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Dele Alli wins Premier League Player of the Month.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been named Premier League Player of the Month for January. The England international fought off competition from colleague Harry Kane, Everton’s Seamus Coleman, Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Swansea City ‘s Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Alli, who has netted 5 goals said: “The team’s done very well this month, not just me individually. We’ve had lots of players in form so it’s an honour to win it.”
He becomes the 5th player of Nigerian Descent to win the Premier league Player Of The Month award.
 
 

Nigeria climbs to 41st on latest Fifa Rankings

 
Nigeria has climbed to the 41st position on the latest  Fifa World Rankings released this week, despite not featuring in the just concluded African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Gabon. Reigning African Champions, Cameroon moved to the 3rd position while Egypt and Senegal occupy the 1st and 2nd position on the log respectively.

World Ranking

(1) Argentina

(2) Brazil

(3) Germany

(4) Chile

(5) Belgium

(6) France

(7) Colombia

(8) Portugal

(9) Uruguay

(10) Spain.

African Ranking

(1) Egypt

(2) Senegal

(3) Cameroon

(4) Tunisia

(5) Congo Dr

(6) Burkina Faso

(7) Nigeria

(8) Ghana

(9) Cote d’Ivoire

(10) Morocco

 

Is Cross-Dressing the New fashion Craze? | By: Tony Ogunlowo

Our youths are always importing fashions and habits from abroad, copying trends and adopting them as their own. The end result is that sometimes they often look ridiculous and out of place.
The latest fashion craze some men have copied from abroad is cross-dressing. Call me old-fashion or old but where I come from men wear trousers and shirts and women wear dresses and make-up; not the other way round (-unless for religious reasons!)
Cross dressing was alien to most Nigerians until the OAP and entertainer Denrele burst on to the scene with his wild Afro hair, platform shoes and flamboyant feminine outfits. And with his androgynous features he could be either sex. Now while one might consider Denrele’s cross-dressing as a prop or a costume – an extension of his entertainment personality – in the same way comedians Eddie Izzard or Dame Edna would dress would dress up and once the show is over it’ll all come off. That is the belief. But recently some men who are not in the entertainment industry have taken to cross-dressing as a normality.
If you’re a man and wear a dress when I was growing up your father would grab his koboko and beat that nonsense out of you.
Nowadays parents don’t seem to care.
If you’re a man who wears make-up and a dress, like Bobrisky or Seun the Diva, because you want to either tune into your feminine side or think it’s fashionable, you’re gay! Either that or you’ve got some serious mental issues that need addressing!
There are those who suggest men should tune into their feminine side, once in a while(?).Perhaps. But not to the extent that you start piling make-up on to your face. No real man wears make-up – let alone wear a dress! What would your mother say (- and the rest of the family?) And how are you going to find a girlfriend (- you probably don’t need one unless she – or he – wouldn’t mind sharing their make-up and clothes with you!)
Now if you’re a cross-dresser who isn’t gay then they’re on their first steps to becoming trans genders. Bruce Jenner might have had his male bits removed to become Caitlyn Marie but he’s still a man. It doesn’t matter that he’s grown boobs and had a vagina surgically put in, wears expensive designer dresses – and makeup. He’s still a man because he can’t do the one thing women do every month – menstruate!(- or experience menopause at his age!)
Again call me old-fashion but a cross-dresser is a fantasist. You’re either a man or woman – you can’t be both. And it’s not fashionable or desirable to the eye – a cross dresser to me looks like a character out of a horror movie!
Perhaps its insecurity that makes some men cross-dress. For some reason or another they are not happy being the ugly person they are and believe they have to create a make believe personality. If you’re unhappy with yourself go and see a psychiatrist or better still pop into one of the many mushroom churches and let them pray for you and sprinkle Holy water on to your stupid head! If you still want to cross dress after all this please keep it to your bedroom! I have no intention of sitting next to a man dressed as a woman in the bus!
Since in my opinion cross-dressers are gay and in an attempt to circumvent the draconian Nigerian ant-gays laws they pretend to look like women. I don’t think a police officer is that blind not to notice what a man looks like in a dress when he catches him with his boyfriend! I’m not homophobic and I don’t think a lot of people are so instead of cross-dressing why don’t you simply come out? (- hopefully you won’t get arrested or stoned!).
Cross-dressers on the other hand will probably argue that women have been cross-dressing for centuries wearing trousers, suits – even agbadas recently – and nobody said a word. And that you even have tomboys that like to replicate a man’s look right down to haircuts and walk. Perhaps. But it’s not the same. A woman may look great in trousers or a suit but the appeal is the opposite when a man wears a dress or makeup. Our highly conservative society can accept a woman dressing like a man but not the other way round. 
Even in Western countries, where people are more liberal, men who cross-dress are still looked down upon on as being weird and out of place. And unless it’s for entertainment purposes then the general assumption is that they are gay.

Perhaps cross-dressing is colourful: a new trend by some brave men trying to prove they can wear it better than women. Perhaps they are showing their hidden homosexuality hoping they’ll be accepted as transgenders rather than straight-forward gay.

Already society has begun to frown at cross-dressing, especially in the sharia strict North who recently jailed a cross-dresser for indecency under their strict moral laws. Again what message does it send out to the young impressionable children growing up in their wake? That it’s O.K for a man to dress up as a woman?

Most of our cultures see the man as a leader of his family and the community, wearing a dress will relegate him down to the ranks of the women who can only cook, clean and make babies.

So for all cross-dressers out there it’s time to stop shaving your hairy legs and eyebrows and stop the wearing of make-up. Time to start wearing trousers and shirts again instead of dresses with butt-pads. And enough of the fake funny feminine accents and skin bleaching! You’re a Man and not a Woman, deal with it!


Tony blogs at http://www.archangel641.blogspot.co.uk

2018 World Cup Qualifiers: Onazi says Cameroon can never beat Nigeria

Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi is certain 2017 AFCON winners, Cameroon will not beat Nigeria in their 2018 World Cup qualifiers scheduled to hold in the coming months.
The Eagles are top of their qualifying group with six points and will host the newly-crowned African champions in August.
The return leg will be played four days later.
“I believe Cameroon can never beat us, Not just Cameroon, but any other team. We will face them just as we approached our first two World Cup qualifiers. We are looking forward to the games. We wish to congratulate Cameroon for their AFCON success, they have done very well. But that notwithstanding we are also working on our own. All our players are doing well all over Europe and as a team we are doing very well. We wait for them and we will see what will see what’s going to happen as I believe so much in our team.”
That’s the spirit man.
 

Rio Ferdinand is yet to grieve properly for late wife

2 years after losing his wife, Rebecca to breast cancer, ex England captain, Rio Ferdinand has said he is yet to grieve properly for his late wife. He made the disclosure on a new 60-minute BBC documentary on parents who lose partners.
“I don’t think I’ve grieved properly. I’ve not given myself that time to sit down and really flush everything out and go through it.” The father of 3 said.
The ex-Manchester United defender has been praised by Alison Kirkham, the BBC’s controller of factual commissioning and events,  for participating in a “revealing and immensely personal documentary exploring the complexities of grief”. According to her, the “candid” hour-long film – called Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad – would offer audiences “an intimate exploration of the ways in which men similarly bereaved cope with their loss.”
“Rio Ferdinand has courageously allowed the cameras to follow him in this revealing and immensely personal documentary exploring the complexities of grief. This candid film will offer BBC One audiences an intimate exploration of the ways in which men similarly bereaved cope with their loss.” She added.
Source: BBC

Avram Grant resigns as Ghana coach

Days after guiding Ghana to the semi-final of the 2017 African Cup Of Nations, former Chelsea manager, Avram Grant has stepped down as Ghana coach. The Isreali was appointed manager one month before the last Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea, he confirmed weeks ago that he will leave his post as the Black Stars head coach.
‘After an extremely amicable meeting with the president of Ghana FA, and following more than two successful years in charge of the national team, I’ve informed Mr Nyantakyi that time is right for me to move on to a new challenge and I thank him for the opportunity. ‘I’ve hugely enjoyed my time in Ghana taking over after the disastrous 2014 World Cup campaign and rebuilding the squad to reach the final in the African Cup of Nations for only the second time in 23 years, and also the semi final of this year’s competition. I’m proud of the fact that I’m leaving an extremely professional, strong squad of players of a good age, who I’m sure will go on to achieve great success in the future. The passion and loyalty of the supporters is something I’ll always remember.’ He said

Sallah, Traore, Atsu, named in AFCON team of the tournament

The team of the tournament for the just concluded 2017 Africa Cup of Nations have been unveiled. Featuring former Chelsea players, Mohamed Salah, Bertrand Traore and Newcastle’s Christian Atsu.  Others are in the list below
 
CAF Team of the tournament
Goalkeeper: Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon)
Defenders: Modou Kara Mbodji (Senegal), Ahmed Hegazy (Egypt), Michael Ngadeu (Cameroon)
Midfielders: Charles Kabore (Burkina Faso), Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Christian Atsu (Ghana), Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Forwards: Christian Bassogog (Cameroon), Junior Kabananga (DR Congo)

The 7 records Zlatan Ibrahimovic has set at Manchester United

Zatan Ibrahimovic  is proving himself better than a number of new signings since his move to Old Trafford in the summer. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has . His recent feat was scoring 20+ goals in a season since Robin Van Persie bagged 30 in the 2012/2013 campaign, he has set 6 other great stats since playing for the Red Devils. Check them out:
1 – At 35 years and 125 days old, Zlatan is the oldest player to reach 15 Premier League goals in a single season
2 – Zlatan has now reached double figures for league goals (in Europe’s top five leagues) in each of his last 11 seasons. The only other players who can match that feat are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
3 – Zlatan has reached 15 Premier League goals for Man Utd in the fourth fastest number of games (23), behind only Ruud Van Nistelrooy (19), Dwight Yorke (20) and Robin van Persie (21).
4 – Zlatan has now scored 20+ goals at club level in 10 consecutive seasons. The last time he didn’t reach 20 goals was in 2006-07 at Inter (15).
5 – Zlatan was the first Man United player to score in his first three Premier League appearances for the club. The last United player to score in their first three league appearances for the club was Ian Storey-Moore, back in 1971-72.
6 – Of players in the big five European Leagues, only Lionel Messi (51) scored more goals than Zlatan (50) in all club comps in 2016.
7 – After he scored against Bournemouth on his Premier League debut, Zlatan has now scored on his Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Champions League debut.
 
Source
 

#istandwithnigeria: Nigerians troop out to protest against the government (Photos)
















Image may contain: 7 people
 


As widely expected, thousands of people converged to protest against the Nigerian government today, February 6, 2017. Despite a heavy police presence, the peaceful match, which was themed, “#IStandWithNigeria was held in several venues in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun etc states. Protesters who braved security concerns held nothing back in expressing their grave displeasure. Social media posts culminate into a trending topic, they chanted into megaphones, wielded placards, decrying economic downturn in the country.
 
 




 




 

Opinion: Of Trump, Hitler and World History|By:Ogbonna Nwuke

 
It wasn’t really supposed to be easy either for America or for a world order that has evolved over time.
The signs had been there right from the time the new sheriff in town bared his fangs on the campaign trail.Now America and a bewildered world are stuck with a situation that is unclear, an international system likely to be under siege soon, and a future that appears uncertain. Isolationism and protectionism had long taken a strong bashing as the world, secure in its dream for the emergence of a global village, marched in the direction of globalization.
Of course, there has always been the threat posed to world peace by the cold war between the east and west, between the United States and Russia if you like. But skillful diplomacy as well as the cautious optimism of world leaders have helped to reduce the risk of a global war. Side by side, the world has witnessed the spirited expansion of frontiers of trade through carefully documented treaties and agreements. On the home front, America has been a country of immigrants built on a liberal philosophy which allows anyone who meets the rigorous requirements for citizenship to pursue what has come to be seen as the American dream.
The flexibility of such a system anchored on basic freedoms which say all men are born equal basically created the opportunity for the forebears of Donald Trump whose home country, Germany, went to war with the rest of the world, including the United States, to migrate into America. America in turn has benefited from immigration, transforming into one of the greatest countries in the world, and holding such a promise for all who seek to escape persecution; who wishes to make a new home from home; and who desire to exploit the bountiful and latent energy life offers without any limitations.
In so many ways, the tale of America and a changing world have become intertwined, with America providing the moral fibre and leadership for most of the change that has characterized the notion of a free world. So the promise of a United States has impacted positively on the concept of an European Union which now enjoys a common currency and engages in joint collaborative action in most areas, including free movement and immigration.The birth of the African Union was ideally tailored along these lines as well. The fact that in order to bond closely, create huge markets, develop science, technology and infrastructure. And enhance cooperation essentially among African countries; Africa had to take advantage of some of the finest principles that are driving human progress.
Somehow, under the Trump administration, the world stares in unbelief as what some people are beginning to tag a new world order makes its forced entry. The fight to evolve a new psyche,  a new world view, a new pecking order and new national perspectives for the world or for the people of the United States by the Trump government isn’t coming without a strong challenge.Outside of America world leaders are raising indignant voices as they try to make sense of the orders that are rolling out of Washington like German panzers.
It is as if nazism which strives on a culture of superiority, race, hate and extreme rightist ideals has been reborn. It is rather strange that it has chosen America described as the land of freedom to reincarnate under the watch of a German American. When Hitler realized his aspiration to be German Chancellor, he unleashed a wave of German nationalism just as Trump seeks to do now by pretending to reawaken American consciousness.
Hitler, the records show, followed up the demonstration of a nationalistic leadership with the repudiation of international agreements, including that which had committed Germany to paying reparations for its role in World War I.
In no time Germany was overrun by the nazi culture. Not even the German army known for its prowess and discipline was spared the control of the nazi movement. The rest is history and not many nations, especially Israel and the Jews can forget what happened during World War II. Although it is early in the life of the Trump administration, I can see some parallels between Trump and Hitler whose coming Nastrodamus foretold.
Nastrodamus had predicted a third global war. Is it possible that the actions and reactions of President Trump have the capacity to create room for the advent of the Prince of the house of Mohammed?
In his predictions that have never failed to come true, America’s defence systems which Nastrodamus saw, failed to intercept what may be today’s nuclear warheads fired by the Arabian Prince described as the third anti-Christ.
Trump denies targeting Islam, but the arguments flowing back and forth doesn’t suggest that the world is struck by the truth of what he says.
Trump has spoken favourably about torture, a veritable tool that Hitler and his henchmen promoted to an art. He has spoken in derogatory terms with leaders of countries with which America has friendly ties like Mexico and Australia. He has ordered soldiers into action and began to cultivate the worst kind of propaganda that the American people have never seen like the Germans did under Goebels and Hitler.
I wish my heart could trust Trump, wish that Trump would have the wish to make the world a more peaceful and habitable place. But the signs aren’t in any way near here.Dreams of an indomitable Germany under Hitler spiralled out of control and led to the death of millions of men, women and children. Will the dream to make America great again turn out to be another smokescreen for dealing a deadly blow on humanity?
Trump didn’t catch my fancy from the outset. Even now, his remarks as the strongest president on earth make me ill at ease. I followed his campaign speeches, his remarks about President Barack Obama the first black to occupy the White House, his proven track record for discriminating against blacks, and the snobbishness conveyed by the way he spoke while soliciting for votes. And I came off with a great feeling of trepidation that unrest in America and war abroad might be the ultimate outcome of a Trump presidency.
How I wish I would be wrong. How I wish that this President would help lay the foundation for a thousand years of peace as predicted by Nastrodamus. How I really wish.
There is no doubt that America has what it needs, going by Trump’s victory via the Electoral College. But the vast majority who cast more popular votes for the protection of rights that are coming under threat early in the Trump era cannot stand it.
Right from inauguration day, they have been on the streets protesting the new face of America and the entry of a rawhide cowboy with a smoking gun who appears determined to reinvent Red Indian territory that ought to be conquered.
More Americans, worried by the turn of events,are joining the ongoing debate. Not many agree that in targeting Muslims, Trump would succeed in keeping America safe.The American court system hasn’t demonstrated any understanding for the presidential order which securely shut the door in the face of citizens of some  Muslim nations or those from such countries who are already carrying valid US visas.
It is doubtful US courts ever will, given the uproar in America and the fear that the presidential orders may indeed be at variance with the tenets of their Constitution.
In the court of public opinion, among experienced diplomats and world leaders, Trump doesn’t seem to have secured mainstream support for cancelling trade agreements entered into by the United States and other countries.
Many Americans are beginning to think about the consequential effects of the decisions of a president who appears to be unduly ego driven. I am not a psychologist but I have a strong feeling that this president might be held hostage by a kind of dogma inherited from the formative stages of his life. Office, the decorum and protocols that go with it are supposed to shape the attitude of leaders or the position of leadership on a wide range of issues and interests. Somehow, these do not appear to have any moderating influence on a President who continues to taunt perceived enemies and opponents even in a manner that no president before him has done.
The trouble is, Trump carries a huge responsibility. He needs to find a way out of the deepening cleavage that threatens America and the established world order in which Washington is a prominent player.
He needs to wake up to the reality that America cannot afford to act irresponsibly in a changing world that is faced with so many challenges.Above all, he needs to come to terms with the fact that running a country cannot be the same as operating a business where one can easily say to an employee, “you are fired!”
Can Trump settle down to the reality of these facts in time to lead the free world?
Only time will tell.


Ogbonna Nwuke sent in this piece from Port Harcourt, Rivers State

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