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Are you a fintech entrepreneur and want to commercialise your solutions and products then this is the chance for you to join the FinTech Hive. The FinTech Hive is a programme set up by Dubai Financial Centre (DIFC) and Accenture, a Global consulting firm, to help young start ups in Africa and the Middle east.
Speaking in a phone interview with Adekunle Aliyu, Dubai Financial Centre (DIFC) and Accenture representatives said the FinTech Hive will start a 12 week 'accelerator programme', which will bring together the next generation of 7-12 leaders and entrepreneurs to compete and address the growing needs of the financial services industry, using innovative technology solutions.
They further disclosed that since global FinTech sector attracted over $50 billion in investment since 2010, and that currently the Middle East and North Africa only attract around 1 percent of that investment DIFC Accelerator intends to bridge the gap by creating platforms that will drives innovation and showcases success – identifying leading technology entrepreneurs and companies through a competitive process and then offering them the opportunity to develop, test and modify their innovations in collaboration with top executives from DIFC and regional financial institutions.
What is the programme about?
This FinTech Hive is a private sector backed accelerator with international linkage and is the 'first in the region' – being designed around specific current banking and financing needs for fast growing fintech firms to commercialise their solutions and products (through a series of formal design competitions), rather than a generic innovation space. The fundamental aim is to 'accelerate' the growth of fintech in the region.
The FinTech Hive will start with a 12 week 'accelerator programme', which will bring together the next generation of 7-12 leaders and entrepreneurs to compete and address the growing needs of the financial services industry, using innovative technology solutions. The tech leaders will be mentored by leading financial institutions during this process, allowing them to better innovate and provide tailored solutions for the region's financial services industry. The 12 week programme will take place on a cyclical basis, each time attracting approximately 10 tech entrepreneurs and leaders, and each time addressing a different regional financial services challenge.
Who are those anchoring the programme?
The initiative is owned by the DIFC Authority, powered by Accenture, and developed in partnership with financial institutions. Emirates NBD and Mashreq will be the first local financial institutions to join the accelerator programme, while HSBC and VISA will be the first international financial services providers.
DIFC is the highest ranked Financial Centre in the MEASA region according to the Global Financial Centres Index.
Who will it benefit?
The global FinTech sector has attracted more than $50 billion in investment since 2010, but currently the Middle East and North Africa only attract around 1 percent of that investment.
The DIFC Accelerator intends to bridge the gap by creating a platform that drives innovation and showcases success – identifying leading technology entrepreneurs and companies through a competitive process and then offering them the opportunity to develop, test and modify their innovations in collaboration with top executives from DIFC and regional financial institutions.
The Accelerator is further demonstration of DIFC's commitment to providing an internationally oriented FinTech ecosystem that meets the specific needs of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, in line with Dubai Plan 2021 and the DIFC 2024 Strategy.
Are Nigerians included into this?
They certainly should, given the fact that FinTech is a very promising sector in Nigeria, judging by recent progress presented in the media and in the global finance industry.
Nigeria has exhibited growth in mobile money operations from an average monthly transaction value of $5 million in 2011 to $142.8 million in 2016 (source: ww.finextra.com/pressarticle/67524/nigerian-fintech-scene-expands). Mobile penetration and usage is very high; there is an estimated 150 million active subscriber lines in the country.
Nigeria is clearly considered as one of the big tech clusters in Africa, and Nigeria start-up have focused on developing innovation in the field of remittances, lending and business financiering. There are other very interesting innovations, offering for peer to peer insurance to consumers (in a market where more than 80 percent of the population does not have access to insurance). All these data demonstrate that a Fin Tech accelerator could especially makes sense for Nigerians start up.
How will it grow the economy of your country and others if they are to benefit?
With Dubai being the gateway to US$7.8 trillion in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), with 70% of people being unbanked, and with some of the highest proportions of young people and entrepreneurs in the world, the potential for fintech to change the face of these economies is enormous. In the context of a 22% exponential growth in the fintech market, the FinTech Hive in the MEASA region provides the final piece in the global fintech puzzle – putting it on par with other world leading fintech cities. With the region facing a $110bn financing gap by 2020, Fintech has yet to realise its potential in this ripe market.
What qualifies one to be part of Fintech Accelerator Programme?
The programme focuses on early and growth-stage companies with at least an alpha or beta technology/product, especially those which will benefit from senior access and relationships at the participating financial institutions. We are also interested in growth stage companies that have a product being deployed outside financial services that are interested in entering this vertical.
What kind of series of formal design competitions are we talking about here?
The accelerator programme challenges will be identified by a Committee currently being set-up. This Committee will be comprised of DIFC Authority, Accenture, and partnering Financial Institutions that will draw on demand/ challenges based on their experience and broader knowledge.
To give you some ideas on challenges being considered, the Committee intends to catalyse the growth and efficiency in a variety of areas including trade finance, alternative finance such as P2P payments, and Sharia based services.
The challenges will be set as a 12 week programme that takes place on a cyclical basis. (Please see response to first question, second bullet point).
What is fintech market? How do you see finch market in Nigeria?
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the improvement of financial inclusion will depend on mobile technology. According to the World Bank, in 2015, 34% of adults had an account and 12% of adults had a mobile money account in the region, which is significant compared to the rate of 2% globally.
Nigeria is becoming a hub for tech investments and commercially oriented start-ups. Even if the country is facing serious challenges, the prospect of scaling applications to Africa's largest population and economy attracts local and international investors and entrepreneurs.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the report quoting him that President Muhammadu Buhari's return to Nigeria may be hampered by a faulty aircraft is fake.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed
The Minister stated this in a press statement issued on Sunday in Ilorin by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi.
"The Minister has not spoken to anyone on the issue of the President's return, hence this report is another from the stable of the purveyors of fake news,'' he said.
Pope Francis on Sunday urged the faithful to pray for unborn children threatened by “the termination of pregnancy” in a throwaway culture marked by falling birth-rates.
Pope Francis
“Every life is sacred. Let us promote a culture of life as a response to the logic of throwing away and in the face of demographic decline,” he said in an address to mark the “international day for consecrated life”. “Let us pray together for children threatened by the termination of pregnancy and also for people at the end of their lives,” he said during his weekly Angelus prayer in Saint Peter’s Square. Since his election, the pope has expressed concern over the demographic decline in Europe and particularly in Italy, which the Catholic Church believes is fueled in part by abortion — a practice which Francis, like his predecessors, fiercely opposes. But last year he granted priests the right to permanently forgive abortion, extending a temporary measure put in place during the Vatican’s jubilee “Year of Mercy” which ended in November. The Catholic Church considers abortion to be a sin, with the priestly pardon applicable not only to women who have abortions but also to those who carry them out or are involved in any way.
Chief James Onanefe Ibori who arrived Nigeria, has opened a twitter account with the handle @ChiefIbori at about 8. 00 a.m on Sunday.
At about 3:20p.m, three tweets have been recorded on the handle with his first saying, “Good morning Nigerians. #myfirstTweet.”
Chief James Onanefe Ibori
The second tweet which has a video of him acknowledging cheers from the crowd that welcomed him at his Oghara residence, he said: “I’m excited to unite with my people. The strength of any politician lies in hands of his followers.”
A third tweet reads: “The energy yesterday was electrifying and intimidating. I’m greatful.”
Meanwhile, Nigerians equally responded to him in a series of tweets that followed with many congratulating him while others condemned him on the way and manner he ruled Delta State while he held sway as governor of the state.
In another development, factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State, Chief Adolor Okotie-Eboh was among the top politicians in the State who visited Chief James Ibori, Sunday.
Though it was not certain if the visit by Chief Adolor was politically inclined or just a solidarity visit, a close friend to the former governor, Chief Ighoyota Amori on Saturday said: “Ibori remains in PDP, and all his followers are in PDP.”
Meanwhile, the Ivie of Oghara, Mosogar and Idjere kingdoms visited Ibori at his home making them the first set of monarchs to have visited him in his abode.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – At a time Nigerians were anxiously waiting for his return to Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly informing them of his desire to extend his leave.
He did not state the duration of the extension.
The letter which was written on Sunday stated that the extension was to enable the president complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina on Sunday stated that “The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning.”
The statement added that “The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives
Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes.”
The Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) said on Sunday in Abuja it has opened camp in Abuja for its male and female under-21 beach volleyball teams.
A statement from the Federation said the teams are preparing for the qualifying competition for this year's World Under-21 Beach Volleyball Championships.
The championships known as the FIVB Beach Volleyball Under-21 World Championships is slated for June 13 to June 18 at Nanjing in China.
The qualifiers for this championships are scheduled to begin on February 9 in Lome, Togo with the Nigerian teams scheduled to depart Nigeria for Lome on February 8.
Habu Gumel, President of NVBF, said the Federation had opened the camp for the two teams since February 1 in view of the importance attached to Nigeria's qualification.
"We have since last week started to prepare for the continental qualifiers, which holds later this week in Lome, Togo.
"We have in camp the male and female teams, with each team having six players, to make a total of 12. The camp also has the full complement of technical crew as well as others such as medical and secretariat staff.
"With these players and officials, we expect to prepare well to be able to perform well there in Togo because we need to use the world championships to strengthen our teams,'' he said.
Gumel, also a Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), said Nigerian teams are well poised to qualify for the world championships.
"Our teams are well ranked. The male team are number five in Africa presently, while the female team are number two in Africa, and I think the players are in good form presently to do the country proud in Lome,'' he said.
The NVBF President said the Federation went to the length of preparing the players ahead of the competition so as to strengthen Nigeria's position in the sport.
"We are strong on the continent in beach volleyball and we need to be the strongest and compete among the world's best.
"So, we are hopeful that with qualification for the world championships, we will get better and the sport will grow further in Nigeria,'' he said.
Gabriel Jesus scored two goals including an injury-time winner as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City recorded a dramatic 2-1 victory over struggling Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The home side looked in complete control during a dominant first-half showing only to surrender an 81st-minute equaliser to Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The Iceland international capitalised on some poor defending, collecting Luciano Narsingh’s pass, switching the ball to his left foot and scoring with a brilliant low drive from just outside the area.
But deep in injury time David Silva’s right-wing cross found Jesus and after his initial header had been saved by Lukasz Fabianski, the 19-year-old Brazilian tapped the rebound into an open goal.
Jesus, a January arrival from Palmeiras, had required just 11 minutes of his full home debut to score the first of what City supporters hope will be many goals for them.
The goal was created by the excellence of Silva, who beat defender Federico Fernandez along the byline before pulling the ball back towards Raheem Sterling.
Martin Olsson managed to block the England forward on the six-yard line, but Jesus reacted like lightning, pouncing on the loose ball and making no mistake with a close-range volley.
City’s first-half dominance was complete and Willy Caballero, continuing to deputise for the dropped Claudio Bravo in the home goal, had not one moment of concern.
Manchester City’s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus (R) celebrates with Manchester City’s Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta after scoring their late winning goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on February 5, 2017. Manchester City won the game 2-1. / AFP PHOTO
The afternoon might have been put beyond the grasp of Swansea, showing signs of improvement under new manager Paul Clement, had referee Mike Dean judged that Alfie Mawson had fouled Jesus in the area on seven minutes.
Shortly after the goal, Yaya Toure almost doubled the lead from a 25-yard free-kick that was heading into the top left-hand corner until Fabianski made a superb diving save.
Fernandinho, playing at right-back, sent Sterling away and his cross was almost converted by Jesus, who was only denied by a fine piece of defending from Fernandez.
– Sane hits post – From Silva’s resulting corner, Toure should have made better contact with an unmarked shot that passed harmlessly wide.
Kevin De Bruyne then fired into the side-netting and Toure’s 18-yard shot was smothered, at the second attempt, by Fabianski.
A long Silva pass played Sterling in on goal just before the interval, although the City forward fell while rounding Fabianski and was harshly booked for simulation for his trouble.
However, City’s supporters would have been forgiven for wondering if their failure to score more than one goal would come back to haunt them as Swansea made an improved start to the second half.
Sigurdsson threatened to equalise in the 49th minute with a magnificently struck free-kick that was kept out by a combination of the leaping Caballero’s right glove and his right-hand post.
Leroy Sane sped down the other end in response and delivered a low cross which hit the foot of Fabianski’s post.
But the longer City went without adding a second goal, the more the anxiety grew at the Etihad, especially when Mawson headed just wide from Sigurdsson’s corner.
The Swansea defender was pressed into action at the other end when he blocked a dangerous low cross from Sterling.
It came at the expense of a corner from which De Bruyne picked out Aleksandar Kolarov, whose header flew harmlessly wide.
Mawson again came to his team’s rescue after 72 minutes, producing a well-timed block to stop a Silva shot, set up by Jesus’s superb flick, which had looked destined for the back of the visitors’ net
Travellers from seven mainly Muslim countries affected by the initial immigration order by President Donald Trump have started rushing to board U.S. flights, Reuters report Sunday.
This is sequel to a U.S. Appeal Court judgment which halted the execution of the order from President Donald Trump barring citizens from those countries and temporarily banning refugees.
The court ruling dealt a further setback to Trump, who has denounced the judge in the state of Washington who blocked his executive order on Friday.
In tweets and comments to reporters, the president had insisted he would get the ban reinstated.
Trump had said the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, were necessary.
He said this was to protect the U.S. from Islamist militants but critics said the measures are unjustified and discriminatory.
The judge's order and the appeal ruling have created what may be a short-lived opportunity for travelers from the seven affected countries to get into the United States while the legal uncertainty continues.
"This is the first time I try to travel to America. We were booked to travel next week but decided to bring it forward after we heard," said a Yemeni woman.
The woman who was recently married to a U.S. citizen, boarded a plane from Cairo to Turkey on Sunday to connect with a U.S. bound flight.
She declined to be named for fear it could complicate her entry into the United States.
In a brief order, the U.S. Appeal Court said the government's request for an immediate administrative stay on the Washington judge's decision had been denied.
It was awaiting further submissions from Washington and Minnesota states on Sunday, and from the government on Monday.
The U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security said they were complying with the directive and many visitors are expected to start arriving on Sunday
Government has said it expected to begin admitting refugees again on Monday.
Reuters reports that Iraqi Fuad Sharef, his wife and three children spent two years obtaining U.S. visas.
They had packed up to move to America last week, but were turned back to Iraq after a failed attempt to board a U.S.-bound flight from Cairo.
On Sunday, the family checked in for a Turkish Airlines flight to New York from Istanbul.
"Yeah, we are very excited. We are very happy," Sharef told Reuters.
"Finally, we have been cleared. We are allowed to enter the U.S," he said.
Rana Shamasha, 32, an Iraqi refugee in Lebanon, was due to travel to the United States with her two sisters and mother on Feb. 1 to join relatives in Detroit until their trip was cancelled as a result of the travel ban.
She is now waiting to hear from U.N. officials overseeing their case. "If they tell me there is a plane tomorrow morning, I will go.
"If they tell me there is one in an hour, I will go," she told Reuters by telephone in Beirut, saying their bags were still packed.
"I no longer have a house here, work, or anything," she said.
An official at Beirut airport said three Syrian families had left for the United States via Europe on Sunday morning.
"Airline sources in Cairo said that 33 people from the seven affected countries had been allowed to board U.S.-bound flights since Saturday.
President Donald Trump has rebuffed calls for a tougher stance on Russia, playing down political assassinations inside the country and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump — now two weeks into his four-year term — showed no signs of yielding to demands from within his own Republican Party to distance himself from President Vladimir Putin.
“I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get along with them,” Trump said in an excerpt of a Super Bowl interview with Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly that will air in full on Sunday.
When pressed in relation to Putin’s alleged links to the extrajudicial killing of journalists and dissidents, Trump said, “There are a lot of killers. We have a lot of killers.”
“You think our country is so innocent?” Trump asked rhetorically.
Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and advisor to former president Barack Obama, described Trump’s comments as “disgusting.”
“This moral equivalency that Trumps continues to draw between the USA and Russia is disgusting (and inaccurate),” he said on Twitter.
Mainstream Republicans have repeatedly called on Trump to distance himself from Putin, with little impact.
Throughout the election campaign, Trump refused to criticize the Russian leader, saying better relations with the Kremlin would be in the US national interest.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump agree to improve relations of both countries
The new president has advocated working with Russia to combat the Islamic State group in Syria, where Moscow has deployed aircraft, naval assets and troops to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In December, US intelligence agencies went public with their view that Russia conducted a hack-and-release campaign aimed at swinging the US election in Trump’s favor.
Trump’s repeated criticism of NATO — a common target for Putin — has only fueled suspicions that Trump is ready to side with Moscow over allies in Europe.
Across Europe, there are growing concerns that the continent might be wedged between a hostile Russia and a hostile United States.
Trump’s stance on Ukraine has also raised eyebrows. After a call with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko on Saturday, the White House said the pair addressed “Ukraine’s long-running conflict with Russia.”
Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March 2014 and has supported separatists in the east of the country.
Former national security advisor Susan Rice publicly criticized Trump’s framing of the situation.
“This distortion of even recent history is deeply troubling,” she tweeted.
– ‘We’re watching’ – Trump’s Vice President Mike Pence tried to explain the administration’s approach to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which had flared after Trump and Putin spoke by telephone a week ago.
“We’re watching, and (we’re) very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine,” Pence told ABC’s “This Week” news program.
During the Trump-Putin call, the Kremlin said the two men had discussed improving economic relations, a potential signal of Trump’s willingness to lift sanctions on Russia.
Asked whether the administration would be willing to ease sanctions while Russia is violating ceasefire agreements, Pence demurred.
“I think that’s a question that will be answered in the months ahead. And it just simply all depends,” he said.
“If we have opportunities to work together, I think the president is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew.
“But make no mistake about it — those decisions will await action. And they’ll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead.”
A member of the National Assembly, Sen. Ali Wakili, said the National Assembly was working on strategies to block loopholes and wastage in recurrent expenditure in the nation's annual budget.
He said that the measures being worked out were part of efforts of the lawmakers to support the executive in addressing issues of corruption in the country.
Wakili said at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja that little investigation by some lawmakers had revealed that more corrupt practices were currently going on in recurrent budget, not usual capital budget.
"By the Procurement Act, the capital budget has to be taken through a long process for them to be seen.
"But, it was discovered that through the recurrent expenditure there can be many loopholes that people can catch in to do those things. "We need to reduce wastages from recurrent expenditure.
"Every year you discover that you are buying software for N500 million, then you discover that you are also buying papers for computer for half a billion naira this year.
"The following year you are buying it for N800 million. Where are those previous ones, the ones bought the previous year? So, we need to be up and doing.
"That is why I challenged the members of the national assembly that we need to be meticulous in this issue of oversight.
"We are talking of corruption, there lots of issues in this regard and we must tackle them,'' he said.
Wakili said that the current National Assembly was committed to improving governance and national development through oversight functions.
Pope Francis on Sunday urged the faithful to pray for unborn children threatened by “the termination of pregnancy” in a throwaway culture marked by falling birthrates.
“Every life is sacred. Let us promote a culture of life as a response to the logic of throwing away and in the face of demographic decline,” he said in an address to mark the “international day for consecrated life”.
“Let us pray together for children threatened by the termination of pregnancy and also for people at the end of their lives,” he said during his weekly Angelus prayer in Saint Peter’s Square.
Since his election, the pope has expressed concern over the demographic decline in Europe and particularly in Italy, which the Catholic Church believes is fuelled in part by abortion — a practice which Francis, like his predecessors, fiercely opposes.
But last year he granted priests the right to permanently forgive abortion, extending a temporary measure put in place during the Vatican’s jubilee “Year of Mercy” which ended in November.
The Catholic Church considers abortion to be a sin, with the priestly pardon applicable not only to women who have abortions but also to those who carry them out or are involved in any way.
By AYO ONIKOYI In the wake of the music star Innocent Idibia a.k.a. 2Face backing out of the highly celebrated February 6th protest in Abuja and Lagos, Nigerians, his fans and colleagues have been in shock. Ace comedian, Oluwaseyitan Lawrence a.k.a Seyilaw who publicly pledged his support to the African Queen crooner is still beside himself in shock and has vowed to go ahead with the planned protest.
*Seyi Law
In his post on Instagram, Seyi said, "I am giving Nigerians the assurance that I will be at the stadium tomorrow. We have a right to our protest. I absolutely understand @official2baba, but I am not backing out.
In a further post the comedian expressed his frustrations with the turn of event, saying "how our greatest weapons have been used against us."
In his words: my pain in the face of our challenges is how our greatest weapons have been used against us. God is supposed to be our greatest tool of deliverance and projection into our unknown future. The government ought to help us organize our collective ideas and smoothen our path to freedom and development. Gun, a potent tool of protection and reassurance of territorial power. The cord that ties these three power tools together is human and the knife that cuts them is politics.
"the hunger for the government has caused some men to politicise god, creating chaos through our religion and oppressing us with guns. It was supposed to be a protest highlighting and stating our desire for good governance, but again politics has to be played and with their tools of government and gun, we have been muted.
"Let them rejoice in the power they hold, but please remind them that death will someday knock on the door. The grave will hold them down and their children will behold the strength in our unity. Silence us today and your children will be silent tomorrow while we speak. I believe in this nation and the emancipation of all. I won’t stop speaking and i know the tides of time will change and usher in a new dawn. Thanks @official2baba, , god bless you for standing with us.
Only one of the eight places at the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017, to be held on 17 June to 2 July, has yet to be taken. It will be filled by either Cameroon or Egypt, who will go head to head in the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Gabon 2017 on Sunday 5 February. The victors will join Chile, Germany and Australia in Group B at Russia 2017, with Portugal, Mexico, New Zealand and the hosts fighting it out in Group A.
The match Egypt-Cameroon, Stade de l’Amitie, Libreville (Gabon), 20:00 (local time)
It's official! Two of Africa's footballing superpowers have regained their place at the top table after several years in the wilderness. Cameroon and Egypt now have the opportunity to add yet another trophy to their respective lists of honours, after enjoying virtually flawless runs to the continental final.
Hector Cuper's Egypt owe their place in the tournament showpiece to their miserly defence, tactical nous and their ability to make goals count, having recorded three 1-0 wins to date. Essam El Hadary, their 44-year-old living legend of a goalkeeper, has been at his very best, conceding just the one goal to date and playing the hero in the semi-final shootout win over Burkina Faso. Mohamed Salah has also lived up to expectations as the Pharaohs' star man, while Mahmoud "Trezeguet" Hassan has only added to his burgeoning reputation.
The Indomitable Lions will be lining up against them thanks to their team spirit and the energy of their new breed, who have been skilfully managed by Hugo Broos. The Belgian coach has successfully juggled tactics and formations throughout the competition, while his charges have kept their cool at key moments, a quality most in evidence in the quarter-final shootout win over Senegal and in the last 20 minutes of the 2-0 semi-final defeat of Ghana, all of which augurs well for their hopes in the final.
Egypt fans can take heart, however, from their side's head-to-head record against the Cameroonians, whose last Africa Cup of Nations win against the Pharaohs came back in 2002. And in their two meetings in the final of the competition, which came in 1986 and 2008, the Egyptians triumphed on both occasions, just two of their record seven continental title wins, another stat that will give the North Africans heart. The rivalry between Sunday's finalists is one of biggest in the history of the competition, with two big guns all set to face off for the tenth time on the AFCON stage.
FIFA Confederations Cup records Cameroon and Egypt are both vying for a third Confederations Cup appearance. The Pharaohs lined up in the 1999 and 2009 competitions, while the Indomitable Lions graced the tournament in 2001 and 2003. The Cameroonians reached the final on the second of those occasions, losing to France 1-0 after extra time at the end of a competition marked by the tragic death of their midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe in the semi-finals.
The stat 3 – the number of consecutive Africa Cup of Nations competitions Egypt missed prior to this one (in 2012, 2013 and 2015), a sequence that came after three consecutive tournament wins for the Pharaohs, in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II, has appealed to both Federal and state governments to make the teaching of culture a compulsory subject for students of primary and secondary schools as well as higher institutions.
"The learning of culture needed to be impacted on the younger generation right from when they are young so that it will become part of them," he said.
Oba Ogunwusi stated this in his palace at Ile Ife Osun, that this would also allay the fears that the African culture was gradually going into extinction.
The monarch said that he was not ashamed to project his cultural heritage inherited from his forefathers to the world.
"I am proud of my cultural heritage and I am proud to showcase it to the world.
" The river that does forget its source never runs dry," he said.
Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi 51st Ooni of Ife
He said that Africans were gradually killing their cultural heritage due to their embracing the western culture.
" Nigerians should stop the habit of imbibing foreign cultures at the detriment of their own cultures.
"Africa has the richest and most valuable cultures in the world, especially, Nigeria to be precise, "he said.
Ogunwusi prayed that the cultural heritage Nigerians and Africans inherited from their forefathers would not go into extinction.
The Ooni also pledged to support the promotion of the ancient city's traditional festivals a world class standard as part of projecting the Yoruba culture and tradition.
He said that was why he had commenced the on the beautification of 201 traditional shrines and heritage centres in the town.
"The only way we can sell our festivals, culture and heritage to the world is to give it a good packaging.
" We are blessed with several cultures and festivals that can attract tourists and visitors into the country.
"Nigeria has the highest and richest cultures in the world but they require we give them the needed publicity and promotion," he said.
The real Tsunami’s coming, I will take the first bullet, Charly Boy vows to continues struggle
By AYO ONIKOYI
Veteran entertainment personality and the self-style ‘Area Father’ Charles Oputa a.k.a. Charly Boy is well known for his social activism and he was one of the first celebrated artistes to back the African Queen crooner on his mission to embark on a nationwide protest.
On hearing that the singer had backed out, citing security and public safety concerns, the Area Father reacted and mocked " The struggle to overcome political insanity, audacious impunity and mindless looting in Nigeria took a negative hit last night not just because Tuface Idibia called off the 6th of February, 2017 protest; because most of the demons we are fighting against hijack the people’s protest and anger at the establishment."
In his lengthy post to reaffirm his commitment to start a new onslaught against the state of the nation, Charly Boy, said, "Now we retreat to regroup and replan and we will lock hands to synchronise our objectives. For me, it is #ALUTAETERNAL, because If we no plan well things no go work well. No be everybody get that kin heart to stand tall when jungle mature. The real tsunami it’s coming, and no doubt I will be on the front line. I will take the First Bullet; let my body be the first to drop; Let my Blood be the first to wash our LANDS.
His full post reads as thus: The TuFace Cancelled Protest. The Struggle to overcome Political Insanity, Audacious impunity and Mindless looting in Nigeria took a Negative hit last night not just because Tuface Idibia called off the 6th of February, 2017 Protest; because most of the demons we are Fighting against hijack the Peoples Protest and Anger at the Establishment. We must not Trivialize the Struggle because it is the Emancipation of the Nigerian Mind. President Muhammadu Buhari is not the Problem of the Nigerian State and this is not excusing his Failures. The Nigeria Political Elite are Vampires Feeding off the Blood of a Willing and Docile Populace. They Loot Because we Hail; The Celebration of Ibori in Delta State Yesterday and Across the Country Typifies the Insanity of our Stupidity and eternal Problem of the Nigerian Struggling Populace.
Now we retreat to regroup and replan and we will lock hands to synchronise our objectives. For me, it is #ALUTAETERNAL, because If we no plan well things no go work well. No be everybody get that kin heart to stand tall when jungle mature. The real tsunami it’s coming, and no doubt I will be on the front line. I will take the First Bullet; let my body be the first to drop; Let my Blood be the first to wash our LANDS.
Will the Nigeria youth back a Full Blooded Peaceful Political Mass Revolution at the Federal, State and Local Government Level? I doubt. But, I no go give up on my children, The Coalition of the Frustrated, Angry and Hungry, as well as this country that I love. We must sustain the pressure and cannot turn back as the Revolution Continues. We must begin to resist political insensitivity and mindless looting of our common wealth.
I, AreaFada will fight so fear will no longer cripple my people. Our MUMU don reach last bus-stop. And before we go start to chop sand sand, we go enter street and purge our lands of political dictatorship, oppression, poverty and corruption.
We must not walk/work alone or we will fail miserably. The Nigerian politician is our eternal enemy; The Nigerian people are the willing victim and it is time to channel our angero peacefully towards making governance work work for us not against us.
By AYO ONIKOYI Less than 24 hours to the planned two-state anti-government protest by ace music star, Innocent Idibia a.k.a. 2Face billed to take place today, the African Queen crooner backed out of the protest, citing security reasons for his retreat.
2face
2Face announced the cancellation of the protest barely five hours after reeling out the dos and don’ts of the protest.
In a video broadcast on his Instagram page, the singer said, " After due consultation, it has become clear that One Voice Nigeria protest billed to hold in Abuja and Lagos on Monday, February 6th will not hold due to security and public safety concerns. The point I am trying to make is not worth the life of any Nigerian."
But since the broadcast Nigerians and his fans have not been the same. There have been cries of foulplay, disappointments, and of course, praises for those who deemed the singer has done enough in firing the warning shot.
One of his fans who was obviously angered by the ‘For Instance’ star said the singer must have been compromised. " lanslam "Now I know that everyone has a PRICE. How much were you paid?
This movement will have put your name on the marble and probably made you the greatest musician that stood against the GOVERNMENT and won….. You’ve made countless mistakes but this very one will hunt you for ages……" he said.
Another fan toed the same line of though: " okwuchukwuirie "Respect to you 2baba but you shouldn’t have gotten involved if you were not ready to see it through. Nobody said the road was going to be easy. You should have know that protesting against Nigerian govt would be a threat to your family or loved ones.
Why gather peoples energy and back out? You for just dey do your music. You have done great in your music but mind you that in years to come, cowardice will be boldly written on your resume." Yet another fan described the act of retreat by the singer as a disgrace.
"wydotphotos "U know the funny thing is when Nigerians were protesting in Ojota during Goodluck regime nobody thought about hijack. U could have used wisdom. Converge at the stadium, make some good statement, address d press and tell d masses the risk and dispatch dem from there. u would have achieved something. But this, it is a disgrace"
But there are those die-hard fans who believe the singer has done enough even if he had retreated at the eleventh hour. "Please ignore these negative comments, i doubted it was ever going to be as peaceful as you intended anyway because some people are waiting for an excuse to carry out missions unintended for this purpose.
You will always be a hero. A person that ignores his ego and go for the right thing. You remind me of Goodluck Jonathan in a good way"
Another one also stands with the singer, saying, "lasheggzGreat.. Tubaba is a real patriot, he is the Bob Marley of our time and the fela zeal is in him… Now the govt is scared of the movement, but a day shall soon be here, when we all in one voice and one heart shall come together in peace and fight for our right. I love u tubaba, some day i know I would do a song with you."
2Face’s wife response to hate comments 2face’s wife’s commitment to her husband is almost becoming legend. Just days ago, she said she wanted to grow old and die by his side. During the heat of the buildup to the protest Annie Idibia affirmed her unflinching commitment to her husband’s course.
"annieidibia1I connect to the LOVE in your conscience.. the power in your words are so inspirational…your lifestyle na spirituality..one way or the other you have influenced my life and others.. You are a SPECIAL Blessing..God sees your heart.. And “WE” do too", she had gushed on her Instagram page.
However in the wake of criticisms being hulled at the love of her life, Annie has a simple answer to all saying they are disappointed by 2Face’s retreat at the eleventh hour. @Annieidibia1 "And to many That is typing that they are disappointed, you can continue where he stopped"
Luis Muriel’s penalty gave Sampdoria a shock 1-0 win over AC Milan 1-0 on Sunday to compound the Rossoneri’s hopes of a return to European football.
Milan, slipping to their third consecutive league defeat, remain in eighth place but are now 14 points behind leaders Juventus, who have two games in hand.
More importantly, Milan sit 10 points behind Roma in the third and last Champions League qualifying spot. The capital side can stretch their lead with a win over Fiorentina on Tuesday.
AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella had raised hopes this season that the seven-time European champions could battle for a Champions League spot.
Milan last graced the competition in 2014 when they lost 5-1 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
Sampdoria’s midfielder from Uruguay Lucas Torreira (R) fights for the ball with AC Milan’s midfielder from Slovenia Juraj Kucka during the Italian Serie A football match AC Milan vs Sampdoria at “San Siro” Stadium in Milan on February 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
But injuries to midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura, who is out for the season, and defenders Mattia Di Sciglio and Luca Antonelli forced Montella into deploying a largely makeshift back four.
Alessio Romagnoli and Juraj Kucka were hauled back into defence from midfield and for the first half Milan’s defence held firm against incursions by Muriel and Andrea Bertolacci.
Former Everton striker Gerard Deulofeu spurned a great chance to break the deadlock after the restart when he fired on to the far post from seven yards out.
Milan striker Carlos Bacca had desperate penalty appeals waved away when he tumbled after a nudge by Matias Silvestre in the area.
But when Gabriel Paletta hauled dwn Fabio Quagliarella on the counter, the referee pointed immediately to the spot. Muriel sent goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to give Samp a 70th minute lead.
Milan should have levelled in the final minutes but late substitute Gianluca Lapadula fired straght at Emiliano Viviano after being sent clear.
It was Sampdoria’s first win over Milan since 2012 but the Genoa side have now claimed to major scalps in succession having edged Roma 3-2 last week when Muriel hit a 73rd minute winner.
Samp moved up two places to 10th at 21 points off the pace.
Juventus, bidding for a record sixth consecutive title, saw their lead cut to three points when Napoli routed Bologna 7-1 on Saturday to move up to second place.
But the Turin giants can pull six points clear with a win against Inter later Sunday.
Rev. Sunday Oladeji of the Redeemed Christian church of God, Lokoja has urged Nigerians to stop making inflammatory statements that could jeopardize the peace of the nation.
Oladeji, who spoke in his sermon "Peace of a Nation" in Lokoja on sunday, said peace brings unity among nations.
He noted that most of the crises among Christians and Muslims in the country was as a result of preachings amongst religious leaders and urged leaders to always watch and guide their utterances.
Oladeji noted that if there was love among religious faith, the nation would be more at peace with each other and there won't be room for any form of crisis among faith.
He prayed God to help Nigeria move stronger out of every challenge it was facing, stressing that with prayers and supplication peace would return to the nation at large.
Oladeji said the church has been praying for the nation so that every agitation for breakup would seize and God himself would intervene in the affairs of the nation.
Money can be such a fluid thing. It goes much more easily than it comes, and is a difficult thing to control. Most times, expenses upon expenses will come and before you realise it a good chunk of your money is gone. It really can be stressful.
Jumia Travel shares 5 ways to help you avoid overspending and the stress that comes with it.
HAVE A BUDGET
This cannot be overemphasized. If you don't want to overspend, you have to have a budget. You can't continue to spend spontaneously and expect a miracle to happen.
You might feel like having a budget is too tedious or too technical but it really isn't, or at least it doesn't have to be. Creating a budget is as easy as the sample below:
IMPROVE YOUR BUDGET
Many times, even with a budget, we still end up overspending. A reason for this, most times, is that our budgets are not feasible and do not sufficiently cover our legitimate expenses. In this case, you should improve on your budget so it is more realistic, captures your legitimate needs and is easy to follow.
Legitimate expenses largely consist of your variable expenses. Things like entertainment, clothing, foodstuffs, and transportation are your variable expenses. Most times, when we initially create a budget we are too tight with our variable expenses because we are trying to rein them in and avoid overspending on them.
When you are too tight with your variable expenses you end setting yourself up for failure. This doesn't mean you should be excessive in the amount you allocate for these variables (if you could afford to be excessive you won't need a budget in the first place), but you should be honest enough with yourself to acknowledge how much you really need to sufficiently take care of them. You can base this on how much you've spent on them in the past and how much you can realistically afford to spend on them now.
USE CASH
The cashless society that ours is gradually turning into can be a good thing, but not if you're trying to avoid overspending. Avoid taking your debit cards with you everywhere, especially when you are going out for entertainment. Stick to a cash-only budget system that forces you to stick to your budget. There is nothing that motivates you not to overspend more than when you know you don't have any surplus money with you to overspend with.
DISCIPLINE
In the end it all boils down to discipline. You have to learn to discipline yourself not to overspend and, as much as you can, avoid situations that can make you overspend. Occasionally, you can depend on a friend or family member for support and accountability in helping you curb overspending.
GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT
From time to time, when you have successfully stuck to your budget and avoided overspending, do something nice for yourself with your money to commend yourself for the effort. It helps to encourage you and becomes a sort of reward you give yourself for the short-term financial goals you successfully achieved.
Again, it's important to remember that you set these financial goals for yourself first, achieve them and then reward yourself by spending some, not all the money you have been able to save. Don't be excessive with it.
Barcelona midfielder Rafinha faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken nose in a clash with his own goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Barca refused to confirm on Sunday how long the Brazilian would be out for but he seems certain to miss Tuesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg at home to Atletico Madrid, with Barcelona holding a 2-1 aggregate lead.
Rafinha
The Spanish champions face a congested fixture list over the next six weeks with seven La Liga matches and a Champions League blockbuster last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Barca could be handed a big injury boost ahead of Atletico’s visit to the Camp Nou in midweek with Spanish international duo Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets close to a return.
