AWKA—The All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) in Anambra State has named Governor Peter Obi the recipient of its 2009 Honours Award.

THE Green Eagles tackle the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Nairobi in a must win match but the eyes and ears of Nigerians would be in Mozambique where the Tunisians tackle the Mambas for an upset that would deny Nigeria any chance of progressing to South Africa.

Justice Mufutau Olokoba of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, yesterday rejected the application to forcefully close the evidence of a prosecution witness, CP Felix Ogboadu, by the defence counsel in the trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late General Sani Abacha and three others, over the attempted murder of Mr. Alex Ibru, The Guardian publisher, in 1996.

ONITSHA—Human rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD), has denied being part of Anambra Human Rights Coalition.The group distanced itself from a petition written to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the President of the Federal Court of Appeal against Dr Andy Uba’s suit, which judgment is being expected tomorrow at the Court Appeal in Enugu.

The senior national football team will be taking on their Kenyan counterparts in the final group match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this weekend.The match has generated a lot of interest among football enthusiasts in the country. While some remain hopeful that the Eagles still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup, others have outrightly written off the Nigerian team.

When the Tunisians tackle Mozambique tomorrow in the all important World Cup qualifier, Tunisian coach, Humberto Coelho would forbid his officials from monitoring proceedings from Kenya in the match against Nigeria. The Coach said that he does not want any distraction with information filtering into his camp from Kenya.

Manchester City captain Kolo Toure would love his brother Yaya to join him at Eastlands after admitting his sibling has had “hard times” at Barcelona.Yaya Toure, 26, has been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in recent seasons.

GREEN Eagles number one enemy, Tunisia said that they are aware of the odds against them as they fight the battle of their lives against Mozambique in the last World and Nations Cup cracker on November 14 in Maputo.

State Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Mr. Raymos Guanah has told the leader-ship of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to stop crying over spilled milk concerning the re-allocation of the union’s land.

World champion Usain Bolt will start as the favourite to be named 2009 World Male Athlete of the Year at the annual ceremony in Monte Carlo later this month.

AS the zero hour approaches swiftly for the win or burst 2010 World Cup cracker against the Harambee Stars of Kenya tomorrow, CSKA of Moscow striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has asked his teammates to raise their game if they expect to win.

CHAIRMAN of Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Henry Sakpra, has explained his recent invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to Abuja, saying there was nothing unusual about it.

Etoile du Sahel striker Emeka Opara has turned down the chance to join top Egyptian club Ismaily after they insisted he undergo a trial, the player’s agent said.

Ghana qualified for their first FIFA World Cup four years ago, coming from behind in a group that included South Africa to snatch top place. For the 2010 finals, they qualified without any notable problems, much to the delight of highly-rated striker Asamoah Gyan.

The cold war between the Presidential Task Force, PTF, and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, may have finally been buried as the PTF has cancelled the idea of chartering an aircraft with NFF chartering theirs, too.