Category: LATEST NEWS

Bay FC, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League in the USA, has acquired Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala from FC Barcelona.

Oshoala is one of the best players in the history of the Nigeria national team. She is the first Nigerian to score in three Women’s World Cups.

Known for her bright hair colors, Oshoala joined Barcelona in 2019 and has since scored 107 goals in 149 matches. She has made 14 appearances, including three starts, for Barcelona this season, scoring eight goals.

Oshoala was left out of Barcelona’s 6-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday in Spain’s top women’s league due to personal reasons.

“I want something different. If you follow my career for a long time, you realize that I get bored easily,” Oshoala said in an interview with the Associated Press. ” I don’t stay in one place for long. I stay two or three years and I want to try something else. I have played on several continents and I want to play elsewhere. ”

Oshoala caught the eye at last year’s World Cup when she scored the decisive goal, as a substitute, in Nigeria’s 3-2 victory over hosts Australia in the group stage. In the round of 16, Nigeria were eliminated on penalties after a 0–0 draw against England.

“She is such a physical force,” Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum said of Oshoala at the time. “She can create problems – the third goal was huge. When we talked about her role – she’s like every player, she wants to be on the pitch all the time – I said: ‘I have a feeling, come in for the last 30 minutes and make the difference'”.

Most recently, Oshoala was named in the Nigeria squad that qualified for the 2024 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco. Oshoala has won the African Women’s Player of the Year award six times. In 2022, she became the first African to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or.

Besides FC Barcelona, ​​she played professionally for Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chinese club Dailan. She helped FC Barcelona win two Champions Leagues. With Bay FC, Oshoala said she wanted to win trophies.

“One thing I know is that I’m not going to ask my teammates for what I don’t give them,” she said. “When I say I’m not going to ask my teammates for what I’m not giving, I’m not going to ask you to run when I’m not running. So I’m going to work and work for the team. That’s what I bring. I bring the necessary energy.

She must obtain her visa and international transfer before she can join Bay FC, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Oshoala signed until 2026, with an option for 2027.

Bay FC is the 14th team in the NWSL. The season begins March 16 with a game against Angel City in Los Angeles.

Ghana’s ex-president and main opposition figure, John Dramani Mahama, has voiced his opposition to LGBTQ practices, citing conflict with his Christian faith. According to reports from Reuters, Mahama stated, “The faith I have will not allow me to accept a man marrying a man, and a woman marrying a woman.”

Addressing a gathering of Ghanaian religious leaders on Wednesday, Mahama expressed skepticism towards gender identity transitions, saying, “I don’t believe that anybody can get up and say I feel like a man although I was born a woman and so I will change and become a man.”

The LGBTQ rights debate has intensified in Ghana, with the country’s parliament currently deliberating a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill. If passed, the legislation will impose severe penalties on LGBTQ community members.

Provisions include forbidding Ghanaians from identifying as LGBTQ and increasing the maximum sentence for same-sex activities from three to five years. Additionally, the bill prohibits advocating for LGBTQ rights.

Ghana already criminalizes gay sex, carrying a three-year prison sentence. The anti-LGBTQ bill has sparked widespread discussion and concern within the country.

John Dramani Mahama, who served as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2017, lost his bid for a second term in the 2016 elections to current President Nana Akufo-Addo. The 65-year-old is now vying for re-election in the upcoming December presidential elections, representing the main opposition party National Democratic Congress.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, is challenging the pervasive “blanket stereotyping” of Nigerians as cybercriminals, asserting that such generalizations distort the true image of the West African nation.

Tinubu emphasized that such a narrative unfairly stains the reputation of the majority of law-abiding citizens.

Addressing the issue during a private tour in France, President Tinubu conveyed his concerns about the longstanding mislabeling of Nigerians, stating that such misrepresentation fails to capture the diverse and resilient nature of the nation.

Deputy President Kashim Shettima read Tinubu’s speech, where he highlighted the lack of statistical evidence supporting the association of internet crimes with the entire Nigerian populace.

Tinubu went on to stress that everyday Nigerians are hardworking, honest citizens who make significant contributions to various global fields, including artificial intelligence and medicine. He urged against overlooking the positive contributions of the majority due to the actions of a few.

In 2020, the FBI ranked Nigeria 16th among countries most affected by cybercrime. The Nigerian Communications Commission reported that cybercrime costs the country $500 million (£395 million) annually.

President Tinubu’s remarks aim to challenge stereotypes and promote a more nuanced understanding of Nigeria and its people, urging the international community to recognize the nation’s diverse talents and contributions beyond the negative portrayal associated with cybercrime statistics.

Zambia’s ex-President, Edgar Lungu, has urged citizens to demand an early election, alleging that his successor, Hakainde Hichilema (HH), has mismanaged the nation’s economy.

Lungu also criticized Hichilema for his handling of the cholera outbreak, which has claimed nearly 600 lives since October.

Addressing the public on Wednesday, Lungu emphasized the need for Zambians to exert pressure on President Hichilema, stating that an early election is “imperative.” He urged citizens to vocalize their demand for Hichilema’s resignation and the initiation of early elections.

Responding swiftly to Lungu’s statements, government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa dismissed the allegations, urging Zambians to afford the president sufficient time to fulfill his campaign promises. Mweetwa also accused the former president of damaging the country’s economy during his six-year tenure.

Lungu, who announced his political comeback in October, faced the consequence of the government withdrawing his retirement benefits.

Having retired from politics in 2021 following a significant defeat in the presidential election, Lungu’s return sets the stage for a potentially contentious 2026 presidential race.

As tensions escalate between the former and current leaders, Zambians find themselves at the crossroads of political decisions that will shape the nation’s future.

How much money did Liberia’s former administration leave in the state coffers when it left power?

President Joseph Boakai who was sworn in on January 22nd said on Monday that the balance recorded was US$20.5 million, not US$40 million, as former President George Weah had claimed.

Liberian media reported Wednesday that the Senate ordered the Central Bank to clarify contradictions between President Boakai and his predecessor.

According to reports, the Senate mandated its joint committees on Public Accounts and Audit, Banking, and Currency to invite the leadership of the Central Bank of Liberia.

President Boakai, pledging to tackle corruption, said he will audit and make sure that regular audits become the norm in all branches of government, not just the executive.

Shortly after losing the presidential election last November, Geroge Weah reportedly told an audience at his congregation that he expects Boakai not to pursue officials from his administration, just as he “did not prosecute anyone” from the first Unity Party government when the Boakai served as Vice President.

Achraf Hakimi missed a late penalty as Morocco became the latest big name to be knocked out with a 2-0 loss to South Africa in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

Evidence Makgopa’s 57th-minute strike and a free kick from Teboho Mokoena in the fifth minute of stoppage time sent the Bafana Bafana through to the quarterfinals at Morocco’s expense.

“We’re very disappointed because we came with the ambition of winning it. Going out so early in the tournament wasn’t expected, but this cup is really difficult. Lots of surprises,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who returned after having his suspension lifted but now faces an uncertain future.

“I said that Morocco was due in the semifinal whatever happened, so we will have a good discussion. In any case, I never hide from taking responsibilities, mine at least. I failed. So there you have it,” Regragui said.

World Cup semifinalist Morocco was without wingers Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal, both injured in the win over Zambia, but defender Noussair Mazraoui made his first start after recovering from a thigh injury.

The Atlas Lions, who created more chances, were stunned when Themba Zwane sent Makgopa though to score.

They responded with increased pressure but had to wait till the 82nd for a lifeline when Mothobi Mvala was penalized for blocking Ayoub El Kaabi’s shot with his arm.

Instead of tying the score at 1-1, however, Hakimi grazed the top of the crossbar with the spot kick in the 85th.

The Atlas Lions’ task was further complicated when midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was sent off in injury time, and Mokoena sealed their fate a minute later when he fired inside the top left corner.

Morocco follows defending champion Senegal, seven-time champion Egypt, five-time winner Cameroon, four-time champion Ghana, along with former winners Algeria and Tunisia to be knocked out ahead of the quarterfinal stage.

“We were warned, we made uncharacteristic mistakes that were unlike us. But I take responsibility today for the choices, for everything that happened today,” Regragui said. “The penalty happens, it’s football. Ashraf could perhaps have let us back into the match. But then when you look at the situations, how we let go. It doesn’t reflect our team. So there you go. Congratulations to South Africa.”

The Bafana Bafana will next play Cape Verde in Yamoussoukro on Saturday.

“Beating a team like Morocco is something special,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said. “We are very, very, very happy.”

None of the eight quarterfinalists in the last edition of the Africa Cup in Cameroon have made it to the last eight this time, nor have any of the five African teams that played at the 2022 World Cup.

EAGLES SOARING

Mali held on to beat Burkina Faso 2-1 to set up a quarterfinal match against tournament host Ivory Coast.

An own-goal from Edmond Tapsoba and second-half strike from Lassine Sinayoko were enough for the Eagles to win the round-of-16 game, the last match of the tournament to be played in Korhogo.

Mali will next play Ivory Coast in Bouaké on Saturday, when the home team can count on supporters whose belief has been restored after beating defending champion Senegal on Monday.

Burkina Faso, which has repeatedly gone close to winning its first Africa Cup title in recent years, will have to prolong its wait after a campaign that never really sparked into life. The Stallions edged Mauritania 1-0, then drew 2-2 with Algeria, before losing their final group game 2-0 to Angola.

Nigerian authorities have issued a wanted notice for former beauty queen Aderinoye Queen Christmas, also known as Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye, in connection with alleged drug trafficking.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed that the ex-beauty queen eluded capture during a recent raid on her residence in Lagos.

According to the NDLEA statement, the raid was prompted by “credible” intelligence suggesting Aderinoye’s involvement in illicit substances.

The search, witnessed by estate officials, uncovered 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, along with an electronic weighing scale and substantial quantities of drug packaging materials.

Aderinoye, who held the title of Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016 and founded the Queen Christmas Foundation, has not yet responded to the allegations.

Meanwhile, another suspect arriving from Brazil was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport last week for ingesting 60 large wraps of cocaine, as reported by the agency.