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Neymar On Target As Brazil Beat Paraguay Away From Home After 35years

Neymar on target as Brazil win at Paraguay for the first time in 35 YEARS as table-toppers increase lead in the South American World Cup qualifying table – and maintain their 100 per cent record – after Lionel Messi’s Argentina throw away a two-nil lead vs Colombia
Brazil won 2-0 at Paraguay on Tuesday thanks to Neymar and Lucas Paqueta
They are now six points clear of Argentina at the top of the World Cup standings
Argentina took a 2-0 lead in Colombia after eight minutes but could only draw
It was mixed fortunes for South America’s premier nations during the latest round of World Cup qualifying matches on Tuesday night.

Five-time champions Brazil continued their 100 per cent record with a 2-0 win over Paraguay, while their bitter rivals – and two-time winners – Argentina were held to a 2-2 draw at Colombia.

Neymar and Lucas Paqueta scored Brazil’s goals, marking the team’s first win at Paraguay in World Cup qualifiers in 35 years.

Brazil had not beaten Paraguay away from home since 1985 but they took the lead as early as the third minute when Neymar controlled an awkward cross from Gabriel Jesus and side-footed home from close range.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker came into this match with four goals and three assists in Brazil’s five qualifying games so far, the best haul in the tournament, and the goal was his 66th in 105 games for his country.

Wearing their change blue strips, Brazil were on top throughout and should have added to their total before the fourth minute of injury time when Paqueta scored with a splendid left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Paraguay were unbeaten in five games in the South American qualifiers but rarely threatened the visitors, and even when they did they found Manchester City’s Ederson, a surprise choice to replace Liverpool’s Alisson Becker in goal, equal to their efforts, with one flying save from Omar Alderete right out the top drawer.

The clean sheet was Brazil’s fifth in their six games and they are off to their best start to a World Cup qualifying campaign since 1969, when they also won their first six games.

The result leaves them top of the South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022 with a maximum 18 points.

‘It was a game where we scored early in the first half and that really settled us down and allowed us to play the ball about and Paraguay had to chase the game and we killed it right at the end,’ said Brazil defender Marquinhos.

‘We knew how hard it is to come here,’ Marquinhos said. ‘We’re delighted to open up a gap with the second placed team in the table.’

Brazil have stretched their lead to six points after Argentina threw away a two-nil lead to be held by Colombia.

Argentina, captained by Lionel Messi, scored twice in the first eight minutes but could not withstand Colombia’s second-half pressure as the hosts rallied for a 2-2 draw in a thrilling World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni made five changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Chile last week and his side got the best possible start when Cristian Romero, playing in just his second international, headed home from a free-kick inside three minutes.

Leandro Paredes made it 2-0 five minutes later when he dribbled through a pack of Colombian defenders and slipped the ball past the keeper.

Argentina controlled the first half but their dominance waned just before half-time after Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was taken off the field on a stretcher with a possible head injury following a goalmouth clash.

Argentina struggled to contain Colombia’s Juan Cuadrado as the hosts started to create more opportunities, with Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata both missing chances.

But they did get on the board five minutes into the second half after Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi used an arm to flatten Mateus Uribe and Muriel converted the penalty.

Argentina too had chances but found Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina in inspired form, twice making great saves to thwart Lionel Messi.

Just when it looked like Argentina would hold on, substitute Miguel Borja grabbed a deserved equaliser when his header squirmed under the body of replacement goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin deep into stoppage time.

‘I think we had the chances,’ said Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul. ‘They have a great goalkeeper. We’re not happy with a draw.’

His sentiments were echoed by Scaloni who said: Unfortunately, we leave with one point when we deserved all three.’

Elsewhere Chile drew 1-1 at home to Bolivia, Peru won 2-1 at Ecuador and Venezuela played out a goalless affair with Uruguay.

The top four teams qualify automatically for Qatar (currently Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay) and the fifth-place side (at present Colombia) go into an intercontinental play-off.

Count Lagos Out Of Oduduwa – Sanwoolu Tells agitators

Mr Joe Igbokwe has today taken to his verified facebook profile to share what the Governor of Lagos state told agitators about counting Lagos out of their secession plan.

In Governor Sanwoolu’s own words he said ”It is not by saying that we want to go (our separate ways). Oduduwa nation, when they come, they will now realise that even Egba, Lagos, Ijebu and Ekiti, they also want to break away, they will never see an end to that because every clan and every race will also want something and that is where it is difficult”.

The Governor made it clear that in Yoruba, there are still some minority groups that may want to be on their own even after getting the Oduduwa republic, therefore, the solutions to the nations problem is not dividing the country, rather to find better ways to unity every ethnic group that make up Nigeria and allow everyone have equal opportunities.

He concluded by saying that when you allow one ethnic group to separate , others may want to follow and then the system will collapse. He pleaded that everyone shields his or her sword and give peace a chance.

APC Alerts Nigerians against Risks of VPN usage to bypass Twitter ban

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alerted Nigerians of the many risks involved in accessing social media contents using the Virtual Private Network (VPN).

The party raised the alert in a statement issued by Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary of its Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), on Tuesday in Abuja.

It explained that VPN is vulnerable to the heinous activities of criminal hackers, who could steal data and monies in bank accounts.

”The APC warns legitimate private and public entities operating in the country to avoid the many dangers of exposing themselves to cybercrimes through the use of VPN, which is not adequately secured.

”This advisory is necessary because despite the massive compliance by Nigerians to the Federal Government’s suspension of Twitter operations in the country, some individuals in the country have resorted to VPN to assess Twitter, whose unwholesome activities are detrimental to the peace and public order in the country,” said the party.

It therefore advised those using the VPN to desist in their own interests in order to avoid the following risks: data theft, illegal access to strategic company documents and possible economic espionage.

According to the party, VPN users expose their devices to vulnerabilities, because the network allows third-party access to personal data.

It said VPN could also change users’ location to another country, thus compromising data integrity.

”Your record can be traced to another country that is not yours, with all the risks that entails.

”Many individuals and organisations using VPN have lost their investments after compromising the security of their devices,” APC said.

It, therefore, advised Nigerians to avoid installing or using VPN to access social networking sites to protect their privacy and security online.

”This is in our individual and collective interest,” it said.

Police Refutes Claims Of Attack on Ikorodu Station

Contrary to the video making the rounds of an attack on Ikorodu police station, Igbogbo, Lagos by hoodlums, the state police command has refuted the claims, stating that there was no attack on any of its facilities.

According to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, there was no attack on Ikorodu police station, Igbogbo, Lagos State or any of its police formations in the state.

“There is no Ogijo police station in the state command but in Ogun State, and the same station, Ogijo, was never attacked as speculated in the news. The video in circulation was a portion of the scene of the recent bank robbery attack in Ikire, Osun State,” he said.

The Lagos State Police Command, therefore, urged the public to dismiss the viral video as fake and mischievous, adding that the command remains committed to providing adequate security in Lagos State.

Meanwhile, the command yesterday commenced investigation into Tuesday’s killing of a suspected kidnapper and burning of a golf car at Mulero bus stop, Agege, Lagos at about 8 a.m.

The police operatives attached to Elere division of the command, said upon a distress call of some suspected kidnappers being mobbed at the bus stop, by Omotoye estate, men of the police force moved to the scene where a white gulf car and a male suspect have been set ablaze.

According to CSP Olumuyiwa, the police operatives moved in to rescue the other male suspect who had been injured severally with a machete by an angry mob.

“In the bid to rescue the other male suspect, the agitated crowd also attacked the policemen. The suspect was subsequently rescued and taken to hospital for treatment,” he said.

Also, the Lagos state commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu, has condemned jungle justice and called for a discreet investigation into the case.

He promised to tackle such inhumane acts.

Trump backs Nigeria on Twitter ban, says more countries should follow suit

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday came out in support of the Nigerian government’s decision to block access to Twitter in the West African country — and called on more nations to follow suit.

“Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President,” Trump said in an emailed statement.

“More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech—all voices should be heard.

“In the meantime,” the former president continued, “competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But [Facebook founder Mark] Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?”

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture announced Friday that Twitter’s operations had been “suspended indefinitely” due to its use for “activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.” The ministry was widely mocked for posting its statement about blocking Twitter on its Twitter account.

Earlier last week, the social media giant that has been rebuked for censoring mostly conservative viewpoints, deleted a tweet by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that appeared to threaten secessionist groups in the Biafra region.

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War,” Buhari tweeted, referring to the Biafra Conflict, which killed 1 million people between 1967 and 1970. “Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

In addition to deleting the tweet as violating its “abusive behavior” policy, Twitter suspended Buhari’s account for 12 hours.

“We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society,” Twitter said in a statement Saturday. “We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world.”

Trump himself received a permanent ban from Twitter in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Facebook announced Friday that its own ban on the former president would remain in place until at least Jan. 7, 2023, but could be extended. Last month, a Facebook review board upheld the president’s suspension, but criticized its open-ended aspect.

Trump called Facebook’s decision “an insult to the record-setting 75M people, plus many others, who voted for us in the 2020 Rigged Presidential Election.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win,” Trump added. “Our Country can’t take this abuse anymore!”

Eko Disco, NDPHC Address Electricity Supply Shortfall In Lekki And Agbara

In order to improve electricity supply around Ibeju-Lekki area in Lagos and Agbara Industrial area in Ogun State, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (Eko Disco), have signed a bilateral agreement for the sale of up to 300MW of power from NDPHC’s power plants to customers in these areas within Eko Disco’s franchise areas.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu who hosted the signing of the agreement for these projects at Lagos House, Marina recently, commended the initiative by NDPHC and Eko Disco, and stated that “he will monitor the implementation of the agreement.” The Governor expressed his confidence that the collaboration between NDPHC and Eko Disco will complement the current policies of the state government in economic and infrastructure development.

NDPHC and Eko Disco have committed to work together to deliver safe, reliable and steady supply of power to customers in the areas of collaboration. The project will be structured to remove the commercial and technical inefficiencies in the Nigerian electricity market and will mobilise significant capital investment in transmission/distribution infrastructure and metering technology.

In his remarks, the NDPHC Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo stated that the challenges in the industry inspired NDPHC to “source alternative means to sell and ensure dispatch of its stranded power generation capacity and explore innovative ways to unlock investment in infrastructure for improved supply to customers.”

In turn, the MD of Eko Disco, Engr. Adeoye Fadeyibi said that the partnership aligns with the efforts of the Eko Disco to bridge the metering gap and improve the quality of electricity supply to customers. He appreciated customers for their continued support for the Company in its quest to continue to empower the quality of lives of all stakeholders.

The agreement signed between NDPHC and Eko Disco is only the latest milestone in NDPHC’s innovative and ambitious programme to tackle the industry-wide challenges in the Nigerian power sector. These challenges have resulted in the inability of the operators in the industry to fulfil their investment and industry payment obligations, and a continuing low access to reliable power for industry, businesses and homes.

Despite a significant installed generation capacity – estimated to be more than 13,000 MW – access to electricity remains acutely low because much of this installed capacity is stranded and cannot be conveyed to customers because of inadequate transmission and distribution capacity. Operators insist that tariffs remain at a level that cannot guarantee returns for investors in the sector and as a result, an estimated $20 billion capital investment required to upgrade the transmission and generation infrastructure is not available. Insufficient investment in metering, collection and surveillance, among other factors, has also made collections by the distribution companies inefficient, thereby causing revenue loss across the value chain. A combination of these factors has led to severe liquidity shortfalls and a ballooning deficit in the market, and there simply is not enough collections from customers to cover the cost of power generation and delivery. The Federal Government has on several occasions intervened with financial bailouts to the sector, but this solution is only short term and is becoming an increasingly heavy burden on a cash-strapped government struggling with low oil prices and a struggling national economy.

The operators in the industry have had to innovate or go out of business. It is in this regard that NDPHC is blazing a trail in structuring deals that are solving many of the industry-wide challenges affecting its business. NDPHC, holds a portfolio of 10 power plants with aggregate installed capacity of more than 4,000MW and growing. To ensure that much of its capacity does not remain idle, NDPHC, with support from Electric Utilities Nigeria Limited, is now targeting to work with discos and other project developers to, in the first phase, sell more than 1,000MW from its power plants in manner that resolves the current commercial and technical inefficiencies in the market without a need for government funding intervention.

In addition to the agreement signed with Eko Disco, NDPHC has executed similar agreements with Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc. In each case, the parties will mobilise investment in the expansion of the distribution network of the discos to enable increased offtake of power and in metering technology including smart meters in order to increase the collection rate of the discos.

For NDPHC, these collaborations will lead to greater offtake of power from its under-dispatched power plants, thereby increasing the company’s revenue. For the industry generally, these collaborations will attract the requisite investment in the industry and increase liquidity that enables higher payment receipts across the value chain. Now that NDPHC has executed the agreements with 5 discos and more in the pipeline, it is projected that the impact on the Nigerian power sector will be massive in improving electricity access, market payments and attracting more investments to the industry.

Davido embarks on spiritual warfare against household enemies After Scary Prophecy

The pastor says the singer was poisoned by someone living in his house.

In a video that has since gone viral, a pastor appealed to the singer to be careful around his associates, especially the people living in his house.

According to the pastor, Davido was poisoned by someone in the house and rushed to the hospital.

“Did he die? No, but something was removed from him,” the pastor said.

Hours after the video went viral, the father of three took to his Twitter page where he tweeted about God exposing the evil people around him.

CBN Increase Import Duty To N404 /$ As Price Hike Looms

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased import duty on cargoes imported into the country by N23 after the apex bank hiked the exchange rate from N381 to N404.97 per dollar.

Experts believe such an increase will lead to a hike in the prices of goods imported into the country.

The CBN, yesterday, officially increased the exchange rate for cargo clearance from its initial N381 per dollar to N404. 97 per dollar, even as freight forwarders have raised an alarm over imminent inflation in the Nigerian market due to increase in the prices of goods.

However, the public relations officer, Tin Can Island Customs Command, Mr. Uche Ejesieme, who confirmed the increase, said it was not the function of Customs to increase the exchange rate but that of CBN.

The N23 difference has however, been effected on the customs systems by its IT service providers; Web Fontaine.

Reacting to the development, a freight forwarder, Mr. Emeka Efi Okonkwo, expressed surprise at the suddenness of the increase without recourse to stakeholders.

He said this would further increase the prices of goods at the Nigerian market, and would add to the economic pressure being experienced across the country.

“When we went to access a job this morning, we were told that the exchange rate has been increased, though we have been expecting it, but we didn’t expect that it would be so sudden. The implication of this on cargo clearance is that; cost of clearance would increase by $24.

“The cargoes that are already enroute Nigeria would also be affected, the cargoes that we want to clear this morning were affected. When you go back to the importer and request for money, they will tell you there is no notification of increase from customs, so the freight forwarders are the ones who bear the additional cost,” he lamented.

Okonkwo said freight forwarding professionals need to be guided before such increases are coming up, so that they would be able to advise their importers on the new cost regime obtainable at the ports.

“The customs officials are working for the federal government, so they should have issued circulars to this effect much earlier, so that we can make predictions. This was the same way they increased it last year without any notification.

“Already, goods are expensive in the market, this would further add to the inflation in the Nigerian market, in addition to insecurity in the country. Major stakeholders no longer ship cargoes into Nigeria and the few ones coming in are being hounded,” he said.

How We Recorded 25,000 Sales in First Month – SMW Fashion

The management of SMW Fashion has announced that the fashion label has received over twenty-five thousand (25,000) orders of its various merchandise in its first month of business commencement in Nigeria.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the brand, Mr. Philip Ikezahu, he said the requests for their products have been overwhelming and it’s still of great surprise that such sales can be pulled in the first month of business.

Recall that the Fashion brand which is a sister company to Soso Music Worldwide- a music production & recording company, earlier last month disclosed that the fashion outfit will be kicked-off with about 50,000 pilot merchandises ranging from luxury wears to shoes, jewelries, as well as other fashion accessories.

“Our target is the Nigerian Pop Culture. And fashion as you know it evolves every day; we promise to continue giving our esteemed customers top notch designs. The accelerated sales we have experienced in the last one month is an indication that we need to do more and with our team of creative innovators and designers, our customers are rest assured they will get only the best.” Ikezahu said.

While the Dubai-Based jeweler also spoke on Soso Music Worldwide, SMW, he disclosed that the music company is ready to unveil its two newly signed artiste by the end of June 2021. He said that the artistes are fired-up already and that the Nigerian music scene should be ready to witness talents like never before.

“Also, our talent management outfit is in the pipeline and will commence operation before the end of 2021, the actual goal is to fuse together Music, Fashion, and Talent management which will eventually showcase Nigeria to the world.” He added.

Adeduntan Wins As FirstBank Wins Global Banking And Finance’s Retail Banking CEO Award

While the age-old saying and philosophy of virtue being its own reward (or seeing doing good has its own reward) remains a strong motivating factor in doing good persistently, it helps when virtue gets recognition from time to time. Even though anyone or organisation committed to doing good will keep doing so with or without recognition, recognitions for virtue tend to act like a catalyst for such people or organisations, spurring them to commit even more to doing good, such is the story of Dr Adeduntan.

The recent award of “Retail Banking CEO of the Year Nigeria” to Dr Adesola Adeduntan, CEO of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, is to both him and the bank he leads a shot in the arm of this foremost CEO of Nigeria’s most enduring financial institution that is also the pioneer in retail banking development in Nigeria, the premier bank in West Africa and the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for over 127 years, to keep steering the bank in the right direction, energising and expanding retail opportunities for all Nigerians in the process. It is a well-deserved recognition for a man and the institution he leads that would rather keep off the spotlight and focus exclusively on attending to Nigerians’ banking needs as best as they can – which is what has kept them going for 127 years and counting.

This critical role is one FirstBank is better suited to lead than any other lender given the robust retail banking framework that the bank has in place, that is riding on its innovative technology-driven operations, over 750 branches across the continents and 100,000 Firstmonie Agent banking network spread across 772 local government areas in Nigeria. It is little wonder that FirstBank, which is intricately woven into the fabric of the Nigerian society, has been an essential player in the retail space, empowering Nigerians of all walks of life by providing them bespoke and innovative financial products and services that address their multidimensional needs. The bank has been at the forefront of bridging the financial exclusion gap and enabling customers and the general public to carry out both individual and corporate financial activities which contribute to the growth and development of the national economy.

The award by Global Banking and Finance Magazine, according to Dr Adeduntan, “speak[s] to the investments we [as FirstBank] have made over the past years in…enhancing financial inclusion….” It is a loud testament to the incredible strides FirstBank has made and continues to make in the retail space under the able and dynamic leadership of the management team led by Dr Adeduntan.

The strides are in turn underpinned by the bank’s resolute commitment to putting the customer and other stakeholders at the heart of its business. Dr Adeduntan reiterates this view when he wasted no time in dedicating the award to all the bank’s “customers, as the trust they reposed in us being their bank of first choice in meeting their business and financial needs has been instrumental to the success we have achieved in our existence of over 127 years.” “We remain committed,” he continued, “to putting you, our customers, first as we contribute to the growth and development of our host communities.”

Organised to identify the banks across the world that have excelled across a number of areas, including corporate governance, sustainability and innovation, and have played a key role in the industry’s growth, the Global Banking and Finance Awards reflect the innovation, achievement, strategy, progressive and inspirational changes taking place within the global financial community. The awards were created to accord recognition to companies of all sizes which are prominent in their areas of expertise and excellence within the financial world. For Dr Adeduntan and FirstBank, the award is further proof of FirstBank’s enduring commitment to providing excellent retail banking services to all its customers as reflected in the bank’s strategic vision, diverse and inclusive workforce and performance-oriented organisational structure.