Youngest player in Premier league history

15-Year-Old Nigerian Ethan Nwaneri Becomes Youngest Premier League Player In History 

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Fifteen-year-old England-born Nigerian, Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal as they returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 win at Brentford on Sunday.

Nwaneri, who is 15 years and 181 days old, came on in the second minute of stoppage time, the first player under 16 to play in the competition. Harvey Elliott, now at Liverpool, previously held the record at 16 years and 30 days when he played for Fulham in 2019.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “He has trained a couple of times with us and I had a feeling yesterday that if the opportunity came I would do it.

“I think it sends a strong message about who we are as a club. I told him yesterday he would be with us and he had to be ready. He is ready. When he went on I said: ‘Congratulations and enjoy it.’

“We want to give opportunities. When there is talent and personality and when players love what they do, and when they have no fear, the doors are open for them to explore where they can go.

Messi is getting married

 

Is Cristiano Ronaldo invited to Lionel Messi's wedding, today?

Anyone who would assume Cristiano Ronaldo is invited to Messi’s wedding is pretty daft at best. And for several reasons.

Messi inviting Ronaldo to his wedding would be like Gianluigi Buffon inviting Dele Alli to his. It makes no f*cking sense.

Firstly, the two players aren't even friends nor probably even acquaintances. They're both extremely reserved when it comes to friend groups and Ronaldo even more so because unlike Messi he doesn't even hang out with his teammates (except for the Portuguese ones and even that is rare). Cristiano only spends time with a select few of his Portuguese childhood friends and family, so if you're neither of those your chances are astronomically low to be within his trusted circle of friends. Messi didn't even invite some current/former teammates so then why on earth would he invite Cristiano? They're just not friends and that is understandable. Just because they're at the top of their sport doesn't mean they have to be buddy-buddy, especially because they play on opposite sides of the fiercest rivalry in football. Which leads me to my next point.

They're rivals.

You know it. I know it. They know it. The media know it. Their families know it. Their dogs know it. Even Cristiano’s pair of twins that were just born know it.

The two players can deny it all they want or play it down, but deep down they know that they are each other's rivals on the pitch. How could they not be anyway? They've claimed the 9 last Balon d’Ors, their teams directly compete against one another in the league, and they're both the leading goal scorers for their teams. The rivalry exists. People try to blame the press for sensationalizing it, but it exists, so just come to terms with it. Ronaldo and Messi are civil about it merely because they've been media-trained and they're not stupid. Football isn't the UFC in which prior to the fight the opponents are trash-talking the living sh*t out of one another. Football for the most part is a gentleman’s game and as such the two superstars must remain gentlemanly for their personas/brands/images. Nonetheless, they are rivals. Don't let a picture of Cristiano playfully grabbing Messi’s thigh at the Balon d’Or ceremony trick you. Did you forget that they're forced to sit together at that event? I bet you did

How I emerged as UNILAG best graduating student -Alimi

 Alimi and the Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe

The University of Lagos Best Graduating Student for the 2018/2019 set, Ibrahim Adedeji Alimi, has said that helping others to understand what was taught in class helped him to achieve his feat.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, Alimi explained that he neither had a fixed schedule for reading nor visited university’s library regularly.

According to the Mechanical Engineering graduate, he was also motivated by scholarships and endowment fund made available to first class students by the university authorities, Muslim Students’ Society and corporate organisations.

Alimi, who led the pack with cumulative gradient point average of 4.98 out of the possible five points, said he was kicked out from a social organisation for being inactive and missing meetings.

After graduating with a near-perfect 4.98 CGPA, Alimi said “nothing is too difficult to succeed at”.

He said, “I won’t say it was easy, it was not. In my Primary school, I was always the first or second best student and in my secondary school I finished as the second best student, both which already gave me a good start. Then, my JAMB score was not as high as I would have expected. I had 205 in JAMB and getting admission into University of Lagos with 205 felt like impossible but I still got the merit list because of my excellent performance in my post UTME. I had a good foundation, coupled with the fact that I believe that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. It was not like I had it in mind to be the best graduating student from the start. I only wanted to finish with a very good grade; a first class.

“I attended a couple of orientations in my first year and that was where I learnt there was an endowment fund for students that made first class CGPA every year and it was N50,000. For a young boy like me, it was a lot of money and it was my motivation to do better. In my first semester, I took like 7 courses and because I prepared really hard, I had a 5.0 and also a 5.0 in second semester. I am a student that learns a lot in class so I took my classes very serious.

“I am also not a fan of the library. In my entire years in the University, I visited the library only two or three times. I prefer to read in my room. Another thing that helped me was helping others. Helping my coursemates understand what we’ve been taught was a motivation to read for me. I also engaged in some extracurricular activities, but when I noticed it was becoming too much, I decided to cut it off because I knew my primary aim in the University was my academics.”

He explained that there were days that he woke up at 3am to catch up with 08am classes from Sango-Ota, without an assurance of getting home until 12 midnight – as he was not given a bedspace on campus and had no relative in Lagos.

“I won’t say I am from a rich home neither would I say we are poor. Let me just say we’re an average family. We’re not struggling, we’re fine. During my undergraduate studies, I also got scholarships so I could help out. My parents’ income was just sufficient for our needs,” he added while speaking about his family background.

N5.2bn fraud: Ex-JAMB registrar to spend 48 hours in prison

 

Former Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered that the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof Adedibu Ojerinde, be remanded in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application on Thursday.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the order after the former JAMB boss was arraigned on 18 counts bordering on alleged fraud and diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.2bn.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, Ojerinde was alleged to have committed the offence during his tenure as the registrar of the National Examination Council and JAMB.

Ojerinde pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel for the defendant, Peter Olorunnishola, SAN, informed the court of the bail application that had been filed and served.

Olorunnishola also stated that the counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, Ebenezer Shogunle, had served him his counter affidavit to the bail application and that he needed to respond to it. He subsequently asked for time to do so.

Shogunle did not object to the request by the defence counsel for additional time

He, however, opposed the defence counsel’s request for the defendant to be allowed to remain on administrative bail.

The court adjourned till Thursday, July 8, to consider the bail application.

Southern governors want a new Nigeria

 SOUTHERN GOVS MEET IN ASABA, REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO THE NATION’S UNITY 

•Ban Open Grazing Across Southern Nigeria 

•Want Bold Step Taken On Restructuring 

•Demand Review of Appointment Into Federal Govt Agencies 

Governors in the Southern part of the Country under the aegis of Southern Governors’ Forum on Tuesday met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, over the State of the Nation, particularly as it affects the Southern region. 

The governors had last week met virtually at the instance of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, as chairmen of the governors' forums in the Southwest, South-South and Southeast respectively.

Reading the communique issued at the end of the meeting held at the Government House, Asaba, to journalists, Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, Arakunrin Akeredolu, said the meeting reviewed the situation in the country generally and focused on the current security situation, agitation and restructuring, prospect for inter-state collaboration and partnership as well as on the incidence of COVID-19 pandemic. 

He disclosed that the “forum affirmed that the people of southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity, oneness and peaceful coexistence between and among its people with focus on attainment of shared goals for economic development and prosperity.”

Governor Akeredolu, who disclosed that the forum resolved that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria, explained that the forum observed that the activities of armed herders, criminals and bandits in the southern part of the country have presented a severe security challenge such that citizens are not able to live their normal lives including pursuing various productive activities leading to a threat to food supply and general security. 

“The meeting noted that development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospect of conflict between migrant herders and local population in the south. Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce a park for open grazing in the south including cattle movement to south by foot.

“The meeting recommended that the Federal Government should support willing state to develop alternative and modern livestock management system.

“The meeting agreed that the progress of the nation requires an urgent and bold step taken to restructure the Nigerian Federation leading to the evolution of state police, review of revenue formula in favour of Sub-Nationals and creation of other institution which legitimately advance and commitment to and practice of true federalism.

“The meeting recommended that the view of the widespread agitation among our various peoples for greater inclusiveness in existing governance arrangement, the Federal Government should convoke a national dialogue as a matter of urgency 

“The meeting recommended that in deference to the sensitiveness of our various peoples, there is need to review appointment into Federal Government agencies including security agency to reflect federal character as Nigerians overall population is heterogeneous.

“The meeting resolved to foster cooperation among southern states 

“The meeting expressed concern on the continued gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa express way and the choke hold it has on the nation’s economy being the sole outlet from Apapa wharf.

“The meeting therefore recommended the activation and establishment of ports in other states of the federation to create new jobs and promote socio-economic activities in the country.

“The meeting expressed concern on the economic implication of another lockdown of the country and therefore suggested greater coordination and cooperation between federal and state government in involving strategies for dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic 

“The meeting expressed grave concern on the security challenging currently plaguing the nation and strong urged Mr President that Mr President should address Nigerians of the challenges of insecurity and restore the confidence of our people 

“The meeting expressed gratitude to our host, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, for his generosity and hospitality,” the communique reads.

Army update in Benue State

#PressRelease #DHQUpdate
UPDATE ON SITUATION IN KONSHISHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE
The attention of the Defence Headquarters is drawn to numerous publications in the media and other online blogs reporting massive killing and destruction of houses and other property by the military in Konshisha LGA of Benue State. The Defence Headquarters which has oversight responsibility for Operation WHIRL STROKE deployed to maintain peace in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States, has deemed it necessary to refute these spurious allegations and put the records straight. 
There have been incessant cases of communal clashes in recent times between the people of Konshisha and Oju over boundary demarcation. As part of efforts to resolve the crisis, the Benue State Government held series of meetings with stakeholders from both local governments with a view to arriving at amicable solution to the problem. Appreciable progress has been made and a final date fixed for all stakeholders to meet in the disputed areas to fully demarcate the boundary so that peace could reign. Trouble however started on the eve of the final meeting during Easter holiday, with reports that fresh fighting has broken out in the area. 
All along, 72 Special Forces Battalion has troops deployed on the Oju side of the boundary and troops of the Battalion were on their way to replenish their colleagues on 5 April 2021, when they were attacked by armed bandits at Bonta in Konshisha. The troops who were under command of a Captain were seized at a checkpoint mounted by the so called “Bonta Boys” and taken into Konshisha forest where they were all brutally murdered. Not satisfied with killing the soldiers, the bandits proceeded to burn all the eleven soldiers and their officer beyond recognition while their weapons and ammunition were carted away.  Military reinforcements were dispatched to Bonta the following morning. Unfortunately, the reinforcement also came under attack from close to 500 armed youths who by this time had fully occupied Bonta. The sheer number of youths involved in the attacks suggests that the armed bandits cannot be from Bonta alone, but were joined by bandits from other parts of Konshisha LGA. The military repelled the attack after more than 4 hours of intense fighting during which military helicopter provided close air support to ground troops. Ten armed bandits were killed during the fight with the rifle of one of the Killed in action soldiers recovered from the bandits who fell casualty during the exchange of fire.
 The Defence Headquarters wish to put it on record that apart from this initial 10 bandits, there are no other civilian casualties recorded in any part of Konshisha till date. We therefore challenge anybody from Konshisha to present to the public the 200, 70 or 30 dead bodies of innocent persons, male, female or children killed by troops in Konshisha. There was never a massacre as being touted by some mischief makers.
The remnants of the armed bandits that escaped from Bonta withdrew into neighbouring villages where they kept on attacking troops as they continued with the search operation through Bonta into other parts of Konshisha. Knowing the implications of killing troops in cold blood, most of the villagers fled their homes which were then occupied by armed bandits who kept firing at troops from the settlements as they advanced into Konshisha. Troops repelled the attacks and destroyed the houses and other buildings which the criminals used as hideout for the attacks. The use of abandoned settlements by armed bandits to attack troops is popular with insurgents. The aim is to draw military fire into the dwellings and then turn round to blame soldiers for the destruction. This is common guerilla tactics armed bandit designed to whip up public sentiment against security forces and this is what played out in Konshisha. This accounts for some of the burnt houses being reported in the press. Some of the phones of the dead soldiers were also tracked to some of the settlements. We should therefore blame the armed bandits for the destruction since they used these settlements as hideout for attacks. It will be wrong to blame soldiers who are in Konshisha on legitimate duties when some of them were murdered in cold blood. Some of the buildings being paraded today were actually burnt during earlier communal clashes between Konshisha and Oju, all of which the sponsors of the mayhem are now blaming on the military.
Finally, the Defence Headquarters wishes to state that soldiers deployed to Konshisha displayed commendable restraints by adhering to the rules of engagement in the face of unprovoked attacks and therefore deserve accolades.  In addition to the return of all carted away weapons, the local leaders of Konshisha must bring the main actors responsible for the mayhem to security forces to face justice. They must also surrender all other weapons in their possession. The military will not tolerate the jungle justice attitude and dastardly acts leading to the gruesome murder of patriotic soldiers on legitimate duty to keep the peace. We look forward to working with the Benue State Government in its promise to support security forces in fishing out those fomenting trouble in Konshisha. Once again, there is no massacre in Konshisha and the stories making the rounds are fabricated by bandits and their sponsors to smear the military after murdering troops in cold blood.
ONYEMA NWACHUKWUBrigadier GeneralActing Director Defence Information9 April 2021

Vaccines can fly