Osaze Odemwingie quits national team

Osaze Odemwingie has decided not to don the green jersey of Nigeria again according to Super Eagles manager, Stephen Keshi.

Keshi revealed that the highly rated striker will no longer be a part of the national team following the player's disenchantment with previous regimes.

Odemwingie last played for the Super Eagles in February in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Rwanda in Kigali.

The West Brom forward then became injured and has not featured for the side since then. He was invited to play against Liberia last month but declined and the coach has now revealed that the 31-year-old has said he will no longer play for his country.

"I spoke to Odemwingie before the Liberia game and he told me that he had decided not to play for Nigeria anymore," Keshi told Supersport.com.

"He told me that he has no problems with me as a person and that he took his decision even before I assumed position as national team coach."

Odemwingie has had a history of falling out with national team coaches.

He publicly criticised the tactics of Amodu Shuaibu after the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

Later, he blamed Swedish trainer Lars Lagerback for the country's early defeat in South Africa 2010. He also infamously had a spat with Samson Siasia through his Twitter account.

"He said he was unhappy at how he was treated in the past in the national team. He explained that prior to Nigeria's participation at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he played in all the qualifying games but was dropped at the finals," said Keshi.

"He said he was angry at the treatment meted out to him but did not discuss it with anyone. I told him that was not the best way to handle issues and that if he had already decided not to play for the national team, he should have opened up to me when I invited him to play."

However Keshi believes Odemwingie still has a future with the national team.

"I told him that he has to give me the room to work with him; for us to work together and if he does not like the way I work and the atmosphere in the camp, then he can decide to stop playing," Keshi said.

"Deciding that you don't want to play for Nigeria because of what happened in the past is not the best. I understand his feelings. I think he might change his mind but I really don't know. The ball is in his court."

This Day

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Ribadu's report states government stole N51 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

The Federal Government illegally took N51 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to finance sundry projects including buying a presidential jet and sponsorship of Nigeria's participation in the World Cup, the Ribadu committee report has said.

A copy of the final report which was submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday shows that the Federal Government has been dipping its hands into the coffers of the NNPC, thereby placing unnecessary burden on the corporation.

Some of the monies collected from the corporation, according to the report, were N2.23 billion by the Presidency for the purchase of a presidential chopper, and N19.87 billion to finance of a project called PICOMSS Phase 1 on behalf of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security.

Also collected were N11.47 billion for the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology for a project called "RTCom - Galaxy Backbone", and another N4.1 billion for the same ministry for financing "Skill G-Science and technology."

The report said the Federal Government directed NNPC to pay N866.2 million for the sponsorship of World Cup, although there was no much detail on the sponsorship.

Also on the illegal expenses list is the payment of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) bills for some government buildings. The report said as at December 2011, government owed NNPC about N6.4billion as outstanding debt.

It said there was a N2.42 billion transaction between the Federal Government and the Royal Swaziland Sugar Company which the NNPC was asked to finance.

Also, NNPC on the directives of the Presidency gave the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) a loan of 798.6 million which is yet to be repaid.

The Federal Government further took a N700 million loan from the NNPC for Sao Tome and Principe, as well as another N673 million for the start-up operation of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board.

NNPC also paid N563 million on government's directive for the storage cost on illegal bunkering, with additional N521 million to settle some expenses incurred by Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The corporation paid N250 million legal expenses in a case between the Petroleum ministry and the South Atlantic, and N128 million to settle the wind energy project carried out by Lahmeye International for the Science and Technology ministry.

The Petroleum Revenue Task Force report was submitted to the President on Friday amidst controversy when two members rejected its findings.

But committee chairman Nuhu Ribadu insisted that the panel did its homework and that the dissenting members--Steve Oronsaye and Bernard Otii--were compromised with government appointments.

Yesterday, Ribadu said in a post on Facebook: "I have made my choice to stand with the Nigerian people, to place national interest before any other. Knowing that a good name is better than silver and gold."

Sunday Trust

Related story: Nuhu Ribadu uncovers large scale oil fraud

Video - William sisters show off dancing skills on visit to Nigeria

Venus and Serena Williams dance with a group of kids during their trip to Nigeria to promote women's rights.

Related story: William sisters visit Nigeria to promote women empowerment

Video - Nigeria outlaws accusing children of witchcraft

The Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom has introduced a law that makes it illegal to accuse children of withcraft and sorcery. The state has spent significant amounts of money to aid the hundreds of Nigerian children that had been branded withches in Akwa Ibom for years. But some say churches in the impoverished state where unemployment is rampant, must also be reigned in. Some activists cite the churches as the source of the belief that children are sorecerers or witches.

Related story: Branding of children as witches to be criminalized

Williams sisters visit Nigeria to promote women empowerment

The much publicised visit of the Williams sisters' visit to Nigeria turned to reality after one of the world tennis icons, Venus Williams, arrived the Murtala Muhammad International Airport Tuesday.

Venus, who was dressed in black pants and a gray top to match, came out of the arrival hall at about 3.38pm local time with tight security in place and was barred from speaking to journalists. She however murmured to THISDAY that she was delighted to be in Nigeria.

"I'm delighted to be in Nigeria and the people look very lively," an obviously shy looking Venus murmured.

She was later driven away in a black Mercedes Benz E360. Her sister, however, arrived later at about 9 pm.

In a chat with Jaiye Opayemi, chief strategist, Chain Reactions Nigeria, which is the consultant for the Williams' visit, said their visit is a women empowerment initiative.

"The visit is targeted at women to encourage them at breaking whatever obstacle that may be standing between them and their dreams, as the Williams have some interesting stories to tell about themselves. Their personal experiences to life and their journey to the top," Opayemi said.

Meanwhile, the Williams sisters will Wednesday meet with the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola at the State House, Marina and will be involved in a tennis clinic at Ikoyi Club.

While the sisters will Wednesday visit a public school and there will be a gala night organised for them at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Meanwhile, Always, a brand of Procter & Gamble Nigeria, is supporting the visiting Williams Sisters to empower women and young girls to believe in themselves in a bid to achieve their full potential in life.

The Williams sisters: Venus and Serena are international tennis stars who arrived Lagos Tuesday as part of the African 'Breaking the Mould' tour; a programme that aims to empower women and young girls to believe in themselves and achieve their full potential.

Serena and Venus Williams embody the meaning of "Mould Breakers" as the story of their lives exemplifies how determination, passion, hard work and self-belief can turn dreams into reality.

Thursday, the duo will partner with feminine hygiene brand Always for a joint girls empowerment event at the Government Secondary School in Osborne, Ikoyi.

Together, Always and the Williams sisters aim to empower girls and inspire them to live their life to the fullest by: stressing the idea of sisterhood and that girls teaming up and supporting each other may achieve great things; teaching young girls the value of hard work, passion, determination and self-belief and leading by best example that neither colour or gender shall be reason enough to hold girls back and keep them from wanting the best in life and succeed.

Venus and Serena Williams will provide the school girls with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only meet their idols but also be inspired and empowered by them. The William sisters will attend an Always puberty education class and talk to the girls before performing with the schoolgirls the Always song "Little Big Steps" to empower them through a shared singing and dancing experience.

Their visit will also help raise awareness of the Always School Care Programme that has helped empower millions of girls in Nigeria and across the globe by educating them on proper feminine hygiene and puberty over the last 12 years. Last year alone, the programme positively impacted 1.5 million girls across Africa.

This Day