversy sweeping through the Nigerian social media. Since he may or may not have been referring to 9ice and one of his hit songs, “Living things”, 9ice felt the need to not only set the record straight but encourage his younger colleague in the…
Nollywood actor, Saidi Balogun has revealed his experiences as well as working relationship with Nemesia boss and director, BB Shasore. The actor revealed that he actually had a sit down with the movie director for eight hours after getting the script to act in Biola Alabi produced movie, “Banana Island Ghost”. He said “BB Shasore is a young guy that still amaze me. “After I was contacted for the role in Banana Island Ghost, BB came and sat with me for eight hours straight and we discussed each scene. “Thus, I had the picture of the total movie and when…
The Senate says its decision to cut the budget of some major projects of the Federal Government in the 2017 budget was due to the need to prudently channel public funds. In a statement issued on Friday, June 23, by the Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi, he said the lawmakers measured the country’s needs against available resources before slashing the budgets. Abdullahi said the Senate concluded that it would be more prudent to channel public funds towards smaller projects that are necessary for the citizens but might not be commercially viable. “What we reduced from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the 2017 budget…
The Senate has accused the Federal Government of witch hunting Senate President Bukola Saraki. Some members of the upper chamber have vowed to tackle the government over its decision to appeal against Saraki’s acquittal at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The Senate President was acquitted of a false and anticipatory declaration of assets when he was governor of Kwara State. According to Punch, the senators who spoke in separate interviews said the matter of the appeal would be raised when the National Assembly resumes from break on July 4, 2017. The lawmakers said the appeal against the CCT judgment confirms…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dissolved the State Executive Council. Wike’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, announced the cabinet dissolution in a short statement on Saturday, June 24. No reason was given for the State Government’s action. Nwakaudu said the sacked commissioners have been directed to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their respective ministry. According to the statement, Wike thanked the commissioners for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours. This is coming 24 hours after the state Commissioner For Information and Communications, Mr. Austin Tam George, resigned.…
Former Liverpool players Paul Ince and Patrik Berger have said they believe the signing of Roma winger Mohamed Salah has moved the club closer to a first Premier League title. Liverpool confirmed the signing of Salah on Thursday in a deal that could be worth €50 million, according to the Serie A side. He had been close to joining Liverpool from Basel in January 2014, but instead opted to move to Chelsea. But he had an unsuccessful spell at Stamford Bridge, making just 19 appearances in two seasons before moving to Fiorentina on loan in 2015 and signing permanently for…
Romelu Lukaku may be on holiday in Los Angeles, but he won’t get much of a break from transfer speculation after his latest Instagram video. The Everton striker was on fire in a five-a-side game, smashing home two goals. But eagle-eyed social media followers spotted a clue to his future on the side of the pitch: Yes, that’s former Chelsea striker Lukaku playing on a pitch with the Chelsea crest all around it. Might that mean the Everton man is on his way back to Stamford Bridge next season? With goals like that, we can see why Chelsea might be…
Joachim Low has warned Germany that Cameroon are dangerous opponents as they look to secure a place in the Confederations Cup semifinals on Sunday. Germany need just a point from the encounter in Sochi, but Cameroon can advance if they win by two clear goals. “Cameroon have nothing left to lose,” Low told a news conference on Saturday. “They can only advance if they win. “Tomorrow will be one of the most challenging and physically intensive games. When you see how fast they play, what pace they have in their players in attack, this mixture is not seen often. They…
Jose Mourinho has stopped Manchester United being ‘boring’. But the Portuguese cannot afford another season of Premier League failure. That is the view of ex-Reds defender Rio Ferdinand, who is delighted the dull style of former Old Trafford manager Louis van Gaal’s reign has been eradicated. Ferdinand believes Mourinho has improved things since taking charge last summer – and praised him for landing the EFL Cup and Europa League trophy. Van Gaal led United to fourth and fifth and won the FA Cup but his mundane playing style drew widespread criticism with Ferdinand saying: “I definitely think there’s been an…
Matteo Darmian’s performance in the Europa League final in Stockholm was one of the key factors in Manchester United’s win against Ajax. The Dutch plan was for super-fast forward Bertrand Traore to expose the Italian they had identified as a weak link at left back. They were wrong. The 27-year-old had Traore in his pocket and Ajax’s threat was nullified. Without the Burkina Faso player’s danger, Ajax’s potency was minimal. They barely tested Reds’ goalkeeper Sergio Romero all night in Sweden. It looked like his display may have eased the uncertainty over his Old Trafford future and convinced both himself…
Chris Brown has revealed how he and Rihanna first confessed their love for each other during his new documentary ‘Welcome To My Life’. During the very revealing movie, the ‘Privacy’ singer describes all the ups and downs of his career so far – including his infamous relationship with Rihanna. After meeting at a concert for New York radio station Z100, he mentioned how the pair exchanged contact details. “We just became friends and kicking more,” Chris reportedly says. “And kicking, nothing too serious but we just had a good understanding of each other. He then went on to explain how…
Dr Daramola Tayo, Chief Consultant and Head of Behavioural Medicine, Karu General Hospital says an estimated nine million Nigerians may be suffering from depression. Tayo disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a health talk on depression organised by the Public Health Department, Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCTA. The psychiatrist said depression could be described as a mental disorder resulting from long lasting low mood affecting one’s ability to do things, to have pleasure or have interest in activities one used to enjoy. “It also reflects on the loss of interest in sexual activities among others. “The prevalence has…
As the world awaits the release of the video for Kendrick Lamar‘s Rihanna-assisted DAMN. single, “Loyalty,” a creative collective by the name of Combined Culture has unveiled a short film for “Lust,” which is one of the album’s best songs. Peep the new film for yourself below. Following the theme of K. Dot’s first “Lust” verse, the film, which was purposely released on Kendrick’s birthday on June 17, looks at the life of one Black man who’s found himself caught up in the monotony of day-to-day life. The only thing is, in the streets of Compton—or wherever this video happens…
“First and foremost, I was suicidal. This is a subject I’ve since written about, spoken about, shared about. But at the time I suffered in silence. As so many do.” – Wentworth Miller For those that have seen, or heard about. the vicious meme depicting a healthy, fit ‘Prison Break’ actor Wentworth Miller cropped alongside a photo of him from unhealthier times in 2010 it’s easy to imagine the kind of associated negative thinking that goes with that type of public body shaming and judgement. Miller, who gained a significant amount of weight during a self-imposed semi-retirement from the screen,…
As Prison Break continues to leave us hanging when it comes to the possibility of any more new episodes once its revival run comes to an end, it looks like one of its stars isn’t too sure it’d be a great idea to keep drawing the series out. “I love this character. I love this story. I owe a tremendous amount to this story and to the fans of this story,” Sarah Wayne Callies explained to the International Business Times. “And that actually makes me more careful to make me want to curate the stories that we tell with real…
Mr Chris Giwa, ACN candidate for the Plateau governorship seat in 2011, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Giwa, proprietor of Giwa FC of Jos, who was received at the party’s secretariat in Jos on Thursday, said that he opted for the PDP because he was convinced that it held the key to a better Nigeria. “Nigerians have tested and tasted the PDP and the APC; from experience, the average Nigerian believes that PDP is a better option. I have opted to go with the majority,” he said. Giwa, who said that he had “no immediate ambition”, promised…
Senator Dino Melaye has reacted to the move by Constituents of Kogi West Senatorial District to recall the representative of Kogi West Senatorial District. Speaking to Seun Okinbaloye, anchor of Politics Today on Channels Television, Melaye said: “I continue to laugh at their efforts which I know is in futility. The whole exercise is a comedy of errors.” The Senator was further quoted to have said: “Nobody should take it seriously the whole thing is shrouded in money politics and cannot stand. “We have discovered names of dead people on the list and a handwriting with similar signatures for several…