Super Eagle Ahmed Musa shortlisted for best goal in 2018 World Cup

Nigerian forward Ahmed Musa is in the race for the best goal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia. His goal has been shortlisted along with the likes of Ronaldo, Messi and Modric.

The player’s second goal in Nigeria’s victory against Iceland in the group stages joins seventeen other contenders in a contest to pick which one is the best.

It is the last individual accolade to be presented by the football governing body having already named the best player (Luka Modric, Croatia), best young player (Kylian Mbappe, France), top goalscorer (Harry Kane, England), top goalkeeper (Thibaut Curtois) and Fair play team of the tourney (Spain).

It is also a contest that is open to public voting. “Here is your chance to vote for the 2018 FIFAWorld Cup Russia Goal of the Tournament, presented by Hyundai.

“Choose below from our shortlist of the best 18 goals at Russia 2018 and cast your vote. Voting will remain open until Monday 23 July, so don’t miss this opportunity to pick your favourite!” FIFA wrote on their website.

Africa News

Entrepreneur Emeka Offor wants to combat mental health crisis in Nigeria

Apparently concerned about rising cases of mental disabilities among Nigerians, leading entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sir Emeka Offor, has begun a series of interventions aimed at equipping Nigerian health officials with adequate knowledge and tools to tackle the ailment.

Top on the series of programmes lined up by the oil industry player and industrialist, is a mental health training and awareness programme, which has already organized a training programme in conjunction with an American group known as The Educator Incorporated, a non-profit organisation with key interest in promoting healthy individuals and family development through training, advocacy and policy formulation.

The event, which took place at Sir Emeka Offor Foundation Headquarters at Oraifite, Anambra State, brought together top players in the health sector, academia and the community as well as the state. Others who took part in the programme were drawn from the police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Medical and Nursing students, traders and community leaders and youths. Declaring the training programme open, Sir Offor said he was driven by the need to create an enduring enlightenment on the scourge of mental health so as to steer the people off the path of the ailment. 

The promoter of the foundation also said that he would do all within his powers to ensure that the problem of mental health was contained so that the people could live happily and contribute meaningfully to the development of their family and society.

Vanguard

Universal Music to launch division in Nigeria

Universal Music Group today announced an expansion of its operations in Western Africa with the launch of Universal Music Nigeria. This new strategic division will operate from a new office in Lagos under the leadership of Ezegozie Eze Jr., who has been named General Manager of Universal Music Nigeria.

According to the announcement, Eze and his team will support artists from Nigeria, Ghana, and Gambia throughout the continent and beyond, utilizing Universal Music Group’s global networks for wider discovery, marketing, promotion and distribution. Eze has previously held roles at Channel O Television, Empire Mates Entertainment (Banky W & WizKid) and was a founder of Pan-African creative companies, Republic 54, Alore Group, and Duma Collective. He will report to Sipho Dlamini, MD, Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The label has signed a host of Nigerian-born artists including WurlD, Odunsi (the Engine), Tay Iwar, and Ghanaian-born artists Cina Soul and Stonebwoy. In addition, the label has recently signed deals with acclaimed Banku singer and songwriter Mr Eazi for pan-African releases, co-signed Nigerian artist Tekno in conjunction with Island Records UK and Tanzanian singer and songwriter Vanessa Mdee in conjunction with AfroForce1 Records/Universal Music Central Europe/Universal Music South Africa.

In making the announcement, Dlamini said, “In recent years there has been an increase in visibility of Nigerian and Ghanaian music and its influence on contemporary music around the world. Eze and his team are perfectly placed to support, nurture and help develop artists and musicians from the region, whilst creating opportunities for new talent from the region to reach the widest possible audience.”

Eze commented, “I am delighted to be officially launching Universal Music’s Nigerian division at such an exciting time for African music around the world. The world’s largest music company opening an office within the region is a huge statement of belief in our local music talent. The signings we have already made show our ambition to help our artists reach the widest global audience and we are looking forward to working closely with our UMG label partners around the world to make that happen.”

This new division will work in partnership with existing UMG operations throughout the continent including Cote D’Ivoire, Morocco and alongside key markets across English-speaking Africa. Universal Music Group operates two successful live music companies within Africa, both of which will also have divisions within Universal Music Nigeria.

The new company is also developing plans to open a recording studio in Lagos. It will become UMG’s second fully purposed studio within Africa, alongside the existing facility in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Variety

Video - Nigerian football fans stranded in Moscow with no return tickets back home

Nigeria may have been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup two weeks ago, but some fans are still in Russia -- stranded with no return tickets. A few dozen Nigerians have been sleeping outside the embassy in Moscow. They reportedly acquired Fan ID tickets back in Nigeria, with the promise they could watch the World Cup matches and then remain in Russia where work opportunities were awaiting them. About 200 Nigerians are believed to be stranded in Moscow, without flights home and no work visas permitting them to stay in the country.

President Buhari orders Aviation minister to bring back stranded football fans in Moscow

Stranded Nigerian football fans camped on the floor outside the country's embassy in Moscow have been ordered home by President Muhammadu Buhari, his aide said.

 
Around 200 Nigerians became stranded in Russia following the World Cup as they did not have a return ticket home, authorities said. 

They had gone to support the national Super Eagles team, but some also planned to settle in Russia after the tournament. 

Buhari has ordered the Minister of Aviation and Foreign Ministry to bring the fans back home, the President's Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu said.

Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode was also forced to step in last week to cover the return expenses of around 50 of the fans.

Some of them said they had paid agents large sums of money to obtain the Fan ID documents issued by the Russian authorities as a special traveling document during the World Cup. 

Two brothers Ismail and Sodiq Olamilekan said they paid N250,000 naira ($800) each to a man in Lagos for their Fan IDs. 

They said they planned to become professional footballers in Russia. 

Others paid over one million in the local currency, naira ($3,000) for the document, they said.
"The man told us that with the Fan ID we could get a job and stay here," Ismail told AFP at a hostel on the outskirts of Moscow.

 
"But when we got here we discovered that it was a fraud, that he had just collected the money and lied to us," he said. 

Rafiu Ladipo, of the Nigerian Supporters Club, told CNN: "Some of those who traveled for other reasons beyond the World Cup did so in ignorance and believing that Europe is all rosy and everything becomes available as soon as you touch down."

CNN