Stephen Keshi reinstated as Nigeria Super Eagles coach

Stephen Keshi has been officially re-appointed as Nigeria coach, two weeks after the Nigeria Football Federation replaced him with Shaibu Amodu. He returns after intervention from Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan.

The 52-year-old had paid the price for poor results in qualification for next year's Africa Cup of Nations but has now been given a chance to make amends.
Nigeria face Congo and South Africa in November, needing two wins to stand a chance of making it to Morocco.

NFF president Amaju Pinnick and head of the NFF Technical Committee Felix Anyansi-Agwu confirmed in a statement that Keshi will oversee the team's final two ties.
Keshi led the team to Nations Cup glory in 2013 and also steered the Super Eagles to the last 16 at this summer's World Cup in Brazil.

And he will be determined to avoid failing to qualify to defend the African title won in South Africa.
As well as the backing of President Jonathan, Keshi also has the support of Amodu, who requested for Keshi to be allowed to finish the qualification campaign.

And Keshi has swiftly named his squad for the match against Congo on 15 November and South Africa in Uyo, southeast Nigeria, four days later.

Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche, whose last appearance for Nigeria was in the final of the 2013 Nations Cup final, is handed a return.

But there is no place in the squad for Stoke City's Victor Moses and in-form striker Obafemi Martins has also been overlooked.

The African champions need to not only win both matches but also to beat Congo by a margin of two goals to stand any chance of automatic qualification.

Meanwhile, Nigeria are still waiting to learn if they have avoided a lengthy ban from Fifa after a regional high court overturned its recent decision to void last month's football elections.

Fifa had given Nigeria until Friday to reverse last week's ruling by the Jos High Court that annulled the 30 September election of Amaju Pinnick as Nigeria Football Federation president.

Nigeria squad:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille, France); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United)

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco, France); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Efe Ambrose (Celtic, Scotland); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough, England); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Hope Akpan (Reading, England); Raheem Lawal (Eskisehirspor, Turkey); Sone Aluko (Hull City, England); Tony Edjomari (Nasarawa United)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Osaguona Ighodaro (Enugu Rangers); Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal CF, Spain); Aaron Samuel (Guangzhou R&F, China); Sunday Emmanuel (SV Scholz Grodig, Austria); Babatunde Michael (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine): Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC,)

BBC

Suicide bomber kills 23 in Yobe, Nigeria

A suicide bomber killed at least 23 people in a procession of Shi'ite Muslims marking the ritual of Ashoura in northeast Nigeria's Yobe state on Monday, witnesses said.

The attacker joined the line of Shi'ites before setting off his device as they marched through a market in the town of Potiskum, in a territory at the heart of an insurgency by Sunni Muslim Boko Haram rebels, resident Yusuf Abdullahi told Reuters.

"I heard a very heavy explosion as if it happened in my room. It took place just 200 meters from my house," he said. Another person carrying an explosive that did not go off was also arrested, he added.

Mohammed Gana, whose brother was killed in the attack, said he counted 23 bodies at the scene.

Boko Haram's five-year-old campaign for an Islamic state, which has killed thousands, is seen as the main security threat to Africa's biggest economy and leading oil producer.

Ashoura marks the death in battle more than 1,300 years ago of the Prophet Mohammad's grandson Imam Hussein.

Reuters

American school bar third grade student who visited Nigeria

A Connecticut school superintendent is defending her decision to bar a third-grader from returning to school after visiting West Africa because of concern the girl may have contracted Ebola.

Milford School Superintendent Elizabeth Feser says in a statement Wednesday that her actions were a good-faith response to a public health issue and in the best interest of all students.

Her comments follow a federal lawsuit filed by the father of Ikeoluw Opayemi. He says the decision violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because it discriminates against his daughter for a "perceived impairment."

The lawsuit says there is no Ebola in Nigeria, the country the family visited, and the decision to keep his daughter home until Nov. 3 is irrational. He wants the school to allow his daughter to return immediately.

AP

Related stories: Nigeria dropped from Ebola screening list in U.S. and Canada

College in Texas apoligizes for rejecting Nigerian applicants due to Ebola scar

President Goodluck Jonathan officially throws his hat in 2015 Presidential elections

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed he will run again in February's elections, his office has said.

Until now he had refused to confirm his candidacy for re-election as president.

The announcement comes as he faces mounting criticism over his handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and its abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls.

The militants are reported to have seized control of the north-eastern town of Mubi.

The government announced a ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram earlier this month that was supposed to lead to the release of the schoolgirls. Thousands of people have fled from the rebels' north-eastern stronghold throughout the course of the conflict.

Local residents told the BBC the militants had raised their flag over Mubi and blocked the main access roads.

Earlier there were reports of heavy gunfire and military fighter jets overhead. Mubi is a commercial hub and the second largest town in Adamawa state.

Residents of the town began to flee following reports that the militants were approaching - soldiers were also reported to have fled.

"There is virtually not a single resident left in Mubi. Everybody has left to save their lives," local resident Habu Saidu told the AFP news agency as he made his way through the bush.

"People in thousands left the town on foot because all roads have been blocked by soldiers and it is not possible to leave by road."

Mubi has in the past witnessed violence attributed to militant Islamist group.

The Nigerian government says it has been talking to Boko Haram in neighbouring Chad with both parties agreeing on a ceasefire.

But even after the announcement was made over a week ago, the clashes continued - raising questions about the validity of the truce.

Rampant corruption
Being the incumbent from a well-financed party, President Jonathan is expected to be the main contender during next February's elections.

The BBC's Tomi Oladipo in Lagos says that the president is not only being accused of not doing enough to win the release of the girls - he is also blamed for failing to curb rampant corruption in government and state institutions.

In addition there have been several high-profile defections from the ruling party, including most recently the speaker of the House of Representatives.

The ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram is expected to boost Mr Jonathan's chances if it results in the release of the schoolgirls.

The opposition All Progressives Congress will not select its candidate until early December. The former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari is considered the favourite to lead the opposition challenge for the top job in Africa's largest economy.

BBC

Video - FIFA celebrates Nwankwo Kanu's magical hatrick 15 years ago with 15minutes left to play

Throughout his career, Nwankwo Kanu has made his living off the back of having an exquisite touch few men of his size possess, and an instinctive finishing ability that saw him shine on the game's biggest stages.

While a veteran of three FIFA World Cups™, were you only given 15 minutes of his career to see, you could do far worse than the climax to Arsenal's 3-2 victory over Chelsea. Played 15 years ago today, the 6ft 6in Nigerian struck a memorable hat-trick that provided a perfect collage of the finer points of his game.

Two down to Gianluca Vialli's side, who had not conceded at Stamford Bridge all season – largely thanks to World Cup-winning duo Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf in the centre of defence, things looked bleak for the Gunners. However, the former Ajax and Inter Milan striker inspired an unlikely turnaround, with his winning goal becoming the stuff of North London legend.

“I have very good memories of that game,” the Olympic gold medal winner told FIFA.com. “It felt great to score against such a formidable team as Chelsea and it just shows the game is not over until it is over.

“I was not particularly out to get the better of Marcel, Frank or [goalkeeper Ed] de Goey that day, I just wanted to play my game and bring out the best of the tricks in my bag to outwit my opponent and score for my team.”

After a pair of headers from Tore Andre Flo and Dan Petrescu had put the hosts ahead either side of half-time, and cruising with 75 minutes on the clock, Kanu took the sting out of Marc Overmars' mis-hit shot to expertly toe-poke Arsenal back into the game.

Seven minutes later they were level, with the same duo combining. Overmars skipped into space beyond Leboeuf, before firing low across the box. He found his West African team-mate, where Kanu opened his body to cushion the ball into space, thumping the ball emphatically beyond the Dutch stopper. The momentum had violently swung, but it took until stoppage time for the Arsenal frontman to complete his treble, but it was worth the wait.

Having charged down Albert Ferrer's clearance on the left flank, Kanu was presented with the unexpected and imposing frame of De Goey, charging along the byline and out of his area. To his credit, the former Super Eagles star was coolness personified. “I worked the goalkeeper into a position where I could sell a dummy to him, which of course he bought,” he recalled.“I lifted up my head and picked out the far top corner of the net, which I quickly curled the ball into pretty much from where I stood.”

The former African Player of the Year does himself something of a disservice, as the goal was extraordinary. Standing no more than two yards from the touchline and just inside the penalty area, placing the ball high over Desailly and Leboeuf who were stationed on the goal-line, it was an exceptional finish to cap an exceptional 15 minutes from him.

"I expected him to cross," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted after the game. "If he hadn't scored it could have upset you because he really should have passed. However, great players can prove you wrong. It is one of the best goals I've seen."

It was a stark change in fortunes for Kanu, who had missed a penalty against Fiorentina in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, but starting in place of Dennis Bergkamp – a man Kanu fondly called “'the eye', because of his fantastic foresight” – he repaid the fans in perfect style.

Kanu now spends his time helping run the Kanu Heart Foundation, which has helped carry out open heart surgery on 485 children from Nigeria and around Africa to date. “ Winning the double with Arsenal and being part of 'the Invincibles' [who went a season unbeatenin 2003/04] are good memories but starting the foundation tops them all,” he said with earnest. “But with 300 kids still on the waiting list, we have to do all we can to save the lives of these children.”

FIFA

Related stories: Super Eagle legend Nwankwo Kanu undergoes corrective heart surgery


Q&A with Nigerian football legend Kanu Nwankwo