Ozil ‘closer than ever’ to Arsenal exit

 

Mesut Ozil’s time at Arsenal looks to be coming to an end, after Fenerbahce Sporting Director, Emre Belozoglu, said the player is “closer than ever” to joining the Turkish club.

The 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

However, his representatives have held negotiations with Fenerbahce, as well as DC United about a move during this transfer window.

Ozil was not registered in Mikel Arteta’s Premier League and Europa League squads for this season and has not played for the Gunners since March.

Speaking to Turkish media about the prospect of Ozil moving to Fenerbahce, Emre said: “We had a meeting with him and his agent. It’s happening slowly, but Mesut is closer than ever to Fenerbahce. The fact that Mesut’s childhood dream is still alive and Fenerbahce has such a dream has made this step so close for the first time.

“After Mesut is done with the negotiations with his club, we will have our own negotiations among ourselves. If Mesut can make a deal with his club on the terms we expect, it won’t be a burden for us financially considering our limits this year.

“Fenerbahce, or any club for this matter, can’t afford to pay salaries of 4-5m euros to football players anymore. There’s no way we would pay amounts that would upset balances within Fenerbahce or affect other players’ salaries; we can’t afford that.”

Joe Biden appoints another Nigerian into his cabinet

 

Joe Biden, the President-elect of the United States of America, has appointed Nigerian-born Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo into his cabinet.

The President-elect made announcement when he named additional 20 members of the office of the White House counsel.

Badejo is a lawyer and an alumna of Berkeley Law College in the US, and served as ethics counsel in the same office toward the end of the President Barrack Obama administration.

She, alongside other lawyers of the Office of White House Counsel will be advising the President, the executive office of the president, and the White House staff on legal issues pertaining to the president and the White House.

A statement on the Biden-Harris transition website said that Badejo was general counsel of the house select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis which was chaired by James Clyburn, House Majority Whip.

“Her prior government service includes serving as Counsel for policy to the Assistant Attorney-General in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Ethics Counsel at the White House Counsel’s Office and Attorney Advisor at the Administrative Conference of the United States during the Obama-Biden administration,” the statement read.

Biden will become the 46th President of the United States after his swearing-in slated for January 20, 2021

He defeated the incumbent President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential election after scoring over 300 electoral college votes

Although Trump rejected the election result claiming electoral fraud, he could not provide proofs and has lost numerous cases he filed in court.

President Trump was however, impeached on Wednesday for the second time having been accused of inciting his supporters to launch a deadly attack on US Capitol In a final push to stop the confirmation of Biden as the winner of the election by the Congress.

Biden had earlier In December 2020 appointed a Nigerian-American, Osaremen Okolo, a Ni, a member of Biden’s COVID-19 response team.

Before then, Nigerian-born Adewale Adeyemo has been appointed as deputy secretary of the treasury department.

SPORT: Transfer, Manchester United star, Fosu-Mensah leaves Old Trafford for Bayer Leverkusen

 

Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United have agreed a deal for the transfer of defender, Timothy Fosu-Mensah to the German Bundesliga outfit.

The prayer will be in Germany today to complete the move, according to Sky Sports Germany.

Bayer Leverkusen have agreed a €2m deal with the former Premier League champions for the Dutchman.

The player’s contract at United expires June 2021, meaning he is free to talk with clubs around Europe over a free transfer in the summer.

The player is willing to leave Old Trafford this month due to lack of playing time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ajax were also in the race to sign the 23-year-old but it now appears the German club have won the race.

Sky Sports journalist, Max Bielefeld, reports that the defender who will be in Germany today is set to complete his move.

The reporter added that Leverkusen will pay €2m to United to make the move happen this month.

The 23-year-old will sign a 3-year deal that will keep him at the German top-flight until 2024.

Schools could still reopen January – FG

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said schools in the country will resume on January 18, until the Ministry of Education announces further directive.

PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, stated this while featuring on TVC on Tuesday.

Just yesterday, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the Federal Government would review the January 18 date which was fixed for resumption of schools across Nigeria.

However, Aliyu clarified that Adamu did not say the date has been changed.

Aliyu said, “As regards schools, I just want to make a clarification, what the minister said yesterday was that they were going to review, he didn’t say that they were going to change the date. He said they will review the situation and let the nation know.

“So, for the moment, it is still 18th January until the Ministry of Education comes back either with an alternative date or reconfirms that.”

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had listed reopening of schools as one of the reasons why COVID-19 numbers have spiked. 

NANS warns ASUU against stopping resumption of universities

 

Amid the resurgence of COVID-19, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, not to stop the resumption of academic activities.

President of NANS, Sunday Asefon, said a Taskforce would be setup on COVID-19 in universities across the country.

Asefon, in a statement, said government should address the issue of the resurgence in COVID-19, rather than stop the resumption of schools.

He urged the federal government to rethink its strategy on how to curb COVID-19.

According to Asefon: “Rather than postpone schools’ resumption, it has become imperative to address the alarming spread of COVID-19 and rising cases of deaths from a position of environmental strategy and human coordination since the lockdown mechanism can no longer be a mitigating option in the face of our economic reality.

“Consequently, the National Association of Nigerian Students is undertaking to prevail on students union bodies to set up Students Task Force Against COVID-19 in every school, while asking the Federal Government to rejig its basic COVID guidelines for schools resumption.”

Recall that the federal government had hinted that schools may not resume on January 18 as scheduled.

Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education said schools may not resume on the set date due to the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country.

He disclosed that government was currently reviewing the resumption date for schools.

EDUCATION : Ahmadu Bello University Zaria announces date for resumption of academic activities

 

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is to resume academic activities on Monday, 25th January, 2021.

The University Director Public Affairs Directorate, Mallam Auwalu Umar, in a statement made available to newsmen explained that the directive is subject to further directives that may be issued by the Federal and Kaduna State governments.

According to the statement, the reopening of the institution was approved by the Senate of the University at its 501st (Special) Meeting held on January 12, 2021 which informed the 2019/2020 academic session would be completed based on the adjusted calendar as approved by the Senate.

The statement further explained that the decision to reopen the University followed the suspension of ASUU strike, and the directives by the National Universities Commission (NUC) based on the advisory/clearance by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 that Universities could reopen as from 18th January, 2021 under strict observance of COVID-19 protocols.

The Director further stated that the reopening of the University would be in gradual basis with the first phase being all graduating/final year students and 100 and 200 levels students.

Similarly, according to the statement, all clinical medical students and all postgraduate students are to be handled virtually using online ICT supported blended teaching and learning arrangements.

In the second phase, it explained that all other non-graduating classes and 300 level in the case of 4-year degree programme as well as 300 and 400 levels in the case of 5-year degree programme.

For the 300, 400 and 500 levels in the case of 6-year degree programme, it said that all non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 protocols would be strictly observed anywhere on campus and every student must submit online an undertaking to abide by all the COVID-19 protocols both within and outside the campus.

The statement warned students who failed to complete and submit this form online would not be able to print their exams card.

Also, the University Management would, within the limit of its resources, support the University Health Service (UHS) with the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a Holding Bay to ensure safe handling of any suspected cases.

Equally, it said Management would take all necessary actions to strengthen the security architecture of the university and assure the community of adequate safety and security.

ENTERTAINMENT : Nengi reacts as Gov Diri removes her as Face of Bayelsa, appoints First Class Law Graduate

prepaid cloud card

Big Brother Naija former housemate, Nengi, has reacted to Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri’s decision to replace her with Ebizi Blessing Eradiri as the Face of Bayelsa Girl Child.

Governor Diri removed the Big Brother Naija star and replaced her with Eradiri, the first female First Class graduate from the Faculty of Law at the Niger Delta University, NDU.

Eradiri also finished First Class from the Nigerian Law School.

The decision of the Governor to pick Nengi for the position had met strong criticism on social media as many believed that the double First Class Law Graduate, not only made Bayelsans proud but also the entire Izon nation.

And the Governor on Monday announced Eradiri as the New Face of Bayelsa Girl Child.

Eradiri and her father were at the Government House, Yenagoa, where the Governor also, among other things, gave her automatic employment to lecture at the NDU’s Faculty of Law.

Reacting to the development, Nengi tweeted, “Congratulations to Barr. Ebizi Eradiri. It’s amazing how you were able to pull that thru!

“Special thanks to my Governor for also finding her worthy for the honour. It is without doubt that we will both work together to see how we can front for a better welfare for the Girl child.”