Messi: Neymar can make the difference

The Argentina star believes the Brazilian will have no trouble setting in at Camp Nou and admits last season's Champions League exit has fired the team up for the coming campaign. Barcelona star Lionel Messi has backed new signing Neymar to make a significant impact next season.

The 21-year-old completed a €57 million move to Camp Nou in June after months of speculation surrounding his future, but Messi believes the Brazil star will have no problem adjusting to life in Catalunya despite the hype surrounding his arrival. "He is a great player and he will have no problems adapting. He'll have no trouble off the pitch either. He's a good lad," Messi told a press conference on Wednesday.

"He will give a lot to the team. In one-on-ones, he is very dominant. He's going to make a difference."Messi has already seen two team-mates leave this summer, with Thiago Alcantara joining Bayern Munich after David Villa had signed a deal with Atletico Madrid, and the 26-year-old believes the two clubs have completed excellent business in bringing in the two players.

"Thiago? It was a personal decision, he thought he'd play more there [at Bayern]," Messi explained. "Villa? He's a great signing for Atletico, he's a real goalscorer." Barcelona suffered a 7-0 aggregate defeat to Bayern in last season's Champions League semi-final, and as a result Messi admits he is fired up for the tournament next season- although he acknowledges the threat posed by the European champions under Pep Guardiola.

"The Champions League defeat from last season is an extra motivation for this year. It's another challenge," Messi continued. "Bayern already had a great team and with Guardiola they'll be even stronger. In La Liga, [Real] Madrid will be a tough opponent, as always.

Pics from Jumia 1st anniversary eCommerce conference and Fashion Cocktail

Jumia, Nigeria’s #1 retailer, held the first e-commerce conference in Nigeria in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday, 12th of July. Jumia gathered Nigerian influencers and decision makers, to discuss the opportunities that e-commerce embraces for the Nigerian retail market as well as ways forward in the Nigerian market, in wrapping a month long celebration for their 1st Anniversary the event ended with a fashion cocktail attended by top fashion and style icons. Continue...

Baby born with prayer rosary round her neck in Niger state

They have started again o. Lol. And no, I don't believe all these 'baby born with whatever', but I have no grudge with those who do...:) According to a story by Nigerian Tribune, a baby girl was born with prayer rosary wrapped around her neck yesterday July 14th in Bida, Bida LGA of Niger State. The incident, which occurred around 2.00 p.m at Kotuworo area of the town, close to the home of Alhaji Bello Mansaba, the man with 86 wives, was said to have caused uproar, with people thronging the town to have a look at the baby born to Mrs Adijat and Mallam Issa, both of whom hail from Lama, Kwara State. Nigerian Tribune further gathered that Adijat rushed to the home of a midwife, Abubakar Baiwa Shasha, where she was delivered of her baby girl. Further checks, however, revealed that when the baby was about to be delivered, the nurse, it was gathered, saw to her surprise a black rosary round the neck of the child, which immediately turned white as soon as she was delivered. It was further learnt that the midwife raised the alarm that attracted the attention of people in the neighbourhood Speaking with newsmen, the nurse said when the baby was about to be delivered, she was surprised to see the rosary around her neck, adding that another surprise was that the rosary turned white upon delivery. “I was really shocked when I saw the rosary,” she said. When contacted, Mansaba, an Islamic scholar, told newsmen that the delivery of the child showed the greatness of God. Also, Alhaji Mutairi Salau, who claimed the mother of the baby, Kadijat, is a friend to his wife, described the birth as miraculous, saying “it is only God that can exhibit such power as to cause a woman to deliver a child with a praying rosary.” The baby was later taken to the palace of Etsu Nupe, where they were received and blessed by the traditional ruler , Alhaji Yahaya Abubukar. Confirming the incident, the Emirate secretary, Alhaji Abdulmalik, when contacted, said the child was brought to the palace by the parents and she was prayed for by the royal father.

Regina Askia shows off bikini body

The former actress and ex-beauty shared holiday photos with her family on her Facebook page. In a few of the photos, the 46 year old mother of three showed off her bikini bod. Not bad at all! :-)

Behind the scenes photos from Lynxxx's new video ft Banky W

The new song is called African Bad Girl and it features Banky W. It will drop this Sunday July 14th. See more behind the scenes photos from the video shoot after the cut...

Meet your 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Contestants

The 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant will hold on the 20th of July in Bayelsa State. See other contestants after the cut...

New Video: Dr Sid - Love Mine

Official video for Dr Sid's single "Love Mine" off the album Siduction produced by Don Jazzy for Mavin Records. Shot on location in London and Directed by Mr. Moe Musa

8-month old baby stabbed 90 times with scissors by his mother

what do you say on this?... Eight months old Xiao Bao was stabbed 90 times in the face with scissors by his mother for biting her while she was breastfeeding him. The incident that has left many people shocked happened in Xuzhou, in the eastern China Jiangsu province. After the attack, the mother disappeared leaving the infant in a pool of his blood in the yard of their home. Xiao was found by his uncle who rushed him to the hospital. The baby needed more than 100 stitches. The mother, who has since been arrested, is not known to be suffering any kind of mental illness.

Chelsea preparing bid for Benteke

Chelsea are preparing a bid for Aston Villa star Christian Benteke as Jose Mourinho seeks a solution to the club's pursuit of a new striker. The returning manager has been thwarted in his attempt to sign Edinson Cavani and has thus far been unable to convince Robert Lewandowski to choose English football over a future move to Bayern Munich. Benteke fits the coach's preferred profile of a physically powerful striker capable of leading the attack alone and is more readily attainable as a result of Villa's fragile financial state. At 22, the Belgium international is attracted by the prospect of playing Champions League football and competing for the domestic title after a first Premier League season in which he scored 19 times for a club fighting relegation.