Messi absence blow to Barca

11:59 PM Sports No Comments

Already well adrift of great rivals Real Madrid, Barcelona must face Sporting Gijon this weekend without top scorer and talisman Lionel Messi.

The 24-year-old added to the 28 goals he has scored in the Primera Division this season with his first international hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-1 win against Switzerland on Wednesday night but he must sit out Saturday’s match at the Nou Camp through suspension.

Pep Guardiola’s side have the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table to seven points, with Real not playing until Sunday, and Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insisted this week they have not given up hope of a fourth successive title.

“The word impossible should exist, but not for this case,” said Rosell. “Impossible is when mathematics say so. Meanwhile, nothing is impossible.”

Sporting sit only one place off the bottom of the table but the game has been given added spice by coach Javier Clemente’s comments this week that he did not like Barcelona’s much-lauded style of football.

Read More

ACN Reps warn Jonathan about impeachable offences

11:57 PM News, Politics No Comments

Action Congress of Nigeria members in the House of Representatives on Thursday warned President Goodluck Jonathan over alleged non-implementation of Acts passed by the National Assembly.
The lawmakers said the non-implementation of Acts, particularly Appropriation Acts, was an “impeachable offence”.
The lawmakers gave the warning as the House debated a motion on the non-implementation of the Hydroelectric Power Areas Development Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010.
Minority Leader of the House and leader of the ACN caucus, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, recalled that the executive had consistently ridiculed the House by allegedly ignoring “several legislation passed by the National Assembly”.
He said, “We have many of such laws; they are not being implemented.

Read More

Customs agents protest illegal levies

11:44 PM News No Comments

LAGOS—FREIGHT forwarders under the aegis of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents, have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged unlawful imposition of import charges, saying “the Nigeria Customs Service had failed to comply with criteria applicable to the principle on the treatment of valuation of goods as contained in the Act.”
In a letter by the group’s President, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, said that the Customs wants to use the Static Data Base imposed on 26 commodities as bases for the collection of import duty on some applicable items.
He noted that the imposition contravenes Act 20 of 2003,  adding “there are six valuation methods applicable in the treatment of valuation of goods some of which are transaction value of goods, transaction value of identical goods, transaction value of similar goods, sale of value, computed value and reasonable value.”
He explained that the Act stipulates that “Customs valuation shall be based on the actual price of the goods to be valued, or imported for use in Nigeria based on the actual price.”
He said: “ The Static Data Base of the Nigeria Customs is the old method that had been outlawed by the enactment of the Customs and Excise Management, CEMA,  (Amendment) Act 20 of 2003.
“The Act has removed the final decision on value from the Nigeria Customs to the court based on Paragraph 3,” he added.

Read More

Jonathan congratulates Adeboye @ 70

1:31 AM News No Comments

ABUJA – President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, sent a congratulatory message to Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
The message reads in part: “As you attain the highly symbolic landmark age of three score and 10 years on Friday, March 2, 2012, it is with profound joy that I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on my own behalf, to express very warm felicitations to you.
“You have lived a truly inspirational and inspiring life of dedicated service in the vineyard of the Lord. Rising above the limitations of a background of deprivation to thrive in academics before going into full time ministry; the phenomenal growth of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, of which you are the General Overseer, clearly testifies to God’s hand upon your life and your productive leadership qualities.
“As you celebrate this historic day with your nuclear family, your numerous children in the Lord, friends and well-wishers, I would like to paraphrase Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy by praying that Almighty God continues to empower you to successfully fight the good fight, fruitfully run the course, and continue to keep the faith, until that day when you shall receive the crown of righteousness.”

By Okey Ndiribe

Read More

PDP Chair: Youths ask aspirants from Borno to step down

1:29 AM News, Politics No Comments

MAIDUGURI—AS the race for the office of the National Chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gathers momentum, a group, Borno Youth Vanguard, has called on three of the five aspirants from the state to step down from the race. They include Dr. Shettima Mustapha, Senator Abba Aji and Mr. Ibrahim Bunu.
In a statement issued at the end of its meeting, the group argued that the balance of political power distribution in the state unduly favours Borno Central at the expense of the North and South senatorial zones.
In the statement signed by its chairman and secretary, Messrs Tujja Yerwa and Mamman Zaki and Ibrahim Ibsy respectively, the group explained that of all the 12 aspirants that have so far expressed interest in occupying the Wadata Plaza headquarters of PDP, five are from Borno State, “a situation it feels might make it tough for a candidate from the state to emerge.”

Read More

OJUKWU: Jonathan, Soyinka, Rawlings, Anyaoku, others pay final respect

1:28 AM News No Comments

ENUGU— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, acknowledged contributions of the late former Biafran warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu towards the unity of the country, describing him as “a rare patriot and humanist.”
The president, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the national inter-denominational funeral rites and lying-in-state for Ojukwu at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, said he had no hesitation in describing the Ikemba Nnewi as a rare patriot because his life epitomized enduring love for his country.

Ojukwu was rare patriot  —Jonathan
“Ojukwu was indeed a rare patriot because his life epitomized enduring love for the country he belonged to and a special place of Nigeria, a relentless critical love. Critical, because he wanted to be the best he could be, a civil, just, prosperous and a united nation where no one is oppressed and a rare humanist because his love for humanity was particularly defined by self sacrifice,” President Jonathan said in a special tribute in honour of the late Igbo icon.
According to him, Ojukwu’s contribution in the nation’s political sphere cannot be overlooked, stressing that after his ordeal, he (Ojukwu) continued to play a major role in the advancement of the Igbo nation in a democracy.

LAST RESPECT—Vice President Namadi Sambo laying a Wreath as he pays last respect during the National Funeral Ceremony of Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odunmegwu Ojukwu, yesterday, in Enugu State. Photo: Hill Ezeugwu.

“Ojukwu has played significant role in Nigeria’s return to democracy since  the Fourth Republic began in 1999. He has contested as the presidential candidate of his party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA,

Read More

S-h-o-c-k-e-r! Osaze, Yakubu, Taiwo, Etuhu play last match for Eagles

1:25 AM Sports No Comments

Expectations were high before the match.  Nigerians eagerly awaited Stephen Keshi’s first competitive match. Rwandans hoped for a surprise but were more in large numbers to watch the Nigerian stars that they see on supersport. Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo  and Osaze Odenwegie were among the Nigerian stars they admire on television.
They expected so much thrills from the Nigerian team but banked on the underdog element of surprise to shock the Eagles. They almost did. Militi Mitchio, their Serbian coach had given them hope.
And in Nigeria the new Eagles coach and his crew had started building a new national team to accommodate home-based players who, for years now, had no place in the Eagles.

Aiyegbeni, Etuhu, Osaze and Taiwo

After holding Nations Cup-bound Angola to a scoreless draw in Abuja they went on to beat Liberia 2-0 in another international friendly.
The local boys impressed in the matches and when Keshi had to invite players for the Nations Cup qualifier he invited 11 pros and 11 local players.
Throughout the training sessions Keshi and his crew confided in close friends that the team that beat Liberia

Read More

How Nigeria has affected the rest of Africa

1:17 AM News No Comments

Are Nollywood films Nigeria's most influential export?

Ghana - by David Amanor:

There is no mistaking the ancient cultural and linguistic ties between the neighbours. However, the post-colonial relationship has been characterised by a kind of sibling rivalry. Nigeria is highly respected for leading effective peacekeeping in the region, and at the same time mocked for failing to ensure peace in Nigeria. While Ghana takes pride in leading the continental way in independence, democratisation, and more recently, in sporting achievements.

• Have Your Say: How far has Nigeria's cultural influence reached?

An estimated 1m Nigerian nationals and dual citizens live and work in Ghana and, paradoxically, communication has been made easier by a shared colonial intervention - the English language and its pidgin

Read More