Controversy is over- RVP is a Man United Player-

  I know the words of our elders are always true but some times painful.
Good things are to some people bad thing. What makes others smile may make others cry. Who is crying and who is smiling in this case. Be punctual and not abusive in your comments.
Share your sentiments.

Batch 22 Of Nigerian Navy Basic Training School Out- We are ready for the training

successful candidates for the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) Batch 22.

The under-listed candidates were successful in the 2012 Nigerian Navy Recruitment Exercise conducted nationwide.

The successful candidates are to report for training at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) Onne, Port Harcourt as follows:


NNBTS Batch 22: 4th January 2013.
Click on the link below to view.


http://service.nigeriannavy.gov.ng/NNBTSShortlistedList/NNBTS%20BATCH%2022/R1.htm

"If God is fake, professor, Your Brain is fake too"- Leave My Class

TAKE TIME TO READ. It's worth reading it. Trust me :)


Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation. And if so, you’ll probably want your friends / colleagues to enjoy the same, won’t you?

Forward this to increase their knowledge … or FAITH.

By the way, that student was EINSTEIN.

Do You Think That She Will Tell Her Husband?

A wife suspected her husband of sleeping
with their maid, so she set a trap for the
husband by sending the maid to the village for weekend without telling her
husband. At night, the husband told his usual story: ''darling,I want to go and watch wrestling match in the sitting room.'' He left and d wife silently went to the maid's room lying on the bed naked with no light. He opened the door, joined her on the bed

without wasting time and without a word, he had hot sex with her, after the 5th round she said '' OMG, it is enough, i catch you, so this is
how you have sex with her, but wt me you would do 2 rounds and tell me
you are tired. 5 CRAZY rounds now, and you are still demanding for more"!!! The gate man replied. "'sorry madam, it's мε
Musa, I didn't know your the one.
Your comment and Reactions are needed. Please drop a comment and tell a freind

New Drivers Liscence and plate Numbers

According to the Senate, the cost of standard motor vehicle plate numbers was reduced from N15,000 to N8,400 and driver’s licence from N6,000 to N4,000.

Those of articulated vehicles will now cost N11,200 instead of the N20,000 as stipulated by the FRSC while privileged numbers and fancy or personalised numbers were left as recommended by the FRSC.

However, dealer number plates which cost N30,000 before now was slashed to N16,800.

Consequently, it lifted the suspension on the issuance of the number plates and new driver’s licences, just as it barred the police from conducting another vehicle registration.

The Senate, which adopted all the recommendations of its Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, approved the recommendation that the deadline for compliance with the new scheme be extended from August 2012 to February 2013.

The chairman of the committee, Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, while presenting the report said, "the current suspension on the issuance of the new driver’s licence and vehicle number plates now in its fourth month, resulting in a huge backlog of demands for these items by the motorists will be lifted immediately, taking into account the 30 per cent reduction."

It, therefore, directed the police to "suspend the introduction of Bio-metric Central Motor Registry and the N3, 500 that goes with it as this is an additional burden on vehicle owners which is capable of translating into hike in transport fares for commuters. It is also an unnecessary duplication of the ongoing scheme by the FRSC.

The Problem Of Nigeria at the moment is NOT Boko Haram...!

I know you want to kill me, what is he saying or is he a member of Boko Haram?
Now let me summarize the message.
What is the real Problem at the moment? Boko Haram or Bad Rulers?
'Bad leadership' changes a name in this country, but not like the rulers. I am beginning to think that all these are games- you are either a player or you are played ( in this case Nigerians are being played).
Talk about the Niger delta Militants?  the Massob? Now It is Boko Haram and

It Pays to be Focused. Tell Me what you think...

I am not saying you should not be a cultist but try and graduate and be the person you dreamt of before entering the school.

I see young and great future Nigerians being wasted everyday in pains and agony.
 Tell me what do you think this person will say to his creator?

A Cultist killed in the usual way in one of the campuses...

10 Mistakes Unhappy People Make

A person does not have to be behind bars to be a prisoner.  People can be prisoners of their own concepts, choices and ideas.  So tell the negativity committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up.
When you dream, you better dream big; when you think, you better think big; and when you love, you better love truthfully.  Happiness is a choice.  There are no excuses for not trying to make the very best out of your life.  There are no excuses for living in a way that consistently makes you unhappy.
Here are ten happiness mistakes to avoid:

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,
it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

1. Thinking that you have already missed your chance. – Your life, with all its ups and downs, has molded you for the greater good.  Your life has been exactly what it needed to be.  Don’t think you’ve lost time.  It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the current moment.  And every moment of your life, including this one right now, is a fresh start.  If you have the courage to admit when you’re scared, the ability to laugh even as you cry, the nerve to speak up even if your voice is shaking, the confidence to ask for help when you need it, and the wisdom to take it when it’s offered, then you have everything you need to get yourself to a better place.  Read The Power of Habit.

Nigeria’s Demand For Luxury Gives Rise To The Expansion Of African Pride Hotels

As Nigeria’s economy continues to grow off the back of non-oil and gas resources and more money pours into the country, the demand for luxury is growing steadily and Africa’s largest hospitality group is well placed to move into the country with deluxe African Pride Hotels.
That was the word this week from Protea Hospitality Group CEO Arthur Gillis, discussing why the company

Lawan visits Force Headquarters, where is he hiding the money?

THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) announced yesterday that it has taken a drastic step towards arresting the spate of violence unleashed on parts of the country by Boko Haram.

According to Deputy Force Relations Officer, Frank Mbah, a fresh operation code has been worked out following the attacks on churches in Kaduna and Zaria last Sunday in which scores of people were killed and several others wounded.
Speaking with journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, he said some steps had been taken by the police authority in Abuja to ensure that the calm that returned after the attack on Sunday was not disrupted and as well see that the riot did not spill over to neighbouring states.
“The Inspector-General of Police has mobilised additional conventional and mobile policemen to those who are on 24-hour patrol and he has also beefed security in the neighbouring states to forestall a spill-over to other states. There is surveillance in Kaduna and adjoining states to ensure that it does not spill over”, he said.

10 of the World's Greatest Jobs

Paradise island caretaker

Ben Southall, 34, of Petersfield, beat out nearly 35,000 applicants from around the world for the dream assignment to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, while writing a blog to promote the area. He was selected for the $111,000 gig - a six-month contract to serve as caretaker of a tropical Australian island. He now has to live rent-free in a three-bedroom villa, complete with pool.

Before getting the job he had to spend four days on the island for an extended interview process, which required applicants to snorkel through crystalline waters, gorge themselves at a beachside barbecue and relax at a spa. He also had to demonstrate his blogging abilities, take swimming tests and sit through in-person interviews. (Link)

Luxury bed tester

A student from Birmingham City University has landed her dream job...literally! Sleeping on the job and having a lie-in will no longer be a problem for a girl, who has been selected to test out luxury beds for a month and get paid for it.

Roisin Madigan, 22, is earning £1,000 to sleep in designer beds every day for a month. The student is helping with a "sleep survey" carried out by luxury bed specialists Simon Horn Ltd. The company sells luxury Savoir Beds, originally made for the Savoy Hotel. General manager Craig Roylance said Roisin will not only provide an objective view of the beds on sale, but will also be part of a look into what brings a good night's sleep. She will spend 10am to 6pm in beds in the company's showroom in Edgbaston, and then will blog about her experiences. (Link | Photo)

Resort waterslide tester

Surely the envy of any desk-bound office worker, Tommy Lynch has travelled over 27,000 miles this year for his job, testing holiday resort waterslides. Mr Lynch, 29, works for holiday giant First Choice, checking the height, speed, water quantity and landing of the flumes, as well as all safety aspects. In 2008 Mr Lynch tested waterslides at holiday villages in Lanzarote, Majorca, Egypt, Turkey, Costa Del Sol, Cyprus, Algarve, Dominican Republic and Mexico. This year he will quality control First Choice's new splash resorts in Greece, Turkey, Florida, Jamaica and Ibiza.

Liverpool-born Mr Lynch, whose job title is lifestyle product development manager, was recruited to identify the very best pools to be featured in First Choice's new Splash Resort collection. He also ensures potential new resorts are up to the company's standard. (Link)

Professional prostitute tester

Jaime Rascone is no different than the rest of us in that the erstwhile DJ needs to grab the occasional odd job to make ends meet. But the Chilean lothario has beat all of us by holding the type of fantasy job that just sounds too good to be true: Quality Control in a brothel.
Rascone, an occasional male model and DJ, first happened upon Fiorella Companions in Santiago, Chile while working on a story about the country's sexual revolution. He was offered the gig by Madam Fiorella, who needed somebody to provide that final “interview” in her hiring process. It goes like this: girls who are interested in working as VIP escorts for Fiorella have to undergo interviews, psychological testing, and a photo session. The applicants are whittled down to a final six, who are then fucked one after the other in a single day by Jaime. He takes diligent notes on, say, how they moved their hips and whether their groans were adequate, and makes recommendations to the madam. There is even paperwork involved. The strain of the job is actually such that he can only do it once a month, testing around seventy girls or so a year. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Wine tester and blogger

Imagine moving to the heart of Sonoma County, where every day you'll come home to more than 450 wineries along the beautiful northern coast of California. Picture living rent free, learning the intricacies of making the perfect wine, and capturing and sharing the entire experience for your network of Twitter followers. Now imagine getting paid $10,000 a month to do it. Listening? Hardy Wallace of Atlanta, the first person to submit his application, was the winner for the position at Murphy-Goode Winery— a $10,000 p/mo for six months, rent-free job updating Twitter and Facebook with his winery lifestream. The interview process was simple: submit a YouTube video explaining why you would be good for the job and wait to see what happens.

(Link 1 | Link 2)

Candy taster

Another one of the world's best job has gone to schoolboy Harry Willsher, 12, chief taster in a sweet factory. Harry's job is to test top secret recipes. He got the job after winning a contest at Swizzell's Matlow to find a recruit. According to him, after his first tour at his new job, he felt like having stepped into the book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. He wowed judges by describing the flavor and smell of his favourite sweet, the Drumstick lolly. The Derby firm, which also makes Love Hearts, Rainbow Drops and Parma Violets, has now given the youngster chief taster overalls and business cards. As well as sampling the sweets, he will also monitor their development at the company's factory in New Mills, Derbyshire. I don't know if it's the best job, but it's definitely the sweetest. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Condom tester

An Australian manufacturer called for applications for what it claims could be the world's best job - condom tester. Durex marketing manager Sam White was hiring Australians over the age of 18 who could apply for one of 200 positions as a condom tester. Unfortunately the position is not paid, but successful applicants would receive a free $60 selection of Durex products and will be required to provide the company with honest feedback about the products' performance. One of the lucky 200 testers would win a $1000 bonus. Maybe the bonus is not that great, but one thing's for sure - it's a job where employees won't mind taking their work home and burning the midnight oil. We are sorry to inform you applications are closed. (Link 1 | Link 2)

World of Warcraft Tester

Do you Play World of Warcraft? And if so, do you play well? Can you farm 200 gold an hour and hit level 80 in under 2 weeks? If the answer is yes, you can apply for the job that about 12 million players only dream about, as a Wow game tester! There are in fact several Blizzard jobs posted on their website. The Blizzard employment database has dozens of mmorpg jobs available, mostly WoW employment opportunities. They are currently hiring for several game tester positions for World of Warcraft, under the QA department. They are in particular looking for foreign language testers, so if you speak any other language besides English, don't hesitate to apply to start your Blizzard career. And, yeah, you will be required to play at least four hours a day. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Director of Fun at a museum (age 6)

A six-year-old boy who wanted to become the director of York's National Railway Museum landed himself a job - as the director of fun. The ambitious youngster got a plum role at the National Railway Museum after applying to replace retiring boss Andrew Scott. Sam Pointon sent a handwritten letter headed "Application for director" asking for an interview at the centre, in York. The letter listed his credentials for the role, including his expertise on his train set. "I am only six but I think I can do this job," wrote Sam. "I have an electrick (sic) train track. I am good on my train track. I can control two trains at once." Staff was so impressed they appointed Sam an honorary "Director of Fun" and his job will be to bosses how he thinks they can ensure the museum is the most fun place for kids to spend a day out.

Ok, maybe this isn't the best job in the world for an adult, but it certainly rocks the world of a 6 year old. (Link)

Bike rider-photographer for Google Maps

Google (GOOG) has hired two lucky young men to ride around France on dopey looking tricycles snapping up photos of historical sites that are inaccessible by car. This three-wheeler is a sight with its long pole holding nine cameras, a GPS, a computer and a generator. But the contraption tooling around the French capital needs all that gear to do its job – adding three-dimensional images to Google's Street View Maps.

The riders, wearing Google tee-shirts and white helmets, are visiting well-known sites such as the Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris, the Jardin du Luxembourg on the city's Left Bank or Les Halles, in the busy centre of the French capital. (Link)

B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G N-E-W-S: Bomb blast hits Thisday office in Abuja

ABUJA (AFP) – A loud explosion rocked an area  Abuja on Thursday followed by smoke and ambulances headed in the direction of the blast, with injuries reported.
Reports have it that the bomb blast in Abuja Thisday office in Jabi was carried out by a suicide bomber who drove into the media house before detonating the bomb hence  blowing away the building ‘s roof.
But Mr Yushau Shuaib  a National Emergency Management Agency spokesman said the blast “occurred inside the premises of a national newspaper,” adding that “a preliminary investigation seems to indicate that the explosive device was planted somewhere within the premises, not likely a case of suicide bombing.”

An AFP correspondent heard the blast and saw ambulances heading towards a district where a bus station and newspaper office are located.
A police spokesman said “we heard something like that happened, but we don’t have the details yet.”
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency said “it’s true there was an explosion at Jabi (district).”
“NEMA officials are on the ground,” said Yushau Shuaib. “They are trying to move those injured to the hospitals, but we don’t have any information on casualties yet.”

Nigeria double attack in Plateau state

Five people have been killed and 10 injured in two separate attacks in central Nigeria - one targeting football fans, officials have said.

Unknown gunmen shot dead five villagers in an overnight attack on Rim, 50km (30 miles) south of Jos in Plateau state.

Earlier, in Jos city nine people were injured after a blast outside a venue where fans had been watching the Chelsea-Barcelona football match.

Jos has seen a wave of inter-communal conflict and Islamist militant attacks.

Viewing centre

One other person was injured in the attack on the small village of Rim, according to Capt Markus Mdayelyah, the spokesperson for a special task force set up recently to contain the violence in Plateau state.

The explosion in Jos city went off in northern suburb of Tudun Wada, which is a predominantly Christian residential area.

Scores of people were leaving what is known locally as a TV viewing centre at the end of the Champions League semi-final clash - but no-one was killed, police spokesperson Samuel Dabai told the BBC.

The authorities are still investigating the cause of the blast, which injured nine, Mr Dabai said.

The BBC's Ishaq Khalid in Jos says Tuesday night's panic and confusion in Tudun Wada has calmed down and people are trying to go about their business as normal.

Plateau state lies on the fault line between Nigeria's mainly Muslim north and Christian and animist south.

Violence between the two communities has often broken out - especially in Jos, the state capital - and in recent months the Islamist Boko Haram group has attacked several churches.

Boko Haram - whose name means "Western education is forbidden" - wants to establish Islamic law in Nigeria and has launched a series of deadly attacks across the north in the last 19 months.

sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

FC Barcelona vs. Chelsea FC: Pep Guardiola's Press Conference and What This Week Means for his Future

Pep Guardiola gave his press conference today in London ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League semifinal match against Chelsea. I was impressed all over again by this man—a model of class, good humor, and humility. More than anything, Pep reminded everyone of how special this moment is for FC Barcelona, and encouraged us to enjoy it to the fullest.

It was a typically unemotional and practical performance by the likable manager, and while it didn't reveal much about what's in store for tomorrow's match, Guardiola's press conference did offer an opportunity to reflect on what this pivotal week may mean for his future as coach of FC Barcelona.

Pep emphasized how consistently excellent Chelsea have been over the past five to eight years, and that while they’ve changed trainers and some players, they’ve maintained the same spirit and the same core of special players.

Asked if he thought Chelsea would be out for revenge (after falling to Barcelona in the semifinals of 2009's Champions League), Pep downplayed the possibility, saying that the past is the past and that now both teams are playing to get to the final in Munich.

One reporter asked if Jose Mourinho, who he referred to as “your friend”, might have any influence on the match by contacting his former players at Chelsea to give extra encouragement. Pep replied in English by saying “first of all, thank you for saying ‘my friend’”, then downplayed this possibility, pointing out that Mourinho also used to be a coach at Barcelona. He added that these sorts of players have been coached by so many men over so many years, that they are motivated primarily by a desire to advance in Champions League play.

Asked about the stretch of games ahead, including the clásico on Saturday, Pep said that “women say that men can’t focus on more than one thing at once”, and that all his squad is considering is the match ahead—afterwards they’ll prepare for Real Madrid.

A reporter from the Czech republic asked if Guardiola had any special plans to beat their very special keeper Petr Cech. Pep replied in English saying “I told the players to shoot for the corners”, holding up his fingers to demonstrate the upper ninety.

An English reporter asked Pep about the reports that Abromovich wants Pep as the next manager of Chelsea. Guardiola said that this is no time to discuss these issues, that he’s here to play against Chelsea, and above all that Chelsea have a very fine manager already (in Roberto di Matteo).

Guardiola was again asked about his future, and if there would be a date when the public would be made aware of his plans for next year. He immediately began talking about “the gift” that is to be in this situation as a manager and as a club. He said that it’s a very special situation, that he’s incredibly grateful to his players, his club, his staff, and the fans for the opportunity to sit at a press conference before the Champions League semifinal. A very nice misdirection, and as a sign of the respect Guardiola commands, there were no further questions on this topic.

Not much to go on in terms of match tactics for tomorrow. Mostly we just saw Pep as his usual humble, hard-working and pragmatic self. His eloquence in three languages, his respect and deference towards all parties mentioned, and his overall message of gratitude and humility were what impressed me the most. We’re a lucky group of football fans to have this man at the helm.

Indeed we find ourselves in a special place as culés. In six days' time, FC Barcelona have the opportunity to advance to the finals of the Champions League for the second year in a row, and move within one point of a fourth consecutive La Liga title. Whether or not these feats are accomplished may have alot to do with the continuance of Mr. Guardiola.

My feeling is that if Barcelona wins the Champions League, Pep will walk away—perhaps taking a much-needed break from football entirely. Winning Europe's top competition for the third time in four years (and becoming the first manager to do it twice in a row) would surely serve as a marvelous farewell to his beloved club. Combined with a ridiculous trophy haul from other competitions, Guardiola—on the strength of four remarkable years—would go down as arguably the greatest manager of all time.

If Barcelona does not win the Champions League, however, and if defeat is handed out by rivals Madrid—perhaps domestically and in Europe—I think Pep might just be motivated to come back next year. He's tired, I think, but not having stated that this will be his final year means he's almost surely considering another. Like all great competitors, Guardiola wants to go out on top.

So while we hope and pray for glorious victory, let's remember that these be the good ol' days, and that in winning we may actually be losing our greatest asset—the incomparable Josep Guardiola.

I proved doubters wrong: Drogba

Didier Drogba declared he had answered the critics who branded him over the hill after he scored the winner in Chelsea’s incredible 1-0 win over Barcelona.

The 34-year-old found the net with his – and the Blues’ – only shot on target in last night’s semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge to give Roberto Di Matteo’s men hope of reaching next month’s final.

Otherwise, like the rest of his team-mates, the veteran striker was limited almost exclusively to chasing around a Barca side who had 72% possession.

Drogba looks certain to leave Chelsea when his contract expires this summer after the club refused to offer him more than a one-year extension.

Some have doubted whether the Ivorian’s body is still able to handle playing two matches in quick succession, but the man who also scored a stunning opener in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final thrashing of Tottenham said: “For those who said that I was too old, they saw that I could run maybe one, two or three more years!”

Chelsea’s so-called old guard led by example again last night, with Drogba, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole magnificent in carrying out caretaker manager Di Matteo’s inspirational game plan.

The Italian looks certain to deploy the same tactics in Tuesday’s second leg at the Nou Camp, where the Blues will need to be just as clinical.

“We have to go there now and try to score another one,” said Drogba, who knew that would mean Barca having to score three, something they could easily have done last night had they not wasted the five gilt-edged chances that fell their way.

Drogba added: “That’s football and I think we were a bit lucky. You have to work for luck to come and to happen. We worked a lot. We worked hard.”

Despite claiming he had plenty more fuel in the tank, Drogba looks certain to be rested for Saturday’s crucial Barclays Premier League clash at Arsenal.

That could have a major say in whether Chelsea qualify for next season’s Champions League by finishing in the top four or are forced to try to win the competition to do so.

Drogba said: “It’s a difficult week, difficult 10 days for us after Spurs, this game, and then Arsenal, and then again Barcelona. It’s going to be an important, very decisive week for us, and I think we’re up for it.”

Di Matteo salutes old guard

London - Roberto Di Matteo said Chelsea's old guard had silenced their critics after leading the club to a 1-0 upset of holders Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.The elder statesman of the Chelsea line-up - 34-year-old Didier Drogba - scored the winner as the Premier League side withstood a furious Barcelona onslaught to hang on for a memorable first-leg victory.
Chelsea's win came despite being outplayed by long periods, with Barcelona enjoying 72 percent possession throughout the match to their opponents' 28.
The Spaniards also had 24 attempts on goal while Chelsea's only shot on target came in the shape of Drogba's winner.

Nevertheless the win was a triumph for Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Petr Cech as Barcelona were sent crashing to their first European defeat this season."In the past a lot of the public opinion has been that these boys are over the line and too old to play two games at this level," Di Matteo told reporters, referring to Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham on Sunday."It wasn't just (Drogba) - we had other players on the pitch that you regard as old guard that have played two games in such a short period of time. I think they gave their answer on the pitch tonight."Di Matteo had surprised many pundits by electing to start with Drogba in attack ahead of 50 million man Fernando Torres.However the interim Chelsea manager admitted he had chosen Drogba to start after being impressed by his goalscoring contribution to Sunday's 5-1 drubbing of Spurs at Wembley."I felt I had to be fair looking back at the game on Sunday with the way we wanted to play. For today's game he was the right man to play," Di Matteo said.While praising the veterans of Chelsea's line-up, Di Matteo was at pains to pay tribute to a "tremendous" collective effort."I think that the balance has to be good within the team. It's not just the defenders defending -- it's the whole team," Di Matteo said."So I think you need to be able to close down the space as much as possible and limit their threat as much as possible. But ultimately with the quality of the individuals they have they will create some problems."But it wasn't just our defenders it was a collective defensive performance."We're delighted with the performance of the team and the result we got today. We've won all our Champions League games at home this season and we've faced some tough opponents."I think tonight was one of the biggest challenges we've had for many years."Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola meanwhile said the defeat had left Chelsea as favourites to advance to next month's final in Munich."They are favourites," Guardiola said. "They have a good result but at least we have the challenge to play 90 minutes. And in that time we have the opportunity to create chances. But 1-0 is a very good result for them."Di Matteo brushed off Guardiola's assessment of the tie however."I don't think it makes us favourites," he said. "It's 50-50 for both teams to go through to the final."You know what to expect when you go to the Camp Nou - it's going to be very, very difficult. We still have to believe that we might be able to score a goal there. It's going to be a tough game, it's a tough game for anyone going there."We'll have to be at our best again. We're very pleased but it's only half-time and nothing has been decided. We've another game to play yet."Guardiola meanwhile dismissed suggestions that Barcelona had been robbed of victory given their overwhelming dominance of possession and shots on goal."They won, that's football," Guardiola said. "It's not a question of fairness. They scored, and we didn't. Congratulations Chelsea."If football matches were awarded to teams who had the most average possession of the ball we would win every game. But the most difficult thing is getting the ball into the net."

Nigerian varsities: Saddled with ageing infrastructure:- see pictures inside

Nigerian varsities: Saddled with ageing infrastructure

by SAMUEL AWOYINFA (Lagos), MIKE ODIEGWU (Yenagoa), AKINWALE ABOLUWADE (Ibadan), MUDIAGA AFFE (Calabar), FEMI MAKINDE (Ekiti), SUCCESS NWOGU (Ilorin), and JAMES AZANIA (Edo)

Nigerian varsities: Saddled with ageing infrastructure  advertisement

Except for the new ones, the average public university in Nigeria is at least three decades old. Unlike old wines that mature with age, however, facilities in these tertiary institutions seem to age as the year passes, with many vice-chancellors promising to upgrade them. From our investigations, many of the universities lack basic infrastructure like regular water supply, sufficient accommodation, well-equipped libraries or functional rest rooms in the halls of residence or in lecture arenas. The story is the same all over, as reported bySAMUEL AWOYINFA (Lagos), MIKE ODIEGWU (Yenagoa), AKINWALE ABOLUWADE (Ibadan), MUDIAGA AFFE (Calabar), FEMI MAKINDE (Ekiti), SUCCESS NWOGU (Ilorin), and JAMES AZANIA (Edo).

The Lagos State University, Ojo, established by the Governor Lateef Jakande administration in 1983, has its own fair share of infrastructure challenges. Though it operates a multi-campus system, its main campus in Ojo has not experienced so much transformation since it was founded 29 years ago. It is still largely an off-campus university because the majority of the students either live in adjoining settlements like Iba, Okokomaiko, Volkswagen, Igando, among others; or come from far flung areas like Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ikeja, Ogba, etc.

It has other campuses in Epe, Ikorodu Road; and another one housed at Progress College, Abule Egba, among others.

Until the management of the Zenith Bank Plc built an ICT Centre in the institution, the university has only one central library, which could not be classified as an E-Library. Admitting this, the school's Acting Director of Information, Press and Public Relations, Dr. Sola Fosudo said the ICT Centre built by the bank had become a centre of attraction for students who go there to browse, do their assignments and carry out research via the Internet.

Again, the only department that could be said to be working towards having its own library is the Faculty of Law, housed in a new two-storey building.

Dearth of infrastructural facilities and decay of same where available, are noticeable in almost all the faculties. At the Faculty of Arts, the toilets that serve the students are in bad shape, as many do not have running water. The water closets in one of the toilets built on the open field very close to the L and H lecture rooms have darkened with use, while some of the lids are in various states of disrepair.

Rivers: Man kills girlfriend, buries her in room

Police in Rivers State said they have one Jim Zaccheus in their custody, for allegedly killing and secretly burying his girlfriend in his room on Saturday, last week, in the Elechi Beach end of Diobu, Port Harcourt.

The state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Indabawa, who revealed this during his maiden press briefing in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, also said the command had arrested four out of seven suspects who gang-raped a 14-year-old girl in the Rumuodonmaya area of the city.

Indabawa, who recently took office as police chief for Rivers, also said he planned to continue with the fight against entrenched corruption among officers and men of the command, adding that he would use everything in his powers to reduce crime rate in the state.

Indabawa, who said the command would charge Zaccheus to court for the criminal act, added that the suspect had been accused of killing his girlfriend, who was identified as Peace Mathias and carefully buried her corpse in his room, to conceal the act.

Nigerian Tribune leant that the suspect had been suspicious of his victim over a new hair style she made and demanded to know how she got the money, a situation that led to a quarrel between them.

Not satisfied with her explanation, Zaccheus was said to have beaten her to a pulp, while she died in the process, although it was not clear if he used any object on her.

However, neighbours had suspected the movements of the suspect, coupled with stench that was oozing out of the room and had alerted security operatives who forced the door open and exhumed the victim’s decomposing body.

“The suspect was arrested yesterday (Tuesday) and has confessed to the crime. We are yet to contact the parents of the deceased, but investigation on the incident is still on,” the police commissioner said.

Can You Imagine?

A 35-year-old man, who claimed to have the powers to exorcise evil spirits, was, yesterday, charged with N600,000 fraud before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The accused appeared before Magistrate S.K. Matepo for allegedly defrauding Mrs Franca Iboi of N600,000 under the guise of offering prayers to cleanse her business centre of evil spirits, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, told the court that the accused had no fixed address and was unemployed. He said the alleged offences were committed between February 11 and 16, in Ikotun area of Lagos.

He told the court that his accomplice was at large. He said the complainant owned a car wash business of which he claimed was infested with evil charms.

Eruada told the court that the accused and his accomplice claimed to be prophets, “whereas, their intention was to defraud. They asked the complainant to pray and fast and that in three days, they were going to remove the evil charms. On one of the days, the accused and his accomplice offered some prayers in her car wash business and when fire gushed out from a corner of the compound, she believed in them. This made her to give them N600,000 to purchase items for the cleansing of the centre.”

Said the complainant was also asked to sell her car in addition to the money already collected from her.

“The request for additional money made things clear to the complainant that she was being duped. She informed the police who laid in wait for the accused when they came to collect the proceeds from the sale of the car. When they came, the spiritualist was arrested, but the other man escaped.”

The prosecutor told the court that the alleged offences contravened Sections 278, 285, and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

The magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum.

Yop and Katherine here asking what do you think can be done about the issue of spiritualists in our society??

NECO records another mass failure: Is Blackberry, Facebook, twitter, 2go, and many the cause?

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has recorded 

another mass failure in the November/December Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE).

A Voice From The Grave- The True Story Of OgoChukwu

                               OGOCHUKWU ONUCHUKWU (NEE ONUGU)
                                               [A voice from the grave]
 
My mum is crying. I can see  her from here. She has aged since the last time I saw her. 

Why does she look so old and why is she so thin? Can someone console her? Can someone make her stop  crying?

I try to get up but I can’t. I try to reach for her, but I’m stuck where  I am. It is very dark in here, and very cold, so very cold. 

What am I doing here?   Where is everybody?   Where are my children?  I begin to panic, to struggle;  I want to get out of this dark room. 


I can hear Uzo calling. She’s calling my name. Then, I see mum again. And I hear Uzo again. I don’t see my children. Where are my children? I can’t see beyond the walls of this dark and cold room.
 
Uzo calls again. 

She sounds desperate to rouse me from my sleep. I am struggling  to wake but I can’t. I open my eyes and they shut of their own accord. 
I am powerless to keep them from shutting. And I find as soon as I stop struggling,  my sleep becomes sweet repose. Suddenly I don’t want to wake from it just yet. It is peaceful. 
I see mum again, and I see Uzo. Uzo keeps calling. She won’t stop calling. She is crying too, just like mum. 

Can someone bring Kamsi and Amanda to me? Can someone bring my babies to me? I need to hug them, Kamsi, especially. Is he crying too and calling out for me? 
Does he understand that I  am gone? Kamsi will miss me. 

He is a special child, you know; Kamsiyochukwu - my son and my first child. 

I prayed and longed for his birth. He was the blessing  from above that would seal Kevin’s love for me and give me some footing in his  home and some acceptance from his family. 

 Before Kamsi, I was a nobody in Kevin’s home. I was born the last of nine children, the baby of the family. I was used to love and affection. I was  everyone’s baby. I grew up knowing that everyone had my back, I grew up knowing  the safety and security of being the baby of the home. You may then understand  my shock when I stepped out of my home and into new territory with the man of my  dreams only to find that I was really not as special as I had been made to  believe. I look back to that day when Kevin took me home to introduce me to my new family. The cold and rude shock of the welcome his brother’s wife gave me  set off an alarm in my head.

These people didn’t think I was special. In fact,  her first words were, ”Kevin, ebe   kwa ka isi dute nka?” (Kevin, “Where on earth did you bring this one from?) That would be the first time I would be addressed as “this one” and from  then on, I grappled with the realization that I was not welcome in my new home.