AFCON: Nigeria vs Algeria will be tough – Odegbami

Segun Odegbami, an ex-international, said on Sunday that the semi-final between Nigeria and Algeria at the ongoing African Cup of Nations(AFCON) would be tough.

Odegbami made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Ota, Ogun.

He noted that the Super Eagles needed to listen to their coach and technical crew as the match between them and the Desert Foxes of Algeria “would be hard.”

“Our success when the Green Eagles played against Algeria in the final of the 1980 Nations Cup that we won by 3-0 should inspire the present Super Eagles to victory.” he said.

The ex-international, however, advised the Super Eagles to fight from the beginning to the end of the match against the Desert Foxes ” as it would be a difficult one.”

NAN reports that Odegbami, who played for the Green Eagles in the finals of the 1980 Cup of Nations, scored two goals against Algeria.

AFCON semi-finals: Algeria’s coach Belmadi attacks Nigerian journalist

Algeria’s national team coach, Djamel Belmadi, has lambasted Nigerian journalist, Chisom Mbonu-Ezeoke, for trying to compel him to speak on a matter that concerns referee.

The match in question is the encounter between Algeria and Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

A video on social media had shown Algerian star Ramy Bensebaini slapping himself in the face with Wilfried Zaha’s hand, before falling to the floor clutching his head, during the quarter-finals tie between Algeria and Ivory Coast on Thursday.

But Mbaonu-Ezeoke during a pre-match press conference on Saturday, ahead of the semi-final s clash between Nigeria and Algeria described the behavior of Bensebaini as “terrible”, a remark that did not go down well with Belmadi.

She asked the coach if that behavior was acceptable and whether he had spoken to the player about it.

The Algeria coach replied angrily saying: “I am not really sure that this is the place to talk about this.

“If you try to put pressure on us, it is not the right way. Try to win in another way, not this way.

“There is a referee for that, there is VAR for that, and it is not your job to talk about these things.”

The antics of North African footballers have been one of the talking points in the build-up to semi-finals matches following the qualification of Tunisia and Algeria.

Stop seeing undergraduates carrying laptop as Yahoo boys – Group warns Police

A human rights, good governance, social justice and civil liberty organisation, Youth Advocates For Peace Justice And Empowerment Network (YAPJEN), has asked the police in Anambra State to stop arresting university undergraduates carrying laptop computers as fraudsters (known in local parlance as Yahoo boys).

The group made the call in a press release signed by its leader, Mr Timothy Nwachukwu, They called on the Anambra State commissioner of police, CP John Abang to look into the menace, with a view to curbing it.

The group, in the release, said it has come to its notice that policemen on stop-and-search operations, now harass innocent young people who carry laptops, and in most cases demanding receipts for them, and even for their phones and other gadgets.

It was gathered that most times, the laptops were turned on, and the students made to surrender their passwords for their emails to be checked to ensure they were not being used for fraudulent transmissions.

The group said, “We wish to use this medium to draw your attention to the activities of your men which has culminated to complaints YAPJEN have received from some Voiceless citizens especially Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University who reside in ifite, Awka and motorist who ply the Ifite Aroma Axis.

“The Students are intermittently harassed, their phones, laptops seized and they demand for receipts from them and for fear of being arrested and whisked away, they are hoodwinked into parting with monies.”

The group also stated that the police checkpoint at Ifite road has become a means of enrichment for police officers manning it as they task buses and tricycles who ply the route to part with money, failure to comply, they are arrested and their passengers made to disembark.

“Motorists ranging from Keke, shuttle buses and conventional bus drivers who ply Ifite road allege that the men of NPF usually are stationed at Ifite by Ukwuaki bus stop every evening extort them of N100 per bus and N50 per tricycle,” Nwachukwu said.

Why my husband must have a girlfriend – Actress

Nollywood actress, Kudirat Ogunro, says she will allow her husband to have a girlfriend after their marriage in order to have a settled home.

Ogunro told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Friday in Abuja that men are, by nature, polygamous.

She advised women to stop deceiving themselves by trying to wholly own their husbands.

“I’m not a jealous lover. In fact, when I get married, my husband has to have a girlfriend.

“That’s how my home can be settled and peaceful instead of him telling me ‘it’s only you baby’. No, I don’t believe in those words. I’m very serious.

“Men are polygamous by nature; so don’t let us fool ourselves,” the actress said.

NAN reports that Ogunro, a versatile actress, was in 2017 nominated for City People Movie Award for Best Upcoming Actress of the Year (Yoruba).

Presidential Election: Appeal Court to deliver judgement on Buhari’s qualification Friday

The Court of Appeal will on Friday deliver judgment in a suit filed against President Muhammadu Buhari, challenging his qualification for the 2019 presidential election.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Atinuke Akomolafe-Wilson, had on Monday, July 8, reserved judgment in the suit after listening to the argument canvassed by counsel to parties in the matter.

The court earlier, held that date for its judgment would be communicated to parties

But as the 60-day time frame provided by the law for the hearing of the matter expires July 12, the court today communicated to parties of its readiness to deliver its judgment on July 12, NAN reports

Kalu Kalu, Labaran Ismail and Hassy El-Kuris had approached the appellate court to nullify and set aside the Judgment of the of the Federal High Court.

The trial court declined to hear the suit instituted to challenge the educational qualification of President Buhari before the conduct of the 2019 general election.

At the last sitting, counsel to the appellant, Mr Ukpai Ukairo, insisted that President Buhari was not educationally qualified to have stood for the presidential poll .

This according to him was on the grounds that the required certificates were not attached to his form CF001, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for clearance to contest the presidential poll.

The counsel denied the claim that the suit of the appellants was statute barred.

He added that the case was instituted on November 5, 2018 within the 14 days allowed by law. He said the cause of action started with the announcement and publication by INEC of successful candidates for the 2019 general election on October 25, 2018.

Ukairo therefore urged the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Federal High Court on grounds of miscarriage of justice.

He urged the court to nullify Buhari’s participation in the February 23 presidential election because he was not educational qualified for the poll at the time he did.

However, lawyers to the 1st and 2nd respondents urged the court to dismiss the appeal for being incompetent and lacking merit.

Buhari’s counsel, Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, specifically told the Appeal Court that the case of the appellant was statute barred having not been filed within the mandatory period stipulated by the law.

He urged the court to uphold the decision of the Federal High Court to the effect that the suit was not filed in line with the position of the law.

Counsel to the All Progressives Congress Mr Babatunde Ogala, aligned himself with Buhari’s submission and urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

Counsel to INEC, Mr Onyeri Anthony, said the commission is neutral and would abide by the decision of the Court.

The appellants in their appeal are asking the appellate court to reverse the judgment of Justice Ahmed Mohammed on the grounds that the processes filed by Buhari and used to strike out their suit were not competent.

They faulted the Judgment of the lower court, which was predicated on the grounds that the suit was statute barred.

The appellants claimed that the Federal High Court erred in law and in its decison because they did not challenge the primary election that produced Buhari as candidate of the APC.

They therefore urged the Court of Appeal to assume jurisdiction over the suit and grant all the reliefs sought at the Federal High Court but which were refused.

Among the reliefs were a declaration that Buhari submitted false information regarding his qualification and certifcate to INEC for the purpose of contesting election into the office of the President of Nigeria and that he should be disqualified.

They also prayed for an order of court directing INEC to remove Buhari’s name as a candidate of APC.

They urged the court to grant another order restraining Buhari from parading himself as a candidate in the 2019 presidential election and also APC from recognizing Buhari as a candidate.

The Federal High Court had on May 2 declined to grant the request of the appellants on the grounds that the suit was not filed within the time allowed by law and therefore sustained the preliminary objection raised by Buhari at the hearing.

But not satisfied, the appellants are now asking the Court of Appeal to grant their reliefs because they are not challenging the primary election of APC as erroneously held by the lower court .

According to them, they are challenging the qualification of Buhari to stand for the presidential election without demonstrating his educational certificates as required by law.

Amidst molestation allegations, Modele Fatoyinbo says she will never divorce her husband

Amidst molestation allegations, Pastor Modele Fatoyinbo, wife of Pastor Biodun, has reportedly stated that she will be sticking to her man no matter what.

A Facebook user identified as Church Gist shared a post in which Modele was quoted to have said she will never change her surname, insinuating that she will never leave her husband. "Until I see Jesus, my surname cannot change, so you better calm down" the wife of the embattled pastor allegedly said during a church service recently.

Recall that Modele was earlier reported to have broken ties with people who were criticising her husband. At one of their church services, the pastor's wife had stated that those who weren't celebrating her husband at this time were not her friends.

This is coming right after she was roped into the scandal and alleged to be playing a major role in enabling her husband to carry out ill-acts and defiling young women.

Mrs Fatoyinbo however seems to care less and has been apparently working tirelessly to launder the image of her husband.

Once, in a church service, she expressed that the claims of sexual abuse against her hubby were not true.

According to The Guardian, the wife of the religious cleric was filmed during a church service broadcast uttering the words: ''Not even as an unbeliever will my husband molest someone” .

Joke Silva celebrates husband, Olu Jacobs @ 77th

Veteran actress, Joke Silva, is celebrating her husband,  Olu Jacobs, a movie star of many years as he turned 77 on Thursday.

Silva, took to her instagram page @JokeSilva, where she shared some photos of the birthday celebrant and captioned them with sweet messages.

“PRAISE THE LORD Happy 77th birthday Sir J. May your days be long in good health and abundance… The Quintessential Ovorawen. Loads of love king of my heart,” she wrote.

The movie star and his wife in April become grandparents as their son, Olusoji Jacob and wife welcomed a new baby.

The Jacobs have both been featured together in movies like; If I am President, Light in the dark amongst others.

Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most respected actors in the industry.

He has starred in several British television series and international films and had featured in over 150 Nollywood films.

Jacobs spent his early childhood in Kano and attended Holy Trinity School where he took a chance with acting as he attended on of late Hubert Ogunde’s annual concert party at the Colonial Hotel, in Kano.

The award winning actor afterwards secured a visa to the UK where he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and has ever since, carved a niche for himself in the movie industry.

In 2007 he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

He was also honoured with the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.

Jacobs and Silva, are blessed with two children and a grandson. (NAN)