Timaya Blasts OAP on Air

Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa

The Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa may like his music fast-paced and energetic, but when he talks, he wants you to listen, and listen carefully.

 Timaya, while trying to explain the points of his argument during a live programme at Blaze FM, Nnewi, was rushed off a question one time too many. The artiste didn’t find that amusing and he made his feelings known on air.

An act of arrogance and pride most people call it, but it seems as if the artiste knows where he is heading when he cut his host off saying, “Why do you journalists (OAPs) always cut people off? You ask one question and won’t allow people to ‘land’ before asking another.”

 The host of the show, JJ, graciously allowed the artiste to have the microphone and voice out his mind.

Well, it was during the interview that Limpopo King, KCee who was also being interviewed,  announced that he would soon be dropping a new single with his ‘partner on the streets’, Timaya. He also used the opportunity to tell his fans that Limpopo means ‘Let’s have fun’.

“It’s a ‘feel good song’ and I really appreciate how my fans have so quickly taken to it,” he said.

PUNCH

Oboabona dismisses Ivorian threat

Super Eagles defender Godfrey Oboabona  has dismissed fears Ivory Coast could pull out  a big finish to deny  Nigeria the single ticket to the Africa Nations Championship in South Africa next  year.

The Eagles, who beat the Elephants 4-1 in  the first leg CHAN qualifier  in Kaduna  on July 6, will face the Ivorians in the second leg in Abidjan on July 27.

Nigeria  need to avoid defeat by more than three goals  to qualify for the tournament and Oboabona, who played a key role in the Kaduna victory, says the Eagles are not worried that the Elephants could stop Nigeria from playing at the tournament for the first time.

“With God on our side we are going there for victory,” the versatile  Sunshine Stars player told our correspondent on the telephone during the week.

The 22-year-old, who has been picked for next month’s  match against South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge, praised his teammates  for the emphatic win in Kaduna, calling  for focus ahead of the Abidjan encounter .

FG in cash trouble

There are concerns in government circles that the country’s revenue projection for the 2013 fiscal year may not be realised.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the gross oil revenue accruing to the Federation Account had dwindled seriously in recent times.

The drop in revenue has raised fears that the Federal Government may not be able to implement the 2013 budget. Sources in government attributed the drop to massive oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.

Figures obtained by this newspaper, showing the monthly allocations to the three tiers of government by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, revealed that the country only realised N3.893tn as gross federally collected revenue in the first six months of 2013.

Jonathan Hails Amaechi

President, commander in chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has said that the new headquarters for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), named after the former chairman of the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) would be the catalyst that will catapult Nigerian football to a greater height.
He hailed the prudence of the Governor Amaechi/Patrick Ekeji led PTF in the vision to build a befitting football headquarters for the nation. The building was named after Dankaro, a former NFA chairman between 1974 and 1980.
As NFA chairman, he had the fortune of seeing the then Green Eagles capture its first African Nation’s cup trophy which earned the footballers cars, houses and awards.
The president, represented by the vice president, Architect Muhammed Namadi Sambo, stated this yesterday while commissioning the 27 office room building with a penthouse for the NFF president, 110 car parking spaces, 4 conference halls and 2 sub-committee rooms, central reception and waiting lounge for visitors built at the cost of N336.321, 111.00 by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Super Eagles qualification for the 2010 World Cup.
Commending the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi led task force for their financial prudence and foresight in conceiving the idea of building a befitting corporate headquarters for the administration of football in the country, he said: “The PTF in submitting their report on Nigeria’s participation at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, sought the President’s approval to utilize the balance of the funds generated from private sectors to build a befitting headquarters for Nigeria football. I commend them not only for their foresight in conceiving this idea but also their commitment and sincerity. I strongly believe that this project will serve as catalysts for our sports development,” he said.
Source: Leadership

More Troubles For FG, Students As Varsity Workers Threaten Strike Over 2009 Agreement

Just as their co-workers in the university, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have vowed to continue their strike action until their demands are met, university workers under the auspices of National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff of Nigeria Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) may resume their own industrial action following the non-implementation of the agreement they signed with the Federal Government in 2009.
The unions noted that unless the federal government invites them for a negotiation, they may join ASUU in completely crippling every form of activities in the nation’s universities.

Al-Mustapha victim of injustice – Fasehun

Frederick Fasehun

Against the backdrop of the recent  Appeal Court verdict which gave Al-Mustapha his freedom after 14 years in detention, Dr. Frederick Fasehun,  President, O’dua People’s Congress, explained the rationale behind his support for the contentious development  in this interview with Saturday Vanguard. Excerpt
After 14 years , how would you describe the release of Al-Mustapha?
Democracy is the true manifestation of  justice and truth.  Al-Mustapha was  accused of conspiracy and murder; whereas, conspiracy is an element of at least two people and nobody has come out to say Al-Mustapha conspired with him because nobody can conspire with himself.

Rivers Crisis: PSC begins full-scale probe of Mbu

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has said that it has started a full -scale investigations into the activities of the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu and all the policemen said to have involved themselves in the political crises in the state.
Chairman of the PSC, Chief Mike Okiro made this known in Lagos yesterday.
Okiro spoke at a ceremony marking the commissioning of an estate built for policemen by President Goodluck Jonathan as the Archbishop Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Okogie, expressed disgust over the dishonourable happenings in Rivers State urging the political gladiators to tread softly to avoid truncating the current democratic dispensation.

Mbu and Amaechi
In a statement, the Prelate took a swipe at the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for turning the hallowed chambers into a battlefield, saying such act was unexpected of their personalities.
However, 26  members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, have warned a member of the House,  Evans Bapakaye to stop impersonating the Speaker of the House, Hon Otelemaba Amachree saying that, ‘’at no time was the Speaker impeached.’’