Goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero gave Manchester City a deserved win over Middlesbrough and earned Pep Guardiola’s side a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Silva scored after only three minutes from six yards out after Pablo Zabaleta had time and space to cross low from the right.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Guzan produced a number of fine saves to deny Silva, Leroy Sane and deflect an Aguero shot on to the post.
But Aguero finally made the result safe when he converted from Sane’s low cross to earn his side a Wembley semi-final.
Nigerian singer Simi has premiered a video for her recently released single ‘Smile For Me’.
The video directed by Clarence Peters tells a love story of Simi and a love interest (played by budding actor Ayoola Ayobami) who teases her with love gestures.
The X3M Music artiste will be releasing her debut album this 2017.
Ace Nigerian actor, Emeka Ike’s 14-year-old marriage to his wife, Suzanne, was legally dissolved on March, 2, 2017 in Lagos, with the court also granting him custody of his children.
Speaking to Saturday Beats during the week about the development, the actor stated that he was not ready to talk about his marriage. But he said when the time comes, he would put out a “comprehensive press statement explaining everything that has happened.”
When asked if he was still interested in having his wife back probably by appealing the judgement, he said, “I don’t want to talk about the dissolution of my marriage with anyone yet. When the time comes, I would put out a well detailed press release about what went wrong and you would be the first to have it. I feel some of my detractors want to use this as an opportunity to get to me. Or are they using you? When it is time for me to talk, I would speak but not now. Thank you.”
The embattled General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries, Johnson Suleman, on Friday traded words with Festus Keyamo, a human rights lawyer, over the latter’s client who accused the preacher of forceful abortion of pregnancy.
Stephanie Otobo, a Canadian-based singer, had also accused Mr. Suleman, through her lawyer, of failing to keep a marriage promise made to her last year.
But in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Mr. Suleman’s spokesperson, the cleric accused Mr. Keyamo of plotting to clone his (the pastor’s) voice in a forthcoming video on the marriage scandal.
The preacher also accused Mr. Keyamo “and his paymasters” of plotting to kill or cause bodily harm to Ms. Otobo and blame the pastor for perpetrating the act.
“There are indications that so-called human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo and his paymasters have concluded plans to unveil cloned video clips involving the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Apostle Johnson Suleman in a desperate bid to prove that the latter had an amorous relationship with one Miss Stephanie Otobo,” Mr. Shaibu said.
“Similarly, it was gathered that Keyamo and his paymasters have also decided to kill or terribly harm the said Miss Otobo and frame Apostle Suleman or his agents as being responsible for the heinous act.”
Stephanie Otobo
The preacher’s claims came just as Ms. Otobo, 23, provided lurid details of her alleged affair with Mr. Suleman.
At a hastily convened press conference at Mr. Keyamo’s Lagos office on Friday, Ms. Otobo said her relationship with Mr. Suleman involved a lot of sex.
Earlier, she had accused the pastor of impregnating and dumping her, via two letters written and signed by Mr. Keyamo.
Mr. Suleman denies all the allegations.
On Thursday, Mr. Suleman threatened legal action against Mr. Keyamo, demanding N1 billion from the lawyer “for all the injuries inflicted on him,” as well as a retraction of all the allegations within seven days.
In his latest statement, the preacher said the unfolding events stemmed from his recent stand against issues bordering on national security, adding that some “powerful forces” are after him.
Claims ‘ridiculous, laughable’
The Festus Keyamo Chambers promised an official response to Mr. Suleman’s claims on Monday.
But speaking shortly after Ms. Otobo’s press conference in Lagos, Festus Afeiyodion, the Deputy Head of Chambers, described the preacher’s claims as “ridiculous” and “laughable,” adding that the threat was a mere ploy by Mr. Suleman to deceive the public.
Festus Keyamo
“We don’t have any problem with Apostle Suleman, we are not personal, we are professionals,” said Mr. Afeiyodion, who heads the law firm’s Lagos office.
“By Monday, we will personally respond to (Apostle Suleman’s) letter, our official response.
“It is a matter between Stephanie Otobo and Apostle Suleman, we are only claiming the ethical right and professional right of a lawyer.
“I don’t want to go into all that, but the Supreme Court has decided that a letter written by a lawyer on behalf of his client cannot ground a case in defamation. So we’ll be eager to meet him in court.”
Arsenal Football Club has released a statement regarding the future of its Manager, Arsene Wenger.
Fans have been calling for the head of the Frenchman following a recent run of poor results.
The call for Wenger’s sack heightened on Tuesday following the team’s humiliating 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Emirates in the round-of-16 Champions League tie.
In a statement on Thursday, Arsenal chairman, Sir Chips Keswick pointed out that Wenger’s contract with the club does not expire until the end of the season and decisions will be made mutually when the right time comes.
Keswick said, “We are fully aware of the attention currently focused on the club and understand the debate.
“We respect that fans are entitled to their different individual opinions but we will always run this great football club with its best long-term interests at heart.
“Arsène has a contract until the end of the season. Any decisions will be made by us mutually and communicated at the right time in the right way.”
Leicester City football club of England, the defending champions of England have announced Craig Shakespeare, assistant coach turned caretaker manager, as its new head coach till the season’s end.
Following the much criticized sacking of Claudio Ranieri who helped the club to its first premier league title, the club apppointed Shakespeare as its caretaker manager, but following wins over Liverpool and Hull city- he’s now been given the permanent role of manager till the season’s end.
According to the report by Sun U.K; Owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and son Aiyawatt held talks with the former England coach this week to discuss the plans going forward.
And his impact in guiding the team to two vital victories that have lifted them away from the relegation zone was enough to convince the Thai duo he was the man to stay in position for the remainder of the season.
Shakespeare has made no secret of his desire to have the job on a long-term basis since he succeeded Ranieri in charge at the King Power a fortnight ago.
Ranieri was axed as the Foxes plummeted down towards the drop zone having lost the support of the dressing room.
Shakespeare maintained huge support among the squad, and he has been quick to return the side to the tactics and set-up that brought so much success last season.
His players responded immediately, storming to a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the first game following Ranieri’s departure.
And they backed it up last weekend as they beat Hull city in a crucial Premier League match that saw them move five points clear of the bottom three.
But the players and Shakespeare have been criticised in some quarters for not trying for their former manager and getting him the sack.
Leicester have been looking around to see who they should bring in on a full-time basis, with Roberto Mancini and Roy Hodgson both contacted to sound out their interest.
But the main priority is to ensure the club are not relegated, and with Shakespeare getting such impressive results in his first two matches the club have decided to make an interim appointment.
If he continues to do well, Shakespeare would be in pole position to take over the job on a longer-term deal.
Popular investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo shared a throwback photo with multiple Grammy award winner, Drake which they took way back in 2011.
Kemi captioned the photo with her brief history with the Canadian rapper, revealing that she helped him earlier in his career, when he was still at the bottom.
The controversial socialite noted that she was one of the women that helped promote his mixtape and demos while he was building his brand.
Mr Sunday Aladegbaye, Lagos State Coordinator of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has said that all the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) intending candidates will experience a hitch-free examination.
Aladegbaye said this on the sidelines of the Parents’ Forum organized by the Management of the King’s College on Thursday in Lagos.
According to him, there will be no compromise in the accreditation of centres to be used for this year’s UTME.
He said that measures were being taken to avoid technical hitches.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some candidates that sat for the examination in 2016 complained of technical challenges in some of the centres.
Such hitches ranged from malfunctioning of computers to poor power supply.
This resulted to moving affected candidates to other functional centres.
“We have taken time to go round designated centres in the states, in order to ascertain the level of functionality of their computers, the backups and other requirements.
“Where we find missing gap, we dropped such centres immediately and those that meet requirements, we recommend them to management.
“We will continue to insist on accreditation of well-equipped centres; no more, no less.
“This is because, as a parent myself, I will not do anything that will compromise the future of my children,’’ Aladegbaye said.
NAN learnt that the board would begin the sales of its registration documents for the UTME before the end of March.
Paris Saint-Germain Manager, Unai Emery admitted his team “lost everything” after referee decisions went against them as they threw away 4-0 first-leg lead over Barcelona in a 6-1 second-leg humiliation at the Camp Nou in the Champions League round of 16.
Barcelona were 2-0 up at half-time through a Luis Suarez strike and a Layvin Kurzawa own goal, and Lionel Messi added Barca’s third early in the second half from the penalty spot to boost moral of the home side.
Edinson Cavani pulled one back at 62 minute to keep the hope of advancing to the quarter finals alive for the French giants but a Neymar free kick and penalty minutes apart set the stage for Sergi Roberto’s miraculous 95th minute goal to complete the rally and sent the Catalans through to the next stage.
Emery said after the match, “When we analyse it, it is true that we have missed a major opportunity. The first half was our fault and we didn’t manage to press or do things with the ball. We defended very deep and they had more chances to score. We made mistakes for the two first-half goals.
“We were calmer in the second half and better positioned. We improved and had a chance for 3-2. The refereeing decisions went against us and we lost everything in the closing minutes. Barcelona are capable of doing that. It was all or nothing for them in the final minutes.
“It’s a negative experience for me and for the club. We need to learn from it.”
