Shola forest interspersed in valleys among high altitude grasslands on the Brahmagiri Hills

Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating montane grassland. The shola and grassland together form the shola-grassland complex or shola-grassland mosaic. The word 'shola' is probably derived from the Tamil language word cÕlai (சோலை) meaning grove.,^[1] or possibly from the Sanskrit 'gulma' for a thicket of trees, which occurs in prakrit as 'golla'.^[2] The shola-forest and grassland complex has been described as a climatic climax vegetation with forest regeneration and expansion restricted by climatic conditions such as frost or soil characteristics while others have suggested that it may have anthropogenic origins in the burning and removal of forests by early herders and shifting agriculturists.^[3]

Distribution and origin[link]

Shola forests are found in the higher altitude hill regions of the Nilgiris, Kanyakumari district, the Western Ghats and associated ranges in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Although generally said to occur above 2000 meters above sea level, shola forests can be found at 1600 meters elevation in many hill ranges (e.g. Biligiriranga Hills).

The origin of the shola forest and grassland complex has been the subject of scientific debate. Some early researchers suggested that the floristic composition represents a stable final state or climax vegetation. This stability being maintained by climatic conditions such as frost which allow the grass to grow but kill off any forest seedlings.^[4] Others have suggested that the grassland may have been created and maintained by early pastoralists and point out that fire has a major role in the maintenance of the grassland.^[5] There is evidence for both and several features of the forest trees and the grasslands have been considered and debated. Pollen analysis from bogs in the Nilgiris suggest that the complex of grassland and forest existed 35,000 years ago, long before human impact began.^[6] Long term studies on the dynamic processes of vegetation change continue.^[7][8][9]

Fauna[link]

Due to their isolation, altitude and evergreen character, shola forests are home to many threatened and endemic species.^{[citation needed]} Some of the species found here have close relatives only in the distant evergreen forests of Northeast India and Southeast Asia. Some others are found nowhere else in the world.

Exacum bicolor, a shola grassland plant

The Western Ghats are one of the globally recognized biodiversity hotspots. Among the many larger animals inhabiting a shola-grassland mosaic are tigers and leopards, elephants and gaur. The endangered Nilgiri Tahr (an Asian goat-antelope) is endemic to the shola-grassland, and its range is now restricted to a 400-km stretch of shola-grassland mosaic, from the Nilgiri Hills to the Agasthyamalai Hills.^[10] Laughingthrushes, Nilgiri Woodpigeons, Shortwings, and some of the endemic flycatchers (Black-and-Orange and Nilgiri Verditer) are some of the 300+ species of birds that inhabit this area. The area shows high endemicity and is rivalled only by the forests in northeast India; 35 percent of the plants, 42 percent of the fishes, 48 percent of the reptiles, and 75 percent of the amphibians that live in these rain forests are endemic species.^{[11][citation needed]}

Flora[link]

At least 25 types of trees are present in the major sholas of the Nilgiri Hills.^[12] The dominant trees in this type of forest are Michelia niligarica, Bischofia javanica (Bishop wood), Calophyllum tomentosa, Cedrela toona (Indian Mahogany), Eugenia (myrtle) spp., Ficus glomerata (Atti or Cluster Fig Tree or Gular Fig tree) and Mallotus spp.Shola forests have an upper storey of small trees, generally Pygeum gardneri, Schefflera racemosa, Linociera ramiflora, Syzygium spp., Rhododendron nilgiricum, Mahonia nepalensis, Elaeocarpus recurvatus, Ilex denticulata, Michelia nilagirica, Actinodaphne bourdellonii, and Litsea wightiana. Below the upper story is a low understory and a dense shrub layer. There is a thick concentration of mosses growing on the ubderstory and many ferns in the sunlit narrow transition to grassland.

Shola forests are interspersed with montane grasslands, characterized by frost- and fire-resistant grass species like Chrysopogon zeylanicus, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Arundinella ciliata, Arundinella mesophylla, Arundinella tuberculata, Themeda tremula, and Sehima nervosum.

Threats[link]

Invasive Introduced species are a serious threat to this high altitude ecosystem. Some, like Acacia mearnsii and Eucalyptus globulus are the consequence of commercial plantation and afforestation drives. Other threatening invasives include Lantana camara and Ageratina adenophora.^[13]

Conservation[link]

Periodic fires have been considered to help maintain the grassland, however excessive burning has led to a shrinkage of forest patches and the growth of invasive species.^[14]

The shola biome have a high water retention capacity and exists as the precious source of the water for the high altitude organisms are the origin of many streams and rivers in the Western Ghats.^[12]

Gallery[link]

Shola-Grasslands complex in the Kudremukh National Park

Shola, Grass and Mountain en route to Grass Hills, Indira Gandhi National Park

References[link]

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There are many people in history who are commonly appended with the phrase "the Great", or who were called that or an equivalent phrase in their own language. Other languages have their own suffixes such as e Bozorg and e azam in Persian and Urdu respectively.

In Persia, the title "the Great" at first seems to be a colloquial version of the Old Persian title "Great King". This title was first used by the conqueror Cyrus II of Persia.^[1]

The Persian title was inherited by Alexander III of Macedon (336–323 BC) when he conquered the Persian Empire, and the epithet "Great" eventually became personally associated with him. The first reference (in a comedy by Plautus)^[2] assumes that everyone knew who "Alexander the Great" was; however, there is no earlier evidence that Alexander III of Macedon was called "the Great".

The early Seleucid kings, who succeeded Alexander in Persia, used "Great King" in local documents, but the title was most notably used for Antiochus the Great (223–187 BC).

Later rulers and commanders began to use the epithet "the Great" as a personal name, like the Roman general Pompey. Others received the surname retrospectively, like the Carthaginian Hanno and the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great. Once the surname gained currency, it was also used as an honorific surname for people without political careers, like the philosopher Albert the Great.

As there are no objective criteria for "greatness", the persistence of later generations in using the designation greatly varies. For example, Louis XIV of France was often referred to as "The Great" in his lifetime but is rarely called such nowadays, while Frederick II of Prussia is still called "The Great". A later Hohenzollern - Wilhelm I - was often called "The Great" in the time of his grandson Wilhelm II, but rarely later.

Rulers[link]

• Abbas I of Persia (1571–1629), Shah of Iran
• Akbar (1542–1605), ruler of the Mughal Empire of South Asia, mainly India
• Alain I of Albret (1440–1522), French aristocrat
• Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), King of Macedonia, Persia, Greece, Egypt, and all of Mesopotamia
• Alexander I of Georgia (1386–1446), King of Georgia
• Alfonso III of León (c. 848-910), King of León, Galicia and Asturias
• Alfred the Great (848/849-899), King of Wessex
• Antiochus III the Great (c. 241–187 BC), ruler of the Seleucid Empire
• Ashoka the Great (c. 304–232 BC), Indian emperor of the Maurya dynasty
• Ashot I of Iberia “the Great”(died 826/830), presiding prince of Iberia (modern Georgia),
• Askia Mohammad I (c. 1442–1538), ruler of the Songhai Empire
• Bhumibol Adulyadej (born 1927), King of Thailand
• Bolesław I Chrobry (967-1025), sometimes called "the Great", first King of Poland
• Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne and Duke of Lotharingia (also listed in the following section)
• Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (1736–1809), founder and ruler of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (in what is now Thailand)
• Cnut the Great (c. 985 or 995-1035), King of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden
• Casimir III the Great (1310–1370), King of Poland
• Catherine the Great (1729–1796), Empress of Russia
• Chandragupta II (reigned 375-413/415), also known as Vikramaditya, ruler of the Gupta empire in India
• Charlemagne (died 814), King of the Franks and Emperor of the Romans
• Chulalongkorn (1853–1910), King of Siam (now Thailand)
• Chlothar II (584-629), King of Neustria and King of the Franks
• Conrad, Margrave of Meissen (c. 1097-1157), Margrave of Meissen
• Constantine I (c. 272-337), Roman emperor
• Cyaxares the Great (c. 625-585 BC), third king of Media
• Cyrus the Great (c. 600 BC or 576 BC–530 BC), founder and ruler of the Persian or Achaemenid Empire
• Darius the Great (550 – 486 BC), third ruler of the Persian Empire
• Devapala (died 850), ruler of the Pala Empire in the Indian subcontinent
• Dionysius I, Greek tyrant of Syracuse^[3]
• Ferdinand I of León and Castile (c. 1015–1065), King of León and Count of Castile
• Frederick the Great (1712–1786), King of Prussia
• Genghis Khan (1162?-1227), founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire
• Gero (c. 900–965), ruler of Marca Geronis, a very large march in Europe
• Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden (1594–1632), King of Sweden, founder of the Swedish Empire, and noted military leader
• Gwanggaeto the Great, King of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea^[4][5]
• Hanno the Great, the name of three leaders of Carthage, in the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd centuries BC
• Henry I, Duke of Burgundy (946–1002)
• Henry IV of France (1553–1610), King of France and King of Navarre
• Herod the Great (73/74 BC-4 BC), King of Judea
• Hugh the Great (898-956), Duke of the Franks and Count of Paris
• Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France
• Hugh I, Count of Vermandois (1057–1101)
• Humphrey I de Bohun (died c. 1123), Anglo-Norman aristocrat
• Ivan III of Russia (1440–1505), Tsar of Russia
• John I of Portugal (1358–1433), King of Portugal and the Algarve
• John II of Aragon (1398–1479), King of Aragon and, through his wife, King of Navarre
• Justinian I (483-565), Byzantine Emperor
• Kamehameha I (c. 1758-1819), first King of Hawai'i
• Kanishka (died c. 127), ruler of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia and parts of India
• Kvirike III of Kakheti (1010–1029), King of Kakheti in eastern Georgia
• Kublai Khan (1215–1294), Mongol ruler in the 13th century and Emperor of China; founder of the Yuan Dynasty
• Llywelyn the Great (c. 1172–1240), Prince of Gwynedd and de facto ruler of most of Wales
• Louis I of Hungary (1326–1382), King of Hungary, Croatia and Poland
• Mangrai the Great (1238–1317), Lanna, northern Thailand
• Emperor Meiji (1852–1912), Emperor of Japan
• Mircea I of Wallachia (1355–1418)
• Mithridates II of Parthia (died 88 BC), ruler of the Parthian Empire (in present day Iran)
• Mithridates VI of Pontus (134 BC–63 BC), ruler of Pontus and the Bosporan Kingdom
• Mstislav I of Kiev (1076–1132), Grand Prince of Kievan Rus
• Naresuan (1555–1605), King of Ayutthaya
• Narai (1633–1688), King of Ayutthaya (in what is now modern Thailand)
• Odo the Great (died c. 735), Duke of Aquitaine
• Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (912-973)
• K'inich Janaab' Pakal (603-683), ruler of the Mayan city-state of Palenque
• Parakramabahu I of Polonnaruwa (1123–1186), King of Sri Lanka
• Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia (died 1075), King of Croatia
• Peter the Great (1672–1725), Tsar of Russia
• Peter III of Aragon (1239–1285), King of Aragon and King of Sicily
• Pompey (106 BC-48 BC), military and political leader of the late Roman Republic, rival of Julius Caesar
• Radama I (1793–1828), first king of greater Madagascar
• Raja Raja Chola I (c. 947-1014), Indian emperor of the Cholas.^[6][7][8]
• Rajendra Chola I (reigned 1014–1044), Tamil King of India
• Ramesses II (reigned 1279 BC – 1213 BC), considered the greatest pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
• Ram Khamhaeng (around 1237 to 1247-1298), King of Sukhothai (in present day Thailand)
• Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona (1082–1131), also Count of Provence and various other counties
• Rhodri the Great (c. 820–878), King of Gwynedd (in present day Wales)
• Roman the Great (after 1160-1205), Grand Prince of Kiev
• Saladin (c. 1138-1193), Kurdish Sultan of Egypt and Syria, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, and victor over the Crusaders
• Samudragupta (c. 335–375), ruler of the Gupta empire in the Indian subcontinent
• Sancho III of Navarre (c. 992-1035), King of Kingdom of Navarre
• Sargon of Akkad (died c. 2215 BC), ruler of the Akkadian Empire
• Sejong the Great (1397–1450), Korean king^[9]
• Shapur II (309-379), king of the Sassanid Empire, Persia
• Simeon I of Bulgaria (864/865-927), ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire
• Stephen III of Moldavia (1433–1504), Prince of Moldavia (Romania)
• Stephen Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia (c. 1308-1355), King of Serbia and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks
• Taksin (1734–1782), King of the Thonburi Kingdom (Thailand)
• Tamar (1160-1123), Queen of the Georgian Empire
• Timur (1336–1405), better known as Tamerlane, founder of the Timurid Dynasty
• Theobald II, Count of Champagne (1090–1151), Count of Blois and of Chartres as Theobald IV, Count of Champagne and of Brie
• Theodoric the Great (454-526), King of the Ostrogoths, regent of the Visigoths and a viceroy of the Byzantine Empire
• Theodosius I (347-395), Roman emperor
• Tigranes the Great (140-55 BC), Emperor of Armenia
• Tiridates III of Armenia (285-339), King of Armenia
• Umar (c. 586 to 590–644), second caliph of the Muslim Empire
• Valdemar I of Denmark (1131–1182), King of Denmark
• Valentinian I (364-375), Roman Emperor
• Vladimir I of Kiev (c. 958-1015), ruler of Kievan Rus
• Vytautas (c. 1350-1430), archduke of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy
• William I, Count of Burgundy (1020–1087), Count of Burgandy and Mâcon
• William V, Duke of Aquitaine (969-1030), also Count of Poitou
• Xerxes I (519-465 BC), King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire (Persia)
• Yu the Great (c. 2200-2100 BC), legendary ruler in ancient China

Religious figures[link]

• Abraham the Great of Kashkar (ca. 492-586), monk and saint of the Assyrian Church of the East
• Abraham Kidunaia (died c. 366, hermit, priest, and Christian saint of Mesopotamia
• Albertus Magnus (1193/1206–1280), medieval German philosopher and theologian
• Anthony the Great (c. 251–356), early Christian saint of Egypt
• Babai the Great (c. 551–628), Assyrian church leader
• Basil of Caesarea (330-379), Greek bishop and theologian
• Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne and Duke of Lotharingia (also listed in the previous section)
• Euthymius the Great (377-473), abbot and Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint
• Gertrude the Great (1256-c. 1302), German Benedictine, mystic, theologian and Roman Catholic saint
• Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604)
• Hiyya the Great, 3rd-century rabbi, Palestine
• Pope John Paul II (1920–2005)
• Pope Leo I (c. 391 or 400-461)
• Macarius of Egypt (c. 300-391), Egyptian hermit
• Pope Nicholas I (c. 800-867)
• Photius I of Constantinople (c. 810–c. 893), Eastern Orthodox saint and Patriarch of Constantinople
• William of Maleval (died 1157), founder of the Catholic congregation of Williamites

Other[link]

• Beli Mawr, a figure in medieval Welsh literature and genealogies
• Emmy the Great, folk singer
• Matteo Rosso the Great, Roman politician and father of Pope Nicholas III
• Prokop the Great, Hussite general in Bohemia

See also[link]

• Epithet
• List of monarchs by nickname
• List of nicknames of European Royalty and Nobility: G-I
• James, son of Zebedee, also known as James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus
• Ajax (mythology), called Ajax the Greater
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, whose common honorific "Mahatma" means "Great Soul"

Notes[link]

Shola Ameobi

Personal information
Full name	Foluwashola Ameobi
Date of birth	(1981-10-12) 12 October 1981 (age 30)[1]
Place of birth	Zaria, Nigeria
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)[2]
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Newcastle United
Number	23
Youth career
1995–2000	Newcastle United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–	Newcastle United	263	(50)
2008	→ Stoke City (loan)	6	(0)
National team‡
2000–2003	England U21	20	(7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 April 2010

Foluwashola "Shola" Ameobi (born 12 October 1981^[1]) is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United as a forward. Born in Nigeria but raised in England, Ameobi has been capped by the English under-21 team. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy.^[3] Ameobi has made more appearances for Newcastle than any other current player at the club, and received a winner's medal in 2010 when the team lifted the Championship trophy.

Early life[link]

Born in Zaria, Nigeria, Ameobi moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, England when he was five. His initial promise was spotted whilst attending the Walker Central Boys Club, before he was invited to attend Newcastle United's Academy.^[1]

Club career[link]

Ameobi signed a pre-contract with Newcastle on 1 July 1997.^[1] He progressed through the youth setup, making his debut in the reserves in 1998 on the 11th of October against Sunderland. He made his first team debut two years later, 9 September 2000, in a home game against Chelsea.^[1] He went on to make 22 appearances for Newcastle that season,^[1] in lieu of the injured Alan Shearer and Carl Cort.^[1]

The 2002–03 Champions League saw some of Ameobi's finest performances including an equalising goal against FC Barcelona in a 3–1 defeat at the Nou Camp^[4] as well as scoring two goals against Bayer Leverkusen in a 3–1 victory.^[5]

His erratic form has earned him some criticism in the past,^{[citation needed]} and although never having been claimed as a prolific goalscorer, many of his games were as a substitute.^{[citation needed]} Due to injuries in the latter stages of the 2005–06 season, Ameobi gained a regular starting place, and scored six goals in Newcastle's last 12 Premier League games.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup, Ameobi scored twice in Newcastle's away tie at Lillestrøm SK (3–0),^[6] taking him to second place in the club's table of leading goalscorers in European competition with twelve goals, behind only Shearer.^[7]

During the 2006–07 season, Ameobi needed a hip operation, a problem which had been plaguing him for two seasons. Newcastle's shortage of match-fit first team strikers during the previous season had forced him to be postpone this surgery.^[8] The problem eventually forced Glenn Roeder to send Ameobi for surgery two months before the transfer window, making the 0–0 draw away game to Manchester City his last game and ruling him out for the rest of the season.^{[citation needed]} He had made 13 appearances (three as a substitute) and scored five goals.^{[citation needed]}

Ameobi and the Newcastle medical team reported his hip operation in the United States was a success and that the club doctors and medical staff would work on his rehabilitation.^{[citation needed]} It was originally thought that he would not be fit to play until the start of the 2007–08 season, but his rehabilitation progressed quickly and he returned with three games remaining in the season, clocking approximately 30 minutes of match action against Reading^[9] and making a further two appearances.

However, after failing to impress Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce,^[10] or Kevin Keegan^[11] on 27 March 2008, Ameobi agreed a loan deal with Stoke City until the end of the season, to help their promotion campaign. It is understood that a loan fee of around £500K was agreed and that a possible permanent transfer was also discussed subject to Stoke winning promotion.^[12] Ameobi made his debut for Stoke against Sheffield Wednesday on 29 March, the game ended 1–1. After playing for six games and not managing to score, Ameobi returned to Newcastle, and Stoke decided not to sign him permanently.^[13]

On 14 August, Ipswich Town manager Jim Magilton confirmed that the club were in talks with Ameobi and that the club were keen to get the deal finalised as long as Ameobi was willing to play in the Championship. However, on 17 August, Ameobi failed a medical, showing hamstring problems, and the deal collapsed.^[14]

Ameobi warming up on the sidelines against Ipswich Town in 2010.

Due to long term injuries to Mark Viduka and Alan Smith,^{[citation needed]} as well as shorter term injuries to Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins,^{[citation needed]} Ameobi was able to start the 2008–09 season in the first team squad. He managed to score his first goal in two years for Newcastle in a 2–2 home draw with Manchester City on 20 October.^[15] After the match, interim manager Joe Kinnear praised Ameobi and backed him to kick-start his career.^[16] He followed this up with a goal in his next game away to Sunderland in a 2–1 defeat on 25 October.^[17] He signed a new deal with the club in January 2009 to keep him contracted until 2012.^[18]

He scored a penalty to mark his 50th goal for Newcastle on 1 February 2009 against local rivals Sunderland to make the final score 1–1. He scored his first ever career hat-trick in Newcastle's first home match in the Championship against Reading on 15 August. The first two goals were diving headers, and he completed his hat-trick with a penalty, which he placed in the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.^[19] He scored in the next game in a 1–0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday^[20] taking his tally to four goals in three games, equalling his total for the previous season.^{[citation needed]} Following these early season performances he was named the Championship player of the month for August.^[21]

Ameobi playing against Chelsea in 2011.

He got injured in Newcastle's 4–3 win over Huddersfield Town in the League Cup.^{[citation needed]} The injury kept him out for three months but on his return he scored against Coventry with a left footed strike from the edge of the box.^[22] He followed this up by scoring the second in Newcastle's 2–0 home win over Middlesbrough^[23] and their 2–2 away draw with Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day^[24] taking his tally to an impressive 8 goals from 9 starts.^{[citation needed]} Ameobi was subsequently sidelined with a hamstring injury but made the bench against Nottingham Forest on 29 March 2010. Ameobi appeared early in the second half as a substitute, and soon made his presence felt, firing in an angled left-footed shot off the post to give United the lead in a 2–0 victory.^[25] On 3 April 2010, Ameobi scored the decisive goal in a 3–2 victory at Peterborough United.^[26]

On 22 September 2010 Ameobi scored two goals in a surprise victory away at Chelsea in the League Cup, including the winner in the 90th minute.^[27] On 16 October 2010, Ameobi came off the bench to score Newcastle's first in a 2-2 draw against Wigan Athletic.^[28] After his good performance against Wigan, he started the next game against West Ham United alongside Andy Carroll putting in a good performance as The Magpies came from 1-0 down to win 2-1. He scored twice in Newcastle's next league game on 31 October 2010 as Newcastle crushed local rivals Sunderland 5-1 at St. James' Park. On 2 January 2011, he scored the winner in a 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic.^[29]

Despite suffering with a cheek bone injury in February which required him to wear a mask which impaired his vision upon his return, he was a regular starter after Christmas with the sale of Andy Carroll. He signed a contract extension to the end of the 2013–14 season on 10 August 2011. His current deal was due to expire at the end of the season.^[30]

In the 2011/12 season Ameobi became something of a fringe player, with the arrival of Demba Ba and Papiss Cissé pushing him onto the substitutes bench. But on Sunday 16 October 2011 in a game at St James' Park vs Tottenham Hotspur Ameobi, a 71st minute substitute for Leon Best, scored a great goal late on to lock the two teams at 2-2. The next few games were an annoyance for Ameobi, with Ba finding his shooting boots and pairing well with Leon Best and with Ameobi's inclusion in the starting line-up against Norwich ending up in a 4-2 defeat. On 4 March, Ameobi was yet again on the bench for a game against Sunderland, And brought on as a substitute for Papiss Cissé he scored a 91st minute equaliser to get Newcastle back on terms and bringing his tally to 7 goals in 12 games against Sunderland for Newcastle, a record only bettered by Jackie Milburn.

International career[link]

Nigerian-born Ameobi had a three-year spell with England's under-21 team, netting seven goals between 2000 and 2003.^[1] Ameobi is the joint eighth highest goal scorer for the under-21s.^[1]

In late 2009, Ameobi declared his interest in playing for Nigeria.^[31] On 14 January 2011, he was announced in the Nigerian national squad for the first time, for a friendly against Guatemala in the United States, in February.^[32] He withdrew from the replacement game against Sierra Leone after breaking his cheekbone in a Premier League match.

On 1 November 2011, it was announced that FIFA had cleared Ameobi to play for Nigeria.^[33]

Career statistics[link]

[edit] Club^[34]

Season	Club	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2000–01	Newcastle United	Premier League	20	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	22	2	0	0
2001–02			15	0	1	0	3	2	6	3	25	5	3	0
2002–03			28	5	1	0	0	0	10	3	39	8	4	0
2003–04			26	7	1	0	1	0	13	3	41	10	2	0
2004–05			31	2	5	3	2	1	7	1	45	7	6	1
2005–06			30	9	3	0	0	0	2	0	34	9	5	0
2006–07			12	3	0	0	0	0	4	2	16	5	1	0
2007–08			6	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	8	0	0	0
2007–08	Stoke City (Loan)	Championship	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	2	0
2008–09	Newcastle United	Premier League	22	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	22	4	1	0
2009–10		Championship	18	10	2	0	1	1	0	0	21	11	2	0
2010–11		Premier League	28	6	0	0	2	3	0	0	30	9	3	0
2011–12			27	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	30	2	3	0
Newcastle United Total			263	50	17	3	12	7	41	12	333	72	30	1
Career total			269	50	17	3	12	7	41	12	339	72	32	1

As of 00:00, 14 May 2012.

Honours[link]

Newcastle United

• Football League Championship: 2009–2010
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006

References[link]

External links[link]

• Newcastle United profile
• Shola Ameobi career stats at Soccerbase

v t e England squad – 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 1 Robinson 2 Young 3 Konchesky 4 Davis 5 M. Taylor 6 Barry 7 Dunn 8 Greening 9 Christie 10 Defoe 11 Pennant 12 Riggott 13 S. Taylor 14 Prutton 15 Jenas 16 Parker 17 Smith 18 Knight 19 Crouch 20 Zamora 21 Ameobi 22 Bywater Coach: Platt

Shola Ama (born Mathurin Campbell, 18 March 1979) is an English R&B singer, who scored her biggest hit in 1997 with a cover of Turley Richards' "You Might Need Somebody".

Early life and career[link]

Shola Ama was born in Paddington, London, England, of a white father (Scottish and Irish) and St Lucian mother.^[1] She attended Quintin Kynaston School in the early 1990s. At 15 she was singing to herself on a platform at Hammersmith tube station, and was overheard by Kwame Kwaten, a producer at the FreakStreet record label.^[2] In 1995 an unknown independent label released a single titled "Celebrate", which was a ballad produced by D'Influence. Although the single was not a commercial success, it did draw attention to Shola Ama as an artist. On her 16th birthday she signed a recording contract with WEA.

The single "You're The One I Love" was her first single release for WEA in 1996, although it barely made an impact on the charts, only managing to reach #85. Her second WEA single "You Might Need Somebody" remains her biggest hit. This Randy Crawford cover reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart.^[3] It remained in the top 40 for almost two months, becoming one of 1997's biggest hits. A re-release of "You're The One I Love" followed and reached #3.^[3] At the age of 18, Shola Ama released her debut album Much Love (1997).

On the success of the album Shola Ama won a Brit Award for Best British Female and two MOBO Awards for Best Newcomer and Best R&B Act.^[4]