Super Eagles Rated Youngest Team Of 2015

The report coming out of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, revealed that the average age of the Super Eagles was 24.7, and players aged 22 or less featured 19 per cent of the time for the team, according to Channel Sports.

It also indicated that Nigeria used players not born in the country for 14.6 per cent of the matches played. These players include Alex Iwobi and Carl Ikeme.

The team’s captain, Ahmed Musa, was the most used player in the team, playing 544 minutes for the Eagles and scoring two goals.

Hilary Rhoda's mother blames Sean Avery for rift with daughter

MATTHEW EISMAN

Sean Avery (L) and Hilary Rhoda attend a Hamptons Magazine party in Bridgehampton, New York last summer

The legal battle between supermodel Hilary Rhoda and her mother has gotten nasty.

The beauty’s mom and former manager, Marianne — who, Hilary claims in the suit, stole money from her — blames her daughter’s husband, former NHL player Sean Avery, for the creating the rift.

“Hilary has been sold a bill of goods in a desperate attempt and need by (Avery) to take over every aspect of Hilary’s life,” spat a source close to the family. “Which included a campaign to create doubt in her mother’s representation of her in order to isolate and estrange her from her mother.”

The suit filed in Manhattan Federal Court in 2014 claims that Marianne, who has managed her daughter’s career since she was 15, “improperly seized — and then abused — enormous power over Hilary’s finances.”

Marianne alleges in her own court papers that Avery— who married Hilary(pictured with him) this past October — squeezed Marianne out to replace her as Hilary’s manager with his own advisors.

“Allegations against Marianne are unsupported and are the predictable mudslinging by Avery to discredit (her),” claimed the source.

The source said the one-time manager outright denies the allegation that she stole $1 million from her daughter.

The insider says that the million dollar wire transfer from her account described in the court filing was “proven to be two transactions of $600,000 and $400,000 that were transferred into another corporate account owned by Hilary.” The source claims the money was never transferred to Marianne.

Marianne’s court filings also deny her daughter’s claims that she forged her daughter’s signature to move funds and diverted “substantial” funds for her own retirement.

Calling the claims “ludicrous,” the source said, “This was a two-person retirement plan of which Hilary was a plan participant which created a sizable retirement for her and she was well aware of it from the start.”

Marianne has filed a countersuit.

Reached by Confidenti@l for comment, Marianne said: “It’s extremely sad when someone works so hard to come between a mother and a daughter and then decides to make it into a public matter. This is not a true and accurate story being told, and it’s a shame that such lies can be written in a lawsuit and the press picks it up as if it is truth.”

The model’s lawyer, John Rosenberg, said: “Hilary prefers to address these matter in the court proceedings rather than in the media accordingly she will have no comment other than to state that she made every effort to resolve these privately with her mother, that her mother was unwilling to do so and that regretably she was left with no choice but to obtain relief through the courts.”

Reps for Avery declined to comment.


With Daily News

5 Surefire Signs That You're Promotable

It’s the end of the year already, and it isn’t too late to show your boss that you’re worthy of a promotion. Maybe you’ve been holding down the same position for a few years and are ready to move up. Maybe your company is going through some internal shuffling and you’re expecting your dream job to open up. Or, maybe you’ve been disappointed a few too many times by other people getting promoted ahead of you.

Whatever the reason, you want to make certain now that you’re ready to move up. In other words, you need to make certain that your boss sees it that way.

Anthony Greenwald at the University of Washington has studied bias more than just about anyone, and his research findings have major implications for your ability to get promoted. His recent studies showed that unconscious workplace biases tend to stay constant, and bosses follow these biases, whether they are aware of them or not.

“People are claiming that they can train away biases,” Greenwald says, “[They’re] making those claims without evidence.”

When it comes to getting promoted, you want to present yourself in a way that feeds into the biases that bosses’ have about what makes someone promotable. You’re already doing the hard work, so why not frame your effort in such a way that it increases your chances of obtaining the position you want?

While this probably sounds a bit manipulative, there are several straightforward things that you can do to showcase your work and make certain that you’re promotable. The following five actions will appeal to your boss’s inherent biases about promotability, without you being disingenuous.

1. You stretch your boundaries

Anybody (well, almost anybody) can do what they’re told. To get promoted, you have to go above and beyond. Taking on additional responsibilities without being asked is not only a great way to demonstrate your work ethic, energy, and skills, but it also lets your boss know that you’re ready (and able) to expand your scope. When you take on more than the norm, your boss can’t help but think that you’re capable of a bigger role. This includes showing that you’re willing to take risks by making innovative suggestions.

2. You aren’t too irreplaceable

Most people fail at this. Of course, performing at your highest level regardless of the position you’re in is always the best idea. The key here is not to be seen as the only person capable of performing the necessary duties in the position that you want to move on from. If you do, your boss will conclude that promoting you isn’t worth the trouble (and risk) of finding someone to replace you. The best way to find a balance between doing your best and showing that you’re ready for more is by developing other people. As tempting as it is to hoard knowledge, don’t. Instead, make certain that there are others who know how to do important aspects of your job. Plus, teaching is a critical leadership skill. So, in addition to alleviating concerns about finding your replacement, you’ll demonstrate that you can handle the responsibility that comes with a more advanced position.

3. You demonstrate emotional intelligence (EQ)

You might be able to get away with being a temperamental genius in entry-level positions, but you’ll never move past that without emotional intelligence. If you’re the type who’s prone to temper tantrums when things don’t go your way; losing your cool when people cross you; storming out of rooms, yelling; or going silent during conflict, you’re signaling to your boss that you don’t want a promotion. No boss wants to be known as the guy or gal who promoted a short-fused person. Once you’re promoted, your behavior is a reflection of the judgment of the person who promoted you. Show your boss that you have enough self-awareness to acknowledge your weaknesses and to work to improve them. This will prove you’re capable. Emotional self-control is the result of hard work, not an inherent skill.

4. You speak the company’s language

Bosses appreciate vision more than anything. They love it when you see what could be useful to the company over the long term and tell them about it in language they understand. As you move up in any company, your choice of language becomes increasingly important. It’s no longer enough to simply be an expert at what you do; you have to demonstrate that you understand how the work you do serves the business. That means learning the vocabulary of the executive team and your boss. Whether that’s KPIs, EBITA, profit margin, market share, failure rate, or what have you, know what the terms mean and why they’re important so that you can use them correctly when speaking with upper management. Speaking the right language will not only show that you’re interested in more than your current role, but it will also demonstrate your intelligence and fit within the company.

5. You aren’t afraid to ask for it

Not everybody wants to be promoted; some people are perfectly happy doing the same job for years on end. If you don’t tell your boss otherwise, he or she may assume that you’re one of them. When the time comes to show up in your boss’s office and say, “I’m interested in a promotion,” it’s important that you have something specific in mind—if not a specific job title, then at least a clear idea of what the responsibilities might include and how this ties in to your career goals. And, if the job requires skills you don’t have yet, outline your plan for acquiring them.

Bringing It All Together

You may not get the promotion you’re aiming for. If that happens, ask for feedback, but stay away from sour-grapes questions like “Why did you pick him and not me?” In fact, don’t speak about the person who got the promotion at all. Instead, ask which of the critical skills you lack and what you need to do to be ready for the next opportunity. Don’t argue; just listen, and ask thoughtful follow-up questions. Just make certain you follow through on the suggestions you’re given. If your boss suggests some things you can do to become more promotable and you don’t follow through, don’t expect to be considered the next time around.

Promotions don’t just happen, and they’re not a guaranteed result of high performance. That’s because you don’t get promoted as a reward for what you’ve already done. You get promoted because your boss thinks you have the potential to add more value in a larger role.

What have you done to demonstrate your readiness for a promotion? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

President Buhari orders investigation into the kidnap of 219 Chibok girls.

According to a report released and signed  by Garba Shehu,Senior Special Assistant to the President, said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved an investigation into the theft of the 219 girls from Government Secondary in Chibok, Borno State.

The panel to investigate the incident which happened in April 2014 is soon to be named by the National Security Adviser, NSA, General Babagana Munguno.

The president spokeman "said investigation will seek to, among other things, unravel the remote and immediate circumstances leading the kidnap of the girls by Boko Haram terrorists as well the other  events, actions and inactions that followed the incident".

This came to light just as the President, in Abuja, assured parents of the Chibok girls that  he has been doing his best and will continue to do everything possible ​to ​rescue them and re-unite them with their families.

The President said it while speaking at a meeting attended by some parents of the abducted girls, representatives of the Chibok community and members of the Bring Back Our Girls movement at the Conference Hall of the State House, President Buhari said that he remained fully committed to his pledge to do all within his powers to save the girls.

"I assure you that I go to bed and wake up every day with  the Chibok girls on my mind.

"The unfortunate incident happened before this government came into being.

"What have we done since we assumed office? We re-organized the military, removed all the service chiefs and ordered the succeeding service chiefs to deal decisively with the Boko Haram insurgency.

"In spite of the terrible economic condition we found ourselves in, we tried to get some resources to give to the military to reorganize and  equip, retrain, deploy more troops and move more forcefully against Boko Haram.  

"And you all know the progress we have made. When we came in Boko Haram was in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. Boko Haram has now been reduced to areas around Lake Chad. 

"Securing the Chibok girls is my responsibility. The service chiefs and heads of our security agencies will tell you that in spite of the dire financial straits that we  found the country in, I continue to do my best to support their efforts in that regard.

"This is a Nigeria where we were exporting average of two million barrels per day at over 140 dollars per barrel. Now it is down to about 27 to 30 dollars. 

"You have been reading in the press how they took public funds, our funds, your funds and shared it, instead of buying weapons. That was the kind of leadership I succeeded. That was the kind of economy I inherited. 

"God knows I have done my best and I will continue to do my best," President Buhari said.

The President was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd).

In his remarks, the Chief of Defence staff told the meeting that in the last three months the military has liberated more than 3000 people kidnapped by Boko Haram in the North eastern part of the country. 

He said that the military had the ability to  rescue the Chibok girls, but added that 

"intelligence is delicate and we don’t want to do ​ anything to jeopardize the lives of the girls." 

Edo guber: I Can't Stand On The Fence Over The Choice Of My Successor – Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State

Daily Post, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has explained that there is no way he can stand on the fence over the choice of his successor in the 2016 governorship election in the state. He, however, assured that the All Progressives Congress, APC, would create a level playground for all aspirants at the forthcoming party’s primaries.

The Governor may have spoken in response to widespread rumour that he is fully in support of the candidacy of Godwin Obaseki as his successor and arm-twisting party members to support his preferred aspirant ahead of the primaries.

He, however, denied the insinuation that he is going to impose the chairman of Edo State Economic Team, Mr Obaseki, on the party but added that he is entitled to exercise his fundamental human right like every other member of the party.

Oshiomhole spoke yesterday at an enlarged meeting with the APC leaders from the three senatorial districts of the state where he noted that politicking is all about contestation and negotiation.

His words, “The governorship candidate of this party will be produced through primaries. The last elections in Edo State we had primaries in each of the election. They were state in part of this Country (South/South) were candidate were imposed and heaven didn’t fall.”