Sport

Lionel Messi wins historic seventh Ballon d’Or

Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi poses after being awarded the the Ballon d’Or award during the 2021 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. (Photo by AFP)

Lionel Messi has won a record seventh Ballon d’Or, beating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to the title.

The forward inspired Argentina to their first Copa America title since 1993, ending his long wait for silverware at international level.

He also lifted the Copa del Rey with Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

Messi collected his seventh Ballon d’Or during a ceremony in the French capital on Monday evening.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar faced stern competition from the likes of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea’s Jorginho to win the world’s most-coveted individual accolade once again.

The star-studded shortlist for the iconic golden ball trophy also included Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bayern Munich’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski waves on stage after being awarded the Striker of the Year award at the 2021 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Earlier, Lewandowski was named Striker of the Year – one of the two new awards introduced by France Football for this year’s Ballon d’Or.

The Polish hitman scored an incredible 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga games last term.

He has brought that blistering form into the current season, hitting 14 goals in his first 13 Bundesliga outings.

FC Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas poses after being awarded the women’s Ballon d’Or award during the 2021 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Also on Monday, Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas became the third woman to win the Ballon d’Or.

The 27-year-old captained her club to the Champions League title last season, ending Lyon’s five-year reign.

She was recently named UEFA Player of the Year and also lifted the Spanish league and cup last term, completing the treble.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma delivers a speech after being awarded the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper during the 2021 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Gianluigi Donnarumma also won the Yashin Trophy, the award for best goalkeeper.

The Italian claimed the prize ahead of Chelsea and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy.

The goalkeeper helped Italy win Euro 2020, earning the Player of the Tournament award for his efforts.

FC Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Pedri reacts after receiving the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player during the 2021 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Barcelona youngster Pedri was also named winner of the Kopa Trophy, the award for best performing player under the age of 21.

It came as no surprise to many to see the 19-year-old Spaniard win the Kopa Trophy, as he recently won the Golden Boy prize.

Pedri also finished 24th in this year’s Ballon d’Or.

 News 

Enugu Govt decries inimical land ownership claims against state Housing policy

By Dennis Agbo

The Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, ESHDC, has frowned at the claims by some community members where the state government’s numerous housing estates are springing up.

With particular reference, the ESHDC frowned at the capitulations from some individuals in Ugwuoba, Oji River local government Housing estate.

The Housing authority said that some mischievously sponsored publications were deceptive and inimical to sustainable rural development.

It noted that many at times, the reason for concentration of social amenities and infrastructure in Urbana areas may not actually be the fault of government officials but the unfortunate refusal of some Communities to embrace innovations, which makes such a community to remain backward and live in regret.

“In many cases, such decisions are being taken by few individuals who are after their own personal gains as against the overall interest of the Community. They could only achieve this through cheap propaganda, malicious and deceptive publications.

“Our attention was drawn to one of such recent online publications where they accused the state Housing Development Corporation of forcefully acquiring their ancestral land, asking the state government to leave their ancestoral land alone,” said the Corporation’s Public Relations Officer, …..

The corporation maintained that the publication was not only fallacious but lacks the consent and authority of the good people of Ugwuoba ommunity.

“That the land in question is a parcel of land lying along Enugu-Onitsha Express road, measuring approximately 150 hectares which was diligently and duly acquired in 1995 by the then military Administrator, Col Mike Torre and handed over to the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation with the certificate of occupancy of a dated 6th June 1996 and registered as no.38 page 38 in vol. 1071 land registry in the office at Enugu.

Prior to the issuance of the Certificate of occupancy, there was notice of revocation which was properly published in the government gazette no. ISSN(1116 -2032) vol. 5 page 12 in notice no. 18 official gazette no.  5 vol 4 of 03/6/1999.

“The corporation has commenced development of the Land since 1995 immediately after the acquisition and some buildings were at different levels before the change of government which led to the suspension of work at the Estate,” the PRO clarified.

She said that that the Corporation wonders why the sponsored publication is springing up 26 years after the land acquisition, adding that if not for change in adminstrations, the estate would have been a completed project in the past 26 years.

“All the villages including Okpuno, Agolo, Eziachi,  Anaocha and Nkpoga are beckoning on government to hurry up to develop the land while few people from Obinagu are busy trying to lay exclusive bogus claim over the entire land and at the same time tampering with the the buildings which were erected by the Corporation.

“However, irrespective of all the distractions and the frivolities coming from self-acclaimed community leaders, the Corporation is willing to listen to the geniue grievances of the bonafide people of Obinagu  as part of our host communities.”

The Corporation said it’s determined to spread development to rural areas including Oji River and other places and cannot allow enemies of progress to interfere with the good plans of the state government.

“The Corporation is using this medium to sound a note of warning to the distrsctors who are deceiving the public that we shall not hesitate to employ legal action against those people for criminal activities, trespass, false  information and libel if they fail to desist from such act. The sponsors of these falsehood will soon be unmasked and their true identities and mischievous intentions revealed.

“The general public should not only resist the devilish ideas of these selfish cancarworms, but should also know that spreading fake news on the media had become an exposed strategy,” ESHDC cautioned.