Yaya Toure named BBC African Footballer of the Year ahead of Mikel Obi, Aubameyang

Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire midfielder, Yaya Toure, has been named the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year.

The 30-year-old, who has been nominated for the past four years, beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Jonathan Pitroipa to the award.

He told BBC Sport: “I think I’ve been nominated for five years in a row and finally winning the award is amazing.

“It’s a fantastic achievement because I don’t think there has ever been as many quality African players in top level international football as there are now: Aubameyang, Pitroipa, Mikel, Moses, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho… we have fantastic players.
Yaya Toure named BBC African Footballer of the Year ahead of Mikel Obi, AubameyangBy Phillip Eta on December 2, 2013
YayaToure-BBC APOTYManchester City and Cote d’Ivoire midfielder, Yaya Toure, has been named the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year.

The 30-year-old, who has been nominated for the past four years, beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Jonathan Pitroipa to the award.

He told BBC Sport: “I think I’ve been nominated for five years in a row and finally winning the award is amazing.

“It’s a fantastic achievement because I don’t think there has ever been as many quality African players in top level international football as there are now: Aubameyang, Pitroipa, Mikel, Moses, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho… we have fantastic players.

“I also think African football is improving and that means a lot to us. And as an African, I’m very happy.”

The list of nominees for the BBC award, was compiled by 44 football experts across African, who used criteria such as skill, technical ability, team work, fair play and consistency. A record number of fans then voted for their favourite either online or by text message.

Toure expressed his appreciation to all the fans who voted him as winner.

“Thank you to all the fans around the world who continue to support me. It shows how much fans love you and appreciate your job as well,” he said.

“It’s something special because it’s not the vote of the manager or the club or the captain of the national team, it’s just the fans.

“When you have a lot of fans behind you, it’s always amazing. And I’m very happy as it is the fans who have given it to me – so I’m very appreciative.”

“Go and die” comment: Oshiomhole apologizes to widow; gives her N2m, automatic employment

“Go and die” comment: Oshiomhole apologizes to widow; gives her N2m, automatic employmentBy Wale Odunsi on December 2, 2013@waleodunsi
Oshiomhole-and-go-and-die-widow

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday donated N2million to a widow he told to “Go and die”, while on a sanitation tour of the state.

The widow, Mrs. Joy Ifije, at the Government House today was also offered automatic employment by Oshiomhole, who personally apologised to her over his uncomplimentary remark.

“Let me apologise to you for the way I spoke to you, I am very sorry about the statement, he said.

“I have also realised that even in anger, one could still achieve the same result that he set out to without provocative outburst.

“I apologise from the bottom of my heart, but sometimes you get angry when people compromise your efforts.’’

According to him, the state government was trying to beautify the state, adding that it is frustrating to see people truncate such efforts.

Oshiomhole, appealed to the widow to join in the campaign against road and walkways trading, saying that exposing consumables to unhygienic sanitary conditions was injurious to the health of everyone.

“when you put your things on the road a vehicle can run into you and they have killed some people like that and that was why I said if you are a widow do you want more people to be widowed? But when I said go and die, that one was said in a fit of anger. And I am really sorry”, he said.

“I want you to join us. We would employ you and pay you salary. You would help us to campaign to other women not to trade on road sides. We should not use poverty as a yardstick. We would also talk to taxi and bus drivers not to block roads when carrying passengers”, Oshiomhole said.

“You will assist me to talk to women and traders not to litter the roads and sidewalks so that people walking and driving can have free road. If they want to park they can park properly so as not to disturb others.” The Governor said government was trying to transform Benin City saying that “as you can see Benin is becoming a modern city. So you join us now and every month you begin to get salary so that you can look after your children”.

He further promised to ensure that Mrs. Ijife’s children get quality education.

“For your child who is preparing to enter into the university, my daughters and myself have agreed to support him. If he does well as we pray he does, he would assist the family. Maybe this is the way God wants it. That is why I asked them to look for you so that I can personally offer my apology, but also to support you, so that God helping you, you can overcome the pain of widowhood”, he said.

“As a single mother I want to see how I can help you to train your children and God can use any of them to become a leader of our country. Please resist the temptation to do anything that would break the law. The law is the law; it is no respecter of persons. If Government does not enforce the law there would be confusion”, he remarked.

Disclosing the gift of N2 million to the woman, the governor said “in addition to working with the War Against Indiscipline, I am also giving you the sum of two million naira so that you can hire a shop, trade inside the shop and not roadside and I pray that God will bless your decision on how you utilize the money. This money is not for you to share or distribute but to help you as a working capital”.

Earlier, the widow had apologised to the governor for her action.

“I know I was wrong, that was why I quickly knelt down to beg when I realised I was face to face with the Governor’’.

She promised to work with the state government in its campaign against street trading and obstruction, with a promised to make judicious use of the donation.

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TRAGIC: Fast & Furious Actor Dies in a Ghastly Auto Crash (PHOTOS)

Hollywood actor Paul Walker, who starred in the Fast & Furious series of action films, has died in a car crash in California.

40-year-old Walker was a passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend, identified as Roger Rodas, which crashed north of Los Angeles. Walker was said to be attending a charity event at the time.

The late actor starred in all but one of the films in the Fast & Furious franchise, the sixth of which opened in May. He also starred in the suspense drama Hours, a movie that is set for release this month.

The red Porsche crashed into a lamp post in Valencia, north of Los Angeles at about 03.30 p.m. on November 30, 2013, Saturday.

The sports car burst into flames after the crash. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that two people found in the car were pronounced dead at the scene.

Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida, dies at 63

He died at 63 after three years on the throne, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Details of how the  monarch passed on are still sketchy but he was said to have died this morning.
Mr. Adesida, born in 1950,  ascended the throne of his forefathers on August 13, 2010 after he was presented the staff of office by the Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko.
He was selected from the Ojijigogun Ruling House and enthroned as replacement for  Oba Oluwadamilare Adeshina, who was dethroned on June 10, 2010 for sacrilegious misdeeds.
His selection was somewhat controversial with some of the kingdom’s kingmakers alleging that Governor Mimiko manipulated the process by declaring one vote invalid due to alleged “senility” of  one of the kingmakers.
Mr. Adesida was later declared to have clinched eight votes ahead of his only challenger, Ademola Adegoroye, who got seven votes
The late monarch graduated from the University of Ibadan with a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Economics and a Masters in Agric Business and Management.
At different times, he worked as an Agricultural Credit Officer with the Ondo State Agricultural Credit Corporation and  Obasanjo Farms Limited Otta. He was also an aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 to 2007.

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Anambra Governorship Election: APGA's Obiano declared winner, as supplementary election flops

The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Willie Obiano, has been declared winner of the governorship election in Anambra State.

The returning officer, Prof James Epoke said Obiano satisfied all the requirements of the law “and is hereby declared winner. ”

The result showed APGA polled 180,178 votes, PDP polled 97,700 votes; APC got 95,963 votes,
while LP had 37495 votes.

Before yesterday’s supplementary election conducted in 210 polling units in 16 local councils across the state where the exercise was cancelled during the November 16 exercise, Obiano was already coasting home to victory, having scored the highest number of votes and securing 25 per cent in 18 of the 21 local government areas of the state.

The 16 local government areas where INEC conducted the supplementary election are Aguata, Awka North, Awka South, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Anaocha, Ekwusigo, Idemili North and Idemili South. Others are Ihiala, Nnewi South, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Orumba North and Oyi.

Residents flout restriction order

ADHOC Staff wait for voters during the Governorship supplimentary election at Chukwura Primary School II, Abatete in Idemili North LCA

Though there was restriction of movement in the affected areas, some people were still doing their normal businesses and traffic was light on the roads in all the areas.

Soldiers were stationed along all the roads leading to Idemili North local government area and Onitsha South local government area, which had the highest number of polling units of 160 and 17 respectively where the supplementary election took place.

APC, LP agents take part

Though the All Progressive Congress, APC, the Labour Party, LP, and the campaign organization of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye, said they would not participate in the exercise, their agents were seen in many polling units. However, while APGA and PDP agents wore tags, those who claimed to be APC agents did not wear their tags. At Abatete in Idemili north, agents of the PDP and LP were at the polling units.