Headlines
Sad! Ighalo’s Man United’s Journey Ends
Odion Ighalo’s dream of making his stay with Manchester United may not materialize after all, according to reports from England.
Ighalo went on a short loan stint in January transfer window with Manchester United from the Chinese Super League side, Shanghai Shenhua, and following his impressive performance at Old Trafford, Coach Ole Gunnar Solksjaer have been trying to make his stay permanent.
In March, he said, “Odion has done really well – we need those qualities for next season so let’s see.”
Shanghai Shenhua earlier quoted a £20 million selling price to Manchester United, but the latest development indicates that the Chinese team are no longer keen on a deal.
Ighalo’s loan deal will end on May 31, but the English Premier League has been extended beyond that date by the coronavirus pandemic that forced the suspension of the competition.
There are still nine Premier League games ahead for Manchester United, as well as matches in the Europa League and the FA Cup.
With the Chinese Super League season slated to begin late June or early July, Shanghai Shenhua have asked Ighalo to return to base.
Reports say Manchester United, still keen on keeping Ighalo, tried to negotiate an extension to the loan deal until the end of the season, but the Chinese club turned down the request.
Manchester United was said to be reluctant to sign the 30-year-old Ighalo for the quoted amount especially as the injured Marcos Rashford is back in the fold.
Many people associated with the Red Devils initially had doubts about Ighalo’s ability to deliver for the club, but the former Watford striker soon dispelled such doubts.
Former Red Devils’ striker, Dimitar Berbatov describes Ighalo as the striking ‘bully’ that Manchester United have been crying out for long.
Berbatov admits to being wrong when it comes to the 30-year-old’s value, with it looking as though the Red Devils have pulled off a shrewd piece of business.
He told Betfair in February, “I’m really happy to see that Odion Ighalo is settling in well and he deserves it with the way he is playing, how he links the plays and the goals he is scoring.
“All the team are happy when he scores which shows he is fully integrated, and I like the way he looks for the ball and bullies the defenders.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t know too much about him before he joined, obviously I knew about his record in the Premier League, but I questioned if he was the right man and if he would get into the team, but so far he is doing well and proving me wrong.”
While rejecting Manchester United’s loan extension offer, Shanghai Shenhua will make Ighalo Africa’s highest paid footballer ever with a £400,000 per week contract extension until 2024.
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
