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We May Turn Ighalo’s Loan Into A Permanent Deal – Solskjaer

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Odion Ighalo is at Man United on loan until the end of the season but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has refused to rule out signing him on a permanent basis.

Ighalo, 30, joined United on deadline day in the January transfer window and has travelled with teammates to London ahead of the Monday night Premier League fixture at Chelsea.

The Shanghai Shenhua striker did not fly with the United squad to their warm weather training camp in Marbella amid the possibility Ighalo could be refused re-entry into the United Kingdom, having travelled from China, where the Coronavirus originated.

Ighalo has not started a professional match since December 1 and his loan could last just three months, with United’s final league game at Leicester City on May 17.
“It’s a loan, but when you’re in the door – and if you impress – it gives you a chance,” Solskjaer said.

“That’s exactly the same for everyone who signs.

“If it’s permanent or if it’s a loan, if you impress as a player, if you impress as a person, if you can help this group improve, of course there’s a chance we’ll look at extending things and signing.

“That doesn’t just go for Odion but, since you asked, yes, his incentive is to play as well as he can and it’s up to us to make sure he wants to stay, if we want him.”

United turned to Ighalo after receiving little encouragement over a possible deal for the Bournemouth striker Joshua King.

Romelu Lukaku informed Solskjaer of his intention to leave in March but United only moved to sign a goalscorer after Marcus Rashford sustained a double stress fracture to his back against Wolves on January 15.

The addition of Ighalo and interest in King drew derision from some quarters over links to Solskjaer’s agent Jim Solbakken – who used to represent King – while Ighalo’s agent, Atta Aneke, is an associate of Solbakken.

Tottenham Hotspur enquired about Ighalo but the boyhood United fan wanted to play at Old Trafford and Chelsea also failed to recruit a striker in January.

“Don’t go down that route now,” Solskjaer replied at the suggestion Ighalo was a ‘desperate’ signing.

“He’s a loan player that we’re very happy with having here. Hopefully he’ll prove to you what I think he will. He’s a proven goalscorer, so he’ll do alright.

“I’m very happy with the two guys we brought in and it’s not just us and Chelsea. But to finally have got Bruno [Fernandes] over the line, to have signed him after following him for so long, and just seeing what he can give us and what he will give us, has been great.

And it will be great to integrate Odion as well.”

Solskjaer was criticised for signing Solbakken’s clients Magnus Eikrem and Mats Daehli, as well as Jo Inge Berget during his disastrous eight-month spell as Cardiff City manager in 2014.

United academy graduate Daehli made 22 league appearances for Cardiff, Eikrem six and Berget figured in the Premier League only once.

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Senator Ifeanyi Ubah dies at 52

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The Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly, Ifeanyi Ubah, is dead.

Ubah, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil, was said to have died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.

He would have been 53 on September 3.

Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed Ubah’s death to our correspondent on Saturday.

He said, “It’s confirmed, but I am sending an official statement soon.”

Ubah, who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Peoples Party, had last year defected to the All Progressive Congress.

In September 2022, Ubah escaped assassination when he was attacked by gunmen on his way to Nnewi in Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State.

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JUST IN: Edo state Assembly impeaches Deputy Governor Shaibu

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The Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, impeached the state’s Deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the Assembly to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.

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JUST IN: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun joins ancestors at 81

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has joined his ancestors after a brief illness.

He joined his ancestors at the age of 81.

It was gathered that the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoor throughout Tuesday on account of slight malaria fever, though, he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he personally received few guests that paid him congratulatory visits on his second year anniversary on that day.

Making this announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr Kola Balogun in a statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.

According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed, would be formally notified early in the morning.

The late Olubadan was the first most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a successful business man.

His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to derobed Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja was taken.

He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning so as to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.

The late Olubadan is survived by wives, children and grandchildren.

Announcing the passage of the monarch, Governor Makinde, in a statement, stated that Olubadan, who joined his ancestors late Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, described him as an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Ibadanland in just a little over two years of his reign.

He expressed his condolences to the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, praying to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.

Makinde said: “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Dr. Balogun has joined the ancestors.

“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.

“On behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Dr. Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland.

“It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”

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