A very good and reliable fan of Chelsea and Drogba have requested for your opinions on how you want their hero’s wedding to be celebrated.
The colour even though he is no longer in Chelsea and the event proper.
The best suggestion gets a reward.
Tell some that you know love this man to please make his suggestions.
Today is our blog’s sixth birthday. Over the past six years we have touched on hundreds of tips, tricks and lessons that have the potential to improve your life. So to celebrate this milestone, we’re going to take a stroll down memory lane and review some of the best tips from our previous articles. Together, we believe the 30 tips below are the cornerstone of practical self improvement advice. Each tip links back to its original corresponding article, so you can read more at your leisure. Enjoy…
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The answer is Georgette. The 29-year history of the country’s most successful Cameroonian ace gólvágója: 101 times since 1996, has emblazoned career home land, and a total of 52 goals scored. Odd unbroken career spans up – has been leading the football club is concerned, since the African country with the national team has not yet been able to achieve outstanding success in the World Championships. Eto’o this is probably the most famous African footballers have played for Real Madrid (because that perhaps few people know, but the Leganes after the first round confirmed when you came over to Europe), in Mallorca, Espanyol and Barcelona, and the Italian Inter, three Spanish and a single Italian champion, twice won the Royal Spanish Cup and once in the Italian Cup, Champions League, winning three times and still only 29 years old.
But in addition to talent, and we wonder who is behind the success? The answer is still – as in most cases – a woman, namely, Georgette. The Ivorian-born woman has a child he knew by Samuel, with whom he soon warmed up. A couple of friends that really came together in Europe, but Georgette has not followed the great love of traveling everywhere, he is more of France, specifically Paris has opted, presumably in the fashion and luxury, the mother of no.
A couple of the 2007th On July 6, also married in Paris, close family and friends. Eto’o is not called by his fellow players in the ceremony, saying the private life, private life. The young husband and her lover after they went past a little strange life, that is, the football star went back to “work”, while his wife remained in the French capital. Eto’o The couple has three children were born, but it did not change anything: Georgette is still tiny and live in Paris, and if you can, visit the family’s father in Milan. Who knows, maybe the separation of the key to success? We do not know. In any case, Georgette in private life has reached what many coaches on the sidelines could not: tamed the lion szelídíthetetlennek believed.
Let’s party! Chelsea stars hit the town after epic Champions League victory
Chelsea’s comeback kings celebrated their Champions League triumph with a late-night party in London.
Stars such as Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba hit the town after their 4-1 extra-time win over Napoli booked their place in Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals.
The Blues heroes headed to Aura nightclub in Mayfair to mark what could be a turning point in their rollercoaster season.
Part-owned by QPR chief Tony Fernandes, the exclusive club is described as ‘a haven of rich heritage and grandeur’.
Continue reading Who was missing at Chelsea party last night after a champions league win? Find out
Espanyol routed Rayo Vallecano 5-1 thanks to Kalu Uche’s hat-trick for its first win in six games in the Spanish league on Sunday.
The Nigerian striker headed in the fourth-minute opener at Cornella-El Prat stadium as Espanyol sought to rebound from last week’s 5-0 defeat at Real Madrid.
Kalu Uche
Coutinho then scored his first goals since arriving at Espanyol on loan from Inter Milan. The 19-year-old Brazilian tapped in a cross from Sergio Garcia in the 10th and slalomed through two defenders to add another in the 23rd.
Uche netted with a superb chip shot from the edge of the area to make it 4-0 before halftime.
Former Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo pulled one back for Rayo in the 54th, but Uche capped his treble off a pass from Garcia in the 68th.
Also, Atletico Madrid beat Granada 2-0 with goals by Miranda and Radamel Falcao to break a five-week winless streak.
Barcelona visits out-of-form Racing Santander later, while Valencia hosts Mallorca and Athletic Bilbao is at Osasuna.
On Saturday, runaway leader Real Madrid beat Real Betis 3-2 for a club record 10th straight away win. Also, it was: Real Sociedad 3, Zaragoza 0; Malaga 1, Levante 0; and Sporting Gijon 1, Sevilla 0.
When it was clear that Osaze Odewengie was not getting it right in the Nations Cup qualifier last Wednesday he was substituted and Victor Moses came in and showed that he was a star in the making for Nigeria. He controlled the ball well and had precision in his attack.
When Keshi stood and stretched his hand to pat Osaze on the back as he was leaving the pitch Osaze ignored Keshi and quickly reached for a bottle of water.
He appeared unhappy that he was being substituted. But Keshi did not look at his face. His eyes were focused on the field and he probably did not see Osaze’s action. But those who watched closely saw what happened.
Osaze wasn’t happy that he was substituted and walked straight to the bench, reaching out for a bottle of water instead of shaking his coach Stephen Keshi. He could have taken the water and still responded to Keshi’s pleasantry. He did not. His countenance pictured his mind.
“I did not even take notice of what he did as I had my eyes on the pitch at the same time,” Keshi said when this reporter asked him about it.
Richard who saw it all was outraged.
“Was Osaze sad that he was changed,” Richard, rhetorically, asked again?
“I told you that the match would be a David and Goliath affair and your stars from Europe almost made it so. Our fans expected a lot from them but they were no where in this match. These big names have been failing your country and today wasn’t different.”
Richard, like their coach Militi, has been monitoring Nigeria’s football and knew why Nigeria did not qualify for the last Nations Cup.
Keshi, Daniel Amokachi, Sylvanus Okpala, Valere and Shorunmu all agreed that Nigeria could have won the match if they fielded the team that beat Liberia two weeks ago. They have concluded to field more of the local players in subsequent matches especially during the qualifiers for Nations Cup and World Cup.
They have been building a new national team and want to build confidence into the local Eagles. Four played in Kigali and excelled more than the Europe-based players.
NATIONAL Sport Commission (NSC) hopes a March trip to see FIFA boss Sepp Blatter will address the crisis in the country’s Football Federation.
In January, a federal high court in Abuja dissolved the football federation (NFF) and Premier League (NPL).
The court declared that only the Nigeria Football League (NFL) and the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) have the legal authority to operate.
The NFA became the NFF in 2009, but failed to register the change properly. This is why the Nigerian law is refusing to recognise the NFF as the national body governing the country’s football.
Nigeria’s Sports Commission – which is in effect its sports ministry – has now stepped in to set up a meeting with FIFA.
“I can confirm that the Sports Commission plan to meet with the FIFA president on 15 March in Zurich to discuss this situation,” Tony Ohaeri, spokesman for the sports commission, told BBC Sport on Monday.
“There is a need to meet with FIFA to explain the situation concerning the Nigeria Football Association and the Nigeria Football Federation. The NSC representatives will travel to Switzerland for this important meeting, and hopefully there will be a solution to the path to follow.”
Days after the initial ruling by the federal high court in Abuka, the NFF filed an appeal as well as a motion for a stay of execution of the judgement pending appeal.
On Monday, the court adjourned the hearing on the stay of execution until April 19.
According to Akin Olujimi, counsel to the NFF, the body will continue to operate on the basis that they followed due process in filing the appeal.
“We will argue the case on April 19, but what the law says is that my clients can go about their jobs,” he explained.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are trying to revive their flagging fortunes after their failure to qualify for this month’s African Cup of Nations.
But court cases, infighting and government interference in the administration of the NFF have overshadowed plans to revitalize football in the country.
FIFA had initially imposed a ban for what it called “government interference” in the running of Nigerian football in the wake of the national side’s early exit from the World Cup.
But it lifted the ban provisionally after some steps were taken, notably allowing the country to play a 2012 Nations Cup qualifier in Guinea.
FIFA rules prohibit any government intervention with its members.
Nigeria are currently ranked 56th by FIFA – their worst rating by the world governing body in 12 years.
SUPER EAGLES’ Head Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, has dispelled news making the rounds that he has any axe to grind with Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi, hence his non-inclusion in the team that will battle Rwanda next week Wednesday.
Team’s Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, quotes Keshi as saying: “this camp is a national team’s camp of love and not of hate, how can a father like me quarrel with a son like Mikel. The young man is full of talent and is a player who has several years left in him, but he was just coming back from an injury lay-off and we thought it wise to leave him to settle down before we call on him again to come and fight for his fatherland”.
Keshi pleaded with the media, whom he said are partners in progress to always cross-check facts before going on air or publishing them with the appropriate quarters.
Another issue that Keshi also took time off to clear was the alleged injury to returnee midfielder, Sanni Kaita. Keshi said Kaita is not injured and has been playing regularly for his club, urging those in doubt to call on his Russian club to find out details. “We have taken time to select the best for the national team and we find Kaita to be one of them, those who say he’s injured should call his club to find out the truth, from our end we have a fully fit Kaita ready to represent his fatherland”.
Similarly, Keshi has said he would pick 11 home based players to join the 11 foreign based players earlier announced last week for the trip to Kigali Rwanda for the Nations Cup qualifier.
As at Tuesday afternoon, 21 players were in camp, following the arrival of Kwara United’s Barnabas Imenger and Akwa United Solomon Jabason to boost the 19 players who have been sweating it out for shirts for the battle of Kigali .
HAVING been out of action for Inter Milan in the last two Italian Serie A matches, Nigeria’s midfielder Joel Obi may have the feel of the UEFA Champions League as the Nerazzuri clash with Marseille at Stade Velodrome tonight.
Obi was benched in Inter’s 1-0 defeat by Novara last weekend and relegation-threatened Bologna’s 3-0 upset in Milan last Friday. He has, however, been listed to contest for shirt in an all important match against Marseille.
Inter has looked miserably bad in recent weeks. Having won nine games out of 10 either side of Christmas to reinvigorate their bid for a Champions League place, Claudio Ranieri’s side have hit the skids in recent weeks and have not won in six games in all competitions.
In Serie A, Inter have taken one point from a possible 15 matches- sliding to seventh place on the league – and after a 4-0 mauling at Roma, their last two games saw them lose at home.
One of the few bright spots for Inter has been the revived form of Diego Milito, 2010 UEFA attacker and footballer of the year. Milito was rested for the match against Bologna, but the Argentine has scored eight of Inter Milan’s last 12 goals in Serie A.
Benitez tipped to replace Villas-Boas
CHELSEA midfielder John Obi Mikel admits it would be a ‘disaster’ if the Blues failed to attain a top-four in the Premier League table.
The west London side currently lie fifth in the Premier League, 17 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Their spot in next year’s tournament is being threatened by their poor domestic performances, and the Blues have won just once in their last five games.
The Nigeria international insisted the Blues must finish in the top four to ease the pressure on the club and, then they can look to establish a fresh title bid next season.
“We must finish in the top four, anything less than that is disaster. That will ease the pressure off us to look forward to a better season where we can think of winning the title,” Mikel said.
However, former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez could make a shock return to the Premier League as Chelsea’s caretaker boss if they dump Andre Villas-Boas.
It is claimed the man who orchestrated that incredible Champions League final comeback in 2005 is high on the list of possible replacements for the Portuguese should the Blues exit a competition which has become an obsession for Roman Abramovich.
Atletico Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa is also on Chelsea’s hit list. The ex-Argentina boss is regarded as an innovator, is vastly experienced and has a strong reputation within the game.
Benitez has been out of work since being forced out of Inter Milan in 2010 after a misfiring attempt to replace former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at the San Siro.
But he has the advantage of having got the best from misfiring Stamford Bridge striker Fernando Torres during the final years of his Anfield reign.
Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani again dampened English hopes by leading Napoli to a 3-1 win over Chelsea in an entertaining first leg of their Champions League last-16 matchup.
Cavani, who struck a brace against Manchester City to eliminate the Premier League leaders in the group stage, was again in inspirational form as he gave Napoli the lead at half-time, before setting up Lavezzi’s second in the 65th minute.
Lavezzi had earlier scored with a curling shot to equalise after Juan Mata gave Chelsea a surprise lead following a mistake by Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro.
Chelsea were without captain John Terry, and the club announced before kick-off that the defender needs knee surgery and will be out for up to six weeks. Terry’s absence told as Napoli breached the Chelsea defence time and again.
It is Chelsea’s fifth match without a win and means there is likely to be no English team in the quarter-finals after Arsenal lost 4-0 at AC Milan last week.
Napoli got off to a bright start and could have taken an early lead but Lavezzi miscontrolled a good through ball from Gokhan Inler and Petr Cech gathered the danger.
As Napoli pressed, a mistake allowed Florent Malouda to rob the ball and race towards goal, but Cannavaro made a perfectly timed tackle just as the Chelsea striker was about to shoot.
The home side almost went in front in the ninth minute when Marek Hamsik picked out a completely unmarked Cavani on the left of the area. Cavani has scored three goals in his last two Serie A games to take his tally to 15, but the Uruguayan was denied by a great leg save from Cech.
Napoli were looking more and more dangerous and seemed certain to take the lead but Chelsea gave an early warning they were not to be ignored when a long throw from Cech to Malouda caught the Napoli defence napping and goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis did well to clear.
one-way traffic
However, it was mainly one-way traffic and Christian Maggio saw a fierce cross-goal shot kept out by another impressive Cech dive.
Chelsea stunned the Stadio San Paolo crowd in the 27th minute when Cannavaro gifted the visitors the lead by diverting a cross straight into Mata’s path, and the Spaniard calmly slotted the ball into the left corner.
Napoli drew level in the 38th when Lavezzi collected the ball on the edge of the area before curling it into the bottom right corner past Cech’s outstretched hand.
Cavani put Napoli in front on the stroke of half-time, bundling home Inler’s cross from almost on the goal line for his fifth goal in seven Champions League appearances this season.
Napoli should have extended their advantage when the ever-dangerous Cavani raced down the right flank before releasing Walter Gargano for what looked to be a certain third goal but, one on one with the goalkeeper, he fired narrowly wide of the right upright.
Former Nigeria U-23 midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo has moved to Norway, where he signed a three-year deal with the country’s top division club, Molde FK.
A statement on the club website said, Ekpo, who signed as a free agent after playing for Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, would remain with the club till the end of 2014 season.
“Molde welcome Ekpo to the club and we wish him good luck,” the statement said.
After his exploit in the age-grade football, Ekpo had his Super Eagles debut against Argentina in a friendly match, which Nigeria lost 3-0. He was on for 20 minutes of the game.
The former Akwa United and Enyimba player moved to the MLS on April 15, 2008 to sign for Columbus Crew. After scoring his first goal for the club against Colorado Rapids two months after his arrival, he helped the team win the 2008 MLS Cup. He had over 80 caps for the club in his stay over three seasons.
In joining the Norwegian club, Ekpo is teaming up with another Nigerian player, Daniel Chukwu, and former Manchester United midfielder, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is the manager.
Solskjaer had 42 caps and 31 goals for the club between 1994 and 1996 before joining United. He returned as the manager in 2011, having managed United’s Team B since retirement in 2008.
The club will rely on their new signing to retain their first ever Norwegian Premier League title and play in the Champions League next season.
Liberia have fired their Italian coach Roberto Landi just one week before they begin their quest to qualify for next year’s Africa Nations Cup finals. It is believed that the under fire Italian hit the last straw after his team fell 2-0 to a wholly home-based Nigerian professionals coach Stephen Keshi took to Monrovia last week.
Landi had been in charge for less than a year but was dismissed at the weekend, Liberia Football Association president Musa Bility said in a statement on Tuesday. No reason was given for the sack but a Reuters source suggested the loss to Nigeria triggered their FA decision.
“No reason was given for the sacking but Liberia won just twice in eight matches under Landi and their defeat to an under-strength Nigeria in a friendly last week was the side’s first home loss in almost six years,” the report stated.
So much had been expected by Liberians from the Lone Star given the fact that no Europe-based player made the trip with the Nigerian side. Liberia president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of the spectators at the stadium.
Thomas Kojo has been appointed as caretaker manager for the first round, first leg qualifying match at home to Namibia next Wednesday.
The news from Monrovia could fire up the Eagles in their camp in Abuja as they continue preparations for the 2013 Nations Cup qualifying match against Rwanda in Kigali on February 29. Keshi is expected to pick 11 of the players to join the 11 foreign-based players already listed for the trip to Kigali. The full squad will combine by the weekend and fly out on Monday.
The coaching licence of former Super Eagles defender Emeka Ezeugo has generated controversy in the Bangladesh Premier League and may force the professional league body to review its bylaws on coaching.
The Asia Football Confederation on Sunday replied to a BFF query whether Ezeugo’s certificates are equivalent to AFC B-licence, a mandatory requirement for the participating clubs in the professional football league. The AFC informed that Ezeugo’s USSF certificate is not a UEFA-certified one which is recognised by FIFA and his Dutch certificate is also not recognised by UEFA.
“We received the reply from the AFC today (Sunday). They said that the documents regarding Emeka’s licences are not equivalent to either AFC-B or C licences,” BFF’s acting general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag told TheDailyStar on Sunday.
According to the professional football league bylaws, participating clubs must have at least a coach with AFC B-licence certificate and the foreign coach of participating teams must have a coaching certificate equivalent to AFC-B licence.
Though coaching licence regarding the foreign coach is clearly mentioned in the bylaws, the BFF’s acting general secretary thinks that Ezeugo is eligible to stand at the dugout since Abdul Quaium, the assistant coach of Mohammedan, has an AFC B-license certificate.
“AFC B-licence is only applicable for the foreign coach if the local coaches do not have an AFC B-license. Besides, the bylaws do not mention anywhere that the head coach must have an AFC B-license certificate.
“Actually we can’t take any action against him because of the loopholes of the bylaws, but we will make sure that everything is mentioned properly in the bylaws from the next time,” said Shohag.
Ezeugo, however, said the BFF did not request from him any other licence than the one he presented.
“I don’t know where they get their information. No one has ever contacted me from BFF or from the media. They can only have issue with a licence that I gave to them and not the one they manufactured. No one has requested for my license so I have no idea where they got the licence they are talking about,” Ezeugo wrote in an e-mail to our correspondent on Monday.
GUUS Hiddink took to the training pitch yesterday with Russias Anzhi Makhachkala in the hope of working another miracle for a team of ambition but no past success.
The 65-year-old former Socceroos boss will be joining a side that has only spent five years in the Russian Premier League and has failed to find spark despite signing the star tandem of Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Brazilian veteran Roberto Carlos.
The club heralds from one of the most dangerous regions of Russia and finds itself trailing in seventh a full 13 points behind leaders Zenit Saint Petersburg with just eight matches remaining.
But Anzhi’s billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov feels Hiddink still has the touch he enjoyed when leading South Korea to the semi-final of the 2002 World Cup and then falling a game short of the Euro 2008 final with Russia.
Anzhi said Hiddink will be bringing his trusted assistants Ton Du Chatinier and Zeljko Petrovic along for an 18-month stint that will reportedly see the Dutchman draw a post-tax annual salary of 10 million euros ($12.3 million).
“The fact that Chinese and some other representatives offered me much more money makes no difference,” Hiddink said in an interview published on the team’s website.
“In my opinion, football should not only provide fans with pleasure but also create opportunities for people,” he said. “Football is more than a game in which you need to finish first.”
The club released photos of a stern-looking Hiddink leading his team to the pitch for four weekend training sessions in Turkey ahead of a March 5 visit to third-place Dinamo Moscow.
His appointment takes Hiddink out of the running to replace Chelsea’s embattled trainer Andre Villas-Boas and frees up one-time Anzhi target Fabio Capello for other assignments.
But the Moscow press and some top observers were surprisingly downbeat about Hiddink’s chances after watching his fellow Dutchman Ruud Gullit fail spectacularly with neighbouring Terek Grozny last year.
“I am far from certain that everything will work out,” the Sovetsky Sport daily quoted former Russian Football Union boss Vyacheslav Koloskov as saying in its weekend edition.
“It has been a long time since he worked with a club,” he said in reference to Hiddink’s brief stint as Chelsea caretaker in 2009.
“They have created a Messiah out of Hiddink and even started naming kids Guus. But all he is is a good trainer.”
Hiddink himself has preferred to talk about the positive benefits sport can bring an underdeveloped Muslim region of Russia than what he can do with Anzhi.
The tycoon Kerimov was born just 130 kilometres from Anzhi’s home ground and has made local soccer development into a social project whose broader importance has also been played up by the Kremlin.
Hiddink told Russian reporters he was “realistic” about Anzhi’s chances this season and excited about the sport’s future in the restive Caucasus.
But one the coach’s star performer in Russia’s 2008 squad said he thought Hiddink could make Anzhi into an “enormous club”.
“When Guus Hiddink gets to work, the entire team starts playing a different game,” striker Roman Pavlyuchenko told the RIA Novosti news agency.
“This always happens when he is put in charge. I think Guud Hiddink is a trainer who could turn Anzhi into an enormous club,” said the former Tottenham Hotspur player.
Despite statistics by the Federal Government that showed that the nation’s economy has witnessed appreciable growth in the last few years, the 2011 Annual Socio-Economic Report, by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has some worrying data on the labour market.
The NBS report obtained by THSDAY revealed that unemployment has grown from 12.3 per cent of the labour force in 2006 to 23.9 per cent in 2011.
The report also showed that Nigerians in the 15-64 age brackets available for, and in search of employment were unable to find one.
Analysts however, believed the 15-64 age bracket was a stringent definition since it includes those who would feature separately in similar surveys as underemployed.
Experts also advised government to revise its growth numbers since simple economic theory stipulates that economic growth must conform to social change.
Meanwhile, the NBS report also revealed that unemployment rate is higher in rural areas (25.6 per cent in 2011) than urban (17.1 per cent), which “helps to explain the rapid growth of the population in the largest cities such as Lagos. New entrants to the labour market averaged 1.8 million per year in 2006-11, and are forecast by the NBS to exceed 8.0 million in 2015.”
Analysts at FBN Capital believe the disparity in the economic growth and unemployment figure is as a result of the poor quality of data available for assessments.
According to FBN Capital, “It may be asked why the rate of unemployment has soared when Gross Domestic Products (GDP) growth has settled above 7 per cent per year and when population growth is estimated at a little below 3 per cent per year.
“A partial answer could lie in the quality of the data. The NBS will shortly release its new accounts series. The first reweighting for almost 20 years will produce a large increase in nominal GDP and, quite possibly, a slight fall in historic growth rates.”
The structure of the economy, the experts said, provided a more telling answer. “Manufacturing has shed tens of thousands of jobs in the past decade. Textile companies in the north have suffered greatly in this respect. Nigeria is producing less and importing more of its consumption needs.
“In the public sector the unemployment rate should rise now that the federal government is reporting savings from the elimination of ghost workers. There will also be losses as the FGN’s transformation agenda overhauls public agencies such as the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
“In the economy as a whole, the increase of the national minimum wage from N7,500 to N18,000 per month is very likely to limit job creation. Unemployment does not directly create fiscal costs since there is no welfare state. However, as noted by the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido, in an address on 6th February, this year, there is little doubt that it contributes to social unrest.”
The final match of 2012 AFCON contest which held in Libreville, Gabon, last Sunday night should have a very deep spiritual and 
political significance to every Igbo man,
woman and child. As I meditated on these significant issues during the match, I had goose pimples and wished that there could be a new rule that would award the victory to the two contesting nations – Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia. I invite you to meditate on these facts, too:
• Gabon, the co-host of the soccer tournament was a great friend of Biafra and was one of the countries that recognized it during the war. In fact, the current Gabonese president, Ali Bongo, is the first son of President Omar Bongo (then Bernard Bongo, before his conversion to Islam) 
who had recognised Biafra. In addition to being the base for the transportation of relief materiel and armament to Biafra, Gabon was the key diplomatic outpost of Biafran enclave. President Bongo permitted and facilitated the air-lift of about 3,000 starving Biafran children to Gabon where they were saved from a certain death in Biafra. The Federal Military Government of Nigeria of Yakubu Gowon had officially adopted starvation as an official policy against the Biafrans. The philosopher king of the Gowon regime had reasoned that, “starvation is a veritable weapon of war”, and it was the official policy of that regime to starve all Biafrans to death through a land, sea and air blockade. Today, hundreds of those Biafran children who could not be identified and claimed back to Nigeria after the war are prospering as adult Gabonese-Biafrans. 
• President Felix Houphuet-Boigny of Cote d’Ivoire was one of those who recognized Biafra on account of the clout of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, coupled with his relationship with other African leaders. Cote d’Ivoire also airlifted and hosted hundreds of Biafran kwashiorkored children and nurses who cared for them and many of them still hold Ivorien citizenship till today. When the war ended in Biafra’s disfavour and Ojukwu was forced to go into self-exile, it was Cote d’Ivoire that harboured him, his family and key aides for 13 years before he was granted pardon by President Shehu Shagari in 1982. 
• President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia (who was at the match finals in Libreville) also recognized Biafra during the war. Before then, Zambians had always laid a claim to a common ancestry to Eastern Nigerians, with whom they share an uncanny physical resemblance. Eastern Nigerian professionals and intellectuals had helped to build up the system in the post-independence Zambia in the early 1960s. 
The University of Lusaka was built up by the likes of Profs Ben Nwabueze, Ben Obumselu, etc, just as their Judiciary. (In fact, Prof Nwabueze was the VC of the university). After the civil war, Biafra’s Airforce boss, Gibson Nwosu (the current traditional ruler of Awka) moved to Zambia and was largely instrumental to the development of the Zambian Air Force.
As the match was being played yesterday, it looked to me that it was one of the events that was part of the national burial ceremonies of the late leader of Biafra which takes off all over Nigeria this week. The coincidences, for me, were too striking…and the outcome of the match had very deep and remarkable meanings to me.
Yes, the Zambians might have believed that the spirits of their national teammates that had perished in a 1993 plane crash off the Gabonese coast had played with them and had brought them victory. There are those of us who also hold that it was the spirit of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu which had brought together the three great friends of Biafra – Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia – to Libreville (a city of freedom) for that celebration of life. With what happened in Libreville on Sunday night, the troubled spirits of the Chipolopolo players and of Ikemba, can now go towards the light and rest permanently in peace.
For me, too, it was a proof that the spirit of OJUKWU, the ‘Rebel’ I Served, is indeed, as I remarked in my book, indomitable. It also lent credence to the assertion of the Ivorien poet, Bernard Dadie, that, “les morts ne sont pas morts” (the dead are not really dead…)
It was a story of minnows to super powers as hitherto unheralded Zambia defeated Cote d’Ivoire 8-7 in penalty shootout to win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in a match that dragged into the late hours of Sunday night. It was the first African Cup triumph for Zambia.
The match ended goalless at full time and the teams failed to score through the extra time, missing chances in a game that showcased quality African football on a cold, wet night. The Ivorians were clearly favourites before the start of the game but after Africa’s biggest football star Didier Drogba missed a 70th-minute penalty, nobody could put a bet on the Ivorians any longer against a Zambian side that showed no respect to their opponents but instead displayed bravery and the determination to succeed. Drogba hit his spot kick way over the crossbar after Isaac Chansa and Nyambe Mulenga had combined to bring down Gervinho just inside the penalty area. Drogba looked up at the sky in frustration after his second penalty miss of the tournament.
Wayne Rooney tweeted after that miss, “Wow just seen Drogba’s penalty miss. Awful! He’s a great player though. I think he will score the winner.”
The Chelsea star never did score the winner as Rooney predicted.
It was an emotional win for the Zambians whose national players died off the coast of Equatorial Guinea in 1993. The only survivor from that team Kalusha Bwalya was in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon 2012 as the president of the Zambian Football Federation.
The competition wound down on Sunday as Gabon President Ali Bongo’s mother sang for fans and giant images of the tournament’s football-playing gorilla mascot were projected onto the pitch in a high-tech closing ceremony.
American singer Akon was also part of the show.
Patience Dabany, the country’s former first lady, performed the event’s theme tune to kick off the ceremony at the country’s new Stade de l’Amitie as performers ran across the field with the flags of the competing countries.
There were also fireworks at each end of the stadium and across the top of the two massive white arches. Brightly coloured holograms appeared behind the goals.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter earlier presented a pennant to both host countries’ presidents, Bongo of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Brazil great Pele was also at the stadium.
It’s estimated that Gabon—a central African country with a population of just 1.5 million—has spent between $600 million and $790 million on the 23-day football tournament it shared with oil-rich neighbour Equatorial Guinea.
Plans for a new football league in the Indian state of West Bengal have been jeopardised after organisers were denied permission to seek the transfer of high-profile foreign players.
Argentine legend Hernan Crespo, Italy’s World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and Robbie Fowler of England were among six semi-retired world stars due to play in the Premier Soccer League. The teams spent heavily on securing world stars at an auction in Kolkata on January 30, with Crespo going for an annual salary of $840,000 and Cannavaro for $830,000. Robert Pires of France fetched $800,000, Nigerian Jay Jay Okocha got $550,000 and Fowler was sold for $530,000. Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia who is to coach Okocha’s club was signed on for $200,000.
The new league, made up of six teams from towns in West Bengal, was set to start late March.
But the All-India Football Federation suspended the PLS late on Saturday from taking part in FIFA’s Transfer Matching System because the six new teams were not affiliated to the sport’s governing body.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama and “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon turned the White House into a playground to promote the first lady’s “Let’s Move!” fitness campaign.
Mrs. Obama and Fallon did pushups and twirled hula hoops. They competed at dodge ball and tug-of-war. And the first lady triumphed over the comedian in a climactic potato sack race.
After a defeated Fallon said, “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost,” the first lady replied, “It matters.”
The segment was taped last month and aired early Wednesday on NBC’s “Late Night” program.
Mrs. Obama has been making the talk-show rounds to celebrate the second anniversary of her campaign against childhood obesity. In the past few weeks she has appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” ”The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Rachael Ray.”
Who would have believed that star studded Senegalese team would be the first to bow out of the 2012 African Cup of Nations tournament holding in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea without a point?
With prolific strikers like Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cissé, Senegal was tipped by many to reach the final stage of the tournament. However, the reverse was the case, as even the Dembas could not help Senegal secure a quarter final ticket.
Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cissé are currently playing for the Newcastle United in the English Premier League.
Ba signed for Newcastle United on a three-year deal on June 17, 2011, making his club debut on 13 August 2011. His first goals for the club came on 24 September 2011 with a hat-trick against Blackburn Rovers in a 3–1 home win. A second hat-trick came in a 3-1 away win at Stoke City.
Papiss Demba Cissé (left) and Demba Ba stand together for a team photo
Ba’s goalscoring form continued despite Newcastle entering a downward spell, and saw him picked in ESPN.com’s Premier League Best XI for the first half of the season, and named Premier League Player of the Month of December 2011. By the time Ba left to play in the January international tournament-African Cup of Nations 2012, his league tally had reached 15, making him second top scorer in the league behind Arsenal’s Robin van Persie.
On the other hand, Cissé joined Newcastle side on a 5½ year contract on 17 January 2012 from SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga league.
During the 2010-11 Bundesliga season, Cissé was second in the league in goals scored, only behind Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich who scored 28. Cissé also set a club and league record. His 22 goals during the course of the season set the single-season goal record by an SC Freiburg player, as well as set the record for the most goals scored by an African in a single Bundesliga season.
Following their goal scoring exploits in their clubs, it was expected that they would replicate same in their national team. And it was not surprising that they were ranked among the best teams of the tournament.
Senegal’s early exit only confirm what many have come to believe that there are no more ‘small teams/underdog in African football. Those regarded as ‘small teams’ are ones making the desired impacts.
Meanwhile, it is said that one man’s meat is another’s poison. As Senegalese team, fans and the country at large are lamenting over their woes, Newcastle United of England is happy that two of their valued strikers are returning earlier than expected.
Nigerian born defender Nedum Onuoha,has completed the long awaited transfer from Manchester City Football Club to team up with former manager Mark Hughes at Queens Park Rangers.
The player who represented England at junior levels, will now play alongside Super Eagles left back Taye Taiwo who earlier this week completed a loan move from AC Milan.
Onuoha spent last season on loan at Sunderland but has found opportunities limited at City. He this afternoon signed a four –and-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
Vision is the God given ability to see and capture the blueprint for your life – family, career, business, academics and humanitarian assignments. Everything we see around us today was once in the dreamland but through the power of VISION, innovation and creativity they were all brought forth for the benefit of mankind. Your success in life can be predictable when you understand and embrace the power of vision
1. The Basic Components – The Future, The Present and The Past
2. Your Keys – Your Gifts, Talents, Abilities, Opportunities …
3. How to get Vision – Look Up, Look Within and Look Around You
4. Vision Boosters – Focus, Diligence, Faith, Stewardship, Service …
5. Vision Pitfalls – Laziness, Indiscipline, Bad Association, Weak Character …
6. Your Action Point – Determine to be the best in your life pursuits
You were created to add value; you can’t afford to be a liability on your environment. Where there is no vision people cast off restraints but blessed is the one who can see and capture the future. In the midst of this seemly challenging environment, what can you see this week?
I see value, solution, increase, promotion and enlargement!
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