Thursday 27 February 2014

International Passport increased by 50%

The Federal Government of Nigeria has increased the international passport fee by 50%, according to reports.
The Deputy Comptroller in charge of Operations/Passport confirmed in a recent release titled ‘Passport Reforms’ that applicants will now pay N15,000 instead of the official N10,000.  
Accordingly, applicants for change of data will pay now N30,000.
A newly introduced 64-page passport for frequent travelers will cost N20,000, while Passport for applicants 18 years and below will cost N8,750. It’s N15,000 between 18-60 and N8,500 for people above 60 years.
Female applicants, who apply for change of name as a result of marriage/divorce or deceased spouse, will pay N8,750, while processing fee for request for change of data will cost N30,000.
Perhaps, Nigerians may have to purchase the passport officially - as unofficial dealings may attract higher charges.

Six Steps to Academic Success Point





Every student would love to make good
grades in school and be the boss in class. But success does not come so easily - it has to be worked
out.

These six steps will invariably help you to attain academic success:


1. GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: Always be in good terms with God. You can achieve this by serving God in spirit and in truth. Know that, one without God is minority - but one with God is majority.

2. SELF CONFIDENCE: You can achieve whatever goal you set for yourself if you trust in yourself. In other words, you must have confidence in yourself and believe you can achieve your self target. Self esteem is
good but it is not enough to give you success.

3. BE AN INQUISITIVE LEARNER: You have to develop an inquisitive attitude towards learning. Aristotle, the great philosopher, opined that a man of knowledge is a man who has, at least, something to say
about everything. The spirit of inquisition encourages academic versatility.

4. ADOPT A GOOD LEARNING APPROACH: You should adopt a good learning approach and an organized reading style. Do not read for the sake of examination alone, also read for the sake of knowledge. Scholars have
argued that students who study for at least 3hours daily end up graduating with a first class result.

5. PHYSICAL EXERCISE: The importance of sports to the well-being of every individual is inestimable. It is often said that a healthy mind can be found in a healthy body. Exercise, inter-alia, help us to be physically and mentally alert. It enhances our power of comprehension and increases our power of retention.
Remember the popular saying that 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

6. BE HARDWORKING: To achieve academic success, you must be studious because indolence is inimical to success. Convince yourself that your future, and invariably, your life, depends on how much effort you put
into your studies. For a great success, you have to go an extra-mile.

Jose Mourinho's love tribute to Drogba


The love existing between Chelsea's Jose Mourinho and Galatasaray's Didier Drogba is one of a kind in the history of football.
Recently, reports held that the 51-year-old Portuguese manager wrote a love note for the sonorous forward which he signed during his first spell at Stamford Bridge.
Here is the expression about Drogba:
I’m a person who likes to treasure memories, and with them I can tell the world many things. I’m not a writer, even less a  poet, but my life has been rich with stories, stories full of extraordinary moments. Looking back at them, I can find only a few special people who I will keep in my soul and in my heart forever.
Didier Drogba came into my life in the fifth minute of a Champions League game in Marseille’s mythical Velodrome. I’d hardly sat down when that giant with the number 11 on his shirt scored. I remember he celebrated that goal like it was his last and he turned an already hostile atmosphere into a fireball of flares, chants and emotion. The crowd went mad, the noise was deafening.
At half-time I found him in the tunnel and told him: ‘I don’t have the money to buy you, but do you have any cousins that can play like you in the Ivory Coast?’ In the middle of this tense qualification game he laughed, hugged me and said: ‘One day you’ll be in a club which can buy me.’
Six months later I signed for Chelsea. I had found a super powerful club which everybody wanted to negotiate with, everybody wanted to be linked to – and everybody wanted to play for. I had a number of options, but I arrived and said: ‘I want Didier Drogba.’ Doubts and questions were raised by a few people: ‘Why this one?’, ‘Why not that one?’, ‘Are you sure he will adapt?’, ‘Is he really that good?’
‘I want Didier Drogba,’ I said.
A few days passed and I met with Didier in a private airport in London. Again he hugged me, but this time in an unforgettable way: an embrace that showed this man’s gratitude, and the affection he feels towards people who mean a lot to him. Indescribable. Then he told me: ‘Thank you. I will fight for you. You won’t regret it. I will stay loyal to you forever.’ And that’s just what he’s done. His loyalty came out in his leadership and in the way he always faced up to the difficult moments. Moments when nothing else matters than to be there for your leader and your colleagues.
This was a person I knew I could count on whenever and wherever I needed. When the team was under pressure he would go back and help the defenders; when he felt pain he would stretch himself to the limit and never give up. Then of course came what he did best: he scored and scored. Those goals brought him titles, amazing awards, but what stays with me are the countless stories we have together.
The FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium, 2007. Manchester United: the last game of the season. A lot of people thought this would be my last game in charge of Chelsea. It was a great battle, and then Didier scored in extra-time. The final whistle blew and everybody went mad – apart from two calm individuals. I ran into the dressing room to call my wife. One player avoided the immediate celebrations and followed me down the tunnel. It was Didier, chasing me for a hug. The game was over but in his mind as he left the pitch was only one thing: to hug me as soon as possible. Was he remembering our first encounter? Our second? Or was he thinking that this embrace could be the last…? He found me, we hugged and we cried.
Didier is a special person. And I repeat if I may: person. I could say player of course – and he’s an unbelievable one – but above all, his impact on the world at the moment is as a person: as an African, as an emperor of the Ivory Coast, as a father, and as a son and as a friend. And some of us have the privilege to have him in our lives. Months after the Cup final I was out of Chelsea.
As on the first day, there came that same embrace. I couldn’t speak and Didier could only say: ‘This is not possible, this is not possible, this is not happening.’ I could only find the strength to turn and walk away.
Perhaps this preface should focus on Didier the player. But the player everybody knows – the leader, the title collector, the benefactor as well. All these things he has achieved with skill, effort and humility. Didier is in my life as one of the best players I have managed in my career. But much more importantly, he’s in my life as one of the best and most unforgettable friends.Together, the two of us side by side, fighting for the same thing? Far away? In different clubs? In different countries? Or old, with Didier in retirement and me coaching in a wheelchair? It doesn’t matter.
Didier. Always near to my heart.
Jose Mourinho

Monday 24 February 2014

Why Oscar was preferred to Mata


Many may have wondered why Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho preferred Oscar dos Santos in the number 10 position; and why he even went ahead to sell the prolific midfielder in the January transfer window. Perhaps, this piece may make you see reasons to justify the 51-year-old Portuguese manager.

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba is an attacking midfielder who plays for both Brazil and Chelsea.

He has been criticised by many, and accused of being overrated with Juan Mata cited as a better option at Chelsea and Coutinho for Brazil.

Oscar is never mentioned among the world's finest talents and it seems everyone is always quick to call for alternative names instead of that of the young Brazilian.

Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the things that go unnoticed about Oscar.

He is a player who has established himself as a starter for two great teams like Chelsea and Brazil, from his first year at Europe and his
first season at international level.

He is a favourite for two world-class managers in the persons of Luiz Felipe Scolari and José Mourinho. The later described him as his team's best player this season.

Now, here are some questions we should answer concerning him:
How many players can cover the pitch, tackle, win the ball back, and be the hard worker that Oscar is?

Do you even notice that he always does well in big games? For instance, last year in the Champions League game against Juventus where he netted twice.

There is also denying that when Oscar plays a prominent role in either Brazil or Chelsea's side, they have so far been relatively successful - Brazil have won the Confederations Cup and Chelsea are only two points off the Premier League, having already topped their Champions League group.

We should compare that to how Chelsea finished last season when Oscar wasn't the main man and hadn't established himself.

And we'll see that Mata's absence hasn't really turned out to be a negative thing at all for Chelsea as we all speculated it would be. The team is in fact doing very well, as Willian, Oscar, Eden Hazard were nearly flawless against Liverpool.

Perhaps, with more support, the young and underrated Oscar will lead Brazil and Chelsea to many more trophies.

He will turn out to become one of the best; and most importantly, a quality replacement for the Blues' veteran midfielder - Frank Lampard.

Mikel wants more trophies with Super Eagles



Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has publicly claimed that his major aim at this moment is to win trophies with the Super Eagles; just as he has done with Chelsea.

The Blues' anchorman, who was beaten to the 2013 CAF award by Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast, was an influential force in the squad that won the African Cup of Nations last year.

Ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, the sonorous midfielder has insisted that his international career would be incomplete if he fails to win more trophies with the Super Eagles.

"My personal goal is to make sure that I am part of a very successful team. I have won trophies with Chelsea and I want to win trophies with the national team as well," Mikel told Brilafm.net.

"Up until this happens, I won't be satisfied with my international career. We need to prepare well, play friendly games, and try to make sure that we get a good team before the World Cup.

"We had a very bad outing at the last World Cup so we hope that in 2014, we can play very well," he concluded.

Mikel is expected to feature for the Eagles in an international friendly against El-Tri of Mexico on March 5.

Serena dominates WTA ranking



Prolific Tennis player Serena Williams continues to dominate the Women Tennis Association (WTA) with her fine performances.

The 32-year-old is nearly 6 000 points clear of second placed Li Na of China - despite going out in the semifinals in Dubai last week to Alize Cornet of France.

Meanwhile, Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep of Romania both moved up two places in the WTA world top 10 rankings, with Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic slipping down three spots.

And Serena's sister Venus williams gained 15 places to stand at 29th.

Here's the table as at Friday:

WTA Top 20 rankings

1. Serena Williams (USA) 12 660 pts
2. Li Na (CHN) 6 795
3. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 5 705
4. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 5 681
5. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 5 206
6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4 490 (+2)
7. Simona Halep (ROM) 4 435 (+2)
8. Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 4 380 (-1)
9. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4 365 (-3)
10. Sara Errani (ITA) 4 195
11. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3 185
12. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 3 155
13. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 3 056
14. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 2 940
15. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 2 725 (+1)
16. Sabine Lisicki (GER) 2 650 (-1)
17. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 2 605
18. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2 415
19. Eugénie Bouchard (CAN) 2 365
20. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 2 285

Iniesta, Pique Positive about Barca's Chances


 
Barcelona ace Andres Iniesta is confident that his side can still win the La-Liga title; even after losing to Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Barca were shockingly defeated 3-1 by Sociedad on last weekend and they now trail Real Madrid by three points at the top of the table.

However, the scrupulous Iniesta, who admitted they deserved the defeat, has expressed his confidence on the team; insisting that they remain worthy contenders of the title. Continue...

Saturday 22 February 2014

How to Maintain a Relationship with a Single Man


As a single lady, you need a matured mind to beat the antics of the opposite sex, especially when it comes to the issue of relationship. Men can be tricky - as they may profess their love for a lady, only to take advantage of her.

You can maintain a relationship with a single man without creating a chance for him to ridicule you.

1. Don't appear cheap: You should not present yourself so cheaply all in the quest to get married quickly. When a man sees how desperate you are to settling down, he will want to take advantage of you. Continue...

Cameroon Coach Hails Eto'o as Best Player

Finke sees Eto'o as the best in Cameroon squad
Cameroon coach Volker Finke has hailed Chelsea forward Samuel Eto'o as the best player in Cameroon; as he insisted that the veteran striker remains his country's best hope at the World Cup finals.

The 32-year-old Eto'o, who was signed by Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala on a one-year deal at the start of the season, has been very impressive for his country since making his debut in 1997.

And Finke believes that the striker's current form at the Stamford Bridge, lends him the credence of being the hope of the Indomitable Lions in Brazil. Continue...

Mesut Ozil apologises for poor display against Bayern


Arsenal record signing Mesut Ozil has openly apologised to all Gunners' fans for his poor display in the Champions League 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich last Wednesday.

The Gunners hosted the German champions in the first leg of the round of 16 on Wednesday, after drawing with Manchester United in the Premiership as well as defeating Liverpool in the FA Cup last week.

Although, the match began well for Arsene Wenger's men, they soon found themselves as the losing side after the German playmaker missed a penalty he had won in the early stages before goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was red-carded for a supposed body contact with Arjen Robben in the 18-yard box.

Ozil, who has been heavily criticised for a supposed lack of work rate, took to Facebook to apologise for not delivering when he was needed the most.

Writing on his Facebook page, Ozil said: "The next morning doesn't feel better either. Sorry guys - it wasn't planned that way. Outnumbered, it was really hard to win against this team."

Ozil has netted 4 goals and made 8 assists since joining the Emirate club during the summer.

Friday 21 February 2014

11 funny quotes from Zlatan Ibrahimovic


Zlatan Ibrahimovic has provided football fans all over the world with some outrageously entertaining quotes. 
Renowned for his controversial comments, here are eleven great quotes from the Sweden and Paris Saint-Germain striker, collated by Goal.com.
1. "One thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is nothing to watch so it is not worthwhile to wait for the World Cup.”
After Sweden lost to Portugal in the World Cup playoffs last week, Ibra took to his app, 'Zlatan Unplugged', to suggest the competition in Brazil will be uninteresting.
2. "Only God knows ... You’re talking to him now.”
Prior to the two games against Portugal, the 32-year-old was interviewed by a Swedish journalist over the outcome of the games.
The striker was non-committal at first, but once the reporter suggested it could be tricky to ask the deity, Zlatan gave the above response.
3. "No way, Zlatan doesn't do auditions."
Some time ago, when offered a trial with Arsenal, Zlatan flatly snubbed Arsene Wenger with this classic.
4. "Nothing, she already has Zlatan."
When asked what he got his wife for her birthday, Ibra insisted she already got him.
5. "An injured Zlatan is a pretty serious thing for any team."
In his autobiography ‘I Am Zlatan’, Ibrahimovic discusses the problems his team-mates face when he is on the bench.
6. "Come to my house and you'll see if I'm gay. And bring your sister."
Questioned by a female reporter over his sexuality, Zlatan responded with this tongue-in-cheek reply.
7. "Swedish style? No. Yugoslavian style? Of course not. It has to be Zlatan-style."
When asked if his roots had influenced his footballing approach, Ibra stressed his uniqueness.
8. "We are looking for an apartment [in Paris]. If we don't find anything, then I'll probably just buy the hotel."
After signing for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2012, the Malmo-born star was seeking a house for his family whilst having a back-up plan.
9. "First I went left, he did too. Then I went right, and he did too. Then I went left again, and he went to buy a hot dog."
The PSG attacker said this on making Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz look distinctly average.
10. "I haven't met her yet. But when I do, I'll date her."
When asked who the most beautiful woman in the world was, Ibra had this to say. 
11. "You'll have to ask your wife that."
A reporter learnt the hard way why not to ask Zlatan about the origin of the scratches on his face.

Perhaps, more jibes may arouse from the Swedish attacker in the long run.


Thursday 20 February 2014

Is age catching up with Serena Williams?

Tennis ace Serena Williams has openly claimed that age is not catching up with her, as she insists that better technology prolongs the duration of one's career.
The 32-year-old, who has been unable to play for a month since hurting her back at the Australian Open, is making an earlier-than-expected comeback from the injury at the Dubai Open this week.

Serena's coach Patrick Mouratoglou suggests she might sweep all four Grand Slams in 2014, and that provoked questions about whether the years are taking a toll.
"No, not at all," she said, because the meaning of age has changed, she thought, with fewer younger players appearing in the world's top ten now.
"Maybe this particular generation plays longer than the previous one. Maybe the next one will be shorter. You never know, you know.
"The technology is better, the shoes are better, the rackets are better, the equipment is better. There are different things to do in the gym, so you can have a longer career.
"You don't just go out and play tennis and go to the bar afterwards.
"I don't know if previous generations did that. It's just different. It's more of a job and more of a life-style, instead of something that is in fashion."
However, Serena admitted that the tournament in Dubai will be a journey of exploration - into weighing the condition of her health.
"It's just (a case of) getting back out there and going from there," she said.
"I never try to make excuses, regardless.
"I will really just do the best that I can do this week, and whether it is a win or not, I will just go out there. I don't really feel pressure here so I will just go out there and do the best I can."

Todah... (The Act of Thanksgiving)


Todah is the Hebrew word for thanksgiving. It also means praise and confession. Since the scripture is permeated with thanksgiving, our lives are to be permeated with thanksgiving as well. 

By todah, we do not only mean thanking God for a beautiful car, a well furnished house or the appointment at the workplace but also trusting and praising God even when there is no reason to do so. 

So often we want to wait and see how things will turn out before we give thanks to God. But this wait-and-see attitude reveals a lack of faith. Amidst our problems, faith testifies that "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"{Rom. 8:28} and this is why New Covenant teaches, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. {I Thes. 5:18}

Todah, as in the case of Job, was trust in God even when there was no reason to. { Job 13:14-15} You do not understand what God is saying but you still trust in Him...this is todah. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego trusted in God even when they knew that they would be killed. Paul and Silas trusted God and rendered unto Him unconditional praises while they were in Prison. Do not wait to see how things will turn out, instead, give thanks to God now! Thanksgiving is a sacrifice of faith that reflects trust in God's sovereign will. God does not force us to believe; we believe Him because He is trustworthy.

Personal faith in God should mean dependence on who He is and as such, when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free-will. {Lev. 22:29} Sometimes, our circumstances are so difficult that giving thanks to God is truly a choice --- a free will offering of faith should be ascribed to God. This same faith was demonstrated by Prophet Jonah in the fish belly when he said; "But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving... Salvation is from the Lord". {Jonah 2:9 }

In a nutshell, TODAH is the unconditional trust in God portrayed through consistent worship, praise and thanksgiving. Even if it is deeply bad, you should still worship God.