Former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres completed his return to boyhood club Atletico Madrid after his new owners AC Milan agreed a loan deal with the Spanish champions on Monday.
Torres agreed a permanent transfer with the San Siro club from Chelsea on December 27 but was swiftly loaned back to the club where he built his reputation on a deal set to run until the end of the 2015-16 season.
The Madrid giants, who lost last year’s Champions League final against arch rivals Real Madrid, confirmed the 30-year-old’s return to the Vicente Calderon on their website.
“Fernando Torres returns to Atletico Madrid after an agreement reached by our club with Milan for the international striker to play on loan for the remainder of the season and one more,” read an official club statement. Chelsea's Spanish striker Fernando Torres celebrates scoring his team's second and winning goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in west London on October 27, 2013. Chelsea won 2-1. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
File: Chelsea’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres
“The player will have a medical on January 5. He returns home, where he trained as a player and became one of our biggest stars.”
Torres shot to stardom at his childhood club when he was made captain at just 17 in 2001 and went on to score 91 goals in 244 appearances for Atletico.
“I was not a Liverpool fan or a Chelsea fan in Madrid,” he once said. “I was an Atletico fan. I still am. Maybe they’re the only badge I will kiss.”
After his rise in Madrid, he was then snapped up by Premier League club Liverpool where he spent four successful seasons before a high profile 50 million pounds (63.8 million euros/$77.9m) transfer to Chelsea where he struggled badly to reach his previous heights.
Torres scored some memorable goals for the Stamford Bridge outfit, notably in the 2012 Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona and the 2013 Europa League final when the Blues edged Benfica 2-1 in the final minute.
He also won the FA Cup as well as the Champions League but came in for constant scrutiny over his scoring rate of 45 total goals, 20 in the Premier League, in 172 matches.
Nollywood
actress Sotayo Sobola wore an agbada with artificial tribal
marks to her birthday/movie premiere party in Lagos yesterday. Hit
or miss? Checkout some of her colleagues, Iyabo Ojo, Dayo Amusa and others at the event after the cut...
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It was an
evening filled with glamour and splendour as Fidelity Bank on Wednesday, November
26, 2014 hosted a select number of its Private Banking customers to a private
dinner. The event tagged ‘The 3rd Private Banking Evening’ was held
specifically to thank customers for their support, loyalty and patronage over
the years. In 2014, the Financial Times Group adjudged the Fidelity Private
Banking Division the “Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2014”.
Highlight of the evening was award presentation to honour its
various categories of customers for their support, loyalty and patronage over
the years. The awardees include Mrs. Oluyinka Morgan, for her strong leadership
& achievements having set up the Private Banking Team in 1996; Mr. Akintola
Williams, a renowned accountant; Sir Jonah Eze; Chief (Mrs.) Francella
Olakanpo; Dr. Olabode Olajumoke; Mr. Dan Ngerem; and Mr. Francis Mbadiwe.
Speaking at the event, The MD/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi
Onkonkwo described the Private Banking’s contribution to supporting the commercial
& consumer market as key to the banks business direction and commended the
Division for its achievements in the year. Guests were treated to an evening of
relaxation, appreciation and networking.
Fidelity
Private Banking has been in existence since 1996 with presence in Lagos and
Abuja. Notable for its strong brand and high service standards, they cater for
needs of the high net-worth individuals in the society whose needs are peculiar
and can be complex. They ensure their financial objectives are met by
preserving their wealth for future generations. For more information, log on to
www.fidelitybankplc.com
Aww, see where his hand is. The couple who have been together for 9
years and have 3 children were pictured in each others arms as they
attended Music Meets Runway event in Lagos last week.
One of the adopted daughters of President Jonathan, Ine, will be walking
down the aisle with her man Simeon this January. Their traditional
marriage will take place on January 3rd 2015 in Bayelsa while their
white wedding will hold on the 10th of January in Abuja. Congrats to
them.
Pic credit: George Okoro.
One of the daughters of billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga, Oyin
Adenuga wore this gorgeous Michael Costello couture dress to her
family's Christmas party. Photo credit: Banke Meshida
There is no individual in ChelseaFC’s squad that divides fan opinion
quite like John Obi Mikel. While some consider him a valuable member of
the Blues’ first-team squad, others wouldn’t be too sorry to
see him go sooner rather than later. Many others are torn between the
two conflicting viewpoints. However, whilst he isn’t quite the second
coming of Claude Makélélé, Mikel will – on the evidence of recent
matches – play an important role in Chelsea’s challenge on all four
fronts.
Amazingly, the Nigerian has racked up 328 appearances in all
competitions for Chelsea till date, more than all but three of Chelsea’s
current playing squad – John Terry, Petr Cech and Didier Drogba. In a
Chelsea career spanning nearly a decade, Mikel has won a Premier League
title, four F.A. Cups, a League Cup, a Champions League and a Europa
League trophy. Stats like these would normally guarantee a footballer
legendary status at a club, and yet it would be fair to state that a
large proportion of Chelsea fans would be very reluctant to bestow that
honour upon the midfielder. Mikel is something of a cult hero – Chelsea
fans are never more gleeful than when celebrating a Mikel goal, there’s
nothing quite like it – but arguably hasn’t had the impact at the club
that others in the same ballpark of Chelsea appearances have had.
The 27-year old is a far cry from the ill-disciplined teenage tyro
Chelsea signed in 2006 after a legal fracas that, amongst other parties,
involved Manchester United. Although there is a sense that he has never
quite fulfilled the promise he showed as the runner-up to Lionel Messi
in the 2003 U-17 World Cup Best Player award, Mikel has matured into a
very good footballer over the years. An attacking midfielder in his
early career, it was José Mourinho – in his first spell as Chelsea
manager – who moved him to the base of the midfield in a role similar to
the one Frenchman Claude Makélélé made his own at Stamford Bridge.
The Nigerian international has grown into that defensive midfield role
and put in some outstanding performances for Chelsea over the years. In
what has been a tumultuous (albeit very successful) past decade for the
London club, Mikel’s contribution has been a welcome constant.
With the classy combination of Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fàbregas in the
centre of the park this season, ably supported by the likes of Oscar,
Eden Hazard and Willian, Chelsea have one of the best midfields in the
Premier League, if not Europe. Mikel isn’t a key member of Mourinho’s
starting XI, but even his staunchest detractors would grudgingly admit
that he is capable of ‘doing a job’ when called upon. Doing a job – that
most clichéd of footballing expressions – is used almost as a euphemism
these days for ‘not very good at football’. In the Nigerian’s case,
however, the expression could not be truer. Mikel is capable of doing a
job – specifically the precise job that the manager wants him to do –
and therein lies his true value.
The midfielder has started in five out of Chelsea’s last six fixtures
in all competitions as part of different midfield combinations –
including playing with Matic in a midfield double-pivot in Cesc’s
absence, with Cesc in Matic’s absence, as well as with both Fàbregas and
Matic as seen in Chelsea’s 2-0 away win against Stoke City on Monday
night. Not only is Mikel an astute footballer tactically, he has also
developed into a very reliable one – what you expect from him is what
you get. For a manager like José Mourinho who tweaks tactics and
formations depending on the opposition and is known to pay minute
attention to the tiniest details, Mikel’s reliability is priceless.
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Mikel is quite simply the only
player Chelsea have as back-up to Nemanja Matic . Nathan Aké has played
in that position for Chelsea, but with only two senior starts for the Blues,
it is safe to say he is still finding his feet at the club. Inevitably
(but perhaps unfairly), Mikel is often compared to Matic given they play
in the same position, and like many defensive midfielders would, he
comes off worse in that particular comparison. It is pretty evident that
Mikel is a lot more limited than Matic . He doesn’t have the same
quality on the ball; doesn’t necessarily have the vision to pick out the
likes of Hazard and Oscar in pockets of space in the attacking third;
doesn’t have the burst of speed that takes him past opposition players
like they don’t exist; doesn’t have the sheer reach and thus ability to
intercept passes that Matic does given the Serbian’s height and
spider-like limbs, and arguably isn’t as much of an aerial threat as
Matic is.
Mikel does have his own strengths however. He has the positional and
tactical discipline needed for a defensive midfielder; is very safe in
possession (which, it has to be said, may not always be a positive);
uses his physicality very effectively to retain the ball under pressure
and to win tackles in the middle of the park as was evident against Hull
City and Stoke, and most importantly, as the veteran of several
successful Premier League and Champions League campaigns, has the
experience and wherewithal to make small but important decisions in big
games.
These decisions could include anything from wasting time when holding
on to a lead, to making ‘clever’ fouls on attacking players to disrupt
any momentum the opposition attempts to build. As Sky Sports
pundit Gary Neville might put it, he is very good at ‘big game
management’. Equally crucially, he provides an option to the manager
particularly in difficult away games where his presence in a midfield
three can add more defensive stability whilst at the same time allowing
more freedom for the likes of Matic and Fàbregas to operate. The Mikel-Matic combo worked a treat against Stoke City – their
physical threat was completely nullified by the duo and their most
creative player, Bojan Krkic, found one if not both of them breathing
down his neck every time he received the ball in the final third. As a
result, his impact on the game was very limited. Mourinho has used
Ramires in the midfield three with Matic and Fàbregas before this
season, but on recent evidence, it is clear that the team looks more
solid defensively with Mikel in it rather than the Brazilian. Whilst
Mikel has none of Ramires’ pace or ability to run with the ball, the
Brazilian doesn’t have Mikel’s sense of positioning or defensive
discipline.
Additionally, with Mikel in the side, Matic has the freedom to
contribute more going forward. He is able to press in more advanced
positions, knowing that if he does get turned and beaten for pace, as he
is sometimes wont to do, Mikel is there to cover for him. His presence
also allows the Serbian more freedom in terms of his lateral movement –
he can help out fullbacks and cover for wingers during counter-attacks
whilst Mikel’s presence in the centre of the pitch ensures that large
gaps do not open as they did for Emre Can against Liverpool at Anfield.
Fàbregas, in turn, is spared some of his defensive duties, and can
focus more on creating chances for the likes of Diego Costa. Whilst it
doesn’t necessarily push him up to the no.10 role, Mikel’s presence
means that the Spaniard has more freedom of movement up and down the
pitch and can make more attacking runs into the box safe in the
knowledge that he has cover and will not always have to sprint back in
case there is a counter attack. Mikel is thus an effective shield for
the back four, and a valid option for Mourinho in big away games,
particularly in the knock-out rounds of the Champions League and the
latter stages of domestic cups.
It does Mikel absolutely no harm either that the manager sees him as a
team player. He has come a long way from the off-field indiscretions
and ill-discipline that marked his early Chelsea career, and the
midfielder is now a top professional. If nothing else, he can fill in
and allow the manager to rest the likes of Oscar, Matic or Fàbregas
when needed. Mourinho values this type of footballer above all others,
as he reiterated in a recent press conference. “The first time he
played, against Newcastle, he was our best player”, enthused the
Portuguese. “How can he be our best player if he didn’t play for three
months? Because he was working every day at the top level.” If he
continues doing that, Chelsea’s no.12 can expect to be playing a lot
more football in the coming weeks.
With no African Cup of Nations campaign in 2015, it is very unlikely
that Mikel will face any more three-month long absences from the Chelsea
team. Although he may not be everyone’s favourite, it is quite clear
that John Obi Mikel has an important role to play for Chelsea this
season. Indeed, if he continues to play like he did against Stoke, and
perhaps even improve on that performance, it would go a long way to
stifling the groans that Chelsea fans let out at the sight of his name
on the team sheet. And whilst it might not cause the buzz that the name
‘Fàbregas’ or ‘Hazard’ does, the Blues’ faithful might just, in
due course, come to feel a sense of security knowing that Mikel will be
a part of their midfield, doing a job. Culled from thehardtackles.com
Former Super Eagles Coach Adegboye Onigbinde has put record straight
as regards the controversy surrounding the retention of coach Stephen
Keshi as the Super Eagles handler. Onigbide was recently quoted as saying that Keshi should quit his
decision to fight for retention of his coaching job and look for a job
in another African country.
But the Modakeke, Osun State High Chief has told Sportinglife that
he did not actually ask Keshi to forget about coaching the Eagles but
advised him to study the situation on ground very well before jumping
into renewing his appointment with the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF).
“Firstly I will tell you sincerely as a very close friend that I was
misquoted by the said reporter that wrote that story in the first place.
When I heard that President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered that Keshi
should be retained as Eagles’ coach, I sent him a text message to advise
him on the issue.
“I sent a text message to him to thank Mr. President for the gesture
and politely beg the President on why he shouldn’t retain his job with
the Eagles.
“To me it would be very difficult for Keshi to succeed on the job
since the NFF has once sacked him before President Jonathan’s order.
Keshi would still need to work with the present NFF administration that
first sacked him and the relationship to me has already been soured. So,
this is what I told him as a concerned colleague in the coaching
business not that I told him to quit for failing as a coach.
“As regards the Super Eagles ouster for the 2015 African Cup of
Nations, Onigbide said Keshi should not be singled out as the major
culprit. He said that the Big Boss should not take the blame alone and
the blame should also go to the NFF.
“I know Keshi very well. He has his good and otherwise attributes as a
coach. But it is wrong for anybody to put the blame on Keshi. It should
be on our football administrative set up. The whole set up is wrong and
faulty”, Onigbibnde blasted.
… Offers Borini in exchange for Lazio midfielder Liverpool has offered Fabio Borini to Lazio in exchange for Nigeria midfielder Ogenyi Onazi. According to report in Italian and English media, Onazi is a January
transfer target for the Anfield giants and the former European champions
had made a bold step to get him in a swap deal plus £8 million. ‘The club is desperate for more strength in the midfield and Brendan
Rodgers has identified 22-year-old Onazi as the man to help the Reds do
well in the Premier League, africanFootball.com reports. The Nigeria international is a key man for the Serie A club, but
Liverpool is looking to take advantage of Lazio’s long-term interest in
Borini by offering the former Chelsea and Roma forward plus £8million
for Onazi’s services. Borini has failed to impress this season alongside Liverpool’s other
misfiring strikers, and Rodgers is ready to part ways with the Italian
as he looks to engineer an early return for Lille loanee Divock Origi. Onazi, who has been linked to move to EPL sides Everton and Liverpool, only recently extended his contract at Lazio.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians and the
international community that it will ensure next year’s general election
is violence-free.
It said the rising apprehension about the polls among the populace was inimical to the conduct of a successful election.
APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed made the pledge in a statement yesterday in Lagos.
The statement, however, said the party’s efforts should be
complemented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal
Government, which, the APC said, had a propensity for using the security
agencies to harass and intimidate the opposition and the citizens.
It added that the Federal Government should take necessary measures
to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible, stressing that
“rigging and other acts of electoral malfeasance constitute the
immediate trigger for anger and violence during and after elections.” The statement also reads: ‘’We have heard from Nigerians who are so
afraid about possible violence during the election that they are even
willing to relocate to other countries until after the elections. But,
as the biggest opposition party in Nigeria and a major stakeholder in
our nation’s democracy, we are assuring, on our part, that there will be
no violence. ‘’Though our party has no history of violence, we have commenced a
nationwide effort to sensitise our members and supporters to the need to
eschew rancour and embrace non-violent methods, even in the face of the
kind of provocations to which we were subjected during the Ekiti and
Osun governorship elections, when our members were needlessly harassed, arrested and detained by partisan security agencies acting under orders from the Federal Government.
‘’If the Federal Government allows a level-playing field for all contestants, if the security agencies stop acting as the armed wing
of the ruling PDP, if the electoral umpire will carry out its duties
without fear, favour or bias and if citizens are allowed to exercise
their franchise unmolested, the stage will be set for a non-violent,
free, fair and credible polls. In other words, the government has a
major role to play in making the forthcoming polls peaceful. ‘’On our part, in addition to other efforts aimed at ensuring a
peaceful election, we pledge to accept the result of an election that is
not only free, fair, credible and transparent, but one that is also
seen to be so. We hope other parties will make a similar pledge.”
The party said it demonstrated during its recent rancour-free and
festive national convention in Lagos that elections should be a
celebration of democracy, rather than a moment of fear, violence and
threat to lives. It said far from mere rhetoric, it had taken practical steps, as far back as May 2014, to work with the PDP to ensure violence-free polls next year. ‘’Following up on a meeting of representatives of both parties in
Washington, DC, United States, on April 7-8, 2014, under the auspices of
the CSIS Nigeria Election Forum, at which it was agreed that a joint
meeting of both parties be convened to discuss and agree on the crucial
issue of a Code of Conduct for the campaigns and the elections, we wrote
a letter to the PDP suggesting a bipartisan meeting to address the ‘’The PDP agreed to the proposal and suggested that it should be
expanded to include the leadership of other political parties in the
country. However, problem with logistics meant that the meeting did not
hold. ‘’Even with the little time left for the election to hold, we
strongly believe that a meeting of the leadership of the two political
parties – the APC and the PDP – will send a powerful message to our
compatriots and indeed the international community and douse the tension
that is building up ahead of the election,’’ APC said.
•‘2015 a year of turnaround’ Nigeria is still in God’s plans for liberation from security
challenges and economic reversals, the General Superintendent of the
Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi, has said.
He urged citizens not to be like the complaining, critical and murmuring Israelites in the Bible.
They should magnify God’s promises and plans rather than focus on present and past crises, the cleric said.
His words: “God has not written you off. God has not forgotten you.
There is a glorious day awaiting you; things will turn around… the
bright future is starting today. God has come to visit His people…
nothing will stop you onward journey.”
He spoke at the church’s 2014 December National Retreat and
Miracle/Revival Programme with the theme: “Lifted up to Higher Ground
and Enrichment through God’s visitation.” Addressing a mammoth crowd, Pastor Kumuyi declared that 2015 is the
year of God’s visitation, adding that the Almighty would give His people
a cause to celebrate in the New Year.
He said: “God will visit you in the New Year. Everything holding you
down, the Lord will break it. You will step into your Promised Land.
Things will turn around in your life. It is not what you see yesterday;
it is not what you see today; a brighter day is coming. “The coming days for you will be better than the good old days. The
things of the past may be wonderful, the things of today and tomorrow
will be more wonderful.”
Pastor Kumuyi urged Christians to prepare for life beyond the
immediate, as, according to him, the Lord’s return is imminent.
Nigerians, he said, must not seek powers outside the confines of God’s
word.
“We do not need to kill ourselves to have worldly and ephemeral powers. This should moderate our conducts on earth,” he said.
He emphasised that worldly attainments would fade away, while the word of God remains forever.
According to him, Christians and saints must, therefore, constantly feed themselves on the word of God.
The cleric stressed that it was pointless to fight for things that
would not last beyond 60 to 70 years “when we can strive for the ideal
of righteous and unblemished life through the grace of God, and through a
life that is well-pleasing to God, to eventually attain a life that has
no end, which is as blissful as it is glorious.”
He blessed the people and urged them to be satisfied with God’s
goodness and kindness, which he said were more than sufficient to take
care of them both here and in the hereafter. Kumuyi added that God, at all times, must be their pillar of strength and corner stone and abiding refuge for every situation.
The programme also featured seminars under which several topics were
considered. The miracle/revival segment featured power ministrations and
healings by Pastor Kumuyi. There were also orchestra and song performances by the church choir.
The programme provided opportunities for people to share their testimonies. For instance, a woman named Toyin Adeyemi, who had been married for
19 years without a child, climbed the stage to tell her story of how God
took away her reproach.
Samuel Olubiyi from Isolo area of Lagos told how he and his wife were
blessed with a baby after four consecutive years of miscarriages. He
also testified to his divine promotion after seven years of working
without recognition.
It was the same for Mr. and Mrs. John Chijioke. After several years
of miscarriages, the woman conceived. When she was due to put to bed,
all efforts by the medical team for her to have a normal delivery
failed. After 13 hours of labour, she was wheeled into the theatre for
an operation.
The Boko Haram insurgents have killed 23 people and burnt down a
village in an attack on Mozogo district in Cameroon’s Far North Region,
an official said at the weekend Regional governor Mijiyawa Bakary said: “We are still gathering the
facts from our divisional officers, but what we know for now is that the
attackers killed at least 23 people. The damage could be more.”
A soldier on the front who did not want to be named told CNN by phone
that the insurgents carried out a similar attack along the Waza-Mora
highway on Friday, killing a Cameroonian soldier.
The soldier said “a corporal was killed and three soldiers were
wounded. The attackers also confiscated a (Toyota) Land Cruiser
belonging to the Cameroon military.”
President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigera will become a better place in the next four to five ears. He said that Nigeria was steadily making progress as a result of the policies of his administration. The President spoke at the Christ Apostolic Church, Garki Area 1,
Abuja, where he observed his last Sunday church service for the year. Even as he expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome its
challenges, he said that 2015, which is an election year, will be a
tempting one. The President later yesterday afternoon left Abuja for a private visit to the United Kingdom. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben
Abati, said the President was accompanied on the trip by some of his
principal staff and personal aides. Jonathan is expected back in Abuja today ahead of official
engagements at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, including scheduled
audiences with groups from Delta and Lagos states. Speaking at the church service, Jonathan said: “As a nation, we have
not reached where we want to go; definitely not. But we are coming up
with a number of policies. Those who are taking pain to look at what we
are doing will agree with us that if we progress as a nation steadily in
this manner, in the next four or five years, this country will be a
better place. “Only a few days back, the Vice President was in Port Harcourt to
flag off the Eastern railway. The Western one moving from Lagos to Kano
has been running. We will start using the modern one from Kaduna to
Abuja by the first quarter of next year and the one from Port Harcourt. “When we were small, there were railways. But I believe most of our
children of about 30 years only see railway as cartoons in the
television but now, they are seeing it. “We relied on agriculture before the oil boom or doom and all that
died. We are reviving it and the whole world has appreciated that we are
moving forward in agriculture.” He went on: “When they start something, people do not see the
benefits immediately. We know that as a nation, we have a lot of
challenges in terms of getting jobs for our young graduates and we have
set up a lot of programmes that can bring job opportunities for our
young men. The result may not be obvious immediately but God willing,
job opportunities will continue to increase and many more young people
will be engaged.” On falling oil prices, he said: “We have talked about the drop in
global price of oil. Of course, if there is a drop in oil price, it will
affect us in one way or the other. We tell our people to bear with us.
It has happened before in 2008, 2009 that was almost about $40, we
survived as a nation.” The President reassured Nigerians that the falling oil prices will not go as low as $40 and that Nigeria will survive it. According to him, his economic team is already working very hard to stabilise it. He said: “Although there may be temporary inconveniences, it will definitely not bring the economy down.” Stressing that 2015 is a tempting year, Jonathan said: “Elections
year in Third World countries is always a turbulent year with all kinds
of predictions. I, however, believe that the God who brought us to this
level will see us through.” He urged the congregation to continue to pray for politicians from all political parties. The President said: “Pray for God to guide us in our utterances and
what we do so that we will not sacrifice the lives of Nigerians because
of our ambitions. Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.” “Pray to God to give us that wisdom and mind to make sure we conduct
ourselves in a way that will not set the country ablaze because of our
own personal ambition.” “There are so many good Nigerians that can hold the offices we are
occupying or aspiring to occupy; it is by privilege of God that we are
here in positions to ask for the mandates of Nigerians.” He went on: “None of us should begin to think that he is the best
person to be anywhere from state houses of assembly to the president.
There are a thousand and one Nigerians that are super qualified more
than those people who are even aspiring to occupy offices. “If the idea is to help the people, grow the economy and make the
people happy, you won’t want to kill, you won’t want to maim or burn
down houses, vehicles and property. Human beings may see things
differently but God can guide us.” He noted that instead of the challenges abating, the problems started increasing for one reason or the other. “But I am convinced that it would have been worse than this but for
your prayers. With the prayers you continue to offer to God, God will
see us through, he said, adding: “I always say that whenever I read the Bible, especially the Old
Testament, particularly the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the
promised land, the kind of challenges they faced; the confrontation, the
wars up to the days of King David, people were always fighting and you
will ask why children of God will continue to be fighting.” “I believe what is even happening to us is not even as serious as
sometimes the passages we read in the Bible and God was able to see them
through.” “The God we believe will see us through. What I will request from you
is to continue to pray for us. For me and members of my team, in spite
of the challenges, we will continue to do our best.” he stated
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari has demanded the relaese of the forensic audit on the missing
$20 billion oil cash. Gen. Buhari, in a statement yesterday, said the report must be released “in the spirit of the war against corruption”. The APC presidential standard bearer accused the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) of “digging graves in search of rumours” to
confuse the voters. The statement, signed by the Director of Communication of the Buhari
Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dele Alake, reads: “There is a clear linkage
between the billions of naira lost to corruption and the poor living
conditions of our people: it is the resources meant for the development
of our people that are diverted to service the greed of a few. It is
the fear of the unknown in a country where both family and government
social welfare have collapsed that fuels the avarice of those in offices
to steal for generations unborn. It is indeed true that, by sheer force of personal examples, I and my
running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, have demonstrated beyond
reasonable doubt that it is possible to live above the greed that
dominates the system. “I believe our spiritual anchors as men who fear The Almighty and are
resolved to live our lives according to His admonitions have played
very critical roles in developing our capacity to lead. As Christians go
and return from churches, as Muslims and men of other faiths observe
their spiritual obligations, we believe our individual commitments to
serve our Creator will inspire us to shun corruption. “We say this fully conscious of the need to strengthen these
spiritual values by creating a system that cares for the poor and the
downtrodden; a system that gives jobs to the unemployed; provides
electricity so that the artisans and the middle class can be productive
and expands infrastructure to enable the corporate sector reduce cost of
operations. “The details of the roadmap to prosperity has been powerfully
articulated in the manifesto of our party, the All Progressives
Congress. We have signed this manifesto to commit ourselves to
faithfully execute it as our contract with the people of Nigeria. “Let us reiterate that we have already declared war against
corruption, resolved to achieve food security, provide accelerated power
supply, integrate the country’s transport network, promote free
education and provide affordable health care service. “What we bring to the table is not just these ideas. What we offer
Nigerians is that we shall, day and night, 24 hours per day, seven days a
week, stake our intergrity as men of discipline and transparency to
make life better for the average Nigerian by executing these policies in
the shortest possible time. “What we bring to the table is an unblemished record of patriotism to
our country and an enviable standard of hardwork and fulfillment of
pledges that we have not seen in the handling of our national affairs in
the last few years. “In the spirit of the war against corruption, we demand the release of the Audit Report of the Missing 20 billion dollars. “Clearly unable to oppose us with an equally clean and unassailable
ticket, we can understand why our opponents are running from pillar to
post, digging graves in search of rumours in the impossible hope of
misinforming unsuspecting voters and spinning a web of blackmail and
deceit. “In this electoral contest of vision and moral stature, only the
guilty needs to be afraid. Luckily, our lives are like the open book. We
challenge our opponents to stake their desire to lead Nigeria again on
what they have achieved with the billions of resources they received.
This is not the time for distractions and red herrings. Nigerians are
the ultimate judge of stewardship. They will deliver their verdict, loud
and clear to the world on February 14, 2015.” Speaking at a media parley at the weekend, Osinbajo said his party
would return the country to the path of progress, if elected next
February. The professor of Law said the APC would not treat the issue of
governance with levity and that its leaders will take responsibility and
not offer excuses to Nigerians as it is being done today. According to him, what Nigerians expect from the government is
solution to problems and not explanations on why the economy is bad, why
they cannot get protection from terror attacks and why commercial
kidnapping rages on in some parts of the country. Osinbajo bared his mind in Lagos at an interactive parley with the
media. He said the APC was on a rescue mission as it has drawn up a
blueprint on how to revamp the economy and give Nigerians hope. He blamed the dwindling fortune of Nigerians on the mismanagement of
the people’s commonwealth by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
which he said had run out of ideas on how to get the country on the
right track. Osinbajo also defended Gen. Buhari on his role in the enforcement of a
retroactive Decree and the romance with the Organisation of Islamic
Countries (OIC) in his days as military Head of State. He described as a wrong notion to link his emergence as Gen. Buhari’s
running mate to an imposition by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu. According to the eminent lawyer, he emerged after two attempts to arrive at a consensus running mate collapsed. He told his audience that he was picked by Gen. Buhari and the APC
National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, with approval of the
party’s leadership. Osinbajo said the problems of the land would have been more than 50
per cent solved with Gen Buhari in the saddle as President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. His words: “It’s going to be the first time that Nigerians will see
the Commander-in-Chief as somebody who will not condone indiscipline and
corruption. “Whatever anybody says about the former Head of State, there is no
controversy that he is widely respected for his anti-corruption posture
and his penchance for discipline. “I think what is important is leadership. As it is today, the
leadership is unsure of itself. The leadership is uncertain. The
Commander-in-Chief must take responsibility for everything. It is not
good enough for the Commander-in-Chief to say my enemy did this, my
enemy did that.” On how the APC plans to make a difference in government, Osinbajo
said the mismanagement of resources and not lack had been the bane of
the country, even as he disagreed that the size of government was
weighing the economy down. “The size of government is not accountable for corruption. What is
responsible is stealing and mismanagement of public funds,” Osinbajo
said, pointing out that the APC will break away from the routine way of
running government, which he alleged has never produced the desired
result. He said a Gen. Buhari administration, if elected, will implement to
the letter the APC manifesto as contained in the party’s “Roadmap to a
New Nigeria” blueprint. The APC running mate listed the contents to include: provision of
immediate relief, jobs, quality education, affordable housing,
qualitative healthcare services and social welfare for the less
advantaged and the aged. Osinbajo said the APC will accord security of lives and properties
priority, adding that the dearth of equipment in the military and
inadequate kitting of the security outfits was unacceptable after the
government’s claim that it has invested trillions of naira in security. He said the Federal Government got it wrong from the scratch by
accusing the opposition of being the promoters of terrorism even without
first investigating. According to him, it will be difficult for any government to win the
war against terror without radically addressing unemployment, adding
that the devil will always find work for every idle hand. Osinbajo urged Nigerians to stop seeing Gen. Buhari in a military
garb but as a law-abiding Nigerian, whose action will be guided by the
rule of law, pointing out that there are marked differences between the
military and democratic dispensations. Osinbajo reminded that it took extra-judicial killings of some former
Ghanaian leaders by the then President Jerry Rawlings to return the
West African nation to the path of greatness. He said being on the same ticket with the retired General to serve
the country has not in any way compromised his faith as a pastor, his
calling as a teacher and his stand as a lawyer. His words: “As a pastor, I preach in my church on Sundays, Tuesdays
and Thursdays. And my message is on grace. Even David, an adulterer and
murderer received grace from God and he was forgiven. “That Gen. Buhari made mistake, in the heady days of the military
does not mean he is not capable of doing good in a democratic
dispensation. Even as a military Head of State, Gen. Buhari stood for
discipline and against corruption. These are attributes nobody can take
away from him.” Osinbajo noted that the impunity under the PDP government was unacceptable. He cited the attack on two High Court judges in Ado-Ekiti by
supporters of then PDP governor-elect, the refusal to reinstate the
former President of the Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami, despite court
rulings, and the unilateral stripping of House of Representatives
Speaker, Aminul Tambuwal of his privileges as the number three citizen
by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba, as some of the
impunities under the present democratic dispensation. “Nigeria cannot continue like this. It is unacceptable,” Osinbajo said.
Dramatic video captured a monkey reviving another monkey, which
had fallen unconscious on the rail tracks of a train station in India
after being electrocuted on Saturday, Dec. 20. The incident was watched by travelers at the station, some of which were filming and taking pictures of the monkeys. Produced by Devan Joseph. Video courtesy of Associated Press.
It
may seem like some people are born likable, but everyone is capable of
developing charisma. No matter your personality, there are certain
traits you can practice and apply to your own behavior that can possibly
make you seem more magnetic, trustworthy, and influential. Here are
the basics to developing charisma.
Charisma Is Something You Learn, Not Something You're Born With
If you've ever met someone likable, yet you couldn't explain specifically why
you like them, they have charisma. You can learn to be charismatic
too, and all it takes is some modifications to your behavior. Charisma
is about what you say and do as opposed to who you really are as a
person. Your subconscious, social cues, physical expression, and the
way you treat others all play a part in developing your charisma.
In the
video above, behavioral expert and author Olivia Fox Cabane tells a
story about a popular icon you may have heard of: Marilyn Monroe.
During a very busy time of day, Monroe brought a photographer with her
into Grand Central Station in New York City. People were everywhere,
yet no one seemed to recognize one of the most famous people in the
world. She boarded a train and quietly rode to the next station without
anyone noticing. Cabane explains that Monroe was trying to prove a
point:
"What
Marilyn wanted to show was that just by deciding to, she could either be
glamorous Miss Monroe or plain Norma Jean Baker (her real name). On
the subway, she was Norma Jean, but when she resurfaced on to the busy
New York sidewalks, she decided to turn into Marilyn. So she looked
around and she teasingly asked the photographer, "So, do you want to see
her? The Marilyn?" And then, he said, there were no grand
gestures, she just fluffed up her hair and struck a pose. And yet, with
this simple shift, she suddenly became magnetic. An aura of magic
seemed to ripple out from her and everything stopped. Time stood still,
as did the people around her, who stared in amazement as they suddenly
recognized a star standing in their midst…"
Make no
doubt, Marilyn Monroe had beauty by her side, but she wanted to prove
that charisma is something you create and emanate, not something you're
merely born with. Your goal here is to find the Marilyn Monroe inside
of your Norma Jean Baker. It's there, but you have to work to find it.
Keep in
mind, however, that you need to be a little brave. Developing charisma
is a process that involves looking at the things you do under a
microscope. You might not always like what you see, but don't beat
yourself up over it. If you keep your expectations in check, you'll be
able to identify the behaviors you need to adjust. Remember, you're not
changing who you are as a person, you're only changing the way people
perceive you by fine tuning your outward communication.
Master the Art of Presence
"Presence"
is the most important aspect of charisma, with confidence being a close
second. Presence is all about being truly engaged with others.
Essentially, you're showing the other person that they have your
complete attention. Without confidence, you can seem like someone who
is shy or uninterested in others, but without presence, you can come
across as someone who is only interested in showing off. As with most
things, neither extreme is ideal.
In fact, the art of presence highlights the most important thing to remember when you're developing charisma: it's not about you. Or, as Brett and Kate McKay at The Art of Manliness put it:
When you
think of charisma, you might think of trying to make yourself seem super
awesome to others. But the paradoxical secret of charisma is that it's
not about trumpeting your good qualities, but making the other person
feel good about himself. Real charisma makes the other person feel
important; when they finish an interaction with you, they feel better
about themselves than they did before.
The truth
is, we like ourselves and we like talking about ourselves. The people
in your life that you find likable and charismatic, though, let you be
yourself and let you talk about yourself. Be positive, shut down your
ego, and give your full attention. It really is that simple.
Pay
attention to every word that comes out of someone else's mouth. Imagine
you're watching a movie or reading a book and you're slowly learning
about the main character. Invest your attention and your focus on them.
Most importantly, do not sit there and think about what you're going
to say while they talk. It might seem like the proactive thing to do,
but it only shows that you're not really listening, just preparing to
retort.
There's a
balance, of course. You can't just sit and listen to people all day and
night. Knowing how to talk and express yourself to others in a
confident way is important as well.
Develop a Sense of Confidence
Having
confidence will give you a huge foothold when you're becoming more
charismatic, but it's not easy to build. You don't want to be arrogant,
but you also don't want to come across as timid or scared. It all
comes down to how you feel in your own skin. Working out regularly,
dressing in clothes that make you feel good, and talking about the
things you understand well can help you build and maintain confidence.
You
shouldn't only talk about what you know, though. You can be open with
others and show that you're curious too while appearing confident. Most
of us get locked up when we get caught in a conversation about
something we know nothing about, and suddenly, we're looking for ways to
defend ourselves instead of being okay with our ignorance. If you
shift from "defensive mode" into "curiosity mode", you'll appear
confident with the fact that you don't know about something.
On top of that, being curious maintains that all important presence.
You're not drifting off in your mind trying to come up with answers,
you're visibly involved in the conversation.
People with
confidence and charisma also live with purpose. It's noticeable when
you don't seem to have a mission or driving factor. You don't need to
wear your passion on your sleeve, but you need to be confident in the
notion that you're alive to do something. Jordan Lejuwaan at
HighExistence suggests you pick something that motivates you and run with it:
Pick a cause, a goal, a vision and live it.
People long to have a cause to rally around — something to believe in.
You need to believe in it so strongly for that it animates your every
gesture. Be self-assured in every scenario. Show that you don't share
the doubts that plague most people. Act as if you know where you are
going, even if you aren't 100% sure.
You may not really know where you're going all of the time, but you should look like you know. When a scene plays out, act like you know your lines.
We all have those moments where we do something and think to
ourselves, "that was stupid." Forget those moments. When you have
those moments and take even a fraction of a second to think like that,
your behavior visibly changes. You falter and people can see it.
Confidence is about being okay with what you do and who you are, no
matter what that means. People like confident individuals, even if
their other qualities are less attractive. If you can be confident,
being charismatic is a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Conquer the Basics of Conversation
Charismatic
people know how to talk other people. They know how to start a
conversation, steer it in the right direction, and make others feel
comfortable. If you don't know how to talk to people on the most basic
level, you need to practice. It will be tough, but if you can be brave
and step away from the wallflower mentality, it will be very rewarding.
It will be uncomfortable at first, but being uncomfortable is how you
get better.
If you don't know how to start a conversation,
get creative. First, think to yourself what you would and wouldn't
like to talk about. If there's something that would make you feel
uncomfortable, it will probably make them feel uncomfortable. It's also
much easier to get a conversation going by being nice,
as opposed to trying to sound brilliant. Not to mention that being
nice is a great charisma booster anyway. If you can't think of how to
start, or if you hit a lull, use the history/philosophy/metaphor rule. Do whatever you can to avoid awkward silence.
Good conversationalists also know how to get people on the same level. They share experiences and tell stories.
Use humor as a tool and remember that it's not what you say, but how
you say it. If you're not sure about a joke, hold off. No one will be
worse off if you let it pass. Imagine a comedian bombing onstage.
Nothing is more awkward and charisma-sucking as that, so don't be that.
At the same time, a comedian that's confident in their jokes is highly
charismatic. Humor, when used the right way, can make you the most
likable person in the room.
Last, but not least, ask questions. People like to be heard, and, as Siimon Reynolds at Forbes puts it, questions give you the perfect opportunity to be likable:
The person
who asks the questions usually controls the meeting. And those that ask
reasonably smart questions usually come across as intelligent and even
wise – two elements that help build the perception of charisma. I have
always found it interesting that it takes a lot less knowledge to ask a
good question as it does to provide a good answer, yet those who ask a
lot of questions often end up giving the best impression.
Think about
talk show hosts. They're some of the most likable and charismatic
people in the world—that's how they get those jobs. They're funny, but
most of the time they do nothing but ask their guests questions, yet
they come across as the lovable individual that's in control. Charisma
is more learning about others than it is about others learning about
you.
Practice Effective Eye Contact
Sometimes
good eye contact can communicate more than any words could. Proper eye
contact can express that you're listening, that you care, and that you
accept the other person as an individual. Looking down or constantly
shifting your gaze shows that you're uninterested and that your focus
lies elsewhere.
Practicing
eye contact can be tricky, though. Too much can be off-putting, but so
can too little. You'll need to experiment to find the right amount.
Ramit Sethi, author and founder of I Will Teach You To Be Rich, suggests
you test the waters a little:
...try
holding eye contact for a second longer than you normally would. How do
you feel? How does the other person react? Remember, you have MANY
opportunities to try this out. Practice on your waiter, barista, or the
person at the checkout counter.
Over time
you'll get a feel for what works and what goes too far. How you make
eye contact is just as important as how long it lasts. If you're not
sure where to start without feeling like a creep, try focusing on the
color of the other person's eyes. Try to notice the color of each
person's eyes that you talk to and make it a habit. It's the type of
eye contact that makes you seem personable without seeming like a
weirdo.
Be Expressive with Your Body
Charismatic
people express how they feel in a lot of different ways. Using your
body to emphasize and enhance how you feel or what you're talking about
can go a long way. Nobody thinks someone who stands stiff as a board is
magnetic or interesting. Above all else, remember to smile. Smiling
people are more approachable and more likable than someone who looks
angry or uninterested. If you're not sure where to start with physical
expression, Sims Wyeth at Inc. recommends you think of the people—or pets—you know and notice their physicality:
Think Kramer of Seinfeld
fame when he slides through the door of Jerry's apartment and discovers
something surprising. Or your grandmother, who throws her arms in the
air and bends her knees when she sees you after a long absence. Or my
dog, Little Bear, who dances for joy when I come home at the end of the
day.
People
enjoy being around people (and animals) with a vocabulary of expressive
gestures. Of course you don't want to be clownish at work and act like
Kramer, but gestures that are responsive to what's happening in the
moment and appropriate to the occasion are winning and appealing.
You also
want to be aware of the bad types of expressive behavior. For example,
nodding is a great way to visibly show someone that you're listening,
but nodding too much can look worse than not doing anything at all.
Suddenly it's obvious to the other person that you're trying to show
that you're listening and they no longer feel validation. People can
pick up on your expressions, no matter how slight, so becoming aware of
your biggest offenders is only to your benefit. If you're not sure what
you do that reads poorly, ask your friends or someone you trust to be
honest with you. It can be tough to hear the truth, but you can't fix
something if you don't know about it.
Like a
method actor becoming the role they're playing, put yourself in the
state of mind that keeps you aware of your behavior. If you start to
lose awareness of your mannerisms, Oliva Fox Cabane recommends you stop and focus on the feeling in your toes.
This will give you a top to bottom assessment of all the things your
body is doing. Are you slouching? Is your hand fiddling with something
in your pocket? Become aware of and adjust.
When In Doubt, Practice Mirroring
Mirroring
qualities is an easy way to be charismatic in the moment. Match the
other person's physical mannerisms and energy level, and you'll notice
how well they'll respond to it. You don't need to agree with everything
they say or do, but merely act the way they do to some degree. This
can happen naturally, depending on the social setting, but it's a simple
way to increase your likability.
You can
also mirror the qualities that you find likable in others. Observation
is a major factor when it comes to charisma, and as Joyce Newman, the
President of the Newman Group, suggests, you should look to the people you think are charismatic:
You don't
need to copy them, but learn their secrets, try them on and fine-tune
them until they fit you. It's a trial and error process.
Look to
Hollywood, or wherever you notice charismatic people, and take notice to
the way people carry themselves. Sure, some might be full of
themselves, but you can still lift the effective, charismatic qualities
for yourself and use them. Emulate the people you know are likable and
you'll learn a thing or two about how you can become more likable.
You have
the ability be more likable and charismatic, and the changes you need to
make in the process aren't nearly as big as they may seem. Be present,
confident, slowly become a master of your behavior, and watch as you
mold others' perception of you.
