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Oliver Kahn rules Bayern Munich out of race to sign Erling Haaland in summer due to high fee
Erling Haaland moving to Bayern Munich is “unimaginable” at this time, according to the club’s future CEO Oliver Kahn. Haaland has established himself as one of the most prolific frontmen in Europe since joining Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, and is attracting attention from a number of top clubs heading into the summer transfer window. Bayern are among those being linked with a swoop for the Norwegian, but Kahn claims that they won’t be able to match his price tag in the current financial climate. “Sorry, whoever spoke about that didn’t understand the situation,” the Bayern director, who will succeed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as CEO later this year, told Bild. “A package that costs – as we heard – over €100m is unimaginable for FC Bayern at the moment.” Kahn went on to insist that Bayern ...
‘Coronavirus restriction’: Nigerian government quoted out of context – minister
The federal government on Tuesday denied media reports that it has “introduced or re-introduced’’ new restrictions on COVID-19. Information minister Lai Mohammed made the rebuttal at a meeting with online publishers in Lagos. Mohammed said there were no new restrictions, adding that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 only reiterated existing regulations to control spread of the disease. The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 had on Monday announced the enforcement of a curfew across the country in a move it said was to forestall a possible new wave of the pandemic. “The nationwide curfew will be imposed tonight at midnight and it will run through till 4:00 a.m.,” the committee stated. But the minister, a member of the steering committee, said the committee’s national ...
INEC increases polling units in Anambra to 5,720
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has increased polling units in Anambra from 4,608 to 5,720. Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner, disclosed this on Monday in Awka during Stakeholders’ Forum on Expansion of Voter Access to Polling Units. Orji explained that the expansion became necessary as the commission last expanded its polling units more than two decades ago. “From INEC records, the existing polling units were created 25 years ago and some of them today are in locations where they no longer promote healthy electoral activities. “Some of the polling units are located in front of shrines, some in private buildings and others in churches,” he said. Orji, who said that INEC national headquarters began the process about two weeks ago, hinted ...
Ramadan: Israel donates food items to support Nigerian Muslim families
The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria on Monday donated some food items to support some Muslim families in the on-going Ramadan fasting in the country. Mr Yotam Kreiman, Charge d’Affairs of Israel to Nigeria, who presented the items in Abuja, said that the items worth 260, 000 meals was to support about 1,800 families. Newsmen report that the items donated included some bags of rice, beans, maize, groundnut oil, pasta among others. The envoy said that the items were put together to further deepen ties between Israel and Nigeria. Kreiman said that lessons from the Holy Books during month of Ramadan often reminded people of their needs to always be kind, helpful and thoughtful, especially as the world slowly recovered and battled with COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, it is important to lend h...
Andre Gray: Watford bench thought Isaac Success was tired before wonder goal
Andre Gray admitted that the Watford bench thought Isaac Success was looking ‘jaded’ before he netted a stunning goal in the 2-0 win over Swansea City at the Vicarage Road on Saturday. Success scored his first goal in 30 months as Watford ended their season on a high with the impressive win. “We were saying on the bench how knackered he was,” Gray told Hive Live after the game. “He hasn’t played much this season and then you’ve seen after he scored the energy that he’s come into! It’s quite normal when you score, you get a bit of an adrenaline rush, but it’s an absolutely great finish.” Gray was delighted to get a goal for himself in the game too, taking his personal tally to five for the season. “I love scoring goals, I always enjoy it,” he said. “Every time I play, I’m always trying to g...
Nigerian government establishes 20 new marriage registries
The Federal Government has established 20 new Federal Marriage Registries across the country in a bid to bring Federal Marriage Registry closer to the grassroots. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this Friday in Abuja at a National Stakeholders’ Conference on the Administration and Conduct of Statutory Marriage in Nigeria. According to him, efforts are ongoing to have Federal Marriage Registries in all the State Capitals of the Federation. A statement issued by the ministry’s Department of Press and Public Relations and signed by Towoju Raphael added that the Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore. He said the Conference was necessitated by need for the Ministry to inform stakeholders and enlighten the public on some new...
Afenifere: We’ll not support military takeover
Pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, has said it is against military takeover of any kind. In a statement, National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi, described military intervention in government as a curse. He said the recent clamour for change in the country was borne out of frustration over the state of the nation. Ajayi said, “Going by what the nation went through under the military, we will certainly not support another military rule in Nigeria under any guise. “It is on record for example that apart from the general abridgement of the rights of Nigerians under the military, members of the the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) masterminded by Afenifere suffered greatly. “It is on record that we lost a lot of patriotic Nigerians all because they were prot...
CBN governor vows to block maize importation
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele on Thursday vowed to resist importation of maize as Nigerians have the capacity and capability to grow the crop locally to meet consumption demand. On that note, he has urged youths across the country to embrace agriculture, declaring the bank’s readiness to support those ready to venture into it. Emefiele made the declaration in Katsina at the unveiling of the first maize pyramid and flag-off of the 2021 maize wet season farming under the CBN-Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. He averred that Nigerian youths could leverage their talents, along with technological tools to improve farm productivity and delivery of agricultural produce to markets. While noting that agriculture offered significant benefi...
CDS, service chiefs to appear before Senate over insecurity
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, and the three service chiefs are to appear before the Senate Thursday (today) over the deteriorating security situation in the country. The Senate had at plenary last week summoned the CDS and the service chiefs to brief it on the efforts being made by government to surmount the security challenges facing the nation. The service chiefs who will join the CDS to brief the upper legislative chamber by 10am are the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Ishiaka Oladayo Amoo. The top military brass are expected to not only brief the Senators about security issues but also take questions from the legislators over the worrisome securit...
Edo governor: Current NDDC structure incapable of developing South-South
Edo State’s Governor Godwin Obaseki has reiterated the call for the restructuring of the Niger Delta Development Commission, stressing that such would drive the development of the South-South region. Obaseki made the call during a meeting with the South-South Zone Working Committee of the People;s Democratic Party (PDP) at the Government House in Benin City. According to him, “In the South-South, we must stand up to defend ourselves economically, politically and security-wise. We have pretenders in the region who try to exploit the region and we must stop them.” Obaseki said the region is facing impeded growth because of the inability to make use of its resources for its development. He added, “The current structure of the NDDC has caused underdevelopment in the region, with the Federal Go...
Premier League issues major announcement on fan attendance for last two games
Only home fans (a limited number) will be able to attend the final two league games of the season, as confirmed by the Premier League. This update comes from The Athletic, following suggestions that away supporters could be permitted access to the stands as part of the 10,000 spectator figure previously touted. “The Premier League today confirmed the final two match rounds of the 2020/21 season will be limited to home fans, subject to the Government easing lockdown restrictions,” as the Premier League statement read. “Following consultation with clubs, it was agreed matches would not be open to away supporters due to varying operational challenges across the League and the need to deliver a consistent approach, while maximising the opportunity for home-fan attendance. “The safety and secur...
Lagos governor celebrates Ikorodu Bois
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday hosted popular Nigerian comedy group, Ikorodu Bois. The Governor took to his Twitter account to share photos of him and the talented kids at the state government house, Alausa in Ikeja. In a post accompanying the pictures, the Governor commended the group, which he described as “generational filmmaking talent,” for their exploits that had brought them global recognition. Sanwo-Olu cited the group’s current appearance on an advert displayed on Broadway Times Square in New York City by Netflix, the US movie streaming platform. He also commended their nomination for the 2021 edition of the 2021 Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards. He stated that the state was proud of the group and he assured of his administration’s commitment to promoting ...
