Entertainment

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Kylian Mbappe is poised to embrace a fresh chapter in his football journey with a reported move to Real Madrid for the upcoming season.

Le Parisien, a reputable source known for its insights into Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), has disclosed this significant development, hinting at Mbappe’s strong inclination to sport the renowned white jersey of Real Madrid, although the deal awaits official confirmation. 

Le Parisien’s Saturday report created waves across social media, asserting, “France’s premier star set to grace the world’s preeminent club next season.”

Madrid enthusiasts are brimming with anticipation as negotiations unfold, with the potential for this to become the most financially rewarding contract for the revered captain of Les Bleus. 

Unlike previous summers that left Real Madrid fans disappointed after speculation about Mbappe’s possible move to Santiago Bernabeu, the current narrative seems to be evolving.

Le Parisien’s report adopts a decisive tone, proclaiming, “The battle is lost,” signaling a diminishing likelihood of Mbappe extending his tenure at PSG amid increasing conjecture about his imminent departure. 

PSG, alongside influential figures in French football, appears to have come to terms with Mbappe’s decision to bid farewell to Ligue 1 for an exciting new venture with the club, often touted as the world’s premier football institution.

MARCA echoes this sentiment, shedding light on a prevailing pessimism within PSG’s ranks regarding the prospects of retaining their star player beyond the current season.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

Super Eagles’ Zaidu Sanusi isn’t a bad player. You can’t be a starting player for FC Porto if you are bad. His struggles stem from the position he’s asked to play in these knockout games.

Sanusi is a quintessential left back in a four-man defense, where his primary duty is to stay at the back and make sporadic forays into attack based on the circumstances of the game.

Since the game against Guinea-Bissau, the Super Eagles’ coach, Peseiro, has changed his defensive structure from a four-man to a three-man central defense (Ajayi, Ekong, Bassey) sandwiched by two wing backs in Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi.

This means that Sanusi is now expected to strike a balance between defense and attack. When Nigeria is out of possession, he will stay on his flank to provide extra cover for Calvin Bassey from the left. This is what Sanusi excels at.

But when we are in possession, he’s effectively our left-sided midfielder who must make runs behind the opposition defense to join attack. This is Sanusi’s biggest weakness. He’s a square peg in a round hole.

The problem is, when you remove Sanusi from the starting lineup, who are you going to play? One option is to bring Omeruo to the center of the defense and push Bassey to the left wing-back position. But this won’t solve Sanusi’s problem because Bassey isn’t that good going forward either.

Another alternative is to shift Aina to the left wing-back and bring Oseyi to the right wing-back. In my opinion, this is better than the first option. However, when you do that, you strip the team of one of its biggest assets: Aina’s tireless work rate from the right, which Oseyi can never replicate.

Whatever the case may be, the best solution is to stick with Sanusi. After all, tell me a coach who changes a tried and tested watertight defense in the middle of the knockout rounds of a major international tournament.

Aliyu wrote from Kano. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.

By Al-Jannat Mohammed

The distinction between one’s private and public life is becoming more and more hazy in a time when social media dominates. Celebrities, who were formerly admired for their abilities and accomplishments, now have to navigate a world in which the public is interested in every aspect of their lives.

The younger generation has been influenced by this culture of perpetual exposure, as they readily divulge personal information online, undermining the idea of privacy. The story of Nigerian actor, Yul Edochi, and his second wife is a compelling illustration of this phenomena, and offers a prism through which to consider the effects of this invasion of privacy.

Without a doubt, the emergence of social media has completely changed how people communicate, making it possible to share information instantly with anyone on the planet. The loss of personal boundaries that results from people voluntarily disclosing their private lives to the world is the drawback, though.

Because they are in the public glare, celebrities have been hardest hit by this cultural change. For example, Yul Edochi’s second marriage turned into a social media show, with every detail of their union, family dynamics, and personal hardships visible to everybody with an internet connection.

Beyond just celebrities, this tendency affects the younger generation as well, who have grown up in a time of continual communication. Many people reveal personal information about themselves online because they want to be validated and accepted by others.

The younger generation frequently compromises privacy in the chase of likes, comments and virtual acceptance, whether it be for relationship milestones or personal struggles. This raises questions about how such behaviour may affect people’s general well-being, self-esteem and mental health in the long run.

Although the loss of privacy is a complicated problem with wide-ranging effects on the society, there may be ways to lessen its effects. Above all, it is critical to teach the next generation the value of establishing and upholding limits. Giving people the skills to decide what parts of their lives are best kept private helps them feel more in charge of their own story.

Prioritising digital literacy education is important, with a focus on the lasting nature of online content and the possible repercussions of excessive sharing.

Social media sites can also be extremely important in encouraging responsible sharing. Pop-up reminders and privacy checklists are two examples of features that can be implemented to encourage users to reconsider sharing sensitive information and prevent impulsive sharing.

Platforms should also make investments in strong privacy settings so that users may decide who can see their content. Encouraging social media usage in a way that is balanced and respects one’s personal limits sends a strong message about how important privacy protection is.

In the end, the degradation of privacy in the era of celebrity culture is a complex problem that calls for cooperation from people, organisations, and digital platforms. Fostering a healthier connection with the digital world requires finding a balance between the advantages of connectedness and the maintenance of personal boundaries.

We may endeavour to create a culture that values and respects privacy in an increasingly connected world by embracing responsible sharing behaviours, encouraging digital literacy, and setting positive examples.

Al-Janat Mohammed is an NYSC corps member with PRNigeria in Abuja

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Premier League referees will begin explaining Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions directly to fans inside stadiums during the upcoming season. 

This innovative step has received the green light from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the governing body responsible for football laws. 

Reports from Mail Sport indicate that the IFAB has granted approval based on successful trials where officials provided explanations during league fixtures in Mexico and Portugal.

Formal confirmation of this initiative is expected before the IFAB’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for March. 

The decision reflects a commitment to addressing the desire for clearer communication between referees and fans, particularly during contentious VAR decisions.

Premier League Referees’ Chief, Howard Webb, a staunch advocate for increased transparency since joining Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in 2022, has welcomed this move. 

Webb, renowned for his refereeing expertise, supports the idea of officials being able to directly communicate decisions to fans within the stadiums.

This adjustment aligns with the global effort to enhance the understanding and engagement of football officials.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

The reigning champions and the best national team in the continent, Senegal, had met its waterloo at the hands of the host, Ivory Coast, who must be buoyant, having qualified to the Round of 16 by the skin of their teeth when all around them was doom and gloom. 

The Teranga Lions entered the tournament as the undisputed favourites to record a back-to-back triumph. They justified their billing by becoming the only country to win all three group games, often at a canter. The stage was set for Mane and Co. to dominate the knockout stages. However, the Ivorians read a different script.

The Elephants came into the tournament as the host country with little expectations. Gone are the days of Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Kalou and Zokora. So, one expected the host to mount a serious title challenge. But no one expected them to lose embarrassingly to Equatorial Guinea either. Ultimately, they qualified into the knockouts as the worst of all the 16 entrants. Few people gave them a chance to overcome the swaggering Senegal. And that’s what they just did.

Such is the cruel nature of winner-takes-all international football. The Ivorians must now be cautiously optimistic about their chances, having surmounted the most difficult of obstacles. Senegal must be ruing what might have been while they lick their wounds.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Kano State Hisbah Board has launched a manhunt for some prominent TikTokers over a vulgar post. The wanted TikTokers include Murja Kunya, Idris Maiwushirya, Shakira, Hassan Make-Up and Kano State Material, popularly known as G-Fresh.

Recently, the TikTokers posted an uncouth video on the TikTok app, which was said to have contravened the Hausa norms and Islamic teaching. But the board said it was responding to some distress calls it received from some concerned citizens in the state over the unethical video.

Declaring the TikTokers wanted, the board read, “We are looking for anyone who sees these people or knows where they could be found.”

Advert turns vulgar, immoral

The video, which went viral, was allegedly meant to advertise the enlargement supplements for women at the Shakira`s shop in Kano. However, the TikTokers resorted to what many critics consider vulgar utterances.

In the video, G-Fresh was seen flattering the body shape of one of the TikTokers, Murja Kunya, who was consequently turning her butt to show her curvy shape.

The Daily Reality’s finding shows that this is not the first time the wanted TikTokers have published such video content that is incongruous with the norms and values of the Hausa people and the religion of Islam.

Disrespect for Hisbah, law

A person close to the Hisbah, Malam Aisar Salihu Musa, said the wanted individuals are so disrespectful to Hisbah, Shari’a and other related laws in the state. He added that this was not the first time Hisbah summon these people and tell them what they were doing was wrong.

He stated, “Hisbah invited and preached to them. They were also advised on how to use their pages as Muslims and Hausa people. “Their attention was also called to the implications of what they were doing, which may, in turn, haunt their children later in life, let alone frustrate their relatives. However, Aisar lamented that the TikTokers’ immorality was even worse after the Hisbah interventions in 2023.

“Some of them, though not on the current video, were also called and cautioned by the board. Some were even jailed. Sadly enough, all of them have now gone back to their former behaviour and do even worse than what they were doing before.” He added, “I believe there are many ways these people can entertain and educate people without necessarily being immoral”.

Peoples` condemnations

Showing her disappointment, Khadija Deejah described the development as shameful, saying, “I feel shy whenever I come across their content. I am pleading with Hisbah also to arrest Sayyada Sadia.

Usman Auwal Hassan said, “They deserved (to be arrested) since.”

Sadia Uba Musa opined that they should face the wrath of the law for their actions over time. She stated, “They need to be strongly warned and punished for their actions over time.”

Suggesting how to find them, Hassan Ubali said, “There needs to be a check into our hotels, even if not all. I believe two or more of them could be found. Also frowning at the development, Nura Ahmad Usman said, “Murja needs to be severely punished to serve as an example for the rest because she thinks that she is above the law.”

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

As the dust settled following thrilling first-round matches at the ongoing AFCON in Ivory Coast, here are the main talking points:

African football has dispelled the stereotype

Most football enthusiasts often malign African football as a turgid, dull, low-quality affair with little excitement, panache and flair. However, the ongoing edition of AFCON is anything but boring. There were plenty of genuinely entertaining and high-scoring games. So far, 89 goals have been scored in the 36 group-stage games. Some of the standout encounters include Equatorial Guinea’s 4-2 defeat of Guinea Bissau, Egypt’s trio of 2-2 draws against Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde; Angola’s and Cameroon’s pair of 3-2 wins over Mauritania and Gambia, respectively, as well as Ghana’s and Algeria 2-2 draws against Mozambique and Burkina Faso, respectively. Most of the games played have been filled with drama and excitement. Long may this continue.

Nigeria has not joined the party yet

For a country boasting arguably the best array of attacking players in the continent, it is shocking that the Super Eagles have managed to score a paltry three goals in 270 minutes of football. How the goals were scored makes it all the more disappointing: a fortuitous Victor Osimhen header, a Troost-Ekong penalty and an own goal. When you can call upon the likes of Osimhen, Onuachu, Chukweze, Lookman, Simon and Iheanacho, you expect to score a bucketful of goals regardless of the strength of the opposition. So far, this has yet to materialise for the Super Eagles. On the flip side, history has shown that international tournaments are often won by teams which start slowly and grow as the tournament progresses. Will the Super Eagles’ fortunes change in front of goal change in the knockout rounds? I hope so. 

Underdogs are writing their own stories

The group stage has thrown a lot of surprises to spectators. The biggest casualties are three former champions in Ghana, Algeria and Tunisia, who have already taken the first flights home with their tails firmly between their legs. While most of the continental giants have flattered to deceive, the relative minnows have managed to put their names on the continent’s footballing map. Cape Verde topped the pool, which contains illustrious names such as Egypt and Ghana. Equatorial Guinea finished ahead of the more fancied Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Mauritania defeated and finished ahead of former champions Algeria. And Namibia qualified to the next round at the expense of Tunisia. Undoubtedly, the tournament’s biggest and most impressive performance came from Equatorial Guinea, who recorded a resounding 4-0 mauling of the host, Ivory Coast. The sight of the disbelieving face of Didier Drogba and the distraught Ivorians will remain iconic for generations. 

Senegal are the team to beat

I think this doesn’t even need to be explained to anyone who follows the events of the last two weeks at the AFCON. The Teranga Lions are the only team to have qualified from their group with maximum points. They won all their games with a minimum of fuss. Their talisman, Sadio Mane, may be approaching the twilight of his career. Still, with the spine of Mendy in goal, Koulibaly and Diatta in defence and Gana-Gueye and Matar Sarr in midfield, the defending champions have all it takes to retain their trophy. Come the end of the tournament, Senegal will be there or thereabout.

West Africa rules the roost 

Half of the 16 nations still standing at the AFCON are from West Africa (Nigeria, Guinea, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso). With the biggest threats in Egypt, Cameroon and Morocco looking quite vulnerable and easily beatable, the stage is set for West African countries to dominate the latter stages of the tournament. 

Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf wrote from Kano. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com. 

The film with the title above came with a big bang and burst the block( in real terms, Blockbuster). I came to know of the film( I am not as good at motion pictures as books because in books you can see and hear and smell and feel and taste everything) when Atiku Abubakar and Sanwo Olu sent a twit of congratulatory message that one plagiarised one (same words same message) for hitting the 1 billion naira mark and becoming the highest money grossing film in Nigeria. I became interested. And I watched.

Why am I writing this? Honestly, I like celebrating good people and their achievements (a gift God gave me that I don’t ever think I have ever envied anyone. Rather, I celebrate him believing that, so long I keep clapping for them, one day they will also clap for me). 

After celebrating people, I love strong women. I truly do. Though honestly, my love for strong women (becoming them) had made me vulnerable in the eyes of weaker women. MY MOTHER IS A STRONG WOMAN, and on trying to be her(defending and protecting and advising and assisting all and sundry I became – in lowly goons eyes – a weak soul: reason if a woman doesn’t have empathy, I see her like a man–I will never get attracted to you: My little secret.

The above paragraph made me have a great likeness for the film A Tribe Called Judah.

The Storyline:

Jeddidah, played by Funke Akindele herself, is the mother of five boys from her five different men (East, North, South, West and “Mid-West”) that she vowed to protect with her life.

Emeka Judah, her first son, is the son of an Igbo man. He works in a Furniture shop, C&K, as a sales boy in a mall to a very wicked money laundering man.

Adamu Judah is the second son who works as a security guard at the same mall as Emeka.

Pere, the third son, is the black sheep of the house who goes about picking pockets in Lagos.

Shina, the fourth and second to the last born, always has his mother’s back and is a Lagos hooligan.

Ejiro, the last born, is a lover boy with–his life–Testimony (a beautiful young girl who can give him EVERYTHING, including her life, if it matters. Honestly, their love is something that can be seen only in films in the contemporary world.

As life keeps unravelling itself, every member of the family is loved by one another because their mother is solidly behind them. Emeka played his role as the big brother, always defending, fending, protecting and advising them. Adamu, the second from the womb, played his deputy role perfectly. He fell in love with a beautiful Hausa girl, but having no name or knowing the house of his father at Kano in Dala made him lose her. (Ejiro and Testimony’s love in reverse). Pere, the thief who, if not for sheer luck and the goodness you do, always find you wherever you are, would have been burnt alive by typical Lagosians, but for Jeddidah’s always love for goodness. She was there at the right time, and Pere was saved. Shina, the bloody bad English speaker and an area tout in a gang in Lagos, hears him, “I will work on me.” All these fingers are not equal.” despite his bad English guy, he is the man with the strongest will. He defended the family when it mattered most.

Ejiro, last born. The weakling and the somehow rejected cornerstone who, without the last heroic act of his lover, Testimony, would have all been killed.

You see, I have this belief that if you are good, you are good. Funke Akindele, both in the outside world and in the film she produced, is a good woman. The reason she has to be riding Keke Napep is to make sure that she loves her children despite having lost all their fathers one way or the other. So, when the time came for the children to stand by her, they all teamed up to save her by getting the needed money for a kidney transplant. 

The highly accented Igbo-speaking CEO of C&K Furniture, in fact, this guy is the salt of that film, is the wicked man who is Emeka’s boss that can’t lend Emeka money for his mother’s sickness but saying that Emeka should give him his mother’s number to give to his wife to join a strong “player glup in a church his wife is in.” You will laugh your life out and you will see in your very eye the statement “money miss road.” His dressing code, ehn! His I don’t care attitude, eh?! And his love for money is something I doubt I have ever seen.

Collette, the C&K General Manager (later have to “Correct don Collect” according to her boss), who was inherently wicked with a bad past, because hardly does a leopard shed its spots, Collette teams up with another gang to come and rob C&K. 

On that faithful day, the Juddahs agreed to rob that same. C&K and robbery turned into a war of two factions that Emeka paid the supreme price, but having a strong Deputy, Adamu picked up and made sure that EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS was moved for their mother’s kidney transplant. Collette was apprehended and was shown when she was breaking a CCTV unknown to her. Some lights are not for illumination alone. 

She tried to indict Emeka and Adamu, but Emeka has an alibi of saying he is travelling to Italy through the desert always and when sacked from C&K, his phone number hadn’t been reachable. Adamu was off duty on that day and part of the money was gotten from her gang. And for being “GILIDI”, she took a slug for her wickedness. And that was the end of a bad life, I believed.

The cinematography, the sounds, the colour combo, the settings, the scenes, the plots, the structure and everything that is required of a good film are contained in A Tribe Called Judah. 

Let’s make Funke Akindele the BILLIONAIRE that she deserves. Go watch the film. 

Written by

Engr. Mustapha Ibrahim, MNSE, R.Eng. BDSP.

President, Triple E Foundation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

In his support for sports within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, expressed his commitment to encouraging officers engaged in sports activities. 

According to the customs service spokesperson in a statement on Monday, this announcement came on Sunday, January 15, 2024, during the Polo Tournament between Customs Players and the Nigeria Army at the Nigeria Army Polo Resort in Abuja. 

CGC Bashir Adeniyi said, “We will consider officers who have expressed interest in the Polo game here to be the nucleus of our team — and we will give similar encouragement to other Officers to engage in the game.” 

Impressed by the NCS representatives’ performance, he declared, “I am quite impressed with what I have seen, and this will mark the beginning of the resurgence of Polo Games development in Customs.” 

Highlighting the importance of physical fitness, CGC Bashir Adeniyi noted that maintaining officers’ health directly impacts the NCS’s performance in revenue generation, trade facilitation, and smuggling suppression. 

“Our job is a very serious one: generating revenue, facilitating trade, fighting against smuggling — and these are serious callings. It requires us to be physically and mentally fit, as doing so will help maintain a delicate balance between the requirements of our work and the need to stay fit,” he remarked. 

The Chairman of the Nigerian Army Polo Association (NAPA), Major-General Adamu Garba Laka, organized the tournament to celebrate Army Remembrance Day and honor CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR. 

Major General Laka urged other security agencies to emulate the NCS by engaging their staff in Polo activities, stating, “The easiest way to do that is to invite the big men to come and appreciate their players like CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.” 

Major-General Laka recalled the game’s introduction to Nigeria in the 60s by Colonial Masters. 

The victorious NCS Players, honored with major trophies, received awards from dignitaries including Major-General Adamu Garba Laka, Director-General and CEO of Voice of Nigeria Jibril Baba Ndace, and Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in-charge Headquarters Olaniyi Alajogun. 

Representatives at the tournament, Chief Superintendent of Customs Jamilu Haruna Funtua and Superintendent of Customs Aminu Labaran Kago, expressed gratitude to CGC Bashir Adeniyi for his morale-boosting presence.

They pledged increased efforts for future matches, aiming to bring more trophies to the Nigeria Customs Service.

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to open a dance school. The group said such an institution would be the governor’s legacy in the state.

The advice was given in a statement issued on Monday, 15th January 2024, by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

He said:

“The governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has become popular with his dancing skills. He shows off his skill at every given opportunity, at public functions and official sittings. It is one thing that he takes great joy in doing.

“We admit that even his opponents admire his skill while his supporters are thrilled by his dancing. One can never have a dull moment with Governor Adeleke around. He does it with passion and takes great pride in it. Such skill should not be allowed to waste away.

“It is for this reason we would like to suggest to the governor to bequeath his skill to the youth of Osun State by opening a dance school. In the alternative, the governor can inject powerful doses of government investment into the arts department of the Osun State University with a special bias for dancing.

“Such investment may catapult the state’s tourism and entertainment to the highest pedestal among other states of the federation. It will also increase its internally generated revenue (IGR). This is one way Osun can make the best of the present situation. Adeleke has a potential legacy already.”