“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.

“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.

“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.

“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.

“We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”

This statement has set the Buckingham Palace in turmoil, and the British Royalty is working real hard to contain the outburst it has caused.

In the noon hours of Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued the statement to confirm a leak that was about to be published by the Sun. The couple are relinquishing their senior roles in the British Monarchy.

The story said that Harry and Megan are planning to establish financial independence, and they can’t wait to work on commercial products or take commercial deals. But that appears not to be the main problem.

The major altercation came from how the couple handled the whole thing. It was reported that the royal family was not carried along in their decision to step back from their senior roles in the institution. It was upon learning that the Sun was about to publish the leak of their plans that they hurriedly issued a statement, which the queen was said to be very upset about and Princes Charles and the Duke of Cambridge, Williams, were ‘incandescent’ with rage. It was said that the Duke and Duchess have “exiled themselves from the royal family.”

In their plans, the couple wants to keep the Frogmore Cottage which was renovated with 2.4 million of taxpayers money, keep their royal titles and body guards that cost 600,000 a year.

A statement issued by a senior member of the palace who spoke to the Sun on anonymity said: “Their statement was not cleared with anyone. It breaks all protocol. This is a declaration of war on the family.

“There is fury over how they’ve done this without any thought for the implications for the institutions. The Queen is deeply upset. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge are incandescent with rage.

“Courtiers can’t believe it. There are so many unanswered questions but they’ve just up and done it without a thought for anyone else.

“The plan was for them to discuss it and work out a way that works for everyone in the family.”

Harry and Meghan have been at the center of criticism from the British media, a situation that has been attributed to racism. It is believed that Meghan is not white enough to be welcomed in Buckingham palace. The birth of the son, Archie has also changed a lot in the couple’s behavior that the royal family’s differences have widened.

The couple said they will be going to North America or precisely Canada, but will keep in touch with Britain. They had spent their Christmas in Canada and many people believe it was more like a foretaste of their preferred place of residence.

The development has stirred divided opinions from the British people and the couple’s fans around the world. While some say their decision is a slap on the British Institution, others applaud the step as a way of protecting their son from perceived racism.

A fierce critic of the couple, Piers Morgan tweeted: “people say I’m too critical of Meghan Markle – she ditched her family, ditched her dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William, and has now split him from the Royal family.”

Just the sentiment so many others are echoing, that altercation in the royal family has been fueled ever since the former actress got married to Prince Harry.

However, Buckingham palace has issued a statement to address the situation: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.

“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the statement said

What is not clear is if the institution will strip the Duke and Duchess of Sussex of their royalty if the family fails to talk them out of their decision.

In the eve of Tuesday January 7, playmakers, coaches, journalist and many who love the round leather game gathered for the 28th edition of CAF Awards 2019 in Egypt. The once in a year event is deigned to select the best among those who ply their trade in the football field, and that was done, honors were given to those to whom it’s due.

Sadio Mane’ of Liverpool has in the past season displayed the kind of playmaking that distinguished him from his contemporaries. The prodigy that earned him the fourth place in the Fifa ballon Do’r was not ignored by the Confederation of African Football, so that he was considered the best. He polled 477 votes ahead of his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, 325 votes and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, 267 votes.

The Senegalese was instrumental to Liverpool’s epic come back against Barcelona, and their subsequent win of the Champions League.

Another character in the game whose activities in the game caught the eye of the football body is Nigerian Asisat Oshoala, who plies her trade with FC Barcelona’s female team. She was crown the best female football in Africa.

Oshoala was named African Women’s Player of the Year for the fourth time, equalling the record of her compatriot Perpetua Nkwocha.

She garnered 351 votes, 30 more than Cameroonian forward Ajara Nchout and Thembi Kgatlana, who had 247 votes.

Her prowess in the field of play was convincing enough that FC Barcelona didn’t find it hard deciding to keep her after her trial at Camp Noun. And she has been genial with the Nigerian female national team, the Super Falcons.

There are others too, who although they didn’t win the best footballers, came first in other different categories. Below is the list of the winners and nominees.

African Interclubs Player of the Year: Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)

Nominees:

1. Anice Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)

2. Kodjo Fo Doh Laba (Togo & RS Berkane / Al Ain)

3. Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)

4. Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)

5. Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)

African Youth Player of the Year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)

Nominees:

1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)

2. Krépin Diatta (Senegal & Club Brugge)

3. Moussa Djenepo (Mali & Southampton)

4. Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria & Villarreal)

5. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Lille)

African Women’s National Team of the Year: Cameroon

Nominees:
1. Cameroon

2. Côte d’Ivoire

3. Nigeria

4. South Africa

5. Zambia

African Men’s National Team of the Year: Algeria

Nominees:
1. Algeria

2. Madagascar

3. Nigeria

4. Senegal

5. Tunisia

Best African Goal of the Year: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

FIFPro Africa’s Best 11:

Andre Onana; Serge Aurier, Joel Matip, Kalidou Koulibaly, Achraf Hakimi; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Riyad Mahrez, Hakim Ziyech; Mohamed Salah, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Sadio Mane*

African Women’s Coach of the Year: Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Nominees:

1. Alain Djeumfa (Cameroon)

2. Bruce Mwape (Zambia)

3. Clementine Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)

4. Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

5. Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)

Men African Coach of the Year: Djamel Belmadi (Algeria)

Nominees:

Aliou Cisse (Senegal – Senegal)

2. Christian Gross (Switzerland – Zamalek)

3. Djamel Belmadi (Algeria – Algeria)

4. Moïne Chaâbani (Tunisia – Esperance)

5. Nicolas Dupuis (France – Madagascar)

African Women’s Player of the Year: Asisat Oshoala

Nominees:

1. Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)

2. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

3. Gabrielle Ouguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow)

4. Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)

5. Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC)

Player of the Year: Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)

Nominees:

1. André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax)

2. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)

3. Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan)

4. Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)

5. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)

6. Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua)

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)

8. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)

9. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)

10. Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah

The Senegalese international Mane’ was believed to deserve better than he got in the Fifa Ballon Do’r, that even Lionel Messi called his fourth position “an injustice.” Nevertheless, the night came to an end with Mane’ getting what he deserved for his contribution to the beautiful game. And he didn’t fail to show appreciation.

“It’s a great day for me and for my career. I would like to thank all of the Senegalese people who supported me during my journey.

“I’m feeling happy because they will be glad watching me winning this award, especially the people in my village,” Mane’ said.

As President Trump and Ali Khamenei roll up their sleeves in a new tussle, the rippling effects span wide across Europe and the Middle East, sending signals that the stock markets are receiving in bad fate. The tension emanating from the killing of one of Iran’s most powerful generals, Qasem Soleimani has resulted in dwindling stock activities in the markets around the world.

Saudi Aramco has suffered its biggest loss since its record breaking IPO late last year. CNN Business reported that the stock dropped 2% ($200 billion) amid concerns of retaliation from Tehran. Saudi Arabia is a key American ally in the Middle East, and could be a victim of Iran’s reprisal attacks for the death of Soleimani. With its oil installations having been targets of attacks in the past, the paranoia of losing its oil infrastructure is not something the Middle East kingdom could dismiss. It has happened before and it may happen again.

The realities of the threat is notable in the activities of the oil market. Despite a 6% surge in crude oil prices since Thursday that got the price close to $70 per barrel, which should boost the earnings of Aramco, the company’s shares have dipped instead.

Since after its IPO, Saudi Aramco has been struggling to meet the expectations of its shareholders. On Monday, the company’s decline topped 10%, wiping more than $200 billion off its market value. That’s a lot to lose in a few weeks after Aramco debut the biggest IPO in history, and it has begun to give investors concern, especially at this time of Iran vs. America tension.

In 2012, Saudi Aramco suffered a major cyber attack, one of the worst in history. A total of 35 computers were destroyed and their information wiped off.

In September 2019, the company’s oil facility suffered a missile attack that reduced its production capability to a half. The U.S pointed at Iran though they denied the responsibility.

Iran has an undeniable prowess in cyber attacks. There have been some other cases where the country was fingered. For instance, the cyber attacks involving major American banks, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. These attacks left compromising marks on these institutions, with a lot of data compromised and customers denied access to their accounts.

It is more like a retaliatory pattern to any political event from the U.S against Iran. In a note shared by Evercore analysts, Ken Talanian and Kirk Materne, to investors, they noted that “Iran has a long history of politically motivated cyber attacks across the world. The attacks often follow closely to changes in U.S sanctions.”

The killing of Soleimani has become one of those events, and there is reasonable expectation of the usual response from Iran, and Saudi oil installations may be at the receiving end because of its relationship with the United States.

Oil prices are expected to spike due to these events that have limited production and most of all, supply of oil to Asia because of irregularities in the Strait of Hormuz, that have narrowed the passage of oil tankers to a few. But the psychological effects is having even tighter grip on the stock markets than the spiking price.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs indicated in a research note that the looming dangers are already reflected in crude oil prices, and to sustain them (prices) near current levels, a supply disruption would be needed.

“We therefore believe that price risks are skewed to the downside in coming weeks, with oil prices already trading above our fundamental fair value of $63 a barrel ahead of the recent events,” they said.

A supply disruption may likely come from any retaliatory action taken by Tehran against Saudi that cuts the production or supply of crude oil to any part of the world, especially Asia.

However, the drop in Saudi Aramco’s stock has shown that its performance doesn’t depend on the spike of oil price. Dubai based head of equity strategy at Tellimer investment bank, Hasnain Malik, said Saudi Aramco’s stock depends on continued support from local and regional investors.

“Fundamentally, Aramco is massively overvalued,” said the director of energy at Palissy Advisors, Anish Kapadia. So it will be a struggle for Aramco to live up to the value based on market forces.