DANGOTE PLANS TO BUY ARSENAL IN 2021

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has disclosed his new plans of taking over the ownership of Arsenal Football Club from Stan Kroenke.

“I’m trying to finish building the company and then after we finish, maybe some time in 2021 we can,” Dangote said in a recent interview  on the David Rubenstein Show in September.

The Nigeria businessman has made no secret of his desire to take over the north London club in the past and has made several statements about launching a future takeover bid in the past.

He said in 2018 that he would likely bid to buy the London club in 2020.  But he is currently working towards the completion of his refinery in Lagos.


Dangote, a 62-year-old Gunners supporter, ranks number 136 on Forbes’ rich list, said his next focus is buying Arsenal after the completion of his current projects.

But while the Dangote Refinery which is projected to be one the world’s largest oil refineries has not been completed in three years, the Nigerian businessman has made a definitive statement to buy Arsenal.

“It is a team that yes I would like to buy some day, but what I keep saying is we have $20billion worth of projects and that’s what I really want to concentrate on,” Dangote said


Dangote said the Arsenal project will get an unrivaled attention after completing the current ones which are designed to take “the company to the next level.”

Dangote owns about 85% of the publicly-traded Dangote Cement through a holding company. He also owns stakes in publicly-traded salt, sugar and flour manufacturing companies.

As at 2019, Dangote’s net worth was estimated to be $10 billion.


SOURCE: GUARDIAN

CONSTRUCTIVE YOUTH PARTNERSHIP IN THE NIGERIAN PROJECT: A SUSTAINABLE MODEL - MINISTER SUNDAY DARE

CONSTRUCTIVE YOUTH PARTNERSHIP IN THE NIGERIAN PROJECT: A SUSTAINABLE MODEL
BEING A LECTURE BY MR. SUNDAY DARE, HONOURABLE MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AT THE 13TH ANNUAL LECTURE OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSHO
Protocol
Preamble
I am particularly delighted to be called here on my first outing in Ogbomosho as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to speak at One of Nigeria’s foremost institutions, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH.

Ogbomosho for me is home and will always be. But more significantly to be asked to speak about two issues that dominate our lives today- the Youth and Sustainable Development. There can be no better place to interrogate these issues than in the serene academic setting such as provided by the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.

Nigeria for too long has perched on the cusp of change. It is time it turns the curve to achieve fundamental change.  With the power, prevalence and penetration of digital technology and the boundless technological opportunities it offers, Nigeria indeed gets a chance at transformational change.

Beyond resource endowment, Africa has a bulging youth population that must be the focus of massive investments and a resource to be harnessed.
The massive potential of the Nigerian youth bulge is globally recognized. With a growth rate of 3.5 % per annum this segment represents the fastest growing in the world and will effectively dominate the society completely within the next two decades providing the human resource for critical aspects of the Nigerian state.
The risks are also recognized and becoming increasingly discernable. This administration recognizes this.

It is therefore an avowed priority of Mr President and the present administration to provide the capabilities for the Nigerian youth to thrive and excel, especially in a world that is increasingly integrated and also threatened by factors like Artificial Intelligence.

It flows therefrom that building a constructive youth partnership in the Nigerian project must take cognizance of these developments and trends.  It goes beyond changing the narrative.   It must first deal with the fundamentals of our socio - economic construct and the political will to push through policies that are far reaching. The narrative can begin to change if we infuse sustainability models into every policy, initiative or project.

We will return momentarily to the other ingredients of building a sustainable model in partnership with the Nigerian youth for the Nigerian project.

Conversation around the role of youth in national building has been with us for a while. The popular adage ‘build the youth, build the nation,’ which in reality is the motto of Man O’War lends credence to this assumption, which characterised the atmosphere of the early days of post-independence Nigeria right up to the late seventies. At that time, it was fashionable to be a young person as issues of volunteerism and patriotism, expressed through community service, and many other self-rewarding overtures (most with little or no economic benefit) defined the era and drove the demography. In fact, it was almost criminal not to belong to a voluntary youth organization.
It was a partnership that worked, each person contributing from their little space: government, private sector, civil society and the most important actors being the youth themselves. Somehow along the way, we squandered this opportunity. People became disillusioned and distanced themselves from selfless contributions to nation building. Instead, they make demands on the Nigerian nation.
Several decades now, having turned full circle, there is beginning again a renewed call for the active involvement of youth in rebuilding the Nigerian Project, albeit in a different manner. In the past, physical energy and analogue systems ruled the day. Today, we are in a new era – the digital era; and it will require a different strategy – perhaps digital strategy. Rebuilding the Nigerian Project is not an option; we simply have to find smarter ways of doing that, using more effective and efficient methods. For me, the answer lays in technology and our greatest resource – youth.


INTERROGATION
The operative words in our interrogation today are constructive, Youth, partnership, Nigerian project and sustainability.
The term Constructive connotes ‘having or intended to have a useful or beneficial purpose1.’ While Youth according to the National Youth Policy is defined as persons between the ages of 15 and 29. However, for me, youth is more than a chronological categorization; it is more a social construct that speaks to a phase of transition to adulthood.
Partnership is cooperation to advance mutual interests.  Project: is a collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim.
Contextualized to the topic therefore, the Nigerian Project would presuppose the existence of a project or enterprise that is carefully planned, through individual or collaborative effort involving research or design, to have to achieve a particular aim, including being useful or beneficial to all parties.
From these definitions, a few takeaways come out strongly. The Nigerian Project will require partnership. And we all know that in any partnership, there is always a STAKE. The task therefore is for us to identify what the stake is for each of our partners; and who these partners are? We have identified one side as the youth, but who are the others? Several questions however arise from this: what is the aim? Is there a plan? If there is a plan what is the life span of the plan? Is there a sustainable model? Is there an enterprise?  Are there resources and are those charged with the task of executing qualified for the job at hand? If any or all of these answers is yes, then it takes us to the assumption that there is a Nigerian Project. And if so, then the next question would be ‘what is the Nigerian project? Who is planning or running the enterprise or project? Who is nurturing the enterprise for sustainability?

IS THERE A NIGERIAN PROJECT?

The notion of a Nigerian Project is not new. Development planning in Nigeria can be classified under three eras. These are the Era of Fixed- Term Planning (1962-85), the Era of Rolling Plan (1990-1998), and the New Democratic Dispensation (1999 till date). The Era of Fixed Medium-Term Plan (1962-1985) witnessed four successful plans in Nigeria. These are the First National Development Plan (1962-1968), the Second National Development Plan (1970-1974), the Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) and the Fourth National Development Plan (1981-1985)4.
With the return to democratic governance in Nigeria, the new administration started development planning in 1999 with the initiation of a four-year medium-term plan document, the National Economic Direction (1999-2003). The plan had the primary object of pursuing a strong, virile and broad- based economy with adequate capacity to absorb externally generated shocks.
While being a new plan document, the objectives and policy direction was not significantly different from that to which the country has followed since the introduction of SAP. NEEDS, GREEN REVOLUTION- the list is endless   All described as Nigeria’s plans for prosperity. These plans are normally four-year medium-term plans.   Often times, a period too short to achieve any desirable outcomes.
Expectedly, these plans could not really deliver on their objectives. These failures cannot be entirely attributed to policy failures and ineffectiveness of the employment oriented programmes that were mainstreamed in the successive development plans but to the generality of the entire development plans. They failed to get a majority buy in from the public.  They lacked a long-term sustainable design. Perhaps we could say the components of the Nigerian Project were not effectively communicated to the public, especially young people for ownership.
The Nigerian project demands a huge dose of patriotism and sacrifice. Not just from the leaders but also from the followers. 
Perhaps the tragedy still plaguing us all is this lack of clarity about what the Nigerian Project is.
We all agree that we want Nigeria to be great. However, we differ on how to go about it because a potpourri of factors is contending for preference: religion, ethnicity and tribal affiliations, social status (rich versus the poor); political affiliations. There have been several documentations and debates on how these factors frustrate the driving of the Nigerian dreams. As such, I will work with the assumption that they have formed a baseline for our discussion today and go straight to the crux of the topic.

WHAT CAN YOUNG PEOPLE DO?

Young people can do a lot in and for the Nigerian Project; and in fact, thy ought to be engaged, mobilized and empowered to do that. The first thing youth need to do for the Nigerian Project is to UNDERSTAND and OWN it. All around the world, young people are contributing positively to the development of their communities, demonstrating daily that youth is not a problem to be solved but a resource to be harnessed. Nigeria parades a hugely resourceful and talented youth population. In the coming years the country will rely increasingly upon its youth population to develop smart products and solutions to conquer the challenges and problems of climate change, economic slowdown, unemployment and poverty. Equally by infusing technology into vocational training, a large swath of the youth population can be drawn into vocational business activities.

There are many ways and many things we can do. I will only present a few of my proposals:
In my opinion, sowing the seed of the Nigeria dream will not be at the University level. It must start from childhood because it is at this point that children develop a mental image of who or what they want to become in life. The picture or image they need added to theirs is that of a country which can propel them to achieving that dream.
I pause here to raise a few privatize questions? Is the Nigerian Project a mirage? Is it achievable? Have we started on that journey?
Rebrand the Country.
We must rebrand Nigeria and communicate it in the right way. In rebranding, we must create a deliberate image of the Nigeria we want our young people to invest in; and then take deliberate steps to make that Nigeria work. For instance, if we want a Nigeria that supports innovative ideas, we must put structures in place that helps innovative ideas to flourish irrespective of the person’s gender, political leaning, religion or ethnic affiliation. There must be a transparent system that gives everyone equal opportunities.

That way, young people with ideas will begin to have hope in the Nigerian project, will flourish and invest in birthing creative or innovative ideas that will catapult the country on the path of massive national development.
There is need to reposition the mental reasoning of our youth and economically empower them to satisfy the demands of the modern world. Rebranding Nigeria is one of the veritable tools to achieve this objective. Unless rebranding directs the power and energy of the youth towards academic and productive goals, the country will keep on experiencing social vices, moral and academic degradation.

The role of ICT in re-branding Nigeria is a peculiar one because ICT is a veritable tool for fast and effective mass communication. The impact of ICT in the world today is far reaching and pervades all boundaries and cultural differences. For effective re-branding all components of ICT and at all levels must be deployed in enlightening, training, and encouraging people towards re-branding.

 A SUSTAINABLE MODEL

We have blamed the surge in violent crimes – kidnapping, armed robbery, political thuggery, etc., on poverty and unemployment. It is largely true. Perhaps, there could be another reason – the need for young people to find expression. If it were for reasons of poverty and unemployment, some of them would have probably retired from crime now, having raised sufficient finance to start their enterprises.
So, my recommendations are  – can we have a country that gives everyone a chance to express themselves; can a young photographer have the pathway and platforms to develop a career in photography that helps them to conquer the photo world? I believe the key to the sustainability of the model would depend of a number of factors:
a. Ownership of the Nigerian Project by Young People by promoting and nurturing Youth-led Social Businesses: We must develop strategies to transfer ownership of the Nigerian Project to youth. One of the ways we can do this is through the Concept of Social Businesses. The underlying value to communicate is CARE. Youth must see that Nigeria is a country that CARES for them and for the things that matter to them. And that there is a system of harnessing and redistributing the opportunities for this CARE.

Social and economic entrepreneurship holds special promise for helping to sustain the rebuilding of the Nigerian Project. They have the potential to play significant roles in developing technologies that can help mobilize and engage young people in the rebuilding efforts.

b. De-emphasize the things that divide us (religion, ethnicity, place of origin, etc.) on official documents and transactions: Majority of our youth are millennia. They live most of their lives on the internet, which has broken down boundaries and miniaturized the world into one huge space. Communities are no longer physical entities defined by geographical boundaries but are more social or professional groupings in the virtual world, joined together by interests that transcend religious, ethnic, or even political divides. This means that our youth, who are more citizens of the digital world than they physical world, will connect and interact with themselves irrespective of their physical divides. This effectively gives us a huge opportunity to de-emphasize, and hopefully one day eliminate such divisive identifiers like tribe, religion, LGA, etc. on our official government documents like forms.
While these data are important variables for statistical purposes, they do little to promote the unity of the country, and more importantly, the Nigerian Project. In fact, many at times, when you meet people and introduce yourself as Sunday Emmanuel, the first thing they ask you is, “where are you from?”, the name Sunday Emmanuel having already places you in the religious box marked ‘Christian.’ On the other hand, if you mention your name as Ugo Ajayi Salau, the next question will be ‘Are you a Muslim or Christian?’ what sort of name combination is that? Are you Yoruba or Igbo, all because the three strongest identifiers have found expression in your name!
c. Institute a reward system that honours and promotes Nigerian values that speak to the Nigerian Project: we must keep the young people inspired and focused towards the Nigerian Project. One way to do this is by sustaining a reward system with privileges attached to National Honours (like express access at airports, subsidized hotel lodgings for a period, certain volumes of made-in-Nigeria goods for some period, etc. A virtual Hall of Fame for holders of certain national medals, streets named after such individuals, their plagues telling the story behind such naming. For instance, ‘Abiola Park: this motor park is named after Kareem Abiola, the Taxi driver who returned 18m to his passenger after it was forgotten in his cab.’
When Mr. President appointed me as Minister, he gave me a clear mandate: keep Nigerian youth productively busy!
The next level belongs to the Nigerian youth. Mr. President’s has a new DEEL (D for digital literacy. E for Entrepreneurship. E for Employability. L for Leadership) for the youth; to train and equip Nigerian youth with the skills they need to compete and for national development. The digital revolution offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive a new wave of international economic growth for countries that have hitherto not fully enjoyed the benefits of the global economy.
For instance, at the present rate of increase in the global technology industry, Accenture and Oxford predicts that by 2020, the technology industry will add about 1.3 trillion USD to the world’s economy.  To fully grasp the implication of this new added growth to the global economy, 1.3 trillion USD is the present-day GDP of South Korea – one of the most digitally advanced nations in the world. This study further anticipates economies such as India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa who have begun the process of modernizing their economies to be in the fore front of economic greatness.
Nigeria is committed to raising a new tribe of 500,000 tech savvy youth countrywide in the next 2 years who will expand the frontiers of innovation not just in combating climate change, but in agriculture, medicine, education and biosciences. The Ministry recently launched  the Digital Youth Nigeria project, (DY.NG) that will equip our youth with relevant digital skills set and knowledge that will enable them produce digital products, build smart apps and invent tools that will help reverse or slow down the pace of global warming and sustained social economic growth. A collaborative approach between the public and private sector will drive this project.

The Nigeria youth are blazing the trail in very inspiring ways.  There is the 25-year old Nigeria-British born Silas Adekunle, reputed to have built the first gaming robots in the world. With a first-class degree in Robotics from the University of the West of England, he made the Financial Times list of the Top 100 minority ethnic leaders in Technology for 2018. The 2017 deal with Apple Inc. makes him one of the highest paid engineers in the world.
Meet Alonge Adebayo, Nigerian pharmacist, who graduated from Yale in 2016. He won a grand prize money of 100,000 Euros in the Tech Start Up competition among 119 countries. He invented a lifesaving fake drug scanner-Al-hyperspectral platform for Authenticating Drugs- after a near death experience at a younger age. He recently emerged winner of the 2019 BNP Paribas Group Deep Tech Award, known as the Hello Tomorrow deeptech contest.
And just like the Noble Peace Prize winner, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who founded the Grameen Bank and pioneered microfinance and microcredit for entrepreneurs, a Nigerian youth inspired fintech start up online bank called KUDA, reputed to be the first digital online bank in Nigeria. KUDA has raised about $1.6 million and is meeting the needs of millions of youth who want friendly online banking services.
The National Social Investment Program (SIP) by the President Buhari led administration is a pro-poor scheme that provides easy access to financial resources and targets poor youth and women in Nigeria. There is also the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, GEEP, which provides collateral and interest free financial support to businesses at the bottom of the financial pyramid according to the office of the NSIP.
There is N-Power with close to a million beneficiaries.

Nigeria’s document of purpose and plan for the Nigeria Youth is the National Youth Policy. The revised edition of this policy 2019- 2023 has 11 thematic areas focusing on sports, education, science and tech, agriculture, environment, drug abuse, health etc. This is a policy infused with a sustainable plan with linkages among over 10 MDAS. The policy is predicated on education, engagement, empowerment and employment. This is an important component of the Nigerian project.

Conclusion:
If by any stretch I have left you still searching for the Nigerian project, it is because that project is still being constructed in the real sense of the word. The Nigerian project started with our political independence and later translated into national development plans for infrastructural and institutional rationalizations. We did not stay long on this path. We strayed as a country. National ethos was sacrificed on the altar of nepotism, lack of patriotism and rolling petrol wealth. Critical segments of our society were isolated. The Nigerian project was ill fated before it took full flight.
History offers us another opportunity to rebuild from the ruins of the past. From oil, history again offers us another resource - the Youth. By 2030, Nigeria’s greatest resource will no longer be oil but it’s Youth. If you doubt go ask the Asians.
Nigeria must begin to make huge investments in her youth. That should be the true Nigerian project. Bankable investments in education, technology, agriculture and developmental infrastructure that are sustainable.  Investments in our youth now,  will be a wise investment. That to my mind is the Nigerian Project. And it is sustainable.

Thank you for listening.

MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT, MR SUNDAY DARE LAUNCHES NEW DEEL FOR NIGERIAN YOUTH

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare on Tuesday in Abuja launched “a New DEEL” for the Nigerian Youth at the celebration of African Youth Day 2019 where the initiative to position Nigeria’s youth population for contemporary challenges was unveiled.

The Minister told the gathering of youth at the event that DEEL will equip about 500,000 Youth with digital skills- basic, intermediate and advance skills in the areas of web design and management, software training, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, App development, mobile device repairs, Artificial intelligence, coding and Data processing. 
He said “President Muhammadu Buhari’s new DEEL for Nigerian youth connects with the African Union’s theme. What is this new DEEL? D stands for Digital literacy and Skills Acquisition program. E stands for Entrepreneurship. E stands for Employment. L stands for leadership and mentoring.
“Mr. President’s has a new DEEL for the youth; and it starts today! This month offers a new vista of new beginnings; replete with exciting bouquets of offerings. Whether your interest is Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship, Employment or you are passionate about Leadership, governance and inclusion, there is something for everyone in the new DEEL. The digital revolution offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive a new wave of international economic growth for countries that have hitherto not fully enjoyed the benefits of the global economy.” He explained.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development is working with government institutions, private initiatives like Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) and business organizations to provide training and employment opportunities to youth. United Nations (UN) Compact will collaborate with the ministry on YSIP – Young SDG Innovators Program beginning from March next year.

The Minister disclosed that “We at the Ministry will begin this process through one of our strategic implementation partners Junior Achievement Nigeria as soon as an agreement is delivered to leverage on their 64 digital hubs spread across the country.  The Ministry will also activate its Youth Development Centers across the country for Entrepreneurship Skills training.
“Today, we begin the new DEEL process through the Work Experience Programme (WEP). It is intended to connect in the next one year 5,000 unemployed graduates with employers by placing them in the corporate world on internship capacities for a short period. We hope that through this window, they will acquire the basic work-place experience that will increase their chances of landing a job. I therefore call on all companies to sign up with us and offer the chance for our youth to smile,” Mr. Dare urged.

He promised that his ministry will address the challenge of maintaining the relationship and sustain the partnership that are driving the initiative by sustaining an ecosystem of State and non-state actors in each thematic area of the National Youth Policy, which will evolve into the National Youth Policy Implementation Network.

DEEL was unveiled to a positive reception at the African Youth Day with Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, affirming her office’s commitment to collaborate with the initiative. Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; Minister State for Budget and National Planning, Mr Clement Agba; Minister of State for Science and Technology, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi; Chairman House Committee on Youth Development, Honourable Yemi Adaramodu; and Chairman House Committee on Sports, Hounarable Olumide Osoba attended the event and expressed their support for the New DEEL.

Signed
Media Office of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development

NIGERIA RECALL CAPTAIN MUSA FOR 2021 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS

Nigeria recalled skipper Ahmed Musa, South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi and midfielder Mikel Agu on Monday for next month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.

The Super Eagles will open their qualifying campaign for the tournament in Cameroon on November 14 in the southern Nigerian city of Uyo and then travel to Lesotho three days later.

Musa, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, missed the recent friendly against five-time world champions Brazil in Singapore due to injury.

Akpeyi had been overlooked since the Africa Cup in Egypt after coach Gernot Rohr criticised the Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper for Algeria’s stoppage-time winner in the semi-final.

Defensive midfielder Agu, based in Portugal with Vitoria Guimaraes, returns having not been considered for selection since missing the cut for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

However, Brighton defender Leon Balogun is only on standby after struggling for playing time at the Premier League club.

Injured Stoke City midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo is also on the standby list along with and Czech Republic-based striker Peter Olayinka.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs/RSA), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC), Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf/GER)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes/ESP), Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor/TUR) Chidozie Awaziem (Leganes/ESP), William Ekong (Udinese/ITA), Ola Aina (Torino/ITA), Jamilu Collins (Paderborn/GER), Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Everton/ENG), Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes/POR), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Joe Aribo (Glasgow Rangers/SCO), Ramon Azeez (Granada/ESP)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr/KSA), Victor Osimhen (Lille/FRA), Moses Simon (Nantes/FRA), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC/ESP), Paul Onuachu (Genk/BEL), Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge/BEL), Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux/FRA)

Standby: Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion/ENG); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Prague/CZE); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City/ENG)

SOURCE: GUARDIAN

YOU CAN STILL BE A WINNER EVEN IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT, MINISTER SUNDAY DARE

Nigeria's Under 23 team (The Dream Team 6) will be representing the country in Egypt next week for the Olympics qualifiers

The Dream Team 6 are also the defending champions of the competition from 2015

The bulk of players who will represent Nigeria at the competition are home based players captained by Azubuike Okechukwu and is assisted by Kelechi Nwakali
Head coach of the team is Coach Emma Amakakabo while the Chief Coach is Coach Kennedy Boboye (Not so sure of the name spellings)

Three teams will be progressing from Africa to represent the continent at the competition.

While speaking to the team, the minister said, "You can still be a winner even in the face of defeat, as long as you carry forward and apply the lessons you learnt from losing"

The minister said he is optimistic that the team would prove to be true ambassadors, talented soccer players and bring glory to the game of football in the country

He also commended the coaching team and the handlers for their awesome job of bringing together the best players with the talent, courage and skills to represent the country, and urged them to excel in the competition.

While wishing them the best in their campaign, the minister assured the team of the continued support of the ministry and the Nigerian Football Federation in assisting with their preparations, and also the support of all Nigerians who believe in them

He also promised to find time to join the team in training during their final preparations before leaving for Egypt in the next 5days, adding that he was once a goal keeper.

RONALDO, MBAPPE, VAN DIJK, OTHERS NOMINATED FOR BALLON D’OR

Cristiano Ronaldo will have his sights set on securing a sixth Ballon d’Or after the Juventus and Portugal forward was yesterday among the names nominated for this year’s award, reports thenational.ae.

Premier League stars including Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, Liverpool forward Sadio Mane and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris were among the first five nominees revealed by France Football.

They were joined by Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Ajax’s former Southampton forward, Dusan Tadic.

Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold have also been included in the 30-strong list, as have Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek.

There is a place too for Paris Saint-Germain’s World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, as well as another French striker, Karim Benzema of Real Madrid.

Five-time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo is also included on the list as is Juventus teammate Matthijs de Ligt.

Liverpool’s Alisson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino, and Virgil van Dijk join fellow Champions League winner Mane and Alexander-Arnold among the candidates.

They were included along with Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, Spurs striker Son Heung-min and Bayern Munich’s Poland international frontman Robert Lewandowski.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN

BRAZIL IDENTIFY IWOBI AS NIGERIA’S POTENTIAL THREAT ON SUNDAY

Brazil assistant coach Cleber Xavier feels Everton forward, Alex Iwobi is the man to watch out for when his team faces Nigeria in an international friendly match the National Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on Sunday, reports goal.com.

The two sides will be meeting for the second time ever, having previously played against each other in 2003 when Brazil won 3-0 in Abuja.Nigeria arrive in Singapore with in-form forwards Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis of Club Brugge and Lille’s Victor Osimhen, but Tite’s assistant coach Xavier has picked Iwobi as Nigeria’s danger man.

“At Nigeria, Iwobi plays more of an inside role as a second striker than at Everton,” Xavier told BBC Sport.“He is the link in the counter-attack, drags opponents out of position and infiltrates well in the box.”Before playing the Super Eagles, Brazil will first clash with Senegal on Thursday.

Xavier feels Nigeria and Senegal provide the challenge they need to prepare for the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign

“Nigeria defend less than Senegal. The Senegalese are more about positioning with [Idrissa] Gueye marking strongly,” he added.“These two friendlies and the two November friendlies will allow us to test new players and to adjust and tweak some tactical details in attack and defence.“We did this in the preparation for the Copa America. We succeeded in the objective of winning and did so unbeaten.”For Nigeria and Senegal, they will be preparing for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin in November.

Meanwhile, Ola Aina has been ruled out of the match against Brazil. According to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Aina picked up an injury after a domestic accident and will not be available for this weekend’s clash as a result. Aina has made 10 appearances for Italian Serie A club Torino across all competitions this season, coming off the bench in the club’s goalless draw at home to Napoli this past weekend. Nigeria return to action for the first time since holding Ukraine to a 2-2 draw in Dnipro, having ended third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Egypt in July.

Aina played the full 90 minutes in Ukraine, having featured five times at the 2019 AFCON, including the bronze medal match in which the Super Eagles beat Tunisia 1-0 thanks to an Odion Ighalo goal. The players in the Nigerian camp, which opened yesterday in Singapore, are goalkeepers Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); and Emil Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany).

Also in team are defenders Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Tyronne Ebuehi (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England).Iwobi (Everton FC, England) leads the midfield, which also has Anderson Esiti (PAOK Salonica, Greece); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); and Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain).

The forwards are Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Efosa Solomon-Otabor (PFC CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge, Belgium); and Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic).

SOURCE: GUARDIAN

YOUTH AND SPORTS MINISTER RELOCATES OPERATIONAL BASE TO THE NATIONAL STADIUM, ABUJA

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has relocated his office to the M.K.O Abiola stadium, Abuja.
The move, made on Monday, is in line with the Minister's promise to ensure that the nation's sports facilities become hubs of activities and that they are restored to become fully functional.
With this move, the Minister has made good on his earlier promise to keep a close tab on the revitalization of Nigeria’s sporting facilities. It is also a sharp departure from what has been the regarded as the norm in the past.
The Minister has indicated that he will be working some days of week from the Abuja stadium.
 During an interactive session with the Press Unit of the Ministry, Hon.  Dare asserted that the Youth and Sports Ministry is a critical artery to Nigeria's human capital development, adding, that 13 Ministries alone  has Youth development as  part of their budgets and mandate.
The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, according to him, will leverage on this pivotal advantage expressed in the National Youth Policy for Social Economic  Empowerment of our Youths. Furthermore, the Minister emphasised the importance of  Communication to Youth and Sports Development, stressing that the Press Unit of the Ministry should increase it's ante professionally, by narrating it's story timely and accurately with authentic  and approved facts before disseminating to  the Nigerian public. He also reemphasized his determination to give the  Youth  component of the Ministry's mandate massive attention.
Ramon Balogun. AD Press. For :Director Press.

NIGERIA BEGINS HUNT FOR MEDALS AT 2019 IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sprint hurdler, Tobiloba Amusan and long jumper, Ese Brume will spearhead Nigeria’s challenge for podium appearances when the 17th edition of the IAAF flagship event, the World Championships begin today in Doha, Qatar.

Amusan, the fourth fastest athlete (12.49 seconds) over the 100m hurdles so far this year behind the Jamaican duo of world leader, Danielle William (12.32 seconds) and reigning NCAA champion, Janeek Brown (12.40), as well as reigning world record holder, U.S.’s Kendra Harrison, has been in impressive form this season, running a lifetime best in Sotteville, France last July and has legally ducked inside 13 seconds 10 times this season.

The petite Nigerian looks a cast iron certainty to make her first sprint hurdles final after stumbling at the semi-final stage two years ago in London.

If she scaled the hurdles into her first global final, the reigning All Africa Games queen will be one of the favourites to make the podium.

Also favoured for a podium appearance in Doha is Brume, the 2018 African Championship and 2019 African Games gold medallist in the long jump.

Brume is the second best athlete in the world over the horizontal jump so far this year with her 7.05m leap in Bursa, Turkey last month behind Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, whose 7.16m world lead was achieved on August 4.

Sprinters Divine Oduduru and African Games fastest man, Raymond Ekevwo, as well as shot putter, Enekwechi Chukwuebuka can also fancy their chances of making the finals of the 100m and shot put events.

No Nigerian male has made the 100m final since 2007 when Olusoji Fasuba ran 10.07 seconds to place fourth in Osaka, but the duo of Oduduru and Ekevwo look likely to change the story and perhaps go a step further by becoming the first Nigerian man (or woman) to win a blue ribband medal at the IAAF Worlds.

Enekwechi on his part has had a very impressive season, breaking the national record on multiple occasions before steadying it 21.80m, the 10th best mark in the world this season.

He will, however, need to hit the 22m mark, which eight persons led by U.S.’s Ryan Crouser (22.74m) have done this year.



SOURCE: GUARDIAN

NFF SEALS BRAZIL FRIENDLY IN SINGAPORE FOR SUPER EAGLES

As part of their preparation for the forthcoming Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers and the African Nations Cup games, the Super Eagles will play a series of friendly matches, beginning with a game against Brazil in Singapore, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed.

The Super Eagles played a thrilling 2-2 draw with Ukraine in Dnipro earlier this month and now Gernot Rohr’s men will engage Brazil, which on paper looks like a tougher opposition than the Eastern Europeans, on October 13.

In an statement yesterday, the NFF said it was working hard to secure a match for the Super Eagles against an African team as Nigeria prepares for the qualifiers.

Nigeria’s match against Brazil at the Singapore National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore comes 23 years after the Eagles, on their way to winning Africa’s first Olympic football gold, spanked the Selecao in the semi finals at the Athens Stadium in the State of Georgia, U.S.

Efforts to match the two teams in a friendly match after that spectacular game came to naught for several years, until the organizers of the Eighth All Africa Games that Nigeria hosted in 2003 flew the Brazilians to Abuja in June of that year. Brazil won 3-0.

There has been no competitive tie between both countries’ senior teams since that memorable U-23 match in Georgia, and next month’s session will test the character of the African champions who are somewhat building a new team after a rash of retirements and injuries to key players.

That newbreed came close to shocking Ukraine in a friendly match in Dnipro a week ago, before bungling a two-goal lead to stalemate at 2-2.

“We are happy to have sealed this encounter with Brazil, the five-time champions of the world. It is not everyday that you get to Brazil, and I think it is very good for our young team.

“The Nigeria Football Federation must also commend Eurodata Sport, our FIFA–licensed Match Agent, for pulling this off. Having said that, the focus now is on getting an African team for the Super Eagles as a second match for the FIFA window in October, ahead of their 2021 AFCON qualifying matches in November,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said.

The Super Eagles have two 2021 AFCON qualifying dates in November. After hosting the Squirrels of Benin Republic on November 14, they will fly to Maseru for a Day Two encounter with the Crocodiles of Lesotho on November 19.


SOURCE: GUARDIAN

AFCON 2019: ROHR SATISFIED OVER SUPER EAGLES’ THIRD PLACE FINISH

Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has expressed satisfaction over Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Egypt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odion Ighalo’s early goal in the third minute gave Nigeria a 1-0 win over Tunisia in their third-place playoff on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old forward, who is the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, was gifted an easy tap-in following a Tunisian defensive mix-up at the Al Salam Stadium.

This was after Jamilu Collins’ cross from the left was poorly parried by goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifa against the legs of defender Yassine Meriah.

NAN also reports that Nigeria, who dominated the game, has won the bronze medal at eight different Cup of Nations tournaments.

Rohr told newsmen during a post-match conference that he was satisfied with the team’s performance, adding that he was very positive about the future.

“We are satisfied with third place. We managed to beat Africa’s second-best team.

“It was hard, so we are good with it.

“I told the players that winning a small final was better than losing a big one.

“I am very positive about the future,” he said.

On his part, Coach Alain Giresse of Tunisia said that he was proud of what his team achieved at this year’s AFCON, adding that Tunisia had lots of hope for the next AFCON and World Cup.

“At the beginning of the tournament, we didn’t do well. But after that our performance evolved.

“Tunisia has been waiting for a semifinal since 2004, and here we are in a 24-team tournament.

“We have lots of hope for the next AFCON and for the World Cup,” he said.

Algeria plays Senegal in the Cup of Nations final in Cairo on Friday.


SOURCE: GUARDIAN

NIGERIANS RECALL ‘NIGHT OF AGONY’ AS EAGLES BATTLE CAMEROON’S LIONS

Today’s round of 16 clash between the Super Eagles and Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the on-going Egypt 2019 Afcon has re-opened old memories of past encounters between the two teams. For some Nigerians here in Alexandria, the final of the Ghana/Nigeria 2000 edition of the African Cup of Nations played at the National Stadium in Lagos stands out. They want the Super Eagles to avenge that defeat, which they referred to as a ‘night of agony’ in Lagos.
Today’s battle of Alexandria between Nigeria, three–time winner of the Afcon title and the defending champions, Cameroon, who are five–time winners, is being tagged final before final of the 2019 edition.

The fixture could have been avoided if both teams had not finished second in their respective groups. The Lions of Cameroon have had the upper hand against the Super Eagles in AFCON history, although Nigeria has won 13 of 22 encounters in all at senior level. And just last year, the Super Eagles humiliated the Indomitable Lions in the race to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

One encounter that is fresh in the memory of Omokuvie Daniel, a member of the Nigeria Football Supporters’ Club, is the final in 2000 in Surulere Lagos.

“Anytime we have a match against the Lions of Cameroon, what comes to my mind is that encounter in Lagos. I couldn’t sleep throughout that night. We came from Warri to watch the final, and I recall how we stayed under the sun for several hours battling to enter the stadium. That defeat is still fresh in my mind, and I want the Super Eagles to beat Cameroun on Saturday (today),” Omokuvie said.

At the 2000 final in Lagos, a 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time was followed by a penalty shootout, during which Tunisian referee Mourad Daami controversially ruled out the kick by Victor Ikpeba that television replays later showed to have crossed the line behind goalkeeper Alioum Boukar.

Nigeria got some revenge in 2004, when Jay Jay Okocha spearheaded a comeback in a quarterfinal tie in Monastir, Tunisia that ended 2-1 in favour of Nigeria, and after waiting 13 years, the Eagles dismantled reigning African champions, Cameroun 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Uyo before a 1-1 draw in Yaounde days later en route Russia 2018 World Cup.

It is also on record that the Lions have not beaten the Super Eagles in regulation time since August 27, 1989, when an under-strength Nigeria side lost 0-1 in Yaounde in an Italia 1990 World Cup qualifier–two weeks after Samuel Okwaraji died in another World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos.

In 1984, in an entertaining AFCON final in Abidjan, Cameroun came from one goal down to defeat Nigeria 3-1, exhibiting the quality and experience that had made them unbeaten at the FIFA World Cup in Spain two years earlier. Four years later, at the same stage in Casablanca, the Lions were less convincing, as Nigeria lost following Mauritanian referee Idrissa Saar’s inexplicable decision to disallow a goal by Henry Nwosu in the first half, and then award a soft penalty to the Lions early in the second half.

Today’s encounter at the 20,000–capacity Alexandria Stadium will be a fight-to-finish. Despite lifting a fifth African title in Gabon 30 months ago, Cameroun failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and were less than convincing in qualifying for this tournament.

All eyes will be on coach Gernot Rohr and his army to come up with a playing pattern that can cage the Lions this afternoon. Nigeria appears to be seeing the last active days of captain Mikel Obi on international duty, but young fighters such as Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina, Chidozie Awaziem and even the experienced Odion Ighalo are aware they cannot afford to falter at this stage in their AFCON debut. The burden is on Ahmed Musa’s shoulders to rally the troop from the 0-2 humiliation by a lowly rated Madagascar and go for the kill against the Indomitable Lions.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN

ROHR NOT BOTHERED BY SUPER EAGLES’ LOW GOAL RATE

The Super Eagles have only score two goals in their two games at the on-going African Cup of Nations in Egypt, but Coach Gernot Rohr is not worried. Rather, he is pleased with the better understanding exhibited by his wards in the two games they have played so far, adding also that winning is the most important thing in a game.

Nigeria beat Burundi in its opening game and also defeated Guinea by the same margin in the second match to book its place in the second round. Now the Super Eagles will meet Madagascar in their last game, which win or draw will give the team leadership of the group.

Some fans have criticised the Eagles’ low score rate, saying it might work against the team when they meet the best teams in the competition. But Rohr says, “I am not worried because we have been creating many chances to score. We scored a beautiful goal against Burundi. We scored from a corner, which I think is a good thing.

“So, we are working hard to present a good team that will give us victory. That is all that maters.”

The Eagles had one training session ahead of Sunday’s match at the Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria yesterday evening. It was open to journalists.

They will also train today by the same time at the same venue with only the first 15 minutes open to journalists. Before then, they will hold a press conference at the Alexandria Stadium by 11.30 a.m.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN