Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Football Racism: End Not In Sight
Recently Real Betis midfielder Nosa Igiebor recounted his encounter in the hands of racists in Spain.
The 23-year-old expressed disbelief and shock at the high level of racism in the European country after spells in Norway with Lillestrom and Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Igiebor, who joined Betis in 2012 told the BBC, "For me I never thought about it (racism), as I never experienced it in Norway. I went to Israel and never experienced it. So I thought okay, it is the same everywhere.
"But I came here (Spain) and I saw these fans. If you play badly they scream and shout, but with the blacks it is different. They tend to call you names. I have seen my teammates who killed us in a game and nobody is saying anything about it because they are white.
"When I came here, that is when I knew there was racism in football. I never knew it before. I think FIFA or anybody should do something about it, because we all are human beings. Your colour does not really matter. Let us just play football and enjoy it."
Last year, Igiebor was racially abused by his own fans as he warmed-up for the derby clash with Seville.
The Nigerian replied the fans by coming off the bench to score Betis's third goal as they drew 3-3 after going down 3-0.
And then he celebrated his goal by raising the middle finger on both hands towards the fans.
"It is an experience which really I do not want to remember," the 23-year-old continued. "I do not want to talk about it, but I am going to share it now as it might help some other players. The coach asked me to warm up, and I went there with three other white guys.
"We were down 3-1 at that time, and there were these two guys who started shouting 'Nosa black monkey, Negro', those kind of words. They started screaming at me. I was wondering 'what have I done?'
"I had not even been on the field. You start to think, because you are black, why are they not telling these three guys the same thing they are telling me.
"I felt really bad. Emotionally I was down, if I could say to my coach do not put me (in) I would say (it), but I cannot. They were screaming and calling me all sorts of names.
"The coach then called me to go in and play. And when I scored that goal I ran to that same spot where those two guys were standing and I saw them and I did what I did."
Igiebor regretted his action afterwards but he admitted that he felt frustrated after the fans abused him.
"I did it out of annoyance and bitterness and anger in me," he added.
"I thought of it later and I should not have done it. But I did it at that point in time as I was frustrated.
"Why are they calling me Negro, black, monkey? This is what we are talking about, this racism in football. You do not do it. (Mario) Balotelli said it, other black guys have said it. We experience these things, you understand, and at the point in time you cannot control yourself. I am sorry for it."
Racist abuse of black players remains a major issue across Europe and Nigerian players have not been spared over the years.
In 2006, Adebowale Ogungbure was spat upon, jeered with racial remarks and mocked with monkey noises by fans as he left the pitch in a game between his club FC Sachsen Leipzig and Hallescher FC.
In rebuke, he placed two fingers under his nose to imitate a Hitler mustache and thrust his arm in a Nazi salute.
Ogungbure was accused and reported by German police but criminal proceedings against him were dropped 24 hours later.
Stoke City forward Osaze Odemwingie was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to a Nigerian father and a Russian mother.
Four years ago, Odemwingie joined EPL side West Bromwich Albion from Russia's Lokomotiv Moscow. But Lokomotiv fans unfurled racist banners targeted at the player. One banner included the image of a banana and read, "Thanks West Brom."
But Odemwingie was welcomed by West Brom supporters with their own banner spelling out their support for the striker.
Players of Nigerian descent, who pledged loyalties to other countries have not been left out of the racist abuse as well.
One of the most hit is the American defender Oguchi Onyewu. He was punched in the face and shouted at by racist fans while playing for Standard Liege in Belgium.
But the most publicised incident involving the big defender occurred in the 2008/09 season, when Anderlecht defender Jelle Van Damme, allegedly repeatedly called him a "dirty ape."
Van Damme denied the accusation, saying Onyewu taunted him in a racist way by calling him "dirty Flemish."
In an effort to end on-field racism in Europe, Onyewu sued Van Damme but the case was withdrawn in 2011 after a meeting between the two players that had Van Damme apologising.
Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, also recalled his plight in the hands of racists across Europe. The Olympic gold medalist had a glorious European career that spanned 13 years playing in the big leagues of Italy, Germany, France, England and Yugoslavia.
He however insists that racism cannot be totally eliminated.
"When I was playing in Europe, I was very popular. In Italy, the fans would sing with my father or mother's name; they would insult my parents. While on the pitch, if you came close to them, maybe on the sideline, they would throw bananas at you; they would throw water at you. We endured all that. I don't think it will change; racism will continue to be there," West said.
"I remember one game in Italy against Fiorentina and the whole fans were waiting for me. It was Taribo West against Fiorentina that day. If you touch the ball they will stone you, abuse you and boo you. If you don't have a big heart, you will run away. I said, 'today na today.' If you criticise and challenge me, it brings out the best in me.
"I ended my contract with Kaiserslautern in Germany because of racism. I couldn't stop it, I couldn't adjust to it. You will go to shops to buy something and you can see what you want to buy but they will tell you it's not there. The seller will tell you they don't have it and they don't sell it just because he is a racist and doesn't want to sell for blacks.
"It's all over Europe. It's very strong in Italy, very strong in Germany. It's mild in England and France. Holland is also mild because of the large number of blacks there. It's in Yugoslavia but I didn't face much there."
And the former AC Milan and Inter Milan centre-back now turned pastor, had to fight to earn some respect until he became born again.
He added, "I used to fight everyday in training. When I wasn't born again, I didn't know how to manage it. So, what I did was to fight.
"When I became born again, I began to forgive but it was still not easy. I was still hitting them. If you touch me, I will hit you twice. The whole team knew it; if you do anything funny, I will avenge. So, that kept me going and I built a reputation that you couldn't mess up. That made them to be afraid of me. That was how I dealt with the issue, until I left the scene."
West disclosed that African players even had to form a 'strong union' to tackle the malaise in his early days at French side Auxerre.
"Racism was very common in my time but now FIFA and UEFA are taking measures against it because of complaints from the coloured players. In some teams, if you like play more than (Diego) Maradona, you will not be picked. They don't care what you play; nobody will even look at you.
"So, we had a union of African footballers then; it was very strong. George Weah was president and we held meetings regularly and we discussed issues. We donated money to help Africans.
"In France, we used to see regularly: we had members that included me, Weah, Roger Milla, Rigobert Song and other key African players. But when we moved from France, we couldn't follow it up the way we used to. So, I don't know how it eventually went."
Ex-Eagles defender, Abdul Sule, says racism has killed the careers of several black players, who couldn't manage the abuses they received.
"I didn't witness it but while in Greece, I had to leave the scene of a racist incident because I didn't want to be embarrassed. A white guy was using racist words against a black guy and I had to leave.
"It kills the players' morale. When people who should support you are calling you names, it's hard to play. When you come to the pitch, you will begin to think negatively and this has affected the careers of several players," the former Stationery Stores player said.
Head, Technical Department of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chris Green, said the football body would back any of the country's players racially abused.
"When such things as racism are target towards them, they (players) should report to us (NFF). If they report the matter, we will take it up with the FA of the player's club and FIFA. We will not fold our hands and watch our players abused racially," Green stated.
"The boy is in Betis to render services. They employed him not because of his colour but because he could get the job done. We tell our players that they once played here before they left for Europe. So, if anything happens to them, a single mail will do the trick and we will investigate the matter and take it up."
Narrow is the way to success, so says a parable. West believes racism is one of the challenges a black player will face on his way to stardom and like he did during his time, he advises them to fight their way through, still insisting thjat racism will never end.
"They have to be very strong; they can't change it. It's something they have to pass through before they hit the limelight. They should be focused. Sometimes it could be painful but they have to live with it like I did."
Europe is a huge attraction for up-and-coming Nigerian footballers but they must realise that racism is probably one of the tough battles they have to battle to carve a niche for themselves.
Naij.com
Nigeria’s economy in dire strait, says Fashola
LAGOS State govenor District 13 Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has painted a very grim picture of Nigeria’s economy saying the situation demands urgent attention.
Addressing members of the state House of Assembly on the state of the nation at plenary yesterday in Lagos, he complained that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under-remitted N2.4 trillion to the Federation Account.
The governor, who was visibly saddened by the situation, gave the impression that no state would be able to meet its target for the year 2014 as the 36 states of the federation are in serious financial problems.
According to the governor, for the first time in almost 14 years of the nation’s democratic experience, the country has recorded walk-outs staged by commissioners of finance during meetings of the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FACC) in Abuja.
He said the first one happened in 2011, while the country witnessed more of such walk-outs last year due to irreconcilable accounts of the federation.
As a result, he said, some states have had to borrow to keep the government going.
He said:“The reasons for those disagreements were largely reported revenue declines that were disputed by the various states as represented by their various finance commissioners,” he said, adding that the pattern had continued right from the second half of last year to January this year.
“Now whilst this revenue decline has gone up, we have been unable to hold the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
“In the past, the meetings had held every month. The meeting has not been held now for, at least, six months in spite of clear revenue declines.”
He said the NEC is a forum for the discussion of economic issues concerning the 36 states of the federation and it is made up of governors, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the ministers of National Planning, Finance and others. The meeting is chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo.
He said the revenue decline should have been a major issue for discussion at the NEC meeting since the constitution of the country provided for it.
Fashola reminded the House that he had always complained of decline in revenue and the inability of the state to meet optimal budget performances, lamenting that the government has left social services to meet welfare needs of personnel.
According to him, the revenue declines are credited to “what is characterised as uncoordinated and discretionary application of the Federal Government’s fiscal policy on waiver and negotiating the duty credit certificates.”
TheNation
Catholic Bishop Hails Buhari’s Religious Tolerance As A Unifying Factor
The Bishop said this at the burial ceremony of Sir Martin Agwu Ohadiugha, the father in-law to Chief Ikechi Emenike, a chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia State, personalities from different walks of life and religions were present.
He said the fact that, Gen Mohammadu Buhari, a Muslim, could stay through the Christian service without opting to sympathize with Chief Emenike only in his house spoke volumes of his religious tolerance.
“This burial is a unifying factor for all the people of the country to learn that there is no problem living together, as we can see ministers of God of different denominations coming together to worship and pray for the repose of the soul of the dead, including a Muslim like Gen Buhari,” he said.
The funeral service held at the Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Umule, in Umuahia North local government.
Present at the service were ministers from other denominations, including the Assemblies of God Church and the Methodist Church, were present.
Abusidiqu
Sarah Palin predicted in 2008 that Putin would invade Ukraine if Obama was elected
Speaking as the Republican vice-presidential nominee in the 2008 US
presidential campaign, Palin warned that if Barack Obama was elected
then Russia would be likely to invade Ukraine.
Palin made the remarks when outlining various “crisis scenarios” that would face the US if Obama became president. She was speaking in response to comments made by Obama’s running mate Joe Biden, who warned democratic supporters that other world leaders would want to test the then Illinois senator.
“After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next,” said Palin.
A blog post from American magazine Foreign Policy described such a scenario as “extremely far-fetched”, noting that Russia already held significant influence over Ukraine (presumably in the form of now ousted President Viktor Yanukovych) and that the magazine “didn’t see why violence would be necessary to bring Kiev to heel.”
The latest updates from Ukraine suggest that with the change in government, Russia is now content to use military force instead of political influence. Russia is now fully in control of the Crimean peninsula with tense stand-offs between Moscow’s troops and Ukrainian soldiers reported around key military sites.
Palin’s comments may seem prescient but as one YouTube commenter noted “Palin made so many wacky claims its about time one was proved right. A broken clock is correct twice a day.”
Palin made the remarks when outlining various “crisis scenarios” that would face the US if Obama became president. She was speaking in response to comments made by Obama’s running mate Joe Biden, who warned democratic supporters that other world leaders would want to test the then Illinois senator.
“After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next,” said Palin.
A blog post from American magazine Foreign Policy described such a scenario as “extremely far-fetched”, noting that Russia already held significant influence over Ukraine (presumably in the form of now ousted President Viktor Yanukovych) and that the magazine “didn’t see why violence would be necessary to bring Kiev to heel.”
The latest updates from Ukraine suggest that with the change in government, Russia is now content to use military force instead of political influence. Russia is now fully in control of the Crimean peninsula with tense stand-offs between Moscow’s troops and Ukrainian soldiers reported around key military sites.
Palin’s comments may seem prescient but as one YouTube commenter noted “Palin made so many wacky claims its about time one was proved right. A broken clock is correct twice a day.”
TheIndependent
Poll: A quarter of Republicans say they may vote for Clinton in 2016
According to The Pew Research Center/USA Today poll, 8% of Republicans said there is a “good chance” and 17% said there was “some chance” they would vote for her in 2016. Seventy-four percent said there was no chance.
Since ending her tenure as Secretary of State early last year, Clinton, who has not said whether she’ll run, has been the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Previous polls showed Clinton as the top pick of Democrats and Tuesday’s survey was no different: 87% of Democrats said there was a “good” or “some” chance they would vote for her, if she ran.
Liberal Democrats are the most excited, according to the poll. Eighty-seven percent want to see Clinton run, while nearly seven-in-10 (69%) of conservative and moderate Democrats want the same.
Although Clinton, also a former first lady and U.S. Senator, has not said whether she’ll mount a candidacy, former campaign staffers and confidants have built a sophisticated apparatus urging her to do so.
The latest poll delivered insight into how Clinton’s time as America’s top diplomat is viewed by Americans.
According to the poll, 12% of those surveyed said Clinton’s time at the State Department was the most positive aspect of her long career.
That number, however, is overshadowed by the 15% of Americans who said the deadly terror attack in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 was the most negative aspect of Clinton’s career.
That number jumps to 28 % among Republicans, who would be sure to make Benghazi a campaign issue if she launches a White House bid.
Some Republicans in Congress continue to push for answers for the attack that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, and don’t believe Clinton has been held fully accountable.
Despite concerns about Benghazi, the Pew/USA Today poll found that a majority of Americans saw Clinton as tough, honest and not hard to like.
Likability has long been an issue that Clinton aides and confidants have sought to work on.
When Hillary Clinton weighed whether to run for Senate before her husband left the White House,
aides coached her on how to interact with the public and press, according to recently released documents from the Clinton presidential library.
“Don't be defensive. Look like you want the questions,” wrote Mandy Grunwald, a former aide, in a July 6, 1999, memo to Clinton. Later, she added, “Look for opportunities for humor.”
The issue came up again in 2008, when Clinton squared off with Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic nomination.
During a January 2008 debate in New Hampshire, Clinton was asked why people didn’t seem to like her as much as Obama.
“He's very likable," Clinton said. "I agree with that. I don't think I'm that bad."
Obama’s now famous response: “You're likable enough, Hillary, no doubt about it.”
CNN
Rivers get zero allocation for roads in 2014 Fed Govt budget
• Peterside
by: Victor Oluwaeegun and Dele Anofi
•Peterside walks out of budget defence sessionThere is zero allocation for federal roads in Rivers State in the 2014 Federal Government budget, it was learnt yesterday.
This led to the walking out on the budget defence session of the Ministry of Works by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, (APC, Rivers).
Some members of the Committee also raised concerns over some projects in the Northeast and the Northwest, as Umar Abubakar Sade (Bauchi/PDP) alleged that projects in Northeast had been abandoned.
Peterside said: “I checked the document and saw that there’s no single allocation for the projects in Rivers State,” adding that he would excuse himself from the session in order not to get angry.” He then walked out.
Minister of Works Mike Onolomemen however insisted that there was no political undertone to the development. He said the executive had no issue against Rivers State.
“There were challenges with the contracts awarded last year. The contractor could not access his money as at when due from the finance ministry,” he said, adding that efforts were on to make amends.”
The breakdown of the ministry’s budget showed that N161b was proposed for capital projects. The Ministry will take N141b while its agencies take N20b.
The inability of Nigeria to meet its financial obligations to the various international organisations to which Nigeria belong has become an embarrassment, the supervising Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Afgairs, Prof. Viola Adaku Onwuliri said yesterday.
Onwuliri said the accumulated recurrent debts incurred by all the 119 foreign missions across the world added to the embarrassment.
The minister spoke yesterday while defending the ministry’s budget.
Chairman of the Committee, Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, asked the minister if the country has debt concerns with her diplomatic levies.
The Minister said: “Yes, although, the diplomatic debts are under the schedule of the Ministry, the payment of diplomatic levies is solely handled by the Ministry of Finance”.
Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo said without more fund, the country would not be able to attain the 10,000 mega watts of electricity before the end of the year.
Nebo, during the defence of the ministry’s N59,051,290,389b budget for the Ministry and the six agencies under it.
He also stated that areas of priority for the ministry in the current year included the completion of 215MW Kaduna power project, completion of bankable feasibility studies on 17 small/medium hydropower sites, coal-fired Power Plants at Enugu/Gombe axis.
He also said the ministry was ready to fast track the development of 70MW Zungeru hydropower projects, fast track Operation Electrify Nigeria Project, development of the power component of 40MW Kashimbilla Multiple purpose Dam, fast track the completion of the Power Component of 34MW Dandinkowa Dam in Gombe State among others.
TheNation
Why Jonathan Fired Aviation Bosses
The president’s hammer yesterday fell on the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, George Uriesi; the managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Nnamdi Udoh; the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency, NCAA, Fola Akinkuotu; and the rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Mrs Chinyere Kalu.
According to a statement by Sam Nwaobasi, special assistant (media) to the secretary to the government of the federation, their successors have all been named.
Under the new arrangement, Engr. Saleh Dumona (director, projects) replaces Mr George Uriesi as managing director of FAAN while Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam (general manager, procurements) is replacing Engr. Nnamdi Udoh as managing director of the NAMA.
Also, Capt. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick (government safety inspector & ICAO focal point for Nigeria Online Aircraft Safety Information Systems, OASIS) is to replace Capt. (Mrs) Chinyere Kalu as rector of the NCAT. Capt. Muhktar Usman (commissioner, Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau, AIPB) is to replace Capt. Fola C. Akinkuotu as director-general of the NCAA, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Engr. Benedict Adeyileka is to act as DG, NCAA, pending the confirmation by the Senate.
Dr Engr. Felix A. Abali (director, licensing, NCAA) is replacing Capt. Muhktar Usman as commissioner, AIPB. But Dr Tony Anuforo retained his position as director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
But a presidency source confided in LEADERSHIP last night that the removal of the affected aviation chiefs is part of the recommendations made by the three-man panel set up by Jonathan to look into the purchase of the N255m bulletproof cars. The panel members were the former head of service of the federation, Alhaji Sali Bello (chairman), Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenebhere and the national security adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
The source said, “Their removal has to do with their roles in the administration of Stella Oduah. The panel set up by the president to probe the purchase of those bulletproof cars had in its recommendations asked for their removal as they were indicted for being cronies of the ex-minister, which did not allow the check and balance in the system. All those agencies were being run from Abuja while Oduah was in office.”
Speaking further, our source disclosed that since Oduah left the office “so many revelations have been made and, in order to sanitise the place, all those who collaborated with her must give way”.
Aviation stakeholders react
Industry stakeholders yesterday reacted to the removal of aviation chiefs at once, stating it might be a good thing to move the industry forward and remove all sentiments that has to do with Oduah.
Former national president, Nigerian Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Engr. Ayuba Kyari, said the removal of the aviation agencies came as a surprise, especially the removal of Akinkuoto because the position of DG comes with a five-year tenure attached to it. “Maybe government wants to remove all strings attached to the tenure of Oduah . It came to me as a surprise, especially the removal of the DG of NCAA . He has not spent up to one year in office and the position comes with a tenure to it. One doesn’t know the thinking of government. Apart from that, I will say the decision to remove them is OK in order to move the industry forward and detach all sentiments that has to do with the former minister of aviation,” he said.
Comrade Olayinka Abioye, assistant general secretary, Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), said it has become a norm in the industry for new aviation ministers to remove aviation chiefs to make way for their own choice, but stated that this was an aberration because the individual at the helm of affairs in aviation is just supervising the industry and as such he should have waited until a substantive one is appointed.
“What if he is not confirmed as aviation minister? Does it mean the one who is appointed would remove all the aviation chiefs and appoint a new set of individuals?” he asked
He further said, “Let’s accept what has happened and hope and look forward to new and better things ahead.”
Leadership
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