Orijin
Monday, 20 October 2014
Actress Juliet Ibrahim dating US singer, Bobby Valentino
Ebola: British Nurse who Survived Returns to Sierra Leone
William Pooley, the 29-year-old health worker who was the first Briton to contract Ebola in Sierra Leone, has returned to the country as he promised he would.
Pooley told BBC that he returned to Sierra Leone because he felt there was a great emergency in the country, and felt an urgent need to help out.
He will resume work today – Monday, at the isolation unit at Connaught Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he will train staff and set up new isolation units.
Photo Credit: PA/BBC
ISIS Crucifies 17 Year Old Boy after Accusing him of Being Paid to take Pictures of their Headquarters
ISIS terrorists have crucified and murdered a 17-year-old boy after accusing him of being paid to take pictures of their headquarters in Syria. They also accused him of apostasy – abandoning his religion.
The boy was crucified in the central square of the insurgents’ de facto capital Raqqa, Daily Mail reports.
On the placard around his neck, it is written that he has been crucified for three days for apostasy and for being caught receiving 500 Turkish Lira for each photograph he took of ISIS’ headquarters.
Charlie Winter, a counter-terrorism expert, says that crucifixion is a punishment ISIS uses for specific crimes.
“Crucifixion has been used many times before – it’s an age-old punishment dealt out to people who have committed treason.The Islamic State’s use of crucifixion as a punishment stems from its fundamentalist interpretation of Verse 33 of the fifth book of the Koran.The verse reads: ‘Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land.’‘That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, ” he said.
Photo Credit: Daily Mail
NUC Reportedly Shuts Down 9 Universities in Nigeria for Operating with Fake Licenses
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has reportedly shut down nine Nigerian universities for operating with fake licenses.
Reports allege that the universities have been in existence for many years and have been extorting money from students who were awarded fake certificates.
The universities said to have been shut down are:
- National University of Nigeria, Keffi (Nasarawa State)
- North Central University, Otukpo (Benue State)
- Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University, (Enugu state)
- Richmond Open University, Arochukwu (Abia State)
- Saint Clements University, Iyin Ekiti (Ekiti State)
- West Coast University, Umuahia (Abia State)
- Volta University College, Aba, (Abia State)
- The satellite campuses of Ambrose Ali University
Explosion Rocks Estate of Former Edo State SSG
On Saturday, October 18th, there was an explosion at a mini estate that belongs to former Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The explosion occurred at 10:30pm on Denis Osadebey Way in Benin, Punch reports.
According to reports, the source of the explosion was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which was said to be planted at the entrance of the housing estate, a dental clinic belonging to Ize-Iyamu’s wife, and some residential apartments.
No lives were lost in the explosion, but some buildings were damaged.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the explosive device was thrown into the estate by an individual from outside the estate. The IED had been recovered by security operatives, and some arrests have been made.
Ize-Iyamu, who is a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, is alleging that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state government are responsible for the attack.
Nigeria is Officially Ebola-Free! WHO to Make Formal Declaration Today
Great news for Nigeria. The country is officially free of Ebola, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO is set to make the official announcement today, BBC reports.
The basis for declaring the Ebola-free status is that Nigeria hasn’t had a confirmed Ebola case for two incubation periods – 42 days.
Senegal has already met this criteria, and was declared free of Ebola on Friday.
Commending Nigeria on its success in eradicating Ebola, John Vertefeuille, an official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, “Nigeria acted quickly and early and on a large scale… they acted aggressively, especially in terms of contact-tracing.”
Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon fighting over custody of 8 dogs: report
It's no secret that Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's marriage has been crumbling for months.
But while the couple have reportedly agreed on how to split up their fortunes (they'll honor the terms of their prenup) as well as custody of 3-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe (they'll share custody), they're now fighting over their pets.
U.K. newspaper The Sunday Express reports that the singer, 44, and the "America's Got Talent" host, 34, cannot agree on who should get custody of their eight Jack Russell terriers: The Good Reverend Pow Jackson, Mutley P. Gore Jackson The Third, Jill E. Beans, Pipitty Jackson, Cha, Jackie Lambchops, JJ and Squeak E. Beans.
Mariah -- who Us Weekly says spends $46,000 a year on spa treatments for her pooches -- wants custody of all eight dogs, reports the Sunday Express, while Nick claims to have a "special bond" with two in particular -- The Good Reverend Pow Jackson and Mutley P. Gore Jackson The Third -- and wants sole custody of them as well as visitation rights with the others, says the newspaper's source.
"The dog issue is a real stumbling block in negotiations between both their sets of attorneys with Mariah insisting she doesn't want to split the pets up," a legal source close to the case told the paper.
A friend of Mariah's explained to the paper that Mariah has favored the particular breed of dog since she was a girl and that most of the animals have been rescued from shelters.
"Since they've been married, Nick has come to love their pooches too and, even if he ends up with a couple of them, he will sorely miss the rest and hopes to see them when he can," adds the friend.
.png)
.png)
.png)
Friday, 17 October 2014
No president or state governor should claim credit for containing Ebola in Nigeria - GEJ
President Jonathan says no President or governor of any state should claim credit for containing the deadly Ebola virus in Nigeria. He says the credit should be given to Nigerians who cooperated while the epidermic lasted. President Jonathan said this yesterday October 16th while receiving heads of a charity foundation at the state house in Abuja
"I am quiet pleased with what is happening because I believe that government alone cannot solve human problems and anything done by government when you involve the private sector and civil societies, it is always better.
There are success cases. The most recent is our ability to manage Ebola. The key thing that made Nigeria a success is the buying by the ordinary Nigerians.
When government said look we must be mindful of gatherings, we must be mindful of handshakes, we should not move corpse unnecessarily. I was afraid churches would resist because of our practice of holy communion... over 1000 people would share the same cup and so on. Churches stopped that practice within that period. Even the saluting by shaping people across, all that was suspended..even religious organizations within that period. Nigerians became mindful...even friends stopped embracing themselves saying until we get out of Ebola. So it had the buying of the populace of course that's why we succeeded so fast otherwise we couldn't have...there is no magic government could have used to solve that problem. No President or state government should claim any credit. The credit should go to the ordinary Nigerian for the cooperation and the buying" he said
Ebola panic as Nigerian dies in a US-bound flight
Abuja – A 63-year-old Nigerian man died in his seat on a flight from Lagos to New York’s JFK airport, prompting fresh Ebola panic in the US.
The man reportedly vomited profusely on the Airk Air flight on Wednesday night and died before reaching the US, the Daily Mirror reports.
After landing 145 worried passengers were forced to remain seated as workers from the US Centre for Disease Control boarded the plane.
They then confirmed the man did not have Ebola, but the ordeal still prompted Republican Congressman Peter King to write a scathing letter to the US Department of Homeland Security over the perceived poor screening at airports.
Up to 100 passengers reportedly arrive at JFK from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea – the three countries worst affected by the outbreak, King said.
Throughout the incident, the doors connecting the plane to the airport were left open.
Pardew hangs hope on Cisse
LONDON - Alan Pardew is pinning his hopes on in-form striker Papiss Cisse scoring the goals to give his Newcastle United side their first league victory of the season and increase his chances of staying in his job when they play Leicester City on Saturday.
The Newcastle manager has come under increasing pressure from unhappy fans with Newcastle winning just five of their 27 Premier League games since a 5-1 win over Stoke City on Boxing Day last year.
Along with promoted Burnley, they are the only other side still without a win in seven Premier League matches this season and are 18th in the 20-team table with just Burnley and Queens Park Rangers below them.
Cisse, who played for 81 minutes in Senegal's 1-0 loss to Tunisia in an African Nations Cup qualifier on Wednesday, has scored four times in his three league appearances for Newcastle since returning from a knee injury at the end of last month.
He grabbed all their goals in their 2-2 draws with Hull City and Swansea City on either side of their 1-0 defeat at Stoke City.
Although he might be accused of stating the obvious, Pardew told reporters before Saturday's match against Leicester at St James' Park: "You need to have somebody who can score goals in the Premier League. You need that cutting edge and somebody who is going to deliver for you."
Speaking about the Senegalese striker, he added: "He's got that at the moment when we need it."
Pardew though has played Cisse all over the front line in the last two seasons including out of position as a right-winger.
He now seems convinced that Cisse's best position is as the central striker.
"I said that this team will benefit Papiss and Papiss will benefit us. Hopefully that continues. It's four goals and it's good going for him."
European clubs worry about Ebola risk
Berlin - Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp on Thursday raised fears expressed by a growing number of European clubs about African players being exposed to the risk of Ebola contamination while on international duty.
Klopp questioned whether the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Morocco from January 17 to February 8, should go ahead, while the president of French club Lyon said he had written to FIFA about games involving African countries at the centre of the deadly epidemic.
One Spanish club has already brought back a Guinean international from Cup of Nations duty and AC Milan were forced to deny at the weekend that Ghanaian international Michael Essien had Ebola.
With the Ebola death toll in West Africa now at nearly 4,500, hosts Morocco have called for the Cup of Nations to be postponed. But the Confederaton of African Football (CAF) has insisted that the tournament must start as planned on January 17.
Wenger denies Monaco link
Former Les Rouges et Blanc boss Wenger had been heavily linked with both a return to the principality club as well as with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain before signing a new three-year deal with the Gunners in the off-season.
However, despite pledging his future to the north London club that will take his reign past the 20-year mark, reports in Wenger's native France suggest the 64-year-old would be willing to quit Arsenal at the end of the season for a new challenge at the Stade Louis II.
But Wenger, speaking at the club's pre-match conference ahead of their clash with Hull City, refuted the claims before proceedings even commenced.
"Before we start, I can tell you the story about Monaco that somebody brought out is totally untrue, so you don't need to ask me the question. "I'm happy here," he said.
Group rejects INEC’s proposed polling units
The umbrella body of all Yoruba socio-cultural groups, Yoruba Unity Forum, on Thursday, kicked against the proposed creation of 30,000 polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission, describing it as a plot designed to make southern Nigeria irrelevant in national elections.
The Deputy Chairman of the body, retired Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, said this at the general meeting of the forum, at the Ikenne home of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ogun State.
Gbonigi pointed out that the reconfiguration of the number of polling units in each state, which gave the North additional 22,000 units and about 8, 000 additional units to the South was unacceptable.
He said, “It is a fraudulent way of manipulating the outcome of the elections by some desperate politicians.”
In order to ensure equity and fairness, the body called on INEC to, as a matter of urgency, reverse the exercise in the overall interest of the nation.
YUF described the exercise as one of the strategies by northern politicians designed to create a bank of votes for the North to deploy during presidential elections or when a referendum was needed to decide fundamental national issues.
He said, “As the 2015 general elections draw closer, we are beginning to witness manoeuvrings by desperate politicians from some parts of the country aimed at fraudulently manipulating the outcome of the elections. The forum was compelled in September to respond to a new threat from the northern political class.
“This plot was designed to marginalise southern Nigeria and make it totally irrelevant in national elections by instigating INEC to create additional polling units.”
The matriarch of the Awolowo family, Chief HID Awolowo, said the Yoruba must forge a common front and embrace unity.
Your criticisms are baseless, Jonathan tells Buhari
The Presidency on Thursday took a swipe at a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over his scathing criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration while declaring his interest in the 2015 Presidential election on Wednesday.
Buhari had while declaring his bid for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Wednesday claimed, among others, that the level of corruption in Nigeria today was worse than at any other time in history.
He said he empathised with Nigerians, who he claimed, were suffering deprivation daily.
But the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, described the charges made by the former military leader as reckless, baseless and unsupportable.
He further described Buhari’s claims as an irresponsible denigration of Jonathan’s sincere efforts over the past four years to positively transform Nigeria.
It said it reflected on the character of opposition politicians that a person of Buhari’s stature would make false claims for political gain.
The statement read, “We have noted with disappointment and regret, the reckless, baseless and unsupportable charges made against the Jonathan administration yesterday (Wednesday) by a supposed elder statesman, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
“We wholly reject the allegations made by Gen. Buhari against the Jonathan administration at yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) declaration of his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election as an irresponsible denigration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s sincere efforts, over the past four years, to positively transform Nigeria.
“It reflects very badly on the character of the political opposition we now have in Nigeria, that a political leader of General Buhari’s stature will deliberately make such false and uncharitable comments about the elected leadership of his country, merely for personal and sectional political gain.
“The falsity of General Buhari’s anti-Jonathan and anti-PDP claims will be obvious to knowledgeable Nigerians and friends of the country, but for the benefit of others, we will like to affirm that there is absolutely no truth whatsoever in his charge that “the last 16 years of the PDP government has witnessed a decline in all critical sectors of life in Nigeria” or that “the economy continues to deteriorate.”
“Statistics and rankings from the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other international economic agencies give the lie to General Buhari’s claims on the state of the Nigerian economy.
“As is well known, available figures, statistics and ratings show that the Nigerian economy has consistently maintained an unprecedented growth rate of 6-7per cent under the Jonathan administration. They also show that the Nigerian economy is now the leading economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world with a gross domestic product of over $500bn per annum.
“Also, contrary to General Buhari’s assertion yesterday (Wednesday), Nigeria’s agricultural sector is thriving under the reforms being implemented by the Jonathan administration as current production figures show and neither manufacturing nor commerce is “down” as the APC presidential aspirant alleged.”
Abati said Buhari’s most uncharitable and inexcusable accusation against the present administration was that election rigging continues to thrive in Nigeria.
“We also urge him to eschew unbecoming false accusations against others like a true elder statesman and to focus his campaign on more original ideas for the promotion of peace, stability, unity and progress in our beloved nation.”
Westerhof arrives, speaks on Keshi, Ike Uche
Clemens Westerhof, arguably, Nigeria’s best ever foreign coach, arrived the country Wednesday night and continued to speak on Nigeria’s chances at the 2014 World Cup.
He spoke on the qualities of Stephen Keshi, Eagles current coach who captained the Eagles of his era, the players Nigeria could parade in Brazil and predicted a good outing for Nigeria at the World Cup.
He said that he was proud of the job Keshi is doing with Nigeria, adding that he expected nothing less going by the leadership qualities Keshi displayed as captain of the Eagles.
On the players he said that they could surprise the world and repeatedly mentioned a “terrific player in Spain”among others. Asked if the player he meant was Ike Uche, he screamed ‘yes’. He has watched a couple of games Uche has played this season and said that the Villareal striker has been in great shape.
Westerhof was disappointed when he was told why Keshi may be reluctant to invite Ike Uche to camp.
Uche was reportedly said to have continuously campaigned against Keshi’s tactical approach and was said to have even complained to senior authorities about this during the last Nations Cup. Incidentally, Uche played badly during the Nations Cup. He played as support striker but was said to have bluntly refused to fall deep to mark in the games that he played. And Keshi, apparently feeling that it was unwise to invite a player who did not believe in his approach, left him out during the qualifying games for the World Cup. He was scared of sabotage and has repeatedly said that team spirit mattered so much that he would make it a strong consideration for the invitation of players to the World Cup camp.
“It is bad if Uche behaved like that. If a player did that to me off he goes, I tell you. But sometimes a coach is a father to the whole team.”
Westerhof said that Nigeria had the potential to reach the semifinal of the World Cup if “they make good selection and prepare the team very well.”
He is in town with a Dutch television crew doing a documentary on Nigerian football in his era and how he was able to earn Nigeria number a 5th place in FIFA ranking. Tomorrow will be special as he marks his birthday in Lagos. Keshi, Aloy Agu, Austin Eguavoen are among those who will gather in Ikeja to wish him well when Hotel Diplomat hosts him to celebrate his birthday.
Emenike slams Keshi
Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike believes caretaker coach Stephen Keshi broke one of his own rules when he criticised the striker in an interview in the local media.
Keshi has been quoted as saying he is unhappy with the Fenerbahce striker, who he dropped to the bench in last month’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations shock defeat to Congo in Calabar.
The coach criticised Emenike for only arriving on the eve of the game and not showing him and his teammates enough respect.
But the 2013 Nations Cup top-scorer has spoken out about his manager’s comments, and believes he made a mistake.
“There are certain things you’d not expect from your coach,” Emenike was quoted as saying..
“If there’s any problem, as a player you only want to find out directly from him and not in the media, it’s something he taught us.
“I feel honoured playing for Nigeria and I respect the coach like my own father. I give my all to the team because we are like one big family any time we all come together.
“But for him to say I am creating a problem in the team and my teammates are unhappy with me is sad and unacceptable.
“It’s like sending a wrong message to the fans, but if the coach feels my invitation will not bring the needed results or peace in the team, he can leave me out.”
It is not the first time both player and manager have clashed in the media, as they were involved in a public spat in March 2013.
Emenike criticised Keshi for ignoring and abandoning him when he suffered a long-term hamstring injury during the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.
The 27-year-old has been included in the Nigeria squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations double-header against Sudan and it is unclear whether Emenike will refuse to join up with the Super Eagles.
Stephen Keshi has refused to make any comment on the latest incident involving his star striker and will wait until his players turn up for international duty before deciding on any action.
Keshi, who led Nigeria to their third African title in 2013 and the last 16 in Brazil, must lead his side to a recovery after their poor start to qualifying for next year’s tournament in Morocco.
Following a defeat by Congo and a draw with South Africa, the Super Eagles are third in Group A, with only the top two teams guaranteed a place at the finals.
It places extra pressure on the African champions to win their match away to Sudan, which will take place on 11 October, and the return fixture four days later in Abuja.
We sacked Keshi to save his life – NFF
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has said that Coach Stephen Keshi was sacked to safeguard him from the wrath of enraged Nigerian fans, who were on the brink of lynching him during Wednesday’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Sudan.
Pinnick and other NFF Executive Committee members watched with awe, as fans pelted Keshi with water bottles and stones as they demanded for the head of the 2013 AFCON winner at the Abuja National Stadium, venue of the match, which Nigeria won 3-1 to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next year’s tournament in Morocco.
Chants of “Keshi must go:, “sack Keshi” and “we don’t want Keshi again” rented the air as fans went overdrive in their bid to get their voices heard by the NFF, who swiftly swung into action in the wee hours of yesterday by axing the former Togo and Mali coach.
And speaking when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tamuno Danagogo yesterday, Pinnick explained the personal safety of Keshi was considered more important than anything else.
Pinnck, it was learnt told the Minister that he was shocked with the hostile reception of the fans towards Keshi, arguing that it would be dangerous for Keshi to remain as coach in the face of such hostility.
He added that it was the first time in recent years that abuses and stones were rained down on a Nigerian coach by fans.
“It was too much to bear. The fans were coming for him and it was going to be a security risk for us as people had ran out of patience and were prepared to break the law to achieve their aim. Keshi’s personal safety was paramount in our decision to relieve him of his duties”, Pinnick said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)