Brazil 2014 World Cup - Keshi Proposes Miami, Houston Camp for Eagles

Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has revealed that he has proposed to set up a training camp in the United States of America prior to the 2014 World Cup. The Super Eagles training camp will open on May 25.
Keshi said Eagles would camp in cities with similar weather condition with Brazil and has picked two US cities, either Miami or Houston.
"I have proposed that we camp in the United States because by the time we would be opening our camping the US would have the same weather as Brazil," Keshi said. "There are several US cities that would be hot like Brazil and would have the same temperature like Sao Paolo, where we would be based at the World Cup."
The former Mali and Togo gaffer also revealed that he would like to play friendly matches with countries with similar play style with their world Cup group opponents Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Keshi further said Japan are so far the only country who has shown interest in playing the Eagles, stating that he would also like to play countries like Peru.
"Considering the countries we have in our group, I would love the Eagles to play countries from the region that have the same playing style. But it would also depend on the availability of such countries because some of them may have concluded their friendly arrangement already," he said.
"But while in Brazil for the draws, I was told the Japanese were interested in playing us, but I would also like to play countries like Peru."
Meanwhile, former Nigeria international, Jonathan Akpoborie, has advised the Keshi-led technical crew to pick the best legs for the Mundial. Akpoborie noted that Nigeria has all it takes to soar high in Brazil if the right players are picked.
"We have potentials all over Nigeria to do well at the World Cup but picking the right team that is where I question the system," Akpoborie said.
"Does the system allow us to pick players on credibility or do we bring in sentiment and when this comes to football, we lose our way. That is exactly what we do in Nigeria.
"A lot of Nigerians would always say what they want to say but they should allow Keshi to do his job. When he's done his job well we support him and if not, he gets the boot.
"He (Keshi) won the Nations Cup, qualified the team for Brazil and he deserves the chance to prove himself that he is the right coach to lead the team to the World Cup and after that, we will see what happens," the ex-Stuttgart attacker concluded.

Source: This Day

Cameroon Takes Steps against Boko Haram

The authorities in Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital, have set up tighter border controls in the Far North region to guard against infiltration by jihadist Boko Haram fighters from neighbouring Nigeria as civilians flee insurgent attacks and a Nigerian military offensive, seeking safety across the border in Cameroon.
A rapid response military unit has also been deployed and beefed up in the northern regions and some tourist hotels now have armed guards.
"We have revised our security strategy. We have registered all expatriates and established police posts in areas where they work. There are security control posts along the border to reduce illegal entry," said Bob-Iga Emmanuel, the head of police division at the governor's office in the Far North region.
However, the authorities admit that it is impossible to completely secure Cameroon's longest border. There are also similar ethnic communities in Cameroon's Far North and northeastern Nigeria who have family on either side of the border, speak the same language and share common culture, making undetected cross-border movement easy.
"Our main challenge is safeguarding our borders so that we don't import the Boko Haram problem," said Albert Sidi, who is in charge of economic, social and cultural affairs at the Far North governor's office.
Insecurity has stifled the movement of people and trade between Cameroon's Far North region and northeastern Nigeria - Boko Haram's stronghold. Northern Cameroon traders have been forced to seek markets in neighbouring Chad or other regions of the country.
Security collaboration
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Cameroon to help in combating Boko Haram militants, who have been driven out of the main cities in northeastern Nigeria.
The two countries have since agreed to conduct separate but coordinated border patrols. Some observers believe that the Islamist militants take detours through Cameroonian territory to move from one Nigerian state to another.
Emmanuel said there had been a rise in arms trafficking from Chad into northern Nigeria and "many people have been arrested with guns", but did not provide any figures.

'Wasteful' FG Agencies Get N200 Billion

About 100 federal agencies that have already been pencilled down for scrap or merger have received a total allocation of over N200 billion in the 2014 budget.
Analysis of the budget by Daily Trust indicates that even though the affected agencies have been described by a government report as wasteful and indolent, provision has been made for them in next year's budget.
A presidential committee on the restructuring of government agencies, headed by former head of service Stephen Oronsaye, had recommended for the merger or scrapping of about 100 agencies.
The report submitted last year said most of the agencies are unwieldy and fueling wastages, indolence and corruption.
The Federal Executive Council approved a white paper on the report in April.
The committee, which was set up to reduce cost of governance, in the executive summary of its report, recommended, among others, the scrapping of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in existing ministries.
President Goodluck Jonathan, while submitting the 2014-2016 Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) to the National Assembly, said the government had not rationalised the said agencies because the laws setting them up have not been repealed.
"It had been hoped that significant savings would be made from the implementation of government's white paper on rationalising public agencies. Unfortunately, very little or no savings are likely to be made from the implementation of government's white paper on rationalising public agencies due to the fact that many agencies recommended for closure or merger were allowed to remain partly due to the fact that some of them are underpinned by law, which cannot be repealed in the short run," Jonathan had said.
Our correspondent reports that up to December 19 when the National Assembly adjourned for the Christmas and the New Year recess, no bill proposing either merger or scrapping of any of the affected agencies have been presented to the parliament.
Agencies in this category that received their usual allocation in the 2014 budget are: Petroleum Technology Development Fund N50bn; Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency N6.4 billion; Ajaokuta Steel Company, N3.9 billion and National Iron Ore Mining Company N1.5 billion.

Source:Daily Trust

Check out CR7's cute son

This is really a family re-union as Real Madrid super star, Cristiano Ronaldo's takes his 3 year-old son, Cristiano Junior,

to the opening of his personal museum in his hometown, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

The cute little man who was born to the former Manchester United striker by a waitress he met and initially, he had denied being responsible but his mother's intervention made him accept the boy who has turned out to be his split image.

One word for the young Ronaldo!

Top Ten Hit Songs in Nigeria That Made 2013

Picking ten best songs that rocked any year is like searching for ten slightly longer hays from evenly cut hays in a hay sack; long story short, this is not an easy task. With up and coming acts giving the old hands a run for their money, the Nigerian music scene is flooded with music that would give your heart a good dance exercise but then, somehow, these ten artists were able to distinguish themselves with their songs; making them our top ten best for the year 2013.
10. Eminado - Tiwa Savage ft Don Jazzy: The single came in May; sitting at number nine in the Mavin songstress 19 track album list Once upon a time, but not until the video directed by extra-gifted filmed maker Clarence Peters trumped airwaves in November did it sink down hot and hard in Naija's musicdom. The song with it's powerful hook-line remained at the top of many music charts for weeks.
9. Koma Roll - Tillaman ft Burnaboy, Iyanya, Ice Prince, Phyno: The single sizzles with talent especially from featured acts nailed even harder by the tongue twisting verses delivered by Ice Prince and Phyno. Tillaman who is relatively on the up and coming list released the song remix and video in May but it endured till the end of the year, making it a party favourite and relentless club banger.
8. Rihanna - Orezi: The song captures listeners from the very first second. Orezi who is a 2012 Channel O best ragga Dancehall nominee no doubt is a success story with earlier singles "Booty Bounce" and "Emoti" doing well on the airwaves. Orezi who showed a surprising strong voice in Rihanna released the single in February and was made even more magnetic with it's killer video and a model who looked so much like American singer Rihanna.
7. Emi ni Baller - Chidinma ft Illbliss & Tha Suspect: Emi ni Baller is Chidinma's second running hit single after Kedike which echoed in 2012. The song rode on the back of a powerful video released in January which saw the petite framed singer flaunt in rich designer costumes featuring her music pals Illbliss and Tha Suspect. The strong chorus is magnetic and it further cements Chidinma as a lady crooner who is far from going away.
6. Durosoke - Olamide: Lyricists and bad boy Olamide (literally) came with this powerful punch in July. The single with it's seductive upward-downward dance movements leaves little to your imagination. It was an instant hit, further fastening Olamide as one of Nigeria's most sought after artist. Durosoke turns out to be a Pandora's box of blessings, securing Olamide and his producers to several award nominations including The Headies.
5. Sho lee - Sean Tizzle: It was released back in February but it could be mistaken as a hit dropped only a few weeks ago. That's how infectious Tizzle's 'Sho Lee' ravaged fans. The single with strong rhymes and powerful beats completes every Disk Jockeys charts. Clubs raged with it for months and still are. The single catapulted Sean from relative obscurity to international stages.
4. Limpopo - Kcee: This single was Kcee's magic wand for the year. It made him so magnetic, mobile giant MTN came racing for him. He was irresistible in clubs, gals fell in love over and over again. His wriggling dance movements became a name; he just couldn't stop. Limpopo came in March but like Tizzle's Sho Lee, you'd think it just hit the airwave and true to every good song it has laced him to multiple award nominations.
3. Personally - P Square: With this single, P Square thumped a very clear message; that the influx of new talents in the music industry could never upstage them. After the mind numbing success of 'Alingo' that took 2012, P Square returned in June with stark images of the late pop god Micheal Jackson. In the gripping dance-drenched video, they stomped straight into the heart of fans; keeping their beats spectacularly alive, P Square forever remains 'Personally' with their fans.
2. Caro - Starboy ft Wizkid & LAX: Love is such a beautiful story to tell and it was told exceptionally by Wizkid and fast rising Starboy act LAX in this sizzling number. Caro once again re-echeos Wizkid's penning skills. It's a stripping song about the search for a mystery girl; completely gripping listeners when it hit airwaves in August. Its a dance number that could get a DJ shot if missed in raving clubs. A beautiful performance that not only showed brilliance on the part of the acts but the transformation that happens to a song when driven by a gripping story.
1. Ada Ada - Flavour: The high life singer emerged 'god-overall' this year in this classic piece that has left him a world stage of swaying worshipers. Flavour knew this song was going to be a hit and aptly prepared for it. The music video shot in high definition by Clarence Peters rolled a true to life wedding of a classic girl with ladies in waiting. Weddings nationwide now match to this song with non-Ibo's effortlessly singing along. Flavour proves once again that talent runs in his veins and beats in his heart. The song released in June sits pretty at our number one position and will stay with us for a very long time to come.
Source: AllAfrica

Blind man saved by guide dog to give up dog...

The blind New York City man who credited his guide dog for saving his life Tuesday when he fell onto the subway tracks said he is going to be forced to give up his dog because the dog is nearing retirement and his insurance will no longer cover him. 

The lab, named Orlando, will be 11 on Jan. 5, and will be retiring soon, Cecil Williams, 61, said. His medical benefits will cover a new guide dog but won't pay for a non-working dog, so he'll be looking for a good home for Orlando.

"If he had the money," Williams said, "I would definitely keep him."

Williams, who lives in Harlem, was at the 145th Street station in New York City at around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday when he began to feel faint. Despite the best efforts of the dog, a black Labrador named Orlando, Williams tumbled over the platform edge and onto the tracks.

"He went down, and the dog jumped down," witness Matthew Martin told the New York Post . "[The dog] wasn’t pulled. He was kissing him, trying to get him to move."

Others on the platform alerted subway workers to Williams's plight. Authorities said a construction flagger told Williams to stay in a trough in the middle of the tracks. Less than a minute later, an uptown A train pulled into the station.

Authorities told the Post the train operator slammed on the brakes, but not before a car and a half passed over the spot where Williams and Orlando were. Remarkably, neither man nor dog suffered any serious injury. Transit officials pulled Orlando out from under the train before Williams was extracted with the help of a backboard and neck brace.

"The dog saved my life," Williams told the Associated Press from St. Luke's Hospital, where he was taken with a cut on his head. "I’m feeling amazed. I feel that God, the powers that be, having something in store from me. They didn’t take me away this time. I’m here for a reason."

Williams, who became blind due to meningitis in 1995, said he didn't know why he fainted, but noted he does take insulin and other medications.

According to New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA),65 people have been fatally struck by subway , Long Island Railroad, and Metro-North commuter trains as of the end of August. Of those deaths, 40 were considered suicides. In 2012, 48 of the 84 deaths caused by trains were accidental.

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