Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Former Newcastle striker and coach,Alan Shearer has tipped Chelsea Football Club as favourites to win the English Premier League. The new season commences today,across match centres in England,but Shearer believes that with the influence and experience of Jose Mourinho,Chelsea will emerge as champions come May next year. “Mourinho is box office,” Shearer told BBC Sport. “He knows what the Premier League is all about, he knows how to win it, he knows what it takes and that is why I would go for Chelsea right now.” This would be Mourinho’s second stint at Chelsea,after he reached a mutual agreement to leave the club in 2007. But he has come back rejuvenated,in a bid to prove that his first successful  period at Chelsea was no fluke. “I like the way he operates, he is great for the media and his record speaks for itself, albeit last season at Madrid wasn’t his best. But when you have got a record like his you can forgive him an off season. When you talk to pl...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Come November 16, 2013, the governorship election will take place in Anambra State to elect the person that will succeed Governor Peter Obi whose tenure will terminate on March 17, 2014. The aspirants are already jostling for votes and talking of what they will do for the people of Anambra State if elected. Those who spoke include Prince Chinedu Idigo (APGA), Mr. Oseloka Obaze (APGA), Chief Godwin Ezemo (APC), Senator Chris Ngige (APC), Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu (PDP) and Dr Ifeanyi Uba of Labour Party. Others are Chief Emeka Nwogbo (APGA) and Mrs. Uche Ekwunife (APGA). Prince Chinedu Idigo, a lawyer from the ancient Aguleri royal family in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra North is contesting on the platform of APGA. According to him, service spurred him into the race. “ My main consideration for seeking to govern Anambra State is service. I have over the years been considering what will happen when Governor Peter Obi completes his tenure. Actua...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE Human rights activists have condemned the wife of President Gooluck Jonathan, Patience, for causing gridlock that inhibited movement at the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Thursday. The first lady had organised a women event, involving about 10,000 females at the Federal Capital Territory. In an interview with our correspondent, Lagos lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, said the action of Patience was “symptomatic of elite privatisation” of the country. He said, “This kind of action is one of the symptoms of the hijack of the country by the elite. As far as people like the President’s wife are concerned, the country belongs to them and they believe they can do whatever they want. “That is a feudal mentality. Mind you, she is not the only one who does this kind of thing. The wives of governors of the various states are also guilty. It simply shows that the members of the ruling class are incapable of checking themselves. “The President himself is civil but he has the responsib...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Screening Committee earlier today disqualified the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo and five other governorship aspirants from the race for the party’s ticket in Anambra State. According to a statement signed by the panel, at the conclusion of their sitting on Thursday, the six aspirants failed to make the grade to remain on the party's platform for the November 16 contest. The other five are:  Emmanuel Nweke, Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, Chinedu Francis Idigo, Dr. Chike Obidigbo and Oseloka Obaze, the immediate past Secretary to the Anambra State Government. The successful seven are: Hon. Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Nwogbo, Paul Odenigbo, Hon. Uche Lillian Ekwunife, Chief Willie Obiano, John Nwosu, John Okechukwu Emeka and Nwachi Patrick Obianwu. Sources at the  at the panel said some of the reasons given for not clearing the aspirants ranged from  non-presentation o...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Singer Chris Brown was ordered to perform 1,000 hours community service Friday after his probation stemming from the 2009 assault on his then girlfriend Rihanna was restored, officials said. The 24-year-old R&B star’s probation was revoked last month after he was hit with misdemeanor charges following a minor traffic accident. Those charges were dismissed on Thursday and on Friday Los Angeles Superior Court judge James Brandlin restored his probation. The reinstated probation order was conditional on Brown completing 1,000 hours of community labor, in addition to the 180 days he had already been ordered to perform. Judge Brandlin said Brown would be put to work in one of four programs — highway clean-up, beach clean-up, graffiti removal or a program run by the probation department. The order came after prosecutors questioned whether Brown had in fact completed the initial 180-day period of community service he was sentenced to. They...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday registered two new political parties in  the country. This was contained in a press statement issued yesterday  by  Mrs Chinwe Ogakwu, Secretary  of the  Commission. The two parties registered were  the Independent Democrats (ID) and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM). Mrs Ogakwu further stated that the two new parties were registered in accordance  with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended).  The  statement further indicated that the Constitution, Manifesto, Logo, Flag and list of National Executive Officers of  both parties have also been approved by the Commission.