Confed Cup: Eagles Ready For Uruguay —Keshi

The Super Eagles have recovered from the jetlag that arose due to their late arrival in Brazil and are relishing the clash against La Celeste Thursday.

LISTEN UP GUYS…Nigeria’s Coach, Stephen Keshi (middle) gives instructions to Super Eagles players during a training session at Arena Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador, on 19 June, 2013 ahead Thursday night 2013 Confederation Cup Group B match between against Uruguay . AFPPHOTO

Nigeria arrived in Salvador, Bahia two days before their clash against Uruguay at Estadio Pituacu. The African champions held their first training inside the arena Tuesday and also trained Wednesday as they prepare to play against the champions of South America.
Gone was the troubled start to the tournament that ensured the team arrived hours to their opening game due to a bonus row.
“We’re ready. Of course we have had our issues. But that is not who we are. What we want to do is play football. I am proud of my players for the way they overcame tiredness, jetlag and everything else to get three points and those goals against Tahiti,” Coach Stephen Keshi told KickOffNigeria.com.
“Now we have tried to get them as much rest as possible and we just want them to have fun, “We know a little more about Uruguay. So we can plan a little better, but we will not be preparing much different from the way we normally do.
“We have our own methods, our own tactics and our own way of playing, and that is what we plan to do,” the former Hawks of Togo coach stated.
Both nations have never met at senior level and it promises to be an exciting encounter in Salvador. The match will start 11pm (West African Time).

Champion Breweries to raise fresh capital for improved growth

Champion Breweries has concluded plans to increase its capital base in order to enhance competitiveness and ensure growth and profitability.
Chairman of the company, Alhaji Shuaibu Ottan, disclosed this during the company’s 2011 and 2012 combined annual general meeting held in Lagos.
He emphasised that re-financing of existing debt through conversion to equity and injection of fresh cash to the company through right issue are key success factors that must be embarked upon. He added that efforts were being made to secure the commitment of major shareholders to participate in the re-financing programme.
Giving account of the 2011 financial year, Ottan disclosed that the company recorded a loss of N1.8 billion, stressing that the huge downturn was principally due, in part, to the N603.5 million committed to overhauling the company’s production equipment to enhance capacity and achieve set production targets.
Other factors that contributed to the loss, according to the chairman, were interest cost of N517 million arising from the company’s accumulated debt burden, and N716 million depreciation cost, occasioned, partly by the evaluation of assets during the year.
He said that trading results for 2012 continued on the negative trend as in previous years. Though turnover remained stable at N1.8 billion, the company recorded loss of N1.3 billion.  The huge loss was occasioned by interest cost of N707 million and depreciation charge of N782 million.
Ottan further explained that with the support of professional advisers, the various restructuring options were fully considered before the company opted for refinancing; debt-to-equity conversion, allotment of shares on deposit for shares account balances and rights issue.
He said that during its meeting of 7th of June, 2012, the board approved a share conversion price of N1.85 per share for the debt-to-equity conversion. He said this was based on the fact that valuation methods such as discounted cash flow do not ascribe value to the company’s shares in view of its huge debt and interest burden.
After taking into consideration the recently concluded acquisition by Consolidated Breweries Plc of the 57 percent shareholding in Champion and the regulatory filings for the transaction, which included a price of N1.85 per share, he said the price range for the debt-to-equity conversion of 50 kobo to N1.85 per share was considered.
“This means that 3.1 billion ordinary shares will be allotted to Consolidated Breweries to reduce the company’s debt with N5.735 billion. The board also resolved to propose an increase in the authorizedshare capital. This will allow for the subsequent allotment of shares to Akwa Ibom State Government and Consolidated Breweries to cover the amount in their deposit for shares account,” he said.

I love to dance-Oduamadi

Nnamdi Oduamadi

Super Eagles  forward Nnamdi Oduamadi has said that he loves to dance when he scores for country and club.
Three times on the score-sheet against the OFC champions, Oduamadi is the epitome of a Nigeria  team that is bursting with ability and anxious to make a name for itself on the international stage.
“I’ve suffered a lot of injuries in the last few years,” he told FIFA.com.
“That’s why I missed the last Africa Cup of Nations, which my team-mates won in such spectacular style.
”I’ve been given the chance to show what I can do in the national team now though, and I don’t want to waste it.
I’m very happy with the first steps I have taken in the competition, and I’m going to give my all to help my team go as far as possible. I’m back.”
In discussing the dance moves that followed his goals, the smiling played said: “I love music and if you like music, then you like to dance too. You’ll see me dancing every time I score.”

700 motions in two years? That’s true representation!

House of Reps Speaker, Tambuwal

It is really exciting going through the statistics of the mid-term score card of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. For a recap, the leadership of the House was elected on June 6, 2011 in an atmosphere that has served as a quick reminder of the goodness of team work and promotion of democratic tenets.
Two years into Tambuwal’s mandate, the House of Representatives has continued to set historical milestones in carrying out its constitutionally-assigned duties of representation, law-making and oversight. The statistics churned out at the celebration to mark the two years has surprised even the lawmakers themselves. With it all, the House of Representatives has set the pace in legislative activities in the country and it’s a bar the members are very anxious to exceed in the years to come.

Such anxiousness, according to Tambuwal, had led to the raising of a total of five hundred and twelve bills (512) all of which have passed first readings; passage of sixty (60) bills into law, and legislative work one hundred and thirty four (134) other bills. The bills have so far undergone second reading and are at Committee stage.
Now to the juicier part: for a House mandated to sit a total of 180 days in a year, it has passed a total of over seven hundred (700) motions raised on the floor and resolutions adopted on matters of concern to the citizens such as national disasters, communal violence, and governmental oppression among others. What this means, therefore, is that every year, Tambuwal’s House adopts an average of 350 motions in 180 days of legislative business. That is hard work; that is true representation.
The exemplary conduct of Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House in the last two years highlights the end of an era of self-representation, when lawmakers took decisions that were at variance with the wishes and aspirations of their constituents. Here and now, Tambuwal’s House is what a parliament should be: focused, vibrant, independent and one that gauges the pulse of the nation and works in tandem with the needs and desire of the people.
When it comes to the House of Representatives, it is a widely-held opinion that there is no public relations magic better than performance. Tambuwal’s performance has set the bar in governance. His courage and equanimity in the face of tough challenges have served as inspiration to his colleagues in the House to go about their duties without fear, or favour. Importantly, it has given Nigerians hope that in Tambuwal, they have a leader who can be trusted to deliver no matter whose ox is gored.
Two years down the line, the return on investment has come with appreciable successes. Such success has ensured unprecedented stability which has in turn laid the foundation for all that has been achieved so far.
As the Speaker pointed out, the credit for the stability goes to the members who have exhibited uncommon diligence, support, inspiration, selflessness, passion, maturity and willingness to sacrifice towards the promotion and preservation of the National Interest.
Another credit to Tambuwal and the House is that of consultative representation. As part of its agenda to remain true and faithful representatives, the House has consulted with the people of Nigeria on all critical issues. Of particular reference is the Peoples’ Public Sessions held in the 360 federal constituencies nationwide to avail the people the opportunity to participate in the making of their Constitution.

Mikel denies Galatasaray switch

Jon Obi Mikel has denied making comments about a move to Galatasaray attributed to him in Turkey.
Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder had been quoted as saying he was close to a move to the Turkish side, and that he had discussed it with their striker and his former Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba.
But Mikel has denied giving the interview and insisted that he never said the words.
Chelsea are looking at midfield reinforcements this summer, as Jose Mourinho tries to put his stamp on the squad. The Independent reported earlier in the week they were seriously looking at Sevilla’s 20-year-old Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Chelsea are also thought to be keen on Wigan Athletic’s James McCarthy, likely to leave after Wigan’s relegation, and Marco Van Ginkel, the Holland Under-21 player currently at Vitesse.

Rescues 16 Pregnant Women From Aba Baby Factory Rescued By

Umuahia — THE Abia State Command of Directorate of State Service, DSS, has rescued 16 pregnant girls from a ‘baby factory’ in Aba.

Parading the young girls, yesterday, in his Umuahia office, the state Director of DSS, Mr. Matthew Obodoechi, said the girls and women whose ages range between 17 and 37 were rescued on June 17, 2013.
The pregnant women paraded by DSS, yesterday.
Obodoechi gave the name of the home as Cross Foundation International, located along Anyamele Street in Umungasi area of Aba.
According to Obodoechi, proprietor of the home, Dr. Hyginus Ndudim Orikara, has been arrested. He vowed that the medical practitioner would be prosecuted.
Ironically, the medical doctor is said to be in the employ of Abia State Government, which has been actively involved in the fight against the “baby factory” menace in the state.
The DSS director expressed worry that menace of baby factory was fast becoming a new crime trend in some South-East states.
He said: “It is another kind of kidnapping where babies are snatched at point of birth and sold. It is a big shame, a big problem and it all boils down to the kind of values we have in the society today. Life is not valued.”
Dr Orikara, however, denied running a baby factory, saying, his Cross Foundation was legitimately registered as a charity home.
He said babies were not sold after delivery but released to go and nurse them, explaining that the charity home witnessed large number of girls because “we are running operation nurse your own baby.”
According to him, girls with unwanted pregnancy are brought to the home for them to be encouraged and assisted to carry their pregnancies to full term, deliver and nurse the babies.
But Obodoechi dismissed Orikara’s claim, insisting that confessional statement by the pregnant ladies showed that the doctor was indeed engaged in the baby factory business.
According to him, “the ladies upon delivery are given a paltry sum of N50,000 and sent away while their babies are sold to people from different parts of the country.”
He noted with regret that some persons had chosen to hide under the cover of non-governmental organisations, NGOs, to perpetrate various forms of illegal activities, including baby factories.
He said: “Those hiding under the cover of NGOs to perpetrate modern form of slave trade are warned to abstain from such illegalities as security agencies will stop at nothing to ensure that they are apprehended and made to face the law.”

PHOTOS: More Nigerian Girls Pose Completely Unclothed For Twitter Fame

Unclad pictures are beginning to dominate the Nigerian Twitter space as the act is fast becoming fashionable among young ladies.

One of the objectives ladies who engage in this act seek to achieve is to break into trending topics on the social service and ultimately build a huge Twitter following and gain cheap popularity.
Ladies who have made this act a hobby employ hashtags to string together these obscene pictures to get them easily noticeable by other Twitter users. For instance, some of them use hashtags such as #boobsmonday, #boobsfriday and post their unclad photographs.
Other girls equally interested are lured into posting their own unclad pictures on the social site by employing the use of the hashtags for the day — such as #boobstuesday on a Tuesday, which make their unclad pictures travel fast and go viral.

One of the typical Twitter female users of the social network who engage in this act is one with the name, Pretty Osaro. Osaro posted three unclad pictures of herself on May 15, each showing her in different positions.  On her handle she says, ‘’I wanna be famous, doesn’t matter how many guys…’’
She went on to lament that her previous Twitter account was suspended and lashed out at those who reported her via the Twitter Help Center for posting offensive contents. ‘’My previous account was suspended, if you don’t like what I do kindly unfollow or f..k out of my timeline,’’ she says.
In the usual manner in which desperate girls seeking fame on social media do, Osaro has at one time or the other reached out to celebrities who make use of Twitter to retweet her to the hundreds of thousands of their fans.
The day Osaro posted her unclad pictures on the social service, she tweeted the same picture to Nigerian music artistes  — Wizkid and Davido with — a view to getting them retweet the pictures.
She has also sought the help of American socialite and TV personality, Kim Kardashian who has over 17 million Twitter followers. Tweeting at Kardashian, she says, “Am I not hotter than @Kimkardashian? @KimKardashian, I love you so much please retweet me.’’
Other Twitter users with the names Bayelsa Queen and Ha Royal Sexcellency regularly trend on Twitter, posting their unclad pictures. Besides, there is a unclad picture being credited to one Adefope Temilola,  which has been circulating on Twitter for over two months.
A new media enthusiast, Tunji Lardner, describes the development as a “really bad behaviour’’, adding that typical youthful aspirations are now being amplified globally by social media. He adds that with the current level of under-development in the country, Nigerian youths — both male and female, should redirect their youthful vigour to hold political leaders accountable for their misdeeds with the new media technologies.
He says, “These are invariably young and immature people grappling with the need for popularity and acclaim from their peers. This is just another manifestation of the ongoing breakdown of our social order and the loss of parental control and oversight of our digital children with analog parents.’’
Lardner who is the Executive Director, West Africa NGO Network, warns that those engaged in the act risk the negative consequences and urges them to move towards changing the content and quality of their online discourse.
He says, “Everything lives forever on the Internet. Those pictures posted will be archived and someday retrieved, and can most certainly come back to haunt you, perhaps when you are looking for a job or even when you want to get married.’’
“Those involved can start by changing the quality and contents of their online discourse. Use these powerful technologies to interrogate the political system, ask the tough questions, find the tough answers and hold their leaders accountable for their misdeeds.’’
Speaking on the ways of stemming the tide in the country, he observes that it is difficult to legislate morality on a global and virtual platform like the Internet. According to him, the responsibility for the moral tone and content of youth participation in social media still rests with society at large.
“Their engagement on these platforms and the quality of their discourse is a direct reflection of the society’s prevailing norms. But there should be an understood code of conduct that is widely disseminated, spelling out the pitfalls of the dark side of social media.
“Perhaps the traditional media can help evolve this standard, and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. There is a considerable body of work that deal with youth and the use of social media,’’ he adds.