Egypt avenged a humiliating World Cup defeat by Ghana three years ago with a 2-0 victory on Sunday in a 2018 African Group E qualifier before an 85 000-strong crowd in Alexandria. Ghana triumphed 6-1 in the first leg of a 2014 World Cup play-off to set up an aggregate victory that prolonged the agony of Egypt, who have not competed at the finals since 1990. Mohamed Salah converted a 43rd-minute penalty amid an electric atmosphere at the Borg El Arab Stadium and Abdallah Saied doubled the lead four minutes from time with a close-range shot. Ghana, seeking to qualify…
Author: David Folami
Could Mesut Ozil abandon Arsenal in favour of a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford? According to the Sun, Manchester United are hoping to take advantage of the standoff between Ozil and Arsenal over a new contract and make an audacious bid for the Germany playmaker next summer. The paper claims United will offer Ozil a salary of £250,000 a week, way more than the £200,000 a week the Gunners are reportedly willing to pay. Ozil and Mourinho have a good relationship since their days at Real Madrid, so perhaps it’s not totally out of the question that such…
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka has lashed out on his critics and Nigerians who have taken to the internet to troll over his vow to destroy his U.S. residency permit should Donald Trump emerge President. In a report by The Cable, Soyinka said his critics should return to school as they are merely displaying crass ignorance. In his words: “Let me end with a Red Card to those noisome creatures, the nattering nit-wits of internet: Maybe Trumpland is not as despicable as the Naijaland you impose on our reality from your secure cesspits of anonymity. “Go back to school. Your problem…
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed his fear of being arrested by security heads in the state. According to a report by Sun Newspaper, the governor said this on Friday, November 11, 2016 at a judiciary event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Wike said: “I was afraid to come out for this programme when I heard that all the security heads in this state came for the programme. “So, I told my orderly to pack some of my things into a bag that I may not return because they may arrest me from there. “My orderly asked,…
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola says 27 states have provided the ministry with land on which to build houses for the masses. Fashola told newsmen in Lagos on Friday night that the government had to lay the structure and establish a system before calling for private participation in the housing sector. He said that most of the building materials to be used would be sourced locally to fast-track growth and reduce unemployment. “If we achieve what we are planning, we would have built a system; if it becomes enduring like the new pension scheme, the better.…
Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has pledged to provide good leadership that would ensure improved infrastructure development, industrial growth and job creation in the state. He made the pledge in his address to Edo people immediately after his inauguration as governor of the state in Benin on Saturday. Obaseki, who was sworn-in along with the Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, said his administration would be committed to improved welfare of the citizens. A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he defeated his opponent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, at the September 28, 2016 governorship election.…
The presidency has denied the story that the Federal Government paid ransom to free the 21 Chibok girls released by Boko Haram in October 2016. President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the government has “no such money under any allocation to pay out this outrageous sum of money as ransom.” In a statement by Shehu on Saturday evening, November 12, 2016, the presidency denies the tale in its totality saying the administration is a responsible government that is run on the basis of the constitution and budgets duly appropriated by the National Assembly. Speaking further on the war against…
The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has confirmed the receipt of N124.8billion for the construction of federal highway projects across the country. Fashola confirmed that his ministry received the sum on Saturday night, November 12, 2016. In a report by Punch Newspaper, the minister reportedly stated that the fund was released to the ministry in two parts. “In June 2016, the ministry received its first release of N79bn under the 2016 Appropriation Act, out of which N70.4bn was utilised for highway projects. “Payments were made to contractors to return to site after years of inactivity which resulted…
Nigerian billionaire, Folorunsho Alakija has said one of her goals and aspirations in life is to have more money than famed King Solomon in the Bible. The business tycoon made this known on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at the KICC facilitated wealth creation platform which held in Lagos. Alakija said: “I will make more money than King Solomon in the Bible. I am working towards that and with his grace, I will.” Alakija, who gave tips of making and sustaining wealth at the platform also revealed one of the things that has helped her grow in wealth has been the…
Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, has called the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike a thug. Amaechi made the statement on Saturday, November 12, 2016 while addressing APC supporters and candidates at a rally in Bera, Gokana Local Government area, Rivers State. He said: “If Wike likes, let him come out. At all times he had come out I used to ask does this man remember that he is a governor? “It is only a thug that can stand in front of a Judge’s gate to be struggling with security men, only a thug. “A governor will go back to his…
Katsina state government has inaugurated a 15-man Committee on Dialogue and Amnesty to parley with cattle rustlers operating in the forest across the state. Speaking while inaugurating the committee in Katsina on Saturday, Gov. Aminu Masari mandated the committee to meet with various gangs of cattle rustlers operating in the state with a view to identifying their grievances, and advice the government, accordingly. He also asked members of the committee to consult widely with stakeholders and engage religious and traditional leaders in order to convince the rustlers to repent and accept government’s amnesty. Masari expressed hope that after a ceasefire,…
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Super Eagles for outstanding 3-1 victory over Desert Foxes of Algeria in the African qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The President, in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, joined millions of football loving fans in the country in celebrating the very-much improved national team for meeting nation’s expectations during the “entertaining and action-soaked encounter”. The statement was signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The President commended the team and its handlers for displaying “uncommon strength, determination and high professionalism in the onward and steady…
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday leave Abuja for Marrakech, Morocco, to attend a climate change conference. Buhari will join world leaders at the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP-22. This is according to a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. Adesina said the event would be taking place in Marrakech between November 14, 2016 and November 16, 2016. He said President Buhari would participate in the official opening plenary on November 15, 2016 where…
Nigerian singer turned pastor, Soul E has urged Nigerians to pray for the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari. In what he termed a prophecy on Nigeria, which was posted on his official Facebook page, Soul E said he heard cries in Aso Rock in his vision. He wrote: “I hear cry in Aso Rock we need to pray for the First Lady of Nigeria. In a vision, I saw a popular Nigeria old time politician that was once in the Party of PDP having a heart attack. This will happen shortly, this politician will die of a heart attack.”…
Rice farmers in Plateau are optimistic of a bumper harvest this year with their chairman, Mr Joshua Bitrus, boasting that members would garner “ at least one million tonnes”. “This year’s harvest is plentiful; from what we have seen on ground, we expect nothing less than one million tonnes of rice in Plateau,” Bitrus, Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RiFAN), Plateau chapter, said in Jos on Sunday. He spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN). The RiFAN Chairman attributed the feat to personal efforts of the farmers and the support from the state government. He commended…
The Borno State Football Association (BSFA), has urged Gov. Kashim Shettima to promote unity and peace through sports. The association urged the Governor to prioritize sports activities as tool for the promotion of peace and unity among people in the state. The Chairman of the Association, Babakura Abacha, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri. Abacha said one of the national peace building priorities of the country was to use the power of sport for social mobilisation, and for societal rehabilitation. He added that sport was one of the crucial tools for…
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to improve the welfare of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies. This, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan’Ali said, it will enable them to discharge their duty effectively. The Minister stated this in Gusau on Sunday while laying the foundation of phase 2 project of the Nigerian Army Barrack in Gusau, the Zamfara capital. Dan’Ali said that improving the welfare of soldiers and other security personnel in the country was one of the major policies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. “That is why when we came into power, we initiated various plans…
Veteran singer, Alariwo of Africa has denied claims that he received an undisclosed sum for featuring Senator Ben Bruce on his song, ‘Common sense’ and ‘Buy Naija to grow Naira. He told Punch News’s Saturday Beats that the money he invested in shooting the video of the songs were from personal investment. “One thing I need to make clear is the fact that people are saying the Senator paid me to do those songs. This is false. I was not paid a dime; I have not met Senator Ben Bruce since I did that song. “I spent my money shooting…
Veteran Hollywood actor, Robert Vaughn, has been reported dead at the age of 83. His manager, Matthew Sullivan told entertainment magazine, Deadline Hollywood, that the actor passed away on Friday, November 11, of acute leukaemia. Sullivan said, “Mr Vaughn passed away (in New York) with his family around him,” The actor is survived by his wife Linda, son, Cassidy and daughter, Caitlin. Vaughn starred in the recent US television spy series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” where he played Napoleon Solo. May his soul rest in peace.
Hollywood actor, Robert DeNiro has not let go of his criticism of Donald Trump, who is now the president-elect of the United States of America. DeNiro is one of many world celebrities who spoke out against Trump due to his divisive agenda if elected president. The actor’s short video was an online hit after he was seen slamming the business mogul, making it clear that he won’t like to have him as president. That boat has now sailed, but DeNiro is yet to come to terms with the outcome of the US presidential election. In an interview with the Hollywood…