Welcome to 9jaupload trends

Lionel Messi, with his 500th Barcelona goal, and Luis Suarez saved the Spanish champions from a second defeat in six days as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Sevilla on Sunday. Victory keeps Barca just two points adrift of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 victors over Leganes thanks to a double from Gareth Bale. Madrid also announced that Cristiano Ronaldo will extend his contract with the European champions until 2021 on Monday. Messi inspired a spirited Barca fightback fresh from a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday after a first-half dominated by Sevilla. With the cast of the Game of Thrones among those watching on in Seville, the game got off to a frantic start. The hosts had two shots on goal inside 50 seconds, but from a Sevilla corner Barca broke forward at lightning speed and Suarez’s effort from Neymar’s layoff was brilliantly saved by Sergio Rico. Sevilla remained on the front foot for most of the first-half and got their reward

        Former Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan   The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission froze a bank account belonging to businesswoman, Bola Shagaya, after discovering that she gave kickbacks to Patience Jonathan, sources within the agency said. According to the sources, Shagaya, who is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bolmus Group International – a diversified Nigerian conglomerate with interests in oil, real estate, banking, communications and photography – became a subject of investigation due to her links to Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan. A source at the EFCC said, “When we were investigating Patience and looking into her accounts, we discovered that Bola Shagaya had been making huge and regular payments into her (Patience’s) bank account. “We then discovered that the monies were kickbacks. The Ministry of Trade and Investment gave suspicious commission to Shagaya’s company on every crude oil sent

Niger Delta militants have asked the Federal Government to drop charges against Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, and other leaders of the region. The militants also criticised the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and Niger Delta elders, saying the elders were only at the meeting to promote their selfish interests. Leaders of the Niger Delta Peoples Democratic Front, Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta, and other major players in the Niger Delta Avengers, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said they were not a party to the 16-point demand presented by their leaders to Buhari. The leader of the NDPDF, simply identified as General Playboy, said, “The stakeholders are talking about negotiation. They are talking about $10bn for Niger Delta people; they (stakeholders) are thinking about oil blocs that will be released to Niger Delta people and how they will share it among themselves. That is the only thing they are thinking of. “They have refused

        Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has attributed the failure of the Federal Government to engage 200,000 graduates in October as promised to the need to get the required equipment. He however assured Nigerians that the graduates would be engaged in the next two weeks. According to a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President disclosed this while speaking at the Apostolic Coalition Summit in Lagos. “The programme should have commenced as of October 31, 2016, but is delayed on account of the fact that we are trying to get as many of the equipment that we require,” he was quoted to have said. Osinbajo was referring to the tablets that would be given to all the 500,000 N-power undergraduate participants, according to the statement. He further disclosed that out of the 200,000 unemployed Nigerians that have been selected, 150,000 would teach and serve in their communities; 30,000 would serve as Agric Ex

            Lt. Col Ali (right), a recipient of the Chief of Army Staff Award for exceptional bravery and excellence. The Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, has described the death of Lt-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali as tragic and unfortunate development in the theatre of operations in the North East. Abu-Ali was killed by the Boko Haram terrorists in their failed attack to capture Malam Fatori in northern Borno on Friday. The minister in a statement issued by his Public Relations Officer, Col. Tukur Gusau, on Sunday also described the late Abu-Ali as a major pillar in the war against terrorism and insurgency in the region. Dan-Ali, who said he received the death of officer with sadness, prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the “war hero an eternal rest”. The minister also commiserated with the father of the deceased officer, Etsu of Bassa-Nge Kingdom in Kogi, retired Brig-Gen Abu-Ali, his family and the Nigerian Army. Until his death Abu-Ali was the Co

Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary spraks during a debate-watch party at The Space at Westbury on September 26, 2016 in Westbury, New York. Photo: AFP  Just two days before the bitter US presidential election, national polls gave the edge to Hillary Clinton, with results too close to call in some key battleground states where the race will be won or lost. A final NBC/WSJ poll showed the Democratic White House hopeful with a four-point lead ahead of her Republican counterpart Donald Trump, at 44 to 40 percent in a four-way national survey out Sunday. “If you only have 44 percent of the vote that means you’re vulnerable if most of the undecideds break in a certain way,” pollster Nate Silver of the news website FiveThirtyEight.com told ABC’s “This Week.” “In that sense both candidates still need a good turnout on election day and still have their work cut out for them,” Silver said. That was nowhere more apparent than in Ohio and Florida polling results out

                      Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale / AFP PHOTO / CURTO DE LA TORRE Gareth Bale hit both goals as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga to five points with a 3-0 win over Leganes on Sunday. Bale signed one of the most lucrative deals in football history on Monday to keep him at the European champions until 2021. And the Welshman earned his bumper new wage as he struck twice in seven minutes just before half-time, whilst Alvaro Morata added a third 14 minutes from time. Barcelona can close to within two points at the top, but face a huge challenge when they travel to fourth-placed Sevilla later on Sunday. Bale also scored Real’s fastest ever Champions League goal in midweek against Legia Warsaw, but his fine strike in the Polish capital was forgotten as Real blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3. There was to no such comeback from La Liga newcomers Leganes on their first ever league visit to the Santiago Bernabeu after Bal

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo controls a ball during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Club Deportivo Leganes SAD at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on November 6, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has called on Cristiano Ronaldo to follow in his footsteps by retiring at the Santiago Bernabeu with the Portuguese the latest Real star set to sign a bumper new contract. Widespread Spanish media reports on Sunday said Ronaldo will follow Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in signing a deal tying him to the European champions until 2021, by which time he would be 36. “What he has to do is finish his career here,” said Zidane despite another off-colour display by Ronaldo in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leganes. “Cristiano is unique for what he has done and what he is going.” Zidane retired in 2006 after five years with Madrid. “It is his dream to end his career here. I am happy that he ca

                                        Liverpool / AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDICK /  Liverpool swept to the top of the Premier League as Sadio Mane’s double inspired a 6-1 rout of Watford, while Tottenham rescued a 1-1 draw at north London rivals Arsenal on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp’s side have emerged as genuine title contenders and they moved one point clear of second placed Chelsea thanks to a scintillating goal spree at Anfield. The Reds took the lead in the 27th minute when Senegal winger Mane met Philippe Coutinho’s corner with a header that looped past Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. Just three minutes later, Roberto Firmino picked out Coutinho on the edge of the penalty area and the Liverpool forward fired home with a fine low strike. Klopp’s team were three up two minutes before half-time as Emre Can arrived unmarked at the far post to head in Adam Lallana’s cross. The goals kept coming and Firmino added the fourth in the 57th minute, the Brazilian finishing

Kaduna Refinery   The consolidated performance of three of Nigeria’s refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt is below 20 per cent, the latest financial and operations report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has shown. Similarly, the loss in revenue by each of the facilities has continued to drag despite the steady amount of crude oil they are taken it. An analysis of the latest ring-fenced refineries performance in August 2016 as released by the NNPC showed that the precise consolidated capacity utilisation of the three refineries was 19.9 per cent. The three refineries are the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, and the Port Harcourt Refining Company. The report further stated that the consolidated revenue losses of the three facilities dropped from the 5.13 per cent in July to 3.23 per cent in August. On the individual performance of the refineries in August, the NNPC said the capaci

                                  Sonala Olumhense Sonala Olumhense As everyone now knows, Dr. Reuben Abati, who was President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman for four years, was recently arrested by the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Unrefuted reports say he was confronted with an allegation he received N50m from his government’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki and his $2.1 billion military equipment fund that was diverted to other uses. Hopefully, some of this is false, otherwise it is professionally insulting.  I mean, others were picking up money by the truckload but Abati only got one Ghana-Must-Go?  At the lower levels, Olisah Metuh, who was not even a government man, is talking transactions in the hundreds of millions.  Doyin Okupe, who was brought into the government merely to relieve Abati of a few duties, has confessed to picking up from Dasuki N50m on two occasions; yet Abati himself received only a m

                         Temidayo Ekson Fast rising actress and mother of four, Temidayo Ekson, has been through a lot, courtesy of her failed marriage. In a chat with Saturday Beats , the actress explained what led to her separation from her husband and how she has been coping with her four children. She said, “From the outset, I have always wanted to get married to a man I love with all my life. We got married and had kids but marriage is not a bed of roses. I put in everything needed to make the marriage work and I made up my mind to quit acting. Before I got married, I was into modelling but I also quit the modelling gig because I saw my estranged husband as a jealous person. It is just the grace of God that kept me all through the period because I went through hell. “I did not enjoy my marriage; I endured it instead. If I had wanted to leave my marriage earlier or I had made up my mind not to live under his roof, I would not have had four children for a man. I

New school hip-hop artiste, Ycee, is currently on cloud nine over his deal with Sony Music Africa. According to the artiste, it is the beginning of greater things to come. The unprecedented deal will see the rapper’s first song, ‘The First Wave’ released under the Sony umbrella. With this move, Ycee joins the likes of Nigerian superstar Davido, as part of the Sony Music family. Michael Ugwu, General Manager, Sony Music West Africa, stated, “I’m extremely proud to welcome Tinny Entertainment and the amazing talent that is Ycee to the Sony Music Entertainment West Africa family. I’ve watched this team grow over the past few years and I am amazed at how they have navigated the industry to reach this stage. Ycee is the future of Hip Hop in Africa and will be front and centre of SME West Africa’s strategy as we take Africa to the world.” According to Arokodare ‘Tinny’ Timilehin, CEO Tinny Entertainment, “We are very excited about the future for both Ycee and Tinny Ent

Actress, Mercy Johnson has become a household name today but many may not know the screen diva faced rejection in the movie industry at some point in her career.  In a chat with Saturday Beats , she revealed that some movie producers did not give her slots in their production because of her dark complexion. She said that when she started out in the Nigerian movie industry, most movie directors and producers always preferred to cast fair-skinned ladies at the expense of talented but dark-skinned ones. “It is very true that when I was starting out in the movie industry, it was difficult to get roles because of my complexion. I faced that a lot and I tell people that my success is just grace. Somebody once told me that I am too dark but that is where the grace and favour of God comes in. Regardless of everything, most of the dark-skinned actresses that are my contemporaries made it,” she said. The actress who has featured in scores of movies told Saturday Beats th

The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, speaks with FRIDAY OLOKOR on Senate President Bukola Saraki, the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari and other national issues What motivated you to go into politics? My drive in politics is to make life more bearable for Nigerians. My interest in politics is for developmental reasons. I am in politics to right the wrongs of the society. I am in politics to offer palliatives to Nigerians. I am in politics to make sure that the youths of this country get their fair share in power sharing and resources of this country. My drive has always been revolutionary books which affected my life. Early in life I read books on Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. and that has helped in revolutionising my life and resulted in a positive effect on me politically. So my driving force is my orientation, my indoctrination from most autobiographies that I have read and

Niger Delta militants on Saturday threatened ‘war’ while dissociating themselves from the meeting elders from the oil-rich region had with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, last Tuesday. Apart from distancing themselves from the meeting, they warned the Federal Government not to rejoice yet over the recent rise in oil production in the country, threatening that a series of attacks await oil facilities in the region in the days ahead. The militants also asked the Federal Government to drop the charges against Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, and other leaders from the region. The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, which is the only militant group that has refused to key into the ceasefire with the government, also claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s bombing of the Trans-Forcados Crude Export pipelines near Batan community in the Warri South-West Council Area of Delta State. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had on Tue

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen a bank account belonging to Mrs. Bola Shagaya, a businesswoman which Forbes Magazine described as one of the wealthiest in Africa. It was learnt that Shagaya, who is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bolmus Group International – a diversified Nigerian conglomerate with interests in oil, real estate, banking, communications and photography – had become a subject of investigation due to her links to Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Sources within the EFCC told SUNDAY PUNCH that Shagaya’s account with Unity Bank with a balance of  N500m was frozen. The business tycoon, who is also the Managing Director of Practoil Limited, one of the largest importers and distributors of base oil in Nigeria, was said to have made suspicious payments into bank accounts belonging to Patience, who has been under EFCC investigation for about six months. A source at the EFCC said, “When

Lagos-based make up artist Olasumbo Ojatuwase Komolafe gave her client, a burn survivor, an amazing makeover on her birthday. She posted the photos on Instagram earlier today and wrote: "Satan lost the battle. 5 months and we will still bring her face out. Happy birthday to a dear client more fruitful years in Jesus name"

LONDON -- Three points on Chelsea 5-0 over Everton in the Premier League on Saturday evening. 1. Chelsea go top as title challenge clicks into gear Chelsea went top of the table after thrashing Everton 5-0, but whether they have even reached top form is the frightening prospect for everyone else. This is a team that keeps getting better. There has been a steady increase in each winning scoreline in this five-match winning run. Their past three home games in this spell? They were 3-0, 4-0 and now 5-0. Antonio Conte's men were rampant, none more so than the resurgent Eden Hazard. He struck twice here, taking his tally to the season to seven from 11 games -- his best since arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2012. It took just 18 minutes to open the scoring, as he scored the type of goal that has become all too familiar. Hazard cut in from the wing and hit a low, bouncing shot around Maarten Stekelenburg. The floodgates then opened. Within a minute, Marcos Alonso sco

Ronald Koeman was at a loss for words as to why there was such a big difference in Everton's play at Chelsea.   Misguided tactics from Ronald Koeman and collective apathy on the pitch saw Everton serve up a miserable performance as Chelsea coasted their way to a 5-0 hammering. The visitors looked every inch a team without a win at Stamford Bridge in 22 years and as many league visits. On the evidence of this pitiful display, the wait is unlikely to end soon. Positives Nobody picked up an injury. Negatives Everton players contributed so little that it often took a Chelsea player running beyond them to remind you they were still on the pitch. It is widely accepted this team have improved in the meantime, but this was as bad as anything produced under Roberto Martinez. Non-existent marking, poor positioning, carelessness in possession, minimal work rate, this had it all. The three-man defence lasted 38 minutes at West Brom, two minutes more than it lasted

On the basis of the past few weeks, Arsenal boast the Premier League's most fearsome attack and Spurs its most resilient defence. Those factors should create a fascinating derby on Sunday, but both teams must learn from their long-standing rivals if they're to launch a serious title challenge. Last season almost saw Spurs finish above Arsenal for the first time since 1994-95 -- i.e., pre-Arsene Wenger -- while the White Hart lane club are also unbeaten in the last four league North London derbies, which is Wenger's worst-ever run against Tottenham. In their 2015-16 meeting at the Emirates, Tottenham's first-half performance was impressive. Arsenal were prepared for their opponents to press them energetically, but still found it impossible to cope with the relentless, cohesive, organised midfield block deployed by Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs went 1-0 up through Harry Kane and then dominated the remainder of the opening period. Although they tired badly