Eagles Confront Stallions for African Title

Super Eagles

A repeat of Nigeria and Burkina Faso’s opening Group C match is on the cards today to determine who will bear the toga African champions for the next two years. Up for grabs asides bragging rights is a spot in Group B of the FIFA Confederations Cup alongside Spain, Uruguay and Tahiti in Brazil a few months away (June to be precise). Friendly internationals with the leading soccer powers will also be a fallout of today’s game, not to talk of the possibility of individual players earning (or improving on) lucrative deals with the foremost club sides in world football.

DELE MOMODU: The Narrow Path to South Africa

Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, all roads lead to South Africa tomorrow. As I write this, reports indicate that the former apartheid nation is set to receive the biggest inflow of Nigerian visitors since that beautiful country regained its full freedom and became a Republic in 1994. It has always been a playground of choice for rich and famous as well as regular Nigerians who are always on the go to escape the unending hard life at home.

The attraction had always been plenty in both directions. South African ladies would swap places to live in Nigeria while Nigerian men would replicate in kind by shifting base permanently to South Africa. It is impossible for eagle-eyed Nigerians not to turn into giraffes on the streets of South Africa. The alluring beauty and voluptuous endowments of South Africans are legendary and cannot be ignored the world over. The people are gentle, friendly and welcoming. Despite occasional skirmishes between us, the marriage of Nigerians and South Africans was consummated in heaven by God and His angels. We only quarrel like all husbands and wives do periodically.

Jonathan to induct Super Eagles into ‘Hall of Fame’

The Federal Government has said it was ready to make the present set of Super Eagles players become the first beneficiaries of the National Sports Hall of Fame, that was recently given approval by President Goodluck Jonathan. The Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdulahi, said this on Thursday night while addressing players and officials of the Super Eagles at the Garden Court Hotel abode in Milpark, South Africa. According to the team’s Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, Abdullahi said that the government had also mapped out a heroic ‘welcome’ for the team by Monday next week. The Minister noted that the government was proud of the achievement of the team so far but added that the team must complete the job by winning the trophy. ‘“Victory is not everything but victory is the only thing”’, Mr Alaiya quoted him as saying. He admonished the team to go all out for victory in the final against the Stallions of Burkina Faso at the Soccer City in Soweto on Sunday.

Alleged Killers of Cynthia Osokogu Arraigned for Murder

Cynthia Osokogu

Finally, the four suspects alleged to have killed Cynthia Osokogu, at a hotel in Festac, Lagos, were arraigned before an Ikeja High Court Friday. The suspects, Okwumo Nwabufo, Ezike Olisaeloka, Orji Osita and Ezike Nonso who were charged for murder, stealing, possession of stolen property were arraigned before Justice Olabisi Akinlade on a six-count charge preferred against them by the Lagos State government. The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences.

The State alleged that two of the suspects, Okwumo and Ezike on or about July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel, Amuwo-Odofin, Festac Town, conspired to murder Cynthia Osokogu. The suspects were also alleged to have murdered Cynthia by administering Rohypnol Flunitrazepan tablet into her drink, chaining her hands and legs and strangled her to death.

Channels TV Sports Presenter Dies in Studio....NFF Express Shock

Channels TV Head of Sports, Joe Ighile has passed on. He collapsed in the studio on Friday night while the live sports programme at 9PM was on. After introducing the programme, he told the crew that he was feeling uncomfortable and asked to take a break. He stepped out of the studio for some fresh air and collapsed a few minutes later. Few minutes after getting to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.

This is just as NFF has expressed shock at his death. The Nigeria camp at the 29th Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg, South Africa was badly jolted on Saturday morning when news filtered in that ace broadcast journalist Joseph Ighile had died in Lagos.

Police not a Revenue- Generating Organisation, Says AIG Zone 2

Mamman Tsafe

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Mamman Tsafe, is optmistic that Lagos and Ogun states will witness lesser crimes this year due to the syngery between members of the public and the force. He also spoke on other issues including the clash between some naval personnel and policemen in Lagos recently. He recently spoke to Chiemelie Ezeobi in his office in Onikan, Lagos

How would you describe the crime rate in both Lagos and Ogun State since your assumption of office?

Crime rate has dropped to a reasonable level of tolerance in the two commands, especially when you compare it to other areas. We attribute this to the commitment of some good Nigerians who are living within the territory, who considered the worthiness of synergising with the police by assisting us with vital information.