Gists in Nigeria

Eastern governors would not cease to amaze me. When Anglican Bishop of Afikpo, Rt. Rev. Paul Udogu, accused Ebonyi state governor, Chief Martin Elechi, of trying to Islamize the state, thereby breeding potential Boko Haram members, I couldn't believe it. Here was an experienced man, who didn't need to be told the enormity of such actions. What exactly did he do? Well, Elechi was, or is, planning to establish an Almajiri school in Afikpo, in the Eastern part of the country. Hear him, or his aide, or whoever: "the state government like all modern governments in 21st century believes in freedom of worship. This principle of secularity in governance is in tandem with Nigeria’s philosophy of religious diversity, where Christians, Moslems and Traditional worshippers are at liberty to practice their religious intolerance and hate," he, or they, quipped, "The government has been offering assistance to Christian churches in the state in response to reasonable appeals made towards the execution of important projects, as such, the promise to assist the Moslems was certainly not an outlandish commitment."
Oh yes, it isn't, sir. Yes, we want freedom of everything, including religion, but Mr G'vnor cannot claim not to understand the people's fears. Do not infiltrate this region with Islamic establishments. Let us be the way we are. We need no bombings, we need no boko haram, we need no religious conflicts.
What is even my business? Am I from Ebonyi state? No! But then all those killed in Yobe state recently, were not from Borno state, were they?
Oga g'vnor! Oga g'vnor!! Oga g'vnor!!! Shine your eyes o!

When, while growing up, I realised I was born on 17th November, something came to my mind. First, people born that month have this aura about them. They usually exude confidence wherever they go. When therefore I heard that arguably the most popular and respected African writer, Chinua Achebe, was born that month, I understood.
I understood why everyone born that month strives to get it right; why second best is no option; where success at every cost becomes a necessity; I understood.
Indeed, when in a small village in Anambra state, called Ogidi, a certain Janet Anaenechi Iloegbunam Achebe gave birth to a baby boy on 16th November, 1930 and Isaiah Okafo Achebe, her husband, named the child Albert Chinualumogu, even the most pessimistic of people, I'm sure, realised Ogidi had been blessed. When Albert decided to shun Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha and chose the prestigious Government College Umuahia, he never knew he was about to make another unborn baby happy. That unborn baby is me!
Each time I start boasting to people about my beloved Government College, Albert Chinua Achebe is usually my first point of argument. Make no mistake about it, whatever I write today is made possible by two people, after God. First, the late literary guru Ogali A Ogali. Then, our beloved Chinua.
I do not hesitate to always announce to people how he was almost my birthday mate (had his mother stayed a day more, or mine a day earlier, it would have been possible. But who says it doesn't get interesting saying, "oh, why aren't we birthday mates?"). I do not forget to quote every words of wisdom from this guru.
Just recently, after turning down offer for a national award in 2004, he was approached again this year by the government of Nigeria, for the same award, slated for November 14, two days to his birthday. It would have been a perfect champagne for his birthday. It surely would have been headline news all over the world. I could imagine all these.
I always knew him to spring a few surprises, but I thought they had gone with age. But what did we get?
"The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed let alone solved," he said, and with that, rejected a chance for world glory.
Opinions got divided, and inside of me, I wondered if he had contradicted himself, considering one of his wise words I still remember. The vulgar (let's use blunt)side of Achebe said, "when that thing in a man rises up, his brain goes on French leave." I therefore wondered why his brain didn't go on French leave when the Federal government offer came on his birthday 'eve'. I realised however that "that thing" in him never rose up at the first place. Not because it cannot, but because it is sick and tired of rising up to nothing, to decadence, to corruption, to regression, to evil. Yes, it is tired.
One thing is sure. When things get better, the man in Achebe would rise and be heard. It would rise and make us happy. While we wait however, all we can do is wish this literary wizard a beautiful 81st birthday. He deserves this birthday, and more.
Surely, he would live long. Why not? Nigeria would get better and the "thing" would rise. We wish it happens as early as next year. That way, we kill two birds with a stone.
One, Nigeria would be a better place to be (that's what he wants) and Achebe would come out to proclaim that.
What victory would be bigger than that?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY sir.

Government College Umuahia used to be what it never is now. The last time I wrote about this, I got calls from different parts of the world, pledging support while regretting the way things are.
Fact is, things WILL get worse, with the kind of people we have in power.
All the same, look at the pictures below, and cry.
My battery would run down witj calls, I'm sure!






























Check out how bad it has got in our dearest Government College Umuahia

When Manchester City started spending millions on players, and infuriated Sir Alex Ferguson with the 'Welcome To Manchester' sign post bearing the picture of Carlos Tevez, people wondered whether powers had changed hands.
"Not while I'm alive," Sir Alex boasted. Everyone believed the master. Not that they don't anymore.
With the club's 6-1 loss at Old Trafford to City, Ferguson described it as the biggest loss of his career. Rightly so. Every single goal scored was a dagger to everyone affiliated to United. Suddenly, it all looked gloomy. Now, they say the colour of Manchester is blue. However, I see positives from the loss. United now know what to do, this early.
The only negative from this loss is the humiliation and loss of bragging rights; the taunts people would give the club. It is unimportant. But the positive matters most.
The loss would be a huge motivation. Fergie is an expert at turning gloom to boom. He would now demand more from the players, who would put in more to please the gaffer. After everything, just 3 points were lost.
Fergie now knows where to work on. And there is enough time to do that.
I was scared of predicting who would win the league, when it started. But with this loss, I'm sure Manchester United would win it.
Ask me again in May!

What is worth doing, is worth doing well. That is what up coming musician, EXNEL, thinks. In this interview with Kelechi Udensi, he tells how it all began, and what he expects in future. Enjoy

First, we want to know your background

My real name is David Ikenna. I come from a family of two - my younger sister and I. I am from Ntigha Umuaro in Obingwa lga in Abia State. I was born in Aba. I did my primary school there, did my secondary school in the very popular Government College Umuahia and then studied Purchasing and Supply at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede.

Purchasing And Supply? Why not music?

Well, that still doesn't change anything. All the time, music had been a passion for me. I saw it as a hobby, really. I have the talent, I know. But I always wanted to study something else.

How did you really develop this talent?

Once you have a certain talent, which in this case is music, it is naturally difficult to hide from it. I started singing while in primary school. Besides, my father had such talents while he was young. He sang, he used the instruments well. You could say I took it from him. My determination to make him proud, to achieve what he always dreamt of, spurs me on.

Your stage name is EXNEL. Sounds interesting. How did that come about?

That is a story of its own, with many processes to get to EXNEL. I used to be in a group named Bonesquad, in Aba. However, I merged with my close friend after a few years. We initially called it XfromL. We however settled with EXNEL. It actually means Excellence And Elegance.

How many albums have you released so far?

Two, so far. The first , titled Paparazy style, was released in 2009, through de creator entertainment while the second, Long Awaited, which is so far doing well in the market, was produced by Juxt music entertainment. I must tell you I am not the least surprised by its acceptance by the public. We worked so hard to make it get to this. So far, so good.

Talking about its acceptance, people are of the view your popularity only stops in Aba. Also, why haven't your albums had such acceptance in, say Lagos and Enugu, or Port Harcourt?

Charity, my brother, they say, begins at home. Besides, we aren't only popular in Aba. You could say we are more popular in Enyimba city. And why not? This is a city that made us. Whatever you say, I am so proud to be a product of a city that accepts and encourages one of her own. They love good things. Little wonder we are so popular here. Wherever you go, any club you enter, any joint you go to, our music is there. It is no fluke. Let me also tell you Enugu and Portharcourt and other cities love our music. Just go out there and you find out. Yes, we may not have reached the level of the D'banjs and Tufaces of this world, but I tell you we are moving to the next level. By the time we are through, you will understand that God is with us.

Which famous artiste(s) have you performed with?

I have performed alongside some. I performed alongside 2face once at the University of Portharcourt during their SUG night. I have also performed alongside Faze, Ruggedman, 2shots, Mode9, Baba sempe, Ruff Coin, Nigga Raw, Terry G, etc. I have also performed alongside Ice Prince, whom they say is my look-alike. So many of them.

Which artiste do you intend to perform with in future?

I would surely love to perform with Tuface again. I would also like to perform with other professional colleagues like D'banj, MI, Banky W, Whizkid, etc.

Considering your looks, how do you handle female advances?

It hasn't been easy my brother but I'm trying my best to handle it to avoid having a cross with my fans and at same not to create many enemies because you don't know who is who. I try to be friendly with them, and I hope they understand that. Basically, they are the reason I am here and who I am.

Where do you expect to be in the next two years?

Everyday I wake up, I ask myself, "EXNEL, what is it gonna be like in the near future?". But answer still revolves around the question. I wanna be at the top, the peak of entertainment, nay music industry, in Nigeria. But all these can be achieved when you are focused and determined, so I guess I have a lot of hardwork and task ahead of me. I believe it is not how far, but how well...and you will be there.

Nice chatting with you. I wish you luck

Thank you my brother.

Rocker Steven Tyler is in mourning after his father died on Saturday.

The Aerosmith star's dad Victor Tallarico passed away at the Hunt Community assisted living facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, aged 95.
The World War II veteran, who was also a musician, was surrounded by family when he died peacefully at the facility.
His obituary reads, "Victor was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Susan Ray (Blancha) Tallarico. He leaves a brother, Ernest Tallarico, of Tampa, Florida, two children, Steven and Lynda; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many friends.
"Among Victor's proudest accomplishments were his offspring: Lynda, a retired teacher who resides in southern Vermont, and Steven, who, having been well launched into the music business by Victor, became famous as Steven Tyler, the lead singer of the rock band Aerosmith."

There is surely no sympathy left in football. If there was ever such a chance, money has wiped it away completely. Cesc Fabregas left his 'beloved' Arsenal in dire stress. And he never stopped there. He sympathized with his Arsenal, in what could well be mockery. After Arsenal's 8-2 massacre at Old Trafford, he 'wept'.
"I watched the match against Manchester United on television and it was difficult.", he rattled.
"I suffered during this match and especially because of the enormous rivalry between the clubs...but I am convinced that the squad will improve for the next matches."
Oh, really? You truly suffered, no wonder you took it out on Villareal, and for the first time in two years, played unlike a headless chicken.
"I will always have strong feelings for the Gunners. I am a fan through the good and bad moments," he further molested the faithfuls.
I have one advise for Cesc. If he truly loves the gunners, there are two options. He simply has to tear up his lucrative Barcelona contract (which took him there anyway) and move back to his team. Or he simply shuts up and spares the gunners further shame.

It looks as if things are coming to a close in the Libyan Civil War. Although Gaddafi could still surprise the rebels, this is about as bad as it’s been for him. Much can still go wrong, however, including a bloody siege of Tripoli, a bloody battle for Tripoli, or a bloody rebel purge of Tripoli (or all three). Some quickish thoughts:

1. I’ll be glad to see Gaddafi go. Plenty of folks have correctly pointed out that we don’t have a good sense of who the rebels are, and that it’s possible they could pursue more repressive policies than the Gaddafi government. I’m a bit more concerned that we’ll simply move to phase two of the civil war after Gaddafi goes, but these concerns were genuine. However, it wasn’t easy to see a road to democratic reform in the Libyan state prior to the civil war, and such a road is (at least fleetingly) apparent now. This may not mean much if, in two years, Libya is still at war with itself or Gaddafi has been replaced by another strongman or authoritarian faction. But for now, I have some hope for the rebels.

2. The course of the war vindicates the “Afghan Model” as a military technique, if not as a political strategy. To review, the Afghan Model is based on the idea that airpower and special forces can help indigenous troops can win wars against numerically and organizationally stronger opponents. Special forces take on training, command, and liason roles, airpower conducts close air support, attrition, and interdiction missions, and the indigenous troops force the enemy to defend strongpoints from fixed locations. This model worked very well in the first several months of the Afghanistan war, but it worked rather less well at the start of the Libyan Civil War. Although airstrikes were able to freeze Gaddafi loyalist forces, rebel offensives initially failed.

With what looks like a rebel victory in the offing, the specifically military aspect of the Afghan Model seems to have been vindicated, if in slow motion. However, the Afghan Model is as much a political as a military concept. Politically, the AM is supposed to minimize domestic opposition in the intervening country, minimize nationalist reaction in the target country, and minimize international upheaval. In Libya, the grade is mixed on all three. Cameron, Sarkozy, and Obama probably received more flak than they had expected, mostly because the war stretched so long. The war likely stretched so long at least in part because of nationalist reaction within Libya. The international community remained relatively quiet, although the violence in Syria and the ongoing collapse of the global economy may have played some part.

The other political aspect of the Afghan Model involves post-conflict stability. If Libya crumbles back into civil war in the wake of Gaddafi’s fall, it won’t reflect well on a strategic concept that promises large returns at minimal risk.

3. Given this outcome, it really is better that the Libyan rebels finished the war than, for example, the French. Although the course of the conflict was sufficiently frustrating that you could, from time to time, half wish for a quick amphibious invasion to end it all, the victory of the rebels on the ground is probably positive for the chances for a peaceful, stable post-conflict situation. If nothing else, the length of the civil war has forced some coalition building, even if there have repeatedly been signs that the coalition is held together by spit and gum. Of course, the length of the Soviet-Afghan War didn’t prevent the anti-Soviet coalition from cracking. Still, the fact that so many of the major players in the opposition became familiar with each other and were forced to work through their differences prior to taking power is probably, on balance, a good thing.

4. I am still skeptical about the wisdom of the decision-making process that brought NATO intervention about. It’s obvious that none of the major players expected the war to last this long, and unclear if they would have intervened if they had believed Gaddafi would hold on until almost September. However, I certainly don’t believe that the Libya intervention precluded a similar intervention in Syria, or that such an intervention would have been wise on its own merits either way. It was also apparent that the decision-makers in Washington, Paris, and London didn’t have the faintest what to do in case of a failure of Gaddafi to collapse. ”Pound away until the bombs run out, the aircraft carriers have to go home, and the allies get bored” isn’t a strategy.

And yet, here we are. In all likelihood Gaddafi will be gone soon, and that’s a good thing. I do hope that one of the lessons learned is that even relatively weak states can survive for a while in the face of airpower campaigns. I also hope, as always, that policymakers will remember to take the utmost care with any decisions that involve dropping bombs in order to do “good.”

While the British government struggled to control the rioters in London and elsewhere, Iranian officials – including President Ahmadinejad – didn’t just sit back and watch. They scoffed, sneered, lectured and jeered at the British, threatening to cut diplomatic ties over the crackdown on the rioters and called for Prime Minister Cameron to be tried for war crimes.

And so as Britain and the rest of the world looked on in horror at the riots, Iran watchers found themselves somewhat amused at statements coming from Iran. And contrary to previous thought, it wasn’t just the Iranian diplomats having a summer of fun at British expense.

Cameron called the looting and burning during the riots “criminality, pure and simple,” but Ahmadinejad recognized those on the streets as “the opposition” and called the police crackdown on the rioters “unacceptable.” (Syndigate.info)

“What kind of country treats its own people like that?” he asked. (BBC Monitoring)

The he answered his own question – Britain’s past colonialism and its present capitalism are to blame – and advised the British government:

“Finally, they should pay attention to the fact that the world has changed and it is no longer possible for some capitalist families through their names and titles to plunder other governments and nations and use other people as their slaves.” (BBC Monitoring)

He also sharply criticized the Western countries for being disingenuous and singled out the U.N. for failing to notice the “savageness” of the police crackdown during the riots. (Reuters)

“If one percent of the events that have happened in the West had happened in countries opposing the West, their [Westerners’] throats would have burst open [from screaming about it], but the question is: Why is the [U.N.] Security Council silent and not showing any reaction?” (BBC Monitoring)

Ahmadinejad was hinting in part at the widespread international condemnation of Iran’s crackdown on opposition protests in Tehran and elsewhere against fraud during the presidential elections of 2009.

I knew it would happen. Once Ibrahim Babangida dared to say a thing about Baba Iyabo, negative for that matter, on his own birthday, I knew he would get a horrible birthday gift from his former boss. And he did.
OBJ 'emplored' on Nigerians to pity Babangida, rather than condemn him. Haha. Baba at his best! He stopped short at calling IBB a fool at 70.
While, as expected, IBB replied, the damage had already been done.
In my opinion, none of them deserve being supported. They had their faults at their own times, the same way they were filled in glory when they were doing well. Let them sort out their differences. When elders fight, who would tell the children not to?

'Maradona' is at it again. He dribbles and dribbles...like a 'footballer' he is. Come on, you know I mean Nigeria's political 'Maradona', Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB). Listen to what he said about OBJ's administration,
"If I had been lucky (check) like those in the recent past, I would have done more than we did. In my eight years in office I was able to manage poverty and achieve success while somebody (we know who, don't we?) for eight years managed affluence and achieved failure."
Oh, really? Who is really saying this? IBB, or Nelson Mandela? Okay, we ain't in South Africa. Hear 'Maradona',
"Politics? Forget it. I will sit in Minna here and people will come and seek my advice."
Oh, dear! Advice? What a pity, then. We're set to have much more dribblers in Nigerian politics. Our patient wait for stability goes on then.

Mikel Obi has been crying for a long time. His father was recently 'kidnapped'. The police say he's missing, not kidnapped. Afterall, nobody has heard from him or his kidnappers.
Just when we thought everything had returned to normal, Jos boiled again. There is danger again, and the people can't wait to leave that place. Haba! Is this how it would always be?
I don't know exactly what the government have done to beef up security, or did they relax, feeling everything was okay? Well, hardly surprising. Nigeria don't plan ahead of time. Hasty, last minute decisions, make them happy...no matter how ineffective they turn out to be.
I feel for Governor Jonah Jang, who by the way made his son a special adviser controversially. But in Nigeria, pity is just a mere word. Actions are required. What exactly is wrong with those wrecking havoc?
Before innocent people get hacked further, we urge the government to take action. And fast!
As president GEJ, ironically, says: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

So former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel wants peace with OBJ. As a source revealed
''The ex-President is yet to understand why he has to hold peace talks with Daniel after what he did. There are subtle manoeuvres to persuade him to give Daniel a second chance but he has not made any commitment...''
I ask, what did Daniel do? Opposing OBJ, or is ther something we do not know? Hear the source
''...although some of our leaders are still embittered over how Daniel worked against the PDP at the last poll, we are determined to resolve all differences and keep the party united again...''
That's it, isn't it? Kai, I love this man Baba Iyabo. Whatever you do to him, you must come back and beg.
As for Otunba, I hope he isn't getting scared of EFCC's visit, hence the OBJ romance.

Gov. Ahmed

So another crude oil has been discovered in Nigeria. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State revealed that Aran Orin in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state accommodates oil. Daily Sun says the ministry officials not only confirmed the substance as crude oil but identified the blend as Bonny Light, a high-grade of crude oil preferred by European and American refineries due to its unique properties.
Good news, isn't it? In a country where blessing is misused and self-destruction is our second name, my feelings are mixed. I think politicians are surely the ones to benefit. It is hardly a surprise that crude oil could be discovered here. This country is very blessed. I pray this country changes, and realizes its potentials. I pray.

Mercy Johnson must be wishing she weren't a celebrity at thd moment. Or she could be wondering how she got herself involved with the word 'marriage'. What was meant to be her happiest day on earth, is fast turning to a nightmare. The latest? Well, 'prince''s legitimate wife ,Lovely, has produced their marriage certificate. That never meant the pictures she produced weren't enough evidence.
I hope the certificate you're seeing is the right one. If it isn't, well...
All the same, this drama isn't about to end. Watch this space.

In 2007/2008, when Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo state came into office, the atmosphere looked so promising. Imo was supposed to be 'Clean and Green'. Toes were stepped on, and a lot of people were aggrieved. But then, to make things right, such wasn't unexpected. That is Owerri, the self-acclaimed relaxation city in Eastern Nigeria.
A few kilometres away, governor T.A Orji was doing the same. The difference was in business, rather than pleasure.
Aba, the self-acclaimed business hub of the Eastern Nigeria was to 'benefit' from the same favour. The governor had everything good in mind. But he made a grave error of comparing 'making money' with 'spending money'. He compared Aba, where the money is made, with Owerri, where it is spent. The result was disastrous. Electronics and phone dealers were kept hungry for days. They were told to move to an obscure location. Movie marketers lost more than they gained. Before they ever entered their shops at Pound Road, the pockets of the very cash-loving 'Mopol' must be filled, afterall the governor didn't want them there. Logic met reason, and they were left alone. The world seemed a better place. Did it end there?
They were welcome to the 2nd half or 2011 with a shocker. Without warning, they have been pushed away again. Their shops have been destroyed by touts who are always ready to cause havoc. Why? The governor wants them out. They must go to another location.
I ask, what has prompted this U-turn, after four years?
"He hates we in Aba", says one.
"Lies. He wants the best", I replied.
Yes, he does. He wants to do the right thing, but in a wrong way. A note of warning: Turning Aba to Calabar is impossible. But we can try make it look like the new Oshodi...but not the way you're going, sir.
Sorry, if I sound confusing, guys. But those who know Enyimba city, and understand what 'York' means, would get me.
S.O.S!

Ran into the funny pictures. Surely, everything goes in the game of football. lol.
Probably a John Terry, or Steven Gerrard, or Carlos Tevez, or Robin Van Persie in there...but never a Ryan Giggs.lol.

The grander the stage, the greater the scope for embarrassment. Wembley has hosted humiliation after humiliation for Dimitar Berbatov, with almost every trip there a chance for fresh indignities. The lame penalty in the shootout against Everton and the glaring misses against Manchester City formed twin disappointments in FA Cup semi-finals.
At least, however, the Bulgarian was selected then. Come May's Champions League final, Manchester United's record signing failed to make the bench, demoted behind Michael Owen in the pecking order. For Sunday's Charity Shield, Javier Hernandez's absence seemed to offer an opportunity. Instead, he was limited to a brief cameo as Danny Welbeck, a veteran of two Premier League starts for United, was preferred.
It was a symbolic choice by Sir Alex Ferguson. Berbatov has rarely been the man for the big occasion, starting only 25 of 55 major matches in his three years at Old Trafford. At £30.75 million, he has been an expensive ornament, glumly decorating various benches and offering television directors the chance to capture images of him looking nonplussed. For this most idiosyncratic of enigmas, public snubs have become an occupational hazard, and for students of Ferguson's sometimes brutal management, the surprise may be that he lingers at United. Then again, Berbatov rarely did move quickly.
Cheap jibes aside, that may be part of the problem. Berbatov, as he said during United's pre-season tour, will not change his style of play, but the team is evolving. Welbeck's display in the Community Shield was encouraging rather than extraordinary, but it hinted at the direction United will take. Alongside a similarly lively Wayne Rooney and flanked by Nani and Ashley Young, both willing to swap flanks, this was a mobile front four, very capable of interchanging positions. Substitute the quicksilver Hernandez for Welbeck, or the energetic Park Ji-Sung and Antonio Valencia on the wings and the system remains, the shared emphasis on pace and verve being intact.
Sunday's scheme sparked memories of the relationship between Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney in the 2007-8 season when fluidity reigned. That, too, was a forward line without a fixed point, before Berbatov arrived as the supposed fulcrum.
Instead, a full stop beckons. Should Paris St Germain firm up their interest with a bid, it is hard to see United rebuffing it. Berbatov has long been reluctant to leave Old Trafford for lesser destinations, but he has a Parisian's froideur (his Francophile lookalike Kristin Scott Thomas also specialises in haughty aloofness).
More to the point, Ferguson has a habit of getting his way; his discards tend to depart quickly. There is a sense that Berbatov's Champions League final downgrading had been planned: when the underused Owen was granted a year's extension, it appeared he was preparing to dispose of the Bulgarian and buying time in the search for a long-term alternative.
Should PSG sign him, it will heighten comparisons with Juan Sebastian Veron, who also moved on to join the nouveau riche (Chelsea in his case). The Argentine was another hugely costly signing who, rather than adding another dimension to United, merely slowed them down. Neither shared the urgency that has been imbued in Ferguson's other charges.
They are paradoxes, players of such evident class who proved an imperfect fit when surrounded by footballers of ample gifts. Few, Paul Scholes apart, could spray passes around with such authority as Veron; none, perhaps, has plucked a fast-travelling ball out of mid air with such languid ease as Berbatov. Both have become a lightning rod for criticism.
Both, too, have been defended defiantly by their manager. Yet it is not what Ferguson says as much as what he does. Besides revealing his many agendas, his public utterances tend to be notable for a reluctance to admit he was wrong. Signing Veron was a mistake and if Berbatov, the Golden Boot winner last season, does not quite belong in the same category, it is hard to brand him a success.
That makes the 30-year-old a rarity among Premier League top scorers. Yet the statistics lend a flattering look to his contribution. Apart from last September's breathtaking hat-trick against Liverpool and 87th and 90th minute goals against Chelsea, altering the scoreline but not the result, he has never scored in a marquee match for United (strikes against Tottenham, his former employers, come closest). His drought in Europe dates back to 2008. And of the 20 goals that enabled him, along with Tevez, to top the scoring charts last season, 16 came at Old Trafford.
Logic dictates that most players will score the majority of their goals at home, but not 80 percent of them; there are few less violent and more delicate footballers than Berbatov, but the accusation is that he is a flat-track bully.
Because while youngsters are granted more leeway, Manchester United players are judged in the defining games of their season. And having first failed to determine them, Berbatov is rarely even involved in them. A sublime talent is transformed into a sullen spectator.

*from espn*

A woman who underwent a full face transplant in May after being mauled by a chimpanzee in 2009 revealed her new face in a photo released on Thursday.
Charla Nash, 57, who was photographed in her hospital bed at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, appears dramatically different with a new nose, lips and facial skin.
"I will now be able to do things I once took for granted," Nash said in a statement.
"I will be able to smell. I will be able to eat normally. I will no longer be disfigured. I will have lips and will speak clearly once again. I will be able to kiss and hug loved ones."
Nash was hurt after a friend's 200-pound (91 kg) pet chimpanzee went on a rampage two years ago. She lost her hands, lips, nose and eyes, leaving her blind and disfigured after the attack. The animal was eventually shot and killed by police.
After undergoing a grueling 20-hour full face transplant at the hospital in May, Nash in the photo now has a fair, almost blushing, complexion.
Prior to the surgery, Nash was often photographed wearing a veil to hide her disfigurement.
Nash's full face transplant was the third surgery of its kind performed in the United States, all at the same hospital.
An anonymous female donor provided face, hands and other tissue material that made the surgery possible. The hand transplant was deemed successful but the hands did not thrive after complications from pneumonia and were removed.
Another hand transplant could be attempted if a suitable donor is identified, doctors have said.
Nash's face was rebuilt by a medical team of more than 30 physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists and residents in a challenging surgery made more complex by the double hand transplant.
The world's first full face transplant was completed in Spain in 2010.

*culled from Yahoo!*

Christina Aguilera is lending her voice to a Michael Jackson tribute concert planned for October in Wales.
Organizers of "Michael Forever — The Tribute Concert" announced Thursday that Aguilera would be joined by members of the Jackson family, Cee Lo Green, Leona Lewis and the band Alien Ant Farm, which is known for its cover of Jackson's song "Smooth Criminal."
The announcement came after more than two weeks of silence about performers for the Oct. 8 show at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
While the event is endorsed by the singer's mother and some of his siblings, brothers Randy and Jermaine Jackson have protested its timing. The concert is scheduled during the trial of a doctor charged in Jackson's death.
The singer's estate is also not affiliated with the concert.
Stars can never be forgotten, can they?

When president Ebele Jonathan proposed a six-year, one term tenure for president and governors, rather than the popular (or unpopular) eight-year two term tenure, I almost smelt a rat. Why I finally did not, was when I remembered he promised not to contest in 2015. So, he wasn't really going to benefit, was he? I think the proposition was one borne out of innocence, and expectation for the best. Probably, he wanted to make things easier for those waiting in the wings to contest after a tenure (did I hear you say Buhari?). But he forgot something.
One, whoever wins such election would become a demi-god (this is Naija, isn't it?). He would probably feel, "heck, what next would I aim for? I have nothing to contest after this. I could as well not work. I could steal as much money as I want".
Then again, how boring wouldn't it look? We would have just a governor for six years? That's heck of a long time. Even a performing governor could err by then. So, even as God took Moses away so he doesn't sin again, four year term remains the best...well, in Nigeria.