Wolverhampton Wanderers, a Premier League club, has reportedly submitted a €12m bid for Bright Osayi-Samuel, the Super Eagles defender currently playing for Fenerbahce. According to NTVSpor, Wolves are eager to secure the services of the Fenerbahce star, with Crystal Palace and Leeds United also expressing interest in the full-back.

It remains uncertain whether Fenerbahce will accept the offer. Osayi-Samuel is enthusiastic about returning to England after a successful stint with Queens Park Rangers. Throughout this season, he has made 34 appearances across various competitions, contributing to nine goals. Despite having one year left on his contract with Fenerbahce, his desire to return to English football could influence his future transfer.

The Idoma Intellectual Forum (IIF) has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to ease the growing tension within the Benue State Polytechnic community by promptly appointing a substantive Rector for the institution. In a statement released on Friday in Abuja by Dr. Sunday Ochigbo, the National Secretary of IIF, the group expressed support for Governor Alia’s commitment to revamping the educational sector in Benue State.

While acknowledging the governor’s decision to dismiss all heads of state-owned higher institutions with the aim of bringing in more qualified individuals, the group expressed concern over the delay in filling the vacancy at Benue Polytechnic, Ugbokolo. They noted that despite the swift appointment of a substantive Provost for the Benue State College of Education, Oju, and a Rector for the Alfred Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi, the process for Benue State Polytechnic has been protracted.

The group criticized the composition of the management team at Benue Polytechnic, describing it as unfavorable to the Idoma people and contrary to the principles of state representation. They highlighted the dominance of Tiv individuals in critical management positions within an institution situated in Idoma land as unacceptable.

Moreover, the IIF condemned the removal of an Idoma Rector and the installation of a Tiv acting Rector by the Alia administration. They denounced what they perceived as a deliberate effort to marginalize and disadvantage the Idoma people across various sectors in Benue State, including within a state-owned Polytechnic located in Idoma territory.

Benue State governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has urged those who have been unfairly labeling the state’s youth as thugs to issue immediate apologies and cease from using such derogatory terms.

The governor delivered this message at Government House Makurdi on Friday, during a warm reception by various youth groups upon his return from an official trip to the United States of America. He emphasized that it was unjust to tarnish the reputation of the hardworking young individuals of the state by associating them with negative labels like “thugs,” as such remarks cast a negative light on the entire state.

Alia stressed that any remarks contradicting the positive image of the state and its esteemed citizens would be addressed by his administration. He implored individuals to refrain from referring to the state’s youth as thugs, especially when they are actively supporting the administration or contributing to the state’s growth and development.

He demanded retractions from anyone who had previously labeled the state’s youth in such a manner, asserting that the youth of Benue State have endured hardships in the past and are now striving for progress and development. Alia urged everyone to respect and honor the youth, emphasizing that they are deeply invested in the well-being of the state.

Expressing gratitude to the youth for their steadfast support, the governor explained that his trip to the USA aimed to explore opportunities for charting a new course for Benue. He highlighted the importance of showcasing Benue’s potential on the international stage and envisioned the state becoming a beacon of development that others would seek to emulate.

Additionally, Alia mentioned Benue’s participation in discussions on addressing insecurity in the Northern states during the trip, organized by the United States Peace Institute in collaboration with Nigerian institutions.