Times
Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa doubtful for Super Eagles friendly
Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa is doubtful for Friday’s friendly against Nigeria due to injury. Ondoa, who plays for Spanish club Deportivo Alaves hurt a finger on his right hand during training on Tuesday morning. The 25-year-old is expected to undergo test to determine the severity of the injury. A graduate of Samuel Eto’o Academy, he has been capped 44 times by the five-times African champions. Stoke City’s Blondy Noukeu, Omossola Simon , who plays AS Vita of Congo Democratic Republic and Pas Lamia’s Devis Epassy are the three other goalkeepers in the squad. Cameroon will take on the Super Eagles at the Stadion Weiner Neustadt on Friday. The African superpowers will clash in a second friendly at the same venue next week Tuesday. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Dese...
Ex-Fiorentina defender: Victor Osimhen will perform under new boss
Former Fiorentina defender, Vittorio Tosto, is convinced that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen can power Napoli to glory under newly appointed manager Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti, a former Inter Milan coach, was named the boss of the Parthenopeans, days after Gennaro Gattuso left the role following a disappointing end to the campaign. Gattuso was a key factor behind Osimhen’s decision to quit Lille for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona last summer, with the club parting with a club-record fee of over €70 million. But injuries and coronavirus-related problems limited the attacker to 30 games across all competitions. The Super Eagles forward managed to find the back of the net ten times and provided three assists as Napoli missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the ...
Justice Adah: Nigerians must work hard to ensure the country remains one
A legal luminary in the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, Justice Steve Adah, has stressed the need for all Nigerians to work hard to ensure that the country remains one indivisible entity. Justice Adah who stated this on Saturday at the 35th anniversary celebration of the Faith Women Fellowship in Makurdi, Benue State capital recalled that on May 29, 1999, Nigeria returned to democratic rule but has had little or nothing to show for it 22 years after. While speaking on the theme, “Defy Limitations to Soar Higher”, Adah noted that God had ordained Nigeria as the most populous black nation in the world to remain one indivisible country despite the numerous tribes, religion and political affiliation of the people. ‘May 29th of every four years, our presidents take oath of office. This is a da...
UNILAG pro-chancellor: Evil times are behind us
File Photo Lanre Tejuoso, the newly-appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, University of Lagos, has prayed God to prevent any further crisis in the university. ”We pray that the evil witnessed in the times past, we shall witness no more; love will radiate within the council. ”It is our prayers that we will take this university, which remains one of Africa’s pride, to greater heights very soon,” Tejuoso, who represented Ogun Central in the 8th National Assembly, said in Lagos. He spoke at a church service to celebrate the 60th birthday anniversary of the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Obinnaya Chukwu, on Thursday night. Newsmen report that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Tejuoso the university’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing ...
Ex-Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana appointed GC Zurich technical director
Switzerland side Grasshopper Club Zurich have appointed former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana as the new technical director. The 40-year-old was most recently a loan manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Olofinjana will take over the position of Technical Director at the Grasshopper Club Zurich with immediate effect and will be responsible for sports. He is taking over the position of interim sports director from Jimmy Berisha, who is stepping back into his role as Managing Director. ”Olofinjana was active in his career as a player for Stoke City, Hull City and the Wolverhampton Wanderers, among others. After his active career, he worked for the Wolverhampton Wanderers in various positions. Most recently, he worked as a loan manager,” reads a statement on the club website. “Olofinja...
Paolo Maldini: Gianluigi Donnarumma to leave AC Milan as free agent
Gianluigi Donnarumma will leave AC Milan this summer, club director Paolo Maldini announced on Wednesday, with the Italy goalkeeper set to pick his new club as a free agent. Donnarumma’s Milan contract expires at the end of the month and he has been linked with moves to La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, Manchester United and even bitter Serie A rivals Juventus. “We need to show respect for someone who has given a lot to Milan, he has never disrespected us. We’re going our separate ways but I can only wish him the very best,” Milan legend Maldini said on social media platform Twitch. Seven-time European champions Milan finished second in Serie A last weekend, securing Champions League football for the first time since the 2013-2014 season. Donnarumma was a near ever-present in Stefa...
Centre decries burning of INEC offices
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy has decried the incessant cases of burning of offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission across the nation, describing it as a dangerous trend which could impede the process of organizing the November 6, Anambra State governorship election. It noted that the coordinated attacks have in recent times affected three states in the South East in particular – the INEC office in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area in Imo State, the Igboeze Local Government Area office in Enugu State, the Udenu office of INEC on May 16, 2021 and the attack on the INEC headquarters in Enugu. It also noted that the INEC headquarters in Awka, Anambra State, was invaded and set on fire on Sunday night, May 23, 2021. “It appears that these dastard events are targeted a...
President Buhari presides over extraordinary summit of Lake Chad Basin Commission
President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned an extraordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Newsmen report that other sub-regional leaders participating in the summit include the Presidents of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum and Central African Republic, Faustin Touadera. Others are Mahamat Idriss Deby, President of the Transitional Military Council of the Republic of Chad, while Cameroon’s President Paul Bryan, was represented at the meeting. Other participants at the summit include representatives of Mohamed Al-Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya, and the Sudanese President. Newsmen report that the leaders would be discussing the growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, politica...
Rivers government seeks relocation of NIMASA cabotage department
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has appealed to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to return its Cabotage Services Department to Port Harcourt. Wike made the appeal when the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, visited him in Port Harcourt, recently. Wike said operations of the Cabotage Services Department of NIMASA used to be in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but it was relocated to Lagos. The governor said in spite of his administration’s procurement of gunboats for security agencies, especially the Police and Navy to assist in the fight against piracy and ensure safety on the waterways for NIMASA’s businesses to thrive, the state did not get anything in return. He commended Jamoh for the initiative aimed at harnessing ocean resources as an ...
WTO chief: Patent waiver not enough to close vaccine gap
World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that intellectual property waiver alone will not be enough to narrow the huge COVID-19 vaccine supply gap between rich and poor countries. She told the European Parliament that it was clear that discussions around vaccine patents alone would not suffice, saying that global leaders should do more to ensure that there is equitable production and distribution of the jabs. Okonjo-Iweala said developing countries had complained that the licensing process was cumbersome and should be improved upon. She added that while it makes sense to protect research and innovation, it is also important to expand access to the vaccines. According to her, manufacturers should work to expand production, pointing to idle capacity ...
Ebonyi governor: Some people in South-east think 2023 elections won’t hold
David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, says some people in the south-east region are convinced that the 2023 elections will not hold. Umahi said those with such a mindset believe that if elections do not take place, the national assembly will declare a state of emergency in the region. In recent times, the south-east has witnessed a spate of attacks on police stations and government facilities including offices belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Speaking at the presidential ministerial press briefing on Thursday, Umahi said the country will remain together under the 1999 Nigerian constitution (as amended), noting that “until it is changed, nobody can do anything about it”. “A lot of people have been brainwashed in the south-east about Biafra. The Biafra I des...
NFF’s FIFA match agent celebrates Nigeria proposed friendly with Mexico
NFF’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport, is excited that Nigeria will be playing Mexico in a friendly international on July 3 in the United States. “We are happy to be able to announce this match, which is a clash between two very big teams from two different continents. Mexico against Nigeria is a big match any day and the venue is class,” he said. The two teams will announce their squads for the match sometimes in June. Mexico will play three other games before the clash with Nigeria, as part of their MexTour series. Three-time African champions Nigeria will clash with CONCACAF Gold Cup holders Mexico in a friendly at the famous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the State of California, United States of America. The match, which kicks off at 7.30pm LA time will be the sixth...
