Sports Dec 17, 2010 The search for a vibrant and result-oriented attacking line up for the Super Eagles has left newly appointed coach, Samson Siasia with very little options given the very poor scoring form of Nigeria's main strikers in Eaurope. Apart from Peter Osaze Odemwinge who has scored seven goals in about 14 appearances for West Bromwich Albion, players like Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke among others have been having it tough in Europe, with some not getting up to two goals since the commencement of the European season. Peter Utaka
Ikechukwu Uche has been sidelined by injury throughout this season and with very little hope of returning soon. The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers are looming large and Siasia can't wait to kick-start preparations. With this predicament, the coach is looking for a striker or strikers who can lift the national team in future.
Reports say Siasia has penciled Peter Utaka (26 years) to lead the new Eagles attack. Peter, the younger of the two football playing Utakas has remained consistent in front og goal, scoring in both the Danish domestic league and in Europe Another deserving striker is the Turkey based player Emmanuel Emenike (12 goals in 16 games this season).
But the 23-year-old is dissatisfied with the Nigeria Football Federation because he feels they tried to block his switch to Turkey. Emenike is not sure whether he wants to play in the national team. New Eagles coach Samson Siasia's hope to visit Turkey this week was put on hold by the football house. It would have afforded him the opportunity to hold talks with the striking phenomenon. Apart from the duo, another consistent striker in Europe is Brown Idehen who plies his trade in France.
MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel celebrates African music heroes
13 Dec 2010 Lagos, 11 December 2010: Congolese artist Fally Ipupa, and Nigeria's 2Face led the winners at the third edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel (MAMA), each taking home two trophies at the music awards ceremony at the Eko Expo Hall.
2face
Nominated in four separate categories, Fally Ipupa scored wins for Best Video ("Sexy Dance") and Best Francophone act while 2Face, a former MAMA winner from 2009, picked up trophies for Artist of the Year and Best Male. Cabo Snoop notched up a music first for Angola by becoming the first ever Angolan winner at MAMA 2010, taking home the prize for Best Lusophone act. The inaugural Best Anglophone award went to Kenyan Gospel breakthrough artist Daddy Owen – the first time a gospel artist has won a MAMA. Song of the Year was won by South African pop/R&B outfit Liquideep for their hauntingly lovely ‘Fairytale'. New MAMA award category Best Performance was won by Big Nuz, the South African house trio making waves all over the continent. Nigerian vocalist Sasha scored Nigeria's first ever win in the Best Female category after Kenyan dominance over the last two years. Nigerian R&B duo P-Square (Nigeria) added yet another MAMA trophy to their awards cabinet – taking home Best Group for the third year running! Rising Nigerian star Mo Cheddah notched up her first win in the hotly contested Brand:New category which recognises rising stars tipped by MTV for success. The prestigious Best International act was received by Eminem who accepted the award via satellite from the USA. The MAMA Legend award, won by the late, great Miriam Makeba, was presented by Public Enemy founder and hip hop pioneer Chuck D.
Fally Ipupa
The 2010 MAMA awards opened with an explosive performance by Hip Hop heavyweight, Rick Ross, and closed with an unforgettable rendition of "Win" featuring T-Pain, Rick Ross, Da LES and 2Face – a world first. In keeping with the tradition of the awards, the show featured an array of electrifying collaborations between artists from different parts of the continent, mixing up music genres, language and cultures in a unprecedented extravaganza of African talent. Among the collaborations were Nigeria's 2Face who hooked up with South African rock outfit The Parlotones. The performance of Banky W's "Lagos Party" saw South Africa's Big Nuz, Angola's Cabo Snoop and Paul G and DRC's Barbara Kanam rocking the house with the first ever truly pan-African version of the hit track. Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, "Tonight's MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel was a joyful and uplifting celebration of African youth culture and music. It brought together the best talent from across Africa to showcase the incredible music that Africa has to offer to the world. It is amazing to see the collaborations between the artists as it fosters a spirit of camaraderie and creative exchange that takes their music to a new level." Commented Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Africa, "The diversity and talent of the performances this evening was a reflection of the vast and rich talent pool that Africa has to offer. We at Airtel are proud to partner with the MTV Africa Music Awards as it is a platform for the youth and young at heart in Africa, enabling them to showcase their talent to a global audience. Music is an important way to connect with Africa as we relaunch the Airtel brand on the continent. It will support Airtel's mission of giving the youth a means to express themselves and the freedom to do more." Among the performers at the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel were: 2Face (Nigeria), Banky W (Nigeria), Barbara Kanam (DRC), Big Nuz (South Africa), Cabo Snoop (Angola), Daddy Owen (Kenya), Diamond (Tanzania), Eve (USA), Fally Ipupa (DRC), J. Martins (Nigeria), Jozi (South Africa), Liquideep (South Africa), Lizha James (Mozambique), Mo Cheddah (Nigeria), Paul G (Angola), P-Unit (Kenya), Public Enemy (USA), Radio & Weasel (Uganda), Rick Ross (USA), Sarkodie (Ghana), Sasha (Nigeria), T-Pain (USA), Teargas (South Africa), The Parlotones (South Africa), Wande Coal (Nigeria). Guest presenters and celebrity guests included Ba Ponga, Dama do Bling, Lizha James, Daniel Amokachi, Oluchi, Julius Agwu, Genevieve Nnaji, Muthoni, Nneka, MTV VJs Vanessa Mdee & Sizwe Dhlomo, Tatiana, JoJo and fashion designer Lisa Foluniyo. MAMA 2010 WINNERS IN FULL Best Anglophone – Daddy Owen (Kenya)
Best Francophone – Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Best Lusophone – Cabo Snoop (Angola)
Artist of the Year- 2Face (Nigeria)
Best Female – Sasha (Nigeria)
Best Male – 2Face (Nigeria)
Best Video – Fally Ipupa (DRC): "Sexy Dance"
Best Group – P-Square (Nigeria)
Brand New Act – Mo Cheddah (Nigeria)
Best Performance – Big Nuz (South Africa)
Song of the Year – Liquideep (South Africa): "Fairytale"
MAMA Legend – Miriam Makeba (South Africa)
Best International – Eminem (USA). The MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel premieres on MTV base (DStv Channel 322) on Saturday 18 December at 19:00 CAT, with repeats on Sunday 12 December at 08:00 CAT and 14:00 CAT. Further programming relating to MAMA 2010 includes: Road To MAMA – Tanzania (TV premiere Thursday 16 December @ 19:00 CAT); Road to MAMA – DRC (TV premiere Friday 17 December @ 19:00 CAT) and What Went Down 2010 (TV premiere Sunday 19 December @ 21:00 CAT). The MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel will also broadcast on MAMA terrestrial TV partners STV (Nigeria), AIT (Nigeria), TV3 (Ghana), WBS (Uganda), NTV (Kenya), TBC (Tanzania), Clouds TV (Tanzania), RTGA (DRC), NBC (Namibia), STV (Cameroon), Canal2 (Cameroon), Afrique Media (Cameroon), Go Africa (Gabon), TV Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), NTV (Benin), LC2 (Benin), ORTN (Niger), MBC (Mauritius) and ZNBC (Zambia). The MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 is sponsored by Airtel in association with MasterCard. Other partners supporting the MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel include Arik Air and the Lagos State Government.