All the winners of the Ballon d'Or since 1956

The Ballon d'Or is the most important individual award in football. This video looks back at the winners of the Ballon d'Or from its inception in 1956 to the present day.

1956: Stanley Matthews,

1957: Alfredo Di Stéfano,

1958: Raymond Kopa,

1959: Alfredo Di Stéfano,

1960: Luis Suárez,

1961: Omar Sívori,

1962: Josef Masopust,

1963: Lev Yashin,

1964: Denis Law,

1965: Eusébio,

1966: Bobby Charlton,

1967: Flórian Albert,

1968: George Best,

1969: Gianni Rivera,

1970: Gerd Müller, 1971:

Johan Cruyff,

1972: Franz Beckenbauer,

1973: Johan Cruyff,

1974: Johan Cruyff,

1975: Oleg Blokhine,

1976: Franz Beckenbauer,

1977: Allan Simonsen,

1978: Kevin Keegan,

1979: Kevin Keegan,

1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,

1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,

1982: Paolo Rossi,

1983: Michel Platini,

1984: Michel Platini,

1985: Michel Platini,

1986: Igor Belanov,

1987: Ruud Gullit,

1988: Marco van Basten,

1989: Marco van Basten,

1990: Lotthar Matthäus,

1991: Jean-Pierre Papin,

1992: Marco van Basten,

1993: Roberto Baggio,

1994: Hristo Stoichkov,

1995: George Weah,

1996: Matthias Sammer,

1997: Ronaldo,

1998: Zinedine Zidane,

1999: Rivaldo,

2000: Luis Figo,

2001: Michael Owen,

2002: Ronaldo,

2003: Pavel Nedvěd,

2004: Andriy Shevchenko,

2005: Ronaldinho,

2006: Fabio Cannavaro,

2007: Kaká,

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo,

2009: Lionel Messi,

2010: Lionel Messi,

2011: Lionel Messi,

2012: Lionel Messi,

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo,

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo,

2015: Lionel Messi,

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo,

2017: Cristiano Ronaldo,

2018: Luka Modrić,

2019: Lionel Messi,

2021: Lionel Messi,

2022: Karim Benzema,

2023: Lionel Messi,

2024: Rodri.

 

The Driving Factors of the Soaring Lagos Island Property Market

The Lagos Island property market is currently experiencing significant activity, driven by a combination of factors including rapid urbanization, a growing population, and a strong demand for both luxury and rental properties. 

Here's a summary of the latest news and trends:

 1. Soaring Property Prices and Strong Demand:

Continued Appreciation: Lagos property prices surged by an impressive 39.5% in 2024 and are expected to rise another 5-15% in 2025. This is driven by high inflation, increased construction costs, and persistent housing shortages.

Luxury Market Boom: The luxury housing market in Lagos is valued at an estimated N3.2 trillion ($7.5 billion) and is expanding at a yearly rate of 6-8%, with property prices escalating by 25% in 2023 alone. Areas like Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Banana Island, and Eko Atlantic continue to be prime locations for high-end properties, attracting both local and diaspora investors. 

Land Value Skyrocketing: A plot of land in Eko Atlantic, valued at N180m in the early 2000s, now commands over N2bn, highlighting the rapid appreciation of prime coastal real estate.

High Rental Demand and Yields: Over 70% of Lagos residents live in rental spaces, and the allure of Lagos's rental market is enhanced by attractive yields, typically ranging from 4.5% to 6% annually. Short-let and serviced apartments are particularly popular, offering even higher returns for property owners due to booming tourism and business travel.

2. Focus on Luxury Developments:

Abundance of High-End Projects: Over 600 premium apartments, each valued at $1 million or more, are currently under construction across prime locations such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Banana Island. Many new off-plan projects are being announced monthly, with completion dates around 2026-2027 and asking prices reaching as high as $6 million for the most opulent units.

Investor-Driven Market: More than 40% of residential properties in Lagos are currently owned by investors rather than occupants, indicating a strong trend in real estate speculation.

High Occupancy Rates in Prime Areas: Despite concerns about vacant properties, well-built luxury apartments in prime areas like Old Ikoyi and Victoria Island are seeing robust demand, with empty units typically not staying on the market for more than 4-6 weeks.

Modern Amenities: Luxury properties increasingly incorporate state-of-the-art home automation, smart home technology, private gyms, and swimming pools.

3. Challenges and Opportunities:

Housing Deficit: Lagos is facing a deepening housing crisis, with the deficit soaring to 3.4 million units from 2.95 million over the past decade. The low-income housing segment remains underfunded and underserved.

Affordability Concerns: A significant portion of Lagosians earn below N100,000 monthly, making it difficult for them to access formal housing, especially as less than 5% of new units are priced below N15 million.

Infrastructure Gaps: Inadequate road access and poor drainage continue to be significant barriers to expanding housing developments into less saturated peri-urban areas. However, infrastructure development projects like the expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge are poised to significantly enhance the city's connectivity and accessibility, driving up property values in affected areas. 

Government Initiatives: The Lagos State government is working to accelerate the implementation of its electronic Geographic Information System (e-GIS) to digitize land-related approvals and records. There's also a call for targeted incentives, including land reforms, tax breaks, and mortgage support for developers building affordable homes.

Emerging Areas: While prime areas remain strong, emerging areas like Ibeju-Lekki and Epe are seeing the fastest growth in land appreciation due to major infrastructure projects.

In summary, the Lagos Island property market is characterized by a thriving luxury segment, strong investor interest, and rapidly appreciating property values, particularly in prime coastal areas. However, the wider Lagos housing market continues to grapple with a significant affordability crisis and infrastructure challenges, leading to a strong demand for both luxury and more affordable rental options.

 

 

Why You Must Invest in Your Future and How to

The Bible says, “Let us work while it is day for the night comes when no man can work.”

Why did the Bible advise thus

1. Because nighttime is full of darkness.

2. In a natural context, nighttime is a time of weakness when our strength has failed us.

3. Nighttime is always characterised by FEAR and torment.

 Now a vital question.

How do you intend to go through the nighttime without having darkness overwhelming you, maintaining your strength of the day all through and living above fear and torment?

1. You need to live right ... eating the right meals and drink what is normal. Health is wealth. If health fails – a great thing is gone.

2. You need to maintain a positive mindset - cheerfulness, happiness and lifestyle of joy.

3. Socialise ... relate with people of like minds. The Bible says, he that needs wisdom must associate with the wise because a company of fools shall perish. It has also been established that nobody survives in isolation because a single tree cannot form the forest. No man is an island. Yoruba people say, a broom stick can easily be broken but who can break a bunch. Socialise with people, even if you are a professional because a secluded professional in private practice who refused to socialise can never become successful. You need people, most especially, old friends who knew you when you were nobody but the ones who will help build you up.

4. Invest in the daytime to overcome the fear and torment of the night. Why? Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring.

Investment for old age's sake

Long life is a good thing when you have the resources to live through it.  The journey is easy when you aren’t depending on anybody for help. To live well in old age, you need to identify the differences between working for money and letting your money work for you.

Most of us are good at working for money but we don’t allow our monies to work for us. It is normal to work for money. It is expected of every vibrant human being to do that, but it is good for us to know when to press the brake pedal.  Nobody should perpetually work for money ...  everybody needs to know when to invest the money earned into a regular returning cash cows or crops.

Letting your money work for you is like planting an arable crop, it doesn’t germinate easily but once it begins to produce fruits ... it keeps terminating without the farmer's continual efforts.

If you plant a mango tree for example, it will produce mangoes forever in its season.

How do we identify a continuous yielding investment?

A)  Find your area of interest. What works for one person might not work for others, but every investment obeys the same principle. It’s like law of gravity, when you jump up, you will come down to the original position – you cannot float.

B)  Consider the useful life or future of the business you want to invest in. With the advent of technology, most businesses are becoming irrelevant. Before you delve into any business, think about your age and confirm if that business will still be there to support you through the nighttime.

C) Seek financial counsel from investment bankers or analyst. They can help you find a business with future but avoid smooth talk and get rich syndrome.

D) Consider the legality and legal implications of the investment or everything might go under.

E) Properties are sure investments. Real estate is good if you can go through the stress of collecting rents BUT if not, buy landed properties in areas with potential for future developments. The only asset that doesn’t depreciate is landed properties. It keeps appreciating.

F) Buy bonds, securities and shares – but not without the knowledge of a good and genuine adviser.

G) Agricultural business is also good, but you need a professional to guide you through this – maybe you can Google ‘Farm investments.’

H) You can form or join cooperative societies.

I) Join or form investment clubs with your associates.

J) Invest in people – especially your children but you must learn to prioritise your personal development before pouring yourself into others. As a pastor and life coach, I invest in people and as a financial adviser and investor, I have bosses who invested in me, taught me and still mentors me. They are the ladders to the top of my career.

K) Avoid the notion that the people you invested in will always be there for you – even our shadows hide in darkness.

L) Learn the principles of time and season of life. Like I said before, there were things that worked before but not now.  Likewise, so many things working now will not work in future.

M) Identify the systematic operation of chance and time, which is opportunities. Always seize the moment. Don’t wait till you have it all mapped up or get it all before moving ahead. Do it now and immediately.  Carted potatoes will fall in place as we journey ahead. Don’t fear failure; it is only a discovery of how not to do it.

N) Find out the BEST in yourself now and also look out for the BEST in other people.

O) Don’t give-up on yourself. Nobody is a failure until he admits he is. Most people who become professors in our universities today do not make all their O'level papers at once. They are at the top of their career because they do not give up the chase.

P) Learn … unlearn … keep learning ... attend seminars and workshops; education is not limited to classrooms. There are many online free courses to tailor your mind and sharpen your skills. Check MOOCS on Google.

• When is the best time to start investing in your future? 25 years ago.
• Is it not too late for me to start? No!
• What do I do to recover what I have lost in the past 25 years? Start immediately.
• What do I engage myself in?  Don’t limit yourself to working hard, work smart also. Hard work takes so much strength while smart work requires intelligence and professionalism.
• Any other thing I should do? Pray ... you cannot succeed without God.

 

See you at the top; the ground is too crowded. 

List of Distressed Banks in Nigeria (from 1994 to 2025)

Identifying a definitive "list of distressed banks" in Nigeria at any given time can be challenging because "distressed" can mean different things (e.g., facing liquidity issues, having a low capital adequacy ratio, or being on the verge of license revocation). However, the most concrete indicators of a bank being "distressed" or having failed are:

Revocation of License by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN): This is the ultimate sign of failure for a financial institution.

Liquidation by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC): Once a license is revoked, the NDIC steps in as liquidator.

Intervention/Bridge Bank Operations: The CBN sometimes intervenes to prevent outright collapse, for example, by creating a "bridge bank" to take over the assets and liabilities of a failing bank.

Below is the list of deposit money banks which were closed, following the revocation of their operating licences by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), between 1994 and 2018, as obtained from the NDIC website.

1. Financial Merchant Bank            21 January 1994

2. Kapital Merchant Bank              21 January 1994

3. United Commercial Bank             8 September 1994

4. Alpha Merchant Bank                   8 September 1994

5. Republic Bank                              29 June 1995

6. Abacus Merchant Bank              16 January 1998

7. ABC Merchant Bank                    16 January 1998

8. Allied Bank of Nigeria                 16 January 1998

9. Amicable Bank of Nig.                 16 January 1998

10. Century Merchant Bank            16 January 1998

11. Commerce Bank                          16 January 1998

12. Commercial Trust Bank             16 January 1998

13. Continental Merchant Bank      16 January 1998

14. Coop & Commerce Bank             16 January 1998

15. Credite Bank Nigeria                    16 January 1998

16. Crown Merchant Bank                 16 January 1998

17. Great Merchant Bank                    16 January 1998

18. Group Merchant Bank                  16 January 1998

19. Highland Bank of Nig.                  16 January 1998

20. Icon Merchant Bankers                16 January 1998

21. Lobi Bank of Nigeria                      16 January 1998

22. Mercantile Bank of Nig.                16 January 1998

23. Merchant Bank of Africa                16 January 1998

24. Nigeria Merchant Bank                  16 January 1998

25. North South Bank                           16 January 1998

26. Pan African Bank                            16 January 1998

27. Pinnacle Commercial Bank           16 January 1998

28. Prime Merchant Bank                    16 January 1998

29. Progress Bank of Nig.                     16 January 1998

30. Royal Merchant Bank                     16 January 1998

31. Victory Merchant Bank                   16 January 1998

32. Rims Merchant Bank                      20 December 2000

33. Ivory Merchant Bank                      20 December 2000

34. Premier Commercial Bank             20 December 2000

35. Peak Merchant Bank                        28 February 2003 (Under Litigation)

36. African Express Bank                      16 January 2006

37. Allstates Trust Bank                         16 January 2006

38. Assurance Bank                                 16 January 2006

39. City Express Bank                             16 January 2006

40. Eagle Bank Limited                          16 January 2006

41. Fortune International Bank             16 January 2006

42. Gulf Bank                                            16 January 2006

43. Hallmark Bank                                  16 January 2006

44. Lead Bank                                          16 January 2006

45. Liberty Bank                                      16 January 2006

46. Metropolitan Bank                          16 January 2006

47. Trade Bank                                        16 January 2006

48. Triumph Bank                                  16 January 2006 (Under Litigation)

49. Bank PHB                                            5 August 2011

50. Spring Bank                                        5 August 2011

51. Afri Bank                                              5 August 2011

52. African International Bank              1 August 2013

53. Skye Bank                                          21 September 2018

 

Others

Heritage Bank Plc (2024):

Status: License revoked by the CBN on June 3, 2024.

Action: The NDIC immediately commenced the liquidation of Heritage Bank Plc. This is a very recent and significant case in the Nigerian banking sector. The NDIC is currently selling off its properties and chattels.

 

Keystone Bank Limited (2025):

Status: While not "liquidated," Keystone Bank experienced significant corporate governance issues.

Action: In February 2025, a Lagos State Special Offences Court ordered the forfeiture of the shares of the bank previously held by the former shareholders (Sigma Golf Nigeria Limited and Alhaji Umaru H. Modibbo) in favor of the Federal Government of Nigeria. This followed the CBN's dissolution of its previous Board and Management in January 2024 due to corporate governance breaches. This means the bank is now fully owned by the Federal Government, indicating a form of distressed resolution.

 

Unity Bank Plc (2024/2025):

Status: While Unity Bank's license has not been revoked, there have been reports and discussions in the media (as of early 2025) about its vulnerabilities and potential mergers. Premium Times reported in early 2025 that the merger between Providus Bank and Unity Bank illustrated a proactive effort to reposition the sector, suggesting Unity Bank was considered vulnerable.