The Nigeria former football official, Amos Adamu was on Tuesday banned for two years by world governing body FIFA for ethics violations.
Adamu, a former FIFA executive committee member and West African Football Union
president, cannot take part in any “football-related activity at national and international level” for the next two years, FIFA said in a statement.
The sanction is effective from February 28.
Adamu, 62, had already served a three-year ban in 2010 for accepting bribes in relation to the attribution of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and
2022 tournament to Qatar.
An investigation into Adamu was opened on March 9, 2015. A final report was passed to
FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber last December recommending a sanction, after which ethics
committee chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert decided to open proceedings.
FIFA said on Tuesday that “through his involvement in the organisation of an event in
2010, while being a member of the (then) FIFA Executive Committee, Mr Adamu violated the FIFA Code of Ethics”.
World football’s governing body has been in turmoil since last year due to a number of
corruption scandals, including that of a two million Swiss franc payment made by former
president Sepp Blatter to ex-UEFA supremo Michel Platini that saw both men banned from the game.
Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane, has hit back at Gerard Pique after the Barcelona defender went on a Twitter rant at referees in Spain.
Pique seemed to suggest that officials favoured Madrid, as they fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 3-2 last week.
“Against the same teams. 8 points. Those clips are from the Madrid press, if you doubted,” Pique wrote, along with press cuttings from AS and Marca.
Zidane has now blasted the Spain international for his disrespect of the officials.
“Everyone can air their views,” Zidane said.
S“Nobody can stop that. But there’s no truth in what he says. We do what we do out on the pitch and I am proud of my players because they respect referees.
“We try to entertain the paying public. Madrid has always been a professional club and respectful towards football.
“I don’t interfere with the referee’s job, and nor do my players; they have a lot of respect for what match officials do. I have a fantastic group of
players in that respect; all they want is to do things right.
“I can understand that might annoy some people. I am very proud of my players because they have a great deal of respect referees and the job they do. I’ll defend them to the death.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, has
called on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Continental to intervene in the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South
Africa.
He made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja during the two-day stakeholders meeting
and skill initiative workshop for youth empowerment organised by the NEPAD Continental and NEPAD Nigeria.
Lawal was represented by Amb. Roy Ugo, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs,
Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (OSGF).
He said that NEPAD Continental as seat of the continent’s development programme in South Africa should design a quick intervention programme
to end the attacks on Nigerians.
According to him, Nigeria and South Africa have several business and economic development partnership
which should not be disrupted because of some groups of selfish persons.
He said that the Federal Government would not want to take any drastic action that would negatively affect the
relationship between Nigeria and South Africa.
Besides, Lawal charged the NEPAD continental office to engage with relevant authorities in South Africa to do the needful with stringent measures put in place to punish perpetuators of
xenophobia to serve as a deterrent to others.
In a response, Mrs Esterine Fotabong, Director, NEPAD continental said that the
Government of South Africa has openly condemned the attacks on Nigerians and
fellow Africans in the country.
She said that that there would be a peaceful dialogue to resolve the misunderstanding and to continue the peaceful relationship between both
countries for a better future.
Fotabong said she would relay the message to the Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Continental so that quick
interventions would be put in place to stop the menace.
Speaking to journalists outside Rietgat Police Station following a crime intervention visit to Soshanguve near Pretoria‚ Zuma said he did not feel that
current violence‚ looting and clashes between police and protesters in Jeppestown was as a result of xenophobia.
“Yes it is a concern but crime depends on thecircumstances‚” he said.
“There was a time in Johannesburg when attacks were between hostel dwellers
and those who were staying in the townships. You couldn't say there was xenophobia‚ you couldn't say you were
xenophobic‚” he said.
Zuma said he did not agree with the narrative that South Africans are xenophobic.
“We have been staying here with foreigners for centuries. Some have come here and settled here. There are not
always attacks‚” he said.
“If you observe‚ you will realise that we do not have refugee camps in SA. Foreigners stay with us‚ they are not
separated or segregated."
Seal our borders and keep illegals out: Mashaba's challenge to Home Affairs
He said that if South Africa was “anti-foreigners”‚ they would be protected in camps.
“We stay with them‚ they open businesses‚ our people buy from them – until there is an incident that make the attacks look like they are xenophobic.”
He said the xenophobia narrative was only attached to Africans.
“When other people demonstrate they are not welcoming to foreigners‚ it is not said they are xenophobic. As you know there is an ongoing problem in Europe‚ wherein the refugees that are coming in‚ countries are saying
they don't want them‚ but no one is saying they are xenophobic.”
“It is just like when there is something wrong with Africans‚ it's corruption. If it's done not by us (sic)‚ it's collusion‚ but it's exactly the same thing.”
Zuma said more foreigners lived in South Africa that many other countries‚ and that when certain incidents under certain circumstances are reported‚ it is immediately misconstrued as xenophobia.
“We should not highlight that and give a wrong impression than South Africans are xenophobic‚” Zuma said.
Parents have a big decision to make about babies born on 29 February: What day should
you celebrate their birthday on in non-leap years?
With the date only coming around once every four years, leap year children either have to go without or choose a different day to celebrate.
Being one of only four million ‘leaplings’ in the world born on 29 February means feeling both a different and unique – and also prompts lots of questions.
In the early hours of today, there was a fire incident at BankyW's home in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos . The singer has now
revealed all that went down. In a post made via his Instagram page just now, he wrote,
So there's good news and bad news. The good news is... I'm thanking God that I'm alive to give the bad news as a testimony.
Bad news is...
I was laying awake in bed at about 6am , and I just started smelling smoke. Stood up to shut off my tv and ac and realized it was coming from
outside my door. Opened it to see the whole stairway was filled with huge gusts of black
smoke/soot, and a fire was burning stuff downstairs. The smoke was so much I couldn't
get down past it to see the source of the flames.
Rushed back into my room and climbed down from the 2nd floor balcony with my dog... and then got help from the amazing workers and neighbours who helped me put out the flames.
Turns out the ac in the living room had caught fire.. I know a lot of ppl have been trying to call and I appreciate it. Maybe the fire burnt some of the network in the house because I can't receive calls LOL 😂, but instead of calling to say sorry pls just maybe say a prayer and thank God with me.
Thank God I was awake to smell the smoke.
Thank God we caught it early enough and the damage wasn't so bad.. it basically burnt some of the stuff that was around it. So awards, portraits, and some small electronics. But thank God, Duke and I are alive and well. We only had to form
James Bond and climb down from the top floor balcony LOL 😂😁 Thank God for my neighbors and the amazing workers in and around the
compound for helping us escape via the balcony, helping put out the fire, and helping with the aftermath/cleaning.
Thank God for life. And I'm not even upset.. I'm just grateful for life and health and for the grace
and mercy of God on my life. I figure I'm about to have the best year ever so the devil tried to throw a tantrum. But not today Satan. Not today,
not ever. Now sit back and watch me be great.
By God's grace. Amen. God bless you all.
Aborted triplets was lying on the road in Niger state. The news was ascertained on Facebook by a user,
Ernest Obisike. The incident occurred in Bida, Niger State. He wrote, the gate of motherless baby home rather
than taking their lives like this.. anybody that did this...you are not a human being you are a devil in disguise....crying so
deeply right now.. Father in heaven Please give those that value humanity kids in Jesus name Amen... People are wicked seriously...breaking the hearts of those looking for the fruits of the womb.
Unknown gunmen have shot dead four vigilante boys in broad daylight at MCC Junction, Aba, Abia state. According to the reports, the vigilante group disrupted the gunmen's plan to kidnap a
wealthy businessman along Tominas, Bicoz Filling Station located along Enugu/Port Hacourt express way.
Pissed off by the foiled kidnap plans, the gunmen traced the vigilante men who were in a hilux to MCC junction where they opened fire on them.
Three members of the vigilance group died on the spot while the remaining two were taken to the hospital.
According to a facebook user, Michael Onyebuchi, one of the men who was rushed to the hospital has also lost his life. See more graphic photos
below.
Earlier today, we descry that the Big Church Group owned by ex-husband of actress Tonto Dikeh, Oladunni Churchill, has arrested the owner of instagram page @NigerianWomenDiary, Adeola
Olonilua, for sharing a defamatory post where
Churchill was accused of being a scammer before he met and started dating Tonto. Apparently, Adeola had seen the post on another Instagram
page, @Fashionshade, and reposted the message on her own IG page...
Anyways @Fashionshade has reacted to Adeola's arrest. According to her, Churchill made thevwrong arrest. She insists that he is a wife beater/
Womaniser. Read what she wrote on her page.
CHURCHIL DID NOT ARREST ME OR ANYONE AND IF HE DID ARRESTED THIS GIRL IN THE PICTURE, PLEASE NIGERIANS, THIS GIRL IS INNOCENT, I
DON'T KNOW HER EITHER. HOW CAN POLICE ARREST SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN POSTING ON HER PAGE SINCE MORNING?
ALL THIS NIGERIA COCONUT HEADS WHO MUMUCIOUSLY FOLLOW BLOGGERS AND ALLOW THEM TO LIVE IN THEIR HEADS WITHOUT HOUSE RENT AS THEY KEEP BRAINWASHING THEM! I
TRAVEL A LOT CURRENTLY IN ASIA PART OF THE
WORLD AND YOU ALL ARE THERE TWERKING ON
BLOGGERS PAGE. I APOLOGIZE
TO @TONTOLET BUT FOR CHURCHIL THE WIFE BEATER AND WOMANIZER? NO APOLOGY FOR HIM FROM ME! YEYE PEOPLE COME AND LICK MY*JOOR".
Nigerian man identified as Oguadinma Somto, pictured above, died on the plane while returning to Malaysia some days ago. According to his
friend/Facebook user, Princess Bonita Bolingo, Somto left Nigeria healthy but suddenly died on the plane he boarded back to Malaysia where he
resides.
Residents of a community in Oyo State have tied a local charm “juju” on their electric pole to scare off officials of Ibadan Electricity Distribution
Company from disconnecting their electricity cable.
This could be due to their inability to pay the estimated bills they get from officials of the electricity distribution companies.
The angry residents tied the local ‘Juju’ to a pole to deter the officials of the company from climbing the pole and disconnecting them.
Reacting to the development on the official twitter handle, @IBEDC_NG, where they also posted the image, the IBEDC believes residents were only
doing that to avoid paying their electricity bills.
IBEDC wrote, “Some Nigerians will do anything to avoid paying bills. As seen in Oyo state.
"When I found out at 14 that I was HIV-positive, I didn't think I would live to see 18, I am turning 22 this year." Since Saidy Brown tweeted
those words on Friday, thousands of people have re-shared her hopeful
message, with many praising her courage for speaking publicly about her
own experience with the virus.
Activist Saidy, who describes herself as an HIVictor
in her Twitter bio, has been speaking to the BBC about the
extraordinary reaction to her post, why it took so long for her to be
diagnosed and the challenges of dating for someone who is HIV-positive.
Deciding to tweet
"I've
always disclosed my status. I started disclosing it when I was 18. I
usually use Facebook to talk to people about HIV and Aids," she says.
"But
I've been having this urgent feeling to post it on Twitter, so it
wouldn't be just limited to my Facebook friends. I needed the world to
get into conversations about this virus."
Getting a conversation going
"The response has been very great. I've had people who've come to me and told me their own stories. And I like that.
"I
like sparking conversations about HIV. I don't believe in treating it
like it's an unspoken subject. I want us to talk about it, because once
we talk about it more, then we can de-stigmatise it.
"There are people who are naysayers, but I don't even reply. I just leave them.
"When I was younger, I was so scared of how people would perceive me. "But now I've grown and people's opinions really don't phase
me. I think emotionally I've become stronger. When I get these comments
and everything, they don't really break me."
Living with HIV
"I
have not necessarily been discriminated against. I can say that I was
discriminating against my own self, from around 14 until I was 18,
because I didn't want to talk about it. Only my family knew; no-one
else. Once I reached 18 I decided to start disclosing. It's been better
and wiser.
"Where I come from [Itsoseng, a small town in South
Africa's North West Province], I'm the first person to ever come forward
and talk openly this way about my status.
"But the response and
the support is there because whether it's me or someone else, the
reality is that people are living with HIV, whether we talk about it or
not."
Finding out
"When I was 14, I went to a
youth day event to represent my school. At the event there were people
who do HIV tests, counselling and everything else.
"When we got there, they asked us if we would like to test. I was one of the people who got tested. That's how I found out.
"I
was shocked, I was in denial, I couldn't believe it. I was only 14 at
the time so I was like: 'How? I'm only 14... I haven't done anything.
How?'
"But when I got home and told my aunt and she was the one
who told me that no, I'd actually been born with it. My parents had died
from Aids-related diseases, which I had never known.
"My mum passed away when I was 10, my dad when I was nine."
Love life
"I'm in a relationship currently. It's very amazing because usually I disclose right at the beginning of the relationship.
"So once the person decides that they want to stay with me then it's all good, but if they decide to leave, it's still fine.
"I
won't hate them because people still have their own issues regarding
HIV. I don't really blame the person who says: 'No I can't stay with you
because you're HIV-positive'.
I've had someone say that to me in
the past. It hurt a lot. But after a while they came back and
apologised. We're on speaking terms now, it's fine. I've forgiven them."
Staying healthy
"I'm
really not a person who is more conscious about what I eat, but I make
sure that I take my pills at the right time every night. I don't skip
them.
Starting a family
Saidy says she also hopes to have a family one day and has been reading into preventative treatments to avoid the transmission of HIV to her partner or baby.
"I'm the daughter of mother-to-child transmission so I wouldn't want to put my kids through it," she says.
Usain
Bolt may have lost one of his Olympic gold medals after compatriot
Nesta Carter tested positive for a banned substance -- but the Jamaican
says he has "no hard feelings" towards his sprint relay teammate.
Carter, 31, has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision to strip him and the Jamaican team of their 2008 Olympic 4x100 meter relay gold and is awaiting a hearing.
But, as it stands, Bolt can no longer claim to have completed the 'triple triple' of nine successive Olympic gold sprint medals.
Olympic
great Bolt, an athlete who once said returning one of his gold medals
would be "heartbreaking," is philosophical about the matter.
Admitting
he has yet to speak to Carter, the 30-year-old Bolt -- the 100m and
200m world record holder -- said: "It's just one of those things
that happens in life.
"Until
I see him I can't really say he did it on purpose or it was a mistake
or I should be angry. Until I actually sit down and look at him
face-to-face and talk to him, (I) don't know how I'm going to react."
A float in Rio de Janeiro's Carnival parade partially collapsed with dancers on board, injuring several people early Tuesday.
Rio
de Janeiro's Municipal Health Secretariat said at least 11 were
injured. Nine people were transported to hospitals, Brazilian media
reported.
Firefighters assist after a collapse on a float during Rio's Carnival at the Sambadrome on February 28, 2017.
The
two-tier float was part of the lineup of the Unidos de Tijuca samba
school's parade. This year's theme was inspired by American jazz
culture.
This is the second
accident registered during Rio de Janeiro's two-day carnival parade. On
Sunday, at least 20 people were injured when a float from another samba
school crashed into a fence.
A pastor's sermon on Sunday
has become the subject of a heated debate on Twitter after a church
member shared one of the topics raised by the pastor in his Sunday preaching.
In his sermon, the pastor told all married women who wanted to have a
happy home that the key to that is to submit their salaries to their
husbands monthly. If she needs money for anything, she is to go to the
husband and plead for money to meet her needs, but he has to be the one
in charge of the money.He was, however, quick to secure his interest by
reminding the women to remove their tithe first before submitting the
rest of the salary to her husband, you know, just in case the man will
refuse to give her money out of her salary to pay the tithe.
What's surprising is that a few Twitter users agree with him, most of them male users. One replied, saying,
"If you can't entrust (him) with a salary, how can you trust him with leading you thru life, trust him to father your children."
The same user went on to suggest that women who wouldn't hand over their salaries to their husbands should get divorced.
In the early hours of today, there was a fire incident at singer, BankyW's home in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. an eyewitness at the scene revealed that the fire was caused by a air conditioner and Banky was at home when it happened. The Fire service that was contacted didn't arrive but those at the scene were luckily able to put off the fire on time.
Contrary to reports on social media, the house wasn't destroyed by fire. However, two of his awards plaques and other items were affected by the incident..
According to Sports Illustrated, former baseball legend and accused
murderer OJ Simpson will likely be
released from prison this summer – on parole. On December 5, 2008,
Simpson was sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison, with the
possibility of parole after about nine years, in 2017 for armed robbery
and kidnapping. Below is what they SI wrote;
The decision to grant parole is, by definition,
discretionary. But it is a decision that Thomas Patton, a former
chairman of the parole board in Nevada, stresses is conducted through a
“very comprehensive review,” weighing 11 largely objective factors.
Between -1 and +2 points are allocated for each criterion. Inmates
exceeding five points are classified as a “medium” or “high” risk and
are unlikely to be granted parole. Score fewer than five points, and
odds swing the other way. In 2013, Simpson scored three points, falling
into the “low risk” category. He seems likely to do well again in 2017.
Here are the 11 factors SI.com says will be considered, as well as Simpson’s score in each:
Age at the time of first arrest (0 points)
Prior probation or parole revocation (0 points)
Employment history immediately before arrest (0 points)
Offense leading to current or prior convictions (2 points)
History of drug or alcohol abuse (0 points or 1 point)
Gender (1 point)
Current age (-1 point)
Active gang membership (0 points)
Completed education, vocational or treatment program during prison term (-1 point or 0 points)
Disciplinary write-ups (-1 point)
Custody level (0 points)
Simpson’s final tally on this analysis comes to between 0 and 2
points, making him a low risk and a good candidate for parole. SI quotes
Las Vegas criminal defense attorney Daniel Hill as saying, “He’s the
kind of person who gets paroled. He has done a significant amount of
time and, by all accounts, hasn’t caused any problems [while in
prison].”
Nigerian pop star, Runtown will be live New York City to headline a 'Mad
Over You' concert on Saturday March 18, 2017 at Amazura Concert Hall,
91-12 144th Place Queens Ny 11435.
The Eric Many frontline act will be performing hit songs Mad Over You,
The Banger, Walahi, Lagos to Kampala and many more...
He'll be supported on stage by Ghanaian rapper, Sarkodie and Nigerian singer, JDC.
A pregnant woman lost her life after her car, a Camry FKJ 181 EG
somersaulted, killing her immediately at Obadore, Lagos. She was on her
way to refill her gas cylinder when the accident happened. Continue to
see more photos from the scene of the incident after the cut.
"When I found out at 14 that I was HIV-positive, I didn't think I would live to see 18, I am turning 22 this year." Since Saidy Brown 
