How Oshiomhole Retired Edo Godfathers

With Yesterday’s victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo State governorship election, it is likely to mark the
retirement of some political godfathers in the “Heartbeat State” by a new power bloc led by the outgoing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The godfathers, mostly of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and who hitherto called the shots, rating ahead of the poll had presented them as men who could turn the table against the ruling party. They include former chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih; business mogul and the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; his son and former governor, Lucky; former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Tom Ikimi; former Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; former Chief of Staff to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadome; media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Senator Odion Ugbesia.

The party bigwigs had during the campaigns boasted that they will cut Oshiomhole, his anointed successor and APC to size. But in a twist of fate, Oshiomhole, like the Biblical David in the David and Goliath battle, led his party to trounced his PDP rivals for the third time – 2008 (through the court), 2012 and 2016 and thereby confirmed his preelection position that the political godfathers have outlived their relevance in Edo State politics.

Anenih popularly called “Mr. Fix It,” had boasted before the election that the PDP will emerge tops. He not only predicted victory for his party but assured its supporters that PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will have an easy ride because his rival lacks the capacity to be governor. But with the defeat, the former Minister of Works and leader of the PDP in Edo State was forced to swallow his words and justifies appeal on the self- acclaimed godfather ahead of the poll to rather dwell more on national politics and play the role of an elder statesman, than take the captainship band of domestic politics.
 In fact, some political analysts had advised him to take a final bow from an indulgence that gave him fame having stepped down as PDP BoT chairman after the 2015 elections but he shunned the counsel, insisting that he still has what it takes to turn the table against Oshiomhole. Another godfather who is likely to join Anenih on the retirement train is the Esama of Benin, Chief Igbinedion, and whose son, Lucky, ruled the state between 1999 and 2007. Perhaps, the people have not forgotten his son’s dismal performance in the eight years he held sway as governor of Edo State.
 For Igbinedion junior, the loss is a set back to his bid to re-launch a political career that has been on sabbatical after his ordeal in the hands of the anti-graft agencies upon leaving office as governor in 2007. He had boasted that Oshiomhole’s successor will emerge from his political family. Ize-Iyamu, the PDP candidate is his long term political ally, having served as his personal assistant when he was the chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Chief of Staff as governor and later Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Ikimi also joins the train despite his political sagacity. His case is made worse by the fact that he was among those who midwifed the victorious party – APC. He had hoped to lead the party to the 2015 elections as national chairman but the emergence of his kinsman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, at the party’s national put paid to his ambition as well as forced him to quit the party. While the godfathers are grieving their loss, a jubilant Oshiomhole declared that he has demystified them and dismantled their rigging machinery as well.
His words: “Over the last eight years, we have tried to orientate our people not just the voters but politicians that the season of election rigging, where one or two godfathers write the results is over and we were committed todismantling the rigging machine. “We have a rerun in 2012 with all the godfathers on one side and new forces of change on my side, I won in all the 18 local government areas. Our people have spoken loud and clear that they believe in democracy, they just don’t want to be beneficiaries, they want to be the drivers of the process. This was showed by the way they conducted themselves on election day.

“It is outstanding and remarkable that tensed as the election was with all the predictions, the APC won 15 out of the 18 local government areas decisively. Those who were loudest in making noise have been revealed where they stand in relation with Edo people. “We have humbled Chief Tom Ikimi even in the local government he claimed to have created. We defeated Chief Raymond Dokpesi in his polling unit, his ward and his local government.

In Okada, the political family that has boasted that they will continue to govern this state and even compelled the state to adopt them as the queen of England whose birthday must be celebrated was rejected. “In Esan land, the senatorial zone of the PDP godfather, we won two out of the five local governments. We gave him a fight that he managed to escape. He used the factor of his age to play on the emotion of the people. It is a victory for the people of the state. Edo people are now proud they can now determine who rules them and no one godfathers can choose a leader for them.”
New Telegraph.

Again Mourinho Is Blaming Someone, Says Fixtures Like Poison Gifts

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho described his team's hectic fixture list as a "poisoned gift". Mourinho's men are set for a busy run after the international break, with five matches in 13 days.

The Portuguese tactician, whose team beat Zorya 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday, said it would be a difficult period for his side. "Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play Liverpool on the Sunday, but we play Liverpool on the Monday [October 17]," Mourinho said.
"So maybe we don't have the best conditions especially because we play against two top Premier League teams that don't play in European competitions. "We have this kind of poisoned gift of playing on the Monday that creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try to qualify for the next round.
"It's a long time to go, almost a month, but we want to try so we play against Fenerbahce with a team with the possibility to beat Fenerbahce." United sit third in Group A after their win, a point
behind leaders Fenerbahce and level with Feyenoord. Mourinho feels there is little he can do about the fixtures, saying: "I think it's impossible. The poisoned gift is already there.
"So what can we do? We have to just play on Monday and then Thursday and then Stamford Bridge on the Sunday.
"But before that we have Stoke, so let us concentrate on Stoke."

Iheanacho, Iwobi Nominated For European Player Award, See List

The duo of Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City and  Alex Iwobi of Arsenal have been nominated for the 2016 Golden Boy Award.
Fellow young footballers like Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, and Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur are among the 40 nominees for the 2016 Golden Boy award, run by the Italian newspaper, Tuttosport and awarded to Europe’s most impressive
footballer under the age of 21.

The award, founded in 2003, relates to performances across a particular calendar year, with the winner decided by a panel of 30 journalists.
Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, and Raheem Sterling are past winners, while Manchester United’s Anthony Martial claimed the prize last year.
Iheanacho’s Manchester City are currently flying high this season, and are yet to lose a game with the 19-year-old already contributing goals for the Citizens both in the Premier League and in the Champions League.
Iwobi’s Arsenal have also had great shows in recent weeks, having started the season with a home loss to Liverpool. The Nigerian international returned from injury to reclaim his spot as a first team regular for the Gunners.

The list in full:
Dele Alli (Tottenham), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Leon Bailey (Genk), Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax), Gabriel Boschilia (Monaco), Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Fernandez (Sevilla),
Andreas Christensen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb), Amadou Diawara (Napoli), Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Danilo Barbosa (Benfica), Moussa Dembélé (Celtic), Ousmane Dembélé (Dortmund), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Breel Embolo (Schalke), Gabriel Barbosa (Internazionale), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Goncalo Guedes (Benfica), Demarai Gray (Leicester), Marko Grujic (Liverpool), Alen Halilovic (Hamburg), Kelechi Iheanacho
(Manchester City), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ruben Loftus- Cheek (Chelsea), Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid), Emanuel Mammana (Lyon), Nathan (Vitesse), Olivier Ntcham (Genoa), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich), Jairo Riedewald (Ajax), Rúben Neves (Porto), Tonny Sanabria (Real Betis), Leroy Sané (Manchester City), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht), Almamy Touré (Monaco).

War Of Words As Falana Again Blasts Soludo, Says He Won't Apologize

Falana and Soludo.

Renowned lawyer amd SAN, Femi Falana, has yesterday referred
to former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Charles Chukwuma Soludo's demand for an apology as a joke over his questioning of the management of the country’s foreign reserves during his tenure at the apex bank.

The legal luminary again  questioned the management of Nigeria’s foreign reserves by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under the leadership of Soludo.

Mr. Falana had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of diversion of public funds from the Federation Account and the nation’s Foreign Reserves.
He also accused the CBN under Mr. Soludo of illegally transferring $7 billion to 14 commercial banks in 2006, an allegation the former CBN chief denied and described as laughable.
But in a swift reaction,  Mr. Soludo said Mr. Falana’s outburst was based on ignorance of how the bank was run. The former CBN chief also demanded an apology.

But in another statement on Wednesday, Falana said the statement issued by the CBN management on the subject matter buttressed his point.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to reiterate that it was the management of the CBN which claimed to have given out its own “share” of 7 billion dollars from the foreign reserves estimated at 38 billion dollars at the material time. “Is Professor Soludo insisting that CBN under his management was entitled to any ‘share’ of the nation’s foreign reserves?

“In any case, whether it was a deposit or its own share of the foreign reserves, did the CBN ever announce that the deposit had been paid back to the foreign reserves which belong to the three tiers of government?
“If there is nothing to hide, why did the CBN ignore the request of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption for information on the ‘deposit’ of 7 billion dollars?
“As far as Soludo is concerned, these allegations are laughable and betray a lack of knowledge of how a bank such as CBN works. “Has AMCON not been set up to recover those loans and deposits running to several trillions of Naira? For goodness sake, how does a CBN work outside the ambit of the Constitution and the Central Bank Act, 2007?,”Falana asked.
“Frankly speaking, I am of the view that Professor Soludo’s demand for an apology is a joke since it was the CBN management under him that claimed to have given its own ‘share’ of $7 billion to the 14 banks.”
Vanguard.

FG To Reintroduce History Into School Curriculum

Mallam Adam Adam 

The Federal Government has yesterday called for immediate reintroduction of history as a subject into Nigerian school curriculum.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, made this known in Abuja, while addressing delegates of the 61st Meeting of the National Council on Education Ministerial Session.
He also appealed to the Council to consider making the study of Christian Religious Knowledge and the study of Islamic Religious Knowledge compulsory for both Christians and Muslims to
the end of Senior Secondary School.
Adamu said reintroduction of history as a subject on its own in basic schools will give the Nigerian Child a self identity on who they really are. He added that Nigeria owe both the present and future generations the responsibility of removing all inhibitions against opportunities of acquiring morals and ethics as taught in the religious traditions.

The minister continued saying,  “It is only the study of history, our own history that can explain and give meaning to our very humanity and that is why we must study it and teach our little ones, it is also not enough that they merely know who they are,we must teach them about their God, since it is said that if you want to destroy any nation it is either first the family is destroyed, then the education is destroyed and the third the social morals be destroyed and in Nigeria we owe both
the present and future generations the responsibility to remove all inhibitions against making our children acquire morals and ethics.”

How 25-Year-Old Okiemute Won Project Fame Season 9 [Photos]

Okiemute Ighorodje, 25, has been announced as the winner of the MTN Project fame Season 9 amidst hysteria among her teeming fans in Nigeria and across Africa.

After 8 weeks of hard work, smiles, tears and all emotions, the Project Fame Season 9 has wrapped up and Okiemute has joined the prestigious Hall Of Fame of Project Fame West Africa. Okemutie will be preparing painstaking for her debut song in the mainstream music industry in Nigeria which is highly competitive but lucrative.

See more photos:

Rumble In APC As Tinubu Blasts Oyegun, Calls For His Resignation

Tinubu

Former governor of Lagos, Senator Bola Tinubu has chided the All Progressive Party (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun over his submission of Rotimi Akeredolu's name to INEC as the party's flag bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

All Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demanded the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who he claimed Sunday had derailed from the path of progressives.

In a stinking communiqué from his media office, Tinubu accused Oyegun of sabotaging the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the appeal panel that asked for a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with. Tinubu in the communiqué further alleged that Oyegun’s action in allegedly subverting the will of the people was not of his doing, saying that for a man of the age of the national chairman to have done what he did that he must have been under the influence of a “powerful and sinister arm at work.”

Tinubu who said that the APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, said: “The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it.

From the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice were to guide APC internal deliberations. Party founders realized that only by intramural fair dealing could the party remain faithful to the progressive ideals that we presented to the Nigerian electorate as our governing creed. If the party could not justly govern itself, it would find it difficult to establish and maintain just government throughout the nation.

“In essence, the party was the embodiment of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken. Chairman John Oyegun has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display.

In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help.

“Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order. In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived.

As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process. “Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters.

The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was wilfully executed that the primary would be directed toward a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the
many into believing they were outnumbered.

“A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice.
“Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence. In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that
a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC). “After many hours of deliberations spanning
several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before hand, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy.

The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance. However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise. “After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering
to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting.
Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party.

ANTONIO CONTE: Why Chelsea Risk Another Mid-Table Finish

Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte has stressed Chelsea must improve after their 3-0 defeat the hands of Arsenal or risk ending up in mid-table once more.

Chelsea had to settle for 10th place in the Premier League in 2015-16 after a hugely underwhelming season and brought in Conte in order to guide them back to the Champions League places. Nevertheless, the former Italy boss has admitted they still have plenty of work to do.
"We must improve a lot of if we want to stay up [at the top] and not in the middle of the table," said the Italian.
"But my message is not important. The most important message is the one that arrives on the pitch. We must all understand this message, and find very soon the right solution to improve. "I don't sleep [after a loss like against Arsenal], I don't sleep for two nights. When I don't sleep, I reflect. And it's important to reflect.
"I got angry at half-time but I prefer to keep my words. There are rules in the dressing room. Sure I was angry but my players were also angry. We were not satisfied with our game, with
our performance.
"I have to find the solution very, very soon because against Arsenal we played a very bad game." The reverse at Emirates Stadium made it three winless top-flight matches for Chelsea, who sit eighth.

Toure's Agent Vs Pep Guardiola: Fight Get Messier

Yaya Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk has launched a fresh attack on Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, urging the club to intervene and tell him the midfielder is considered as "family" at the Etihad Stadium.

Seluk previously slammed the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach for "humiliating" Toure by leaving him out of his first-team plans and the club's Champions League squad, before going on to talk down the Catalan's coaching achievements at his old clubs. Guardiola has said Toure will not play for him again at City until he and the club's players receive an apology from the midfielder over his representative's remarks. But Seluk has already insisted he will not be saying sorry and feels there is nothing wrong with questioning Guardiola's decision to only play Toure once this season - against Steaua Bucharest in August.

The agent feels owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak must act, saying to The Sun: "They must say to Guardiola, 'Yaya is our family' - how is it possible to speak like
this? "It is not correct to do that. It is not correct to give up on a top-class player. But this is his decision - he is a good coach but his personality is s***.

"If Yaya is on the field or not, everyone will ask, 'What is this decision from Guardiola?' Normally a person cannot make a decision like this. "And it is England, not North Korea or Afghanistan - so people will discuss whether it is right and they will have their opinions. "It is necessary to remember that Yaya, when he was in Barcelona, played as a defender and they won against Man United [in the 2009 Champions League final].

"It is very strange. All supporters like Guardiola but my opinion is that supporters also see that Yaya gave City a lot. They won the title two times with him and won cups. "We'll see what Pep does. Many people don't understand how it is possible to do what he has done with players."

Seluk insisted Toure would see out his contract until the end of the season unless City approach him and reach acceptable terms to get his client to leave the Etihad Stadium, while again questioning the acclaim received by Guardiola, who has won 10 straight matches since taking charge.

"He has a contract until June and he will stay," continued Seluk.
"If they want him to leave they must make a conversation with me and then it is if we agree. "Okay, Guardiola has won matches this season, so everyone must only see his fantastic football.
But his personality is far from great. I repeat the message from everywhere that he has been from Barcelona to Bayern Munich. Many people don't like him.

"When Yaya came to the club they spent only £20million on players, not Guardiola who comes and buys three or four big signings - maybe he'll spend £1billion on players.
"After that he will say it is very difficult and £1bn is not enough. If he comes to West Brom would he win the title?
"[Claudio] Ranieri, [Ronald] Koeman and [Mauricio] Pochettino show what is possible with less money. It is more easy with half a billion pounds."

Arsene Wenger Explains Theo Walcott's Role, Calls Him...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stressed he always believed in Theo Walcott, but has admitted the attacker has not developed as initially expected when he rose to prominence. Walcott was dealt a major blow when he was left out of England's squad for Euro 2016, but has impressed in the opening stages of the 2016-17 campaign, scoring three times in six Premier League outings.

"Theo is a special case; at 16 he went with England to the World Cup in 2006, now we are in 2016 and he has still not played at a World Cup," Wenger told the club's official website. "It was a big blow for Walcott not to go to the Euros. I spoke with him about the disappointment of not going with England.
"He has matured and, when a player survives these disappointments after what you have promised at 16 and the way he dealt with the situations, I always thought there was something special in this guy.

"I always felt there was character in this boy and intelligence. Walcott used to be 90 per cent forward and 10 per cent defending - now he does it 50-50 and does the job in both ways
with commitment."

FINANCE MINISTER: I Can't Say When Recession Will End, But...

Mrs Kemi Adeosun 

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has said that she cannot predict exactly when the nation will get out of the current economic recession.
She went further saying that some of the efforts of the government to reflate the economy had started yielding results. The minister made views known in an interview in Abuja, stated, “I don’t want to predict when we will get out of recession. Let me tell you that we will get into growth and that’s how you get out of recession, because of the stimulus that we are providing.

“And it may take longer than we would like, but we will definitely get out of it. We are already seeing some positive signs in agriculture and solid minerals;and with what we are trying to do with other sectors, I am very sure we will get out of it soon.”

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had last week stated that the country would start getting out of recession by the fourth quarter of the year. He had said, “We are already in the valley, the only direction is to go up the hill and the government is doing everything possible to ensure that we move up the hill. I am optimistic that based on the actions being taken by the monetary and fiscal authorities, the fourth quarter results will show evidence that we have started to move out of recession.
“The worst is over. The Nigerian economy is on the path of recovery and growth. So, please if you are a bystander or sideliner, you are losing; join the train now before it
leaves the station.”

Why Houses In Lagos, Abuja Have No Tenants, See Shocking Revelations

Amid increasing glut in the Nigeria’s property market as a result of the economic recession currently facing the country, the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Construction Limited, a Lagos-based real estate development company, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele, has revealed that the surge in the number of empty apartments in Ikoyi, Lagos, is due to over pricing.

Ogundele added that this disturbing phenomenon must have prompted the well- informed and educative research publication of economy watch, Financial Derivatives Company Limited recently, which informed that “The number of vacant properties in the upper class real estate neighbourhoods of Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi has risen by 72 percent over the last 18 months”. Ogundele who is fondly called Sujimoto, said the cost of construction is usually padded, warning prospective property investors to beware.

According to him, “This has become a motto on a whole new level for prospective investors, who seek the very much-deserved value for money. To avoid drawing hasty conclusions and to guide our investment choices, investors should only listen to industry experts and verifiable perspectives as seen in the FDC research, and avoid the bandwagon of those listening to jaundiced opinions, which are quite popular.

“For example, the fact that former UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Nigeria was fantastically corrupt, does not in fact mean each and every Nigerian is corrupt. Also, the fact that a few celebrities find themselves enmeshed in marital problems does not mean that the marital life of every Nigerian is in danger. “To put this more clearly, apartments that should not cost more than 100 million naira, are costing investors 400 million naira to construct. Therefore, owners have no other choice than to let out the apartment at 40 million naira, transferring the padded cost of construction to tenants. What is the difference between Ipekere locally fried plantain chips sold in remote areas and the same plantain chips sold in urban areas?

“Have you ever wondered why a good meal prepared in Ijebu Ode would cost lesser than one sold in Lagos? An estimated rental for an apartment in Ikoyi is about $80,000. The same
apartment in Lekki would cost $30,000. What do you think makes the difference? Value in terms of price, quality and location put together in the same place. If location is a fundamental principle in real estate, how much more luxury real estate?”, Ogundele stated. Describing the situation as a case of quality versus quantity, said “A developer who compromises on quality of materials, no matter how highbrow the property’s location, has no right to place an exorbitant price on it. Thus, the argument for demand exceeding supply, as far as empty apartments in Ikoyi go, is unfounded.

“Luxury apartments are in high demand. Poorly finished buildings with exorbitant prices constitute the pile of empty apartments constantly being alluded to. Consider this: Are developments such as Tango Towers and Ultimate Towers in Ikoyi, empty? If such developments are not empty, imagine what would happen when the LorenzoBySujimoto with its high-end features, state-of-the-art facilities, exceptional returns on investment and competitive pricing, is completed?

“I once pointed out that luxury is not expensive. It is the intention to deliver luxury that is expensive. While the cost of a nice three-bedroom apartment in Johannesburg would go for about $350,000, the same apartment in Ikoyi would want $1 million. If the cost of construction materials is the same all over the world, the price of marble, granite, cement, tiles, kitchen, doors, paints etc, why is cost in Nigeria about 300 per cent higher?
“You cannot offer a Toyota for the price of a Bentley. One might argue that both cars will eventually ply the same road but the efficiency and prestige of a Bentley speaks for itself. Luxury sells itself. For us at Sujimoto, our biggest marketers are our clients. Listen, I have sold crap before and I have sold luxury and I can tell you from experience that it is easier to sell luxury than crap.
“When you sell luxury, you sell peace of mind, you have not only sold something that would last for generations, but you win the heart of your client who now becomes your evangelist. With the oil price plummeting, and major economies across the world experiencing down turn, individuals and organizations no longer have loose money to throw around. And with the current downsizing by companies, prospective tenants demand full value for their hard-earned money.

“Nigerian developers must realise that times have changed. The quick fix, quick gain syndrome has ended. Real estate developers who fail to understand that the current investors and real estate enthusiasts are upbeat about quality and finishing having seen same from their travels around the world. “If we desire to be the best and want to compete with foreign developers such as the
Germans, Lebanese and Italians that have spent decades mastering their craft, we will need to raise our standards in the Nigerian construction market. Or else, one day we would
wake up to find all our apartments empty”, Ogundele warned.

Vanguard.

Nigerian Leaders Are Doing Poorly Due To Bad Teachers- Ex Speaker Dimeji Bankole

Dimeji Bankole 

One-time Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole has said that the poor leadership being experienced from the current crop of Nigerian leaders are as a result of bad teachers.
The Ogun state born ex-Speaker continued saying that the future of the country is bleak, adding that the current bad leaders in the country were produced by bad teachers years back.
Hon. Bankole made this known while at the second distinguished guest lecture of the Year 2016 Registry Day of the Federal College of Education, FCE, Abeokuta. Lecturing on: “Teachers’ Quality,
Competitiveness and Employability: Defining the roles for College Administrators and Academics,” Bankole said Nigerians have the potential to change the country and further influence global development in a big way.
The former Speaker observed “The future is not looking good. There is a major problem. The government cannot pay salary and pension. If Nigeria is bad today. If we have leadership problem , it is because of the bad teachers. Nigeria needs to be rebranded”, he said. Bankole while lamenting on the challenges facing the education, said, “at present, to gain admission into universities and Polytechnics, students must achieve pass marks at or above the cut-off points of 160-180.

“On the same scale of measurement, the cut-off point for admission to a College of Education is 130. This means that the system is pre- disposed to select poorer academic performers to train as teachers for our children. “If we are selecting poorer academic performers to train and teach our students, how can we expect our students to be high achievers,if all through their formative academic years, they are separated from the brightest minds and not forced to push themselves past the standards and achievements of individuals who are unable to gain admission into university?,” Bankole queried.
While submitting that the result has been having that “In Nigeria at present our school standards are being set by poorer performing students. This is a major problem! Why are we letting this happen?
“This is no joking matter. Our Colleges of Education should have the highest cut-off points, attract the smartest students, because
they matter too much for the future of this country,”he concluded.

Arsene Wenger Hails Arsenal, Explains How He Overcame Chelsea

Arsene Wenger praised a "committed and disciplined" performance from Arsenal as they ended their league hoodoo against Chelsea with a comprehensive 3-0 win.
The Gunners had not beaten Chelsea in the Premier League since October 2011, and had failed to score in their last six league meetings. That all changed on Saturday at Emirates Stadium, where goals from Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott inside the opening 15 minutes settled the nerves, Mesut Ozil adding the third five minutes before the break.

It was the fourth league win in succession for Wenger's men and lifts them to third in the table after six matches, leaving the Frenchman delighted with the level of performance from his squad.
"I am very happy," he told BT Sport. "The inconvenient facts were there and we needed to change the recent history. We did it with style and steel. That's what we wanted.
"We were committed and disciplined and that is not so easy to find that balance in these kind of games. Overall I believe our collective rhythm was very good to give them problems.
"We want to play this kind of game, based on technical quality and pace. I hope this kind of performance convinces the players that we are on the right path. We still have some room for
improvement."
Wenger gave particular praise to central defensive duo Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi after they barely gave Diego Costa a kick.
"They [the two centre-backs] had an outstanding performance," he said. "Both of them [were] committed and intelligent, technically sound, so overall I am very pleased." It was not all good news for Arsenal, Francis Coquelin limping off injured after 32 minutes. The midfielder missed a significant chunk of last season with a knee ligament problem, and Wenger hopes this latest setback will not be as severe.
"It is a knee problem," he confirmed. "It is in the same place he had last year. "So I hope he is not out as long as last year."

RECESSION: Why We Won't Sell Assets- FG

Photo credit: Vanguard 

The Federal Government has yesterday clarified on the raging controversy over the sale of the Nation's assets.
The clarification was made known through a statement released by the Minister of Budget and National planning,  Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.

The minister said in the statement, “The primary objective of government’s fiscal stimulus plan is not to sell off all major critical national assets but to source immediate funds to reflate the economy and implement capital projects in the
2016 budget. Udoma is said to have given the explanation in Lagos at the weekend while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming Nigeria Nigerian Economic Summit coming up next month. Udoma said: “The government needs to inject a large dose of funds into the system to get the economy back on track
and to faithfully implement those provisions in the capital budget tailored at reflating the economy and aiding the
diversification process.
“The country has lost almost half of its expected revenue and would need to urgently source the shortfall to enable the government to faithfully implement the budget.
“This unfortunate scenario prompted the Economic Management Team to urgently work out a fiscal stimulus plan to generate immediate large injection of funds into the economy through asset sales, advance payment for license rounds, infrastructure concessioning, use of recovered funds, among others, to
reduce the funding gap.
“The other option would have been to source for additional loans, beyond the level of borrowing already projected for in the 2016 Budget. This would not be a wise option as it would raise the level of debt service to an unsustainable level.
“But the government is exploring several angles in the asset sales proposal including repurchase options, which will make provision for buy-back of those assets when the situation improves. The Minister insisted that the country’s
economy would not have gone into recession but for the drastic fall in oil production levels due to disruptions caused by militant activities.

TIPS: Choose Any Of These Periods To Ask A Girl Out, She Won't Say No

If you have ever been wondering the best and appropriate time to ask that girl you have been longing to date out and get a YES faster than usual? You'd find this article helpful. From experiences, the most appropriate time to ask a girl out is during festive periods or special celebration. Here are the most tested and proven ways to ask a girl out and get YES on time.

1. Christmas/new year:

If you ask a girl out during this period and you are fully loaded, you can’t go wrong. This is the only period since the birth of Jesus and even before creation that girls display their i am available placards. This period is ranked no. Throughout the length and breadth of planet earth. May its because of the festive nature synonymous to sharing of gifts and other goodies, or could it be as a result of the public holidays where every one want to go to those exciting places they have always dreamed of, with any available guy that approaches a girl during this period, you are damn sure to get a yes quickly.

2. Valentine:

February is a popular and special date that rings a bell in the ears of any young girl, this is the day set aside for lovers all around the world to show love in amazing ways to their spouses, but for the sharp guys, they it’s the best time to ask a girl out, because girls naturally love competing within themselves, so not going out or having a boo on this day would tag you as a lose, so many of these high class girls that are unapproachable during the middle of the year of all a sudden activates their humble and friendly part that’s if you have the money to spend anyways.

3. Easter:

Easter might not sound too bubbling to some people but do i need to remind you that easter is all about love, that the saviour Jesus died on the cross because of his love for the world. Well that is a punch line right there. Asking a girl out during this period is a little cheaper cos unlike the vals and the Christmas, you spend this periods with basically dates and outings and little gifts. But you are damn sure to get a quick yes!

Credits: Gist Trace

Finally Buhari Explains On Biafra Referendum, Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB

President Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in far away New York city, United States foreclosed any chance of a referendum regarding the issue of Biafra.
Acaccording to Sahara Reporters, the President  made the statement during a media event in New York City at the end of his visit to the United States as the leader of Nigeria's delegation to the 71st United Nations' General Assembly.
The president stated that the choice left for Biafran activists is to form a political party that would advance their interest within the Nigerian democratic space.
The president’s advice to Biafrans activists came a day after commercial activities in some key cities in the South East, and South-South of Nigeria were grounded following a stay at home
order from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB ). There were also protests in various cities around the world by Biafran activists demanding the release from prison of IPOB's leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
In recent past, the president had been dismissive of Biafran agitators as kids who did not see the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War. A few weeks ago, while speaking to Youth Corp members who visited him at his country home in Daura, the president pressed on them to ask their friends to forget Biafra.
Buhari also used the opportunity offered by the media event to outline the accomplishments of his trip to the General Assembly. He stated that Nigeria was well represented at various meetings
held as part of the General Assembly. President Buhari talked about Nigeria's signing of the Paris Climate Change Accord and progress made at the Chad Basin conference. He announced that the US and the UK pledged over $300 million dollars to support the efforts of his government.
Accompanying the president to the event were the governors of Lagos and Zamfara states. Other government officials present were ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Internal Affairs and other top government officials.
Buhari departed New York for Abuja after the press conference.

NEARLY MAN! Again Arsene Wemger Regrets Missing Out On Signing A Big Football Star, Says...

Arsene Wenger regrets missing out on the signing of Diego Costa as he looks to quell the Chelsea's striker's rich vein of form against Arsenal on Saturday. Costa has two goals in three games against the Gunners, all resulting in Chelsea wins. The Spain international notoriously wound Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista up to the point in last season's meeting at Stamford Bridge that the Brazil international was sent off for lashing out at the former Atletico Madrid man. Costa fired Chelsea to the title with 20 goals in his maiden Premier League season and has five
goals in as many games this time around under Antonio Conte.
Arsenal fans often complain at Wenger's inability to attract a star striker to the Emirates Stadium and the Frenchman admits his club failed to realise a deal for Costa could have been in the offing when he left the Calderon for London two years ago.
"I never thought he would leave Atletico Madrid at the time, I was surprised," Wenger said. "Would I have made a harder play for him had I known? Yes. I like him, as a quality striker." Costa's altercation with Gabriel ultimately earned the striker a three-match ban retrospectively and the spiky Spaniard is often involved in spats with opposition players.
He was the match-winner at the Emirates last year, drawing a foul that led to Per Mertesacker's dismissal before scoring the only goal of the game. And Wenger hinted at an admiration for the striker's hardened edge ahead of this season's
rematch.
"You want full commitment from every single player," he. "But commitment is different from these kind of over-reactions. He is a fighter and you respect that. The rest is down to the referees to get the game and the rules respected.
"He is similar to [Didier] Drogba because he's a top-quality player. "I cannot put it on Costa the fact that we got
caught last year [at the Emirates]. It was more the tandem  [Cesc] Fabregas, Costa – which was very dangerous for us.
"Fabregas found him quickly with his runs. In the first incident [last season, at Stamford Bridge], we were a bit guilty of reacting [to Costa]. But in the second, we were caught tactically. Mertesacker had only the opportunity to try to tackle. He got rightly sent off."

Illicit WhatsApp Conversation Of Nigerian Man, Lady, See Shocking Revelations [Text Images]

Illustrative image.

A man has leaked a private conversation of what was supposed to be romantic between him and a lady he met online which has turned out to be a scam scheme.
The trend of petty online scam by Nigerian ladies is on the rise probably due to the spate of economic recession that has intensified the hardship on Nigerians. Instachat, a social media platform affiliated to Instagram seems to be the fresh hub of female scammers who siphon money from their supposed victims after acting romantic with them to win their trust. These monies are demanded under the guise of recharge cards and transport fares for reaching meeting points.
A Nigerian man who almost fell for a 419 scheme has shared his awkward experience with one lady named Cynthia on a popular Nigerian online forum.

In his words:
"Just wondering why some girls feel very comfortable to ask people for money online and refused to do what the people say. "I met this girl few days on Insta chat and we got talking only for her to ask me for recharge card the next day... She flashed the hell out of my phone for the card which I sent to her, not
because I feel for her trick, just wanted to see where it will all lead to.. So I sent her 500 airtime that day.. Then I did not talk to her yesterday.. Only for her to hi me on whatsapp today and this happened"
See images from their private chat below:

$31M SCAM: We Had No Plans To Investigate Her, If She Had...EFCC Says

EFCC Boss Magu and Mrs Jonathan

It is no longer news that ex-First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan is being probed by the anti-graft agency, the Economic amd Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) but what is however, news is Ms Jonathan herself made the agency to come calling when she laid claim to the ownership of $31.4 million found in
the bank account of a former presidential aide, Mr. Waripome Dudafa, the issue may not have been made public by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

According to a report by Vanguard into the matter that had elicited calls in the polity for the prosecution of the former First Lady. Her decision to claim ownership of the money
through a suit filed against Skye Bank at a Federal High Court in Lagos, it was learnt, easily made the commission to quit keeping the issue in the dark.
The EFCC, it was learnt, got wind of the account more than three months ago, but decided to keep mute in order not to be
accused of singling her out for prosecution out of former first ladies’’. The report said that the operatives of the EFCC actually ran into the accounts in the course of investigating Dudafa over alleged diversion of N10 billion meant for Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, delegates. The source said: “It was the former first lady who put herself in a tight corner by going to
court to sue Skye Bank, where the money was traced to and also asked the court to compel the EFCC to defreeze her account. “Indeed, I can tell you that the EFCC was working actively
on the Dudafa case without any letter of invitation or oral invitation to the woman but she went to court to expose everything and we had no choice but to respond to her challenge.
“It might interest you to note that these findings on these accounts were made since July this year but the details were yet to be made public when the former first lady slammed a fundamental rights enforcement suit on us and we were taken aback.’’ It will be recalled that a letter written by her
lawyers on the matter, Granville Abibo ,SAN, and Co, stated thus: “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based
accounts and our client is the sole signatory of these accounts.
“The said bank officials also assured our client that they will change the account names accordingly and issue to our client new credit cards for the said accounts which were not done despite repeated demands. “However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without
any let or hindrance.
“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stopped functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately thereupon contacted Skye Bank Plc through our
solicitors. It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’
following investigations and instructions from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the
commission.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.” Mrs. Jonathan had, in the meantime, given the EFCC 14 days to defreeze her account and tender an unreserved apology. The ultimatum, which took effect on September
18, was contained in an open letter to the Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
The letter which was written by Mr. Timipa Okponipere urged the Commission to leave Mrs. Jonathan alone, just as it cautioned thus:
“We shall file an action at the African Commission on Human Rights at the Gambia demanding N5 billion in exemplary and
punitive damages.” The letter said: “There is no established legal
or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our client. How many former First Ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience Goodluck Jonathan Treatment (PGJT)
to have warranted the EFCC to engage in the effrontery to freeze our client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule, and disgrace? This must stop forthwith.
“Our client is a respected senior citizen of international repute, a retired Permanent Secretary and the immediate past First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our Client is a law-abiding citizen who has never or at all been the subject of any criminal or financial investigation, whether at home or abroad.
Accordingly, she has not been found guilty of any criminal conduct throughout a sparkling public service career spanning over 35 years. “During the 5 years our client served as First
Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between May 2010 and May 2015; she was the Initiator of the Aruera Women Foundation and Women For Change Initiative. “Our client is the
recipient of numerous local and international awards in recognition of her untiring commitment towards uplifting the living standard of women, children and the aged in
Nigeria. “Sir, it is against this sterling and meritorious
background of our client that we most respectfully, write to draw your attention to the numerous breaches of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004 committed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in cause of the Commission’s illegal
and unlawful investigation of our client for alleged money laundering. “The EFCC must realize that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 is inferior in content and quality to both the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 2004.” It could not be ascertained yesterday whether the EFCC would summon the former First Lady to appear before it. The commission appears to be restrained by public opinion that doing so might give the impression that it is trying to get at the husband. But our source said the commission was determined to carry out its job
and may commence an investigation into assets worth billions of Naira allegedly owned by the former First Lady.

Jose Mourinho Explains What He Needs Rooney To do, He Says...

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was unequivocal when asked what he wanted from Wayne Rooney ahead of Manchester United’s EFL Cup tie at Northampton, midweek.

“Goals,” said Mourinho, with that familiar dead- pan delivery and death stare designed to underline the weight of his words. “Goals. I hope he scores goals.”
To say Rooney failed to fulfil his manager’s remit is an understatement. Rooney was so wretched, so out of sorts, so shot of confidence, that Mourinho now surely has to make the biggest call of his United tenure thus far and drop his skipper for the visit of champions Leicester to Old Trafford on Saturday.
There can be no other decision if Mourinho , who has endured a frustrating and unconvincing start to his time at United, is to
retain credibility in the eyes of his club’s fans and the wider football public. Sir Alex Ferguson was not afraid to drop
Rooney, while David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were too in thrall to the England captain to spot the obvious signs of decline and bench him when necessary.

DIVORCE: How Private Detective, Popular Actress Led To Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt's Divorce

Pitt and Jolie

Angelina Jolie hired a private investigator to spy on Brad Pitt on the set of his new film amid fears he was having an affair with co-star Marion Cottilard, it is claimed. Pitt has been at the centre of rumours for months about growing close to the French actress while filming “Allied,” prompting Angelina to act.

A source told the New York Post: “She hired a private eye because she felt he was fooling around with her on the set The film, which Brad and Marion shot in February in London, is based on a true story about two assassins who fell in love during a mission.

Remarkably, Brad and three-times wed Angelina met and fell in love on the set of 2005’s Mr & Mrs Smith, in which they played
married rival assassins who are unaware of each other’s job. And it seems the end of Brangelina was also played out on screen in 2015’s By the sea which Angelina wrote and directed in which they starred as a couple with relationship problems.

DEVASTATED
Marion, who is with 43-year-old actor Guillaume Canet, has yet to respond to the claims, but a source said she would be “absolutely devastated” by them. The star, 40, is said to benexpecting her second child with Guillaume, who she has been with since 2007. They have a five-year-old son, Marcel.

A source close to Marion’s family in her hometown Paris said: “Marion and Guillaume are blissfully happy, and these kind of claims are not what Marion wants to be hearing. “She’s said that all she wants to do is to enjoy some quality time with Guillaume and their boy.
“Claims that she’s now cheating on Guillaume with Brad will leave her absolutely devastated. This doesn’t sound like her at all.” Marion gave birth to Marcel, five, while still working extremely hard at her career, but she has recently indicated that she wants a ‘quieter life’, said the source.
“She guards her private life, and wants to enjoy more of it,” said the source. “All this fuss will be a huge shock to her.” Marion, who turns 41 at the end of this month, has been hugely busy working on up four films this year.
A source close to her also denied the affair rumours to the New York Post. Stunning actress Marion played Brad’s wife in Allied, which tells the tale of an intelligence officer in North Africa, who meets a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission. When the lovers reunite in London, their relationship is forced to deal with the pressures of war.

Unfortunately, it’s alleged that Angelina was not happy with some of the romantic scenes. Oscar-winning Marion is one of the most successful actresses in recent French movie history, and has built up a multi-million pounds fortune. Her greatest triumph to date was best actress Academy Award for her portrayal of French cabaret singer Edith Piaf in the 2007 film La Vie en Rose.

It meant she became the second actress to win an acting Oscar performing in a language other than English. Pitt is no stranger to growing close to his co- stars having been romantically involved or linked to several.

In 1995 he met and fell in love with Gwyneth Paltrow while on the set of Seven getting engaged before splitting two years later.
In 2005 he grew close to Jolie while filming Mr & Mrs Smith despite still being married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.
Brangelina have six children together – Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8.
Angelina is said to be upset over Brad’s parenting skills and doesn’t want him to have physical custody of their children, only joint legal custody, TMZ said.
Jolie has been repeatedly telling him that he is “not in his 20s anymore” as details have emerged of Pitt’s boyish antics around the world. On Father’s Day earlier this year Angelina was in New York with Knox, while Pitt was in France at the Le Mans race.
On June 26 Pitt attended the Born-Free Vintage Chopper and Classic Cycle Show, where the actor was “getting up close and personal” with fans. One insider at the time said that “seeing Brad at this event with all these woman has sent Angelina over the edge.” The couple have been together since 2004 after falling for each other on the set of Mr, and Mrs. Smith – while Brad was still married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston. A year later, they went public with their relationship but only tied the knot on August 23, 2014 in a surprise ceremony at their French estate, Chateau Miraval.
There was speculation their marriage was beset by problems as early as the honeymoon when the couple moved to Malta and the island of Goza to film their joint venture By the Sea In June this year, the couple reportedly fell out over plans to put their Chateau Miraval property in the South of France on the market. Pitt reportedly refused to part ways with the property, but she wanted to sell up to enable her to become a member of the House of Lords. Reports suggested Jolie had been keen to become a peer from as early as 2014 – for that, she is required to be a tax paying UK resident. Pitt owns a house in LA, but it is unclear whether Jolie holds any stake in it.

THE DIFFERENCES
A source said: “Brad’s wild partying was completely at odds with Angelina’s political aspirations. Their lifestyles were growing increasingly different, and with that, their lives were going off at a tangent until they had very little in common anymore.”
Jolie’s political aspirations were sparked when she struck up a close working relationship with Baroness Arminka Helic after meeting as advisers to William Hague, and the pair started the non-profit partnership JP.D.H London together.

When the actress watched Helic take her seat in the House of Lords in 2014, she said: “She’s been in many ways a mentor to me and she’s an extraordinary woman and I’m very, very honoured to be here today.” The pair are reported to “share the same vision”. The same year, the Queen made her an honorary Dame to recognise her services to UK foreign policy. In 2015, the actress, Angelina, gave her clearest hint that she was considering a career in politics to Vogue: “I’d like to be part of international work, and see where I can be useful, whatever way that takes shape. I still don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Just under a fortnight ago, Jolie gave evidence at a Lords committee to investigate sexual violence in war-torn countries, telling heartbreaking stories about child rape victims. Next year, Jolie will be a visiting professor at the London School of Economics when she joins Lord Hague as a lecturer at the university’s Centre for Women, Peace and Security.

There, she will draw upon her experience as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency while teaching a course on the impact of war on women. In legal documents, the couple’s date of separation is listed as Sept. 15, 2016.

Arsene Wenger Speaks On Bendtner, Says He Is...

Arsene Wenger has backed Nicklas Bendtner to shine at Nottingham Forest, claiming the former Arsenal striker can return to the top level. Bendtner made his full debut for Forest as they slumped to a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal at The City Ground on Tuesday in the third round of the EFL Cup - goals from Granit Xhaka and Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain, wedged either side of Lucas Perez's double, ensuring progression for Wenger's side.

And though the Denmark forward failed to get on the scoresheet against his former employers, Wenger believes that the former Wolfsburg and Juventus man's performance showed that he can still fulfill his potential.
"He [Bendtner] tried like mad to make life difficult for us," Wenger said. "Nottingham [Forest] are a good team and they gave everything tonight. "I think that if Nicklas is fit, determined and combative, and he was tonight, then that's what
you want from him.
"He's only 28, so if he can stay fit he can come back to the top level. A hungry Bendtner can score goals against anybody.
"He's intelligent and he's honest. He knows that he has made some mistakes in his career but he has got the quality to get the career his talent deserves."
Wenger was also quick to praise the goalscoring impact that Xhaka - who has now netted twice in as many matches - has had on Arsenal's midfield, as well as lauding the performance of two-goal Perez.
"It was a tough game, our technical superiority made the difference," Wenger added. "We played with a good team dynamic and that's the way we wanted to play.
"It was tricky. I believe that the result shows a comfortable win but we had a difficult game and played like a real team.
"I was really pleased with Perez's effort. That's what I expect of him and I know that he has the quality.
"I honestly didn't know that Xhaka had that in his locker. But it's great for his confidence. The demands from our supporters are very high so I hope they see that they are both very good players."

Fabregas On Fire, Rescues Chelsea

Extra-time brace from Cesc Fabregas completed a thrilling 4-2 comeback win for Chelsea at 10- man Leicester City in the EFL Cup third round. Chelsea's defence was highly culpable as Shinji
Okazaki ended a 13-game goal drought with two first-half goals for the Premier League champions, but two of Antonio Conte's back four were able to make amends either side of the interval.

Fabregas, who is yet to start a Premier League game under Antonio Conte, told Sky Sports: "The team were fantastic. Hopefully this will shut [up] a few journalists, a few dailies [daily
newspapers], a few whatever who are talking rubbish all the time.
"Let's focus on what is important – Chelsea winning. I am focused on winning and playing well when I have the chance to show what I can do.
"Because I know what I can do and it is a lot for this team."
Cahill's goal atoned for his part in an initially wretched defensive showing, as Chelsea's backline once again creaked without injured captain John Terry.
"We started the game sloppy, so sloppy," said the England centre-back. "I know things are new and we're trying to learn different things but we started the game really sloppy.
"From midway through the first half and especially in the second half you saw what we want to do and the way we want to play."

Is This The Next Lionel Messi? Read What Tottenham Manager Has To Say

Marcus Edwards in white.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is reminded of a young Lionel Messi when he watches teenager Marcus Edwards.
Edwards, 17, is set to be given his first-team chance when Spurs host Gillingham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.
Pochettino praised the England youth international, a left-footed attacking midfielder, who he says reminds him of Barcelona and Argentina great Messi.
"The qualities - it's only looks, his body and the way that he plays - remember a little bit from the beginning of Messi," he told UK media.
"He's small, he's left-footed, I remember a little bit [Erik] Lamela when he was at River Plate, remember he had long hair, when he was 14, 15 years old, there is a lot of videos on YouTube
that you can see, that he took the ball, didn't give a pass and shot straight away."
Pochettino believes Edwards has the potential to be a star, but warned the teenager he still had work to do.
"He is a very good prospect and, potentially, he can be a top player but we need to be patient and tell him that he has a lot of talent, enough talent to be a top player, a great player, but now
it's how he builds his future – that's very important," the Argentinean said. "It's our responsibility to tell him."

How Ize-Iyamu's Wife Was Attacked

Ize-Iyamu 

Wife of PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Dr Idia Ize-Iyamu's convoy was yesterday allegedly attacked in Iyamho, Estako West local government area of Edo State by thugs said to belong to the APC deputy governorship candidate, Philip Shuaibu.
A statement in Benin yesterday by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the incident happened at Jattu market when the PDP women were campaigning from shop to shop educating the people on the contents of the PDP manifesto, tagged SIMPLE AGENDA and how to vote right during the election.
He added that during the enlightenment campaign, the market women were heard chanting “PDP!” and “Change the Change!” and this was said to have infuriated the thugs allegedly led by Philip Shuaibu who destroyed several cars in Dr. Idia’s convoy.
This led to violence erupting in the market with market women burning any broom in sight, he added.
However, Philip Shaibu in swift reaction distanced himself from the issue, saying that he is not known to have history of violence rather ‘’the PDP factional governorship candidate, Ize Iyamu has a history of violence.
He, Ize Iyamu, in 1984 was expelled for bathing a fellow student at the university of Benin with acid, as SSG under Lucky Igbinedion Administration political assassination was at its peak in Edo State and in 2015, same Ize Iyamu led thugs to unleash mayhem on the Edo State House of Assembly.’’
Shaibu said he and other APC faithful were in a road show tagged: “Sweep them away” when the mayhem unfolded as PDP thugs sighted APC supporters sweeping the Jattu – Auchi
road in Jattu market area and started throwing stones.

LADIES ONLY! 10 Obvious Signs your Man Is Cheating On You, Don't Ignore No. 5

Cheating in a relationship seems to be a comstant feature in many relationships these days. It is even more devastating when it is from someone you love and trust dearly.
Are you suspecting your partner might be cheating on you? Beware, this is the easiest way to find out.

1. New friends

Your partner suddenly becomes too sociable. From time to time, new friends of the opposite s*x begin to appear, and they don’t make it very clear to you how do they know each other. It is an issue to discuss. And much more if your partner does not want to introduce them you, because, in that case, what is he hiding and why?

2. Change of clothes

If every time they return from the streets or from going out and they need to get changed and have a shower, you have something very interesting to start doubting. Although try not to overdo it. If you know that your partner was exercising, or coming from far away, this is logical. But if it becomes repetitive, it’s time to act.

3. Change of style

When your partner starts to have a sudden interest in new clothes, new styles or starts to change the way of dressing or just starts to lose weight you may interpret it as a sign. This situation is weird, and even more if they have not previously said anything about this change of appearance.

4. Behavior

Your partner gets defensive very easily, counterattacking all day and answering curtly when their partners ask them how the day was. If your partner starts treating you very coldly or aggressively from one day to another you may ask what’s irritating them.

5. Distance

Your partner begins to move away from the family and the relationships that couples usually have, to change their routines and to get away from the rest. In many cases, sudden meetings
begin to emerge and activities tend to be extended for hours and hours. If your partner arrives after college or work with a smiling face, it is not a good sign.

6. Occupations

As mentioned above, your partner spends more time in the office, or in commitments with friends, situations that usually did not happen, and starts to cancel plans. Moreover, in many cases, partners begin to tell very suspicious and inconsistent stories about their delays.

7. Routines

Their behavior changes in details as small as not going out on Sundays, or not picking up the partner at work. And you can add to the list of changes of routine, a course or diploma which was not mentioned before.

8. Defects

Suddenly they pay more attention on the shortcomings of the couple, and start criticizing the other for everything that, in their opinion, is wrong. This creates strain on the couple and much more if you are living together, since your partner will have many more opportunities to complain about the typical problems of coexistence between two people.

9. The phone

Begin to suspect when your partner hides the phone screen constantly when you approach. And when they look for a thousand excuses to justify whatever they are writing or reviewing. Social networks now allow cheating partners
very easily. There are several applications that help you cheat your partner, so if the phone is usually hidden, begin to doubt.

10. Odds

It is said that people are more likely to be unfaithful when there is a history of previous infidelity or when their parents were infidels, as they take this behavior as a normal part of life. They are not conscious of how much they are
hurting their partners. If you suspect that your partner has been unfaithful, nothing better than talking about it openly and not to be afraid of making difficult questions and receiving painful answers.