Mikel is my ideal player, says Hiddink
Chelsea’s caretaker boss, Guus Hiddink, has lavished praise on the resurgent midfielder, John Mikel Obi.
Reacting to the Nigerian international’s performance he said: “He played very well but also in the previous game.”
“He’s the ideal player in my opinion to bring balance to the team.
“If the team is not willing to defend well, or hasn’t got the right balance, then you’ll concede a lot of goals.
“I think John Obi can be one of the key figures in bringing back that balance. On this podium very talented players can explore their qualities.
“He can recover his radar, he reads the game very well, he knows where the strength of the opponent is and knows how to combat that. He has very good sense, he doesn’t do it in a brutal way, he’s very elegant.
“Someone who can defend so smoothly is very beautiful. I don’t expect the decisive final pass from him – he can (do that), but he can also let the other players (play).”
Mikel also enjoyed loads of praise on social media.
The Headies Awards: Winners and losers
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
1. Reminisce – Skillashi
2. Olamide – Bobo – WINNER
2. Olamide – Bobo – WINNER
3. Small Doctor – Mosquito Killer
4. Mastakraft feat. Olamide, CDQ and David O – Indomie
5. Falz The Bad Guy Feat. Yemi Alade & Poe – Hello Bae
BEST POP SINGLE
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid
2. Collabo – P-Square Feat. Don Jazzy
3. My Woman, My Everything – Patoranking Feat. Wande Coal
4. Woju – Kiss Daniel
5. Godwin – Korede Bello (WINNER)
5. Godwin – Korede Bello (WINNER)
6. Bobo – Olamide
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
1. Praiz – If I fall
2. Shaydee – High
3. Timi Dakolo – Wish Me Well (WINNER)
3. Timi Dakolo – Wish Me Well (WINNER)
4. Cobhams – Do The Right Thing
5. Bez – There’s A Fire
BEST R&B SINGLE
1. Heartbeat – Praiz
2. Baby Daddy – Iyanya
3. Say You Love Me – Leriq ft. Wizkid
4. Do the Right Thing – Cobhams Ft. Bez
5. Wish Me Well – Timi Dakolo (WINNER)
5. Wish Me Well – Timi Dakolo (WINNER)
BEST RAP SINGLE
1. King Kong – Vector (WINNER)
2. Bad Belle – M.I
3. Bank Alert – Ill Bliss
4. Local Rapper – Reminisce Feat. Olamide, Phyno & Stomrex
5. G.O.D – T.R
HALL OF FAME
Special recognition for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
2Face Idibia
2Face Idibia
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
1. Waje – Coco Baby
2. Aramide – Iwo Nikan (WINNER)
3. Asa – Bed of Stone
4. Simi – Tiff
5. Yemi Alade – Duro Timi
BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE
1. German Juice – Cynthia Morgan (WINNER)
2. Sanko – Timaya
3. My Body – Solid Star Feat. Timaya
4. Daniella Whyne – Patoranking
5. Cheques and Balance – Burna Boy
6. Bad Girl Special (Remix) – Mr. 2Kay feat. Cynthia Morgan & Seyi Shay
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
1. Jamb Question (Simi) – Mex
2. Crazy (Seyi Shay) – Meji Alabi
3. The Sound (Davido Feat. Uhuru & Dj Buckz) – Sesan
4. Katapot (Reekado Banks) – UnLimited LA (WINNER)
5. Baby Jollof (Solid Star Feat. Tiwa Savage) – Clarence Peters
BEST COLLABO
1. Local Rapper – Reminisce Feat. Olamide & Phyno (WINNER)
2. Hold on – Joe El Feat. 2Face Idibia
3. Bad Girl Special (Remix) – Mr. 2Kay Feat. Cynthia Morgan & Seyi Shay
4. Shoki (Remix) – Lil’Kesh Feat. Olamide & David O
5. Do The right Thing – Cobhams ft. Bez
6. Sisi – Praiz ft. Wizkid
BEST RAP ALBUM
1. Baba Hafusa – Reminisce
2. Street OT – Olamide
3. Chairman – M.I. (WINNER)
4. Above Ground Level – Modenine
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
1. Don Jazzy – Godwin (Korede Bello)
1. Don Jazzy – Godwin (Korede Bello)
2. Mastakraft – Wiser (Flavour)
3. Young John – Bobo (Olamide)
4. Shizzi – Fans Mi (DavidO)
5. Legendury Beatz – Ojuelegba (WINNER)
6. Cobhams – There’s A Fire (Bez)
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
1. Ill Bliss – Bank Alert (remix) Feat. Ice Prince, Eva Alordiah & Phyno
1. Ill Bliss – Bank Alert (remix) Feat. Ice Prince, Eva Alordiah & Phyno
2. Vector – King Kong (WINNER)
3. Reminisce – Baba Hafusa
3. Reminisce – Baba Hafusa
4. G.O.D – T.R
NEXT RATED
1. Reekado Banks (WINNER)
2. Kiss Daniel
2. Kiss Daniel
3. Cynthia Morgan
4. Korede Bello
5. Lil’ Kesh
HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
1. Praiz – Rich n Famous
2. Yemi Alade – King of Queens (WINNER)
3. Skales – Man of the Year
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid
2. Eyo – Asa
3. Wish Me Well – Timi Dakolo (WINNER)
4. Bez – There’s A Fire
5. Cobhams – Do the right Thing
BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG
1. Di’Ja – Awwwwww
2. Bez – There’s A Fire
3. Asa – Satan Be Gone
4. Adekunle Gold – Sade (WINNER)
5. Ugovinna – Rain On Me
5. Ugovinna – Rain On Me
6. Simi – Tiff
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
Don Jazzy – (WINNER)
BEST R&B/POP ALBUM
1. Bed of Stone – Asa
1. Bed of Stone – Asa
2. A.Y.O. – Wizkid (WINNER)
3. King of Queens – Yemi Alade
4. Rich & Famous – Praiz
5. Double Trouble – Psquare
SONG OF THE YEAR
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid (WINNER)
2. Godwin – Korede Bello
3. Kiss Daniel – Woju
4. Olamide – Bobo
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
1. Olamide (WINNER)
2. David O
3. Wizkid
4. Yemi Alade
5. P-Square
Photos: Passengers stranded over transport fare hike in southeast

FILE Photo: Some stranded passengers. Photo: Cyriacus Izuekwe.
This is not the best of time for most people who travelled to the southeastern part of Nigeria for celebration of Chrismas and New Year.
They are not finding it easy to return to their various places of abode due to increase in transport fares.
As such, most of intending travellers have decided to stay back pending when the fares would be reduced by transporters.
P.M.NEWS investigation showed that unlike in the case after previous festivities, passengers have not besieged transport companies after the yuletide season. In spite of the few passengers around, transport companies have almost doubled the fares to various destinations.
Some of the companies our reporter visited in some states in the east include GUO Motors, Libra Motors, God Is Good Motors, Peace Motors, among others.
In major towns in Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebony states, transporters have increased fares astronomically.
Transporters whose buses are plying Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan from Onitsha, Ogidi, Ekwolobia, Awka and Ihiala charge between N7,000 and N8,000 unlike in the past when the fares were drastically reduced after Christmas.
Our reporter also gathered that in states such as Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Abia, passengers now pay between N9,000 and N12,000 for trips to Abuja, Lagos, Ondo and Ogun respectively.
In Asaba, Delta State capital, the fares are slightly different as transporters collect between N6,000 and N8,000 for a trip to Lagos, depending on the transport company.
Libra Motors manager, Gabriel Offor, offered explanation on why the fares were almost doubled. He said any bus that loaded from the east to Lagos or Abuja will return empty and the driver will buy petrol so they have to pass the burden to travellers.
Offor noted that in the past, after Christmas celebration the fares usually reduced, adding it was not the case this year due to fuel scarcity.
One of the passengers who spoke to our reporter, Mrs Rose Okeke, said she was stranded in Onitsha due to the high fare.
She said she travelled to their town, Ogidi, in Anambra State, with her four children who are supposed to go back to Lagos to resume school after Christmas.
She said she was shocked when she was told that the fare had been increased to N8,000 for the trip back to Lagos.
Mrs. Okeke said she had to go back home because she could not afford the fare.
Another passenger, Mike Obialor said he was surprised about the fare increase.
He said in the past, the fares were increased before Christmas and after Christmas, transporters reduced them so that people could easily go back to their bases after spending so much during the festivities.
He attributed the cash crunch people are facing to the economic situation in the country and urged the Federal Government to do something to alleviate the plight of Nigerians.
Mrs Ifesinachi Ubah who was supposed to go back to Abuja with her husband and their five children said when they came to Ontisha park to board a bus, her husband discovered that he had no such money to take all of them back to Abuja.
She said they split the children and he took two of them to Abuja while the other three remained with her in Ontisha until her husband gets to Abuja to raise some money and send to her.
P.M.NEWS gathered that it is the same story in most states as some men have abandoned their wives and children and returned to their bases pending when the transport fares would reduce.
Power: Nigeria moves against estimated billing

Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing
With an estimated three million customers who use electricity in Nigeria but are not metred, the Nigerian government is accelerating ways to ensure that issues of estimated bills by electricity distribution companies ends as soon as possible.
Part of the strategies involves encouraging local manufacturers of pr-paid metres to produce standard metres to get every customer to only pay for what he consumes.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who has met with local manufacturing companies, said he was determined to refocus attention on the need to rapidly roll-out meters in order to ensure that distribution companies charge electricity consumers only for energy they consumed.
The minister, joined at the meeting by the Minister of State, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, and other top officials of the ministry including the Permanent Secretary for Power, Mr Louis Edozien, said he requested that the meeting be convened to know first hand the challenges confronting the local meter manufacturers.
He also urged the local manufacturers to think outside of the box through innovations that would help them tap into the immense opportunities in the rapidly emerging electricity industry as a private sector driven enterprise.
At the forum on Monday, according to Hakeem Bello, Special Adviser to Fashola on Communications, issues that came to the fore included the need for distribution companies to more aggressively patronise locally manufactured meters.
A representative of the local metre manufacturers and chairman of Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited, MEMMCOL, Engr. Kola Balogun, said that access to and cost of credit has been a major impediment to the growth of their production capacity in meeting present and future demands for meters.
In a communique they later released, the local manufacturers assured Fashola of their readiness to support the rapid roll-out of meters but urged government to put in place clearer incentives for local production as opposed to importation of meters.
The parties at the meeting also agreed to continuous engagement among stakeholders in the power sector in line with the government policy of rapid roll-out of meters, while promoting local manufacturing, employment generation and technological development in the country.
Some of the local meter manufacturers who attended the meeting include the Executive Secretary of the Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, EMMAN, Mr. Muideen Ibrahim; Vice Chairman of UNISTAR Hi-Tech Systems Limited, Mr. Atilade Bolarinwa; the Electricity Meter Company Nigeria, EMCON, represented by Alhaji Mukhtar Lawal, as well as the Executive Director (Resources) of MOJEC International, Mr. Akeem Balogun.
Its Official! Real Madrid fires Benitez, appoints Zidane
Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid club president, Florentino Perez
The press conference came as an anti-climax: the story of the dismissal of Rafa Benitez, the seven month old coach of Real Madrid had seized the media world since evening, along with the information that Zinedine Zidane will take over in the interim.
The report was attributed to Spanish Sports daily Marca, an authority in a matter like this.
But being awaited by the cautious media was the official confirmation by Club President Florentino Perez.
It came at the press conference at the Calle Padre Damián at Santiago Bernabéu at 7.30 CET, with Florentino announcing the decision of the Club’s directors to part ways with Benitez.
Zinedine Zidane will now take charge of the team, where he played for long years.

Sacked Rafael Benitez
Zidane, now coach of the B team, won La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles as a player with Real Madrid.
Real are third in the standings, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, after suffering three league defeats this season, including a 4-0 home loss to arch-rivals Barcelona.
The club were also booted out of Copa del Rey after Benitez committed the error of fielding an unqualified Russian player, Denis Cheryshev.
Benitez, the former Liverpool, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Napoli manager, replaced Italian Carlo Ancelotti in June.
Real have been European champions 10 times and are the most valuable club in the world according to Forbes magazine.
Photo: ‘Africa’s biggest Jesus statue’
More than 100 priests and hundreds of Catholic worshippers attended the nine-metre (30-foot) statue’s official unveiling in the village of Abajah in southeastern Nigeria on the 1st of Janunary 2016. It was commissioned by Obinna Onuoha, a local businessman who hired a Chinese company to carve it and placed it in the grounds of a 2000-capacity church that he built in 2012.
A picture taken on January 1, 2016 shows the nine-metre tall statue of Jesus Christ carved from white marble, thought to be the biggest of its kind in Africa, unveiled in Abajah, southeastern Nigeria.
Standing barefoot with arms outstretched, the “Jesus de Greatest” statue weighs in at 40 tonnes. / AFP
Standing barefoot with arms outstretched, the “Jesus de Greatest” statue weighs in at 40 tonnes. / AFP
Why I don’t flaunt my big boobs – Saraphina
Many bloggers and enthusiastic entertainment pen-pushers have made several attempts to identify the actress that has the biggest boobs in Nollywood and many of them have come up short. But there seems to be one person most of them believe the crown befits – Cossy!
Yeah, good old Cossy would, without much doubts, come to mind because her boobs are almost always out there for all to see. But on a location in Owerri recently, even Cossy took off her hat to another actress, conceding defeat. Of course it is Saraphina Onyeakachi Amaechi
“ Yes, there was boobs competition which I won. But I must confess Saraphina is bigger than me. I only won the contest because she failed a question and I was the next best and more enlightened, so, I won” says Cossy when asked what it was like going head to head with Saraphina.
No doubt Saraphina’s boobs are there for all to see and it doesn’t appear there is much she could do to hide them, but she would tell you she doesn’t like flaunting them.
“Many people think I flaunt my boobs but I don’t. Why would I want to flaunt these boobs, aren’t they obvious enough?”, she wanted to know and I reminded her there are some pictures of hers that suggest nothing, but ‘I got it, I have to flaunt it’ kind of pose.
“No, I must not flaunt my boobs because people have eyes and I needn’t do that before they know that I am gifted. Check all Cossy’s pictures and that’s what we call flaunting. For me, I don’t flaunt them” she reasoned but it somewhat left me up creek without a paddle. Do you agree with her?
Every woman owes it to herself to have a sex toy! - Candida
By Candida
WHAT happens to ‘meaningful’ relationships in your middle-age? Is sex different now you’re older? According to Richard, now 50 and a divorcee; “I no longer believe I can sweep a woman up with the sheer physical power of sex and temporarily wash away our failures in a rain of sweat.
WHAT happens to ‘meaningful’ relationships in your middle-age? Is sex different now you’re older? According to Richard, now 50 and a divorcee; “I no longer believe I can sweep a woman up with the sheer physical power of sex and temporarily wash away our failures in a rain of sweat.
As a new relationship moves towards the physical, I find myself thinking: ‘I have been through this before, 1 thought I would survive it and I suppose I did, but only barely. I don’t want to do it again. I want to be in the water, very much, but I can’t bear to dive off that high cliff another time. No more swinging from the chandeliers!
“The women are older too, they open up more readily, they waste less time, they show their needs. Most of all, they read a man’s reluctance like a soothsayer looking through her crystal ball. We strain for the pleasures of new romance, but our ability to pretend is short-lived.
‘Let’s end this before it becomes toxic,’ suggested one smart lady after about five dates! What amazes me after a long decade away from the sexual market place is how different our public discourse of sexuality is from our actual experiences. Casual sex, ‘friends wrth benefits’ (where you bunk a close friend from time to time with no strings attached) all the arrangements meant to satisfy the libido without entangling the heart, are, for the most part, dull and awkward forms of sexuality. The small miracle for older people is that most of us still believe in love, and live for it, and sometimes, after a long wait, find it.”
Rachel, a sports enthusiast in her late 50s runs a thriving company and lives comfortably in her own home with her two sons. “I took several years off romance and sex after having had a moment of spiritual insight, born of intense pain – when 1 was in an unhealthy relationship with a man, my mind and sports, mainly golf, fell apart.
I happen to be a good golf player and most of the men I played with naturally flirted with me. They loved that I could help them with their game – and maybe provide them with a bit of loving too.
“After a while, I realise I did not feel safe or esteemed in these relationships. The last one left me with a pain in my being so severe that I made two decisions: one, I would have a sweet, romantic relationship with my vibrator, and two, I would play golf only with people who are as good as I am.
I have had great vibrators ever since I figured out that the phallic ones were based on the dreams of men, not on the anatomy of women. Twelve years ago, I bought a couple of vibrators and that was fine. But as menopause loomed, I bought my first bottle of Astroglide, a slinky lubricant women can use during sex after chemotherapy or menopause.
“I’d just split up with my last lover and my heart was so broken that I took the pledge that no more men who weren’t up to my standard would merit a second glance. I’d fmally hit rock bottom. After a life spent charming the pants off men, I just wanted a little peace of mind. I wanted for people to be kind to me. I wanted sexual leasure.
Of course I still fantasise about being with a man in bed, and at these times, I get out the vibrator and the Astroglide. I dated my cute vibrator exclusively for years.
“It was at this time my married women friends began to menton how rarely they had sex. It was not just them, or menopause. Their husbands didn’t want sex that often either, and the women felt both relieved and lonely. They sometimes faked orgasm because they were not aroused enough, and while they wanted the man to feel great about his prowess, they also wanted to get it over with so they could get the credit, the cuddling – and the nap!
So, whenever I travelled, I often get them boxes of vibrators, never failing to point to the faces of women on the boxes easing the stress of a frustrated sex life. I always bought them bottles of Astroglide too. It was heaven.
My sexua11y frustrated friends now “had the choice to be a sexy, juicy old lady when they grew up, whether or not they find a healthy partner. It’s so heartening to know tht today, so many people are using sex toys. Vibrators have helped some women have orgasms for the first time, and since women now expect sexual pleasures, it makes sense they would buy sex toys.
Vibrators are getting smaller these days and a box-load of them guarantees a lot of profit! Every woman should own at least one sex toy. It’s like buying a daring designer dress – you may not end up wearing it, but it’s there for when you want to try it!”
Fans on Tweeter taunt Benitez after Real sack

The sack of manager of Real Madrid did not come as a surprise to many football pundits and more importantly fans of Los Blancos.
Benitez’s reign at Real Madrid came to an abrupt end on Monday night – just seven months after the Spaniard took the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat, with Frenchman Zinedine Zidane announced as immediate replacement.
Minutes after the club President Florentino Perez announced during a press conference at Calle Padre Damián at Santiago Bernabéu at 7.30 CET that Benitez has been sacked, tweeter was awash with different reactions.
John Bennett writing @JohnBennettBBC said: “Rafa Benitez at #RealMadrid – who would’ve guessed that that wouldn’t work out? (Apart from absolutely EVERYONE).”
Afam Bu Charles @chaplinez70 blamed the management of Real for giving Benitez the job in the first instance. He wrote: “I will never understand why Rafa Benitez was hired by Real in the first place!!!”
Steve Carroll believes Benitez left the club worse than he met Real. Writing @StevenSOS1987, Carroll said that “Rafa Benitez leaves a club in a worse state than he found it for the fifth time running. How he gets the jobs he does remains a mystery.”
@IscohoIic wished the sacked coach the best in his future endeavor. He tweeted: “I wish Rafa Benitez all the best in his career. I can’t hate him for the mistakes Perez did.”
Bankole Adebayo @AdeBanqie said: “Sorry for #Rafa #Benitez. Truth be told no one expected him to succeed from the word go. It was an uphill task 4 him. Just a matter of time.”
FPL Bonus Points @BonusFPL said: “Rafa Benitez will now take up the role of Shadow Home Secretary in Jeremy Corbyn’s reshuffle.”
Is Ronaldinho heading to the premier league?
John Terry and Ronaldinho shares a joke during a charity match
Former Brazil forward Ronaldinho, 35, has received offers from English clubs, according to his brother and agent.(Times- subscription required)
Manchester United are ready to make a £75m-plus summer move for Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 26, after the Spanish club sacked manager Rafael Benitez.(Mirror)
Arsenal are considering making a bid for Watford striker Troy Deeney, 27.(Star)
West Ham are willing to sell striker Andy Carroll for £18m, with Sunderland and Newcastle interested in the 26-year-old. (Mirror)
Lokomotiv Moscow striker Oumar Niasse, 25, is set for a move to the Premier League this month, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham among the clubs interested in signing the £15m-rated Senegal international. (Guardian)
Chelsea, Manchester City and Juventus want to sign Spain midfielder Isco, 23, from Real Madrid in the January transfer window. (Express)
Manchester City have been told Schalke midfielder Leroy Sane, 19, would cost them at least £40m. (Sun)
Leicester City will offer England striker Jamie Vardy a new contract in January that will more than double the 28-year-old’s wages. (Mail)
Bournemouth want to sign Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford after the 22-year-old ended a loan spell with Crystal Palace early. (Star)
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 28, will not leave Manchester United in the January transfer window, according to manager Louis van Gaal. (Sun)
Stoke boss Mark Hughes has ruled out the prospect of Bojan Krkic leaving Stoke in January, saying there is no buyout clause in the 25-year-old’s contract.(Mail)
Crystal Palace are to make a bid for £10m-rated Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, 23.(Telegraph)
Barcelona registered 77 new players, including 28-year-old midfielder Arda Turan and defender Aleix Vidal, 26, after their 14-month transfer embargo ended on Monday. (Metro)
Arsenal have recalled Germany Under-21 midfielder Serge Gnabry from his loan spell at West Bromwich and will instead loan the 20-year-old to a Championship club.(Telegraph)
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