Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins talks about African countries having something to prove at the FIFA 2010 World Cup starting in a few weeks.
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After months of legal battle, a 12-member jury deliberating on the money laundering trial of associates of the former Delta State governor, Mr. James Ibori, yesterday convicted his sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie on all charges of money laundering and mortgage fraud.
The jury, however, acquitted Ibori's former assistant, Adebimpe Pogoson, of the charges against her. The jury is yet to announce its verdict pertaining to the third accused aide, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, who is Ibori's mistress.
The money laundering trial involving Ibori's female aides began in September 2009 at the Southwark Crown Court, London, after Ms Pogoson, a personal assistant on confidential matters during his tenure as the Delta State Governor, and Christine were charged in December 2007 on three counts of conspiring "together with Mr Ibori, Udoamaka Onuigbo and others, to defraud the Delta State government."
The aides allegedly helped the former governor move an estimated £70 million worth of looted funds through several London banks.
In a swift reaction to the conviction, spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Femi Babafemi, told LEADERSHIP last night: "The development is a clear indication that EFCC's case against James Ibori is justified and not a political witch-hunt as the public is meant to believe."
Ibori is currently detained in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he was recently arrested by INTERPOL after evading arrest by the EFCC.
The nation's anti-graft agency says Ibori stole as much as $292 million while as governor in the oil-rich state. In December, a court in Asaba, Delta State, dismissed a 170-count fraud case against Ibori. He was arrested on May 12 in Dubai on a UK warrant and remains there, but is free on bail.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ian Winter, counsel to Bhadresh Gohil,an associate of the former Delta State governor, James Ibori, has filed an urgent motion asking the Southwark Crown Court in London to try his client, Mr. Gohil, independently of Ibori's first wife, Theresa Nkoyo, who is standing trial for money laundering.
Winter reportedly backed out of his defence for Nkoyo over her inability to settle the required legal bills. Contrary to the economic and image-related reason advanced by Gohil for the urgency of his motion, LEADERSHIP learnt that the major problem was that Nkoyo's solicitors are now 'off the record' because of her inability to pay her legal bills.
Meanwhile,Ibori has rejected the judgement of the Southwark Court London, delivered Tuesday June 1, 2010. This is because despite the Judge's directive of last week that every charge must be proved beyond reasonable doubt, despite the failure of the Crown Prosecution to establish any proceeds of crime, despite the Prosecution's failure to evidence any crime, it is difficult to understand how his sister alone could have been found guilty of money laundering without proof by the London court.
In a statement signed by his media assistant, Tony Eluemunor, Ibori said: "It is a fact that during the judge's summing up last week, he expressely directed that the mortgage charges were "not safe" because the evidence presented by the the prosecution had been totally destroyed by the defence during cross-examination; this fact was even conceeded in open court by the prosecution.
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Yekini says Nigeria will have a hard task excelling at the World Cup Not many strikers in Africa put as much fear into defenders as did the gangling Rashidi Yekini in his heyday. More than a decade after he last played for the Super Eagles at France 98, Yekini still holds the scoring record for Nigeria.
Even though he is hardly in the public sphere these days, his words are held in high esteem. His tally of eight goals during qualifying led the country to their first World Cup participation in 1994 and he went on to score the country's first ever goal in the tournament with a celebration that ranks amongst the most interesting ever seen.
However, Yekini, who played for Vitoria Setubal in Portugal, feels that the present crop of Eagles are not as committed to the cause of the nation as he and his compatriots were 16 years ago when they reached the second round at their first attempt.
"Most of the players in the present Eagles lack that commitment to take their individual game to the next level," Yekini told Sportsday.
"They lack the passion to do something extra, something new and something special. It is only those that do new and special things in football that get special awards, mention and recognition."
It is worthy of note that the total goals combined between the two leading scorers in the present Super Eagles, Everton's Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Wolfsburg's Obafemi Martins, is not up to Yekini's total of 37.
However, he refuses to compare himself with anyone.
"It is not in name but in your ability to go the extra mile, your ability to take risks and your ability to do what others cannot do.
"I will not rate any player because I'm not used to doing that, nor will I compare myself with anyone.
"You and I watch what other forwards do in Europe. You witnessed Lionel Messi scoring over 40 goals this past season. We saw Didier Drogba score 36 goals or so for Chelsea, but the same cannot be said of Nigerian strikers who all played alongside the aforementioned players in Europe.
"I remember when we were in Europe, I ranked among the top scorers season in, season out."
Yekini's expectations for the team at the World Cup are low.
"Our chances are as good as our preparations. Unfortunately, that is what most people don't want to hear.
"Honestly, I'm not comfortable with our team. The real fighting spirit is gone. We struggle to win, we struggle to score and we even struggle to play well," Yekini said.
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Super Eagles striker, Ikechukwu Uche, dropped from the World Cup bound team is said to be in shock over coach Lars Lagerback decision to leave him out team.
We learnt that the striker was stunned on Monday, when the coach informed him alongside six others that he would not be part of the team for the Mundial.
it was learnt that Ikechukwu, covered his mouth with his hand in shock when the coach informed him that he won't be part of the team to the World Cup.
The player was said to have looked on despair, as his dream of making his first appearance at FIFA's biggest football tournament turned into shred at the last minute.
However, his elder brother, Kalu Uche, alongside some senior players like Nwankwo Kanu, Joseph Yobo, Danny Shittu and Osaze Odemwingie, had to play the big brother roles by consoling the former Getafe striker.
"It was an emotional moment for him because he played a big role in making sure that Nigeria qualified for the World Cup until he got that injury that kept him out for about five months. He (Ike Uche) was in shock after the announcement. His brother (Kalu) had to console him while other players like Kanu, Shittu, Yobo and Osaze pacify him. It was a really emotional and painful moment for him because he had hoped to be part of the World Cup team," said a camp official.
But it was not only Ikechukwu Uche, who was shocked by his exclusion, as some officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other Super Eagles' team-mates also had an expression of astonishment on their faces.
Even other players dropped from the squad could not hide their shock over the exclusion of the younger Uche brother from the Nigerian team to South Africa.
Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee, Taiwo Ogunjobi, said Lagerback has convinced the federation's board and his committee on reasons for leaving out Ikechukwu Uche, Victor Anichebe, Onyekachi Apam, Peter Utaka, Brown Ideye, Terna Suswan and Bassey Akpan from the Mundial's final squad.
"Most of the players were left out for reasons of injuries and lack of fitness as well as inexperience," began Ogunjobi. "From what the coach gave us as explanation we are satisfied and believe that he has picked the best players to represent the country at the World Cup in South Africa."
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Super Eagles departed London yesterday evening for South Africa for the World Cup after Coach Lars Lagerback unveiled his final 23-man team for the tournament's finals.
The Eagles departed for Durban by a chartered Boeing 767-300 aircraft from Heathrow Airport. The team would be led to the June 11 to July 11 event by NFF President, Sani Lulu.
On arrival in Durban, the Nigerian delegation would be transported on the two-hour bus ride to the Base Camp at Richard's Bay, the Protea Hotel Waterfront.
Some NFF officials, already on ground in South Africa, included Musa Amadu, Deputy General Secretary (General Services) and Idris Adama, Head of Marketing.
The world's biggest soccer event rolls off in Johannesburg's Soccer City on June 11, with hosts South Africa taking on Mexico.
Already, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province and Durban Municipality are mobilising Zulu dancers among other artistes to welcome the Eagles on arrival in South Africa today.
Many Nigerians have also mobilised to welcome the team when they arrive Durban at 7.50 a.m.
Ms Bongiwe Mkhize, an official in charge of African Activities, International Relations Department in Durban, said that all was set to welcome the team.
She said that there would be little fanfare at the airport because of FIFA arrangements but there would be a reception later to make the team feel at home.
Nigerians have assembled drums, trumpets and other musical instruments to storm the airport to receive the team.
However, it is not clear if they will have much access to them because of FIFA security arrangements.
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