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It was back-slapping galore last Friday in Port Harcourt as the South South Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation met to address pressing football issues ahead of elections into some arms of the football fraternity in the country. The meeting which was held at Aldgate Hotel, Perekule Street, GRA Phase 2 in the Garden City, had all the Chairmen and Secretaries, including other stakeholders of the South South football community in attendance. It was convened by the Rivers FA boss and Chairman of at least two NFF Sub-committees, Barrister Christopher Green. He is also an Executive Committee member of the NFF. After robust discussion of members from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and River State, the congress unanimously agreed that first rate women’s sportscaster and football administrator, Aisha Falode, be adopted as the zone’s candidate for the forthcoming Nigerian Women’s League election. The communiqué described Falode as not only passionate and knowledgeab

Premier League clubs splashed out almost £130 million ($195 million, 185 million euros) on agents’ fees last year in a £15 million increase on the previous 12 months. Liverpool spent the most of any club as they paid out £14.3 million to the sport’s middle men over the last two transfer windows, according to figures released by the Premier League on Monday. The second highest spenders were Manchester United (£13.8m), followed by local rivals Manchester City (£12.4m) with the total reaching £129.86 million for the year ending September 30. Chelsea and Arsenal both spent £11.9 million, while at the other end of the scale newcomers Watford paid £1.6 million. Fees are not just paid to agents when transfers happen, but also when players sign new contracts. During the period in question, there were 172 inbound transfers and loans in the Premier League, 542 new or improved contracts and 573 outbound transfers and loans – a total of 1,287 transactions, all of which could have le

as 96 nurses, health assistants graduate National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos, NOHIL has been awarded interim accreditation for its Federal College of Orthopaedic Technology, FECOT, by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE even as the Hospital graduated 96 students from its Schools of Post Basic Nurses and Orthopaedic Health Assistant. Announcing the feat at a joint convocation ceremony in Lagos, the Medical Director, Dr. Olurotimi  Odunubi who described the accreditation as a dream come true said the school is now a full-fledged polytechnic. Odunubi added that the school will now serve as a department in FECOT, award Ordinary and Higher National Diploma. The medical Director also explained that the students can also progress to Masters Degree and PHDS and can rise to any level in the medical academic world. He however regretted that for new set of students for 2015\2016, they would have to face the challenge of coming in through Joint Administration and

Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has explained why he wears ‘Khaki’ uniform to public functions. Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the spokesperson and Special Adviser to the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Comrade Barrister Solomon Dalung said the Minister ‘’is a staunch activist who cares for the welfare of the masses. His wears portray the struggle for the government to provide a better life for the people’’. She said: “My boss is a Comrade and will like to be seen as one. He is a voice for the voiceless who loves to fight for the hopeless and the down-trodden. That is just his style. It also indicates that the struggle continues wherever he finds himself and in whatever position.” Nneka said: “I trust my boss, he is as constant as the Northern Star. He won’t change regardless of his position. That is simply his style”, Nneka who is the first female sports Journalist to be special Adviser to a Minister said. 30 minutes  after a hard fought 3

Stoke City will be looking for a date at Wembley in their League Cup quarter-final clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Britannia Stadium on Tuesday. Stoke City will be looking for a date at Wembley in their League Cup quarter-final clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Britannia Stadium on Tuesday. The Potters will want to tighten their back-line ahead of the clash after losing 2-0 to Sunderland at the weekend. Prior to that defeat they had not conceded in their previous three, winning two of those off the momentum from their penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in the previous round. Meanwhile, in the Championship, the Owls have been struggling for wins in recent weeks, with only one victory in their last four matches. That includes a 3-1 loss to Charlton which was the only defeat in their last 14 games in all competitions. Their most recent run-out came against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend, when they were held to a 2-2 draw. In injury news, Stoke are still without veteran

England beat Pakistan in a Super Over eliminator following a tie to complete a 3-0 series whitewash in the third and final T20 International at Sharjah. England beat Pakistan in a Super Over eliminator following a tie to complete a 3-0 series whitewash in the third and final T20 International at Sharjah. Eoin Morgan's men had already wrapped up the series win in Dubai on Friday, so Pakistan were only playing for pride. Winning the toss and choosing to bat for the third time in succession, England lost opener Jason Roy from the very first ball of the match after Aamer Yamin trapped the right-hander in front. Joe Root came to the crease and smashed 32 runs off 22 deliveries before being bowled by Shahid Afridi, with Mooen Ali following in quick succession. Morgan made 15 runs before he departed, and Joss Buttler and Sam Billings didn't really trouble the scoreboard either. Only the seventh-wicket stand between James Vince and Chris Woakes helped lift England to

Chelsea's draw with Tottenham on Sunday provided little in the way of on-field highlights, and despite not making it onto the pitch, Diego Costa has come in for a lot of attention. Chelsea 's draw with Tottenham on Sunday provided little in the way of on-field highlights, and despite not making it onto the pitch, Diego Costa has come in for a lot of attention. The striker found himself on the bench for the London derby and was none too pleased about it. Costa and manager Jose Mourinho had shared a few choice words during the week, and there was more to follow from the pair. Speaking after the 0-0 draw, Mourinho said that Costa was "privileged" to have been on the bench. "If he [Costa] watched the game with some attention from the bench he will know what is needed from him," Mourinho said. "I think Diego is privileged because he is last one on the bench. Everyone else has been on bench." Judging from Costa's brooding, he wasn&#

Arsenal star Alexis narrowly avoided what could have been a serious injury during Sunday's match at Norwich City. Arsenal star Alexis narrowly avoided what could have been a serious injury during Sunday's match at Norwich City. The Chilean national was shepharding a ball into touch when centre back Ryan Bennett came from behind and shoved him into an awkwardly placed camera pit. Alexis was already out of play when Bennett pushed him, and was very lucky to come out of the incident unscathed - although he was later forced off with a hamstring injury in the 59th minute anyway, compounding Arsene Wenger's injury woes.

This is a great piece, a must read, a fresh reasonable outlook … We like to know what you think about this… ·          If you’re not ready to delay gratification when you are angry. To hold your tongue, lower your voice and sometimes wait till the appropriate time, or even day before you can deal with an issue thoroughly…. don’t get married. Immaturity is the inability to delay gratification. Marriage is for the mature. ·          If you’re not ready to leave center stage and allow someone else to become your focus, your study… don’t get married. Selfish people make very bad spouses. In marriage you don’t lose yourself but your heart has to be big enough to gain someone else. And soon, with God’s blessing: little, crying, diaper soiling, demanding little ones are coming! ·          If you are not ready, to stand up and calmly deal with meddling in laws as a united front: The opinionated sister, the insensitive uncle, the domineering father, the mannerless brother, the nosy au

Benson Henderson may have beaten Jorge Masvidal at Fight Night 79, but he will need a more convincing victory over a better opponent if he's to make a rankings jump. Benson Henderson may have won the second fight of his welterweight career, but the dull split decision win against Jorge Masvidal is unlikely to earn him a place in the rankings. We've done some match-making and looked at opponents who could potentially make for an exciting bout and earn Henderson a rankings bump. Mixed martial arts is arguably the only sport where a victory could potentially harm your career prospects more than a defeat. As a veteran and former WEC and UFC lightweight champion, Benson Henderson will likely be acutely aware of this fact. But the point may also have been driven home again on Saturday after his cagey, split decision victory over Jorge Masvidal at Fight Night 79 in Seoul. Henderson was initially set to face dangerous striker Thiago Alves, but the Brazilian was replaced

ABA—The youth wing of the pan Igbo socio -cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has commended the former military heads of state, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Yakubu Gowon over their support for the election of a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction. Babangida had said in an interview that he will back an Igbo for the presidential seat in 2019 if he finds a credible personality while Gowon had openly canvassed for an Igbo president to preside over the affairs of Nigeria in the nearest future. National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in an interview with Vanguard, described the two former leaders as the conscience of the nation, stressing that their support for Igbo presidency had given Ndigbo hope that they would find greater accommodation within a united Nigeria. He explained that an Igbo presidency would finally heal the scars left by the unfortunate civil war and the marginalization of Ndigbo in the affairs of the nation. “Oh

There are so many fractions of life that need support and a voice. Of late a lot of violent stories have been released and it gives others a glimpse into the rampant lives of abuse in our society especially between couples who supposedly love each other. The honeymoon period ended the day after we were married, six months from when we first met. After a little argument, Dehinde grabbed me by the waist and lifted me up against the wall. He grabbed my hands and bent them backward, breaking one of my fingers. I was in shock. I was stunned. I was in serious pains. A few hours after the incident, He broke into tears and told me how sorry he was. I loved him so much, so I believed him when he said it wouldn’t happen again. But life became hell after that. For the next two months the abuse was nonstop. He kept me in a constant state of terror. I’m not a drinker, but he’d toss a bottle of beer in my face and say “drink”. He’d punch me in the stomach or kick me in the thigh if I didn’

Malachi Kirby will play Kunta Kinte in miniseries also starring Forest Whitaker and Anna Paquin “Black Sails” star Hakeem Kae-Kazim joins the cast of A&E’s miniseries remake of “Roots”. The actor will play Samson on the show, and joins previously announced stars Malachi Kirby, who will play Kunta Kinte, and Regé-Jean Page, who will play Chicken George. Malachi was handpicked by executive producers Will Packer and LeVar Burton, who played the original Kunta Kinte. Samson is a slave on the plantation of John Waller who is tasked with teaching everything to Kunta Kinte when he arrives. Laurence Fishburne will appear as Alex Haley, the author of the novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” and Anna Paquin, Forest Whitaker and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are also part of the high-profile cast.

Worried by the continued scarcity of petroleum products in the market, Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, Monday night, intervened with a crucial call to marketers on the best way to end the current fuel crisis, which had engulfed the country in the last couple of months. The call came as a proposed meeting between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. IbeKachikwu, suspended a meeting between him and major marketers, scheduled to hold in Lagos MThe Minister told Vanguard that the suspension of the meeting was at the instance of the oil majors, saying, “The meeting was pushed forward to a future date because about three out of the five managing directors of the major oil companies were out of town.” He added that “They requested I give them more time to see how far to regularise products supply in the market, as the scarcity eases.” Meets with independents today Kachikwu however disclosed that he is meeting with the independent marketers tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss

ONITSHA—Anambra State government has introduced Kero-Direct scheme to cushion the effects of the hike in the pump price of kerosene in the state. Speaking to newsmen, yesterday in her office in Awka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Oil and Gas, Mrs. Ngozi Okoye said the scheme was to make the product affordable to the poor masses in rural areas.   “There is a Kero – Direct scheme, which the governor, Chief Willie Obiano introduced to make sure that the product gets to the people of Anambra State at a cheap price. “We are supposed to get five trucks of kerosene every month but when l called NNPC at Abuja, they said the product was not available.” Okoye said that since the scheme started, the state government had only received three trucks that were distributed to the people of Oyi, Orumba, Anambra East, Ukpor, Enugu-Ukwu and Nnewi North at N50 per litre. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

The world of professional football can be brutal and unforgiving, just ask Cesc Fabregas. The world of professional football can be brutal and unforgiving, just ask Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas was the toast of the town after joining Chelsea from Barcelona prior to the 2014/15 campaign, playing a key role in the Blues' canter to the Premier League title. However, the Spaniard has failed to make the same impact - or any real impact - this season. Fabregas has scored one goal in all competitions this term, while notching up just three assists. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

Nigerian Amaka Osakwe is the first and only Africa-based designer whose attire is worn by the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. Star fashion spoke with Amaka about her Maki Oh brand and the things that make her tick. Tell us about where you grew up. How did your childhood influence your style? My mother is both an artist and a designer. She made my siblings and I design all clothes we wore as kids. So I started young. She would collect our sketches and on the weekend, we would go to the markets to pick out fabrics. She’d have garments tailored by the start of the following week. Mother is too cool. Plus, Lagos city without doubt is one of the world’s liveliest cities. Lagosians are very fashionable and flamboyant people across all sectors of society, whether rich or poor. We are born this way. How does Nigeria play a role in your current designs? My cultural heritage influences my work the most. I’m always inspired by Nigeria and Africa in general. I live in

Ex- defence minister, Sokoto gov risk arrest Indications emerged, yesterday, that more heads may roll over the disappearance of $2 billion meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the country’s armed forces in the office of the National Security Adviser under the last administration. Vanguard learnt that no fewer than 20 top officials of the previous administration, who were alleged to have played active roles in the pilfering of funds meant for the procurement of weapons for the armed forces were taken into custody by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission, EFCC, for questioning. Top among those in the kitty of the anti-graft agency, were the former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu. A credible source in the EFCC indicated that Yuguda was arrested around 4p.m., yesterday, and taken to the Commission over some spurious payments said to have

There were few surprises when the three-man shortlist for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or award was announced on Monday, but who will walk away with the title? There were few surprises when the three-man shortlist for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or award was announced on Monday. Perennial nominees Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been joined by Barcelona ace Neymar, and the Brazilian is certainly a worthy nominee. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the award since 2008 (when it was formally known as the FIFA Player of the Year), but will their stranglehold continue in 2015? We've profiled the trio and cast our vote... Lionel Messi Country: Argentina Club: Barcelona Appearances: 54 Goals: 44 Assists: 24 Titles: 4 Messi's presence on this list is a record on its own, with the forward named in the top three for a record ninth time. The 28-year-old was some way off Ronaldo last year, but in 2015 he's been back to his best. Having she

Napoli leapfrogged Inter Milan to the top of the Serie A standings after striker Gonzalo Higuain scored in either half to lead his side to a 2-1 win over the Nerazzurri. Napoli leapfrogged Inter Milan to the top of the Serie A standings after striker Gonzalo Higuain scored in either half to lead his side to a 2-1 win over the Nerazzurri.  Higuain needed just two minutes to put Napoli ahead as he latched on to a loose ball in the box and fired a shot into the top corner. Napoli continued to take the attack Inter, but failed to convert their early dominance into further goals. It wasn’t until the 29th minute that Inter had their first real opportunity to draw level, but midfielder Fredy Guarin's strike flew wide of the post. Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic also had chances to make it 1-1, but the former’s header was off target, while the latter’s shot went wide of the goal. However, with Inter looking more and more confident with each attack, they were dealt a major

  Visit Late Odumegwu Ojukwu’s house to seek his blessing Uwazuruike expelled, Madu takes over as MASSOB leader Forget Biafra, secession —Nwabueze Over seven thousands members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday,   shut   down markets and all commercial activities in Nnewi, Anambra State in solidarity protest for the release of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who has been incarcerated by  the Directorate of State Services, DSS, for over one month. Members of the IPOB mobilized from Onitsha, Asaba, Awka, Ekwulobia, Awka-Etiti, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia states, converged at  Nnewi from where they marched to the house of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to ask for his blessing even in death. This came as constitutional lawyer and leader of eminent group of Nigerians, The Patriots , Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN),  admonished  the  groups to have a re-think over their renewed calls for the state of Biafra. Acc

ABUJA—The contention to replace the late Abubakar Audu as the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Kogi State turned violent, yesterday, after supporters of the two major contenders clashed at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. The resort to violence was despite last minute fence-mending efforts by the national leadership of the APC to woo the running mate to the late Audu, Rep. James Faleke as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who was last night formally unveiled as the new candidate of the party. Bello was runner up to Audu in the party’s governorship primaries last August. Faleke, who was recommended as running mate again flatly rejected the proposals with a response that he would meet the party in the courts to claim his mandate. Besides that, another legal action instituted by the runner up in the penultimate weekend’s governorship election and incumbent governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada is to commence today. Wada, the candidate of