Stephen BlessedMan's Blog

The nations of the world do not lack people in leadership positions. They lack genuine leadership in their leaders-Dr Myles Munroe Several thoughts ran through my mind while writing this piece; thoughts like the inability of government to protect citizens and wondering what the benefits of being a patriotic Nigerian are. I read my previous piece on the 100th day of the abduction of the Chibok Girls and I was surprised that some opinions therein, were beginning to come to fruition and it would appear that nothing had changed. A salient thought ran through my mind. At the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs October Lecture which had the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman (Professor Attahiru Jega) as guest speaker; Nigeria's former External Affairs Minister during the General Babangida regime-Professor Bolaji Akinyemi; reeled out a number of "takeaways" which sought to hammer into our re-collective skulls, several vents that have occu...

MI Abaga is the latest celebrity to sit on 'The Truth' couch with Olisa Adibua as he talks candidly about stories making the rounds in the media lately. In this episode, he touches on the issues between Jesse Jagz, Brymo and his label, his thoughts around the rap game – who is the greatest rapper in Nigeria?; how it all began for him as an artist and the challenges of being not just an artist but also a music executive. In true fashion MI also drops some bars off his upcoming "Chairman" album!

Great news for Nigeria. The country is officially free of Ebola, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO is set to make the official announcement today, BBC reports. The basis for declaring the Ebola-free status is that Nigeria hasn't had a confirmed Ebola case for two incubation periods – 42 days. Senegal has already met this criteria, and was declared free of Ebola on Friday. Commending Nigeria on its success in eradicating Ebola, John Vertefeuille, an official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, "Nigeria acted quickly and early and on a large scale… they acted aggressively, especially in terms of contact-tracing."

Singer and actor Tyrese Gibson held a benefit concert to help raise awareness about the school girls kidnapped in the Chibok area of Borno state. The event tagged – For Our Girls in Nigeria, was held in Los Angeles on Friday 30th May 2014. Tyrese says he was inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama "to do something". All proceeds from the event is going to UNICEF who will send the money directly to the families of the girls. Vin Diesel, Terrence Jenkins and Ludacris, were some of celebrities at the event. While speaking at the show, Stevie Wonder called Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau "a weak piece of…"

Nigerian Maimuna Abdullahi, aged 14, who made world headlines this 2014 when she fled her physically abusive marital home after a year of marriage, in order to finish her education.] In its latest report on child marriage, published this July 2014, UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund projects that Nigeria will have the highest number of child brides by 2050. There are currently more than 700 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday and more than one in three (about 250 million) entered into union before age 15, the report states. Boys are also married as children, but girls are disproportionately affected. In Nigeria Although child marriage has seen a steady decline in Nigeria, UNICEF predicts that due to population growth, the rise in number of child marriages will not be offset. Facts & Figures on Child Marriage in Nigeria " "…girls are often married to considerably older men. In Mauritania and Nigeria, more than ...

Article written by Charly Boy. Read below..... Oh God! Why was I born in this neck of the woods? See how low my country has sank, demeaning our value as human beings, destroying our image as greed and corruption destroys everything we hold sacred. See how it drives the youths crazily into the uncertain life of crime, dispossessing the creative and talented youths of their dreams and discrediting their imagination. Haba, God, why? As Nigerians, what are we really good for? Were we born to be haunted and taunted?" I don't know what drives us but were we created to be a sub. Like you create two versions of something and see which one would thrive more in the habitat it would be placed. It seems the Africans (Nigerians) are failing the test and soon would be wiped out from existence. Why have we remained a consumer nation, can't even produce nothing, even the few who can are not encouraged. We are so backward it troubles me. Even if the western world ...

There was commotion on Monday when a suspected Ebola Virus Disease patient showed up at the General Hospital in Oke-Odo, Agege, Lagos State. According to sunnewsonline.com website, the suspect, a lady, was said to have been instantly chased out of the hospital by nurses on duty. Sources in the hospital told journalists that the frail looking lady had blood oozing from her nostrils and mouth. The discovery led to commotion in the area as the lady was told to go to the Yaba isolation centre created by the Lagos State Government for Ebola virus victims. Owing to the alarm raised by the nurses, there was commotion in the area as traders within the vicinity scampered in different directions. It took several hours before normalcy was restored to the area. This was after the suspected Ebola victim had left the hospital. This act is very unprofessional and unethical. It has the potential to escalate the already difficult to contain Ebola virus. It the suspect is a disgru...

The All Progressives Congress (APC), said on Sunday in Yola that the defection of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not affect the fortunes of the party in Adamawa. APC Secretary in Adamawa, Alhaji Abdullahi Bakari, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the defection would not affect the party's chances in the Oct.11 governorship bye-election. Ribadu, former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was also the presidential candidate of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria for the 2011 Presidential Election. "We are not happy that Ribadu has left us, but one thing that is clear now is that his movement has created more problems for PDP in the state. "The party in Adamawa is healthy and vibrant, what we are working on now is to have a formidable candidate for the Oct. 11 bye-election to recover our mandate," Bakari said. On its part, The PDP in Adamawa said Ribadu...

In this exclusive interview with Sunday Sun, award winning actress, singer & Amnesty International activist Omotola Jalade Ekeinde talks about her fears, being scandal-free and also shares her success story. Find excerpts from the interview below... Can you give us tips on how to be a success­ ful woman? It actually starts with character, personality and what beliefs. Everything wrong today actually started from the content of a character. Are you immoral or are you straight forward enough to actually say something and carry through with it. Is the content of your character strong enough? I believe that for you to be great in anything, you have to be someone anyone can trust.you believe in. It stems from your moral. Continue... Can you define what success means to you? I think success is when God is happy with you. When the closest people around you are happy with you and when your soul is at peace with you. Looking back, what has been your greatest achiev...

The search for Africa's Most Wanted Model would create a platform for youths all over Africa to showcase their talent and a chance to achieve their dreams of being world class models. The platform would be used to showcase Africa's culture and tourism. Models and upcoming models all over Africa would have an equal chance to compete for the title of Africa's Most Wanted Model. It is a search meaningfully created to engage youths in Africa. With a vision to create models that who would become African Ambassadors and be role models to other upcoming models. Now, here is my candidate, Rhodiat Oluwatosin... Pls, help like the page and like the contestant/pix number 115 through here www.facebook.com/africasmostwantedmodel And also like the pix here https://m.facebook.com/703104176404302/photos/a.709539642427422.1073741839.703104176404302/721360734578646/?type=1&source=46&refid=12&_rdr Bless You!

The Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, announced yesterday that their country is to receive sample doses of experimental drug, ZMapp to treat doctors infected with Ebola A statement published on Mrs Sirleaf's website on Monday said the US had approved a request from Liberia to ship the medicine after a direct appeal to US President Barack Obama on Friday. But spokesperson for the US Health and Human Services (HHS) Department said US authorities had simply assisted in connecting the Liberian government with the drug's manufacturer, insisting that the drug company had worked directly with the Liberian government. Meanwhile the deaths from Ebola has passed the 1,000 mark. Late yesterday, the World Health Organization said 1,013 people have now died from Ebola.

A man who is believed to be the master trainer of Boko Haram female suicide bombers has been arrested by the Joint Task Force in Kano. He was arrested with 16 females who were reportedly training for suicide operations. According to This Day Newspaper, the man identified as Ibrahim Ibrahim was arrested in the Dala Local Government Area of Kano state during a raid. The females were being trained to carry out suicide bombings when the JTF raided their training ground and arrested them with the trainer. A security source tells the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the plan of the Islamist militant sect was to continue using female suicide bombers to unleash terror on Nigerians. If you recall, female suicide bombers hit five various location during the Sallah celebrations in July.

In January, it was widely reported that music star 9ice will contest for a political post by representing his state, Oyo. He later refuted the reports, claiming he was on the set of a music video and a member of his team posted the image and the caption declaring his political interest. Fast forward to August, 9ice has had a change of heart, and plans to be part of the affairs of Oyo. He shared with his thousand of followers this image of himself on a white seat, stating that he wants a seat in the Federal House of Representatives for Ogbomosho North/Ogbomosho South/Orire Federal Constituency in 2015. 9ice joins stars like Kate Henshaw, Desmond Elliot, Julius Agwu and Dan D'Humourous who have made their political ambitions known.

Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba has announced his retirement from international football. He will no longer play for his country Ivory Coast but will continue to play for Chelsea. See the statement he posted on his website today below... "It is with much sadness that I have decided to retire from international football. These past 12 years in the national team have been full of emotions. From my first call up to my last match I have always tried to give my best for my country. I am very proud to have been captain of this team for 8 years and to have contributed to placing my country on the world stage of football taking part in 3 world cups and 2 African Cup of Nation finals. I cannot convey enough thanks to the fans for all the love & support during these years. All my goals, all my caps, all our victories are for you – I love you. I also owe much gratitude to my team mates – the players with whom I have shared all these emotions and I wish you all much succ...

Elections Elections Elections!!! It's a time of manipulations, a time of promises, a time to 'acts' nice, a time to put on 'I love my constituency' attitude, a time to promise more but fails to evaluate what you have done with the last term? A time for father-son, brothers, neighbors, friends to become 'FRENEMY'! I kept wondering what is the real meaning of politics or better still 'the kind of politics we operates in Nigeria' Thoughts kept flowing in on my mind, gushing like an ocean trying to understand the people and politics of Nigerians...... A Presid/Guber; candidates should not tell us that (s)he is going to give us light, water, motor able roads again!! Tell me if you are a real leader and you are elected and all you think that the citizens needs are just lights,waters,roads..... That's the kind of politics we operates and it's bad. I looked at all the pre-elections activities and all I see is greed, out-bu...

If Beyonce had tried to defend her husband when her sister attacked him in that elevator, I don't think she would be constantly defending her marriage now. Yesterday rumors spread that Beyonce was divorcing Jay Z after she was allegedly spotted apartment hunting without him. As the rumors spread yesterday Beyonce calmly posted a picture on Instagram of Jay Z and Blue Ivy captioning the photo, "My favorite hue is Jay Z Blue,', in an effort to rubbish the reports. Jay Z and Beyonce also have 84 million reasons they have to stay together… Page Six is reporting that Jay Z and Beyonce are raking in $4million a night on the "On the Run Tour', independent of ticket sales, totaling a staggering $84million for them to share. Ticket sales for the 21 stop tour are expected to exceed $100 million.

All we see are dollar, dollar signs! Guess what is so cool? Being richer than Larry Page. On Thursday, Facebook's record close brought in $ 1.6 billion into Mark Zuckerberg's account. His net worth has increased to $33.3billion, surpassing the founders of Google Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as well as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. According to Bloomberg, a chunk of the money came from mobile advertising sales. The shares of the social networking site are soaring. It has gained 183% in the past 12 months. In the billionaires index, Mark is now ranked No. 16, while Google founders are ranked 17th and 18th. Bill Gates still remains the world's richest man with $84.7 billion..

Do you remember Jahdiel? She is the gospel singer who gave us that hit track – "Heritage". Now she is back on the scene with Jara, produced by A4jeazy. The song is from her new album "Another Day" released a few months ago. The video is directed by Emeka Obefe.

"To state the least, this blood letting must stop. This bloodletting has to stop" The former military president General Ibrahim Babaginda has condemned the bombings in the country, most especially the bomb attacks in Kaduna. "It is callous and inhuman for anyone to goad this country on the path of perfidy, a path that is laid with landmines and bombs. This is totally unacceptable." he said. Read the full statement; " Let me also condole with Mr. President on this unfortunate incident and the recurring decimal of insecurity and crime against humanity that is fast polluting public morality. We all must join hands with Mr. President at this critical time of our national history and democratic journey to proffer solutions to this anti-development scenario that is fast enveloping us. I have sat back in my quiet retirement home in Minna to ponder over what could be the motivation for these several attacks, but I am yet to find any explanation w...

Vatican City (dpa/NAN) A number of international football stars, including Argentina's Lionel Messi, will take part in a charity match sponsored by Pope Francis on Sept. 1, the Vatican media said on Wednesday. The match, tagged "the Inter-religious Match for Peace" will take place in Rome's main stadium, the Vatican Information Service said. Alongside Messi, the advertised list of participating players has Gianlugi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Samuel Eto'o and Yuto Nagatomo, as well as former footballers like Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Baggio and Javier Zanetti. Zanetti, who retired in May, had suggested organising "a sporting event uniting people of different religions'' when he met the Pope last year. He had met Pope Francis along with the rest of the Argentine national team, the Vatican said. Tickets for the match will go on sale on Friday, and proceeds will go to Scholas Occurentes, an educational charity supported by the Pope, and to ...

#NOTCONFIRMED: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian haven't been seen together in public much since getting married in Italy in May, so, of course, some are now speculating that their brief wedded bliss is already coming to an end. West has been traveling for his "Yeezus" national tour, while Kardashian has also been traveling, dealing with her various business ventures, and taking care of their daughter, North. The latest issue of InTouch magazine now claims that after 58 days, their marriage is effectively over, and that West is "abandoning" Kardashian. This is not the first time it has been speculated that the two may split. Last month, Kardashian was said to be second-guessing her decision to marry West, because his controlling behavior was reportedly too much for the reality star to deal with. A source told Life & Style Magazine, "Kanye has been so controlling about the wedding and honeymoon, giving her very little input and flying off ...

Donovan Lamar Haynes, a Michigan father was sentenced to 18 to 40 years in prison for second- degree murder. He killed his own daughter, who was 2. Haynes claims he wanted the young girl to grow up and avoid dangerous men like himself, so he beat her to death hoping she would turn gay. The 23-year-old walked into a Genesee County courtroom on Monday with a slight smile on his face. His lawyer says that he is "deranged" and hopes in prison, his client will get psychological and counselling atonement."Hopefully judge, he will repent", said the lawyer. According to a report by an examiner, 2-year-old b died of internal bleeding from a lacerated liver, and was covered in bite mark. He also got a sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison for first degree child abuse. The mother of the two year old girl, says "He (Haynes) had no remorse".

According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Daniel Adeyileka. is the youngest pilot in Nigeria. He was born in 1995 in Newcastle, England and had his primary and secondary education in Scotland then came back to Nigeria to do his A-levels. At 17, he proceeded to Delta Flight school in Texas, USA, where he obtained his Private Pilot License (PPL) and his International General Certificate of Secondary Education. He is currently a First Officer. #Beinspired. You're never too young to pursue your dreams. Read more about Daniel... Kindly do a little bit of introduction? My name is Daniel Adeyelika; I was born on the 6th of February 1995 in Newcastle, England. I have spent most of my life in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Nairn, Scotland and other countries abroad. I had my elementary education in Rose Bank Primary School, Nairn, Scotland, from there I moved to Grantown Grammar School also in Scotland where I completed my secondary school. In 2008, I ca...

Scripture: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) Believe it or not, finding the "perfect" spouse starts with being the kind of spouse you desire. This week, we'll focus on looking inward. 1. Am I Becoming the Person God Wants Me to Be?We should always strive to become more Christlike -- not a "Christian" in name only, but a true follower of Jesus. Whether you are new in the faith or have been following Christ for years, you should always seek to learn more about our Lord and grow in your love for him. Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life, and let him make you into the person He wants you to be, for His glory. (Philippians 1:6) 2. Am I Able to Love and Lead God's Way? (Men) Husbands are commanded to love their wives "as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25-28) -- sacrificially and unselfishly. The only way to do this is through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. The Bible ca...

Scripture: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." Revelation 21:1 Heaven is RealHave you ever thought about Heaven and wondered if it's real? Heaven is a real place. God's Word, the Bible, is full of facts about Heaven. Let's look at five facts about heaven and learn more about what our eternal lives will be like. 1. We Receive Heavenly BodiesIn Heaven, we will have brand new bodies. When Christ returns, our bodies will be resurrected (John 5:28-29). In those glorified bodies, free from sin and selfishness, we will live forever with God in Heaven. 2. God Will Make a New Heaven and New EarthJust as our bodies will be made new, so will the earth. Though the Earth now suffers from the results of sin, Paul tells us that "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans ...

Scripture: "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' . . . and these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41, 46 The subject of hell is not as enjoyable as last week's topic, Heaven. But Jesus didn't ignore it, and we can't either. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Hell is RealJesus spoke about hell often. He said, "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (Luke 12:5) Jesus never hinted that hell is an imaginary place. Hell is real. 2. Hell is Eternal"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10) Some people think t...

The chief of Germany's football association (DFB) has revealed that one of the team's triumphant players has damaged their World Cup trophy. Joachim Low's men defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final after extra-time to win the fourth world title in their history, following on from 1954, 1974 and 1990 victories. The Germany squad were welcomed home from Brazil to jubilant scenes and toured Berlin with the trophy during midweek – but may have celebrated a little bit too hard as their World Cup trophy has been damaged by an unknown member of the team. "At one point, a small piece of our World Cup trophy was chipped off," DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach is quoted by Die Welt as saying. "But do not worry! We have specialists on the case who can fix it. "We have investigated persistently who it was that damaged the trophy, but the investigation was concluded without a result." Luckily for Germany, the cup they have been given by Fifa is ...

The witches and wizards in Nigeria are not happy with Islamist militant sect Boko Haram. The Sun reports that an emergency meeting was held at Afuze, Edo over the challenges facing the country, especially the nation's security. In an interview with the publication, the leader and spokesman for Witches and Wizards Association of Nigeria (WITZAN), Dr. Okhue Iboi said the emergency meeting was to discuss a way forward. "Witches and Wizards in Nigeria are deeply worried by what is going on in the country especially Boko Haram insurgency. As stakeholders in the Nigerian project, we can no longer afford to fold our hands while the nation burns. Enough is enough" Iboi said at the event. According to Iboi, it was witches and wizards from Borno, Adamawa and Yobe that urged the association to have the meeting. He said the bi-annual meeting of the association was scheduled to be held in the first week of October, but because of the sect "our fellow brothers ...

Shakira is officially the most liked woman in the world. Well, when Facebook – which has millions of users around the world, more than a country's population – you pretty much are the most liked. On Friday, the Grammy-award Colombian sensation became the first person ever to reach 100 million likes on Facebook. "I am honored and humbled about reaching this milestone. Social media and specifically Facebook has helped myself and other artists bridge the gap between the stage and the audience.", the 37-year- old said. Even Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook congratulated the star, saying "Congrats! What an amazing milestone for an amazing person" on the singer's page.

Why is it okay for a 61yr old woman to kiss a 9 yr old boy in the mouth all in the name of tradition? A 9-year-old schoolboy has become one of the world's youngest grooms for the 2nd time, marrying his 62-year-old wife again. Looking a little taller in last year's silvery tuxedo, baby faced Saneie Masilela clutched the hand of Helen Shabangu as they repeated their vows one year on. Last year the boy, from nearby Tshwane, tied the knot with bride Helen after claiming he had been told by his dead ancestors to wed. Shockingly his family took the message from the heavens seriously and hurriedly forked out £500 for the bride and a further £1,000 for the big day. The second marriage ceremony was this time held at the home of the blushing bride in Ximhungwe in Mpumalanga, South Africa, in front of around 100 guests. Wide-eyed residents looked on as the married mother-of-five shared a piece of cake, a toast and even a kiss with her young groom Sanele - an...

Since 1973, at least five passenger planes have been shot down: • Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 -- On February 21, 1973, 108 of 113 people aboard a Libyan Arab Airlines flight were killed when Israeli fighters shot down the Boeing 727-200 after it strayed into the airspace of the Sinai Desert, then under Israeli control. • Korean Air Lines Flight 007 -- On September 1, 1983, 239 people aboard a Korean Air Lines flight bound from New York to Seoul were killed when the passenger jet was shot down by Soviet fighters during the Cold War. KAL Flight 007 had veered off course and into Soviet territory, and a pair of fighter jets were dispatched to intercept the perceived intruder. U.S. Rep. Larry McDonald of Georgia was among the passengers. The downing produced a giant outcry at the time, though the full facts did not become known until after the Cold War's end. • Iran Air Flight 655 -- On July 3, 1988, in the volatile Persian Gulf, the USS Vincennes shot down an I...

Veteran actress Kate Henshaw has joined politics. She'll be aspiring to contest for the Federal House of Representatives for Calabar Munical/Odukpani Federal Constituency under the PDP. She will run within the PDP to get the ticket. The primaries is in October. If she wins, which is mostly like, she will become Hon. Kate Henshaw. She will be officially unveiled on www.campaign.ng tomorrow July 19th, which is her 43rd birthday

FIFA has lifted the ban it placed on Nigeria on July 9th after a high court sitting in Jos sacked the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Aminu Maigari and other board members. FIFA had frowned at the court ruling, stating that the move was a government interference in football activities which is against its policy. FIFA then directed that a new court order reinstating Maigari and other NFF executives be obtained before it can lift the ban. The new court order reinstating the NFF President and other executives was obtained two days ago, Tuesday July 15th, hence the lifting of the ban today. Maigari and his board will resume their duties tomorrow and stay there until next month's elections when they could be sacked through the ballot, in line with FIFA's policies.

Ebenezer Obey has been made a Professor of Music at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. The Juju icon was recently honoured at the Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) Hall of the institution by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Saburi Adejin Adesanya. Obey is said to have presented musical instruments worth millions of Naira to the department as part of his promise and commitment to the university. Notable dignitaries in the Ogun state traditional and political circle who witnessed the event include the Alake of Egba land, Aremu Gbadebo, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, and former president Olusegun Obasanjo's wife Bola Obasanjo. Also present were Tony Okoroji, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Demola Dada, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Hon Adejare, Barrister Segun Odumela and ace music producer, Laolu Akins. Giving a vote of thanks, the musician promised to serve with his heart and might....

Brazil will be searching for a new coach after dismissing Luiz Felipe Scolari, according to a report by TV Globo. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have decided not to ask Scolari, whose contract expired at the end of the World Cup, to return as manager on a new deal, with an official announcement planned for Monday, according to Globo. Scolari took over as manager of Brazil for the second time in 2012 and led his players to the Confederations Cup title in 2013, but he came up short at the main event this summer. The favoured hosts finished fourth in the World Cup. Eventual champions Germany hammered them 7-1 in the semifinals, and the Selecao followed that up with a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the third-place game. Scolari, 65, will conclude his time in charge of Brazil with a record of 19 wins, six draws and four defeats. At his final news conference after the loss to the Netherlands, Scolari was coy on his future. "If we won or lost, my position w...

BRAZIL IMPLODES: Germany skewering Brazil with five goals in 19 minutes in their semifinal was the football equivalent of the scene in "Bambi" when a hunter kills the fawn's mother. Watching such a tragedy befall the five-time champion at its home World Cup became difficult even for some German fans, who later said they just wanted the torturing of Brazil to stop. Uruguay's forward Luis Suarez reacts during a Group D football match between Italy and Uruguay at the Dunas Arena in Natal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 24, 2014. Uruguay won 1-0. AFP PHOTO/ DANIEL GARCIA Second-half substitute Andre Schuerrle had other ideas, scoring two more for a record-breaking 7-1 trauma for the football superpower that gave the world Pele. By the end, the overwhelmingly Brazilian crowd in Belo Horizonte's Mineirao stadium feted German touches of the ball with shouts of "Ole!" It was surreal, and one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. H...

Nigerian playwright, poet and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is 80! Wole Soyinka has been an inspiration to many with his stellar creative books, inspiring words, and speaking out about issues concerning the nation. To celebrate his 80th, here are a few of his famous quotes; "Well, some people say I'm pessimistic because I recognize the eternal cycle of evil. All I say is, look at the history of mankind right up to this moment and what do you find?" "Romance is the sweetening of the soul, With fragrance offered by the stricken heart." "See, even despite pious statements to the contrary, much of the industrialized world has not yet come to terms with the recognition of the fallacy of what I call the strong man syndrome." "Human life has meaning only to that degree and as long as it is lived in the service of humanity." "I am convinced that Nigeria would have been a more highly developed country without the oil. I wished we...

From a boy, to a man, to a phenomenon. Happy 80th birthday to playwright, poet and the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka. What a man. What a legend. Wishing him many more great years ahead!

Clement Chirman, the National Publicity Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), has confirmed that the body has called off its 10-month-old strike. The strike which began in October last year, was suspended during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union held on Saturday morning. Chirman said all striking lecturers have been asked to resume work on Tuesday next week. These new developments come just two days after Ibrahim Shekarau was sworn in as Minister of Education and he held a 'fruitful' meeting with ASUP's leadership. The ASUP NEC consists of all chapter (polytechnic) chairmen of the union and the national executives.

FIFA officially announced the names of the ten players in the running for the adidas Golden Ball, which is awarded to the competition's most outstanding performer. The shortlist was drawn up by the members of FIFA's Technical Study Group, who have been casting their expert eyes over each and every one of the matches held at Brazil 2014 to date. Appearing in alphabetical order, the 10 contenders for the accolade are as follows...see them after the cut... - Angel Di Maria (Argentina) In providing Lionel Messi with the best possible support, Di Maria has led the Albiceleste attack with distinction, posing a constant menace to opposing defences with his long- range shooting, mazy dribbling and finishing skills, which he showcased with a well-taken winner against Switzerland in the Round of 16. - Mats Hummels (Germany) The Borussia Dortmund centre-half has attracted much praise for his solid displays at the heart of the German defence. As if that were not enough, ...

Read this Popular Frog, Kermit known for always sipping it's tea is dead? We really don't know. The Frog which always end it's word with "It's none of My Business" has surfaced online in different kind of memes which either make you laugh or nod your head. We came across this picture online and we thought we should ask those who know better. What do you know about this Frog?

As reactions continue to trail Nigeria suspension by the Federation of International Football Association, Caf technical instructor Adegboye Onigbinde has asserted out that the world football governing body might have been wrongly briefed on what led to the sack of the Nigeria Football Federation. Fifa frowned at government third party interference in football and clamped down heavily on the country after a law court in Jos sacked the Aminu Maigari led NFF board . In a no hold barred chat with Goal, the former Fifa technical instructor said that there have always been government interference in sports and football to be precise because the government funds it. He also revealed that the world football governing body might have been wrongly misinformed. "We cannot surrender our sovereignty to the regulation of anybody or any organisation. The judiciary had given a judgement and the body concerned has not come out to state that it is appealing the verdict which mea...

The young Africans who may be giving Aliko Dangote a run for his money in the not so distant future, are getting the limelight. Forbes has listed the 10 Young African Millionaires to Watch Out for and it includes two Nigerians. Luxury designer Alexander Amosu, 38, who made headlines last year for helping create the world's most expensive champagne, as well as Sim Shagaya, 38, the creative head of one of Nigeria's leading shopping websites – Konga. Read their short profiles; Alexander Amosu Alexander Amosu is Africa's foremost high-end luxury designer. He is the founder of Amosu Couture, a company that custom-designs and sells diamond-encrusted mobile phones, iPads, headphones and other accessories. Amosu made his first million at age 24 by informally selling ring- tones to mobile phone subscribers in the United Kingdom. Buoyed by the success of this venture, he founded RnB ringtones, a company which grossed over $1.5 million in its first year of operatio...

A pair of Somali-British Teenage twin sisters who aspired to train as doctors, are feared to have relocated to Syria to train as killers with the ISIS terror group. It is suspected that their elder brother, who quit school to become a jihadist fighter for ISIS last year, may have been one of their major inspirations for deciding to join the group, according to Daily Mail. The sixteen-year-old girls, Salma and Zahra Halane, were reputed to have achieved great academic excellence while in school, and achieved 28 GCSEs between them last summer. These exam results put them in the top 10 per cent of their year class at Whalley Range High School for Girls in Manchester. It was their dream to follow in the footsteps of their elder sister, who attends a medical school in Denmark. Also, their family and loved ones described them as "regular" teenagers who showed no signs of having radical or extremist views. As a result, the news that they may have left Manchester to...

The main hall of a newly completed high school built by the Osun State government collapsed yesterday morning. Fortunately, no lives were lost. However, two artisans who were laying tiles in the building when it collapsed, were injured according to Punch. The school, which had reportedly been inspected by government officials a few days prior to the collapse of the hall, was supposed to be commissioned tomorrow. Speaking on the incident, Folasade Odoro, Police Public Relations Officer for the state reportedly attributed the collapse to "heavy wind." A statement has been released by the Osun State government via media aide, Semiu Okanlawon: " Information at the disposal of the government indicates that the main hall which had been completed along with other classrooms of the school came down at about 6am Wednesday after a loud bang. As a responsible government, it is too early for us to say what the exact cause of the collapse is until we have full inv...

Football reigns supreme. Twitter sent out a tweet today that the match between Germany and Brazil is the most discussed single sports game in all of Twitter history with over 35.6 million tweets. View here......... www.bellanaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Twitter-July-2014-BellaNaija.com-01.jpg

After months of endless speculation, it has now been confirmed that Gulder Ultimate Search is back for its 11th season, and details of this year's edition were announced at a media event at Nigerian Breweries in Lagos. As part of the launch, guests were treated to an exclusive first viewing of the Call For Entry TVC, which featured two previous winners embarking on a mission to find a mysterious item called 'The Cube' In keeping with a tradition that is dedicated to highlighting the indigenous quality and assets of Nigeria, the 11th season is set to take place in the jungles of Aguleri, a small farming community in South East Anambra known for being the food basket of Anambra. In a speech given at the event, it was revealed that this year's crowned winner would walk away with 10million naira, as well as a brand new SUV. "The Gulder brand will also create opportunities for some other individuals, other than the 'Ultimate Champion', to go ho...

8th July 2014 will certainly be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of Brazilian football. 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil were annihilated by Germany at Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte. It is as though Brazil never had a chance as Germany thumped them with an early goal by Thomas Müller followed by 4 back to back goals by Miroslav Klose, Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira. With a 5 – 0 scoreline at half time, only a miracle could have resulted in a turnaround for Brazil. Things went from disastrous to catastrophic in the second half as Germany crowned that momentous win with 2 more goals by André Schürrle. Brazil closed the night with a 90th minute goal by Oscar to bring the final scoreline to 7 – 1. With tears in their eyes and disappointment on their minds, Brazil fans will surely be asking, how did this happen?

Germany's extraordinary 7-1 humiliation of Brazil in Tuesday's World Cup semi-final saw a number of records broken by both sides. Here, Goal picks over some of the feats from the astonishing fixture in Belo Horizonte... - The biggest-ever winning margin in a World Cup semi-final. The previous best were Hungary's 6-1 hammering of Sweden in 1938 and West Germany's 6-1 win against Austria in 1954. - Brazil equalled their biggest-ever margin of defeat. Their previous heaviest loss was 6-0 to Uruguay in the 1920 Copa America. - Brazil conceded 11 goals at World Cup 2014, equalling the number they shipped in 1938. - Brazil's first home defeat in a competitive match since 1975 when they lost 3-1 to Peru in the Copa America semi-finals. - The first time Brazil had ever conceded seven in a World Cup match. They have only conceded more once in any fixture, an 8-4 loss to Yugoslavia in a friendly in 1934. - Miroslav Klose became the leading scorer in World ...

Congratulations to Japheth Omojuwa. The Nigerian socio-economic and political commentator, as well as social media expert and blogger proposed to his girlfriend Damilola Ogunleye during an intimate dinner with friends and family in Maitama, Abuja. Omojuwa popped the big question with an 18 carat white gold ring with sapphires and white diamonds by Rebecca Noff. " Rebecca Noff! Diamonds are forever! Dami said 'Yes!!!' pic.twitter.com/SiYQAOUPVK — J|#BringBackOurGirls (@omojuwa) July 7, 2014

Nigeria's goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama as well as the Super Eagles may be out of the 2014 World Cup tournament, but he clearly still rocks. The Guardian Sports listed the top 10 goalkeepers in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. Leading at number 1 is Manuel Neuer of Germany, while Enyeama ranks 4th. Read the profile. " Another goalkeeper who arrived after a record-breaking season at club level. Enyeama carried on the form that made him nigh-on unbeatable for Lille, pulling off a series of extraordinary saves, starting in the first match against Iran, when Nigeria dominated but would have lost if the goalkeeper had not kept enough concentration to tip away a header from Reza Ghoochannejhad. He then kept Bosnia-Herzegovina at bay before thwarting Lionel Messi and Argentina for long periods despite conceding three. When a goalkeeper falls below perfection, however, he can be punished severely and Enyeama's mishandling of a cross against France enabled Paul Pogb...

According to reports, The nurse who filmed Brazilian striker Neyma being wheeled around on a hospital trolley has been fired, according to an article on Brazilan football site UOL. The nurse has been criticized for not only recording the football star in that state but also for blowing kisses to the camera afterwards and laughing. She then posted the video to her Facebook page. The hospital management released a statement saying the nurse, named Chintia, has been fired.

The Imo state Police command yesterday July 6th paraded 25 suspected and prospective cult members of some polytechnics in Imo state, including the Alvan Ikoku College of Education and Imo state Polytechnic. The Police acting on a tip off from residents of Emi village in Owerri North local government area stormed the Emi river at about 3.30am when initiation process for new members was being carried out. The young men were arrested after a gun battle with the police. Marijuana, weapons and all manner of charms were found with them. Continue... However, some of the students who were arrested said they were being initiated against their will. One of them, Emenike Lawrence (pictured above) said he followed one of his friend out to see another friend who had promised to buy them drink and it was when they got to the bar that he was beaten and taken to a forest for initiation "I went out with one of his friend who said I should follow him to go and see someone,...