Joy for Brazil as World Cup opens

Brazil launched the World Cup with an emotion-fuelled 3-1 victory over Croatia on Thursday as an opening day which began with violent clashes gave way to an outpouring of joyful celebrations.

Brazilian fans watch the opening football match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, 2014 in a bar in Mogi das Cruzes. AFP PHOTO MARTIN BUREAU 

Brazilian fans watch the opening football match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, 2014 in a bar in Mogi das Cruzes. AFP PHOTO MARTIN BUREAU

Barcelona superstar Neymar scored in each half as Brazil recovered from conceding an early Marcelo own goal to set up a win before hordes of golden-shirted fans at the 61,600 Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo.

Chelsea midfielder Oscar put the seal on the win with a late strike from distance to trigger delirium.

The host nation’s Group A victory was greeted by an explosion of fireworks across Sao Paulo, a sharp contrast to several hours earlier when riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse angry protests.

But a largely free-flowing tournament-opener was shrouded in controversy, with Brazil’s second coming courtesy of a dubious penalty when Croatia defender Dejan Lovren was harshly adjudged to have shoved Fred over.

The hosts, chasing a record sixth World Cup, had also enjoyed a degree of good fortune in the first half when Neymar received only a yellow card for elbowing Croatia’s playmaker Luka Modric.

Moments later Neymar scored Brazil’s equaliser to settle home nerves after Marcelo’s 11th-minute own goal.

Lovren was furious with the performance of Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura, branding his display a “scandal.”

“Two billion people I think saw that it was not a penalty. I didn’t touch him,” Lovren said.

“It wasn’t a mistake, it was a scandal.”

- National pride -

Pop superstars Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull headlined a lavish opening ceremony which included the appearance of a paraplegic wearing a robotic bodysuit controlled by brain signals who performed a ceremonial kick-off.

The match began after a hearty rendition of Brazil’s national anthem with fans — exhorted to unite behind the team by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari — roaring their support for the “Selecao.”

Even after the music stopped, fans and players belted out one more verse.

Brazil captain Thiago Silva epitomised the mood, bellowing a rallying cry to his team-mates as they embarked on their quest to earn a first title on home soil.

The victory provided a euphoric counterpoint to scenes earlier in the day when violent protests in Sao Paulo had threatened a stormy start to the month-long football extravaganza.

It had been a torrid seven-year build-up bedevilled by delays and public anger at the tournament’s $11 billion cost, and scattered protests took place Thursday in several of the cities which will host World Cup games.

The worst violence took place just a few kilometres from the opening match, as anarchist demonstrators in black shirts and masks lit bonfires of rubbish after armoured police sought to quell protests.

But Sao Paulo and other cities largely went quiet as the game started. Yellow and green flags hung from many buildings.

- Tear gas fired -

After the victory some fans expressed hope Brazil could rally behind the team’s campaign.

“This joy will be a contagion that will spread to all Brazilians,” said Jonathan de Jesus Silva, 21, a nursing student. “This happiness will help bring a better climate.”

Protesters who last year brought chaos to the Confederations Cup rehearsal tournament had vowed to march on the Sao Paulo stadium.

But riot police responded forcefully, chasing protesters up a main avenue and firing tear gas in the middle of oncoming traffic, forcing cars decorated with the Brazilian flag to weave their way through the chaos.

A cannister fired by police hit and injured a CNN journalist and an AFP correspondent saw one woman in tears clutching her arm.

In Rio de Janeiro, striking ground staff briefly blocked a road leading to the city’s international airport.

Around 1,000 protesters also gathered in the city centre, a small group of them scuffling with police, who arrested four people.

A total of 64 games will culminate with the July 13 final in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium next month.

Friday’s action promises more drama, with world champions Spain facing the Netherlands in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup final in the northern city of Salvador in Group B.

Group B’s other encounter sees dark horses Chile take on Australia. In the day’s other remaining game, Mexico play Cameroon in Group A.

Neymar rides to Brazil’s rescue

He is small of stature and slight of build, but Neymar showed he could carry the hopes of a troubled nation with an electrifying performance in Brazil’s World Cup opener.
With pressure piled on his young shoulders, it would have been easy for Neymar to crumble but instead the 22-year-old seized the moment with two goals in the 3-1 win over Croatia.
Helped by a large slice of luck, Neymar’s dragged shot in the first half trundled in off the Croatian post, before he struck an awful penalty that somehow Stipe Pletikosa failed to keep out.
Neymar celebrates his first goal.... AFP
Neymar celebrates his first goal at Brazil 2014…. AFP
Those details, as well as the fact that the penalty was highly debatable, did not trouble the 60,000-plus crowd which exploded in delight as fireworks detonated outside.
“This is a dream come true, much more than I imagined,” Neymar said afterwards. “But more important than anything is that our team won.”
Given the situation in Brazil, with ambivalence towards the World Cup and police tear-gassing protesters in Sao Paulo just hours earlier, the value of those goals could be high.
When President Dilma Rousseff was seen on the big screen celebrating Neymar’s second goal, the crowd responded with a foul-mouthed chant.
Protests around the country over the World Cup’s huge price have put a question mark over whether the tournament would be a success, despite the fact it is being played in football’s spiritual home.
Neymar is Brazil’s undisputed star, adored for repeatedly snubbing European clubs before joining Barcelona and promoted so efficiently the phenomenon is known as “Neymarketing”.
He played like he had a point to prove, using his quick footwork to beat defenders and putting in a dangerous cross that could have brought the opening goal.
Brazil went 1-0 down through Marcelo’s own goal in the 11th minute, and when Neymar was booked near the half-hour it looked like the evening could finish disastrously for the hosts.
But almost immediately, Oscar found Neymar with space to run and his driven, left-foot shot, despite not being cleanly hit, had the accuracy to beat a diving Pletikosa.
And when Fred won a controversial penalty in the second half, Neymar got his second despite theatrically checking his run-up and hitting a shot well within the goalkeeper’s reach.
At the age of just 22, it brought his astonishing tally of goals to Brazil up to 33 in 50 games.
After the match, wearing a baseball cap, earrings and bright green backpack, he gave thanks for the crowd support which included a spine-tingling pre-game rendition of the national anthem.
“I have to give congratulations for the support, it motivated us a lot. They kept us going the whole time, and we needed it,” he said.
And Neymar did his best to quash the impression that he is not out to dominate the tournament.
“I’m not focused on being the best in the tournament, the highest goal-scorer… what I want is to win the championship,” he said.

Oscar rounds on critics after ‘dream’ start

Oscar took a dig at his critics on Thursday after delivering a “dream,” goal-scoring performance in Brazil’s 3-1 World Cup-opening win over Croatia.
Brazil's midfielder Oscar celebrates after scoring a goal during a Group A football match between Brazil and Croatia at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ODD ANDERSEN
Brazil’s midfielder Oscar celebrates after scoring a goal during a Group A football match between Brazil and Croatia at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ODD ANDERSEN
The 22-year-old had been under pressure in the buildup with many Brazilian media calling for him to be replaced by Chelsea teammate Willian.
But he recovered from a nervy start to set up Neymar for Brazil’s first goal, and then completed the win with a brilliant solo strike in injury time.
Oscar, who took time away from Brazil’s preparations to welcome his first child, later told reporters that the only man whose opinion mattered was the manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari.
“The only person who can take me out of the team is Big Phil,” said Oscar, using Scolari’s nickname. “What you (journalists) say doesn’t matter much. What matters is the opinion of the coach.”

I have ways of reaching Boko Haram, but…— OBASANJO

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, expressed frustration in his bid to secure the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram Islamist sect, saying that although he has ways of reaching the sect, Federal Government has not permitted him to negotiate with the terrorists.

He also made a grim comment about the fate of the girls, saying that some of them would never return.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna yesterday, Obasanjo said: “Perhaps, succeeding generations would continue to remember those female students who were abducted.

“Only those that would later get pregnant and the sect members would find it difficult to cater for the babies in the forest might be released.

“I have ways of communicating with Boko Haram members, but the government has not permitted me to do so.”

He was of the view that the girls might have been separated and not kept at the same location.

He said: “I believe that some of them will never return. We will still be hearing about them many years from now. Some will give birth to children, but if the sect members cannot take care of them in the forest, they may be released.”

APC: Die is cast

He first national convention of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC holds today. Whether it succeeds or fails in achieving its agenda of throwing up an acceptable national leadership would be eventful for the nation’s democratic project.The first national convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC holding today is pregnant with expectations.

Besides the anticipation of a substantive leadership to steer the affairs of the one year old political party, eyes are also being focused on whether the new party would survive the fusion of ideological, cultural and ethnic cleavages that started when the three legacy parties decided to collapse into one.The three parties that fused to form the APC were the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.Hundreds of party faithful of the legacy parties from across the country were yesterday pouring into Abuja for the event that could reshape the political configuration of the country.

A successful convention, albeit one which produces a national executive without much rancour, would signpost the prospects of a serious opposition to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the forthcoming round of general elections. The outlook for such on convention eve was, however, being dimmed as intrigues and power show among others reared up to dint the convention plans.Division on the convention floor would on the other hand push the country towards a single party democracy with the ruling PDP dictating the pace and pattern of the democratic project.As at last night, the prospect of the convention going either way was evenly divided.

Chieftains of the party were huddled in several meetings across the federal capital in last minute caucuses to smoothen the several rough edges that have developed as party officials turn their focus from the perceived failures of the PDP to their own personal ambitions.Indeed, the one time unanimity that shaped the merger of the legacy parties, even despite the foibles of the ruling party, has been redirected to within the party. Following is a focus on some of the men who will define the tone of the convention.

(L-R) Chief Bisi Akande, Acting National Chairman APC; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Chief Bola Tinubu

(L-R) Chief Bisi Akande, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Chief Bola Tinubu

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu, the erstwhile  national leader of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN is on top of the power hierarchy of the new party alongside erstwhile head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Ahead of today’s convention, Tinubu has seen his hitherto unquestioned supremacy in the now defunct ACN seriously challenged by the new power bloc of emboldened governors in the party.

Moving into today’s convention, Tinubu is believed to be backing former governor of Edo State, Mr. John Odigie-Oyegun for the post of national chairman.

Initial setbacks

He is also backing Alhaji Kassim Imam for the post of National Secretary but his cards as concerning other offices remain a secret.

By convention eve, Tinubu after some initial setbacks had been able to push Odigie-Oyegun to be accepted by some of the major caucuses of the party including the influential northern caucus. The northern caucus had at a meeting at the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge in Abuja adopted Tinubu’s choice of Odigie-Oyegun for national chairman. Given Tinubu’s sway over the Southwest caucus, the adoption puts Odigie-Oyegun in good position to emerge as national chairman today.

Odigie-Oyegun’s chances were said to have brightened after Tinubu formed a partnership with Senator Bukola Saraki to sell the chances of the former Edo State governor in the north.

However, Tinubu’s man for the post of national secretary, Imam,news agent learnt, may face serious obstacles following objections by elements in the Northern caucus against having the former Lagos State governor produce the two top positions in the party.

But Tinubu it is generally believed is looking beyond this convention for political standing.

Ahead of the convention, there were insinuations that the former Lagos State governor is desirous of seeking the office of vice-president in a match-up with Buhari. Tinubu it is alleged is seeking to replay the Babagana Kingibe model of 1993. Kingibe it would be recalled became a powerful force within the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP so that even after Moshood Abiola won the nomination that the governors of that era prevailed or rather compelled him to pick their man, Kingibe as his running mate.

The suggestion this time is that Tinubu has been concretising his alliances in the APC to project such power that no matter who wins the presidential ticket later this year, the person would be compelled to pick him, Tinubu as presidential running mate irrespective of religious leanings.

Such apparent projections by the APC national leader are, however, dimmed by increasing mutiny within the party by some governors. For the first time since he emerged in 2007 as the national leader of a political party, Tinubu in the last month has seen his power challenged.

His choice for the chairmanship of the National Convention Planning Committee, was Alhaji Kawu Baraje, but the governors were able to oppose him by producing one of their own, Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State for the position.

Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari has been generally acknowledged as a co-national leader of the party alongside Tinubu. He had as a politician continued to sustain his stature as an elder-statesman leaving the rudiments of politics in the party to Asiwaju Tinubu. Perhaps with his much touted presidential ambition in view, the former head of state has lowered his intra party engagements.

However, critics say that despite Buhari’s immense popularity, his seeming inclinations to perfection have not helped the party. They cite the unnerving situations in the Kaduna and Katsina chapters of the party which have remained in almost perpetual crises as a result of what some allege as Buhari’s inclinations to work with only those he feels comfortable with. Ahead of this convention, Buhari has not shown much enthusiasm to project his associates for national position.

APC Govs

Governors of two of the legacy parties which made up the APC, the ACN and the CPC had until recently trudged dutifully behind the national leaders of the two parties, Tinubu and Buhari.

However, the entry of the five former governors of the PDP into the party seemed to have altered the perceptions of the formerly docile governors. Emboldened by the muscle of their colleagues, the APC governors have begun to show muscle and not surprisingly, the kind of agitations that was once common within the PDP has begun to emerge in the APC.

Unlike the PDP where the president with the instruments of office is able to muscle the governors, both Tinubu and Buhari lack such leverage. It was not surprising that Tinubu was shocked when the governors rebelled on his plans to sustain Bisi Akande as national chairman and followed it up by rejecting his plans to have Kawu Baraje chair the national convention planning committee.

Given the rivalry among the second term governors there is fear that some of the governors could decide to shortchange their colleagues to cut a deal with Tinubu to project their own personal political plans after 2015.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff

The erstwhile governor of Borno   State and chairman of the BOT of the defunct ANPP, one of the legacy parties has remained a fixture within the party that some would hate. He has become a rallying point for all those overtly opposed to Tinubu in the party.

At one point, his linkage with Chief Tom Ikimi to stop the Asiwaju tendency had threatened the Tinubu camp, but the later restrategised to regain their momentum.

Even within the top heriarchy of the party, there remains a suspicion about Sheriff being a closeted friend of the PDP. The potency of the Sheriff camp has been apparently defined by the limited success of Ikimi’s aspiration for the office of national chairman.

Son kills dad, 86, over piece of land

An Ebute‑Meta Chief magistrate’s court in Lagos, yesterday , remanded a man, Yusuf Akinbiyi, 41, at the Ikoyi Prisons for allegedly killing his father, Agboola Akinbiyi, 86.
The accused, who resides at Madon village, Ijede Ikorodu, Lagos, is facing a one‑count charge of murder.
The magistrate, Miss A.O. Komolafe, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.
The court did not take the plea of the accused.
The prosecutor, Inspector Frank Inah, said the crime was committed on May 21 at about 11.05 p.m. at the deceased’s residence.
Inah said the deceased and the accused lived together, adding that the deceased had provided for the accused as he was jobless.
He said: “The accused wanted to sell his father’s land to enable him travel out of the country, but his father held on to the documents.
“The accused and the deceased had an argument during which the accused beat the deceased with his hands and covered his mouth and nostrils with pillow.”
He said this made the accused to suffocate to death, adding that the accused was later arrested by the Police.
Inah said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011

Makoko boils: Three feared dead as Police, hoodlums clash

Commercial activities were brought to an abrupt end in Makoko area of Lagos, yesterday, as protesting youths allegedly attacked policemen who were in the area to execute a court order on demolition of parts of the area.

fight Three persons were reportedly feared dead in the fight that extended to Herbert Macaulay Street and the Adekunle end of Third Mainland Bridge. But the Police said no lives were lost.

Seven policemen, as gathered, sustained bullet wounds while others reportedly fled the scene when it became apparent that the youths may overpower them.

The demolition

The state government, two years ago, began demolition of the coastal community occupied mainly by fishermen, claiming that the structures did not observe the mandatory 100 meters setback from a power-line installed on the lagoon.

The demolition was, however, extended beyond the lagoon, thereby displacing over 3,000 families .

The action which was kicked against by a team of human rights activists on the ground that the residents were only given just 72-hour quit notice, resulted in a peaceful protest by the residents during which one of the traditional rulers, identified as Timothy Hunpoyanwa, was shot dead by a Police Corporal, one Pepple Boma, attached to the Marine Police, Oworonshoki .

His death sparked off another protest during which there was a call for the prosecution of the killer policeman as well as urging the Lagos State Government to compensate the family of the murdered community leader.

However, acting on a purported court order yesterday, a team of policemen were said to have stormed the area at about 8 am to provide security for officials that would carry out the demolition exercise, only to be taken unawares by the residents.

Eye witnesses said dangerous weapons were used. An unconfirmed report alleged that the policemen fired some shots at the rampaging youths.

Hoodlums were said to have hijacked the moment, as they reportedly vandalised vehicles plying the route and also looted shops in the area.

Eye-witness accounts

An eye witness, who identified himself simply as Wemimo, described the demolition as a trespass on Federal Government land.

He said: “The Policemen were not attacked by youths residing in the area that is to be demolished. Nobody knew where the attackers came from.

“We were only attracted by gun shots and in the process we all took to our heels. We were later told that the gunshots were from policemen.

“The demolition started in 2012, after we were given just 72‑hour quit notice. They pasted the notice at Makoko on Friday, July 20, 2012 to prevent the owners from seeking redress in court. Before the expiration of the illegal ejection, the Lagos State Government took the law into its hand by engaging in the demolition of houses without a court order.

“Today (yesterday), they came again wanting to continue from where they stopped two years ago.”

 

Hoodlums on rampage

Another eye witness, who gave his name as Kunle Kolawole, said: “We were going about our daily activities when the fracas started. We waved it off at first because something similar occurred two weeks back but it was contained.

“Then all of a sudden these hoodlums went on rampage, even when a team of policemen came and tried to restore peace, they fought back.

“It was a full blown war between them and the police and we all ran to safety because they were shooting indiscriminately. Soon, the hoodlums started vandalising cars and shops.

However, the Police later reinforced and subdued them but the harm had been done. It was after peace had been restored that we saw some corpses around. I don’t know if they were that of the hoodlums or bystanders. The corpses were later taken away by the Police.”

 

Seven Policemen

injured

Contacted, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said: “Policemen at Makoko at about 8am today (yesterday) went to execute a court order on demolition of certain area of Makoko.

“Youths of that area on sighting the policemen mobilised and launched an attack on them. They were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons like cutlasses, bottles, daggers, rods and sticks. Seven policemen sustained pellet injuries and are receiving treatment now.

“At this juncture, Police decided to withdraw to avoid innocent casualties. Security is heightened in the area and normalcy has returned, but no life was lost.”

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