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Win (8)
Ocean Boys recorded a long overdue first win of the
season when they defeated Niger Tornadoes 2-0 on Sunday. But the victory came at a cost as the club’s left back, Emmanuel Ogoli died during the match.
Ogoli slumped on the pitch in the 39th minute of play and after efforts at resuscitating him failed, he was rushed into an ambulance. He was confirmed dead on the way to the hospital.
photo:late Ogoli & okwaraji
The former Bayelsa United skipper only recently returned to first team duties with the former league champions after suffering a knee injury in a week two Premier League game against Plateau United at the Samson Siasia Stadium on November 14 following a clash with Plateau United’s Obinna Nwokolo..
He subsequently missed his side’s 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Rangers in Enugu but resumed training way ahead of schedule and even got to play a part in his club’s 1-1 draw at home to Sharks.
He also featured in penultimate weekend’s 1-0 loss at Gombe United and returned to the starting line-up in yesterday’s game against Niger Tornadoes, which turned out to be the last of his career.
Teammates in shock
“I still can’t believe what happened to Emma. One second he was standing and the very next he was lying flat on the pitch,” narrated Ocean Boys goalkeeper, Femi Thomas amidst tears.
“There was no challenge of any sort; no one touched him. He just went down in the (penalty) box not too far away from where I was standing,” recalled the former Nigeria junior international who, like the rest of the Ocean Boys squad, didn’t get to hear the sad news until the end of the game.
“We weren’t told anything until after the match. We were all shocked; we are still in shock and there’s no way we can celebrate,” added the former Nasarawa United shot stopper.
But for Ogoli’s death, there would have been every reason to celebrate Sunday’s win at the Samson Siasia Stadium as it was the first win of the campaign for the side from Brass and lifted them off the bottom of the league table ahead of the Jos based duo of Plateau United and JUTH, who both suffered defeats at the weekend, the latter, a 2-0 home loss to Kwara United.
History of deaths
Ogoli’s death won’t the first time a Nigerian player will be dying while on club or national duty with one of the earliest cases occurring back in August 1989 when Nigerian midfielder Samuel Okwaraji collapsed and died while playing against Angola in a World Cup Qualifier. An autopsy later showed that the 24-year-old had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure.
In the Nigerian league, back in October 1995, Julius Berger forward Amir Angwe, who five years earlier was the star of BCC Lions’ CAF Cup Winners Cup success, collapsed and died at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos.
He was later diagnosed to have died of a heart attack which was the same diagnoses for John Ikoroma who died while playing for Middle East club Al-Wahda in February 2000.
There was also the case of Warri Wolves goalkeeper Orobosa Adun, who slumped and died during a training session in May 2009, as well as Endurance Idahor, who in March this year collapsed while playing for his Sudanese club Al Merreikh and died on the way to hospital.
Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.
I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.
As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.
One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!
Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.
And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..
Nsofor scored the second goal via penalty.
The Super Eagles continued their preparations for the World Cup with a 3-1 win against North Korea in Tembisa, Johannesburg yesterday. It was the Swedish born coach’s third game in charge and Aiyegbeni Yakubu was on hand to open scoring for the Super Eagles in the 16th minute before Obinna Nsofor extended the lead from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute. A momentary loss of concentration between Elderson Echiejile and Joseph Yobo allowed Jong Tae-Se to pull one back for the North Koreans but Obafemi Martins restored Nigeria’s two-goal advantage with a 90th minute header. Martins had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he scored.
The game, which was played at the Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg, was however marred by a stampede which broke out shortly after the start of the second half.
According to police reports, at least 20 people, including one policeman, were injured during the stampede forcing the match officials to stop the game for around five minutes to attend to the injured and ensure the safety of fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.
The match itself saw Lagerback making a few changes from the side that had played a 1-1 draw with Colombia in their previous game as he restored the duo of Yobo and Danny Shittu in the heart of the defence with Chidi Odiah and Taiwo at the right and left side of the defence. Dickson Etuhu and Lukman Haruna, whose work rate keeps increasing with every game, along with Sani Kaita who played from the right side of midfield and Nsofor, on the opposite end, were once again in the middle while Osaze Odemwingie and Yakubu led the forward line..
Great start
The predominantly Nigerian crowd at the venue were handed the best of starts after a sweet interchange of passes between Yakubu and Nsofor ended with Yakubu slotting the ball into the back of the net.
In the 24th minute Taye Taiwo’s audacious freekick from well over 40 yards almost proved more than a handful for the Korean goalkeeper. But two minutes later, the Olympique Marseille defender almost gifted the ‘Chollima’, as the North Koreans are known, an equalizer when he was too slow to prevent a cross across the face of the Nigerian goal by the crafty Mun In-Guk.
The second half saw Lagerback introducing Elderson Echiejile, Kalu Uche and Yusuf Ayila for Taye Taiwo, Sani Kaita and the enterprising Dickson Etuhu. Nsofor almost extended Nigeria’s lead four minutes after the restart but his deflected shot fell into the hands of the Korean goalkeeper.
Stampede
A minute later, the match had to be stopped after a stampede broke out in the stands. Five minutes following the restart, the referee awarded a penalty to the Super Eagles after a Korean defender inadvertently handled the ball and Nsofor was on hand to make it 2-0 for Nigeria.
A mistake in defence however saw Jong getting the better of Enyeama in the 64th minute, and three minutes later, the Koreans were denied a penalty after the referee erroneously awarded a free-kick for a foul by Chidi Odiah. A red card to Cha Jong-Hyok for a second bookable offence however left room in the Korean defence which Uche capitalised on to run rings round the backline before crossing for Martins to nod into a gaping net.
The game was the last warm-up match the Eagles will play before their opening match against Argentina on Saturday, June 12, 2010
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P-Square win $1m Africa music awards
HONOUR has come the way of Nigerian musicians, as R&B duo, P-Square, Paul and Peter, were crowned Africa's best in the recent Kora music awards held in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou.
The programme was attended by some 3,000 people including the country's President, Blaise Compaore
According to the Agence France Presse (AFP), the twins Paul and Peter who form P-Square beat Senegalese group, Black Diamond, Angola's Paul G and homegrown Amety Meria to scoop the top award, which is worth $1million, on Sunday.
The singer from Cape Verde, Cesaria Evora and Gabon's Pierre Akendengue picked up lifetime achievement awards, and homage was also paid to the late Michael Jackson at the ceremony held in Ouagadougou's sports stadium.
The only black mark on the evening was the absence of Senegalese-American R&B star Akon who, despite being offered a private jet and $150,000, did not make the trip to the Burkina Faso capital..
Kora awards promoter, Ernest Adjovi, deplored the singer's absence and apologised to the "15 million Burkinabes and the billion Africans" watching the ceremony.
No fewer than 100 television channels in 22 countries broadcast the ceremony live, organisers said.
Other successes on the night included Becca (Ghana) for best African prospect, Chronicle 2h (Senegal) for best reggae artist and Alicia Keys, also absent, who was crowned best African-American artist of the Diaspora.
Artists from 24 African countries took part in the competition, whose awards are decided through a share of public and jury votes.
The Kora awards were created in 1996 and the ceremony took place for the first time outside South Africa
By Terfa Tilley-Gyado as culled from next
The 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony takes place tonight at the Kodak Centre in Los Angeles. Here are my tips on some of the likely winners.
BEST PICTURE: In a novel format, 10 films will slug it out for best picture this year as opposed to the previous shortlist of five. It is perhaps the only reason why the overly allegorical District 9 and the quirky A Serious Man, tiptoed their way into this year's list. In reality, however, just like in other years, the fight is usually between a couple of films. This year it will be surprising if The Hurt Locker or Avatar don't pick up the award. I think Avatar will polarise the judges which will hand an advantage to The Hurt Locker.
Prediction: The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow).
BEST DIRECTOR: The Academy has often pulled a fast one in this category by handing the Oscar to the unofficial runner-up in the Best Picture category. This year, however, I suspect that Kathryn Bigelow will pick up both awards for The Hurt Locker, a stunning commentary on modern warfare. It eschews the preachiness and piety of recent war flicks and should ensure Ms. Bigelow's triumph over her ex-husband, James Cameron, for Avatar.
If she does, she will make history as the first woman to take home the Best Director statuette. Honourable mention goes to Lee Daniels for the gritty Precious, which was made on a shoestring budget; and Tarantino, who reminded the world of his anarchic talent in Inglourious Basterds.
BEST ACTOR: In any other year, George Clooney would be favourite for his role in Up in the Air. However, Jeff Bridges has swept up all the major awards in this category thus far and the Academy is likely to fall in line.
Prediction: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart).
BEST ACTRESS: Gabourey Sidibe was streets ahead in the reckoning for her brilliant performance in the eponymous Precious. However, she is up against a couple of Hollywood heavyweights, Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep, not to mention one of its most endearing leading ladies, Sandra Bullock. It's a tough call but Bullock appears to have found favour in the preceding awards.
Prediction: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Matt Damon's nomination for Invictus is a curious one here. It is a characteristically solid performance but his contribution in the film is largely insignificant. That notwithstanding, there appears to be just one winner here. Anyone who saw Christopher Waltz' near-perfect job in Inglourious Basterds witnessed a career-defining performance.
Prediction: Christopher Waltz (Inglourious Basterds).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: This is another shoe-in and it will be a grave injustice if Mo'Nique does not pick up the award for Precious. Her portrayal of an abusive mother is genuinely haunting and disturbing. You end up completely detesting the character, which is a testament to the levels of energy Mo'Nique brought into the role.
Prediction: Mo'Nique (Precious).
