9 Nov 2015

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Commonwealth appoints GEJ to mediate in Zanzibar election stalemate

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Following his highly acclaimed leadership of the Commonwealth Observer Group in last month’s Tanzania general elections, the 53-nation body of former British colonies has given former President Goodluck Jonathan a fresh mandate to lead the charge for the resolution of the political stalemate in the semi-independent island of Zanzibar.

 
After the October 25 general elections which produced John Magufuli as the new President of Tanzania, the Jonathan-led COG and other international observers had endorsed the polling processes as credible.
However, tension rules on the island of Zanzibar, following the nullification of the presidential election results by the local electoral body, over claims of irregularities. International observers have continued to dispute this decision, on the grounds that both the voting and counting processes were held in an atmosphere of peace.

The Commonwealth which has a history of mediating on the island has kick-started the international efforts towards resolving the current crisis, by appointing Jonathan as its Special representative, in what analysts see as an affirmation of the former President’s towering status as the moral face of democracy and transparent polling in Africa. This development was conveyed to Jonathan last week in a letter sent to him by the Commonwealth Secretary General, MrKamalesh Sharma.

In the letter which Sharma personally signed, the Secretary-General had wrote: “As you are aware, the Zanzibar electoral situation remains unsolved, although recent reports indicating willingness by the main political parties to engage in talking is encouraging. In view of the Commonwealth’s historical role as the moral generator of the Muafaka Accords, it is important that we remain engaged to continue to encourage all concerned to resolve the situation in a peaceful and sustainable manner.
“I am therefore delighted and honoured that you have kindly agreed to be my Special Representative over the coming weeks, in order to remain in contact with key political leaders and to encourage them towards an expeditious resolution of the impasse. I am certain that your personal close interest can play a crucial role in building the necessary political bridges.”

He further commended Jonathan for his successful leadership of the COG, saying that he brought his rare experience to bear on the challenging mission. Sharma said further: “I am writing to thank you once again for rendering the Commonwealth such distinguished service through your generous personal commitment of time and your Leadership of the Commonwealth Observer Group to last week’s elections in the United Republic of Tanzania.
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We Are Not Leaving Nigeria - Virgin Atlantic

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According to Kudirat Scott-Igbene, Marketing and Communications Manager of Virgin Atlantic, the changes made were necessary to better their operations and not in anyway end their operations in Nigeria.

“Virgin Atlantic Airways has no plans to pull out of Lagos route, we are committed to continue delivering the experience our customers love whether they are flying for business or leisure”.

“We have decided that we will no longer have crew based in Lagos. This is by no means a reflection on our Lagos based cabin crew, the primary purpose of our locally based cabin crew has been to provide cultural expertise, and customer feedback has shown us that this is no longer a requirement on the Lagos route.”

“The additional complexity required to operate an international crew base where there are no foreign language requirement means it is no longer sustainable going forward” he said.


Virgin Atlantic Airways also insists that this announcement has no impact on their flying programme and that they plan to continue flights between Lagos and London.

“After 14 years flying the route we remain committed to servicing the Nigerian people, whether it be for business, family or education”.
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Photo: Ten goats wearing clothes found inside a vehicle impounded by Ugandan Police

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A vehicle loaded with ten clothed goats was impounded by Police in Kabale on Sunday, November 8th. The goats were being transported in a Toyota corolla and draped in clothes to conceal them.

Mr Elly Maate, the police spokesman said that the driver of the car told police that he was hired by suspected thieves who had gathered them from different homes.

 "The car driver and one suspected were arrested on Sunday morning at Kigezi High Primary School playground in Kabale municipality following intelligence that stolen goats were being off-loaded. To our dismay, the goats were dressed in dresses to camouflage them as people," Mr Maate said.

Mr Maate revealed that the suspected thieves will be transfered to Ntungamo district for prosecution and while the Police are currently hunting for the accomplices of the thieves in Kabale town so that they are all brought to book.
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2 women on their period go without sanitary towels to protest Tampon tax (photos)

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Charlie Edge shared pics of her & friend standing outside the UK House of Parliament on Saturday, holding placards in protest of the "luxury" tax on tampons, on her Facebook page. According to The Independent, she timed the action to coincide with her period and went without sanitary towels and tampons, instead letting her menstrual blood seep into the fabric of her white trousers. Ewww!
Edge wrote:
Today i am forgoing tampons and pads outside the houses of parliament to show how 'luxury' tampons really are. We are also raising money to buy tampons for homeless shelters, womens shelters and the refugee crisis.
We're getting lots of dirty looks and someone just shouted at us to get a job.
But everyone keeps saying "haha omg how quickly would we get free tampons if everyone stopped wearing them?!"
So, I'm giving it a go.
Taxes are necessary, i get it.
So are tampons/ pads.
They're not luxury items, anymore than jaffa cakes, edible cake decorations, exotic meats or any other number of things currently not taxed as luxury items.
Maternity pads are taxed, but incontinence pads arent.
We've had enough. Maybe bleeding on their doorstep will get the tories to do something about this?
please share and spread this around.
I wanna get on buzzfeed.
byeeeeee xxx
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MTN Nigeria Appoints New CEO

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Mr. Phuthuma Nhleko has been appointed as the new group CEO of MTN Nigeria.
Following the resignation of the ex-Group Chief Executive Officer of one of Nigeria’s Telecoms service provider, MTN, Mr. Sifiso Dabengwa, due to the N1.04tn fine imposed on the company by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC recently, the temporally Non-Executive Chairman of the company, Mr. Phuthuma Nhleko has taken over as the acting Executive chairman for a maximum period of six months pending the appointment of a new CEO.

“I’ll proactively deal with the Nigerian regulator and will continue to work with them in addressing the issues around unregistered subscribers as a matter of urgency”, Nhleko.

However, Dabengwa’s resignation was contained in a statement issued by MTN in Johannesburg, South Africa in the early hours of Monday.

“Due to the most unfortunate prevailing circumstances occurring at MTN Nigeria, I, in the interest of the company and its shareholders, have tendered my resignation with immediate effect”, the erstwhile CEO was quoted as saying in the statement.

The company was sanctioned by the commission on its failure to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers from its network.

The NCC had in August directed mobile telecoms service providers in the country to deactivate all unregistered SIM cards or face severe sanctions.
While other networks complied substantially with the directive, the NCC said MTN refused to comply and after the deadline to deactivate its unregistered subscribers elapsed, a 200,000-naira ($1,008) fine was imposed for each unregistered SIM.

The company claimed that it has until November 16, 2015 to pay up the fine, it promises to inform shareholders and subscribers of any engagements reached with the Nigerian government.

Surprisingly the company’s shares took a severe hit shortly after news of the outrageous fine was made public; its shares at the stock market closed 12.49 percent lower at 167 rand, the lowest in several years.
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Ibrahim Magu replaces Ibrahim Lamorde as the Chairman of EFCC

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The news just broke. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has been replaced by Ibrahim Magu, who is a top level official of the Economic and Governance Unit of the EFCC. Lamorde became EFCC chairman in 2011. More details to come.
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Photo: Acting INEC Chairman, Zakari hands over to new Chairman, Prof. Yakubu

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Acting INEC Chairman Amina Bala Zakari handed over to the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu following the swearing-in ceremony at the state house this morning.
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BREAKING NEWS: Biafrans Massive Protest Currently Going On In Aba (VIDEO & PHOTOS)

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Protest is currently going on today .9th November  in Aba as IPOB members protest the detention of their leader and CEO of Biafran radio NNAMDI KALU.Commercial activities has been put to a stop due to the protest as youth emerge in thousand marching along the streets,though the police and military personels where sited in the area,the protesters seem to be determined chanting songs and trumpets.... WATCH VIDEO & SEE MORE PHOTOS AFTER THE CUT.....





WATCH VIDEO:
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Gov. Aregbesola accused of withholding bailout funds

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Governor Rauf Aregbesola  has been accused by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of causing hardship on the people of the state, especially civil servants, by withholding the bailout funds given to the state by the FG by not paying workers' salaries.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi in Osogbo yesterday, the PDP said  that workers in the state were last paid half of their July salaries, with their allowances removed, stressing that the retirees were also being treated in same manner, with many of them still being owed up to six months of payments despite release of bailout funds to the state in August.

However, the consultant on information to the state government, Mr. Sunday Akere, debunked PDP claims stating that PDP intends to use them to be relevant.
He said:
“PDP wants to use our reaction to gain relevance. I am sure they have a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the state government signed with the workers.
“The bailout covered to June and we have paid June salaries, we have paid July and August.
“We signed an MoU with the workers and we have kept to the terms of the document religiously.”


Vanguard
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Enyimba Fc of Aba win the 2015 Nigerian professional football league

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Enyimba International have emerged as champions of the Nigeria Premier League for the 7th time after they secured the needed point in their 0-0 draw against hitherto title contenders, Warri Wolves.

The match was played on Sunday evening at the Aba International stadium home of Enyimba. 
he Aba Elephants who had to play the most of Sunday’s clash with a man down following the red card given to Otor Ezekiel held their nerves to end their five year wait for another League crown after last wining in 2010

The best away form of the season – five wins and seven draws – earned the two-time African champions Enyimba the league title five years after their last conquest.
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Virgin Atlantic Airways Pulls Out Of Nigeria, Shuts Down Call Centre And Sacks All Cabin Crew

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Image result for Virgin Atlantic Airways NIGERIA
British flag carrier, Virgin Atlantic Airways, has pulled out of Nigerian routes The Nations reports. The airline has also reportedly sacked all Nigerian cabin crew and shut its call centre in Ikeja, Lagos.
Though the airline is yet to officially announce its exit from the Nigerian market, an inside said the development might not be unconnected with disappointment by the airline management over failed promises by the government on its operations in the country.
Quoting the source: “Virgin Atlantic Airways has laid off all its Nigerian cabin crew.


Image result for Virgin Atlantic Airways NIGERIA“They were only given three week’s notice and no severance package regardless of their length of service will be paid. “The air-hostesses they sacked were about 20 and last year, they closed down their Nigerian call centre and let go of all the Nigerian staff.”

Dailypost.

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''My Abductors Confessed They Hired Guns From Policemen & Soldiers''

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Read Exclusive interview by Vanguard below:

How was your day leading to your kidnapping?

It was a very peaceful day when I left my house at Ugboroke on a trip to Asaba. Shortly after passing Osubi Airstrip Junction on Eku Road, I noticed a red car blocked my car. Four armed men disembarked from the red car and surrounded my car. It was between 7 and 8 in the morning.

I discovered there were more armed men in another car behind. My driver jumped out of the vehicle, a black Toyota Prado. The armed men sandwiched me inside my car, took over the steering and drove off into the forest on the road to the late Gen. Aziza’s country home.
Initially I took them for armed robbers. Immediately they turned into the forest, they stopped the car, ordered me out and told me to follow them. At that point, there were about seven young men, all armed with AK47s.

How did you know the location at that point?

We didn’t really get to Aziza’s place on that road. We entered the bush at a point on the road leading to the back of Aziza’s town. After trekking for about one hour into the forest, the armed men informed me that I was being kidnapped for a ransom of N60m.
I told them I had no business with them. ‘Do you understand what is N60m?’, I asked them. They said they meant to keep me there till that ransom was paid. We stayed there till 6pm when they now said they were taking me to their base. The walk to the so-called base lasted from that moment till 4am the next day.

We were going round in circle to give the impression that we were walking a long distance. I sensed that from observing the electricity poles on the road. We would pass one and come back to it again, trying to make me lose sense of where I was. It was quite a distance. Eventually we stopped under a tree where I was held till September 29.

How were you taken care of in captivity?

We slept on bare floor in a tent they made. They took turns in four or six to watch over me. All were armed except two new small boys they were teaching how to shoot guns. They came with two stoves, and they would cook what they called white egusi soup.“I told them I eat once, around 5pm, everyday. So that was the routine. We drank rain water throughout. They would gather the rain water and we relied on that to feed or quench thirst.

How did the interaction and communication between you and them progress?

They said ‘Call your people to bring the N60m’. I said I didn’t have money. My phones were with them. I said they should look at my accounts. One had N5,000, another N9,000 and the last N1,500. I told them that was all I had. So they were scrolling the phones and asking about my relationship with some of the contacts who they pressured me to call to bring the money.
Eventually, a very close friend, who doesn’t want his name mentioned here, kept in touch with the men. They asked if he was my son, but I told them he was a friend. From N60m, the ransom dropped to N15m, then N10m. My wife was initially involved in the negotiations. Along the line, she got sick following the tension and was admitted in hospital, so my friend carried on until they came down to N3m, vowing never to go lower.

They did a lot of checks on my phone. They saw my residence, viewed pictures of functions and parties I attended. They saw my children overseas and all that and chose to believe I had such a significant ransom value. I told them they were wrong.“Initially they collected N1.2m. In the camp, there was disagreement between the negotiators and those in the forest. Additional N1m was collected in the afternoon of September 29 when I was released.
On each of the occasions they collected ransom, they would call my relation bringing the money who didn’t see them, but they saw him. He would be ordered to move in various directions with a warning not to reveal the deal to anyone till the last man collected the“money. Then they would call to inform those holding me hostage.

How was your freedom arranged?

They said they would drop me in Warri. We left the camp around 10am and trekked till about 9 pm.
We got to a point then when they negotiated for a vehicle to come and pick us; it was apparently a stolen vehicle. The car was a Mercedes Benz. They gave signs to each other and they drove us to Adeje. After Adeje, we got to Ometan where meat is sold.
This time, we were coming from Sapele direction. From the bush, we may have trekked miles to Sapele. Ometan, where they dropped me, is only miles from the army checkpoint around Effurun.

You keep referring to us and we. Were you in company of other captives?

On my sixth day there, they brought one Alex Jumbo, resident in Sapele but abducted at Ekpan in the night. He is an ex-Chevron worker. We were released same day.“He had N1.8m in his account. They took that with the ATM they found on him. They then sold his Highlander to make up his ransom in the region of N2 to N3 million. So they left both of us there.“What was your initial reaction on regaining freedom?“We were relieved. We trekked to the community and relayed our story to the people we met. The torture was unbearable, particularly for my fellow victim. He was blindfolded for most of the period. They didn’t blindfold me, but I took a lot of beating.“The trauma for the other guy was much because they discovered he was a member of the Pirate Confraternity. That made them to beat him a lot. The boys who held us were from Okpe, the immediate locality.“You are Ijaw.

How were you able to tell that your abductors were of Okpe extraction?

“I speak a bit of Urhobo and understand even more. When they spoke, I could tell what dialect of Urhobo they were speaking. There was one person from Effurun among them.“In the rescue efforts leading to your freedom, you hardly made mention of security operatives. Were they not involved?“I owe my freedom first to the grace of God, then my military background and my friend and family’s cooperation. I think the police were aware. They were told, but I never really felt any positive commitment on their part to rescue me. Given my career in the military and later in the State Security Service, I was kind of disappointed in the nominal role security operatives played in the saga.

“When I got home, one official came here. Later, he said they wrote a report to their headquarters. One thing I would say, it is time government and its agencies took kidnappers a bit more serious. Today, we are looking at them as kidnappers. Boko Haram, when it started, was seen as a band of religious bigots. Today, they have become monsters, even growing more deadly with international allignment with global terrorist groups.“Another point is for the police and the army to review their internal weapon handling and monitoring system. In the past, a policeman was not allowed to go home with his gun. At the close of duty, you drop it and stock is taken to ensure that everything is in order.

Today, policemen, soldiers go home with their weapons. So you don’t know how far the guns travel and to where they go.“Security agencies should also begin to be more vigilant. From my verbal engagement with the boys, we are likely to have series of bank robberies in the South-west. I returned from the kidnappers den only to hear of the intriguing bank robbery in Lagos. My kidnappers had told me they were moving to the South-west which they claimed has more money and the banks are becoming more attractive in terms of cash loot.

They may be looking for more money and that means bigger criminal aspirations ahead. Even the increasing high profile kidnapping in the South-west currently has been the long drawn plan they told me. We are likely to see more from their determination and boasting. “Why the suggestion on review of weapon handling by security operatives?“What’s the link with your ordeal?“They confessed that they hire ammunition from the police and army.

That means there is no serious monitoring (of arms) and control. So if we return to the old order where those allocated guns and other weapons submit them off duty, there would be some form of sanity in the society. A situation where arms are allegedly being sold from the armory of security operatives puts the society in such a perilous situation.“I stayed for a long time with them. We were discussing and I am good in interpersonal communication. Practically, I was there when they called a girl to go to a certain contact and pick up seven packs of ammunition. It’s a dangerous trend wherever they get these weapons and ammunitions from and the ease with which they do. I told you, all seven AK47 they were brandishing appeared brand new.“They were heavily on drugs most of the time. This poses great danger to the victims. In one of the days I was in captivity, one of the kidnappers lost N500 and was threatening to shoot his colleagues if they failed to produce the money. At such moments, they easily pounce on you to vent their anger and frustration.“Any other lesson learnt from your ordeal?“One basic point to echo is that if my young child could get GPRS tracking to spot where those boys were calling from, why shouldn’t security agencies know where they were calling from? It’s unbelievable.

“Lastly, people should be mindful of the extent of information they store on their phones. These boys frisk every application on phones, especially the sensitive handsets. That enables them to dig into your life, know your family, associates, social status and events you attend to determine your ransom value. Most times they could be mistaken, but even when you make genuine denials, they just manhandle you and put you in greater danger.

SOURCE
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/my-abductors-confessed-they-hired-guns-from-policemen-soldiers/
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Ezinne Akudo - Stunning As She Arrived Miss Nigeria Pageant Venue To Hand Over Her Crown

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Miss Nigeria 2013 Barr.Ezinne Akudo looked stunning in this white with black stripes gown as she strutted into Miss Nigeria pageant venue last night Sunday November 7,2015 to hand over her crown to the 2015 winner....
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President Buhari To Inaugurate His Cabinet On Wednesday By 10 AM

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See Post on his twitter handle after the cut....




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Highlights On Golden Eaglets Star ‘Victor osimhen' - ''Backgroung'' and ''Grass To Grace'' Story

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Image result for Victor OsimhenImage result for Victor Osimhen

Golden Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen, is the last of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Osimhen, Saturday Telegraph learnt on a visit to the neighbourhood where he was born and grew up. He is another classic example of ‘grass to grace story.’ AJIBADE OLUSESAN reports


Few sights in football inspire as much excitement and anticipation as an emerging youth talent and Nigeria, being a strong production line of youth stars, has tossed another youngster up to the world in Chile. After scoring eight goals in just five matches (before the semifinal clash with Mexico) in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup, Victor Osimhen, has announced himself as one for the future.

Nigeria won the last edition of the cadet tournament in United Arab Emirates two years ago where Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi dazzled the world with their skills and scoring prowess. And now another star has appeared on the horizon. Osimhen is like Iheanacho and Awoniyi rolled into one.

He possesses that same exceptional balance that allows Iheanacho excellent control and the ability to dribble past defenders with ease and the physique and lethal finishing Awoniyi has displayed in abundance. He also has deft touches and all-round technical play; his maturity, vision, awareness are his greatest assets.

Osimhen can create and score goals with exceptional composure. Eight goals and three assists in Chile are a testimony to the great potential he offers. The ongoing tournament has created an opportunity for him to ‘sell’ himself. Scouts all over the world are scrambling to get him sign for their clubs.

In fact, he has been linked with topsides like Arsenal, Chelsea and even Manchester City. It is expected things will be like that, clubs must come after a potential winner of the Most Valuable Player of a FIFA competition. Probably at the moment, on his hotel room bed in Chile, Osimhen is in deep thought on how suddenly his life has transformed.He is probably playing back, through his mind’s eye, the memories of his life, his humble beginnings, how things were tough growing up and the beautiful future staring him in the face now.

The house where Victor was born

Olusosun is a small community around Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, but it is popular because it accommodates one of the largest dumpsites in Africa. Olushosun landfill is a 100-acre dumpsite, which receives up to 10,000 tons of refuse each day. Inhabitants of this place are constantly worried about the stench that oozes from the site; incidentally, the next big thing in Nigerian football has emerged from this rather unlikely place.
Although, it is just about few kilometres away from Lagos State Government House, many parts of the innermost of Olusosun still exhibit the features of an ancient town. The buildings are those Lagosians refer to as ‘faceme- I-face-you’ and there are still many mud houses on many streets in the neighbourhood. This writer almost lost his way trying to locate exactly where the emerging star player was born and grew up due to the awkward layout of the area until a guide took him to an old one storey building, painted green with a touch of yellow.
A flag of the All Progressives Congress hoisted at the top corner of the house and several torn campaign posters adorning most parts of the wall show the owner is a politician. “Good morning, who are you looking for?” an elderly woman, selling confectioneries in front of the house queried.
But immediately our correspondent revealed their identities and the purpose of their visit, a big smile appeared on the old woman’s face. Madam Adesoye who introduced herself as a neighbour of the Osimhens could not contain her excitement; she momentarily left her wares to beckon on other neighbours.
“Victor was born here, “ Adesoye said excitedly. “ Virtually all the children were born here before they packed out early this year. He is a very gentle boy who does not like trouble. He is very respectful and willing to help. He does not complain when sent on errands, he used to help me fetch water sometimes.
We are very happy about what he is doing, everyone in our area is happy. “There is a different feeling among the youth in this area because Victor’s story has inspired a lot of us to believe we can become anything we want in life,” Orji Joshua, a teenager, who was also born in the same compound, added his voice.
“I know him to be a very humble person and quiet. It is always something like a carnival here anytime Nigeria is playing because we all want to see him score and by the grace of God they will bring the cup home.” Our correspondent was told that the Osimhens moved to the house in 1983 but relocated this year to somewhere in Ogba.
Saturday Telegraph learnt that the landlord showed little or no understanding when the family was unable to pay rents regularly. “I am happy about what is happening to them through Victor because they really struggled,” a neighbour who did not want to be named said. As this writer was about to leave the environment, one of the neighbours pointed at a bread seller.
“This is where Victor used to buy bread, he likes bread so much,” he said. We approached the bread seller and asked if truly she knew the player and his exploits at the U-17 World Cup. “He is my customer,” she answered. “He used to buy bread from me almost every day.
In fact, he is still owing me N200, he did not pay for the last one he bought,” she added as everyone burst into laughter. “I have forgotten about the money though, because I was happy when I heard what he is doing. I can’t believe a boy buying bread here is on the television playing for Nigeria.”
How mother used to strap him at the back to sell sachet water
Many football stars in Africa never led lives of affluence before reaching stardom and little Osimhen was no different. He is from an impoverished background just like many kids in Africa; he was introduced to struggles in the streets even before he could correctly pronounce his name.
According to the first born of the family, Andrew, the hardship they faced was so biting that little Victor, then a toddler, was made to face scorching sun in Lagos traffic where the mother used to sell sachet water to augment her paltry income as a civil servant. “My mum sold sachet water here after coming back from work, so also my sisters,” Andrew who is a newspaper vendor at Ojota told our correspondent.
“Victor was very young and mum usually strapped him on her back running after vehicles to sell sachet water. Indeed, growing up was tough. “It became so tough and embarrassing when one of my sisters gained admission into secondary school and there was no money. Many times we didn’t have money to pay our rent, things were so tough.
The little salary mum was earning usually finished within a week and the struggle would start all over Amidst that misery, life dealt another big blow on the family. Their enterprising mother lost her life about seven years ago. “It was a tough time for us, but life had to go on. It is unfortunate that mother is not here today to see what her son is doing,” Andrew said.

I abandoned my education to care for Victor, others -Brother

Victor admitted in an interview during the competition that he learnt many tricks from his elder brother who is also a footballer. Andrew was a local star at Olusosun and its environs but he said he had to abandon the game to face his newspaper business. He had to start the business and jettison the idea of furthering his education so that he could raise money to help his younger siblings.
“I had to quit football and even schooling and hit the streets to ‘hustle’ so that I could take care of my younger ones. My mother was a civil servant and things were not going on well for my dad too. So, after my first year in secondary school I told myself I had to do something to help the family and so a brother introduced me to this business I am doing now.
I left home after mum died, moved to Ikorodu but I was still monitoring the development of my young ones. “Victor is just like me on the field of play, he can run and score; I was a good striker but he has something that I don’t have and that is skills. The way he dribbles while running baffles me, I could not do that. “Victor likes being himself, he is a very reserved person just like me. He does not share his thought so easily with people. He is a calm boy.”
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He almost quit football – friend


Osimhen knew that he had talent and could make something out of football but things were not going as he expected. He had to make ends meet, he needed to try his hands on something else. So, as someone who had other talents he was very close to abandoning the beautiful game for other endeavours.
“I was worried, I knew he could make it in football because of his height, speed and skills,” Mayowa Olorunfemi, his closest friend and captain of his local club, the Ultimate Strikers FC, said. “But all my efforts to get him back to football almost failed until I begged our coach, Chinedu Ogbonna, to talk to him.
And we thank God he listened and started coming to training again. “It was just about two months after that the coach gave us a note to go to a club in Abeokuta for exposure and from there one agent discovered him during a competition. We went for the U-17 screening after that. I am happy for him that he is someone we are celebrating today.”

Possesses traits of a star – Coach

Just like many kids, Osimhen started football at a very tender age and it was not long before his coaches noticed something special about him. Coach Paul Irikhewe was the first man to introduce him to organised football and he said he was not surprised to see the player turning into an international star.
“I saw the potential in him right from time and that is why I usually encourage him and I think due to hard work, discipline and dedication he is excelling today, I am happy. “I started working with him right from kindergarten, just like most of the boys you see here (pointing at players who were at a training session).
They all grew up together and we have been working with them since then. He was not a difficult person to work with and that is why I am not surprised he is doing well; he is very respectful, humble and hardworking. “He played a lot of youth competitions here with us but after sometime I moved him to play in Onigbongbo Junior League in order to face bigger challenges.
I handed him over to the head coach there, Chinedu Ogbonna, and he never disappointed him. Even when he was selected for the U-17 team we were going to watch them during the qualifiers for the CAF tournament in Niger.”


Family shocked at rise to stardom

Pa Osimhen now walks tall among his peers today because of his son’s exploit. But according to Andrew, their father was unaware of his son’s talent before he became an international star. “Honestly speaking my dad is shocked about what Victor is doing, he did not even know the import of what is happening until people started knocking at his door saying ‘was that not your son we saw on TV now?’ Dad had never seen Victor play before; he doesn’t even own a generator to watch him in the ongoing U-17 World Cup in Chile.
He relies on information from his other children and neighbours. In fact, despite the fact that I was a local star, he saw me play just once. So, Victor’s exploit is surprising to him. Victor’s sisters and the other male child in the family, Samson, are very surprised to see him at this level.”

Image result for Victor Osimhen
Striker endures sports festival snub by Lagos

Osimhen probably would have been watching this tournament at home like most Nigerians if the coaches of Lagos State football team preparing for the National Sports Festival had not rejected him when he went there for a trial. “They sent him away not because he was not good enough,” a senior coach in Ultimate Striker FC who did not want his name mentioned said.
“The coach told us that many influential individuals had brought their candidates and there was no way they could accommodate him. And now this same Lagos State has been calling us for discussions since the player has started doing well at the World Cup.”


How he stole Amuneke’s heart in 10 minutes

Osimhen has no godfather, no one gave him a note to Golden Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, but the striker only needed 10 minutes to win the heart of his coach during a trial. According to Olorunfemi, they got information about the open screening going on in Lagos and they went there to try their luck. “We went there the first time but due to a large turnout it did not get to our turn.
I could not go the second time because I was not feeling well, but Victor went. Luckily, he made it. He told me how coach Amuneke was dismissing strikers that were tested before him in just one minute and before he could get to his turn he was thinking aloud as to what the coach was looking for in those strikers that they could not give him.

He noticed those ones were not marking very well and he went there to do just what he thought the coach wanted. He collected a ball from a defender in just few minutes on the pitch and scored from that, after just 10 minutes the coach asked him to go and sit down and since then he has been part of the team,” he said.

Family prefers education

Although they see football as profitable, many African parents still believe education provides the surest getaway from poverty. So, Osimen’ parents wanted their child to go in search of a sound education. “Initially I opposed the idea of him facing football squarely, I wanted him to take his education seriously because since I could not go to higher institution, I wanted my younger ones to especially our last born,” Andrew added.
“So, I insisted he faced his studies but when my dad told me somebody had discovered him and promised to help him I had no choice but to succumb. “When he returned from the CAF U-17 tournament, I told him that whatever deal he would sign later I wanted education to be part of it. I told him he had to have something outside football to fall back on after retiring from the game.”
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He is Amuneke’s adopted son
When Osimhen scored his first goal of the tournament in the 2-0 win over USA, he went straight to the coach and prostrated. He said after the match that: “I prostrated before coach Amuneke after the goal against USA to show appreciation for all what I have learned from him,” he stated.
That is the extent of admiration the youngster has for the retired international. Andrew said: “Coach Amuneke obviously likes Victor. He told us he wanted our brother to be staying with him. I think he spent some time with him and I am happy Victor has such a legend to mentor him.”

Where he plays football

Olusosun Primary School serves as the melting pot for youngsters in the community. Every evening they gather for football. The youth in the area protested vehemently when they were barred from playing on the pitch due to a renovation work going at a time. That was where Victor honed his skills, Andrew was a hero on that pitch and although Victor was not as popular in the area as his elder brother, he also commands some followership.

He always wants to win – friends
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Many of his friends testified to the fact that Osimhen is a gentle, reserved and almost an introvert, but some of them following close encounters have found out over the years that the striker usually loses his cool on the football pitch. “He is a fighter when playing football so we are not surprised to see him like that in the Nigerian team,” Orji said.
“Whenever we are playing kick-about football in the community, you could incur his wrath if as a teammate you didn’t play well. He wants to win every game, he can shout at you, abuse you if you stop him from winning.” “He is a tough opponent as well as sometimes a difficult teammate.
He wants you to give as much as he is giving to the team and if you fall short of that, he can pick up quarrel, that is the time you will see him in bad mood,” Dada Jimoh, another close friend added. Sports gene in the family Apart from being a footballer himself, Andrew confirmed that the sports gene runs in the family.
Their father, Pa Oshimhen, was a popular local wrestler in the village, he also said their late mother was a sprinter and was also popular in her time in the village.

Monitoring his development

We have seen many precocious talents fizzle away after they dazzled the world at age-grade competition. They never actualised their potentials due to several reasons including wrong choice of clubs, loss of focus, overzealous parents, thieving football agents and lack of adequate monitoring. ”Many young footballers killed their careers before they even started because they went for money not for development when they signed for clubs in Europe,” Andrew said.

“ I told Victor that I wanted him to play for a club with a good academy that helps to develop budding talents. Clubs in countries like Belgium and France have good academies; he can go to Arsenal or Barcelona because they also encourage young ones.
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When he told me about the agency stuff I told him he should be careful because I have read a lot about agents taking players to unknown destinations, abandoning them there, collecting certain fees and still leaving players stranded. I told him I wanted to know how things were going on with him.”
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Photos of man who married a sex doll has gone viral

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A man with terminal cancer was desperate to get married but didn't want to leave a heartbroken widow. So he got married to a sex doll. His tasteful wedding pictures have become a viral sensation in his native China.

The Beijing man reportedly wanted to experience a fancy wedding shoot before he died, so he bought the life-like inflatable doll and got a make up artisy and a beautiful wedding dress.



In the pictures he is seen tenderly holding his plastic 'bride', enjoying a first dance in a ballroom and even taking part in candid shots in front of the make-up mirror.
The 28-year-old man's name is unknown, but Chinese netizens offered a series of explanations for the pictures, with many dismissing it as a bizarre viral marketing stunt.
CCTV reported: "Some netizens recently revealed that the man is actually suffering from a deadly cancer.
"In order not to hurt other people's feelings, he chose to marry an artificial doll instead of a real person."
The photographer who snapped the series of pictures defended the man's unusual nuptials.

She said that even if she didn’t necessarily agree with the man’s choice of marrying a doll, he still deserved to be respected as a matter of personal freedom.

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Biafra Protest Rages In South East, Group Vows To Shut Down Aba Today

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Members of Indigenous People of Bi­afra (IPOB) on yesterday protested round the major streets of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State over the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu of the Radio Bi­afra fame with a vow to shot down the city on Monday. This was in de­fiance of the warning of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase for the group to discon­tinue its violent protests across the South East.

The IGP had in a statement issued through the Spokes­person of the force, Olabisi Kolawole warned that the group should stop its protest as information suggested that members of IPOB were plan­ning to use dangerous weap­ons during its protest in some of the southeast states of the country.

The protest which started as early as 7.00am saw mem­bers of IPOB march peace­fully through the streets of Aba in their thousands, carrying Biafran flags, flex bearing the image of their detained leader and chanting solidarity songs.

They also carried placards some of which called on the Federal Government and other International bodies to come to their assistance in order to help them achieve a sovereign state of Biafra and the release of their leader, Kanu.

Sunday Sun gathered that as early as 7am the pro­testers had assembled at a location near Ariaria Inter­national market where they were at initial stage pre­vented from taking off by a combined team of Police and other security agencies.

However, between 11am and 12noon, members of IPOB re-grouped and went round Ariaria International market with a bell warning that the market would close for business on Monday for a proposed mega rally, stress­ing that anybody that would defy the order would be seen as anti Biafra.

After beating the security web, the group around noon took off from a different lo­cation to match along major streets of Aba, including Faulks road, Aba-Owerri, Aba-Ikot Ekpene among oth­er places, causing gridlock.

The group before heading back to town made a stop­over in front of the office of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA channel 6 Aba, located along the Aba- Ikot Ekpenne road. They were however prevented by the police to get close to the gate of the national televi­sion where they had wanted to voice out reasons for their peaceful protest.

Some of the protesters who spoke to our reporter said that they decided to em­bark on the protest as a mark of respect for their leader, Kanu who they said has been incarcerated by the federal government and was refused to be granted bail despite the peaceful path that he (Kanu) and other members of the group have chosen to let the world know the level of marginalization and dehu­manization the southeast and south-south states have suf­fered even when they were the gooses that lay the eggs other parts of the country are enjoying today.

“Look at the deplorable nature of our roads. Water in the south-south especially the oil producing states and communities have been pol­luted. Are we talking about gas flaring that is going on in these states? Farmers are not planting again because their farmlands are no longer pro­ducing. Poverty is eating up the people whose resources is being used to sustain the economy of the country.

“We have said it and we are going to continue saying it that we are tired of being part of the country called Ni­geria where things go wrong and when you ask questions, people will call for your head. This is just the beginning of the struggle and we shall con­tinue to push further until our leader (Kanu) is released and until the dream of our fore­fathers for the actualization and realization of a sovereign state of Biafra is realised. It is not going to come through a violent means, but a non-violent one; our forefathers have fought the war that we are supposed to fight, so any person thinking that Biafra is going to come through violent means is just wasting his or her precious time”, one of the protesters said.

Soldiers and policemen were stationed at strategy lo­cations of the city, but it was not clear whether there was any clash between the secu­rity agents and the protesters.

Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO DSP Ezekiel Udeviotu Onyeke could not be reached for com­ments, but a senior police of­ficer who wouldn’t want to be named said the presence of the police was to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order in the city.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/biafra-protest-rages-in-south-east/
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N1.04trn Fine: Nigerian Lawyers Challenge NCC In Court

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Image result for mtn
Image result for mtn
Two lawyers, who are subscribers to MTN, have filed a legal suit against the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as first respondent and MTN Nigeria as second respondent, over the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on MTN by NCC on SIM card deactivation.

The lawyers, Mr. Oluyinka Oyeniji and Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, both incorporated trustees of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOM), have challenged NCC at the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, praying the court to stop NCC from further imposing fine on MTN. They also want the court to compel NCC to account for all the monies it collected from telecoms operators in the past as fines, and to pay such monies to subscribers as compensation for poor service quality they had suffered from in the past.

According to the court document, both lawyers, who are applicants one and two respectively in the court case, are calling for an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the first respondent (NCC) from further imposing or exerting any fine in respect of registration of telephone subscribers on the second respondent (MTN).

They called for an order, mandating the first respondent to commission, establish and conduct monthly updates on the central database and to conduct rigorous campaign for applicants and other telephone subscribers to update their particulars with the respondents.

They equally called for an order, mandating the respondents to publish newspaper apologies to the applicants and other telephone subscribers for the lack of establishment, maintenance and conducting updates on the central database.

In a sworn affidavit, the lawyers mandated NCC to account for all the fines it had imposed on telecoms operators and pay applicants as well as other telephone subscribers as compensation, and to continue to pay fines exerted and imposed upon conviction as compensation to applicants and other telephone subscribers.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/n1-04trn-fine-nigerian-lawyers-challenge-ncc-in-court/225034/
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