Siasia Drops Oduduwa, Dimgba and Mohammed From Eagles’ Camp

Coach Samson Siasia has dropped defender Segun Oduduwa and midfielders Stanley Dimgba and Usman Mohammed from showing up at the Bolton White Apartments camp of the Super Eagles.

This is coming after the players reported late to the camp of the U-23 team without an earlier permission from the Coach.

“We cannot have those three in camp anymore. This is very serious business, and only serious-minded persons can be involved. They reported late to the camp of the Under-23 team, so they cannot be tolerated in the camp of the senior team.

“I have said it over the past few days that the right mentality would count big among the traits we are looking for in the players to feature against Egypt,” he said.

Oduduwa and Mohammed were in the Under-23 squad that won the Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal in December 2015, while Dimgba has trained with the team and the Eagles B previously.

The Super Eagles’ new boss, who is known to be a disciplinarian, threw out star midfielder Kingsley Sokari, and talented forward Daniel Etor from his squad to the Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations, after the duo opted to play for their club, Enyimba FC, in a final NPFL season game in Lagos in November 2015, against his instructions.

The exclusion of the trio means only 40 players are now in contention for shirts in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations double date against Egypt, with 19 home boys to train for two weeks before the arrival of 21 overseas-based players on the week of the first game in Kaduna.

20-year-old man accused of stealing gun belonging to church granted bail

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday granted bail to 20-year-old man, Adeleye Babatunde, who was accused of stealing a gun belonging to a church.

Chief Magistrate Idowu Ayenimo granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 and one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till March 23 for further hearing.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Olasunkanmi Bankole, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 4 at Adebayo Street, Ado-Ekiti.

He said that the accused, on the said date, unlawfully stole the gun which belonged to St. Michael’s Church.

The prosecutor said the gun was used by the security guards at the church for night watch.

According to him, the offence is punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty and his counsel, Mr Busuyi Ayorinde, prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.

Bankole, on his part, sought for an adjournment to enable him study the case file and assemble witnesses before the court. 

(NAN)

Shakespeare's grave is to be scanned using radar technology to discover the secrets lurking within despite famous curse

                                  William Shakespeare  Photo: Alamy

When a grave is deliberately inscribed with a curse upon any who dared disturb the bones within, it is a brave man indeed who seeks further knowledge of what is inside.

The inscription on Shakespeare's grave in Stratford Church Photo: Alamy Stock Photo

But the lure of William Shakespeare has proved too much for some.

The playwright’s grave is to be examined carefully for the first time this year, with a high-tech radar survey allowing experts to discover what lies beneath the soil of the Stratford cemetery.

Holy Trinity Church, in Stratford upon Avon, has granted permission for documentary-makers to investigate Shakespeare’s grave without physically disturbing the site.

A preliminary radar survey has already taken place, with results due to be broadcast in a Channel 4 documentary later this spring.

The examination is part of nationwide commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, and forms part of a major push from academics, theatres and broadcasters to increase knowledge of the Bard.

Radar scans are most commonly used in graveyards to detect unmarked or previously unknown graves, allowing experts to find coffins and learn details about their size, shape and material they are made from.

In this case, it is believed documentary-makers will be seeking to learn more about Shakespeare’s life and family.

It is not yet clear whether scans would show any items buried within the coffins, but it is likely to give a clearer picture of a possible family vault: his wife, Ann Hathaway, daughter Suzanna, son-in-law Dr John Hall and Thomas Nash, his grandson-in-law are buried in the chancel alongside him.

The playwright was buried in 1616, with the gravestone carrying the warning: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forebeare, To digg the dust enclosed heare; Bleste be the man that spares thes stones, And curst be he that moves my bones."

The grave study will follow comprehensive research into New Place,Shakespeare’s Stratford home.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has already mapped out precise plans of what the home would have looked like, including the kitchen, oven foundations and remains of a cold store.

Demolished 250 years ago, the site – due to reopen in July - will give admirers of Shakespeare their most useful glimpse yet into his day-to-day life.

The Shakespeare’s grave project follows calls last year for it to be physically exhumed. Then, one academic argued the “extraordinary success” of digging up the grace of Richard III means the “potential of undertaking forensic analysis” is now recognised.

The results of the scan are expected to be announced before this summer’s World Shakespeare Congress, a worldwide gathering of 1,000 academics likened to the Olympics of Shakespeare studies.

A spokesman for Holy Trinity Church said: ““We can confirm a scan of the grave has been completed.

“Any research or investigation within Holy Trinity Church can only take place with the express permission of the church.

“Requests are always dealt with on a case by case basis, and may be subject to confidentiality agreements.

“The results of the scan will be revealed as part of a Channel 4 documentary later in the spring.”

Ocholi's death shocks Gov. Bello

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has expressed shock over the sudden death of the Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi, in a car crash on Kaduna-Abuja road on Sunday.

Bello in issued a statement in Lokoja on Sunday described the death of Ocholi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as a monumental loss for the state and the country at large.

The late minister hailed from Ogbabede/Abocho in Dekina local government area of Kogi state.

``Late Ocholi was a pragmatic, dynamic, humane and brilliant law officer who was known around the world for his dexterous approach to legal and political issues and one of the most unswerving constitutional lawyers Nigeria has ever produced,’’ the governor said of the late minister.

The statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, recalled how the late minister joined other progressive minded individuals around the country to drive the intellectual pillars of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the statement, the governor regretted that Ocholi would surely be missed by all.

While condoling members of his immediately family, political associates, friends, colleagues and APC over his death, Bello said that the vacuum left behind by the deceased would be difficult to fill.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of Ocholi’s soul and urged all those he left behind to see his death as an act of God.

Also reacting, the state Treasurer of the APC, Mr Ismail Adesayo, described Ocholi’s death as very unfortunate.

He described the late minister as a fine leader who meant well for the people and development of Kogi state and Nigeria.

Adesayo lamented that Ocholi died when his service was most needed in the state, praying to God to grant him eternal rest and the family the fortitude to bear irreparable loss.

He also prayed to God to have mercy on the state by putting a stop to sudden deaths of political headlights in the state.

NAN recalls that Ocholi was a governorship aspirant in PDP but later defected to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) where he became the party’s governorship candidate in the Dec. 3, 2011, governorship election in the state.

(NAN)

Sam Sodje appointed Delta U-16 team manager

Former Nigeria international Sam Sodje has told AfricanFootball.com he has been appointed to produce the next generation of players as the CEO of Delta State U-16 Elite League.

“I have just been appointed by Delta State Sports Commission as the CEO of a new Delta State U16 Elite League and to oversee the welfare of players of Delta State-owned clubs,” he informed.

“I’m delighted with the appointment because giving back to the society has always been my goal in life.

“I have a great team working alongside me and we are looking to get the best talents and give them the platform to exhibit their talents to better their lives but the key to all this is to let them get the opportunity to do great in football and have their education.

“The aim is to produce next generation stars for Wolves and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.

NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny, hazy Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted partly cloudy weather over the central states of the country on Monday.


The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO), in Abuja on Sunday.


It added that prospects of isolated thunderstorms would prevail over Southern-Kaduna, Southern-Jos, Abuja and Lafia during evening and night hours with night time temperatures of between 22 to 26 degrees Celsius.


NiMet predicted cloudy conditions over the Southern region of the country with prospects of localised thunderstorms over Akure, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Mambila Plateau, Obudu, Ikom, Calabar, Eket and Port Harcourt during the afternoon and evening period.


It predicted slim chances of localised rain showers over the Lagos axis in the evening hours with night time temperatures of between 24 to 26 degrees Celsius.


NiMet predicted that Northern states of Kano, Katsina, Yelwa and Maiduguri would experience sunny and hazy conditions in the morning with night time temperatures of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.


According to the prediction, southern states have been relatively stable in the last 24 hours which is expected to break due to temperature increase, high moisture influx and some other factors.

 (NAN)