ONE WORD

The former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has described the revocation by Gov. Kayode Fayemi, of appointment of 2,000 workers by him shortly before leaving office, as “height of wickedness and political vendetta” urged affected civil servants not to be disillusioned, but to approach the court to challenge the State Government’s decision. In a statement by his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, on Thursday in Ado Ekiti, the former governor said that sacking people duly engaged in the service by a duly constituted government was most unfortunate. TheNationOnline reports that the state government on Thursday announced the cancellation of 2000 appointments carried out by the Fayose-led administration in October 2018. The government declared that their recruitment did not follow due process and was politically lopsided to give undue advantage to the cronies of the former governor. Fayose, however, said that the incumbent governor, by the action, had succeeded in writing his name in ...

A chattered accountant has been rescued after he tried to jump inside the Lagos lagoon, it has been reported.   Daniel Okereke   According to NewTelegraph, the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Police Command, yesterday rescued an accountant, Daniel Okereke (29), just as he was about to jump off the Third Mainland Bridge into the lagoon.   Okereke was rescued by policemen stationed on the bridge about 7a.m. The policemen were said to have spent time speaking with him and encouraging him before taking him to Adekunle Police Station, Yaba, where he was detained.   The reason the accountant tried to end his life was still unclear at the time of filing this report, but it was learnt that police had already launched an investigation.   The state Police Public Relations Offiloaded cer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident.   He said:  “About 6.30a.m., Daniel Okereke, 29-year-old, was rescued by ...

Liverpool and Tottenham fans are calling on sponsors to return a portion of their Champions League ticket allocations so more supporters can attend next month's all-English final in Madrid. Both clubs have received around 16,600 tickets apiece for the June 1 meeting at the Wanda Metropolitano, which has a capacity of 63,500 for the final, meaning demand will far outweigh supply. About 22,300 tickets have been made available to the local organising committee, UEFA and national associations, commercial partners and broadcasters, and to serve the corporate hospitality programme. Liverpool group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust (THST) have asked for sponsors to consider giving some of their allocation to fans who will miss out. "Spirit of Shankly and Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust -- the independent official fan groups of LFC and THFC -- are calling on the main sponsors of the UEFA Champions League to return a proportion o...

 Arsenal and Chelsea fans face logistical problems in attending the Europa League final in Baku Arsenal have branded the decision for Azerbaijani capital Baku to host their Europa League final with Chelsea as "unacceptable" as fans struggle with the logistics and cost of attending the game on May 29. The London clubs were given 6,000 tickets each by European football's governing body for the match at the 68,700-capacity Olympic Stadium, more than 4,500 kilometres (2,800 miles) from the English capital. UEFA cited Baku's limited airport capacity as one reason for not reserving more tickets for travelling fans. "We are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations UEFA can only make a maximum of 6,000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000," said Arsenal in a strongly worded statement. "Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extre...

FBL-ESP-LIGA-RAYO-REAL MADRID ​Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is said to be keen to be given the chance to bid farewell to Los Blancos in what could be his final game for the club this weekend, as their 2018/19 La Liga season concludes with a home game against Real Betis. Bale has been left out of the squad altogether by Real coach Zinedine Zidane in each of the last two La Liga games amid rampant speculation he will be leaving the club this summer. Marca are convinced that Bale will either be sold or loaned out before the start of next season and the Spanish publication has now reported that the 29-year-old Welsh superstar is 'eager' to be given the chance to wave goodbye to Real fans at the weekend, even if it is from the stands. It remains to be seen if Zidane will bring Bale back from the cold for potentially one final game. The player's agent explained earlier this month that his client wants to stay in Madrid, but admitted that Zidane will have the final ...

Manchester City's Etihad Stadium Manchester City have slammed the UEFA Club Financial Control Body's (CFCB) investigation into alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP), describing it as a "hostile process" after being referred to the organisation's adjudicatory chamber. The Premier League champions were alleged to have breached rules relating to FFP, third-party ownership and youth player recruitment in articles by German publication Der Spiegel, which drew upon documents purportedly obtained by whistleblowers Football Leaks. City denied wrongdoing, but the CFCB began an investigation into the club in March, with former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme leading as chief investigator. UEFA confirmed on Thursday that City's case had been referred to the CFCB's adjudicatory chamber for a final decision following the conclusion of Leterme's probe, with the club reacting angrily. A City statement read: "Manchester City Football Club ...

 Liverpool FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League Liverpool have been tipped to raise around £100m in the transfer market this summer just by selling off fringe players who have little or no future at Anfield, with the likes of Marko Grujic, Nathaniel Clyne, Simon Mignolet and a handful of youngsters expected to move on. Liverpool will not see a repeat of the past transfer windows in which key men like Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho left Anfield in big money moves, with little doubt about the futures of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and others. Philippe Coutinho But clearing a handful of fringe players and selling on youngsters could raise the transfer budget should Jurgen Klopp want to carefully add to a squad that came within a whisker of winning the Premier League title, and could yet still end the season with the Champions League trophy. According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds have 'already received a host of approaches' regarding playe...

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Gianluigi Buffon confirmed Paris Saint-Germain have offered him a contract extension. Buffon, 41, was expected to retire at the end of the 2017-18 campaign with Juventus before PSG persuaded him to move to France, and now he is considering a further extension to his career. The Italian has featured 24 times across all competitions for the Ligue 1 champions this season, sharing first-choice responsibilities with Alphonse Areola. He only signed a one-year deal with PSG, but has shown himself to still be capable of performing at the highest level despite his age. And PSG seem intent on keeping him around until he is 42. Speaking to Sky Uno, Buffon said: "The club has offered me an extension, which makes me really happy. "We will look in a few days to examine this project and see if we both believe that it is good to continue together. "It's going well in Paris. I live an exceptional life experience at 41 years old. I arr...

 Barcelona v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Semi Final: First Leg ​Philippe Coutinho is not about to be replaced at Barcelona by seemingly imminent summer signing Antoine Griezmann, the Brazilian star's agent has insisted. Barcelona are heavily expected to sign Griezmann for €120m after the Frenchman confirmed this week that he intends to leave Atletico Madrid after 'five incredible years' in Spanish capital. That has unsurprisingly brought huge speculation that Coutinho could be the fall guy at Camp Nou after a disappointing season in which he has failed to justify a €160m transfer fee that made him the third most expensive player in history less than 18 months ago. It hasn't helped that Coutinho currently wears Barcelona's number seven shirt, which many would expect Griezmann to want if and when he makes the switch from Atletico. There have been reports that Barça are looking for €100m for Coutinho, but agent Andrea Bertolucci has strongly denied th...

Gremio v Fluminense - Brasileirao Series A 2019 ​Arsenal are reported to have put a €12m offer on the table for Gremio defender Walter Kannemann, potentially putting them ahead of Serie A sides Inter and Sampdoria in the queue to secure his services. The Gunners are looking to strengthen their central defensive options in the summer, with Shkodran Mustafi seemingly heading for the exit door after a poor season. They will do so on a shoestring budget compared to their rivals at the top end of the ​Premier League, with ​as little as £40m to spend, and ​CalcioMercato report that a shopping trip in Brazil may be the solution to that. They report that ​Arsenal have issued a concrete bid of €12m plus bonuses for the 28-year-old, and await a response in the coming days, as Gremio evaluate the offer. It may seem unusual for a Premier League side to go in for an experienced player from the Brazilian leagues, but it is worth noting that the Argentine centre-back, who was born in Urugu...

The new plan involves overhauling the green card norms, giving preference to foreigners based on merit. WASHINGTON: In a major policy speech Thursday, US President Donald Trump is all set to announce a new proposal to overhaul the country's immigration policy that would give preference to foreigners based on merit rather than the existing system that gives preference to family ties, a move that could end the agonising Green Card wait for hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals. Brainchild of Trump's son-in-law, Jarred Kushner, the new plan primarily focusses on strengthening border security and revamping the system of Green Card or legal permanent residency so that people with merit, higher degrees and professional qualifications could get an easy access to the immigration system. As of now, about 66 per cent of the green cards are given to those with family ties and only 12 per cent are based on skills. The Trump Administration intends to change this. Trump is s...

The Nigerian Army on Tuesday laid to rest the remains of an officer and two soldiers who were killed while on clearance operations along Mauli-Borgozo axis on Monday, May 13. Prominent among those who were laid to rest was Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Ibrahim Aminu who was the Commanding Officer (CO), of 154 Task Force Battalion Borgozo. According to a statement by army spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, the officer was on a clearance operation along Mauli- Borgozo when his vehicle climbed on a buried Improvised Explosive Device which detonated resulting in losing his life and that of two other soldiers while others were wounded in action. At the Maimalari Military Cantonment Cemetery in Maiduguri Borno State, where the funeral ceremony held, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai commiserated with the family of the deceased. General Buratai used the opportunity to also commend the efforts of the entire troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the war on t...

Mrs. Victoria Obaze, a Nigerian from Imo State made history on Wednesday after she was sworn into office as the first black female Civic Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Obaze’s inauguration on Wednesday is the latest in turn of events that have seen Nigerians emerge as mayors in their area councils of residence in the UK. It will be recalled that Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, and Mrs Kate Anorue, both from Anambra State, were recently sworn into office as Mayors of London Borough of Brent and Enfield, respectively. Obaze, who contested three previous councillorship elections in 2010, 2014 as well as 2016 and failed, eventually succeeded in an election conducted on May 5, 2018 in Whitechapel Ward. She later became the Council’s Deputy Speaker following her nomination by her Councillor Colleagues from where she took over the mantle as Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (NAN)

Michael Arowosaiye   Michael Arowosaiye, a music minister in a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Abuja has left many people still in shock after he killed himself.   Arowosaiye allegedly committed suicide  on Tuesday May 14th, 2019 after battling with depression. He was said to have killed himself with a belt.   Here are photos of him leading praise and worship in church before the tragic incident:  

Depression By Nneka Okumazie There are often thoughts that come to mind, questioning the essence of life. There are situations of maximum hopelessness that makes life seem unendurable. There are moments of total shame or impending grand shame that seems impossible to bear. The struggles of life are like a call to hopelessness – and selfishness. Possessions or privilege are often like a temptation for pride and scornfulness for others. Wickedness is a call to vindictiveness. The world is yet to be a better place because of the ironic scarcity of compassion, humility and hope. Somehow, no one is exactly better than anyone, the difference often, is time and chance. There are those who have it easy with what others struggle with, there are those who have it fast or first, or longer. But the commonalities of life show close equality. Life is temporal and birth is not a waste. The rigidities of the world leave many excluded from opportunities for happiness and hope. There a...

The story behind Jason Momoa's face scar is wild-find out how he got it here. Former Game of Thrones star (RIP, Khal Drogo) Jason Momoa has a giant scar across his eye and the story behind it is brutal. The actor had to get 140 stitches after getting hit in the face at a bar. Do you ever just stare at Jason Momoa’s face? Wow, hard same, we have so much in common. In that case, perhaps you’ve noticed he has a sick scar cutting diagonally through his left eyebrow, which most definitely adds to his overall ~vibes~ and also is slightly reminiscent of the living Lion King legend aptly known as, well, Scar. So, how did Jason get this scar? No, not while playing our collective moon and stars Drogo on Game of Thrones. The story behind his scar is actually super intense and involves a bar fight, so buckle up. Apparently, circa 2008, Jason was hanging out in a bar and got hit in the eye with a pint glass that shattered all over the place. Jason told the New York Post he had to get ...

If you've been watching Michelle Obama's style transformation since the former FLOTUS left the White House, you'll notice her gravitating toward laid-back silhouettes, statement heels (remember those Balenciaga boots?!), and lots more sparkle. It's the sartorial equivalent of someone letting their hair down, and with each appearance, our favorite first lady solidifies her second act -- as a book author, yes, and a stylish force with something new to say. This time, she's saying it with a bold, purple, custom Sergio Hudson pantsuit and a sexy bustier peeking out underneath. For a public appearance celebrating her book Becoming in Atlanta, Michelle paired her colorful power suit with a sequined silver bustier. Just that sliver of a slinky, sexy, sparkly, curve-hugging piece set this suit apart from the kind we became accustomed to seeing Michelle wear in the White House. While her outfits when Barack was in office were deliberate, crafted with the acute awareness...

Finding common ground! Duchess Meghan welcomed her baby boy last week, and his arrival has strengthened her relationship with sister-in-law Duchess Kate. “Meghan and Kate will be spending a lot more time together,” a palace insider says in this week’s issue of Us Weekly. “Now that they’re bonding over motherhood, they’ve become closer than ever.” […]

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season eight, episode five, "The Bells." 560 babies were named "Khaleesi" in 2018 in the US. Khaleesi is one of the many titles assumed by Daenerys Targaryen in the monumentally popular HBO series "Game of Thrones." Many of those who named their daughter after Daenerys were probably reeling on Sunday night after the Mother of Dragons lay waste to thousands of innocents in a city that had already surrendered. The Daily Beast and The Cut both spoke to mothers who had named their daughters after the Mother of Dragons. While one said the name now felt "bittersweet," another backed her queen to the hilt: "I'm still rooting for her. I don't think she did anything wrong." Daenerys Targaryen: The Mad Queen? That's what some viewers are speculating after Emilia Clarke's character underwent a shocking transition in the penultimate episode of "Game of Thrones...

Governor Shettima of Borno State Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has thrown his weight behind his Kano state counterpart Umar Ganduje, by taking a swipe at Nigerians faulting the decentralization of the Kano Emirate. Shettima made his position known when the House of Representatives Committee on the Army paid him a visit at the Borno Government house as part of their oversight functions. The Governor who is leaving office in two weeks, expressed concern that northern Nigeria is always in the news for the wrong reason when there are more important issues that everyone should be worried about. He said it is estimated that by 2050, seventy percent of Nigeria’s population would live in the North: “with desertification, deforestation, endemic poverty, pervasive illiteracy and 12 million almajiris we have provided the recipe for a perfect storm.” Shettima maintains that there can never be peace without development and vice versa, and sermonized about how the problems...

Frank Lampard says his Derby County side proved their doubters wrong after coming from behind to beat Leeds United 4-2 at Elland Road and book a showdown with Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final. Leeds secured a 1-0 win at the weekend – a third victory out of three against Derby this season for Marcelo Bielsa's men in a rivalry that simmered in the aftermath of the "spygate" controversy. Bielsa's opposite number Lampard had the last laugh, however, with Jack Marriott's introduction from the bench proving pivotal as the forward struck a decisive brace. Leeds full-back Stuart Dallas also hit a double but his defensive colleagues malfunctioned after his opener, with Mason Mount on target and Harry Wilson converting a 58th-minute penalty before each team had a player sent off. It is the first time in the history of the play-offs that a side has reached the Championship play-off final after losing the first leg at home. "We were 1-0 down, I ...