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  Midfielder Thomas Partey has left Arsenal at the expiration of his contract. He left after the club could not agree a new deal for the 32-year-old Ghanaian, who joined from Atletico Madrid. Wages disagreement was the major cause of the collapsed deal. Partey reportedly wanted more or the 220k per week he was earning. Arsenal have now poached Christian Noorgard rom Brentford as Partey's direct replacement though both players have different playing styles. While Partey bring calmness and stability to the midfield and drives the team forward from the defensive midfield, Noorgard is more of breaking down attacking threats from the opposition before reaching the defenders. That sorted out, Arsenal are on the verge of announcing Martin Zubimendi as another big name summer signing. The Spain international unveiling is delayed due to the FFP rule. He could be unveiled anytime soon having completed his medical in London more than a week ago. Zubimendi is expected to join the midfield trio...

  Head Coach Justine Madugu insisted on Monday that Nigeria’s Super Falcons must continue to improve in several areas, despite an emphatic 3-1 win over Ghana’s Black Queens in a friendly in Casablanca on Sunday evening.   Goals by Mexico-based Chinwendu Ihezuo, Asisat Oshoala and captain Rasheedat Ajibade affirmed the Falcons’ supremacy over the Queens, at a closed-door game played at the Ziaida Palace Benslimane field.   “The match gave us the opportunity of having the full squad together to really assess our strength as a team, and build on team cohesion, coordination and on various combinations.   “It will always be work in progress, but we are very focused on our realisable and achievable target of Mission X. The girls are ready and are showing real hunger for victory and team spirit is high. We are looking forward to our first match on Sunday against Tunisia.”   The victory over Ghana’s Black Queens extended Madugu’s stellar record with the Super Falcons. H...

Defender Jonny Evans has been appointed head of loans and pathways at Manchester United following his retirement as a player. The 37-year-old's new role will see him look after the loan deals put in place for the club's younger players. Evans progressed through United's academy as a centre-back and went on to make 241 appearances, winning the Champions League, three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups. "I want to officially announce my retirement from my playing career, not with sadness, but with pride, gratitude and excitement for the next chapter ahead," said Evans. "I’ll be forever indebted to the managers, coaches, staff and, of course, my team-mates, that I have had the privilege of working alongside throughout my 20 years in professional football. "I am looking forward to working with the next generation of talented players to support them to reach their potential. Having had experience of loans myself, I know the crucial role tha...

  Rivers Angels are now 50 million Naira richer thanks to the Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe-Ibas (retd), who hailed their 10th Women's President Federation Cup as "unprecedented" in a statement issued on Saturday. Ibas, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Ibibia Lucky Worika, also promised to redeem the pledge made to winner of medals at the recently concluded National Sports Festival held in Ogun State. The Statement issued by the Director of Press Office of the SSG, Dr Juliana Masi, described the victory of Rivers Angels, as a good omen for Rivers State. “This is absolutely unprecedented. There’s nothing like it. We are proud as Rivers men and women that our girls can put up such a feat, and we are proud as a government. “His Excellency, the Administrator, sent me here to encourage the girls at this final. So, I think it’s a wonderful thing. It’s a great feeling, and there are no words to describe it. “Before the match, I also convey...

Leicester City have sacked manager Ruud van Nistelrooy after only seven months in charge. The former PSV Eindhoven coach replaced Steve Cooper as the Foxes boss with the club 16th in the Premier League after 12 games. His appointment came just two weeks after he left his role as interim head coach at Manchester United following Ruben Amorim's arrival. Though his spell at Leicester began with a 3-1 win against West Ham in December, Van Nistelrooy's side suffered 19 defeats in his 27 games in charge as the club were relegated from the Premier League with an 18th-placed finish. Ruud van Nistelrooy signed a contract with Leicester City until June 2027 but they will spend 2025-26 in the Championship after finishing last season 18th in the Premier League. The Foxes were 13 points adrift of safety and were relegated as early as April. Taking over a club sitting 16th in the Premier League table, the former Manchester United striker enjoyed a brilliant start at the King Power Stadium as...

Some experts and peace advocates have warned of the dangers of drug abuse and cultism in the society. The event, which took place on Thursday at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was tagged: A Sensitiation Session with Ignatius Ajuru University Students and Community Youths on Cultism and Drug Abuse, as part of the commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,  and organised by the Search for Common Ground Journalism Forum as part of the European Union funded Community Centred Approach to Transforming Criminality in the Niger Delta being implemented in 66 communities in 33 local government areas of Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States. At  the event, the Director of the Okechukwu Onuchukwu Centre for Peace and Conflrict Studies of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Prof Kingdom, in his lecture, noted that the degenereation of the society we are witnessing is as a result of drug abuse, cultism and other social vices. "What we're se...

Following the the devastating Flood in Mokwa, Niger State, the Nigeria Meterological Service has issued fresh flood alert in some states and communities. In the notice issued by NIMET, several Northern and Southern States in Nigeria will experience several in the next days and may have in its wake floods. Some of the states include: Zamfara, Sokoto,Plateau and Yobe with Rivers State leading the Southern States at the risk of flooding this year. NIMET, in the alert, also urged the residennts of the affected locations to put in place safety measures to  avoid disaster.

  Reigning Africa’s best goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie had a game to remember forever as Nigeria’s Super Falcons provided both flair and steel in a 0-0 draw with hosts Portugal in a pre-WAFCON friendly match in Lisbon on Monday.   The nine-time African champions, aspiring boldly for a 10 th  title, only arrived in Portugal less than 24 hours before the encounter, but advertised no signs of fatigue or lassitude as they stood up to the Portuguese in a game that indicated readiness to battle for the continental crown in Morocco.   A back pass by Christy Ucheibe allowed Diana Silva sight of the Nigeria goal in the 6 th  minute, but her shot spurned the ball away from goal. In the 9 th  minute, Nnadozie plucked the ball off the air from a pull-out, and at the other end, the fabulous Francisca Ordega cut into the box and found captain Rasheedat Ajibade, whose smart turn and shot nearly wrong-footed goalkeeper Ines Pereira.   Nnadozie pulled off another epic ...

  The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, and other notable Nigerians have expresed their outrage following the widely circulated report that sprinter Favour Ofili has decided to henceforth represent Turkey in international competitions. The news broke out over the weekend that the recent 150m World Record holder has decided to ditch her country of birth. Ofili and some other athletes missed the 2020 Olympics over failed drug testing rules and also missed the 100m event at the 2204 Paris Olympics due to negligence on the part of AFN officials. In the wake of the news the AFN president, Tonobok Okowa, released a statement, where he highlighted the athlete’s high-handedness while competing for Nigeria. She broke down at the Paris Olympics when she failed in the 200m event and being consoled by some Nigerian journalists at the Media Tribune. Meanwhile, former Nigerian sprinter Olusoji Fasuba has launched a scathing attack on the hierarchy of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, foll...

Liverpool players have dominated the list of the Professional Footballers' Association Awards. Forward Mohamed Salah and midfielder, Alexis Mac Allister were among the six players nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year award on Friday. The 33-year-old  Sallah played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season with 29 goals and 18 assists. The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association — securing almost 90 percent of the votes, marking the biggest winning margin this century — and is the firm favourite to land the PFA prize. Salah is joined on the shortlist by Liverpool team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Palmer, who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for 2023-24, was a surprise choice for the list given his struggles for Chelsea last season. Rice st...

Arsenal ace Myles Lewis-Skelly is set to pen a new deal with his beloved club he has served since the age of nine in the academy. According to Goal,  Lewis-Skelly has agreed a new long-term contract at the Emirates and an official announcement is expected soon. And a ccording to   The Athletic , the full-back's new deal will include a hefty salary increase. And  that will make the 18-year-old one of best-paid youngsters in the world.

 Some civil society organisations have marched on the streets of Port Harcourt asking for the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State. The groups, comprising of Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, WRAPA, and Concerned Civil Sociery Organisations made the call in a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday. The group expressed regret that President Tinubu ignored the importance of June 12 and democratic ideals in which the winner of the election in 1993, Bashorun MKO Abiola paid the supreme price. It added that the president acted beyond his powers when in March 18 imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State and removed the  governor his deputy and the members of the the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months and imposed a retired military man as administrator. The group , in the statement , argued that the events in Rivers State have not degenerated to what is happening in Benue, Plate...

  The state of the nation Nigeria means what the country needs now are statesmen and not politicians. We have been perpetually politicking since 1999. It's been 26 years of unbroken civilian rule, but we can hardly point out democratic gains. The so-called dividends of democracy is just in the imagination of the politicians.  The so called dividends of democracy include mostly infrastructure: roads, schools, bridges, hospitals, electricity among others. But hten if those are dividends of democracy, the military should also receive a standing ovation for delivering the dividends of democracy- if not better.  The truth is that the dividends of democracy are hardly tangible things: respect for rule of law, free and fair elections, independence of arms of government, periodic elections, representative government are some of the yardsticks to measure a democracy. How would you rate the governments since 1999? My honest answer would be it got worse.  President Olusegun Oba...

By- Alambo Datonye Fred Construction works on the new Bayelsa State Independent Power Project has reached about seventy per cent completion rate. Conducting newsmen round the site of the project located at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area, officials of the State government and the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited say the sixty-megawatts gas turbine would be installed by August this year. Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Wisdom Ikuli reiterated the determination of the Governor Douye Diri led Administration to the completion of the State Independent Power project by December this year. Mr. Ikuli said the objective of the government was to ensure the provision of constant power supply to businesses and residents of the State to trigger socio-economic growth and development. Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Engineer Olice Kemenanabo, represented by the Director of Operations, Engineer Steve Bubagha said constructio...

  President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON) affirmed on Wednesday that his administration will continue to prioritise the development of football from the grassroots, saying it is the only way to grow the game sustainably, as no one can realistically build an edifice from the rooftop.   Speaking at the monthly awards ceremony of the Nigeria National League, held in Abuja, Gusau reiterated that awards remain important projects to be encouraged because they help to spur better performances from all actors in an industry.   “O ne of  my   NFF’s key  commitments is to invigorate grassroots football and the associated leagues, recognizing them as the foundation for the future of the sport in Nigeria. We are grateful that after two and a - half years, we are witnessing tangible progress. By the end of our tenure, we anticipate that Nigerians will observe further  positive developments and  enhancements within our dome...

Prof Ekpe Okorafor, the Dean Faculty of Computing and Information Technology of the Nigerian British University, Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State has expressed the need for Africa to adopt its own version of Artificial Intelligence tools. In the maiden inaugural lecture of the institution of Wednesday, Prof Okorafor, in a lecture titled: "Igniting African Renaissance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Reclaiming Innovation and Re-imagining Futures", urged Africans to realise the full potential of AI. Prof Okorafor also disclosed that in 2030 22  percent of the global workforce would lose their jobs due to AI but also assured our correspondent that where there would be some loss of jobs, other jobs would also be created through meticulous use of AI. He warned that Africa would lose out in the use of AI for problem solving if they continue to use use data where they did not contribute to in research. He also proposed " a contextualised AI development ...

The Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned the director of Glossalalia Nigeria Ltd and Pelenged Nigeria Ltd, Precious Williams before Justice S. I . Mark of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Williams is being prosecuted on a 14-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, advance fee fraud, obtaining money under false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N13.8 billion. One of the charges reads: “That you, Precious Williams of Glossolalia Nigeria Limited; Pelegend Nigeria Limited, Phenom 413 Events Limited (company representative at large) and Doxasterz Oil and Gas Limited, sometime between the 24th day of August, 2019 and 15th day of February, 2020, at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession of the sum of Ten Billion Naira (N10,000,000,000.00) only from Maxwell Chizi Odum (still at large) and MBA Trading and Capital Investment Limi...

RANDOM 302. Saints and sinners. Since writing about the Roland Garros final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka, I've received several requests to do an analysis of the final between Sinner and Alcaraz. I'm convening a family meeting tomorrow to inform my wife and children of a new career direction for me - Sports Analyst. Being a brand consultant is boring. It wasn't so much a fight between a saint and a sinner as it was a clash of sports ideologies. Sinner is a machinist. He plays like a machine. There's no flair, no soul. Just precision, power, and consistency. Think German football. Clinical passes. No dribbling. Just score the goals. In a game that lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes - the longest-ever French Open final in the Open Era, not once did Sinner express any emotion. Nothing changed on his face. It was like he wore a mask. His style of play reminds you of Djokovic and Lendl. Alcaraz, on the other hand, is a creative player. He has artistic flair. Plays tenni...