Renato Sanches surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo as youngest to play in euro final

Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches has broken Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as the youngest-ever player to feature in a European Championship final after being named in the starting lineup against France on Sunday.

                At 18 years and 327 days, the Bayern Munich man is nearly a year younger than Ronaldo was when Portugal faced Greece in the Euro 2004 decider.

Portugal 1 – 0 France

Portugal overcame the early loss of captain Cristiano Ronaldo to beat hosts France in the Euro 2016 final and win their first major tournament thanks to substitute Eder's superb extra-time strike.

Real Madrid forward Ronaldo was carried off in tears in the 25th minute at Paris' Stade de France, eighteen minutes after injuring his knee in a clash with France's DimitriPayet.

                France, the firm favourites, were unable to capitalise on Ronaldo's absence, although they almost won it at the end of normal time when substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac turned and hit the inside of the post.

                Raphael Guerreiro hit the bar with a free-kick for Portugal after 108 minutes, but seconds later they were ahead when Eder fired a low, 25-yard drive past keeper Hugo Lloris.

                Ronaldo, who had given his Portugal team-mates animated encouragement in the break before extra time, was offering as much tactical advice as coach Fernando Santos in chaotic closing moments - and he was reduced to tears once more at the final whistle before lifting the trophy that has eluded his country for so long.

                Ronaldo has claimed the game's major prizes - such as the Champions League with Manchester United and Real Madrid - but a landmark victory with his country has always eluded him.

                The greatest disappointment was when, as hosts of Euro 2004, Portugal were beaten 1-0 by rank outsiders Greece in the final at Lisbon's famous Stadium of Light.

                Portugal also lost in the World Cup semi-finals in 2006, the quarter-finals at Euro 2008 and the semi-finals at Euro 2012 - and it looked like the curse would strike again when Ronaldo lay on the turf distraught after two attempts to play on through the pain.

                What a contrasting image it was in the closing seconds of extra time as he virtually took charge of team affairs and light-heartedly bumped into coach Santos, before breaking down in tears when British referee Mark Clattenburgsignalled full-time.

                Ronaldo, with his knee heavily strapped, then hobbled up the steps to lift the Euro 2016 trophy and fill a gap in his glittering list of honours.

                He was then centre stage in the subsequent celebrations, lying on the floor in front of his joyous team-mates.

                The 31-year-old's night started and ended in tears, but this was a journey from agony to ecstasy - and his status as a Portuguese national hero was cemented even further.

Front page

African Bar Council:

African Lawyers condemn dictatorship of African leaders

-Urge “Africa’s sit-tight presidents” to copy USA’s example

By Ajongakou Santos & Boris Esono

Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla, V.P.

for Central Africa, African Bar Council

Members of the African Bar Council believe Africa could be the best continent in the world should its “Sit-Tight Presidents” copy the good governance example of the United States of America.

                The Black Continent’s Law Barons are urging African leaders to clearly state in their constitutions the fixed terms of office for each leader. “Until this is done, the poor state of democracy and non-respect of laws will continue to be a major setback to the progress of our Continent,” the lawyers opined.

                According to them, presidential term limits will prevent “sit-tight” leaders from monopolizing the office of president.

Members of the African Bar Council echoed these remarks last Saturday, July 2, 2016 as they met in Buea for the 2nd extra-ordinary meeting of the council.

After the failed meeting in The Gambia, the second extra-ordinary meeting of the African Bar Council had as main agenda, to look at ways through which they can make the planned Ordinary Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe successful and hitch-free.

                To confirm this, the CEO of the Zimbabwe Bar Council said measures have been put in place to make sure that the conference is a success. He revealed that they have secured a venue, accommodation facilities, and the political support from the government of Zimbabwe.

Speaking to The Median on the importance of the meeting that brought together representatives from over 20 African countries, FAKLA president who doubles Vice-President of the Pan-African Bar Council for Central Africa, Barrister NKongho Felix AgborBalla, said the meeting was aimed to better plan for the 2016 Rebirth Conference billed for Zimbabwe.

                He regretted that some members from countries like Kenya, Uganda, Guinea and Equatorial Guinea could not make it for the meeting owing to VISA complications.

                Barrister Balla said the meeting discussed possibilities of harmonizing the travel system within the continent so as to ease the movement of people from one African country to the other.

Seven years and counting as PM:

Seven reasons why Philemon Yang might stay even longer

Appointed to the Star Building on 30 June 2009, Philemon Yang hit his 7th year as PM on Thursday, 30 June 2016. Indications are that he will stay much longer, why not!

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

Philemon Yang

Philemon Yunji Yang made seven years as Prime Minister on Thursday 30 June 2016. He became PM on 30 June 2009, after serving for five years as ASG of the presidency.

                Even before he was brought to the presidency, Philemon Yang was the Ambassador of Cameroon to Canada for over 19 years. He had also served as minister under Ahidjo and Biya.

                From the brief career profile presented above, there is no doubt that Philemon Yang is in many ways and by every means, a regime insider.

                For a regime that is understood not to be particularly enthusiastic about Anglophones, Yang had the rare opportunity to be among Biya’s privilege allies from the very beginning of his career. It should be recalled that as a young magistrate from Enam, Yang was appointed minister in 1975. It was that same year and in that same government that Biya was appointed as the Prime Minister by Ahidjo. So the two personalities know themselves only too well and have maintained their alliance until today.

                Though some skeptics doubted Philemon Yang’s leadership qualities and what he really stood for at the time he was appointed PM in 2009, today the towering but soft-spoken and affable son of Oku, in Bui division of the North West region, has made himself more understood.

                If Philemon Yang was considered a gamble at first, it was because of his discreteness. As ASG of the presidency, Yang hardly made a public pronouncement on any issue. You hardly heard him any where or even saw him in public. Among NW elite he was also hardly considered a leader, and he did not struggle to position himself as such.

What goes around comes around:

The fate that awaits Charles Ndongo as GM of CRTV

Charles Pythagoras Ndongo

There is no doubt that the new GM of the state-owned radio/television outfit, CRTV, is a cut-steeped-and-dried journalist. But no one can be sure that Charles Pythagoras Ndongo will be able to translate his wonderful talents as journalist into leadership and management ability as GM of CRTV. Besides, while serving under his predecessor, AmadouVamoulke, Charles Ndongo also fought battles against him. His adversaries are now also waiting for him, as he takes over the management of the house.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

Charles Pythagoras Ndongo, the emblematic and very talented, nay, charismatic public journalist, who was appointed as general manager of the Cameroon radio-television CRTV last week, might not have inherited a very confortable seat after all.

                As senior director under his predecessor, the now beleaguered AmadouVamoulke, Charles Ndongo seemed to have been playing two simultaneous and contradictory roles. Though holding the covetous position of director of information of CRTV at the time, Charles Ndongo was also known to have fought many battles against Vamoulke.

                Workers of CRTV still recall vividly that no sooner did Vamoulke really got seated in his office as GM than Charles Ndongo set in motion a spate of protests against his management. Charles Ndongo was said to have initiated the famous memorandum that some senior staffers of CRTV drafted and signed, calling for Vamoulke’s sacking.

Cameroon:

US gov’t compensates family of child killed by UN car

Samantha Power visited a camp after the crash for

those made homeless by Boko Haram

The US has compensated the family of a Cameroon boy who was struck and killed by a vehicle in UN Ambassador Samantha Power's motorcade.

                The ambassador's convoy was moving at high speed when the seven-year-old was fatally hit in April.

                The US provided the family with FCFA one million (£1,257).

                The boy's family also received two cows, flour, onions, rice, salt, sugar, soap and oil, according to the Associated Press news agency.

                The US said it would also build a well to provide fresh drinking water for the boy's community, located near the northern city of Mokolo, according to state department officials.