BIGNEWS24HOURS: 11/25/13

Monday 25 November 2013

Popular Singer Omawumi Shows Off Her Daughter

Popular singer Omawumi has showed off her daughter, which she got from a baby father. The singer has kept the identity of her baby-daddy very confidential since she gave birth to the baby girl.

The Warri-born singer, who also intended to go into acting, is one of the top female singers and entertainers in Nigeria and one of the Glo ambassadors.

This Lady Means a Lot to Ice Prince, But Who is She?

Rapper Ice Prince is definitely in high spirits. The singer successfully launched his new album “Fire of Zamani” yesterday.

He also seems happy in this photo which he shared via Instagram as he says the lady beside him “means a lot to him.”
He tagged it: “You mean a lot to me! Safe trip back home”
Guess who is she?

It’ll be tough against Basel –Mikel

Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi says that Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match away to Basel will be quite a tough one. The Nigerian however believes that the Stamford Bridge players are a lot more prepared than they were when they lost the first leg to the Swiss team in London.

That hope for victory is shared by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho who also spoke to the international media in Switzerland on Monday ahead of tonight’s match.

Statistics gathered by a human rights organisation, Partnership for Justice, has shown that sexual assaults such as rape are mostly common in Oshodi, Ikeja, Agege and Ketu areas of Lagos.

Managing partner of the group, Itoro Eze-Anaba, said this in Lagos on Monday during the opening of the Marabel Centre – a sexual assault and referral centre – located at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and president of the Nigeria Football Federation Aminu Maigari will be at the Nigerian Sports Award ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday as they hope to scoop honours in their respective categories.

While Keshi, who led Nigeria to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and helped the team qualify for the 2014 World Cup, will hope to beat Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba to the Coach of the Year award, Maigari will contend with Solomon Ogba of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria and Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission Amaju Pinnick for the Sports Administrator of the year award.

Portugal-based table tennis player Aruna Quadri, who is nominated for the Ball Sports Personality of the Year, has also confirmed to attend the coveted award ceremony.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, and the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, will also be present to witness who wins what at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the organisers of the event have unveiled Amstel Malta as one of the partners of the NSA. The malt drink joins Nokia as the official sponsors of the award.

The General Manager, Unmissable Incentives Limited, the organisers of the award, Kayode Idowu described the new partnership as a major boost for the event.

Keshi, Maigari for Nigerian Sports Award

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi

For BlackBerry brand, this is definitely not the best of times.

Once upon a time, the BlackBerry smart phone was the device to ‘beat.’ From inception, the manufacturers, formerly known as Research in Motion, desired to fashion their device after an office assistant because it afforded users the benefit of sending and receiving emails on the go.

To the business man, it was like a mini office and to the young at heart, the device’s star attraction, the BlackBerry Messenger, ensured that they stayed in touch and chat with their friends and relatives on the platform for free.

The President, Trade Union Congress, Mr. Boboi Kaigama

The President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Boboi Kaigama and the Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Chris Uyot, on Monday, called on the Federal Government to accede to the demand of striking university lecturers by paying their salary arrears from July to October, 2013.

Both Kaigama and Uyot, who spoke in different telephone interviews with our correspondent, said that the issue at stake was too serious for the government to endanger with a minor issue as the withholding of the salaries of the striking lecturers.

Prof. Festus Iyayi

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities has asked for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of the death of its former president, Prof. Festus Iyayi, our correspondent learnt in Benin, Edo State, on Monday.

The varsity teachers’ union is said to be suspecting foul play in the death of Iyayi who died after his vehicle was involved in an accident with a vehicle in the convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada (retd.), on November 12.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League clash against Galatasaray with a thigh strain.

The Portugal international limped out of Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Almeria holding his left leg, and underwent hospital scans on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.

Football | Champions League

Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea will be looking to complete a Premier League quartet in the Champions League knock-out stage this week.
England's teams are among several who could clinch progress on matchday five of the group stage - while several sides could find themselves already out.
Premier League side Manchester City are already assured a place, alongside defending champions Bayern Munich, and the Spanish duo Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, but several teams are on a knife edge for the penultimate group games.

Football | Barclays Premier League

Aston Villa fought back after conceding two goals in the opening 11 minutes to grab a 2-2 draw at Midlands derby rivals West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Monday.
Ireland international Shane Long put Albion in front after three minutes, controlling Chris Brunt's long ball superbly as it dropped over his shoulder before turning to fire past keeper Brad Guzan.
Eight minutes later Long seized on a misplaced midfield pass from Villa's Leandro Bacuna to charge through the defence and chip the ball home for his second goal.

Football | International

Mexican giants Guadalajara have brought back former coach Jose Luis Real to try and revive their fortunes after years of underachievement.
The Chivas (goats), also called the Sacred Flock, share a record 11 league titles with champions and bitter rivals America from Mexico City but last lifted the crown in 2006, an eternity for one of the country's most popular clubs.

Football | Champions League

AC Milan midfielder Kaka hopes a win over Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday could be the turning point in his club's turbulent campaign.
Kaka and company travelled to Glasgow on Monday sitting a lowly 13th in Serie A on the back of a dismal run of five league matches and another defeat at Parkhead would deal a blow to their hopes of making the Champions League knock-out stages.

Football | Italy

Juventus remained top of Serie A after long-time leaders Roma spurned the chance to overtake the champions following a scoreless home draw to struggling Cagliari on Monday.
Juventus's 2-0 away win at Livorno on Sunday sent Antonio Conte's men top of the pile for the first time this season with a two-point lead on Rudy Garcia's men.
Roma were widely expected to retake the lead but despite dominating the Sardinians at the Olympic Stadium the Giallorossi were left counting the cost for failing to get the ball past impressive Cagliari 'keeper Vlada Avramov.

Football | Spain

Athletic Bilbao came from behind to win 2-1 at struggling Malaga in La Liga on Monday and heap the pressure on German coach Bernd Schuster.
It was a poor performance from the home team even though they went ahead through Juanmi before halftime.

Bilbao levelled after the break thanks to Mikel San Jose before Francisco Portillo was sent off seven minutes from time. The visitors took advantage of the extra man with Iker Muniain grabbing the winner late on.

Malaga have been accustomed to fighting for the European positions in recent campaigns but the departures of leading players like Joaquin and Javier Saviola have left them facing a relegation scrap this season in 14th spot.

Football | Champions League

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has said Ajax should take encouragement from the fact that four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi will miss their Champions League clash on Tuesday.
However, the Argentine remains supremely confident that the players he has at his disposal will have more than enough to get at least the point Barca need to guarantee first place in Group H.
Messi scored a hat-trick in Barca's 4-0 win when the sides last met in September, however he has been ruled out for the rest of the year due to a hamstring injury.

Football | Nigeria

The management of Glo Premier League side, Warri Wolves has decided to give talented rookies the chance to lay claim to first-team opportunities in the 2013/14 season.
The open exhibition exercise is due for the Warri City Stadium from Monday, November 25 to Wednesday, November 27.

Football | Champions League

Coach Jurgen Klopp has said Borussia Dortmund will approach Tuesday's Champions League clash at home to Napoli like it were the final with another defeat pointing to a group-stage exit.
Dortmund's 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal three weeks ago has left last season's finalists third in Group F, three points adrift of both the Gunners and Napoli, who are level on nine points.
The Germans must win both of their last two games to be sure of reaching the knock-out stages with a trip to Marseille also to come in December.

A dispute between the Presidency and an online news medium, SaharaReporters, has introduced a new dimension to the health challenge that President Goodluck Jonathan had in London on Thursday. The matter was provoked by a response by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, to a story by SaharaReporters on the illness.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it will not suspend its ongoing strike until the four months salaries owed its members are paid.

The union also wants the immediate implementation of the N1.2tn offer by the Federal Government to public universities, starting with the release of N100bn this year. The balance of N1.1tn is to be spread over five years from 2014.

Manny Pacquiao (right) with Brandon Rios in their WBO fight in Macau ...on Sunday

Manny Pacquiao put on a dazzling boxing display to beat American Brandon Rios and win his first fight in two years in Macau on Sunday, BBC Sport reports.

The man from the Philippines said he would win to bring “pride and hope” back to his beleaguered nation, which is struggling to come to terms with the loss of life and devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

’Nimi Akinkugbe

Parents are generally driven by a natural instinct to love, nurture and provide for their offspring. Our greatest desire is to give them everything we ever had, or, never had, and more. The danger is that while we are deriving pleasure from indulging them, we may actually be spoiling them and interfering with their development thus diminishing their own sense of accomplishment.

Mikel Obi

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and his midfield star Frank Lampard praised Chelsea’s performance at West Ham on Saturday evening and paid tribute to the exceptional defensive work of Mikel Obi.

Mourinho was full of praise for Lampard and Oscar following the 3-0 London derby win at West Ham but tied Lampard’s performance to the quality cover provided by the Nigerian who now enjoys a commanding role with his national team.

Football | Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo is doubtful for Real Madrid's Champions League match against Galatasaray on Wednesday after doctors confirmed he has a hamstring strain.
The Portuguese limped off at the start of the second half of Saturday's La Liga victory over Almeria but fears of a serious injury were immediately played down by coach Carlo Ancelotti afterwards.

Football | National First Division

Milano United maintained their position at the summit of the National First Division table lead at the top of the table when they demolished a struggling Thanda Royal Zulu 4-0 at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Sibusiso Ntuli and Devon Saal were on target and Lesvin Stoffels netted a brace as the Cape side proved to be too strong for the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.
Milano remain at the top of the standings with 26 points from 10 matches, while Amabhubesi are rock-bottom with five points and seven losses from their 10 matches.
The action started on Friday night with Baroka FC securing maximum points away from home with a 1-0 win over Chippa United at the Philippi Stadium with Gift Motupa scoring the only goal of the match.

Football | Nigeria

Sunday Oliseh was a ferocious force for Nigeria’s Super Eagles during the best moments in their history. Now retired and living in Belgium, the former holding midfielder spoke to FIFA.com about the highs and lows of USA 1994 and France 1998, the Olympic title that “no one can take away.” Also on the table in this frank discussion is the Nigerian football philosophy, terrace culture in the west African nation, former clubs like Ajax and Juventus and, of course, that goal from 1998 against Spain that will live on forever.

FIFA.com: Firstly, let’s just get it out of the way, and talk about that goal. Do you still get reminded of the long-range stunner you scored in the win over Spain at the 1998 World Cup?
Sunday Oliseh [Laughs] People don’t just ask me about the goal, or remind me about the goal, they show me the goal all the time. Just two days ago someone took me aside in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and played me the video on the internet. He asked me: ‘do you know the fellow who scored this goal?’ I just laughed.

Football | Super Eagles

Shola Ameobi’s inclusion in the Super eagles has divided the Nigerian fan base but with his performance against Italy, the Newcastle Striker may just have won them over.
It’s also turning to one of those fairytale stories as Shola is 32 and in the twilight of his career, and to think he only made his debut last year. He has now scored 2 goals in 4 games for Nigeria, albeit all friendlies.
Many actually believe that he is "reaping where he has not sown" but the one person who matters the most, Stephen Keshi the Super Eagles manager is however a huge fan. Keshi told supersport.com that:

Football | Nigeria

It was another good weekend for Nigerians abroad with Ikechukwu Uche hogging the biggest headlines.
The attacker netted a brace for Villarreal in La Liga as the Yellow Submarine beat Levante 3-0 away.
Uche has now scored four league goals this season but the quality of the strikes will certainly get Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi thinking about handing the 29-year-old a recall to the national team.

Michael Uchebo has been quietly and efficiently going about his business in Belgium and the again, he scored for Cercle Brugge in the Jupiler League.
Vincent Enyeama’s season of scary dominance continued in France where he kept yet another clean sheet as the Mastiffs maintained their stranglehold on second place.
Victor Moses had his moments for Liverpool in the most memorable Merseyside derby in years as supersport.com once more rounds up the best of the action from a frenetic weekend.

Belgium (Jupiler Pro League)
A day of nightmares for Kim Ojo who replaced Thomas Buffel at the start of the second half but failed to prevent Genk’s 0-4 loss to KV Oostende at the Albertparkstadion.
Ezekiel Imoh helped fired Standard Liege to the top of the table as Les Rouches beat Mons 1-0 at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.
Imoh came on for Igor de Camargo in the 61st minute as he made his 16th league appearance of the season.

Football | Barclays Premier League

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney hit out at two television commentators for saying he deserved to be sent off during his side's 2-2 draw at Cardiff City on Sunday.
Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler and pundit Graeme Souness, the former Liverpool manager, said Rooney was fortunate not to be shown a red card for kicking Jordon Mutch during the early stages of the Premier League game.

Football | Ghana

Days after news broke that Andre Ayew is out for two months, Ghana get more bad news that Sulley Muntari is crocked.
Muntari got a freak injury as he appeared to stick his foot hard into the turf as Milan played 1-1 with Genoa on Saturday in the Serie A.

He was taken off early in the second half, in a game that had another Ghanaian player, Isaac Cofie play the final 12 minutes for Genoa.
Kwadwo Asamoah was in action for 88 minutes as Juventus went to the top of the table on Sunday afternoon, following a win against Livorno.

Football | Germany

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola had little time to celebrate his team's 3-0 league win at rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, threatening instead to uncover a mole he said has been leaking team details to the media.

"It does not matter who it is, heads will roll," Guardiola was quoted in Bild newspaper as having told his players after the game, angry that team tactics had made their way into the press before the game. "I will throw him out. He will not play under me again."

Football | Nigeria

Six-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winners, Enyimba, are considering their coaching options with Dutchman, Lodewijk de Kruif, heading their wishlist.
The top hierarchy at Enyimba believe the Dutchman fits the bill for the head coach job.
Enyimba head coach in the 2012/13 season, Salisu Yusuf, is close to joining either FC Taraba or El-Kanemi Warriors and his assistant, Paul Aigbogun has switched to Warri Wolves.