Sunday, May 28, 2017
Here's all the details! Davido is currently with his crew in Accra, Ghana, where he performed at a wedding on Saturday. He met a new girl there, who followed him back to his hotel room. This apparently didn't go down well with his Atlanta based babymama, Amanda, who then threw shade saying "Got a good girl...but hoes is his choice".



If you recall, Davido's Nigerian based babymama, Sophia Momodu, was criticized by a troll a few days ago for showing off as she spent time with the singer and their daughter after they went out for an Ice cream treat.

 
Now 'Hoes' is plural and definitely means one than one person. Sophia (pictured below) also caught the shade thrown at Davido's new Ghanaian fling and responded. See her warning to Amanda, below

Saturday, May 27, 2017
A man, Raymond Benson has been arrested and charged before a Lagos Court for allegedly luring his female Facebook lover, Temitope Ibrahim to an hotel and later dispossessed her of her properties after engaging her in a marathon sex.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the incident happened in a popular hotel located at Governor Road in Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos where Benson resides.

Our correspondent gathered that Benson met Temitope through Facebook chatting and they became friends after which he invited her to his base for a drink up.

Raymond then took Temitope to an hotel where they lodged and engaged in a sex romp through the night.

In the morning while Temitope was still sleeping because of the romp, Benson reportedly stole her bag containing phone and cash worth N150,000 and escaped.

When she woke up, she could not find neither her properties nor Benson, her host.

She was stranded and later went to the police Station at Ikotun division to report of the incident.

Benson was trailed and eventually arrested and detained at the Station.

During interrogation, he admitted stealing her phone but didn’t take any money as the victim claimed.

Benson who hails from Imo State was later charged to court with felony and stealing under the Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs J.O.E Adeyemi granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Benson was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail.

The matter was adjourned till 11 July 2017.

Saturday, May 27, 2017
Aaron Ramsey scored 12 minutes from time to win the FA Cup final for Arsenal in a pulsating 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday.

In a lively battle between north and west London at Wembley, Chelsea - who trailed 1-0 to Alexis Sanchez's controversial opener - looked down and out when Victor Moses was sent off on 68 minutes for picking up a second yellow card for diving.

However, Diego Costa sensationally levelled for the 10 men on 77 minutes, only for Ramsey to hit an instant reply for the Gunners just 60 seconds later after a wonderful cross from substitute Olivier Giroud.

The victory ends a disappointing league season on a high for Arsene Wenger, who has now won the FA Cup a record seven times as Arsenal boss - although he is yet to announce whether he is staying on as manager next season.

All the pre-match talk surrounding this clash revolved around Arsenal's injury issues at the heart of their defence.

With Laurent Koscielny suspended and Gabriel and Shkodran Mustafi missing out through injury, Wenger had to field a makeshift back three of Per Mertesacker, who was making his first start in 13 months, alongside Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal.

Sanchez is mobbed by his team-mates after his early opener
Sanchez is mobbed by his team-mates after his early opener
It was thought that Chelsea would pressurise the Gunners backline early on - but it was Arsenal that looked the more eager to force the running and they were in front inside four minutes, albeit in controversial circumstances.

David Luiz's clearance was blocked by Sanchez, who used his hands to divert the ball into his path. The Chilean then tried to knock the ball into the path of Ramsey, but he was in an offside position.

With the Chelsea players appealing for handball and offside, Sanchez carried on his run and got there ahead of Ramsey before sliding an effort past Thibaut Courtois. The linesman had flagged for offside but referee Anthony Taylor overruled his assistant after a 30-second deliberation and Arsenal's players celebrated wildly.

Chelsea looked shell-shocked and very leggy as Arsenal swarmed around them at every opportunity.

The Gunners were afforded considerable space in the final third, with Danny Welbeck's movement causing Gary Cahill and David Luiz untold amounts of problems. Mesut Ozil took advantage of the huge gaps in the Chelsea backline on 16 minutes but his chipped effort was back-heeled off the line by Cahill.

The Arsenal pressure was relentless, but they could not find the second goal their dominance deserved. Ozil's corner was headed onto the post by Welbeck on 19 minutes and somehow Ramsey amazingly followed suit from three yards out - although the angle was tight.

Chelsea continued to live dangerously and Welbeck sprinted in behind on the half-hour, and his effort from a tight angle beat Courtois but not Cahill, who scrambled it off the line.

The final whistle brought huge cheers from the Arsenal end and a double fist pump from Wenger.

Arsenal end a problematic season on a high.

Saturday, May 27, 2017
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai as a liar whose penchant for lying has even been confirmed by his former boss and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Jonathan said this while reacting to a statement made by El-Rufai  at the end of the national economic council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, where he, El-Rufai alleged that Jonathan was partial in the disbursement of the ecological fund while he was in office.
“What President Goodluck Jonathan did was to take N2 billion each from the ecological fund and gave to some PDP states. Any PDP state that was not his friend, like Kano and Kwara, didn’t get,”El-Rufai had told state house correspondents.  Dismissing El-Rufai's claims, Jonathan in a statement signed by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said there is no truth in El-Rufai's claims.  “That Malam Nasir El-Rufai governor of Kaduna state has an incurable knack for lying has been proven by his own boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo who described el-Rufai in his book-My Watch Volume 2 as follows: ‘Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? He is brilliant and smart. 
I grant him that also. Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent and brilliance. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai. He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues and so-called friends. 
I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I heard the story of what he did to his half-brother in the air force who is senior to him in age. With such a description, we are not surprised at his recent comments after the just concluded national economic council meeting where he accused former President Jonathan of only sharing the national ecological fund to PDP states. It is so easy to expose Malam Nasir El-Rufai as a liar being that Akwa-Ibom, a PDP state governed by the then chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and a close confidante and major supporter of the then president, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, did not get the monies alluded to by Malam El-Rufai from the ecological fund as did multiple other PDP states including Ekiti state, a state governed by a thoroughbred patriot and Jonathan supporter, Ayo Fayose. Also, it is false that non-PDP states did not get monies from the fund. Nemesis catches up faster with liars than any other agent of evil.  El-Rufai was probably led by the gods against his own sinister plot to confess in another breath that states under non-PDP parties like APGA and Labour party also benefitted. 
The fact remains that the ecological fund is a specialised fund with certain constitutional requirements which must be met before a state can access the funds. Every state benefitted from the fund under President Jonathan who bent over backwards to accommodate states that had difficulty meeting the criteria for accessing the fund. El-Rufai’s sinister narrative was intentionally silent on the over N10 billion specially deployed to fund the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in some northern states, in view of the need to work with the rest of Africa on the African initiative to check desert encroachment in the Sahelian states. These states included Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Adamawa. Others are Yobe, Borno and Kano which belong to Mallam el-Rufai’s class of ‘non-friendly’ states that he alleged never benefitted from any discretionary fund. Similar principle applies to the conditions for accessing the Universal basic Education fund where some states have not had access to what is due them, because they are yet to fulfill the mandatory criteria for allocation. Would it then be right in the name of el-Rufai’s position on equity to blame the failure of those states to access their UBEC funds on Jonathan? Nigerians may recall that this is not the first time that el-Rufai has vented his known passion for lying against the former President.  
The public will recall that in October 2015 he falsely alleged that former President Jonathan spent a whopping N64 billion on Independence Day celebrations, during his tenure when in fact only N333 million was spent. Nigerians may also recall that this same El-Rufai falsely accused former President Jonathan and former CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of founding and funding Boko Haram to the tune of N50 billion.”

Friday, May 26, 2017
There is anger at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Lagos State, after the Presiding Chaplain, Venerable Femi Taiwo, was sacked by the Governing Council allegedly on the order of the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Taiwo got the sack on Monday, May 15, without any query or official reason stated in the sack letter.

He was said to have been ordered out of his official quarters where he lived with his wife and two children within 24 hours of receiving the letter.

Despite pleadings from church leaders and other reputable elders in the church, the government was said to have insisted that the cleric must leave the church.

Some church members reportedly contributed money to buy gas cooker, and other household items for the family as they vacated the vicarage.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that Taiwo had angered the Governor’s wife, Bolanle Ambode, who had visited the chapel on Sunday, May 14, when the church held an anointing service.


The church is under the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs, while the Office of the Lagos State First Lady supervises church.

Church members were said to have filed out to receive anointing oil during the May 14 service without any preference given to Bolanle, who waited endlessly with her entourage.

She was said to have later moved to be anointed and moments later, stormed out of the church, as some of the women leaders ran after her.

Bolanle, who was reported to be visibly angry, allegedly shunned entreaties from the women, which included the wife of the presiding chaplain.

The cleric got the sack the following day.

The directive was issued in a letter dated, May 15, 2017, and signed by the Chairman, Governing Council of CCTL, Mr. Olugbenga Solomon. The letter also ordered the Assistant Chaplain, Very Rev. Ayo Oyadotun, to take over with immediate effect.

A church member, who witnessed the drama and begged not to be identified, said , “The church had declared seven-day fasting after we lost two prominent members.


“The Sunday service, which was declared as anointing service, was supposed to end the fasting.

“The First Lady, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, was present with her entourage. She comes to the church once in a while.

“When it was time to be anointed, the cleric asked people to come forward, adding that it was optional. Three people stood at the stage to anoint people. They included the chaplain, the presiding chaplain and one other person.

“People started stepping out one after another. The governor’s wife, after some time, also stepped out and was anointed.”

The source said within a few minutes of taking the oil, Bolanle, who felt disrespected, stepped out with her entourage.

Another member of the church said, “As she stepped out, it was obvious that she was angry.

“The president of the women’s fellowship and the pastor’s wife ran after her. She shunned them, entered her car and zoomed off.


“When we came to the church on Tuesday, we heard that Venerable Taiwo had been sacked. We were told that he was sacked because the the governor’s wife didn’t get the anointing oil first and she felt disrespected.

“The man that signed the letter is also a civil servant,” the source said.

The governing council is said to be made up of members of the church and some appointees of the government.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Taiwo still had two years to spend as the presiding chaplain when he was fired.

The source said some church members quickly bought household items for his family as they vacated the church premises on Thursday.

He said, “The children went to school on Thursday without knowing that they would not be staying in the vicarage that evening. Church members bought bed and other household items for them because they did not have their own property.

“The members said their pastor did not offend them, and protested the sacking. The governing council members, however, said they should forget it because whatever came from Alausa was final. Most of the church members are civil servants who can’t talk too much.”

Our correspondent reached out to leaders of the church, including Oyadotun, who refused to comment.

However, one of those that confirmed the incident, begged not to be named.

He said the reason Taiwo got the sack was not stated in the letter, adding that the action was not unconnected from the visit of the wife of the governor.

He said, “Let me be straight with you, in the letter there was no reason for the sack. Whatever you are hearing are what members of the church believed could have happened. And there was indeed a protest by the church and the governing council assuaged them on the sacking.

“There was nothing official in that sacking. No investigation, no query, nothing. We had an anointing service on that Sunday. The following day, the venerable was served the sack letter.”

When PUNCH Metro reached out to Taiwo, he said he did not want to comment.

He said, “If you have any enquiry, direct it to the church. But one thing I can say is that I have tried as a pastor to live above board. It will not be right engaging the church or the government on the pages of a newspaper.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said, “The former chaplain had been queried a number of times in the past for conducts unbecoming of his office. The culmination of various indiscretions led to the Governing Council of the church issuing yet another query that led to his being relieved of his post.

“This has got nothing to do with the First Lady. The Chaplain is looking for an excuse to cover his insouciance. It’s nothing but cheap blackmail.”

Friday, May 26, 2017

 

The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 29 as Public Holiday to celebrate the 2017 Democracy Day. A statement from the office of the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day and assuring “Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts towards guaranteeing security, revitalizing the economy and tackling corruption, which are the three main focused areas of this administration.


While a lot has been achieved in the area of security, particularly in the northeast, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown tremendous improvement of the country’s GDP. No doubt the nation is closer to getting out of recession, particularly with the recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which seeks to revitalize the nation’s economy soonest.

With the recently signed Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business, we have opened our doors wider for both domestic and foreign investors”.

Thursday, May 25, 2017
The Queen has visited Manchester to meet staff, victims and families of those involved in this week's attack in the city.

At Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Her Majesty met nursing staff, paediatric doctors and surgeons and thanked them for their work over the last few days.

During the visit, The Queen spoke to a number of the victims and their families, including Millie Robson, aged 15, from County Durham, Evie Mills, aged 14, from Harrogate, and 12 year old Amy Barlow, from Rawtenstall.

Earlier this week, The Queen sent a message following the attack on Monday evening.
"The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert," she said. 

I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured.
I want to thank all the members of the emergency services, who have responded with such professionalism and care.
 
And I would like to express my admiration for the way the people of Manchester have responded, with humanity and compassion, to this act of barbarity.

Thursday, May 25, 2017
A beautician, identified only as Oby, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly beating her maid, Miracle, to death on Lateef Aregbe Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota, in the Isolo area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the mother of two had descended on the eight-year-old on Saturday and beaten her till she collapsed and gave up the ghost.

She was allegedly plotting with some persons to dispose of the corpse when some neighbours raised the alarm and reported the case to the police.

The suspect was subsequently detained at the Isolo Police Division.

A resident of the area, who did not want to be identified, said the suspect had been beating Miracle for months.

He explained that anytime Oby, who hailed from Anambra State, was confronted by neighbours, she would shun and insult them.

He said, “She is a beautician and has two children and she is heavily pregnant with her third child. Her husband was deported from Libya before he travelled again to Angola, where he is now based.

“She brought the victim and another girl by name Chinacherem, from their village in Anambra State some years ago. They were formerly going to school before she stopped them.

“However, anytime I visit their house, she was always beating this particular girl. Whenever people intervened, she would tell them to go away because she brought the girl from the village and it was none of their business.

“She usually maltreated the two girls and would wake them up as early as 4.30am to start working. She beat them for the least provocation.

“Early Saturday, she descended on Miracle again and beat her till she gave up. She called some people to help her in disposing of her corpse. They were about taking the body out when people challenged them. The people she brought quickly ran away.”

The police from the Isolo division were said to have arrested the suspect.

PUNCH Metro was told that the case was also reported to officials of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender.

An official of the agency, who did not want to be identified, said 12-year-old Chinacherem had been taken away from the community by some family members who didn’t want her to testify against the suspect.

She said, “We gathered that Oby told Chinacherem that when she is queried, she should tell people that she (Chinacherem) and the victim fought and she collapsed and died. After the girl told the crowd that, she quickly added that it was what her madam asked her to say.

“But the woman has confessed to the police that she killed the girl. When we went to the station, we were prevented from talking to her, but they confirmed it was a case of homicide. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.”

The Director of OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, called for an end to child abuse in Lagos State, urging residents to quickly report such cases before it was too late.

She said the agency would follow the case to ensure justice was served.

She said, “The girl’s life could have been saved if people raised the alarm early enough and that is why we always say if you see something, say something. There is no room for child abuse in Lagos State and we will ensure due diligence is done in this matter.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the incident, adding that the victim’s corpse had been deposited in the Isolo General Hospital for autopsy.

He said, “The suspect, Obiageli, beat her housemaid, Miracle Edegwu, to death. She was arrested and transferred to the SCIID. The matter is under investigation.”

Thursday, May 25, 2017
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to apply for the final forfeiture of choice properties allegedly owned by former First Lady Patience Jonathan.

But the commission has been having difficulty in getting the original titles of the assets. They include Aridolf Resort, Wellness and Spa and eight others.

The anti-graft commission may ask the court to compel the agencies with the titles in Bayelsa and Rivers states to release them.

The assets in Bayelsa are two marble duplexes at Otioko GRA by Isaac Boro Expressway; a Glass House on Sani Abacha Expressway; Akemfa Etie Plaza by AP filling Station, Melford Okilo Road; and Aridolf Resort, Wellness and Spa on Sani Abacha Expressway.

Others in Port Harcourt are former Customs Service Officers Mess; two duplexes at 2/3, Bauchi Street; landed property with blocks at Ambowei Street; 3 Luxury apartments of four-bedroom each at Ambowei Street; and Grand View Hotel on Airport Road.

The EFCC might consider non-conviction options to recover suspicious assets allegedly traced to the ex-First Lady, it was learnt.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Investigations into the assets traced to the ex-First Lady have been completed. What is left is retrieving the land titles of these suspicious assets. But some land registries are not cooperating with us.

”We cannot allow these assets to continue to deteriorate. Very soon, we will apply for the final forfeiture of the affected assets – in line with our mandate. We will apply to the court for the final forfeiture of the assets to give room for those who owned the properties to come forward. We want to put the assets into public use like we have done in some cases of those implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals.

Responding to a question, the source said: “ Acting on orders from above, some officers in the Ministry of Lands in Rivers State have been blocking EFCC’s access to vital documents.

“If they continue, we will take action against such officers for obstructing this agency from doing its work.

“We have made them to realise that by virtue of Section 7 of the EFCC Act , these officers are expected to cooperate with us.”

Section 7 of the EFCC Act states: “The commission has power to (a) cause any investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organisation has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes.

“(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”

It was learnt that the ex-First Lady had not been interrogated in line with a deal brokered by the Abdulsalami Abubakar Peace Committee.

Another source said: “Part of the deal was that any loot or suspicious asset traced to the former first family might be mutually discussed and quietly returned.

“But the deal went awry when the ex-First Lady decided to approach the court to seek the enforcement of her fundamental human rights and to challenge the freezing of her accounts.”

Thursday, May 25, 2017
An agent of NairaBet, a sports betting platform, has ended his life over his inability to pay a customer who allegedly won a N600,000 bet.

PUNCH Metro learnt that residents of Obadeyi Ajala woke up on Wednesday to find the deceased dangling from a rope in an uncompleted shop at Ajala bus stop, on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

The incident was said to have drawn a crowd to the area and a girlfriend of the deceased, who reportedly worked in a filling station in the area, was alerted.

The lady reportedly passed out on sighting the body, but was revived by the sympathisers at the scene.

A resident, Monday Gabriel, told our correspondent on the telephone that the lady gave an account of what could have prompted him to commit suicide.

He said, “I was going to my workplace around 8am when I saw people around three uncompleted shops in Ajala bus stop. On getting there, I saw the corpse of a young man in one of the shops dangling from a rope.


“As we wondered what could have made him to kill himself, a lady, who later identified herself as his girlfriend, arrived at the scene and fainted on sighting the corpse. We poured water on her.

“When she regained consciousness, she told us that the man sent her a text message yesterday (Tuesday), saying he wanted to commit suicide. She said she called his line, but he didn’t pick his calls.

“According to the girlfriend, the late man had a NairaBet shop. One of the customers won N600,000, but he has not paid him.”

Gabriel added that two persons later came and took the lady away from the scene on a motorcycle.

Another eyewitness, Olanrewaju Adebiyi, said policemen from the Ijaiye division came to remove the corpse.

He said, “I learnt he ran a NairaBet shop. If it is true that he was owing a customer N600,000, he must have received the money from the NairaBet management and used it for something else. I also play NairaBet and whenever I win, the agent I patronise pays me the moment the company credits his account.


“The company doesn’t owe the agents, but some of them play smart at times when customers win big money.”

An official of NairaBet Contact Centre, who gave her name only as Chidika, told our correspondent on the telephone that the firm always paid for any won ticket, adding that it was not aware of the incident.

She said, “We always pay for any won ticket. An agent has his own personal business. He/she is just a partner with NairaBet in which we share commission on a monthly or weekly basis. So, it depends on the understanding he had with the customer or the issue on the ground before he committed suicide.”


The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous Cole, confirmed that the case was reported to the police.

“The incident was reported. I will get back to you with more details later,” he said.

Thursday, May 25, 2017
Manchester United lifted the Europa League trophy after an emotional 2-0 victory over Ajax on Wednesday night in Stockholm.
Paul Pogba's deflected strike in the 18th minute and Henrikh Mkhitaryan's close-range goal (48) secured United's second trophy of the season and a result which may offer some joy to the city of Manchester following a devastating week.

Victory also earns the club a place in next season's Champions League group stage and justifies the decision of manager Jose Mourinho to prioritise this competition in recent months.

The celebrations of the fans and players at the full-time whistle were, however, tempered by thoughts of the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena on Monday evening, which prompted heightened security at the Friends Arena and a sombre build-up to the showpiece match.

Many supporters carried signs in tribute to the victims of the tragedy and there were chants of 'Manchester, Manchester' following a period of silence ahead of kick-off.

Pogba, who was playing less than two weeks after the death of his father, almost rewarded those travelling supporters inside the first minute, but shot narrowly wide from distance.

But the world's most expensive player only had to wait until the 18th minute for the breakthrough, which followed a terrible throw-in from Jairo Riedewald, presenting the ball to Juan Mata in a dangerous area.
The ball was worked to Pogba, via Marouane Fellaini, and the Frenchman's 20-yard shot took a wicked deflection off the knee of Davinson Sanchez giving wrong-footed goalkeeper Andre Onana no chance of keeping it out.

It was a cruel moment for Ajax, but the goal was a just reward for a dominant, controlled first-half display from United and they might have doubled their advantage when captain Antonio Valencia's fine run and shot from a tight angle forced Onana to beat the ball away.
But the second goal arrived just three minutes into the second half and it came from another of Mourinho's summer signings following a Mata corner.

Chris Smalling nodded the ball down for Mkhitaryan inside the six-yard box and the Armenian leapt to hook the ball past Onana, sparking vigorous celebrations and more 'Manchester' chants.

The goal was a bitter blow for an Ajax team with an average age of just over 22 who rarely threatened Sergio Romero - and things might have gotten worse when Fellaini headed Pogba's cross straight at the goalkeeper or when substitute Jesse Lingard was denied by a last-ditch Sanchez tackle in the closing minutes.

Club captain Wayne Rooney was introduced from the bench in the 89th minute for what might prove to be a farewell appearance, as United held on to add the Europa League to the EFL Cup they won in February and ensure there will be five Premier League teams playing in the Champions League next season.

The success means they become the fifth club in history to have won all three major European trophies, but more importantly, could bring a smile to some supporters in a heartbreaking week for their city.

Sunday, May 21, 2017
Arsene Wenger says it's "very sad" to miss out on the Champions League for the first time in his Arsenal career, and admitted that the uncertainty around his future was partly responsible for the failed Premier League campaign.

Wenger said the psychological environment for his players was "absolutely horrendous" in recent months, but defended owner Stan Kroenke after large sections of the Emirates on Sunday called on the majority owner to "get out of our club."

Arsenal finished fifth despite beating Everton 3-1 on the final day of the league season, the first time they have finished outside the top four since Wenger took charge of the club in 1996. The Gunners were a point behind fourth-place Liverpool, who beat Middlesbrough 3-0.

Wenger, who has yet to announce whether he's staying at the club after facing increased calls from fans to step down, acknowledged that his personal situation was part of the reason for coming up short.


"It's very sad [to not be in the Champions League]. Because for 20 years we were in it," Wenger told a press conference. "It's very strange because with 75 points we are one point short. And of course you can look everywhere for where we dropped this point.

"Overall I believe that we played since January in a very difficult environment for different reasons. Some obviously that you have known about, and that is very difficult for a group of players to cope with that. And some other reasons that I will talk about another day.

"But the psychological environment for that group of players was absolutely horrendous and I'm very proud of what they have done, the way they responded and finished the season."

Arsenal fans staged protests outside the Emirates before several home games in the last couple of months of the season, while airplanes with a "Wenger out" banner flew over the stadium for two away games. Nearly 20,000 fans also stayed away from Tuesday's home game against Sunderland to show their displeasure with the team's results.

"It has been difficult yes. Certainly my personal situation has contributed to that," Wenger said. "You have been at the games, and you cannot say that the environment for the group of players was especially positive."

Wenger refused to elaborate on why his own future wasn't sorted out sooner, saying "I will give you an answer one day, but not today

Sunday, May 21, 2017
Facebook user, Mary Irabo Peipeiraye, took to her page to call out a Port Harcourt based Lebanese man, Ahamd Nasr, who called her a slave and monkey just because she turned him down. Posting screenshots of their Whatsapp messages, Mary wrote;
"This white stunk devil ( Ahmad Nasr) called me a Slave and a Monkey but he has the guts to feed from my country.If I don't gain anything from this country atleast I deserve some RESPECT as a woman." Continue to see their conversation on Whatsapp

Saturday, May 20, 2017
Richard Nyong, the MD of Lekki Gardens, who was arrested by the Lagos State Government, after five-storey building under construction on Kushenla Road, Ikate Elegushi, Lekki collapsed, has been called out by his former staff, Ebiere, who claimed that he impregnated her and abandoned their son.

Here's what the lady wrote;

"I won't stops until am heard. he is ur son an am challenging u to a DNA U need to take reponsibility @ vangard lagos". (Sic)

Source

Saturday, May 20, 2017
As a way to immortalise and honour the memory of the State’s first governor, the Kwara State University has been named after the late Senator Olusola Saraki.

The Kwara State government has renamed its university after the late strongman of Kwara politics, Olusola Saraki.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, made the announcement in Ilorin at the inauguration of the Sola Saraki Educational Foundation on Friday, May 19, 2017.

Ahmed, who declared that the Kwara State University, KWASU, would henceforth be called Sola Saraki University, explained that renaming the university was a better way of immortalising the late politician.

He said the late Waziri of Ilorin, had immense love for education as evident in his contributions to the building of several primary and secondary schools across the state.

The governor called on individuals and corporate bodies to invest in education as a way of securing the future of the children and donated N15 million for the takeoff of the foundation.

Sola Saraki was the father of Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate president.‎ He was born on May 13, 1933 in Ilorin, Kwara State, he was until his death regarded as the “strongman of Kwara politics”. He first ran in the 1964 parliamentary election for Ilorin as an independent candidate but lost.

After the election, he returned to medical practice in Lagos, only returning to party-politics in 1978/79.
In 1977, Mr. Saraki was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution.

Saturday, May 20, 2017
Despite the heavy downpour in Lagos today, the Eyo Festival was held at the Tafawa Balawe Square and it turned out to be colourful.

The festival was part of activities to mark the state's 50th anniversary and the Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode was present alongside the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, Oba Saheed Elegushi and several others.
 


Friday, May 19, 2017
The burial arrangement of recently deceased Yoruba actress, Moji Olaiya is causing an unexpected rift within the family.

The late actress was a practising Muslim who converted from Christianity as an adult, and certain members of her family are suggesting that she be interred today according to Muslim rites.

However, her 20-year-old daughter, Adun is having none of that and insists that her mother’s corpse be brought back for burial in Nigeria.

Although family members ushered her into a secluded room to calm her down, the grieving young lady kept repeating that she wants to see her mother.

‘She must be brought back,’ Adun said. ‘I don’t care what anybody says, I just want my mother’s body’.
It could, however, be difficult to bury her the same day as internments are costly in developed countries.

In Canada where she died, funeral costs can rise as high as $15,000. Flying her body back on the other hand could cost around half that figure.


Friday, May 19, 2017
A student of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Damilola Adegoke has reportedly committed suicide by drinking "sniper". Details are still sketchy but it was gathered that on Tuesday, Damilola's mum came back home to find her daughter lying on the floor with an insecticide.

Friends of the deceased have expressed shock over her sudden death on facebook.

One wrote; "No matter the circumstances, worries, troubles, disaster never look down on your self and always pray hard. It's a pity this tight friend of mine Damilola Adegoke took snipper yesterday and gave up the ghost after uploading her pics on fb. May her soul rest in peace".

Another friend, Damilola Ayanwanle said; "No amount of problem worth taking your own life , she was hardworking and highly dedicated but only her knows her personal pains and challenges, maybe she shared and you and I couldnt help her out ........ in fact nothing justify eating a poison, well farewell Damilola Adegoke we will remember you forever".

RIP



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