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Transfers: Liverpool to tackle Bayern Munich for Super Eagles star
Wilfred Ndidi has been heavily linked with a move back to the Premier League this summer following Leicester City’s relegation from the competition last campaign
Liverpool are considering a move for Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi before the transfer window closes, Soccernet.ng reports
The 26-year-old has been reported to be seeking a move from the King Power Stadium following the club’s relegation from the Premier League last season.
Despite reports consistently linking him with a move from Leicester City, Ndidi has featured in all their first few matches played so far this campaign.
The Nigerian International has entered the final year of his contract with Leicester, and talks about extending his six-year stay have not been raised yet.
In the latest update, Ndidi could be making the return to the Premier League in the final few days of the transfer window.
Liverpool are ready to lock horns with Bayern Munich as they consider making the Nigerian International their fourth midfield signing of the summer after learning of Leicester City’s willingness to cash in on the midfielder this summer, as reported by TeamTalk
Ndidi is judged as a cheaper alternative to some of the other midfielders the Merseyside club might be targeting. They have brought in Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo this summer, but Endo is the only natural defensive-minded option and is part of the reason they have identified Ndidi as a target.
It has also been suggested that Liverpool are looking for a more established replacement for Fabinho who left the club to move to Saudi Arabia this window, but it has been hard for them to find the right option.
With that in mind, Ndidi who is versatile in playing in the midfield or at center-back, and with more than 200 Premier League appearances before Leicester’s relegation at the end of last season might be a sensible target for them to pursue.
Leicester City have already brought in Harry Winks from Tottenham and Cesare Casadei on loan from Chelsea to bolster their midfield for their Championship campaign.
They have also supervised the departure of Harvey Barnes and James Maddison to Newcastle United and Tottenham respectively, and they could now allow Ndidi to leave as well before the transfer window closes on Friday, September 1st.
Credit to: Soccernet.ng
NNPP’s Suspension Of Presidential Candidate, Kwankwaso Is Nollywood Joke – Buba Galadima
Afounding member and a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Alhaji Buba Galadima, has described the purported suspension of the party’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso as a “Nollywood and Hollywood joke”.
Galadima who said this to ChannelsTV during a programme noted that NNPP was not suffering from any internal crisis as projected to the public.
He added that Kwankwaso did not commit any anti-party activities and was not in any time suspended by the party.
Recall that a faction within the party suspended Kwankwaso, the party’s presidential candidate for the February 25, 2023, election, alleging “material evidence” in public that the former Kano state governor was involved in “anti-party activities in various meetings” on Tuesday.
The faction further alleged that Kwankwaso had political meetings with President Bola Tinubu, then candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) competitor, Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi without the party’s permission.
Galadima, on the other hand, has dismissed the allegations.
“When I saw it on social media, I thought it was like a Nollywood or Hollywood joke,” Galadima said in reference to Kwankwaso’s suspension on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night.
He claimed that the leaders of the said group had been expelled from the NNPP.
“Now let me make a small correction, those that were expelled were Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam and Gabriel Agbor Major,” he maintained.
“All of them who were expelled were called to a disciplinary committee. They were drilled and they accepted their sins and it was on the basis of their acceptance that they were recommended to the Nation Working Committee for expulsion.”
Galadima also accused political opponents of orchestrating internal squabbles within the party, but emphasised that the NNPP remains strong.
“A lot of people are interested in this party in the sense that the other parties felt that they could only survive if they destroy this party.
“But unknown to them we are as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar,” he said.
He continued: “As a politician, we can meet with anybody.
“He took permission from us,” the party chieftain argued. “Whatever the case, Kwankwaso had permission from the party to meet with President Tinubu and talk to any other political group. So, he didn’t do this on his own.”
Credit to: saharareporters.com
TODAY IN HISTORY
30 Aug 1983 Historic spaceflight by Guion S. Bluford, Jr.
U.S. astronaut Guion S. Bluford, Jr., became on this day in 1983 the first African American to travel into space, serving as a mission specialist aboard the shuttle orbiter Challenger, and later flew on three other missions.
Burna Boy is biggest ‘fraud’, most uninspiring artiste, says Lerin Nicodemus
Media personality, Lerin Nicodemus, has labelled Grammy-winning singer, Burna Boy as the biggest fraud and the most uninspiring artiste following his controversial statement about Afrobeats.
Nicodemus accused Burna of both tarnishing and trying to undermine the very foundation that propelled him to international fame.
She argued the ‘Love Damini’ singer has over time tried to infuse the style of the legendary Fela Anikulakpo Kuti who is well-known for pan-Africanism, into his craft.
However, she argued that, unlike Fela, Burna tends to avoid addressing the challenges affecting his fellow countrymen and the continent, opting instead to criticize his own people whenever he chooses to voice his opinions.
She said: “I said Burna Boy is the biggest fraud and most uninspiring artiste in Nigeria and this is why. She follows up with an excerpt of Burna Boy’s controversial interview where he noted: “Afobeats as most people call it is mostly about nothing, literally nothing. There’s no substance to it. Like nobody is talking about anything. It’s just a great time.”
“Like how do you shit on a movement that has taken years to build by our pioneers? Tons of people worked really hard to make sure that Afrobeats got the global recognition and respect it has now which he has greatly benefitted from by the way. And now it’s his turn to push it even further. And here he is tearing it down. If that’s not witchcraft, I don’t know what is.
Comparing Burna to his colleagues, she added: “Other artists like Wizkid and David try to shine a light on upcoming artistes at every given opportunity whether it’s putting them on an album or inviting them on global stages.
“But that can never be Burna Boy. He would rather just shit on people because that’s what he’s good at and it’s so uninspiring.”
Concerns continue to mount over expired foodstuffs in town
Concerns have been raised by citizens amid the circulation of expired drinks that were believed to be imported into the country without notice.
Reports have been making round on social media that some expired soft drinks were served at a local ceremony on Saturday, fueling suspicion that some extra expired food stuffs and drinks could be on sale in the corner shops and supermarkets. This has raised debate in the public domain with some questioning the pro-activeness of the Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA).
The FSQA came to being by an Act of Parliament in 2011 but started its operations in 2013 in the area of food and feed. Since then, the Authority has only 36 inspectors
Recently, hundreds of bags of expired rice were intercepted at the border post, expired chickens were disposed and unhealthy production of oil was also detected. Many expired foods were found at the country’s biggest market, Serrekunda.
The data obtained from FSQA indicated that from last year to date, five business entities were fined, 17 closed, eight prosecuted and five mega disposals were carried out.
The Point has engaged a concerned citizen and a resident of Bundung, Babou Jobe, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of food items imported into the country. He said expired foods are mostly circulated by wheelbarrow vendors, saying enforcement should be done to save the lives of the people.
“A huge number of our population cannot read or write. Therefore, they can buy expired foods without knowing. So these people are at risk of consuming those products. It is the duty of the regulatory body to promise an environment free from expired foods,” he stated.
Aji Astou Njie, also expressed her fear of buying certain products, arguing that many products are imported into the country without knowing their origin or being checked by Food Safety.
She said: “I cannot dwell more on the matter but I know something has to be done if we are really serious as a nation to save our people from health complications.”
Marabi Amfaal Hydara, FSQA’s communications officer, told this medium that in order to make so that the food that enters the country is safe, his institution deploys inspectors across all the borders including the airport. He added that this is to ensure all foods and feeds coming into the country are inspected.
He said: “We have a scientific department to ensure that anything people complaint is checked before making any conclusion. We also have the food control department that normally goes out every day to inspect. We have the regulatory department that is more of enforcement in case of someone violating the act.”
Dwelling on how inspectors determine consumable food, he explained that they have a checklist that usually guides them and checks if the food is fit for human and animal consumption.
Giving his reaction to the expired foods circulating on social media, he reiterated that when their inspectors get to the field, they don’t see such foods people complain about.
“We cannot do anything about things we cannot see. We normally reach out anytime we see something on social media. There is a junction named Expired Junction at Serrekunda, but the things they sell are actually not expired, it is mostly six months before the expiry date,” he said.
He emphasised that their inspectors are trying to trace the origin of the alleged expired drinks, while noting that finding the sole proprietor is the problem. He added that they don’t make decisions without finding the actual person responsible.
Molamin Jammeh, a public health officer, shared his thoughts with this medium, while reiterating that public health is the art and science of preventing disease promoting health and prolonging life through organised effort.
He explained that consuming expired food affects health, saying public health officers are driving to make sure people do not fall sick by preventing diseases from occurring. He said if someone falls sick from consuming expired foods, it has undermined the goal of public health.
“Expired foods in the market threaten public health. We should ensure that the food that is imported is safe and of quality and that we will be able to prevent the population from any safety issues. The consequences of consuming expired food products depend on the composition. Some expired food pose significant health threat which include food poisoning, diarrhoea, stomachic and muscle ache,”
He said some of the chemicals used to preserve the food may be toxic to humans when consumed after the expiry date.
Credit to: thepoint.gm
“Congrats, bro” – Everton’s Iwobi, Forest’s Awoniyi, others react as Super Eagles star announces engagement
Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka has taken to Instagram to announce his engagement to Mmesoma Akaolisa, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 25-year-old, who currently plies his trade in the Premier League with Brentford, shared the joyful news with a heartfelt post on Sunday evening.
In the Instagram post, Onyeka posted a photograph of himself and Akaolisa, both beaming with happiness, as he declared their intention to embark on a lifelong journey together.
He captioned the post with affectionate words, saying, “A lifetime of us my best friend, my meso. #cheerstoforever.”
A second snapshot accompanying the announcement revealed Akaolisa flaunting her engagement ring, solidifying the joyous occasion.
Onyeka’s Super Eagles compatriots swiftly flocked to the comment section to extend their heartfelt congratulations.
Nottingham Forest star Taiwo Awoniyi, who recently welcomed a child, celebrated Onyeka’s news, exclaiming, “Let’s go my guy.”
Kenneth Omeruo chimed in with, “Eweeeeee congratulations bro,” while Calvin Bassey, who recently joined Fulham, offered his best wishes, saying, “Congrats my guy.”
Southampton’s Joe Aribo and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman added their voices with “Congratulations bro” and “Congrats bro,” respectively.
Terem Moffi joined the chorus, jubilantly exclaiming, “Congratulations my guyyyyyy,” while Chidozie Awaziem playfully wrote, “Tank Nwanne,” and Paul Onuachu kept it simple with “Frankie Congratulations.”
William Troost Ekong also chimed in with a congratulatory message, stating, “Congrats bro.” Even Onyeka’s Brentford teammate Ivan Toney expressed his excitement, affectionately referring to him as ‘Snr man. ❤️ Myyy boyyy.”
A brief overview of Onyeka’s football journey reveals that he began as a young trainee at FC Ebedei before making a move to join Midtjylland’s youth team in January 2016.
His talent led to the signing of a professional contract with Midtjylland the following year. In 2021, the 25-year-old made a significant move to Brentford, sealing a club-record €10 million transfer.
Since joining Brentford, Onyeka has made a notable impact, featuring in 48 matches for the English side, with 42 of those appearances in the Premier League.
The latest of his appearances in the EPL came at the weekend when he was called to action for the last 18 minutes of Brentford’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
~ Thomas A. Edison
Obaseki-Shaibu feud gets messier as governor sacks deputy’s media aides
The feud between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, appears to have gotten messier with the governor sacking all the deputy governor’s media aides.
In the beginning
Mr Shaibu had, earlier on Monday, staged a walk-out during a colloquium in the state after his media aides and security details were denied entry.
The colloquium was organised by the state government to mark the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum at Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub and Soundstage in the state.
A video clip posted by Arise TV showed how Mr Shaibu’s aides were blocked from entering the venue.
In the clip, Mr Shaibu was seen walking into the venue in the company of the aides when they were stopped at an entrance by officials of the Edo State Government, who insisted that only the deputy would be allowed entry.
“They must go with me,” Mr Shaibu was heard telling the officials.
The event was ongoing at the time of the brawl at the entrance.
“Just hold on, let me get instruction,” one of the officials was heard telling the deputy governor.
The official was seen beckoning an unidentified chief security officer, before being filmed trying to make a phone call.
Apparently angered by the delay to allow them entry, Mr Shaibu led his aides to stage the walkout.
‘Forced entry’
In a statement on Monday, Chris Nehikhare, the commissioner for information in Edo State said the state government has “disbanded” the media crew of the deputy governor apparently because of the walk-out.
Mr Nehikhare said the government has directed that Mr Shaibu should henceforth request the Ministry of Communication and Orientation for media coverage of activities of his office.
The commissioner claimed that the deputy governor’s media crew attempted “to force their way into” the event venue where Governor Obaseki and other invited dignitaries were already seated.
“This act was contrary to the accreditation protocol that had been established for media coverage of the event,” he said.
He said the “orchestrated and stage-managed walkout and disruption” was “highly regrettable.”
Background
There has been a face-off between Messrs Obaseki and Shaibu after the deputy governor asked a court to stop an alleged plot by the governor to remove him from office.
Mr Obaseki has since denied the allegation and, subsequently accused Mr Shaibu of manipulating the youth council election in Edo State because of his (Shaibu’s) interest to contest for the 2024 governorship election in the state.
The governor and his deputy had been political allies for several years.
In their days in the All Progressives Congress (APC), during the intense political fights between Mr Obaseki and his erstwhile benefactor, Adams Oshiomhole, Mr Shaibu stood solidly behind Governor Obaseki.
Mr Oshiomhole, who was the APC national chairman then, blocked Mr Obaseki from getting the APC governorship ticket for his reelection bid, forcing him to move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Shaibu moved with the governor to the PDP, and both of them got a joint ticket and defeated the APC governorship candidate, Ize-Iyamu Osagie, to win the election.
But following the worsening feud between them, Governor Obaseki, earlier this month, toldMr Shaibu, that the “emilokan spirit” was unacceptable in the state’s politics and would not work in the 2024 governorship election in the state.
Emilokan, a Yoruba word that means “it is my turn,” was made popularby President Bola Tinubu during his campaign for the 2023 election.
The ideology behind the expression as used then by Mr Tinubu was that he had worked for President Muhammadu Buhari to become the first opposition leader to be elected Nigerian president, and therefore it was his (Tinubu’s) turn to be president after Mr Buhari.
By bringing up the emilokan, Governor Obaseki was apparently telling Mr Shaibu not to feel that he is entitled to succeed him because he (Shaibu) had worked and supported him (Obaseki) during his political battles.
Credit to: premiumtimesng.com
TODAY IN HISTORY
1988 Abdul Mohmand becomes the first person from Afghanistan to Visit Space
Mohmand, an Afghan Air Force pilot was a crew member of the Soyuz TM-6, a Soviet spacecraft. He was in space for 9 days, which were spent at the Mir Space Station.
D5 Creation