THE OSOGBO WAR OF 1840

After the Fulanis systematically captured and made Ilorin their territory, they sacked the old Oyo Empire in 1835/1836 . . They were still not satisfied with their victory; they wished to extend their rule deep into the heart of Yoruba land. Thus in 1840, they set to capture Osogbo , a Yoruba town. The Fulanis, under the command of Ali , the Hausa balogun of Ilorin, laid siege on Osogbo. . When the king of Osogbo realized that the Ilorins were too strong for the Osogbo army, he summoned the Ibadans for help. Ibadan immediately sent some auxiliaries to Osogbo under the command of Obele alias Mobitan , and Alade Abimpagun. As this force could not stop the Ilorins, another contingent was sent to Osogbo under a more experienced leader. But still the Ilorins won every battle and gained more ground. . When Ibadan realized that the Ilorins were becoming more threatening to Yoruba land, they sent a large and stronger force under Balogun Oderinlo to crush the intruding forces and Jammas of Ilorin . When Oderinlo and his men arrived at the battlefield, they realized that things had gone worse than they thought. . They could not show their faces in the open field for the fear of the Ilorin horses, and for about 20 days after their arrival at Osogbo, they could not fight outside the town thickets. Oderinlo suggested that Elepo, a brave Ibadan warrior was badly needed at the war-front. Elepo had been rejected by the war-chiefs of Ibadan for his actions at the late Agbamaja expedition. . As soon as the message from Oderinlo reached Ibadan, the Bashorun wished he could send Elepo to Osogbo but could not go against the wish of other war-chiefs. The Bashorun gave Elepo a cow to worship his god, Ori , and pray for the victory of Ibadan at the war-front. . At the war-front, the Ibadan could not attack the Ilorins during the day because Osogbo was practically in a plain and the Ilorin horses might have advantage of them with disastrous results. . They decided to attack at dusk when the Ilorins would no longer be able to use their horses. About 2:pm, the well prepared Ibadan army left the gate of Osogbo for the battlefield. They were to keep a strict watch and arrest anyone suspected to be a spy. . About a mile from the Ilorin camp, they halted and arranged the order of the attack. . The Osogbo army and the earlier auxiliaries were to handle the center of the battlefield, chiefs Abitiko and Labuju were to command the right wing, Balogun Oderinlo with the rest of the Ibadan war-chiefs were to form the left wing of the army. The Ilorin camp was then attacked at midnight. The watchword was “ Elo ni owo odo? ” (How much is the ferry fare?). . The reason this watchword was chosen was because the river Osun had to be crossed in entering Osogbo from the south, and anyone who could not tell this was likely to be an enemy. . Stampede engulfed the Ilorin camp as the Ibadan army set it on fire. The Ilorins could not offer the slightest resistance; they were smoked with the gunpowder of the Ibadan guns. . This attack was a success for the Ibadan. Some Ilorin war-chiefs were captured in the attack. Prominent ones were: 1. Jimba the head slave of the Emir; 2. One of the sons of Ali the commander in chief; 3. Chief Lateju; 4. Ajikobo the Yoruba Balogun of Ilorin. The first two were released while the latter two, being Yoruba by birth, were regarded as traitors and were executed. This was a huge victory for the whole of Yoruba land. . After the Osogbo victory, Ibokun, an Ijesa town not far from Osogbo was taken by the Ibadans for being an ally of Ilorin. After this war, Ìbàdàn later became a force building a formidable war machinery than later prosecuted many other wars with resounding victory. . Notable among the wars was the KIRIJI WAR where the Ibadan warlords formed a historic alliance with the Igbajos. Even though Igbajo became the war front for many years that the war lasted, it was never captured by the raging Ekiti parapò warriors. Rather it was a place where many of them met their Waterloo. . Notable among the warriors were Fabunmi Okeemesi, Ogedengbe Agbogun gboro of the Ijesas, Apasikoto pasigegele of Igbajo and Latoosa of Ibadan to mention a few. There were many more great warriors of the time. It's worthy to note that the KIRIJI WAR was the last war in Yoruba land. It's also recorded as the longest native war between in Africa. Since then the Yoruba people have continued to build strong bonds among themselves and they have sustained the peace. . We must continue to tell our children the history of the Yoruba people and the bond which our father had built so that we can continue to see ourselves as one. If the Ibadan people can sacrifice their lives for the people of Osogbo in other to safe other towns and villages in Yoruba land and in essence the carnage of innocent people were prevented, then, we the modern Yorubas have no reason to divide ourselves for political reasons or any reason at all. . Our leaders must continue to put their lives in the forefront to safe the land from all aggression. And we have the responsibility to support, to advise and to pray for all our leaders.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PETITIONS TRIBUNAL UPDATE

Tribunal orders INEC to produce election documents requested by Atiku, PDP Presidential election tribunal Wednesday ordered the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  Mahmoud Yakubu to produce documents on election results requested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Justice Mohammed Garba, who led the five-man panel of justices, said the documents must be produced before 12 noon on Thursday. The panel also ordered the Zamfara resident electoral commissioner (REC) to produce results sheets of all the polling units in the state for the PDP. The ruling was prior to an application by Chris Uche, a PDP counsel. “Permit me to bring to your attention some preliminary issues. The subpoena dated 9th July on INEC chairman which we paid for has not been released to us,” Uche said. “On the same 9th July another subpoena was on the REC Zamfara and we applied for all the EC8As. We paid for them and they refused to release them to us.” The PDP counsel then asked the tribunal to assist them to get the documents. While delivering the ruling, the panel noted that it was impossible for the INEC chairman and REC to produce the documents on the day they were served the subpoenas. “We note that the INEC chairman and REC were asked to produce documents on the day they were served, that is impossible. They have been directed to produce documents in the subpoenas by 12 pm tomorrow,” Gerba said. The petitioners are seeking to tender these documents as evidence. INEC declared Buhari the winner of the election. He polled 15, 191, 847 votes while Abubakar, a former Nigerian vice president between 1999 and 2007, got 11, 262, 978 votes in March. Atiku and PDP alleged the election was rigged and rejected the result. PDP and Atiku claimed they won the election according to a result on INEC server. The opposition party and its candidate contended that the data obtained from INEC’s server showed that they polled a total of 18,356,732 votes to defeat Buhari whom they said scored 16,741,430 votes. But INEC told the tribunal that it had no server where the election results were transmitted during the February 23 presidential election

PRESIDENTIAL TRIBUNAL UPDATE

#PRESIDENTIAL TRIBUNAL_UPDATE : Justice Mohammed led tribunal orders INEC chairman Prof. Y. Mahmoud & Zamfara state REC, Dr. Asmau Sani Maikudi to appear before it on Thursday, that's tomorrow. They may be punished for contempt of court order. Refusing to release result sheet for Zamfara state to Atiku’s counsel despite court order.

Real Madrid make first contact for £100m Hazard

With Zinedine Zidane having replaced Santiago Solari, the Liga side are now moving ahead with their attempts to sign the Chelsea forward Real Madrid have signalled their intent to secure the £100 million ($132m) summer signing of Chelsea star Eden Hazard, Goal understands. Their interest in the Belgian represents the first proper contact ahead of a potential summer move. The appointment of Hazard's idol Zinedine Zidane as Santiago Solari's replacement at the Bernabeu could prove decisive in making up the 28-year-old's mind. Hazard has already described a move to Spain's capital as a "dream", with Madrid having frequently been linked with the former Lille winger over the last couple of years.

Chelsea are asking for around £100m from the reigning European champions, who are aiming to get the asking price down. Madrid are keen to maintain a positive relationship with the west London club in the negotiations, as they did in the process of securing the signing of Thibaut Courtois from the Blues in 2018. Blancos president Florentino Perez is hoping the reappointment of Zidane will lead to a summer rebuild, with Madrid also linked with Paris Saint-Germain duo Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Perez hopes that the presence of the France legend at the helm once more might tempt Mbappe to Madrid. "Zidane’s French so maybe he could do something with Mbappe,” Perez, with a laugh, told reporters. When pressed over whether he believed Mbappe could be convinced to join Madrid, Perez deflected, instead saying their focus was on finishing the season. "Right now, all we are concerned with is ending the season well and start preparing for next season,” Perez said. Neymar has also been rumoured as a Madrid target, with reports suggesting the club would shatter the transfer record PSG paid for the Brazilian while offering to make him the highest-paid footballer in the world. It has also been reported that such a move would take Madrid out of the race, at least in the short term, for Mbappe, given the cost of landing both stars. However, when asked who he would choose between the two PSG stars, Perez instead answered “Both.” Hazard, meanwhile, is in a strong bargaining position over his future at Stamford Bridge as his Chelsea contact enters the final year. The Blues have fought hard to keep their star man and had hoped to renew his contract - making him the club's highest-earning player in the process in an attempt to ensure he finished his career at Stamford Bridge. With the Liga giants now stepping up their plans to sign Hazard, Chelsea are set for something of a turbulent summer. As well as Hazard, there are also doubts over the long-term future of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who was targeted by Bayern Munich in January but was ultimately blocked from making the move to Germany. He will also be entering the final year of his contract in summer 2019 and will likely be considering his future again as regular first-team opportunities in the Premier League under Maurizio Sarri continue to be hard to come by. The Blues will also be hampered by the transfer ban that has been handed to them by FIFA, which is due to begin in the summer. Football's world governing body rejected the Premier League club's attempt to delay the ban, that will span two transfer windows, with Chelsea now looking to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Wikki beat Enyimba, go top

Wikki Tourists scored two late goals in Bauchi on Wednesday to hand Enyimba a 3-1 defeat. The defeat which became Enyimba’s first loss in 10 straight games denied the Nigerian league champions the chance to go top of the table. A simple point would have seen the Aba-based team topping the table ahead of Rivers United. And in another rescheduled game also on Wednesday, El-Kanemi defeated Enugu Rangers 2-0. Wikki’s Abubakar Lawal had opened up scoring in the 18th minute beating Theophilus Afelokhai in goal for Enyimba but the visistors soon equalised to leave scores at 1-1. The equaliser came three minutes later off Chima Akas’ free kick from the edge of the box. Wikki took the lead again in the 89th minute through Idris Guda’s shot from long range, and sealed the win a minute later after Godwin Obaje scored via a penalty shot. The result on Wednesday has pushed Wikki to the top of the table on 31 points, while Enyimba dropped to third with a game in hand. The Tourists now have 31 points from 18 matches – same as Rivers, but with superior goal difference. In Maiduguri, El-Kanemi scored once in each half to fix Rangers. Hussaini Bata opened the scoring in the fourth minute, while Ibrahim Mustapha made it double from the penalty spot. Rangers, who had started the season impressively on the top of the table, are now fifth in the table. punchng

Wike appoints Yobo

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday appointed Joseph Yobo as his Senior Special Assistant on Sports Development. According to the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media Simeon Nwakaudu said the former Nigeria captain’s appointment takes immediate effect. Yobo marked his retirement from football with a testimonial match in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Obasanjo has no right to call judge stupid – lawyer

The Legal Adviser, International Secretariat of Amnesty International, London, Mr. Kolawole Olaniyan, has described as inappropriate the recent open criticism of Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo had reportedly described the judge as “ignorant and stupid” for entering a judgment directing all past civilian Presidents from 1999 to account for the loot recovered from the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha. he judge had made the pronouncement while delivering judgment in a Freedom of Information suit filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, demanding the disclosure or details of the recovery and spending of the Abacha loot. The judge had issued an order of mandamus directing the Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, to compel the regimes of Obasanjo, that of late former President Musa Yar’ Adua and that of former President Goodluck Jonathan to publish the details of the recovery and spending of the Abacha loot. But in reaction, Obasanjo had reportedly dismissed the judge, saying, “They said the money recovered from Abacha, I should account for it. What stupidity! The man who asked for it, the man who gave the judgment or who answered them are all stupid, with due respect. “I don’t keep account; all Abacha loots were sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria and every bit of it was reported to the Minister of Finance… But again, it shows ignorance, total ignorance, which is lacking and you wonder, are these people educated?” In a statement on Thursday, Olaniyan, however, took on Obasanjo, saying his criticism of the judge was not only an attack on the judiciary and the rule of law but also on the Freedom of Information Act. The lawyer said it was not surprising that the former President would attack Justice Idris for giving a judgment upholding the provisions of the FoI Act since Obasanjo had “ignored wise counsel to sign the bill into law during his time in government.” He explained that though judges are not infallible, they do not give judgments based on their “whims or fancies” but based on the facts presented before them and on laws and established judicial principles or legal precedents. He described as unfair Obasanjo’s attack on the judge who could not defend himself against “inappropriate criticism,” stressing that “there’s nothing stupid in Justice Idris insisting on transparency and accountability of leaders who once held a position of trust and control over the public treasury.” Olaniyan said, “If judges have to decide cases on the basis of what politicians or someone else wanted the law or the result to be, the very principle of the independence of the judiciary would be forfeited. “While it’s within Obasanjo’s right to disagree with the judgment or even criticise it, calling Justice Idris “stupid and ignorant” simply for doing his job amounts to inappropriate political criticism as it threatens the judge’s independence and integrity.” While describing Justice Idris’ judgment as “a great victory for transparency and accountability in the country,” Olaniyan said President Muhammadu Buhari would only do well to instruct the AGF, Abubakar Malami, to ensure that the judgment was enforced to the letter. “Nigerians do not demand infallibility from their leaders and institutions, but it’s difficult to accept the proposition that a judge granting Nigerians the right to know what their leaders and government are doing is “stupid and ignorant.” “Nigerians indeed have a right to compel their public officials, particularly the high-ranking among them like Obasanjo, to keep the avenues of information open, so the public can know and evaluate their work, accomplishments and dereliction, regardless of whether they are in or out of office,” Olaniyan stated. source: punchng

Buhari begins cleanup of Ogoniland

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday flagged off the cleanup of Ogoniland with a warning to militants to end the continued attack on oil and gas installations. Speaking in Bodo, Gokana LGA of Rivers State, Buhari, who was represented by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, also cautioned oil thieves to desist from their action, adding that oil theft and attack on oil installations were affecting the economy of the communities and of the nation. He charged oil firms to stop the pollution of the environment and carry out their responsibilities in line with international best practice. Buhari recalled when he promised the people of Ogoni that he would clean up their environment if he emerged President, just as he expressed delight that he had come to fulfill his promise. source: punch nigeria

Jonathan hated Rivers people so much- Amaechi

Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi also took a shot at former president Goodluck Jonathan during the interview at a radio station station in Port Harcourt today. He said Jonathan hated the people of Rivers state so much that he was unwilling to clean up Ogoniland. "Jonathan hated Rivers people so much that ordinary $1bn to clean up Ogoni land, he refused to pay." he said.

TOP 10 CARS IN THE WORLD

1.) Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita ($4.8M) Koenigsegg makes its sophomore appearance on our list with the CCXR Trevita, and it does so as the most expensive street-legal production car in the world. Why so much coin? With no exaggeration, the car is literally coated in diamonds … and diamonds aren’t cheap. For the Trevita, the Swedish manufacturer developed a new exterior finish called the Koenigsegg Proprietary Diamond Weave, which involves coating carbon fibers with a diamond dust-impregnated resin. We can’t even fathom how much the touch up paint costs. Underneath the lustrous finish lies a 4.8-liter, dual-supercharged V8 with a total output of 1,004 hp and 797 lb-ft, which means it should have little to no trouble overtaking semis on the freeway. The car’s specifications — in both performance and price — are nearly comical at this point, and just three were ever made. 2.) Lamborghini Veneno ($4.5M) Poison. That’s the name Lamborghini chose for the modified Aventador you see above — translated from Italian of course — built to celebrate the automaker’s 50th birthday. We can’t speak for the company’s motivations, but the name is fitting for a vehicle that looks so positively deadly, so undeniably venomous. The car is absolutely stunning from every angle, and to this day, we’re not convinced it isn’t an alien spacecraft surveying our planet for eventual takeover. It just doesn’t seem real. The only thing more remarkable than the look is the price — a whopping $4.5 million. The Veneno is fast, and that should come as no surprise. Its 6.5-liter V12 spins all the way up to 8,400 rpm to deliver 740 hp and 507 lb-ft, surging the car to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. 3.) W Motors Lykan Hypersport ($3.4M) You may recall the Lykan Hypersport from its starring role in the blockbuster Furious 7, where the Lebanese supercar crashed through not one, not two, but three skyscrapers in Dubai. In a franchise filled with high-end exotics and one-off custom creations, the fact that the Hypersport got so much focus is a testament to its magnetism. Let’s start with the styling, which includes jewel-encrusted headlights, scissor doors, and an interior ripped straight from science fiction. It looks like a pissed off armored car from the future, and its performance is right on par with its image. The Hypersport boasts a 3.7-liter, twin-turbo flat-six that yields 770 hp and 708 lb-ft. It’s not just Dominic Toretto who benefits from this level of performance though, as the Abu Dhabi police force has drafted the Hypersport into patrol duty. Although it’s mainly used for marketing and public relations purposes, the high-flying stunner assures that the authorities can keep up with any baddie that tries to get cute on the freeway. Pedal to the floor, 0 to 62 mph is accomplished in just 2.8 seconds, and top speed is a downright scary 240 mph. 4.) Mansory Vivere Bugatti Veyron ($3.4M) This list wouldn’t be complete without some version of the mighty Bugatti Veyron. We’re shining our spotlight on the the Mansory Vivere edition here, because not only is it one of the fastest cars in the world, it’s one of the most expensive. Augmented by German witch doctors Mansory, the 1,200-hp Veyron starts out as a Grand Sport Vitesse Roadster, only to be adorned with a gorgeous carbon fiber body, a new spoiler package, upgraded LED lights, a rebuffed cabin, and a redesigned front grill. Further classifying the Veyron as a work of art, maps of historic race events like the Targa Florio are laser etched into the exterior and interior. Oh, and it can do 254 mph. 5.) Ferrari F60 America ($2.5M) To celebrate Ferrari’s 60-year tenure in North America, the Italian brand built 10 examples of this stunning bombshell. Based on the F12 Berlinetta, the F60 is undeniably patriotic as it wears a Stars and Stripes color scheme, American flag seat inserts, and classic racing livery all around. Better yet, you can experience the glory with the top down, as the F60 equips a lightweight fabric top that can be operated at speeds up to 75 mph. The supercar is mechanically identical to the F12, but the Berlinetta isn’t exactly a Fiat Panda to begin with. Its 6.2-liter V12 churns out 740 glorious hp, enough to propel the car to 60 mph in only 3.1 seconds. The ultra-rare flag-waver harkens back to Ferrari’s bespoke past, as the company built several region-specific sports cars in the 1950s and 1960s. 6.) Koenigsegg One:1 ($2.0M) You can buy a lot with $2 million — a really nice house, about 80 Mazda MX-5’s, or the Swedish “megacar” shown above. A logical thinker could probably think of a better way to spend your life savings, but megacars don’t give a damn about logic. Because they’re mega. And after reading what the car is capable of, $2 million might actually be a steal. The limited-edition One:1 is based on the Agera R, and it earned its poetic moniker by employing a 1:1 kilogram-to-horsepower ratio. The figure on each side of the colon? 1,340. That’s right, this car has 1,340 hp, and can theoretically top 273 mph because of it. Simply put, this is one of the fastest automobiles ever made, and with its F1-style honeycomb core, carbon fiber intake manifold, and ventilated ceramic brakes, it’s one of the most advanced as well. Just six examples of the speedy Swede were built, and each one was sold quite quickly. Keep an eye out on Craigslist though, you never know. 7.) Aston Martin One-77 ($1.4M) 1.4 million sure is a popular number in the supercar world, because that’s what it took to get your hands on this limited-edition Aston. We say “took” because all 77 units have been spoken for, so if you were hoping to channel your inner Bond with this car, your luck has unfortunately run out. Arguably the most classically handsome car on this list, the One-77 is built around a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, with a handcrafted aluminum body giving it its sophisticated, aggressive look. Under the vented hood lurks a naturally aspirated V12 that displaces 7.3 liters, which is a lot. It produces 750 hp and 553 lb-ft, which is also a lot. Those numbers make the One-77 the fastest Aston Martin ever made, as this spy chaser will top 220 mph in the right conditions. From a stop, it’ll do 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. 8.) Pagani Huayra ($1.4M) The Huayra is equally as famous for its odd-sounding name as it is for its face-melting performance. Named after the Incan God of Winds, the Huayra (pronounced why-rah) boasts an AMG-sourced 6.0-liter V12 with two turbochargers, resulting in 620 hp and and a massive 740 lb-ft. Just how swift is it? Around the Top Gear test track, it set a time of 1:13.8, some 3.0 seconds quicker than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. It even bested the Ariel Atom 500, which is essentially a go-kart with a 500-hp V8 strapped on the back. It still holds the show’s track record to this day, and that’s just the beginning. With incredible gullwing doors and one of the most intricate interiors ever designed, the Huayra is like nothing else on the road. 9.) Ferrari LaFerrari ($1.4M) This 950-hp hypercar is so prestigious that its name literally translates to “The Ferrari” in Italian. The automaker’s first mild hybrid, LaFerrari equips a 6.3-liter V12 alongside an electric motor and trick Kinetic Energy Recovery System, which results in a shade less than 1,000 ponies and 664 pavement-crushing torques. Few cars on the road are more striking, and even fewer accelerate faster. With a dry weight of less than 2,800 pounds, this dragon-like performance car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds, and it’ll prance to 124 mph in under 7. Flat out, it’ll top 217 mph. The only thing quicker than the car itself is how fast it sold, as all 499 units were snatched up faster than you can say “bank loan.” Ferrari also produced a hardcore, FXX K version specifically for the track, which we’ll delve into later. 10.) Zenvo ST1 ($1.2M) Kicking off our list is less of a car and more of an unchained animal in the ST1. Assembled in Zealand, Denmark, the Zenvo creates an absolutely obscene amount of power by combining a 6.8-liter V8 with both a supercharger and a turbocharger. Just how much is obscene exactly? How about 1,104 horsepower and 1,054 pound-feet of torque, all channeled to the car’s rear wheels. Unfortunately for the Danish outfit, the mostly hand-built ST1 has been surrounded with controversy since its debut. During Top Gear’s 21st season, the program tested the supercar around its famous track, only to be met with constant breakdowns, slower than expected lap times, and a good old-fashioned engine fire. Zenvo disputed Top Gear’s claims, stating the show only published the vehicle’s sluggish laps and that the fire was caused by hours of extreme driving. Nevertheless, the vehicle’s murderous looks and monstrous grunt are nothing to shake a stick at. We certainly wouldn’t kick it out of the garage. COURTESY: DIGITALTRENDS.COM

Ebube Nwagbo Takes Her Street Style Up A Notch In New Photo

Nollywood actress, Ebube Nwagbo could just be our queen of street! The savvy actress sure knows how to dress to the nines when hitting the road.

[PHOTO] Davido’s Daughter Meets Her Billionaire Grandpa For The First Time

Davido has shared a photo of his two months old daughter, Imade as she met her grandfather, Deji Adeleke for the first time. he captioned it:

[PHOTOS] Fathia Balogun Shows Off Glamorous Make Over

Nollywood actress, Fathia Williams Balogun is super duper attractive in new photos. The estranged wife of popular Yoruba actor, Saheed Balogun shared some lovely new makeup photos of herself.

Seriake Dickson wins re-election as Bayelsa governor

\ The incumbent governor and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Seriake Dickson, has emerged winner after scoring the most votes in the Bayelsa State governorship election. According to the results announced by the Returning Officer for the Bayelsa governorship election, Zana Akpaogu, Mr. Dickson polled 134,998 to defeat Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress who scored 86,852 votes. Mr. Akpaogu, a professor and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, declared Mr. Dickson winner of the poll on Sunday evening at Yenagoa Local Government, which served as state collation centre for the Bayelsa governorship election. Moses Siasia of the Peoples Democratic Movement came a distant third with 1, 572 votes. The substantive election in the state was held on December 5, 2015 but INEC declared the election inconclusive after it cancelled the poll in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area following reports of widespread electoral malpractices and violence. INEC subsequently fixed January 9, 2016 for supplementary elections in the affected local government and 101 other polling units in 7 local government areas where elections did not hold on December 5.

Lionel Messi set for Ballon d’Or but Neymar threatens the old duopoly

When Michael Owen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001, becoming the first and still the only Englishman to win European football’s player of the year award since Kevin Keegan, his manager had to take him aside and impress upon him just how important this was. “Gérard Houllier was surprised when he first told me,” Owen admitted. “I think he was a bit put out by me not punching the air and going hysterical. He was saying: ‘Do you realise what this means?’” Had Owen seen what was going on in Spain, he would have done: in Madrid they were loudly decrying the injustice of it all, the cheek of this Englishman who had taken what was “rightfully” Raúl’s. They still do, in fact. Here it was an obsession, front page almost daily. “It’s a massive thing but it’s not big in England,” Owen said. “In England, it gets a little column on the back page telling you who has won it, if you’re lucky.” Fifteen years on, things have changed. There are still around 900 words to go in this column, for a start. Presented by James Nesbitt, Monday night’s gala – at which there will also be a presidential award but no president – will be shown live by Sky and Eurosport. Some people might even watch it; they’ll certainly argue over it. It is hard to imagine an English winner these days only admitting some time after the event, as Owen did: “Since then, I’ve realised what it means. It’s one of the best individual awards.” Since then? One of them? It is hard to imagine an English winner at all, of course, and this still feels like a Spanish thing – even if, like La Liga, it attracts greater attention than ever before. Football interest has become internationalised and the Champions League has made Europeans of the English, even if the EU has not. For the past six years the winner has been someone playing in Spain. This year’s winner will be a player from La Liga, too: Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo orNeymar. The truth is that “Spain” is probably too broad a category here. Since 1997 only two winners of the Ballon d’Or – Pavel Nedved and Andriy Shevchenko – have not either been playing in Spain or ended up playing there. In every case, their club was Real Madrid or Barcelona. And over the past seven years, the category could be reduced again. Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have finished first and second every year for four years and in six of the past seven years, albeit in 2008 Ronaldo was still at Manchester United. Ronaldo in 2008, followed by Messi for the next four years, then Ronaldo again in 2013 and 2014: these men have dominated an era like none before, the Madrid-Barça rivalry expressed through its two greatest players, with the golden ball acting as some kind of ultimate arbiter. Not that it is an unchallenged one; complaints and conspiracy theories still abound. If there are echoes of Juanma Lillo’s comment about the garnish eating the steak – brilliant performances in decisive games and trophies won presented as evidence towards a Ballon d’Or candidacy as much as an end in themselves, and players elevated over teams – it is still an extraordinary run from two players to be celebrated, if only people could stop getting so angry about them. There is a chance that on Monday the run will be broken, though. Perhaps even for good. This year it seemed possible that the three candidates might not just come from the same country but, like in 2010, from the same club. That year, Spain’s World Cup win brought Andrés Iniesta and Xavi to the podium alongside Messi; this year, Barcelona’s treble might have also elevated Neymar and Luis Suárez – all the more so if the award is judged on 2015, the calendar year, not just the last season.

Between them, Messi, Neymar and Suárez won it all and scored 180 goals in 2015, more than any forward line has ever scored and the spread was remarkably even, the contributions consistent from all three men in a historic 12 months. In the end, Suárez did not make it. Rarely can so strong a candidate have been left out, a treble winner with a goal in the European Cup final, five goals in two games to take Barcelona to the Club World Cup, currently top scorer in La Liga. But, unlike in the Uefa award where he made the top three, Ronaldo and Neymar are included ahead of him. It is no terrible injustice, just a measure of how good the field is. There may be an element of inertia there, the one-two of this era an automatic choice, a sense that voting for Ronaldo is just what you do; that the only doubt in any world player list is, by definition, the third man – and that there the choice is Suárez or Neymar but not both. There will be a recognition that it is hardly Ronaldo’s fault that his team has won nothing. If 2015 has been difficult, the fact that it is possible to talk of “decline” for a player who scored more than 50 goals for a fifth consecutive year shows how absurdly high he sets the bar. His “decline” is pretty much every other player’s dream. Even after a campaign that ended empty-handed it is natural that most believe that the man who won the last two awards still stands above all except Messi, but that assumption perhaps faces its firmest challenge for years in Zurich and the next question may be if it is simply a one-off. Neymar makes a strong case – and at 23, he will make more. Ronaldo turns 31 next month, has fought pain in his knee, and questions about his future will not go away, so it is natural that some ask if this year may be the last time that he and Messi stand one and two, the end of a certainty that’s marked almost a decade. If Ronaldo was to finish outside the top two, it would be the first time in five years. More likely is that he will finish second and, as ever, will be far from satisfied with that – that the ambition that defines him will remain undimmed, determined to return and regain the trophy he made his own for the last two years, overthrowing Messi again, as he did when he ended the Argentinian’s unique four-year run. But that there is even a doubt is significant. For second place, that is. When it comes to first, occupied by Ronaldo two years running, the only doubt is what suit Messi will wear. source; the guardian

FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015

NOMINEES (GALA STARTS AT 18.30 CET) FIFA Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar FIFA Women's World Player of the Year: Carli Lloyd, Aya Miyama, Celia Sasic FIFA World Coach of the Year (Men's): Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Jorge Sampaoli FIFA World Coach of the Year (Women's): Jill Ellis, Mark Sampson, Norio Sasaki FIFA Puskás Award: Alessandro Florenzi, Wendell Lira, Lionel Messi

Melanie Sykes looks sensational in a skimpy bikini on the beach in Dubai

Forget Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, Melanie Sykes is bikini goals as she showcases her incredible figure. The 45-year-old star has the figure of a woman half her age and we were very jealous seeing these snaps from her holiday in Dubai wearing an orange two piece. She clearly takes her tanning and keeping in shape seriously and the hard work has paid off as she has a body to die for. Melanie strutted her stuff in the swimwear, which showed off her amazing cleavage and endless pins, and a pair of dark designer shades.

She had the sunkissed look perfected and was snapped coming out of the water like a scene from Baywatch as her hair blew back in the breeze. Wowsa. The former I'm a Celebrity babe , who finished in third place in 2014, looks just as good now in a bikini as she did in those jungle shower photographs and she could definitely rival the girls Down Under this year. Talking about her experience on the show, she previously said: "It was better than I expected, I thought it would be hellish. "I had fun and I made some nice friends and I did have a laugh. It has exceeded all expectations." We don't know how she'd feel being stuck in there with Lady C this year. She added: "Overall it is one of the best experiences in my life, it will always be in my head and my heart."

AMVCA 2016 Nominees to be announced next week A date has been fixed for the official announcement of the AMVCAs 2016 nominees.

The fourth edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) is set to commence as nominees for the 2016 edition will be announced on Friday, December 11, 2015. The announcement will air on all Africa Magic channels, and public voting will open immediately after the announcement. The 2015 edition of the AMVCAs held on March 7, 2015, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria, with IK and Vimbai as hosts. Since the maiden edition in 2013, the AMVCAs have celebrated the contributions of African filmmakers, actors and technicians to the success of the continent’s film and television industry. The 2015 edition saw Kunle Afolayan dominating the night. For the 2016 editio

Child cancer deaths have dropped by 21 per cent in last ten years

The number of children killed by cancer has dropped by around 21% over the past decade. Cancer Research UK reveals that about 260 youngsters died from the disease last year, compared with 330 in 2004. Child cancers are notoriously difficult to treat or keep at bay so the achievement is highly significant. Death rates for all cancers in children aged 14 and under have fallen from around 30 deaths per million in 2004 to almost 23 deaths per million today.

Around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK. But while survival has tripled since the 1960s, around five children still die from the disease every week. Read more: Cancer patient told she was unlikely to survive weekend gets married in hospital and is led up 'aisle' in bed Prof Pam Kearns, director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit in Birmingham, said: “Although we’re losing fewer young lives to cancer, a lot more needs to be done. “There are still children’s cancers where progress has been limited - such as brain and bone tumours. “Cancer Research UK’s long-standing commitment to investing in clinical trials for children with cancer has been a major factor in developing today’s treatments and is pivotal to ongoing research that will offer new hope to the children and their families. “Many children who survive cancer will live with the long-term side effects of their treatment that can have an impact throughout their adult lives, so it’s vital that we find less toxic and even more effective treatments.” Prof Richard Gilbertson, children’s cancers expert and director of the Cambridge Cancer Centre at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: “Thanks to research, we’re helping more and more children survive cancer. But this work is not finished – better, kinder treatments must continue to be our target. “We need to build on the progress we’ve already made by continuing to fund research into children’s cancers, including developing better medicines that also reduce any long-term side effects.”

7 fashionable Naija guys making ‘single’ trendy

Everyone knows that in Naija, when a guy is done with his first degree, is making a stable income, gotten a place to stay, automatically he should get married next and then in a year we should be gathering again for the naming ceremony of his twins. Somehow, these five leading men on the red carpet have defied all odds and many prayers and fastings from their moms to remain unnoticeably and acceptably single in 2015.