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Thursday, 8 January 2015

The Nigerian Economy Will Crumble If Jonathan Loses, PDP Warns

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has warned that if President Goodluck Jonathan
fails to win next month's election, the South-South could shut down
the oil sector and this would affect the nation's economy which is
oil-dependent, PUNCH Reports.

Agbaje, however, asked that if another part of the country shuts down
over the failure of its candidate emerging President, would it have an
equal effect on the economy since Nigeria relies heavily on the Niger
Delta for its foreign exchange earnings.

Jonathan hails from the South-South while his major contender, Maj.
Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress, hails
from the North-West. The PDP governorship candidate said this at
meeting in London organised by his supporters and the UK chapter of
the PDP.

In the six-minute video clip posted on DiasporaPr.com, which was
sighted by our correspondent, Agbaje warned that Jonathan's victory
was imperative.

"I was active in the politics of the South-West in 1999. The Afenifere
of which I was a very active member, did not support Olusegun Obasanjo
as President but in 2003, it was difficult for the Afenifere as an
organisation to go out and tell people that they should not vote a
Yoruba man into office and so what did they do? They said they would
not present a candidate because they had their own son (Obasanjo) who
was running for office. That is the politics of that country.

"Now, in 2015, we are saying that the South-South has presented a
candidate and we are talking about equity and some are saying that he
should not be given a second term. This is a very difficult thing.

"In argument, some have said 'what will happen?' Well, people will be
upset and they have shown that they have the power to shut down the
system. I am not saying it is justified but the reality is there. If
the system is shut down, where are we as a country?

"They say if the others don't get it, they too could shut down the
system. Yes they can shut down the system but ask yourself which of
the two do you think we can survive with? And these are the realities
that we have to face.

"These are the realities that we have to allow. First, we have to sell
the achievements of our person but we have to understand the politics
of our country that we are still doing turn by turn and it must run in
a way that is equitable."

The PUNCH Reports that, Agbaje said Jonathan had done very well but
his achievements were not been publicised well enough. He said Buhari
was too old to rule, adding that he was being controlled by people
with selfish ambition.

He said, "The Buhari of 2007 and 2011 is not the Buhari of 2015. The
Buhari of 2015 is a more compromised candidate. He is not working on
his steam any longer; he is working on the steam of those who want him
there for their own reasons."

--
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The Barclays Premier League 2015-16 season to start on August 8

The Premier League has announced that next season's competition will begin on August 8.

According to MAILONLINE, the Barclays Premier League season will be followed by the European Championship, and the Premier League's move could allow England manager Roy Hodgson additional time to prepare his side, should they qualify for the tournament.

In a short Twitter posting, the Premier League stated: 'The 2015/16 £BPL season will kick off on Saturday 8 August'.

The date for the final day of the season has yet to be announced.

It will not be the earliest start to a Premier League campaign, with that remaining the August 7 opening day of the 1999-2000 season.
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Is Luis Suarez heading back to England? Chelsea, City, United on red Alert

Luis Suarez faces an uncertain future at Barcelona following the dismissal of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and the resignation of his assistant Carles Puyol, writes Neil Ashton.

The Uruguay striker is coming under increasing scrutiny at the Nou Camp since his £75million move from Liverpool and is under pressure to rediscover his goal-scoring form.

Despite just three goals in 12 games since his move from Anfield in the summer, his situation at Barcelona will be monitored by the top clubs in the Barclays Premier League.

According to MailOnline, Arsenal previously tried to sign him but Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea will continue to monitor the forward's progress over the next five months.

Barcelona have been decisive in the past with top players and sent Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan to AC Milan when he failed to settle into Pep Guardiola's side after his £50m move from Inter.

Although Barcelona have no intention of selling Suarez yet, he could be the fall guy in the summer under a new regime at the Nou Camp.

Club president, Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed that he was calling the presidential elections early.

Suarez's position is further complicated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to uphold FIFA's one-year transfer ban for illegal approaches to under-age players, which means they cannot replace him yet. The Uruguay
forward, who completed a four-month ban for biting in October, was brought in during the summer on Zubizarreta's watch.

Suarez was desperate to join Barcelona and got his wish when Liverpool accepted a £75m bid for him. Coach Luis Enrique, battling to save his job at the club after falling out with Lionel Messi, has played Suarez in various roles up
front. He started last Sunday's clash with Real Sociedad but the striker was unable to prevent them losing for the third time this season in La Liga.

He has scored just once in the league — the 5-0 victory over Cordoba on December 20 — and has scored twice in Champions League victories over Apoel Nicosia and PSG.

Puyol announced he had terminated his working contract at the club in the wake of Zubizarreta's sacking on Monday.
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Wednesday, 7 January 2015

Steven Gerrard Should Have Joined Chelsea When He Had The Chance, Writes Adrian Durham

Finding nice things to write about Steven Gerrard isn't a challenge. Answering the unanswered questions remains the big issue with this Liverpool legend.

I'm not talking about the reasons behind his departure – Liverpool have their side of the story, Gerrard's allies will have his side. But he's too decent a guy to openly encourage
criticism of the club he has been a massive part of for so many years.

There are two questions that still need analysis in my view: First, should Gerrard have left Liverpool at some point in his career? My answer is yes, and it's not with the benefit of
hindsight.

Forget Captain America and Superman, no fictional superhero comes close to what the real thing achieved in Istanbul in 2005. Gerrard's performance was from the most excitable, over-dramatic comic book of all time.

It ranks as one of the very best individual performances in a football match the world has ever seen, if not the very best. What makes it even more remarkable is that Gerard went
through that Champions League-winning season feeling unwanted by Liverpool, unsure about the direction in which the club was going, and with his family witnessing disgusting abuse towards him from Liverpool fans.

Gerrard was able to rise above that to guarantee a place in Liverpool, and football, history. That in itself is a measure of the man, and it is why the time was right straight after that Champions League victory for Gerrard to leave Anfield.

In 2004 Gerrard had been linked with a move to Chelsea, whose new manager at the time, Jose Mourinho, spoke highly and openly about the Liverpool captain.

Gerrard saw the speculation and told Liverpool he wished to stay but that he also wanted guarantees that the squad would be strengthened as they struggled to compete for the title.

Throughout the 2004-05 season, while Gerrard was ripping up trees across Europe, Liverpool failed to put a new contract on the table for him, yet Rafa Benitez was in his ear telling him to sign a new deal.

Rafa had already told Gerrard privately that the club did not have a lot of money to spend in the transfer market, so the captain wanted to know how Liverpool planned to compete with players like Josemi, Djimi Traore and Salif Diao in their
ranks.

And then the moment that for me should have sealed Gerrard's departure: February 27, 2005, when Cardiff hosted the League Cup final.

FA Cup win would be wonderful send off for Steven Gerrard Liverpool led from the first minute, Gerrard's own goal levelled it with just over 10 minutes to go, and Chelsea went on to win in extra-time.

Gerrard's mum was in the stands, and around her some Liverpool fans were calling the captain a 'traitor' and calling his wife a 'slag' and a 'slut' and accusing him of only being interested in money.

According to those fans, Gerrard had scored the own goal because he wanted to join Chelsea. His mum was distraught, and so was Gerrard.

Still this colossus played his heart out for the club and the fans, and that special night in Istanbul came just a few months after the Chelsea defeat in Cardiff.

After the Champions League final Gerrard told the club he was ready to sign for five years at Liverpool. Even then nobody at Anfield seemed in a hurry to sort out Gerrard's new deal.

Barcelona, Roma, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea had all shown serious interest in signing Gerrard. He wasn't short of options at home or abroad. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard breaks silence on Anfield exit.

His stunning effort and quality had been the key factor in winning the Champions League, but they were miles off winning the Premier League title he craved. Gerrard could work miracles in certain matches, but not over a 38-game season.

He felt badly treated by the club, he had been abused by a pocket of fans, and the surplus of mediocre signings showed the club's ambition did not match his.

He'd proved anything that needed proving in Istanbul. The summer of 2005 was the time for Gerrard to seek a new challenge. I admire his loyalty of course, but in my view it was misplaced, and that's when he should have left.

And now, less than a year after quitting England to focus on Liverpool, the club have not matched Gerrard's loyalty by making it so easy for him to leave.

Second, was he better than Frank Lampard? Again my answer is yes, and that has been confirmed for me by the lack of class Lampard has shown towards Chelsea Football Club and its fans this season.

A simple text from a Chelsea-supporting friend of mine on New Year's Day read: 'Happy New Year! Lampard – what a w*****!'

Lampard is a Premier League legend, and while the record books will mark his contribution to Chelsea's incredible years of success with him sparkling in their midfield, that legend status among the Stamford Bridge faithful is in danger of being revoked.

To go to their title rivals is bad enough. To choose to stay there for the whole season is a slap in the face to the Chelsea fans. It's something I do not believe Gerrard would do to the Liverpool fans.

In terms of their ability on the pitch, Lampard shows class at getting into the box from midfield and scoring goals. Gerrard has so much more and he has been class at virtually
everything he has done.

Gerrard is a born leader as well, a classic captain. He's made a team shine despite being surrounded by mediocrity, Lampard only ever did it with quality players around him.

If England had played three in midfield – Carrick behind Gerrard and Lampard – they could have played together. But even our foreign coaches seemed obsessed with 4-4-2.
In the World Cup in 2006, Sven Goran Eriksson told Gerrard to hold back while Lampard went forward. What kind of coach thinks telling a player like Gerrard in his prime to play within himself is a good idea?

People will have different views on whether Gerrard should have left Liverpool, and whether he was better than Lampard. Let the debate rage on.

All I know is that I will miss Steven Gerrard, the Premier League will miss him. And I believe Liverpool will lack leadership and quality when a man regarded by many as their greatest ever player has departed.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2898415/Steven-Gerrard-s-heroics-assured-legendary-status-Anfield-Liverpool-responded-shabbily-captain-s-loyalty.html
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UNIBEN Students Riot, destroy cars, buses, lorries

The University of Benin, Benin City, is in a chaotic situation this
morning as students go haywire rioting, blocking roads, causing severe
traffic jam.

The cause of the riot is still unknown; however, those who spoke to
our resources indicate that it might have been as a result of a
controversy between the governor of the Edo State, Governor Adams
Oshiomhole, and the Immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University,
Prof Oshodin.

A source who communicated with our correspondent said: "the students
are rioting this morning because Governor Oshiomhole demolished the
house belonging to the former VC of the school."

Another source sent us this message: "Benin is hot this morning,
University of Benin students are rioting, blocking roads, burning
cars, buses, and lorries; please, do not go towards that area for
now."

Earlier, a correspondent of ours enroute to work confirmed that there
was actually a severe traffic and road blocks, but could not really
ascertain the cause. As the day progresses, we hope to give an update
of the situation in Benin.

This News first appeared on www.newsbeatportal.com and on
http://talkafrica.co/newsbeat, kindly give credit when making use of
this information.

--
Edesiri.
Edesiri.
Admin, Nigerianewsbeat.
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2015: Those Attacking Fr Mbaka's Prophecy should be very careful - Uwalaka

Those attacking Fr. Mbaka's prophecy for Nigeria in the 2015
presidential election should be very, very careful. Most of those
attacking him are carnal minds and must stop now or attract the
wrought of God upon themselves.

When a prophet prophesies u need to know the context of such prophecy
and why God asked him to speak at that point in time. It doesn't mean
that Buhari will automatically win the election.

It's possible God wants Jonathan to hear such prophecy as warning and
develop a better mind for a better governance in his 2nd term in
office. If he repents he might win and Nigeria will receive better
governance under him. Rather than analyse God given prophecy with
carnal mind it's more advisable to pray for a better Nigeria.

The problem People have today is that they want to hear the voice of
man and not the voice of God. Many so called men of God are now
corrupt with politicians and even indulge in false prophecies. All
churches in Nigeria are victims of this.

Let God's will prevail for Nigeria in Jesus' name. Amen.

Nicholas Kizito Uwalaka

--
Edesiri.
Edesiri.
Admin, Nigerianewsbeat.
http://twitter.com/nigerianewsbeat
http://newsbeatportal.com
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Those attacking Fr. Mbaka's prophecy for Nigeria in the 2015
presidential election should be very, very careful. Most of those
attacking him are carnal minds and must stop now or attract the
wrought of God upon themselves.

When a prophet prophesies u need to know the context of such prophecy
and why God asked him to speak at that point in time. It doesn't mean
that Buhari will automatically win the election.

It's possible God wants Jonathan to hear such prophecy as warning and
develop a better mind for a better governance in his 2nd term in
office. If he repents he might win and Nigeria will receive better
governance under him. Rather than analyse God given prophecy with
carnal mind it's more advisable to pray for a better Nigeria.

The problem People have today is that they want to hear the voice of
man and not the voice of God. Many so called men of God are now
corrupt with politicians and even indulge in false prophecies. All
churches in Nigeria are victims of this.

Let God's will prevail for Nigeria in Jesus' name. Amen.

Nicholas Kizito Uwalaka

--
Edesiri.
Edesiri.
Admin, Nigerianewsbeat.
http://twitter.com/nigerianewsbeat
http://newsbeatportal.com
http://talkafrica.co/newsbeat

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Lionel Messi Would Cost £172Million If Sold This Month, Will You Pay?

Lionel Messi would cost a whopping £172m should any of Barcelona's rivals want to whisk him away this month, according to research into the current market values of the world's leading players, MailOnline Reports.

The Argentine star comfortably tops a CIES Football Observatory countdown of football's most valuable players and is worth £68m more than his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The totals serve as a 'guide price' for the January transfer window, using a calculation that takes into account player performance, age, contract and the results of their team.

The top 10 features six Premier League players - Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea, Sergio Aguero of Manchester City, Raheem Sterling of Liverpool and Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal.

But it finds Messi far and away the most expensive player in Europe at the moment.

Ronaldo, the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or for the world's best player this month, is valued at £104.3m should someone try to prise him away from European champions Real.

Chelsea's Eden Hazard comes in at a cool £77.6m, followed by his team-mate, the free-scoring Diego Costa at £65.9m.

Paul Pogba, of Juventus and France, is fifth on the list at £56.4m while Manchester City's prolific Argentine Sergio Aguero is just above the £50m mark.

Liverpool's Sterling (£49.4m), Chelsea's Fabregas (£48.6m), Arsenal's Sanchez (£47.8m) and Real's Gareth Bale (£47m), who commanded the world's biggest transfer fee in 2013, complete the top 10.

The values of everyone in the top 10 except Messi and Bale has increased since the last ranking was released in June. The CIES Football Observatory used their own algorithm based on 1,500 completed transfers since 2009 to work out the current 'price guide'.

It also takes into consideration player performance such as goals, assists and other on-pitch stats as well as their age, position and contract duration. It also weighs up results achieved by their club and national teams.

The star-studded list also features the likes of Neymar (11th, £45.4m), Angel Di Maria (12th, £44.6m), Luis Suarez (16th, £37.6m) and Radamel Falcao (60th, £21.9m).
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So Fr Mbaka Is Now Trending; I Feel Sorry For Him, Says Nwodo

I know our political memory many times is turned to the default mode of forgetfulness, but go back after ’99 and we were into a Chimaroke Nnamani era, an era that like that of his father OBJ at the centre was marked by evils in their most egregious and brazen forms. 

A disaster, an ache, a nightmare, a terror that the coal city is only now trying to recover from. So anything that could bring relief, succour, hope, anything that could bring encouragement, was tenaciously clung to by the 042 people at the time. It’s then not difficult to imagine the balm that was an Mbaka to the random ache that was the terror Chimaroke. An Mbaka at such times was some breath of fresh air.


The first and only time I was in an Mbaka mass was around 2008 or 2009 if I remember correctly. It was on a Sunday, something had taken me there by coincidence. That was my first and only time I was in his mass physically. I came out with an impression of a man that is so proud, it borders on the wrong side of arrogance. It was so glaring it blocked every other positive I could have got from him on the day. Such was how strong the impression was. No hyperbole. Then he was still at his GRA temporary site. 


Safe to say it was no love at first sight. I remember telling my friend then of the formers impression on me, but he didn’t quiet much take it seriously. Where his ministry has reached since then is visible even to the blind. Gordons calls it ‘permanent site.’

Then there was a turn of an era.

With the people of Enugu finally getting rid of the nightmare Chimaroke, not after wasting our lives for eight solid years anyway, it was a turn to an era with promise. Was it so for Fr Mbaka…? I know some people, priests, seminarians, lay people, who were critical of the way he used the pulpit to attack and keep terror regime of Chimaroke on its toes; but unless you didn’t really experience a Chimaroke or an OBJ, you would sanction any sane means to get such descendants of Lucifer back to where to they came from! So people like me didn’t quiet worry about Mbaka’s modus operandi. 


Although one had to admit his statements pretty much abused the pulpit on some occasions at the time.

It was my big brother Aloysius who first brought Mbaka’s talk about Nsukka people to my notice. Then at the Oblate house I was the only Nsukka guy. And being the kind of person I am, who, on some occasions then in the community had being critical of Mbaka, it was understandable when my brother Aloysius brought the talk to my notice. He didn’t have the talk then, he only asked if I had heard it to which of course was negative, before he went on to tell me some of the contents of it. I was alarmed, but waited to hear it to really ascertain what he actually said. When later that year, I think it was in 2011, I heard the tape, while holidaying in Enugu, alarm was an understatement of what I felt. 


I was wondering how a respectable priest, a catholic priest of such ranking will stand on the pulpit, within the confines of the sacred liturgy of the mass and unleash statements that smirked of prejudice, bias, preconception, bigotry. Why will a priest make statements that were plain derogatory, offensive, insulting, scornful, mocking, sarcastic, about a whole community of people? And as if to add salt to injury, he capped it with, ‘nsukka ndoo, ndoo’ (nsukka sorry o, sorry o). my head was on a spin. To say the least, that was a trumpeted abuse of the sanctity of the sacred alter and sanctuary where he stood and a gross abuse of the sacred mass within which he promoted such hate. I told friends then that his bishop needed to bring him to order.


What was even more surprising was that what necessitated Mbaka’s remarks on Nsukka people at the time, was Okwesilieze Nwodo, the former PDP national secretary’s debacle at the time with his party and the governor Sulivan Chime, something that had no iota of connection with the former’s tribe, being an Nsukka man. Suffice it to say that, some of what he Mbaka said within the content of the said message bordered on serious political ignorance. I think Sulivan had visited the adoration ground after he became governor. But you know what, many people applauded that message. Whence our reasoning…?


Then came the Ohakim saga after he visited the adoration ground, the recanting by Mbaka, and then attack on Rochas administration, after the support for the latter prior to his election. Then a Patience Jonathan went to the adoration ground, there was a 'prophetic' message in support of GEJ as the next big thing. It is APC and Buhari now.


What I see in Nigeria is an alarming proliferation of falsehood, deceit, hypocrisy, lies, double-faced, double-speak, unashamed posturing and inconsistencies, that have all but dismembered the remaining joints holding our togetherness. I have once made a post that the custodians of our religious traditions should realise that the first message of God, is love. Custodians of our religions should realise that, their primary task is to keep bridging the ever increasing chasm between the human community. 


The communal content in humans is a spiritual content, one that should be protected, promoted, preached, at all times by the custodians of the religions in Nigeria. It is religion that has helped in no small measure to erode, destroy and permanently put to sleep the rational faculties of the people. The reasoning of many immediately a discussion become religious goes into the default mode of sleep; they become closed, and difficult to talk with, and in most cases intolerant. Such should never be allowed to foster, much more by priests.


The people close to Fr Mbaka, (I hear he has become ‘daddy’ to many), should go tell him to steer clear of the toxic, lethal, and deadly waters of partisan politics; especially the Nigerian brand. If he has issues with neutrality in concertizing political leaders, he had better completely steer clear of anything political. He needs to loosen up and blind himself to the continuous eulogies of his vanities as a mortal. That is if he still remembers the primary goal of his priestly calling.



Chike Nwodo

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Fr Mbaka's Shocker Only Attests That Change Is Imminent, Says Oduwale

[The mere fact] that he [Fr Mbaka] delves into partisan issues in his sermons only reflects his emotions as peculiar to every other Nigerian who once tolerated the PDP led Government but could no longer condone the daily and ongoing corruption and genocide ravaging the Land with recourse to state of the economy and security. 

It would only cost the ever gallant Nigerian Army few logistic capacity to extinguish BokoHaram within a day yet the Commander in Chief chose to pally with acclaimed sponsors of Terrorism such as Ali Modu Sheriff, Idris Deby, Tompolo, Asari, Boyloaf, Ben Netanyahu and others while the Nigerian Army perish in guise of mutiny. 

This alone is enough to awaken the minds of the once biased, heartless and bigoted part of the citizenry with the exclusion of the dumb, deaf and blind disguising as Conservatives but are in fact, staunts of Poverty. 

In short, Mbaka's shocker only attests that CHANGE is imminent [in Nigeria]. 

Oduwale Taiwo writes from the western region of Nigeria 

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