Nigerian tennis icon, Aruna Quadri has suffered food poisoning which has forced him to withdraw from the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships.

The World Table Tennis Championships started on Friday, in South Korea, and most table tennis enthusiasts were stunned not to see Aruna Quadri in action.

Due to the uncertainty over his absence from the tournament, the 33-year-old Nigerian tennis icon took to his official Facebook page to announce his health condition.

In the post, the 2023 African Champion said his current illness wouldn’t permit him to participate in the tournament as he wished team Nigeria luck in the tournament.

“Unfortunately, I will not be participating in world championships in Busan, I am seriously ill with food poisoning,” he wrote.

“I wish the team good luck.”

Note that Japan easily walked over Nigeria’s men’s tennis team led by Segun Toriola on Friday, February 16.

While noting that the absence of Aruna Quadri made it easier for the Japanese to defeat Nigeria in their first group stage game, Toriola insisted that his table tennis team will make it out of the group.

“I am aware that the Japanese are afraid of Aruna and their coaching crew have been worried about the formation of their team but when the news filtered that Aruna would not be coming, they were a bit relieved that they have a bye to the next game,” Toriola said.

“But we can’t give up even though it is a big blow to the team here in Korea and we will not give up hoping that we can progress from the group.”

The Nigerian table tennis team are expected to reach the quarter-finals of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships to grab one of the eight spots available for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Super Eagle’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, has seen his transfer value skyrocket to a whopping N3.8 billion following his outstanding performance in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Nwabali saved two penalty shots in Nigeria’s semi-final match against South Africa.

The goalkeeper, who played a pivotal role in Super Eagle’s successful campaign during the African Cup of Nations, has garnered attention from several clubs both locally and abroad, resulting in a considerable increase in his market worth.

Following a couple AFCON matches, Nwabali was valued at 250,000 pounds on the transfer market.

Stanley Nwabali is now worth two million pounds (more than N3.8 billion), according to insiders at Chippa United.

Rumor has claimed that the South African team wants to maximize profits from the Nigerian goalkeeper.

Brilla.net reports that many clubs, including Union Saint Gilloise, are interested in Nwabali’s services.

Pooja, a sports photojournalist, also wrote about it on X:

“Nwabali now worth over £2m after AFCON. One month the tournament & his worth skyrocketed. Mr. Composure.”

As reactions continue to trail the recently concluded 2023 African Cup of Nations, Here are ‘prophecies’ and predictions of some clerics that attracted knocks and kudos from netizens

There was a high level of anxiety among football lovers in Nigeria as the senior national team, the Super Eagles, squared up against the host of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast, in the final in Abidjan, last Sunday.

Millions of Nigerians at home and in Abidjan had high hopes that the Eagles would crown their impressive campaign with victory at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

But the match ended 2-1 in favour of Ivory Coast and came as a rude shock to Nigerians and other supporters of the Eagles who expected the Nigerian team to lift the trophy as the favourite, based on its impressive performance.

No doubt, the tournament came with different surprises, including a shocking exit of some highly ranked teams.

However, among the other interesting features of the competition were the several prophecies and predictions made by religious leaders on and off social media about the outcome of scheduled matches leading up to the finals.

In Nigeria, prophecies about the outcome of football matches are not new and are studiously followed by many football fans, some of whom use them as their tips for sports betting. 

Saturday PUNCH learnt that while some of the prophecies do have true outcomes and tend to authenticate the spiritual calling of the men on the pupil, others fail woefully, resulting in the clerics being viciously trolled online by angry Nigerians.

For years, the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Temitope Joshua, was known for giving prophecies about the outcome of football matches, several of which his followers claimed were accurate.

Last Tuesday, an old video of the late cleric predicting the outcome of the 2012 AFCON final match between Zambia and Ivory Coast went viral on TikTok.

The 12-year-old video which was shot live at the SCOAN, located in Ikotun, Lagos, captured the moment the well-known preacher shared what God supposedly told him about the winner and the penalty shootout that would decide the outcome of the 2012 match.

“This victory is for a country you are not expecting. Just to make them smile because of the past record they have – what happened to them in their history. God wants to make them happy because of the victims of what happened to them in the past,” he was quoted by the church’s Emmanuel TV website as saying.

The match ended in favour of Zambia. Although Joshua did not disclose the name of the team that would secure victory, the church said the outcome of the match was “true to the prophetic word” of its founder.

2023 AFCON ‘prophecies,’ predictions

Yul Edochie

A day before the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa, actor-turned-pastor of True Salvation Ministry, Yul Edochie, said that Nigeria might be in for a surprise.

Taking to Instagram, Edochie wrote, “Why am I having the feeling that South Africa may surprise us tomorrow? God abeg oo. Super Eagles no gree for anybody oo. Kwechili. Leave no stones unturned. Bring home the trophy.”

Our correspondent observed that the actor came under fire for his post. For instance, a netizen named John Peiller wrote, “Very smart way to prophesy. So you can say you say that South (Africa) won but if Nigeria wins, then you can say you prayed against defeat. This country and cruise.”

Another netizen, Akosa Obinna, wrote, “Because you are carnal and guesswork without faith is just as good as guesswork period! Man of gosh. There are no supernatural powers, (it) is either you analyse with experience or expertise or rest till the game is over.”

Before the final match, Edochie, in a post on his Instagram page gave another prediction that the Super Eagles would defeat Ivory Coast.

“Today’s game will not get a penalty shootout. Nigeria will comfortably defeat the Ivory Coast,” he had written.

However, on Sunday, February 11, the Super Eagles of Nigeria lost 2-1 to the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

Edochie’s page was swamped by Nigerians expressing their dissatisfaction and called his prophecy bogus.

One of them, named @iam_baron, said, “With due respect sir, close down (your) church.”

Another user, @Official queendee, wrote, “And then what should we think now? For the second time you have prophesied lies.”

Reacting amid the backlash, on Monday, Edochie in a post attached a photo of the Super Eagles team and its coach, Jose Peseiro, wrote, “It is well. Thank you Super Eagles.

“Getting to the finals is as good as winning. We are proud of you all. Great performance in the tournament.”

In a subsequent post showing the Nigerian flag, the Nollywood actor turned pastor added, “I love my country, Nigeria. Win or lose, good or bad, we pin here. Better days ahead. Giant of Africa.”

Elijah Ayodele

The spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Ayodele, who garnered much popularity for his predictions about politics, economy, and sports, also gave his prophecies regarding AFCON.

In a video said to be dated September 17, 2023, and shared on his TikTok page and which went viral before the final match on February 11, the cleric was heard predicting that the Super Eagles would be knocked out of the semi-finals.

He stated, “Talk about CAN 2024, if Nigeria will do much preparation, listen, and do all that is needful (sic), Nigeria will get to the finals. And if they do all that is needful (sic), they can lift up the cup.

“If they don’t do it, and do ‘bigmanism’ in the Nations Cup they will not perform. They will have a heavy crash.

“They will survive the elimination series but they will be knocked out of the semi-finals. That’s the fact. Nigeria has all it takes to win Cote d’Ivoire 2024 irrespective of anybody that is going to play but if they are doing big, big then they will fail.”

In another video that was not dated but was also shared via his TikTok account, Ayodele was heard saying, “The Nations’ Cup 2023, or 2024 in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria is supposed to qualify. If Nigeria listens, Nigeria can go far but of course, if they score best, Nigeria will lose it with slim chances; they will slip out the cup from them.

“So it’s quite unfortunate that Nigeria will go into this cheap… I see this as a cheap World Cup. Of course, Ghana, and Egypt will qualify in the B, and Senegal and Cameroon will qualify also.

“This Cote d’Ivoire 2024 is for Nigeria, but will they be able to coordinate and do what is needful (sic) for them to lift up the cup? That’s a question that I couldn’t answer.”

Nigeria went through to the final after defeating South Africa 4-2 on penalties.

Joel Atuma’s green-coloured flag prediction

Another cleric who is the senior pastor of the Lord Graces Provinces Church, in Umuahia, Abia State, Prophet Joel Atuma, in a YouTube video titled, ‘Another prophecy for AFCON,’ posted by the cleric on February 2, he said, “I want to say again and again that if you don’t have the colour green on your flag, you can’t carry this AFCON cup, and a northern nation can take up the cup. These are two things that Jesus said to me because what is happening on that soccer field is strategic to the voice and rising of the African nation.

“And I remember that I said on Sunday that Osimhen has been released from that place and he is going to get closer and closer because there is something that God is doing in African nations. I want you to watch what is going to happen, because the Nigerian match is going to be minus one.

“The people who know my format know my format. That match is going to be minus one. I want to reiterate that if you don’t have green, the Nations Cup is not for you.”

Atuma, who claimed to have received a message from God, added, “God said to me that this AFCON is a statement (and) not a tournament. Angola has never beaten Nigeria.

“I will come back to tell you if Nigeria will win this trophy or not but I won’t be open. I will still encode it because the prophet will speak in quotes and parables, it is not for everybody, but let Osimien (sic) know that there is a gang up against him. All I will do for him is to slow down the time.”

Marcus Tibetan

Ahead of the Nigeria versus South Africa match last Wednesday, a prophet from the Celestial Church of Christ, Marcus Tibetan, expressed confidence the Super Eagles would defeat the Bafana Bafana in the AFCON semi-finals, claiming that “the Lord” revealed it to him.

“You know, the Lord revealed this to me. I’ve seen it before and I’ve told you that the first and second matches are going to be slow, but the third match is going to be firebrand.

“I told you in the Wednesday service that we are going to buckle up to take the trophy because the trophy belongs to us. But with what the Lord revealed, as they did to Cape Verde in the last match, because the people of South Africa are too diabolical, and playing with four penalties into one direction, it has an ulterior motive. There is something behind it.

“Our own we need to kill the match in the first half and they have to change some of the players but most of the players that should have been used have gone. 

“(Victor) Osimhen has to step in a little. It could be 4-1 or 4-0 tomorrow, 4-0 is very eminent (sic). Tomorrow is our day and we will get it tomorrow,” he said in a video shared on YouTube by 12 Start TV.

Elijah Abiri

The founder of Jesus Alive Ministry International, Elijah Abiri, describes himself as a “prophet of fire” on his Facebook biodata. On January 26 he prophesied in a post that Cameroon would defeat Nigeria by three goals to one.

The Cameroon-based cleric, who told his followers not to see his prophecy as a parable, also instructed the coach of the Indomitable Lions, Rigobert Song, and another ex-international, Samuel Eto’o, to let the players use olive oil and salt to bathe in a bucket before the game commenced to secure victory.

He wrote, “Any arrow fired at you, backfired right now! Three-one is the score for Cameroon versus Nigeria in favour of Cameroon. This time I’m not talking in parables, I said Cameroon is winning Nigeria period! it’s written and it’s done, watch.”

But the game ended in Nigeria’s favour. Angry netizens dug up the cleric ‘prophesy’ and lambasted him.

In another video posted on Instagram on January 19, Abiri could be seen being conveyed on a motorcycle while he reeled out a prophecy about an impending match between Cameroon and Senegal. 

“It is 30 minutes to the game between Cameroon and Senegal and I’m here to announce to you that Cameroon will win (against) Senegal. Cameroonians start celebrating, Cameroon will win Senegal today.

“We are going to trash Senegal. Three goals for Cameroon and one goal for Senegal. Tell the world that I am coming from a mission, I am done with the assignment. It is written and it is done.”

Again, at the end of the match on January 19, the reverse was the case as Cameroon lost 3-1 to Senegal.

Clerics using fake prophecies to make money – Mbaka

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Fr Ejike Mbaka, expressed displeasure over some Nigerian clerics who regularly dished out fake prophecies and conducted false miracles to make money and fame.

The cleric, who stated this in a video clip uploaded on the ministry’s official Facebook page, and YouTube channel on Sunday.

He said, “Many of us (clerics) have started using this preaching and prophecies to mine money. I call it ‘money mining.’ The worst is that they have started using prophecies as though it is betting. Prophetic trial and error. 

 “Such things do not last. What is fake will fade. If you want to make money, enter into business and do it. Stop using the name of God to dupe people. If you want to be famous, you can be famous by any other means.”

Also speaking in a phone interview with PUNCH, the pastor of Multiply Christian Network, Daniel Okunoye, described predictions for football games as an aberration that had replaced the gift of prophecy in the church.

According to him, the gift of prophecy, as contained in the Bible, is operated based on some guidelines.

“For instance, true prophecy is directed at the church for edification, exhortation or comforting a member of the body of Christ. A prophecy wasn’t meant to be like predictions utilised for mundane issues like soccer or other things that have no bearing on the church.

“There is a difference between prophecy and psychic reading. True prophecy comes from the Spirit of God and not from the heart of the person speaking it and it’s not based on lucky guesses or human knowledge.

“These people who make it their trade to predict outcomes of football matches under the guise of Christianity are making a mockery of the faith they profess. They worship money and fame,” Okunoye added.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe seems to be edging towards a Real Madrid move, with excitement already building in the Spanish capital.

The 25-year-old France captain informed PSG officials he intends to leave in the summer at the end of his contract, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said Thursday.

Madrid are in pole position to sign a player whom they have moved for several times in the past only to be rebuffed, although they declined to comment when asked by AFP.

Spanish media report Madrid’s offer to Mbappe is lower than in 2022 when he decided to renew his PSG contract, with Cadena SER saying he wants 50 million euros ($54 million) gross a season along with a hefty 120 million euros signing-on bonus.

Media outlet Marca claimed that Mbappe has already informed club bosses “that he only wanted to play for Real Madrid” and added that he informed the Spanish giants of his decision to leave PSG on Tuesday, 48 hours before it was revealed from a source close to PSG.

With the numbers and financial fair play impact left for Madrid’s accountants to manage, supporters and local media are starting to dream of what may come.

“The countdown has started,” wrote Marca earlier in the day.

“Seven years later everything points to Mbappe’s arrival being a reality from July 1.”

Mbappe had the chance to join Madrid from Monaco in 2017 but chose PSG instead, perhaps cowed by the difficulty of ousting Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale or Karim Benzema from the attack.

Now he could lead the line alongside Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

“That would be perfect,” Luis Caceres, the president of Real Madrid’s fan club federation told AFP.

“He’s the best player in the world, that’s undeniable. We’ve seen him play and we know what he can do, he’s a great player.”

Mbappe, yet to win the Champions League, could still cross paths with record 14-time winners Madrid in this year’s competition.

Spanish newspaper AS say Madrid will “keep silent” on Mbappe while the two sides are still competing in Europe.

Last June a Real Madrid fan did manage to lure club president Florentino Perez into giving a clue away about Mbappe’s future.

Enrique Higueras, 22, stumbled across Perez outside a restaurant and asked him if he would bring Mbappe to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Yes, but not this year,” replied Perez.

Higueras, a student doctoring in sports science, told AFP he believes Mbappe will succeed if and when he arrives.

“I am sure that he will play at Madrid and make history,” said Higueras.

“I don’t think Madrid needs Mbappe to win the Champions League… but obviously if Mbappe joins then the chances of winning that precious trophy go up a lot.”

‘Bitterness’

However some supporters still recall Mbappe’s snub and perceived slights since.

Oscar Movellan Martinez, a 42-year-old business consultant and self-described “huge fan” of Madrid, said he was not happy with Mbappe seemingly mocking Los Blancos after renewing his PSG deal.

“What happened in 2022 I can understand, for the pressure the kid received… in the media all the way up to (French president Emmanuel) Macron,” said Movellan.

“What I didn’t like was the attitude after… I understand that he might have been pressured to renew with PSG when he wanted to come to Madrid, but I don’t understand his reaction.”

If Mbappe does join Madrid in the summer then it may take a few goals from PSG’s all-time top scorer to smooth things over.

“I think the fans at the Bernabeu will have a bit of bitterness at the start, but look — it’s a fanbase that even whistled (Zinedine) Zidane back in the day,” added Movellan.

Others are cautiously choosing not to trust Mbappe will join until it is made official.

“Until I see him sign, I won’t believe it, after what happened in 2022,” added Caceres.