On the morning of October 2, 2007, Victor Nsofor Obinna completed his practice session with his colleagues from Chievo.
The 20-year-old showered, dressed and got into the driving seat of his Audi. His destination was his home - towards the centre of nearby Verona in north east Italy - where he had moved to two years earlier to develop his career.
About halfway through his journey, near Bussolengo, is a part of the road notorious for accidents.
Chievo knew that only too well. There, a collision in 2002 cost the life of Jason Mayele, a young Congolese player of the Italian club. And now, about 100 metres from where Mayele had died, it almost happened again.
A Mini driving in the opposite direction from Obinna's Audi recklessly overtook another car. Obinna swerved to avoid a head-on collision.
Seconds later he came round. His vehicle was upside down, in a ditch by the road. The Mini was nowhere to be seen, fled.
Moments later, Aleandro Rosi, a colleague making a similar journey home, pulled over, fearing the worst. The club doctor soon arrived at the scene, to describe the appearance of a groggy but conscious Obinna as "a miracle".
He had suffered some bruising, but the winger-cum-striker would be back on the training field within a few days, and then help his team to promotion, a few months later, back to Serie A. Obinna recalls that day with relief and gratitude, as the watermark in a life that has known several various crossroads.
He was born in northern Nigeria, in the city of Jos, where a relatively high altitude may have been helpful to the stamina of an enthusiastic young athlete.
Obinna knew he was fast from a young age; his speed remains his most eye-catching asset. His first club was Plateau United, the local Jos heavyweights. He then moved south to Kwara United and from there to Enyimba, the then African club champions.
He had become a Nigerian international at 18 and caught the attention of scouts from European clubs even before then.
Inter Milan signed him, and, because their squad already had a full quota of non-EU players, loaned him to Chievo. There, he scored on his Serie A debut, and, by the following summer, the Verona club were asking Inter about extending Obinna's stay. They did, and though the next campaign ended in relegation, he remained for a third season.
In the summer of 2008, Jose Mourinho arrived as head coach of Inter. It appeared Obinna was on the threshold of a step up in his club career, but Mourinho had also signed two new wingers, Mancini and Ricardo Quaresma, and at centre-forward were Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Adriano and Mario Balotelli. Opportunities would be limited. Obinna had his moments, but chiefly he would be used as an impact substitute.
So the following August, he was off again on loan, this time to Spain's Primera Liga. At Malaga, he was to command a regular starting place and was installed in the starting XI for Nigeria when the World Cup began in June.
For 2010/11 Obinna played, and indeed shone, in pre-season matches with Inter, but by the end of August, he would be off to the Premier League, thus completing an unusual set for a 23-year-old: experience in each of the three leading leagues of Europe - Italy, Spain and England.
At West Ham United, his partnership with Freddie Piquionne, the French striker, has encouraged supporters to believe a gloomy start to the campaign may yet have a happy ending.
There remains evidence that Obinna lacks some cool and some steeliness as a finisher, but his speed and willingness to take on opponents may have found their most appropriate stage.
sports@thenational.ae
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
How to help
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Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now