Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte as “maybe the best coach in the world” on Friday ahead of their Premier League showdown on Saturday. Chelsea have stormed to the top of the league after seven straight wins, during which they have conceded only one goal, but City are just a point behind them in third place. “Conte is without doubt one of the best — maybe the best, maybe one of the best — coaches in the world right now,” Guardiola told a press conference at the City training centre in Manchester. “His statistics, his…
Author: David Folami
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique accepted his side are by far the more in need of the three points when Real Madrid visit the Camp Nou on Saturday (1515GMT) in El Clasico. Madrid hold a six-point lead over Barca, who are off to their worst La Liga start in nine seasons, at the top of the table. “Without a doubt (Barca are the most in need), you just have to look at the table,” Enrique said on the eve of the game Friday. Back-to-back draws against Malaga and Real Sociedad for Barca have allowed Madrid to amass a comfortable lead. Indeed,…
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann will battle it out for the world player of the year title, FIFA said Friday. Real Madrid star Ronaldo is favourite for the crown after winning the Champions League and also Euro 2016 with Portugal, even though he exited the final win over France with an early injury. Perennial rival Messi of Barcelona and Argentina, the reigning player of the year, had a less stellar year by his exacting standards. Griezmann suffered double heartache with France and Atletico Madrid at Euro 2016 and in the Champions League final. German Olympic champion Melanie Behringer…
Former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been honoured with the Global Fairness Award in the United States of America. Okonjo-Iweala received the award in Washington DC in recognition of her focus on implementing development programs that benefit the poor and less privileged. “I appreciate the Trustees of the Global Fairness Award for recognizing a lifetime devoted to development, including the privilege I have now of working for children’s immunization, through Gavi, and for managing climate risk in Africa through the African Risk Capacity,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “Let 2017 be a year of continued fight for fairness for the most vulnerable among…
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has urged his players to forget their fairytale run to the Premier League title last season and be wary of dropping into the relegation zone in this campaign. Ranieri’s side, who are two points above the relegation zone, travel to bottom side Sunderland on Saturday and will hope that a first away win of the season can lift them up the table. “Believe me, I have forgotten completely what happened last season,” Ranieri told the club website. (www.lcfc.com) “This is a new season and we have to react and come back. We know it will…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has said that every institution, including the anti-graft agency, suffers from corruption. Magu made the comment on Friday, December 2, when he paid a visit to Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai in Abuja. “There is corruption in every institution, including the EFCC. The reasons why we are here is that we need everyone’s support,” Magu said. “We do not have the monopoly of knowledge to do what we are doing. There is corruption everywhere, every institution, including the EFCC. We are battling with internal corruption. So, everybody…
Mr Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has called for inter-agency collaboration to make the fight against corruption in the country succeed. He made the call on Friday when he paid a visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai in Abuja. Magu said “there is corruption in every institution, including the EFCC. “The reasons why we are here is that we need everybody’s support. We do not have the monopoly of knowledge to do what we are doing. “There is corruption everywhere, every institution, including the EFCC. We are battling…
Nigerian singer, CDQ has just revealed he doesn’t mind if he’s wife doesn’t have culinary skills. The rapper, real name Sodiq Abubakar Yusuf, while showing off his cooking skills on Accelerate TV‘s Day Pass made this revelation. According to him, “I don’t see it as a criteria for a man to marry a woman. They say it’s tradition that a woman must know how to cook but the way I am though, I don’t mind. I don’t care whether she knows how to cook or not.” He also revealed that he used to be a backup dancer for Kaffy when…
Today is the birthday of Ghanaian music act Fuse ODG. Fuse ODG, real names Nana Richard Abiona, is best known for his ‘Antenna’ in 2013 which charted on UK charts. The same year he released the viral hit ‘Azonto’ which further established his presence in West African pop music. In 2014 he released his debut album T.I.N.A which peaked at number 25 on the UK Albums Chart. Fuse ODG has won several awards including the Best African Act at the MOBO Awards; a category has won since 2013.
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick are back together. The 37-year-old “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star and the television personality have reportedly rekindled their romance. Reports have it that the parents of three are giving their relationship “a try again” after breaking up last year. A source told E! News, “They are back together and giving their relationship a try again.” It is believed the entrepreneur has toned down his former partying ways, which was the cause of their fights and break up in the first place. We heard the both of them are desperate to make amends for their…
Veteran actress Victoria Inyama has penned some words for moms with sons. According to her, most men who don’t have emotions and are not sensitive were not showered with attention at a young age. “To all d moms, Sons Do you show your sons love. Like loving them & showing them genuine sincere love. I feel that most men that don’t have emotions & are not sensitive is just cause they don’t know what love is. How can they give what they don’t have So pls my fellow moms to boys that will grow to be men. Give him night…
Barcelona great Xavi Hernandez cannot imagine Lionel Messi leaving the Catalan club, despite the Argentine forward stalling over a new contract with the La Liga champions. Xavi is Barca’s all-time appearance leader and was the heartbeat of the club’s midfield from 1998-2015, spending nine years in the first team alongside Messi, who made his debut in 2004. “I’m in contact with Messi and I think he’s happy and satisfied. He knows Barcelona is the best club in the world for him and I can’t see him in any other club,” Xavi, who now plays for Al Sadd in Qatar, told…
Winger Raheem Sterling has urged Manchester City to declare a statement of intent with a victory over Premier League leaders Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. With only a point separating the sides after 13 games, City will hope to bring an end to Chelsea’s seven-game winning streak to jump to the top of the standings, at least until second-placed Liverpool face Bournemouth on Sunday. “We want to be competing with teams like Chelsea at the end of the season, so this game is a massive one for us,” Sterling told Sky Sports. City have not only progressed to…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended plans to increase the cost of data. The NCC had instructed service providers in Nigeria to increase the data tariffs from Thursday, December 1. The commission however said, on Wednesday, November 30, that it would suspend the plans to allow for further consultation. The suspension comes just hours after the Senate ordered the NCC to stop the planned hike. The proposed hike has caused outrage in the country and the Senate described it as the height of irresponsibility by the NCC. Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu also said that the order to increase…
A former Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop George Amu, has prophesised that billionaire, Alhaji Aliko Dangote will be Nigeria’s President one day. Amu said God showed him Dangote will surprisingly rise to that position, just like Donald Trump shockingly won the United States Presidential election. The cleric was quoted to have disclosed this in Lagos over the weekend. He said he had on August 21, on the occasion of his 75th birthday, told newsmen that Trump would win America’s election. Amu said his prediction of Trump’s victory was not published by any newspaper. “I even told my…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the 2017 Appropriation Bill. The budget was approved on Wednesday, November 30, at a meeting of the Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari. Following the approval, the President will now present the document to the National Assembly. This was disclosed by Udo Udoma, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, after the meeting which reportedly lasted about six hours. According to Udoma, after Buhari communicates his desire to present the document to the lawmakers, it would be at their discretion to determine when the presentation would be.
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has appealed to Nigerians to have faith in the present administration. Adesina, who admitted that the current situation in the country is very tough, said the President knows where he’s going. Speaking on a Channels Television programme, the Presidential spokesman noted that the problem inherited by Buhari was underestimated, assuring hat the President will “steer the ship in the right direction” eventually. He said: “We all must agree that the enormity of the problem was underestimated. John Oyegun, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said…
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration “wants to tax Nigerians to death.” Fayose asked Nigerians to resist any attempt to impose new tax on them by the Federal Government. He stated this in a press release issued in Ado Ekiti by his spokesman, Lere Olayinka, on Wednesday, November 30. The Governor queried why the government is always looking for more avenues for taxes. “Do they want Nigerians to pay with their blood,” he asked. Fayose further said: “If the only way the federal government believes it can take Nigeria out of recession is…
The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed 18 Commissioner nominees and two Special Advisers as requested by Gov. Udom Emmanuel. The confirmation of the nominees followed their screening by the Committee of the Whole. The House Leader Mr Udo Akpan moved a motion for their confirmation and Mr Aniekan Bassey (PDP-Uruan) seconded the motion. The new commissioners were Mr Paul Udofia, Mr Ime Ekpo, Dr Nse Essien, Prof. Eno Ikpe, Mr Idoroenyin Udo and Mr Nsikan Nkan. The others are Mr Uduak Udoinyang, Mr Charles Udo, Mr Orman Esin, Dr Iniobong Essien, Dr Dominic Ukpong, Mr Uwemidimo Nwoko…
Dr. Maikanti Baru, has urged the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to assist in the protection of NNPC’s facilities from vandals. The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said this in Benin on Wednesday when he paid homage to the monarch. He said NNPC had two major companies in Benin, the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Integrated Data Service (IDSL). Baru said the support was needed to end pipeline vandalism, adding that NNPC was using a huge sum of money to repair the pipelines destroyed. The NNPC chief executive also appealed to Oba Ewuare…