Welcome to OBAkoko's blog : 2018

Catastrophe! Argentina Press Wails At World Cup ‘Disaster’

Argentina’s media stuck the boot into Lionel Messi and his teammates on Thursday, branding the team’s World Cup defeat to Croatia a “catastrophe” and a “humiliation”.

Argentina face the prospect of an embarrassing first-round exit in Russia after suffering a 3-0 loss to the Croatians in Nizhny Novgorod, which left them with one point from two games.

For Argentina’s press, the result was too much to bear.

“Catastrophe against Croatia, Argentina disappoints and is on the way out of the World Cup,” the Clarin newspaper wrote on its website.

“Argentina were ridiculed by Croatia and has jeopardised its future in the competition,” La Nacion added.

Administrator to Dekina LGA Prince Ishaq Shaibu Okolo has approved the appointment of 198 aides to serve the council in various capacities.
One hundred and thirty persons were appointed as Senior Special Assistants while thirty were appointed into the LG Administrator’s media and strategy committee.
In a statement signed by Alhaji Lampex, the administrator said the appointment was in line with the New Direction agenda of Governor Yahaya Bello to reduce unemployment in the state.
While congratulating the new appointees, he said the date for swearing-in ceremony will be announced in due time.

China says it regrets U.S. quitting U.N. rights council

BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed regret on Wednesday over a U.S. decision to withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council, with state media saying the image of the United States as a defender of rights was “on the verge of collapse”.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced the decision to pull out of the council on Tuesday over what she said was chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform.

Rights group have criticized the decision as sending a message that the United States was turning a blind eye to abuses across the world.

“China expresses regret at the U.S. decision to withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing.

“China will continue, working with all sides, to make its contribution to the healthy development of human rights around the world via constructive dialogue and cooperation,” he added.

Asked about U.S. criticism of China’s rights record, Geng said the United States was ignoring the facts and that anyone who was without prejudice could see the enormous progress China had made on rights.

The official publication of China’s top anti-graft watchdog said in a commentary on Wednesday the U.S. decision to leave the council “has put the American peoples’ boastful image of being a defender of human rights on the verge of collapse”.

The separation of immigrant families on the U.S.-Mexico border showed the hypocrisy of the United States and that it “cannot and should not” criticize other countries’ rights record, it said.

Human rights have long been a source of tension between the world’s two largest economies, especially since 1989, when the United States imposed sanctions on China after a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

China regularly rejects criticism of its human rights record and points to its success at lifting millions out of poverty.

But the ruling Communist Party brooks no political dissent and since President Xi Jinping took office dozens of rights lawyers and activists have been arrested or jailed in a crackdown activists say is worse than any in decades.

Beijing also releases an annual report lambasting the United States for its rights problems, invariably citing racism, political standards and gun violence

Nielsen becomes the public face of Trump’s family separation policy

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Monday effectively became the public face of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” strategy that has separated more than 2,000 immigrant children from their families over six weeks, offering a forceful defense of the practice while erroneously insisting that it was not the result of a new policy.

Pressed into service amid a maelstrom of bipartisan criticism, Nielsen addressed reporters at the White House’s daily briefing in an attempt to quell the mounting outrage over images of children crying after being taken away from their parents by Border Patrol agents at the southern border.

Switzerland did not hold back in a physical encounter with Brazil in their opening World Cup game, and Neymar, who was playing his first competitive game since a foot operation in February, felt the consequences.

Hobbling back into the dressing room, he felt pain in the same area and there was panic as doctors feared he’d suffered a setback.

It was just a shock as further examinations showed that it was just a knock to his ankle, with the team doctor and Neymar himself denying any concern to the press after the game.

Brazil’s No. 10 was hugely relieved and was quick to put ice on his ankle and get back to work as soon as possible.

Security operatives have apprehended a notorious kidnapper who together with his gang abducted a Delta lawmaker, Hon Onose Onakpoma on March 31, 2018 and hid him in a forest in Okurekpo, Ethiope East Local government area of Delta state - before shooting him to death inside the hideout (see HERE).

The notorious gang leader identified as Omote Eboh has been on the run despite the arrest and detention of his wife after leading a team to the scene in the thick forest to recover the remains of Hon Onokpoma on May 11, 2018.

Most of the perpetrators of the heinous crime have been apprehended including those who aided the escape of the leader, Omote Eboh

Tiwa Savage Gambling With Ceeza Milli? See Wards Of Dollar Cash On Table

Mavin first lady and singer Tiwa Savage egaged in playing gamble with Starboy signed artiste, Ceeza Mili. See the huge amount of money on the table both left and right all in dollars.

Funmi Awelewa: Taju's Father Is A Chain Smoker, His Mother Eloped With A Man

Actress Funmi Awelewa Reveals Why TAJU Was Handed Over To The Oyo State Government

TAJU’s family only care about money, his father is a chain smoker, his mother elpoed with another man but wants to ride on his popularity ” – Actress

FunmiAwelewa reveals why TAJU was handed over to the Oyo state government. See screenshots below

Gist from praize news

Former Vice President and 2019 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday visited Ekiti State for a meeting with Governor Ayodele Fayose.

While in Ekiti, he rallied support for Kolapo Olusola, the PDP candidate in the state in the July 14 governorship election.

A statement from the office of the Director General, Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), Gbenga Daniel, also disclosed that the campaign team will be in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State capital on Tuesday in continuation of Mr Abubakar’s nationwide tour.

The statement noted that Mr Abubakar will be in Rivers State on a two-day visit between Wednesday and Thursday where he is expected to commission some projects executed by Governor Nyesom Wike in the State.

For the first time since she started dating, Nicki Minaj is a single woman — and she’s not using this time to sleep around! In a new interview, she reveals why she’s abstaining from sex instead.
Nicki Minaj is a changed woman now that she’s single. “Spiritually, I’ve experienced more growth in the last six months of my life, of my career, than I have in the last eight years,” she tells Elle. She credits that change with the fact that this was the first time in her life since she was 15 years old that she hasn’t had a serious boyfriend. The time alone has given Nicki the power to realize that she can do just fine as an independent woman who does NOT need a man.
“I remember feeling like I could do anything at one time in my life,” she continues. “And somewhere along the line, I just started second guessing myself, for whatever reason. As soon as I realized that I could actually live and breathe, and eat and slep, and walk and talk without having a boyfriend, something clicked in me. Becoming single was one of the things that made me feel strong and powerful. The fact that I am a young woman who doesn’t need a man for money. I don’t need a man for a job. I’ve never had to f*** for beats. I’ve never had to f*** for a record deal. I on’t have those pressures.”

A video of Boko Haram insurgents celebrating Sallah in Sambisa forest has surfaced online.

In the five minutes, 17 seconds video, the insurgents held prayers with guards welding rifles.

The clip was released a day after 20 persons, including children, were killed by suicide bombers in an attack in Damboa local government area of Borno state.

The federal government has continuously claimed that the Boko Haram sect has been decimated.

But in the clip which surfaced on Tuesday, three insurgents were heard thanking their god for a successful Ramadan.

Melania Trump, U.S. First Lady, has called on both Democrats and Republicans to join forces to stop federal authorities from separating children from their parents when apprehended at the border. In a statement issued by her office, the first lady expressed empathy for affected families, saying the country should be governed “with a heart”. “Mrs Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform. “She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with a heart,” the first lady said in the statement by her Spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham.
Nearly 2,000 children were taken away from their parents in a six-week period ending in May under the new policy of President Donald Trump’s administration. The first lady’s statement echoed the president’s words on Friday saying: “I hate the children being taken away”. Trump, however, blamed the Democrats, adding: “The Democrats have to change their law – that’s their law”. Laura Bush, wife of former President George W. Bush, has also launched an outspoken attack on the policy in a statement in the Washington Post. The former first lady said:

Should the affected states scrap the anti-grazing laws?

It is within the legislative powers of state Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the affected states. If in the wisdom of the states concerned, they decide to repeal any existing piece of legislation; it is within their powers to so do. This is my personal opinion and not that of the NBA. Any individual who feels the law adversely affects his rights as a citizen; such a person can seek redress in court. I am afraid there is no place for sentiments in the eye of the law, the courts are there to deal with issues of the law.

My main worry is that the government has been unable to curb the incessant killings of Nigerians in most of the affected states. If suspending the law in this case is what is required for peace to reign, we could explore other options such as dialogue with herdsmen if it is established that they are responsible. Since the government has failed in its responsibility to protect, we are not going to scrap the law; we keep the law in abeyance and dialogue. It could also be decided that the law will not be enforced for now so that if that will curb the killings, we could explore it.

We have the military and the police and other security agencies, yet the killings are going on. The security agents should do their intelligence gathering. They keep on saying it is Boko Haram today, another day, herdsmen, and maybe some foreigners another day. Why are we doing this to ourselves? Why do we have a government, if it cannot do its job?

Hardliners of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc are poised Monday to give the German leader an ultimatum to tighten asylum rules or risk pitching the country into a political crisis, as tensions over migration reignite across the EU.

Three years after her decision to open Germany’s borders to migrants fleeing war in Syria and Iraq and misery elsewhere, Merkel is still struggling to find a sustainable response to the complaints from her Bavarian allies CSU over her refugee policy.

Monday is “destiny day for Angela Merkel. For the government,” wrote the mass-circulation newspaper Bild on Sunday.

European Union countries are once again at loggerheads over migration, triggered by Italy’s recent refusal to allow a rescue ship carrying 630 migrants to dock.

Malta also turned the vessel away, sparking a major EU row until Spain agreed to take in the migrants.

In Germany, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer of the CSU has been one of the fiercest critics of Merkel’s liberal stance, under which a million asylum seekers have been admitted into Germany since 2015.

He now wants to turn away at the border new arrivals who have previously been registered in another EU country — often their first port of call, Italy or Greece.

But Merkel says that would leave countries at the EU’s geographic southern periphery alone to deal with the migrant influx.

"We Will Beat Iceland, Argentina To Qualify" — Rohr

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has put aside Nigeria’s shock 2-0 defeat in the hands of Croatia as he insists that Nigeria still has the chance of going through from Group D.

Nigeria occupy the last spot at the bottom of the Group but the German coach who blamed the defeat on defensive naivety from set pieces by Croatia said that Nigeria can roar back to reckoning by beating Iceland and seeing off Argentina in their last group game to go through.

‘’Everything is possible in football. “It’s important to make at least four points if you want to qualify,” Rohr added.

Afghan Taliban frown at militants' Eid ceasefire selfies

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Taliban official also said Pakistan had wanted the Taliban to include U.S. and other foreign troops in the ceasefire, but the Taliban’s leadership and supreme commander, ‎Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada, did not agree.

“Last night, an emergency meeting was called and all the commanders were informed and directed to take strict disciplinary action against all those Taliban members who visited citizens and took pictures with the Afghan authorities,” he told Reuters.

Some Taliban seen taking selfies w‎ith Afghan government forces and officials had been warned, the Taliban official said.
Both the Afghan government and the militants declared temporary ceasefires for the end-of-Ramadan Eid al-Fitr holiday, leading to fraternization between the two sides as militants emerged from their hideouts to enter towns and cities.

The government ceasefire did not include the Islamic State militant group and the Taliban did not include U.S.-led foreign forces in theirs.

The Taliban ceasefire ended on Sunday. The government extended its ceasefire with the Taliban, which had been due to end on Wednesday, June 20, by 10 days.

2019: Obtain your PVCs now, Gov Ahmed urges residents

2019: Obtain your PVCs now, Gov Ahmed urges residents

By Demola Akinyemi Ilorin—Ahead of the 2019 general election, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has pleaded with the citizens and residents of the state to troop out en-masse to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, to enable them elect candidates of their choice.

Governor Ahmed in his remarks at a sallah homage by Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, emphasised that “it is the civic responsibility of every eligible citizen to ensure collection of his or her PVC. It’s a right and the only tool to elect people who can deliver on campaign promises.
“Ours is a peaceful and grassroots politics where we allow our people to take decisions on their own and encourage inclusive politics.”

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia —

Navigating daily life in this sprawling metropolis of 7 million people requires a complicated set of calculations for the 50 percent of the population that is female. Will a man be available to drive me to this or that appointment? How will the children get to school? Which door should I use to enter this building? Which line should I join to order my coffee in the mall?

Sometimes, in the course of a day, women will pull on and off their face coverings, headscarves and black-robe abayas a dozen times or more, in a variety of combinations, depending on whether men are present and how well they know them. The penalty for getting it wrong can include social ostracization, humiliation for the woman and her family, unwelcome harassment by men and, until recently, detention and imprisonment.
In small but significant ways, the daily reckonings are becoming easier and the costs of failure are falling. The social reforms unleashed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are bringing changes to many aspects of life in the conservative kingdom, but none stand to benefit more than women, whose treatment has set Saudi Arabia apart from the rest of the world for decades.

Glimpses of hair are starting to appear beneath headscarves, the lines segregating men from women are beginning to blur, and the government is slowly retreating from its once vigorous intrusion into women’s lives. On June 24, they will be allowed to drive, the most symbolic and practically important of the changes so far.

Political freedoms are definitely not included. The arrest last month of 17 activists, including seven of the most prominent women who had campaigned for the right to drive, sent a clear signal to all Saudis that only the government can bestow freedoms – and the government can take them away. Eight of those detained have since been freed, but nine remain behind bars, including three of the female driving activists.
The arrests probably had less to do with the specific demands the women were making than that they were making demands at all, said Hala al-Dosari, a Saudi activist who has supported the driving campaign and is at Harvard University. Male clerics, bloggers and human rights campaigners critical of the government also have been detained but simply received less publicity, she said.

There are some things we may never quite understand: how bread turns into toast, what happens to matching socks in the dryer, and how the toilets on airplanes work.
But in the spirit of demystifying the arcane secrets of the universe, we looked into revealing the enigma that is the airplane bathroom.

The modern airplane toilet system was invented by James Kemper in the 1970s. Before then, passengers onboard planes could attend to their duties in a slosh bucket, which would then either decorate the bathroom quarters when the plane hit turbulence or be chucked out the window and land on the unsuspecting earth below.

The Kemper vacuum system first appeared in a Boeing plane in 1982. The system relied on a blue liquid—known as Skykem—a non-stick coating, and vacuum suction.

Instead of Trump’s propaganda, how about a nice ‘truth sandwich’?

Last weekwas a particularly rough one for journalists and truth-seeking citizens.

President Trump declared the news media the nation’s worst enemy. And time after shocking time, his acolytes demeaned or threatened reporters for doing one of their most basic jobs: asking questions of those in power.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a reporter in North Korea that it was “insulting and ridiculous and ludicrous” for him to be asked about details of the verification process for the vaunted denuclearization.

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale suggested taking a CNN reporter’s credentials away after he shouted a question at the president.

It was ugly. Even uglier than usual.

And the president’s anti-media campaign is convincing at least some citizens that journalists have no worth.
Enter George Lakoff. An author, cognitive scientist and linguist who has long studied how propaganda works, he believes it’s long past time for the reality-based news media to stop kowtowing to the emperor.
“Trump needs the media, and the media help him by repeating what he says,” Lakoff said.

That would be okay under normal circumstances, he told me, but “this situation is not normal — you have a sustained attack on the democracy and the news media.”

Unlike those who insist that what the president says is news and therefore must be reported, Lakoff proposes a radical reimagining of how the news media reports on Trump.

At least 25 people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 injured in an explosion on Saturday night after the Eid-el-Fitri celebration in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

But while security agencies believed the blast was by Boko Haram members, a local source, who asked not to be named, told SaharaReporters that the military artillery gun wreaked more havoc than the blast itself.

“There was bomb explosion in Shuwari village, not far from Damboa town on Saturday night,” he said. “The military responded by firing artillery gun towards the direction and many civilians were hit.”

However, Borno State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, gave a different account.

“At about quarter to nine, yesterday night, a loud explosion was heard at Abacahri village, along Damboa/Chibok road. The DPO mobilised with our men from the SARS and civilian JTF to the scene and found 20 people dead and 48 others injured,” Chukwu said.

“Some of the bodies were found chattered, indicating that the explosion came from an explosive device.”

Chukwu said further that the Police was yet to confirm if the explosion was as a result of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or a rocket-propelled grenade.

BREAKING NEWS: Makarfi declares for President

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has finally declared to run in the 2019 presidential election.
Makarfi, the former governor of Kaduna state ,two term senator and immediate past Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, made the declaration at a press briefing in Kaduna on Sunday.
According to him, “After wide consultations with party men and women as well as other major stakeholders, I have decided to seek the party’s nomination to contest the poll.”
The two time Senator said he was now ready to pick the PDP nomination form ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
He becomes the second member of the PDP to make his intention public after former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Details later …

Nigerian Navy Intercepts Ship Smuggling Over 2,000 Bags Of Rice

Nigerian Navy has arrested a ship smuggling a large haul of contraband rice into Nigeria from Cameroon.

The vessel carrying 2,860 bags of foreign rice was intercepted over the weekend by Naval personnel on board the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) victory along the Calabar waterway in Cross River State.

The Acting Commander of the NNS victory ship, Captain Babafemi Ajayi while parading the five suspects alongside their seized boat in Calabar, the state capital said the arrests following an intelligence

“We discovered that the boat was hidden around Calabar channels with this consignments with the intention that when there is darkness, they will use smaller boats to evacuate the products into a warehouse.

“Following the tip off, we positioned our men into that area. Fortunately, we saw the five men when they wanted to carry out the assignment on the boat. They were subsequently arrested. Further entry revealed their warehouse. When we got there, we saw more consignments, those that have already been offloaded.”

When Skiibii Mayana announced that he was leaving Five Star Music last year, music lovers wondered how he would survive alone.

Speaking with Sunday Scoop, the singer said he had become a better musician and person since parting ways with his former bosses, Kcee and his brother, E-Money.

“I am hundred per cent a better person since I left Five Star Music. When I was at Five Star, I didn’t think I could shoot a video on my own. But it is a different story now. Apart from music, I can do a lot of things on my own. Now, I can take care of my family and pay salaries. When I was with Five Star, I didn’t always have money; I was a boy. If I went to a show, we would share the money and my percentage couldn’t take care of my responsibilities.”

Admitting that he was yet to do a lot this year, he said he had plans to release four more songs before the year ends. He said,

The newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a family wedding yesterday and they looked every bit like the lovestruck couple.

It was the wedding of Harry's cousin, Celia McCorquodale, 29. Celia is the daughter of Princess Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle co-ordinated in powder blue as they watched Princess Diana's niece tie the knot with George Woodhouse in Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire.
The bride paid tribute to her late aunt Princess Diana by wearing the same tiara Diana wore at her own 1981 wedding. The tiara is a family heirloom that was also worn by all of Diana's sisters on their wedding days.

A Ghanaian minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has asked petty traders in the Kumasi metropolis to venture into the sale of cocaine if they cannot withstand the economic hardship in the country.

He said traders who are using economic hardship as an excuse to sell at unauthorised places must rethink their decision because persons who break the law will face justice, reports Citinewsroom on Wednesday.

“When we start enforcing the laws, people will be complaining of hardship. If there is hardship, then I will ask that you stop the business and go and sell cocaine for a living,” he added.

Julian Draxler believes Mesut Ozil will be one of the most important players for Germany at the World Cup.

Ozil had an inconsistent season for Arsenal in 2017-18 as the Gunners again finished outside of the top four in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has played 90 times for the national team, isn’t certain of a starting spot for Germany, but PSG midfielder Draxler believes Ozil is one of squad’s most creative players.

“All the noise about Mesut [Ozil] being subdued and not up to his best is not true and has been way over the top,” Draxler said.

“The debate about his body language has been raging for a couple of years but he is an exceptional player.

Brazil star and world’s most expensive player, Neymar will make his World Cup bow on Sunday as the five-time champions kick off quest for redemption while holders Germany launch their bid for back-to-back titles.

Four years after injury cut short his World Cup, before Brazil suffered a humiliating 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany, Neymar is once again spearheading his country’s hopes.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker’s participation at the finals in Russia had been cast into doubt after he suffered a fractured right foot in late February.

However the 26-year-old forward has shown little signs of rust since returning for Brazil, scoring in consecutive friendlies on the eve of the finals.

That could spell trouble for Switzerland as they take on Brazil in Group E on Sunday.

Is this how politician in a Western World operates or serves their people? Where is a BILL passed for the betterment of your people? Is this how constituency allowance or budget should be spend? Could it be stomach infrastructure? Is this how more than 15 millions NAIRA collected every month from the government purse been spent? Do we have sensible people at affair of our dear country. There are loads of questions to ask but not today. In Nigeria Politician's mind they have served giving you half penny from our millions given to them as a salary per month. We are getting there soon

As the 2019 elections approaches, different politicians have come with strategies to win the hearts of the electorates and here is first term senator from Ogun East Senatorial district and 2019 Governorship aspirant Buruji Kashamu doing his "best" to win the heart of the electorate and

Some football fans in Abuja on Saturday expressed disappointment at the Super Eagles’ 0-2 loss to Croatia in their opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria had an unimpressive start to their 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign on Saturday in Kaliningrad with a 0-2 loss to Croatia, thereby dropping to the bottom of Group D.

The result meant Croatia moved to the top of the table with three points, while Argentina and Iceland are second and third respectively after playing out a 1-1 draw earlier.

A cross section of football fans in Abuja, who spoke to NAN at a viewing centre in Maitama, said the Eagles got their tactics and formation wrong against the Croats.

Total blackout hits Nigeria as power grid collapses

The nation has been plunged into total darkness as the power grid recorded a total collapse on Saturday morning, our correspondent has learnt.

The system collapse led to the shutdown of all the nation’s power plants.

An industry source, who is a top executive of one of the nation’s electricity distribution companies, told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the national grid first collapsed on Friday.

When contacted to find out the cause of the outage in parts of Lagos, he said, “It’s a general thing; it is a system collapse. It happened yesterday and this morning. All the power plants were shut down.”

Details later…

Nigeria Team against Croatia

Best of Luck Naija!

Romance Rewind: A Look at Shakira and Gerard Piqué's Love Story

The love story of Shakira and Gerard Piqué proves that you never really know when you'll come face to face with your soulmate.

Little did they expect to fall for each other at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but they did. They're one of our favorite couples because they make it work on their own terms. Years later, they're a family of four that has learned to balance the demanding life of music and soccer with being parents.

From that day on the set of Shakira's "Waka Waka," Piqué set out to win the Colombian singer's heart, and the rest is history.

Take a look at their love story: These two lovebirds met on the set of Shakira's "Waka Waka" which was the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Piqué later revealed that he told her, "I am going to win this World Cup so that we can see each other at the finals." And so he did and that's how it all began.

The love story of Shakira and Gerard Piqué proves that you never really know when you'll come face to face with your soulmate.

Farmers in Bauchi who planted crops early this farming season are having sleepless nights following a dry spell being experienced, resulting in the drying up of their tender crops.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that for the past few weeks, rain had not fallen in most parts of the state and the prospect of the farmers having to re-plant, is very high.

Some of the farmers who spoke to NAN said they spent huge resources on payment of labour, purchase of seeds and fertilizer used in planting the crops, adding that they were not financially buoyant to repeat same.

A peasant farmer, Malam Aliyu Hamman, said he spent about N30, 000 and was not in a position to source for same again.

“We rushed to plant crops to avoid a repeat of what happened last year when the rain stopped abruptly without crops maturing, making us to incur losses.

“Now, we seem to be too early and the consequence is almost same as we may have to repeat planting and incur losses again,” he lamented.

Another peasant farmer, Jarmai Dahiru, said his soya beans crops had almost dried up and he may have to re-plant.

Africa has five out of the 36 national teams in the 2018 football World Cup tournament in Russia: Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia.

Nobody will put serious money on any of the continent’s teams winning the World Cup finals in Moscow on Sunday, 15 July. But before a ball has been kicked, Nigeria’s Super Eagles have at least and already won one “World Cup” with their dazzling new kit.

The fashion blog The Idle Man said: “This shirt has gained huge popularity on social media with many fans rating it as the best shirt of the tournament without a single game being played in it.”

Nike Football Design Director Dan Farron said: “With Nigeria, we wanted to tap into the attitude of the nation. We started to see trends in attitude and energy connecting the athletes to music, fashion and more. They are part of a resoundingly cool culture.”

And it isn’t just the denizens of social media and fashionistas rating Nigeria’s jersey highly. Nike recorded three million pre-orders before it’s release, according to the Nigerian Football Federation. On the day of its release, people queued from 5am to make sure they don’t lose out, and all orders were sold out within minutes. That wasn’t only in Nigeria, but also in other parts of the world where there are concentrations of Nigerians.

The Imo state All progressive Congress, Coalition group spokesperson, Hon Theodore Ekechi, on Wednesday escaped being hurt by unknown hoodlums, who gained entrance into his house and made away with items worth 45 million naira.

Reports gathered showed that his Owerri residence located at Umuguma Housing Estate, Owerri west Local Government Area of the state, was vandalised and ransacked by the unknown men, as they made away with four (4) gold wrist watches, 20 HP laptops, archive official documents, jewelries, among other things.

Narrating the ordeal to newsmen, Ekechi, said that such incident has never occurred before in his neighborhood, according to him " This has never happened since 2011 when I started living in this neighborhood, we have never had any incident of burglary". He asserted

And he continued, "I'm been worried about the timing of this, considering the fact that I have been vocal about the happenings in Imo state politically, as it concerns who becomes the governor of the state come 2019.

University of Ibadan suspends student over article about poor facilities

The University of Ibadan has suspended a student, Adekunle Adebajo, over an article published two years ago.

Mr Adebajo, a student journalist, wrote under the title “UI: The irony of fashionable rooftops and awful interiors”, in The Guardian of April 2016 about poor facilities at the university.

He drew attention to the deplorable state of the facilities at the Nigerian premier university.

Piqued by the article, the university, two days after the publication, asked Mr Adebajo to face the disciplinary committee.

In the following months, the student continued to face disciplinary charges which he always defended before he was eventually told he had been rusticated for two semesters at the end of May.

But it was on Friday that the rustication of Mr Adebajo became public, with his colleagues within and outside UI accusing the university authorities of being anti-free speech and oppressive.

“It is true, I was rusticated by University of Ibadan for an article written in 2016,” said Mr Adebajo on Facebook. “The verdict was made three weeks ago.”

The remains of Barr. Mrs Onyinye Ukpor has been laid to rest.

How cruel that leukaemia(cancer of the blood) at the age of 24 could snatch you away from your beloved husband in a marriage that is barely 9months old.

Pained is the word as Alumni of OJIMS COLLEGE observed the burial of an ex student late Barr. Onyinye Ukpor Julius whose husband Mr Julius Chinedu Onyekwere is also an alumnus of Ojims College.

BREAKING: A scuffle in the Spanish dressing room

BeIN: there was a scuffle in the Spanish dressing room occured after #PORESP involving Diego Costa, who is claimed to have been upset with boss Fernando Hierro for substituting him off. The Atleti forward is reported to have confronted Hierro with, "You don't know what you're doing."

Brian Gitta, age 24 wins UK's Royal Academy of Engineering's Africa Prize

Congrats Uganda's Brian Gitta, age 24 wins UK's Royal Academy of Engineering's Africa Prize for inventing a malaria detector that finds malaria virus by shining a red light on your finger, sending results to your mobile phone in 60 seconds.

Congratulations!

Gernot Rohr: Super Eagles will deliver as expected

Super Eagles’ head coach Gernot Rohr and captain Mikel Obi say the team is capable of delivering on its promise on Saturday against Vatreni of Croatia.

The Nigerian side will face Croatia at the Kaliningrad Stadium in their opening Group D match at the FIFA World Cup, needing to win for a bright start.

This will be against the backdrop of disappointing opening match losses by fellow African sides Egypt and Morocco on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Egypt had lost their opening Group A match at Ekaterinburg 0-1 to Uruguay, after an 89th minute goal by Jose Gimenez.

Morocco followed in their trail hours later with a 0-1 loss to Iran at St. Petersburg in Group B, falling to an own goal in added time by Aziz Bouhaddouz.

Rohr, who earlier in the day had addressed the media before the team’s training session, said he was sure that his team was in shape to get a good result.

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first player to score in eight consecutive major tournaments (WC & Euros)
⚽ Euro 2004 ⚽ World Cup 2006 ⚽ Euro 2008 ⚽ World Cup 2010 ⚽ Euro 2012 ⚽ World Cup 2014 ⚽ Euro 2016 ⚽ World Cup 2018

This is a road to win another WORLD BEST. we expected astonishing performance from Messi too. goodluck

President Buhari: I’ve suffered in politics, military

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that his journey to politics and even as a military officer has been tourtous and challenging, saying, he has suffered in his efforts to serve the country.

President Buhari stated this when he received the delegation of residents in Abuja led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, who paid him Sallah homage in his official residence, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He advised Nigerians to shun politics of sectionalism and individualism so as to make the country great, stressing that Nigeria is blessed with enormous resources scattered in all parts of the country.

He also said that he started and completed the Ramadan fast despite the apprehension in some quarters as a result of his health condition, enthusing that he was feeling healthier and more determined to steer the ship of the country.

The President said he was working hard for the collective interest of the country and that enough had been invested into the country to ensure it remained one entity.

This is not the best of times for Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo who has reached a deal with the Spanish tax authorities to serve two years in prison in a tax evasion case.

The El Mundo Newspaper reported on Friday that the player would also pay €18.8 million (£16.41 million) fine.

According to the publication, Ronaldo accepted four fiscal offences before the tax authorities, each of which carries a punishment of six months in prison.
But, Ronaldo is unlikely to serve any time in jail under the deal because Spanish law states that a sentence of under two years for a first offence can be served on probation.

The 33-year-old Portuguese footballer, who is accused of evading €14.7 million in taxes, has denied all the allegations through his agents.

The news dropped just hours before Portugal’s opening match of the World Cup against Spain. (Reuters/NAN)

President Trump Said He Wants People to 'Sit Up at Attention' for Him Like They Do for Kim Jong Un

In a surprise interview with “Fox and Friends” on Friday, President Donald Trump announced live that he wants his people to “sit up at attention” when he speaks — the same way North Koreans do for dictator Kim Jong Un.

Around 8 a.m. on Friday, Trump tweeted that the morning talk show was on the White House front lawn. “Maybe I’ll have to take an unannounced trip down to see them?” he said.
About half an hour later, Fox News notified reporters that Trump was about to appear on the show. As correspondents from other networks gathered, Trump could be seen walking up the White House driveway.

“You are about to see something on the Fox News that has never happened, we believe, in the history of White House reporting,” reporter Steve Doocy said live on air. “And that is the president of the United States is just outside the press room and it looks like he is en route to our location.”

What followed was a 30-minute one-on-one interview with Doocy. For the last 20 minutes, Trump took questions from the general crowd of White House reporters.

Olukoya Ogungbeje, the lead counsel of Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, suspected kidnapper better known as Evans, has withdrawn from the criminal trial.

Ogungbeje made this known in a statement made available to pressmen on Friday, citing personal reasons forhis action.

"For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that we have fought a good fight this far despite repeated and sustained threats to my life and my defence lawyers," he said.

“I dare say we have no regrets whatsoever, having conducted the criminal charges involving our client this far. For the sake of history, we have been able to enrich the basic principles of our criminal jurisprudence, especially the principle premised on: an accused person being presumed innocent until the contrary is proved no matter the public opinion and criticism.

Governor Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara State said he had dropped his responsibility as Chief Security Officer of the state as he had no control over security machinery in the state.

Speaking to newsmen in Talata-Mafara on Friday, Yari said that his decision stemmed from the seeming helplessness of the state government and the people over recurring killings in the state.

He deplored the prevailing situation where, as the chief security officer of the state, he could not take decisions on strategies for protecting the state and its people, and have it implemented.

“We have been facing serious security challenges over the years, but in spite of being governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I cannot direct security officers on what to do nor sanction them when they err.

“As Chief Security Officer, the nomenclature is just a name,” he said.

The governor lamented that it was disheartening that killings in the state had continued in spite of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to security agencies to end the incessant blood-letting across the country.

It seemed for much of last season that the hand writing was on the wall for Antonio Conte and that he would be sacked after his side’s FA Cup final match against Manchester United, regardless of the result. As it happened, Chelsea emerged victorious (1-0 through Eden Hazard), but it still looked highly unlikely that the former Juventus and Italy boss would be in charge at Stamford Bridge come the start of the 2018/19 campaign.

Just under a month later, Chelsea have yet to make any announcement on their manager’s future amid speculation linking them with the likes of Maurizio Sarri and Luis Enrique. Indeed, their blunt refusal to pay Sarri’s €8 million release clause annoyed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis so much that negotiations are now at a complete standstill. There is a good chance that the 59-year-old will now take a year off, having also rejected a lucrative move to Russian Premier League giants Zenit St. Petersburg.

These are worrying times for Chelsea supporters, who surely recognise that no good can come of being subjected to another 12 months of logger-heads between Conte and his superiors. They remain at odds over transfer policy and are at the centre of a long-running feud which has only worsened since Michael Emenalo took the decision to stand down from his role as technical director in order to take up a similar position at Monaco. Ironically, the Ligue 1 club have now established themselves as a model of stability under their Russian ownership.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has announced that the new moon for the Islamic month of Shawwal has been sighted.

The head of the NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, confirmed the sighting of the moon on Thursday night.

He announced Friday for the celebration of the Islamic festival, Eid-el-Fitr.

Nigeria will thus join other countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE for the celebration on Friday.

The federal government had declared Friday and next Monday as public holidays to celebrate the Islamic festival.

President Muhammadu Buhari has also congratulated Muslims on the conclusion of the Ramadan fast.

In his Sallah message to mark the end of the Ramadan fasting period, President Muhammadu Buhari stressed the importance of putting the virtues of Islam into practice beyond the fasting season.
While congratulating Muslims on completing “this spiritually significant month of sacrifice”, the president urged them to reflect on the importance of Ramadan in becoming good ambassadors of Islam at all times.

According to the president, “religion should be the moral compass for all believers in their public and personal lives,” adding that “if people allow the teachings of their religions to influence their conducts, problems such as corruption, which diverts public funds to private pockets, would have been eliminated in the society.”

The mother of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, Falmata Abubakar, says she is not sure if her son is dead or alive.

In an interview with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, the elderly woman said the last time she saw her son was 15 years ago.

The interview took place in Shekau, a village in Yobe state.

She said since her child met with the founder of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf, he has stayed away from her.

“I don’t know whether he is dead or alive, only God knows, I have not seen him in the last 15 years,” she said.

“I did not set my eyes on him since he came into contact with Mohammed Yusuf.

“I know he is my son, and everyone knows a mother’s love for her son, but our attitude to life is different… I pray God shows him the right path.”

Designer Stefano Gabbana Calls Selena Gomez 'Ugly' on Social Media

Italian designer Stefano Gabbana has a reputation for controversial, unfiltered and downright scathing remarks on social media. The co-founder of high-fashion label Dolce & Gabbana (which has been mired in its own slew of controversy surrounding anti-IVF and homophobic comments made by both Gabbana and business partner Domenico Dolce) made a nasty, completely unprovoked remark about Selena Gomez on Instagram attacking her appearance. And the singer’s passionate legions of Selenators have already run to her defense.
As first pointed out by Instagram account Diet Prada, Gabbana, 55, commented on post on The Catwalk Italia’s Instagram feed showing a five-split photo of Gomez in different red dresses prompting fans to pick their favorites in the comments.

Former big brother Naija housemate, Teddy A's baby mama, Dallas based Mauritanian beauty, Layla Amani has taken to Twitter to call him out fire being a deadbeat dad.

According to her, the only time he has sent money to their son in 5 years was just on his birthday. She also tagged him, arrogant manipulative and living a fake life.

This is surprising to many and they are asking if her account was hacked, but she replied saying it is not hacked!.

Layla was Teddy's biggest supporter while he was in the big brother house, she even poured encomium on him while in the house, calling him a wonderful father. Or, was that just to make people vote him?

Well, read her tweets below...

"Before you give money to fans left and right take of your kid first smdh ��‍♀️

Ain’t playing with you nigga I am allergic to bullshit

Fear what you don’t know

I got so much prove on your ass so don’t Bleep with me before I scatter your fake life mumu

I’m trying to keep my cool but I guess u like my wahala

Oya Hurricane Layla on the way to scatter everything with facts �

Whatever ppl thing of me don’t matter I’m tired of taking care of my son while you’re there having fun Nd living the fake life, fake everything

I keep warning you but your mumu self Won’t listen, arrogance will kill you

You know I got so much prove on your ass if I put it on here they will loose respect for you so stop bleeping with me nd be a good father to your son stop showing ppl fake life Before I blast you

I have time today��

How many time I warned your ass

U can lie don’t them but not me cuz you know the secrets I got on you

Why these mother fuckers thing is ok to let a mother take care of their pikin while u here having fun, nah I’m not one of those BM��

You are so manipulative only a mumu can’t see it

I go with the flow, you want wahala I’ll serve it you want peace u know what to do

For 5 yrs I been taking of my son the first you send him money was on his bday, so don’t tell I didn’t try o

I call him send him messages to keep peace but I guess he like to Bleep with me #imthewrongbabymomtoplaywith

Your son should be your priority nigga

They don’t know the way I know you so stop bullshit Nd be a good father to your son nd stop deceiving yourself biko

Nobody hacked my account o"

Ugandan Housemaid Who Stabbed Her Madam And Son To Death, Arrested (photo)

A manhunt which was launched by Ugandan and Kenyan authorities has paid off, as Jacky Ama, the housemaid who stabbed her madam and son to death has been arrested.

The housemaid who was was arrested at Namayisi in Uganda today on Sunday, June 10, following a successful manhunt by Kenyan and Ugandan authorities at Port Victoria border in Busia County. She is expected to be brought to Kenya to face murder charges.
Auma who is believed to have strangled her employer Elizabeth Achieng and a three-year-old son Leon Benedict Otieno before knifing them several times, will be under the custody of Muhoroni police once he lands in Kenya since she committed the crime in their area of operation as reported by Standard.

Recall that we reported that Ms Liz Ojwang and her son Leone were stabbed on Wednesday evening, in what is believed to be a child related dispute. Ms Ojwang was stabbed in Muhoroni, Kenya, where she lived and worked.

The suspect's arrest came after Elizabeth's husband, Evans Otieno who stays in Kisumu got impatient when she failed to show up at work and failed to return his calls. When Otieno went back home in the evening, he found the two bodies lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom, the deceased mother's tied around the neck. According to the neighbour Martin Ayako, the murder suspect was comfortably seated and crunching chips on the table as if nothing had happened.

"I asked whereabouts of Elizabeth but she told Elizabeth had left with the child but she was just comfortably seated some eating some chips," Ayako narrated.

The 26-year-old community health worker had resumed work from maternity leave two weeks before meeting her death. The bodies of the two were collected by police officers and are preserved at Star Mortuary in Kisumu pending a postmortem examination.

World Cup 2018: Messi and Argentine team-mates lands in Russia

Lionel Messi and his Argentina team-mates touched down in Moscow on iconic rock band The Rolling Stones' private jet ahead of their World Cup campaign in Russia.
The South Americans will begin their campaign against Iceland on June 16 at the Otkrytie Arena in Moscow and will also play Croatia and Nigeria in Group D.

The Argentine National Team led by Messi arrived in Russia on Saturday, where within a week they will begin their participation in the 2018 World Cup.
The flight that departed from Barcelona landed on Russian soil, and then the delegation went to Micro in Bronnitsy, where the Argentine bunker is located. Messi was pictured sitting next to Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero for the flight over and the pair looked to be exchanging a joke or two in their spacious seats.

Argentina's pre-World Cup plans had already been disrupted after a friendly away to Israel was cancelled, meaning the only match the squad has played together in preparation was a 4-0 win over minnows Haiti.

Veteran Musician Ras Kimono has Passed 💔

Reports filtering in are saying veteran reggae musician Ras Kimono (real name Ukeleke Onwubuya) has passed on.

According to Leadership Newspaper, Ras Kimono passed Sunday morning at Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, where he was transferred to from a hospital in Ikeja.

RIP.

Marriage Is a Lot Harder Than I Thought

I’ll admit it. I was smug when I got married. Maybe that’s because I was old for a blushing first-time bride—48, to be precise—and I believed that with those years came certainty. When I walked down that aisle on my wedding day, my steps may have been hesitant in my too-high blue suede pumps, but I was absolutely sure that I was headed in the right direction. I’d looked long and hard for a man to be my mate. I even lived with someone. But that relationship, like the others, fizzled. By the time I met my husband, I’d stopped counting on marriage. I was happy with my solo life, finally happy with myself, and I vowed that any man I let into my heart had to make my day-to-day better than it already was.
My husband did make things better. He had an adventurous spirit that complemented my cautious nature, coaxing me to stretch my boundaries on weekend motorcycle trips where I’d cling to his lean torso and relish the wind in my hair. Weeknights at home, he’d teach me to swing dance—me, a lifelong klutz!—twirling me until I was breathless. So what if he played his music too loud or drove his convertible at dangerous speeds on dark roads until I begged him to stop? Differences are what make couples interesting.

One thing we did have in common: strong personalities. We are both accustomed to getting our way. Yet in the early days of our courtship, I was so smitten with my new beau’s decisiveness that I went along with any plan, subsuming my needs to his. After all, we had chemistry to spare and could talk and laugh for hours. It was clear this man was meant to be my family.

And so I was smug, especially as I looked around at couples who went months without sex, bickered in company, or fought about child-rearing. That won’t happen to us, I thought.
As if.

Nearly six years in, the tiny things that irked me slightly in the beginning now irk me mightily (think: loud music and fast driving). Often, when my mate starts blasting a song, instead of joining him for a dance, I retreat to our bedroom, pop in a pair of earplugs, and curl up with my e-reader and the cat. By the time he comes in, I’m already asleep, on the far side of our king-sized bed. When we first met, I couldn’t imagine going more than a night or two without sex. We were one of those annoying couples who couldn’t keep our hands off one another. Now we can go a few weeks—yes, weeks!—without sex.

Of course, I’m almost 10 years older than when we met. Biology being what it is, I feel less urgent about sex than I do about solitude—and sleep. I guess my guy does, too; he’s now past 60, after all. But if anyone had told me that nearly a decade into our relationship, sex wouldn’t be on the top of my priority list, I’d have scoffed. I guess I was smug and naïve.

We also occasionally do that awful thing of bickering in front of other people. I still love my husband dearly—don’t get me wrong—but we are now more likely to snipe than laugh when life foils our plans. Like other couples, we occasionally argue over child-rearing (my husband has grown children, so you wouldn’t think that would be an issue, but there you have it). Sometimes, misunderstandings arise because of our different ways of dealing with crises. Early on, I lost my job, got depressed, and craved constant reassurance. More recently, when things got rough at my husband’s workplace, he withdrew into his “cave,” as he likes to put it, keeping his feelings to himself and leaving me to wonder what he was really thinking.
Maybe the crux of the matter is that we know each other well enough now to show our true selves. Sometimes, I worry that I duped my guy; that I’m not the kind and loving wife I promised to be, especially when I get in one of my contrarian moods. No, I don’t feel like dancing, or watching a movie, or having a drink. I also get tired of conversations about how to organize the cutlery drawer or whether it’s reasonable to park a bunch of tools on the floor for two months (“I’m leaving them there to remind myself to put them away,” my husband tells me).

My sister, who married in her 20s and is one of the few people I know who has a harmonious relationship 99 percent of the time, explains her marital equilibrium this way: “We’ve been together for so many years that we’ve reached compromises on all the little issues. When things come up now, we tend to fall back on those compromises.”
I wish I was better at compromising. But when something happens that gets my back up, I find myself looking at my husband’s familiar face, his craggy nose, and kind hazel eyes and thinking, ARRRRRRRGH. That scares me.

I believed that when I married, I would never feel scared. I believed that saying “I do” would make me feel secure, an emotion I never felt with the men I was merely dating. But when my husband starts doing his famous hillbilly accent or tells an anecdote I’ve heard before, I occasionally find myself rolling my eyes, a gesture relationship expert John Gottman says is a sign of contempt, the number one predictor of divorce. With each eye roll, I worry that we won’t make it, that he’ll fall out of love, or I will.
I worry, too, that I can’t wear my wedding ring anymore. Whenever I slip on my band, I develop an itchy rash around my fourth finger that persists for months. Recently, a friend laughed and said, “What do you think THAT means?” I’m not sure, but maybe because I’ve stopped wearing my ring, my husband has stopped wearing his, too.
Yet, I try to remind myself that it isn’t necessarily the symbols that keep a couple together. It’s the way two people treat each other, and the effort each makes to listen. I’ve always prided myself on being a great communicator, but in our relationship, it’s often my husband who brings up the difficult issues. When I showed him this essay, he was a bit taken aback, and when we got into bed, I could see from his face that something was wrong. Instead of picking up my e-reader, I moved closer.
Staring up at the ceiling, he asked, “Are you unhappy in our marriage?” And my heart ached with the thought that I’d hurt him. I also admired his courage in broaching this difficult question, one I would have been too cowardly to ask him. I thought about all the ways I’d be worse off without my husband, and I told him that I loved him, not on autopilot but from the core of my being. “I would marry you all over again,” I promised. “But… maybe we need to work harder to stay connected,” I ventured. And so, we talked in the dark about some recent difficulties and how we might resolve them, my head on my husband’s chest, his heart beating steadily against my ear. As we drifted off, still entwined, I realized I didn’t feel scared anymore. I felt lucky.

By Paula Derrow / Real Simple(TIME)

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