Author: Chief Editor

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino said Friday that last month’s Champions League final defeat has made him more determined to succeed at the club, after the conclusion of another solid campaign. Pochettino said he was keen to continue with the five-year “project” that has seen Tottenham establish themselves in the Premier League top four and finally move into their new stadium after a series of delays. “After the final the feeling wasn’t great, to finish like this. I am not a person who wants to avoid the problem. I love a big challenge,” the 47-year-old Argentine told reporters as he…

AKIN OSUNTOKUN Without any shade of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari is the most admired politician in Nigeria today and the admiration is unprecedented. He is admired by both friends and foes alike. His friends, followers and supporters love him to no ends for spoiling them rotten- abundantly more than they can ask or imagine. And his foes wish they can have leaders who can think and govern selfishly on their behalf-and to hell with Nigeria! More painful still is the realization that regardless of the full knowledge of Buhari-as completely sold to the politics of exclusion, discrimination and winner takes…

African countries lose at least $60 billion annually due to illegal financial transactions, President Muhammadu Buhari said Thursday. He, however, tasked security agencies in Africa, particularly the intelligence community, to combat illicit financial flows, adding that development and stability of Africa have been undermined by the menance. Buhari spoke in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the opening session of the 16th Conference of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA). The president established a link between the worsening security situation in Nigeria and illicit financial flows, which he said are detrimental to the development of…

By Dare BABARINSA Next week, Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the beloved daughter of Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, would be buried in Akure, the Ondo State capital. Last week, Funke was alive and well. This week, she is in the mortuary. Next week, she is in the grave. She was a victim. We are all victims. Last Friday, Funke was returning from Akure, where her father, the 93-year-old leader of Afenifere, the mainstream Yoruba political and cultural movement, lives. She had a choice of passing through Ilesha and Ibadan on her way to Lagos, but the road between Ilesha and Ibadan is…

By Abiodun Ladepo As is typical of Buhari administration’s grossly inept public information apparatuses, the RUGA rollout was badly botched and has probably been so bungled that it is beyond redemption. Somehow, the pervading narrative in the polity is that RUGA is the furtherance of the 19th century Sokoto Caliphate’s conceived plan, under Shehu Usman Dan Fodio, to extend Fulani conquests beyond territories south of the Sahel, through the Middle Belt and down to the south, for access to Nigeria’s rich natural resources and the Atlantic Ocean. Absurd and implausible as the thought maybe, the seemingly nonchalant attitude in Aso…

Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has expressed satisfaction over Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Egypt. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odion Ighalo’s early goal in the third minute gave Nigeria a 1-0 win over Tunisia in their third-place playoff on Wednesday. The 30-year-old forward, who is the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, was gifted an easy tap-in following a Tunisian defensive mix-up at the Al Salam Stadium. This was after Jamilu Collins’ cross from the left was poorly parried by goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifa against the legs of…

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) wednesday announced the seizure of an ambulance stationed at the port for emergency purpose for conveying 10 cartons of 225miligramme (mg) of stolen Tramadol out of Apapa Port. The Hyundai Ambulance with registration number LND605XW was intercepted with the drugs worth about N2.8 million, while trying to smuggle it out of the ports in an emergency manner. Comptroller, Apapa command, Muhammad Abba-Kura, who paraded the vehicle and the drugs in Apapa Port wednesday, said two suspects were arrested in connection with the deal. Abba-Kura stated that investigations were ongoing to further…

The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, who was confirmed yesterday by the Senate, has described the magistracy, the lowest ebb of Nigeria’s judiciary, as the most corrupt strata of the judiciary. His confirmation was sequel to the consideration at plenary of his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari by the Senate Committee of the Whole headed by Senate President Ahmad Lawan. Justice Muhammad, 66, had during the session which lasted from 11.40a.m. to 1.15p.m, answered questions from senators after which the Senate president asked him to take a bow and leave. Justice Muhammad, who had acted for…

Barcelona are making moves to bring Neymar back to Camp Nou, but they have work to do. Neymar, 27, is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this close season, having told the Ligue 1 champions of his desire for a Parc des Princes exit. It comes just two years after his world-record €222million move from Barcelona, who are taking steps to bring the Brazil star back. TOP STORY – BARCELONA OFFER COUTINHO, RAKITIC PLUS €40M FOR NEYMAR Barcelona have verbally offered Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic, plus €40m, to PSG for Neymar, according to L’Equipe. The report says PSG are standing firm over Neymar, having paid €222m…

What is the story? Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba doesn’t have to leave the club to fulfil his ambitions, according to United’s current manager, Old Gunnar Solskjaer. In case you didn’t know… The highest scorer for Manchester United in the 2018-19 season, Paul Pogba, has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford for a while. A few weeks ago, Pogba expressed that he is looking for ‘a new challenge’. Since then, media outlets have started to link him with the names of Real Madrid and Juventus. Despite being surrounded with a number of rumours, Pogba played a pivotal role in their 2-0…