16 Year Old Nigerian Footballer Slumps And Dies In Ireland

A 16 year old Nigerian midfielder, Shetemi Ayetigbo, who plays for Belvedere Football Club in Dublin, Ireland slumped and died while playing in a league match at the St Kevin’s Boys Football grounds Sunday, May 31st.

An eyewitness while narrating what happened to Mirror UK, said Shetemi suddenly slumped and died while playing with his mates.

“There was no incident, any attack. The young lad was playing, and he just dropped on the pitch. It was around 25 to 30 minutes into the game. A number of people rushed to his side straight away to give him first aid, as there was a defibrillator at the grounds. An ambulance came, and paramedics tried to treat him there.

But he couldn’t be saved. They then took his body to the hospital. The match was cancelled. Everyone was in shock. The young players, staff, and supporters had never witnessed anything like that on a football pitch.

There were a good few people watching the match because it was the last game of the season.”
His football club, Belvedere Football Club released a statement in which they confirmed the death of Shetemi who was fondly called Shay by his fellow teammates.

Wonderkid aged SEVEN scores 97 goals in one season

Prolific ace whose middle name is in honour of his Liverpool hero Steven is being watched by Chelsea who want him to join their academy.

Blaze Brown scored 97 goals in a single football season at the age of SEVEN.

Blaze, whose middle name is Gerrard in honour of his Liverpool hero Steven, also got another 16 in cup matches.

Superstars Chelsea are among the clubs already watching Blaze’s astonishing goal-scoring feats.

Blaze managed 16 in one half while playing for Woodingdean Youth under-7s in Brighton and then went in goal for the secon d half to give their opponents a chance.

PA Liverpool's Steven Gerrard during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool.

Blaze's hero: Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard

Proud dad Carl, 37, a Liverpool fan, said: “ I don’t know where he gets it from. He plays every day and is a good player.

“ He has a lot of skill, is quick and has a wicked left foot.

“ Blaze is so passionate and even at his age, he is telling his team-mates what to do.

“ I do not know if he will go on and play as a professional. I just want him to succeed in life, whatever he chooses to do.”

Getty Jose Mourinho answers questions during a press conference at a hotel after the team arrived

Special One: Jose Mourinho's Chelsea want Blaze to join academy

The Blues want Blaze to join their academy in nearby Crawley but he cannot sign for a club until he is nine.

Blaze said: “ My favourite goal was one from the half-way line. I spotted the goalkeeper off his line and shot over the top of him into the net.

“One day I would like to play for Liverpool and be the new Steven Gerrard. My dad even named me after him.”

51 million lines now dormant – NCC

A total of 51,464,799 telecommunications lines are now dormant according to statistics released in Abuja on Monday by telecommunications regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission.

The statistics showed that as of April 30, 2015, the number of connected lines in the networks of all telecommunications operators in the country stood at 196,941,125 while the number of active lines stood at 145,476,326.

This means that a total of 51,464,799 lines were dormant. This shows a dormancy rate (or churn rate) of 26.13 per cent.

One year ago, the churn rate stood at 27.03 per cent although in absolute numbers, fewer lines were dormant.

As of April 30, 2014, the number of connected lines stood at 177,329,661 while the number of active lines stood at 129,391,392.

This means that 47,938,269 were dormant a year ago.

The statistics also showed that the networks added a total of 16,084,934 lines within the one year period. This reflects a growth rate of 12.38 per cent.

Segmenting the active lines according to technology showed that GSM operators had the largest chunk of lines as GSM lines accounted for 143,057,234. Mobile Code Division Multiple Access operators accounted for 2,234,302 lines. Fixed operators accounted for 184,790 lines.

A number of reasons account for the high rate of inactivity in lines provided by digital mobile networks operating in the country.

These include the poor services which have characterised the networks in recent times.

Many subscribers who have been frustrated by the poor quality of services rendered by the operators find it more convenient to abandon their lines rather than carry phones that do not work when they need service desperately. They could switch to another service provider.

Another reason for the high rate of dormant lines in the networks is the high rate of promotions targeted at attracting new subscribers. Occasionally, these promotions produce many lines which the subscribers do not really need.

The introduction of Mobile Number Portability in May 2013 was expected to stem the tide of high churn rate as subscribers could still retain their number when they move to another network they dim to be more efficient.

Number portability is an application that enables subscribers to migrate from one service provider to another without losing their numbers. It was introduced in by NCC as a means to keep operators on their toes in terms of rendering quality services.

However, the churn rate has remained high. As of May 2013 when MNP was introduced, the number of active lines stood at 117,765,609 as against 150,888,100 connected mobile lines. This gives a dormancy rate of 33,122,491 or 21.95 per cent as against the 26.13 per cent recorded as of April 2015.

Former Governor Nyako Of Adamawa In EFCC Custody

Former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state is under interrogation at the offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission currently being grilled for fraud related charges. Former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State

The former governor turned  himself into the EFCC earlier today with the expectation that he will be released in time to attend a rally organized by his supporters in Yola, but EFCC officials who had earlier declared him wanted have continued interrogating him.

An EFCC source told SaharaReporters the former governor stole billions of naira from his state and then escaped to the UK when he remained until last week.

Boko Haram: Buhari goes to Chad, Niger

Towards blocking the activities of Boko Haram from neighbouring countries, President Muhammadu Buhari will on Wednesday embark on two-day visit to Chad and Niger Republic.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja.
The two-day visit, he said, will focus on “matters of security.”

Buhari, who was sworn in last Friday, had vowed to crush the sect, which he described as “mindless and godless” in his inaugural speech.

Boko Haram’s fatal attacks have continued in parts of northern Nigeria after Friday’s inauguration ceremony.

Meanwhile, President Buhari has expressed condolences to the governor and people of Anambra State, over the petrol tanker crash, which killed 60 people at a busy bus station in Onitsha.

Shehu in a statement said the President described the incident as a sad and unfortunate loss.
He said the crash was made even more unfortunate by the number of families who are currently mourning the loss of their loved ones.

The President said: “My deepest sympathies are with you at this most trying time.”

President Buhari also extended condolences to the Vice President of United States, Joe Biden, who lost his son, Beau Biden, to cancer, on Monday.

 “As someone who has lost a child, I understand how painful and almost inconsolable it can be. The government and peoples stand with you at this trying moment for your family,” he said.

Saraki unveils agenda for 8th Senate

A leading contender for the Senate Presidency, Bukola Saraki, on Monday unveiled his agenda for the 8^th Senate.

In an interview with reporters in Abuja, Saraki said if his colleagues gave him the opportunity to serve them as President, he would ensure openness, transparency and accountability in running the affairs of the Senate.

He also said the public will be better enlightened about the functions of the legislature, especially as it affects making laws that would impact positively on their lives.

According to him, the Senate under his leadership will take responsibility for ensuring good governance.

Saraki said his confidence has been further boosted by the quality of men and women who will be part of the 8^th Senate.

This, he said, would make the task lighter because he and his colleagues would be on the same page in the area of probity and accountability.

 

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He said, “One of the things I have observed in our engagement with many Nigerians out there, they wonder, ‘what do they do there? What happens in the National Assembly?’

“There’s no connection between the National Assembly and the Nigerian people. I hope that the Eighth Chamber, under our leadership, would begin to bring a closer relationship, a better connection between the Senate and the Nigerian people.

“Some of the laws that we would pass are laws that would have direct impact on the lives of our people. Secondly, in the areas of representation, we must improve in being able to connect, and interact with the people we represent.

“I also think there are some bills that are priority bills. In doing that, I think, one, in the area of delivery of Justice; I think it’s a key area. All the things we talk about, whether its security, rule of law, anti-corruption and even on the commercial side, we need to look at that.

“We need to look at electoral reform because that would strengthen our democracy. These are bills I believe are key. We need to priorities these bills.”

Saraki said, “Some of our responsibilities in the area of oversight, we really need to improve on that. No matter and whatever we say, some of the issues that we have seen, on things that have happened over the last few years, we cannot but take responsibility, that there’s poor oversight, and that’s an area we must improve upon.”

Saraki also promised to improve the Senate’s capacity to deliver on its mandate by ensuring that capacity building is given its pride of place in the National Assembly.

The former Kwara State governor, who is currently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, also argued that the nation’s budgetary system needed to be revisited.

 

According to him,  there is need to do more to ensure that the greater percentage of Nigerian benefit from our democratic process through an improved budgetary system which will take into account areas of leakages as well as waste, with a view to plugging them.

He also observed that there is the need for greater interaction between the Legislature and Civil Society because there is a lot of human resource which will be mutually beneficial that were yet to be fully tapped into for the benefit of Nigerians.

He appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to allow lawmakers elect their own leaders, a move he said would ensure stability in the Legislature.

My target is to fight poverty in Africa – Adesina

The President-elect, Africa Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has said he will develop programmes that will end poverty in Africa during his tenure.

He said this in Abeokuta on Monday during his visit to the state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in Abeokuta to thank the governor for his support while vying for the ADB job.

Adesina said the time had come for Africa to tackle the challenges of electricity, unemployment and other social imbalance.

He said, “I want to assure you that I, as the President of the Bank, by the grace of God, poverty would not be the comparative advantage of Africa and we would work very hard to develop programmes that will end poverty on this continent.

“Programmes that would lead people out of poverty and create opportunities for shared -prosperity all across our continent.

 

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“Obviously, I think critical issues of infrastructure would be important, energy for all would be important, electricity would be important, very critical to build private sector, to create wealth all across our continent.

“We want to make sure we are able to create jobs for hundreds of millions of our people, ‎instead of people going across this Sahara Desert or Mediterranean Sea  to go to Europe, we want to create job on this continent of Africa and we can do that.”

Adesina said there was the need to revive  rural economies in Africa and lift hundreds of rural people that depended on agriculture out of poverty.

“So, getting agriculture to work as a business is going to be a big one that we are going to do for inclusive growth and also into regional integration,” he added.

Adesina added that his vision for the continent was that of a stable, peaceful and a secured continent.

He said, “My dream and vision for Africa is one, an Africa that is growing well, has a lot of share prosperity and Africa, where you have a lot of peace, stability and security, and one, which is regionally- integrated within ourselves but also globally-competitive in what we do.”