Blog

Value
By – Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) Mr Dennis Idahosa, a Chieftain of All progressives Congress (APC), has advised the party to field candidates that would be of immense value to the electorate.

Idahosa, a former commissioner in Edo and an aspirant for House of Representative, made this appeal while answering questions from newsmen in Benin on Tuesday.

According to Idahosa, presenting competent candidates with electoral value is important for the party to make electoral victory in the 2019 general elections.

He that the 2019 poll would be different in the sense that personality, rather than party, would play a major factor on electoral victory.

He said that to secure victory for the APC, leadership of the party across all levels, must field competent candidates that could win elections.

Idahosa said though the leadership of the party should have a say on the choice of candidates, they should allow the electorate to have an input.

“It is not just about picking the ticket; it is about winning the elections proper. The right candidate is the one who is at home with the people”.

“I am not unaware that the party has a role to play, but principally, a sell-able candidate will make it easier for the party in securing electoral victory.

“The 2019 poll is going to be one full of surprises, our party needs to be prepared and united if we are to have a successful outing,” he said.

Idahosa said that APC would be victorious in the election for Ovia Federal Constituency seat because of the “abysmal” failure of the current occupant.

“The present occupant of the seat, who is from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has done nothing, but to distance herself from the reality on ground in the federal constituency.

“Without being a lawmaker or holding any political position, I have been able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the people.

“My aim is to make much difference on the lives of the people across the 23 wards that make up Ovia federal constituency.

“Victory is already ours because we are more united than we were in the 2015 elections,” he said. (NAN)
ESI/OOA/TA
Edited by Olabisi Akinbode/Tajudeen Atitebi

Appointment

By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) The Management of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) FC, Lagos, on Tuesday announced the appointment of Davidson Adejuwon as new Director to oversee the administration of the club.

The club’s Media Officer, Olawale Quadri, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that the appointment took immediate effect.

“The new director is expected to take over from the former, Emmanuel Adeyemi, who has been overseeing the affairs of the club for two years now.

“The newly appointed director is a lawyer by profession and will therefore handle all the administrative affairs of the club,” he said.

NAN reports that the Fidelis Ilechukwu-tutored MFM FC was kicked out of the AIETO Cup by Sokoto United on Sunday after a 3-4 penalty shootout after the match ended goalless at regulation time.

The Bet9ja Nigeria National League (NNL) team was among the rookies that caused upsets during the round of 64 games played on Sunday. (NAN)
KOJE/AOS/PDE
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(Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Peter Ejiofor)

Readiness

By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) McCarthy Obanor, winner of the 2017 Nigeria Freestyle Football Championships, on Tuesday said that he was adequately prepared to excel at the maiden Africa Freestyle Football Championships in Lagos.

Obanor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that he was ready for the event, scheduled for Sept. 13 to Sept. 15 at Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

NAN reports that the championships is organised by Feet `N’ Tricks International in conjunction with the World Freestyle Football Association.

The Nigerian champion, who said he was physically and psychologically ready to slug it out with other athletes, noted that he was looking forward to a keenly contested competition because of the calibre of participants that would feature in it.

He said was targeting the trophy at the Lagos event to enable him to represent Africa at the world tournament, tagged “Red-bull Freestyle Football Championships”, fixed for Poland in November.

“This is a major competition for me, and it is a plus for us in Nigeria to host the rest of Africa.

“I have prepared adequately for the championships; my target is to win and represent Africa at the world stage.

“Top freestylers across the continent will be participating and that will make the event more competitive. So, I want to be battle-ready,’’ he said.

He lauded the efforts being put in place by the organisers to develop the sport in the country and Africa at large.

According to him, the competition will avail participants the opportunity to be on the world ranking.

NAN reports that over 50,000 dollars prize and a brand new car are to be won, while over 40 athletes from 20 African countries are being expected to feature in the event.

The freestyle football is the art and sport of juggling football using all parts of the body to entertain audiences and out-perform opponents.

It is also known as Freestyle Soccer in North America and it is a fusion of tricks with a ball, dance and music. (NAN)
KOA/FLP/PDE
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(Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Peter Ejiofor)

Cleric advocates drastic cut in political leaders’ jumbo pay

Pay
By AbdulFatai Beki
Ilorin, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) Alhaji Abdullahi AbdulHameed, the Chief lmam of  lmale in llorin, has called for drastic cut in the jumbo salaries of elected political office holders.
He said leaders’ salaries ought to reflect the current state of Nigeria’s economic situation, as majority of Nigerians were groaning under high level of poverty.
AbdulHameed spoke in llorin on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the first day of Muharram, Hijrah 1440(the new lslamic year).
According to the cleric, the pay of political office holders should reflect the current realities, stressing that jumbo salaries is responsible for the high rate of poverty in the country.
He noted that reduction of the salaries taken by politicians in both the executive and legislative arms would go a long way to tackling mass poverty in the country.
“As the nation marks new lslamic year, our political leaders should learn how to make sacrifices.

“What political leaders are taking home is too much, especially the lawmakers; this situation cannot eradicate or reduce poverty in Nigeria, ” AbdulHameed said.

The cleric stressed that salaries and allowances of lawmakers are taking large chunk from the nation’s resources that can be channelled to developmental projects that will positively touch lives of ordinary citizens.
NAN reports that the state chapter of the National Hijrah Ummratul lslamiyah has concluded arrangements to perform several activities to celebrate the first Muharram including march past by students in schools.(NAN)
BEKl/OSA/OU
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Edited by Shittu Obassa/Obike Ukoh
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Children
By Toba Ajayi
Ilorin, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) An Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Mr Kolawole Alabi,  has warned parents against exposing their children to social media, saying it could ruin their future.

Alabi gave the warning in Ilorin on Wednesday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said early  exposure of children to social media often lead to inundating  them with undue influences at an impressionable age.

Alabi  said many  parents often allow  their children free access to their phones and sometimes handle their  Facebook, Twitter,WhatsApp accounts.

” What do you expect from a child that has  access to nude pictures right from nine years of age?

“ They will like to copy and dress exactly the way it is on their mother’s  phone because they think it is right.

” Children are not mature enough to handle this. They have impressionable  minds and  like to practise what they see.

” Social media is a destructive tool for children and must be kept  far away from them.

“ You parents must not allow them access to your password talk less of accessing your accounts.

” The future of  children   should be the priority of any parent .

“ It is better to deny them things that can have negative effects  on their future right from  childhood,” he said.(NAN)
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

Corper

By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr Mahmud Hakeem. has reconstructed a tap water stand in Share, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fetching point is cited at Baale’s Compound Square in Share.

At the brief commissioning ceremony, the donor, Hakeem said he committed an undisclosed amount to the project as part of his Community Development (CD) project to the host community.

The youth corps member, who explained that the fetching point was destroyed by a rainstorm, said the water stand was one of the major sources of getting water to hundreds of people around the area.

“The tap water stand is one of the major sources of getting water to the people living around the area.

“Unfortunately, it got damaged by rainstorm. I took the responsibility of renovating the point in order to put it back to usage,” Hakeem said.

Hakeem, who serving his primary assignment at Muslim Community Junior Secondary School, Share, noted that he carried out the project purely as charity and not to secure any favour or reward from individuals, corporate organisations or government.

Reacting, the Olueso of Baale compound, Share, Mr Sumonu Salami, thanked Hakeem for investing his personal resources in the repair of the water fetching point, saying that residents of the community would remain grateful for the gesture.

Salami encouraged other Corps members to make meaningful contributions to their host communities.

NAN also reports that the Hakeem, a native of Saki in Oyo State, is a graduate of Food Science and Nutrition from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger. (NAN)
OOH/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Youths

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has said that the recurring problems of age cheating at the National Youth Games (NYG) was hinged on long years of youth sports programme abandonment.

Dalung told newsmen on Monday in Ilorin that those eligible during the abandoned years were looking for avenues to showcase their talents.

The minister was speaking against the back drop of disqualification of over 500 athletes at the ongoing NYG holding at the University of Ilorin.

“The records of discovery of over 500 overage athletes should not be the preoccupation now, let us not forget where we are coming from.

“The NYG was abandoned for some years meaning that those who were eligible to compete within those abandoned years were denied their right.

“So, if we have such things happening now, it is a reflection of the neglect.

“Talents that were not given the opportunity to express themselves and they have the zeal and determination can lead to what we see as age malpractice,’’ Dalung said.

He explained that the country was just trying to adjust to the global definition of youths.

“We are trying to ensure that we entrench age policy in the NYG because globally, youths are defined from age 15 and the Youth Olympics is for 15 years and below’’, Dalung said.

He added: “But Nigeria has been toying around with the issue of age. This is because we are trying to align with our constitution which talks about taking responsibility at the age of 18.

“But the National Youth Policy talking about 18-35 and fitting into the global architecture of sports.

“So, what we have here is that we are battling with our past because if you committed injustice against a generation, it will take you time to address it.

“What will you do to people denied participation for years? They will have to struggle to have a way to showcase themselves, that is what is manifesting now.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 4th NYG is holding from Sept. 7 to Sept. 17 with over 3,800 athletes.

The Games were after the first edition in 2013 abandoned for two years before the second and third editions held in 2016 and 2017 respectively. (NAN).
BAY/OMO/PDE
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(Edited by Martins Odeh/Peter Ejiofor)

NYG

By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has said that the National Youth Games has become a formidable sports nursery for the discovery of talented young boys and girls in Nigeria.

The minister, who made the assertion on Monday in Ilorin while opening the 4th National Youth Games (NYG), said the Games had now contributed immensely to sports development in Nigeria.

Dalung said the target of this year’s Games was to produce formidable athletes that would represent the country at various international meets in the near future as the nation’s present crop of elite athletes were ageing.

“The Games also provide a level playing ground for young athletes aged 15 years and below to achieve their potential in sports.

“I would like to refresh your memory about the success story of the maiden edition of the National Youth Games held in Abuja in 2013.

“Many talented athletes were discovered there and groomed to represent Nigeria at the 2014 African Youth Games in Botswana and
at the 2015 Commonwealth Games in Samoa respectively where laurels were won for the country.

“In the thrid edition of the National Youth Games, many talented athletes were also discovered and a good number of them represented Nigeria at the African Youth Games in Algiers, Algeria,” he said.

“Ever since its inception, the Youth Games has produced potential athletes who have represented Nigeria at various international competitions.

“It is pertinent to state that one of the major policy trusts and target of this current administration is the empowerment of our teaming youths in order for them to maximise their potential through various means among which sports take a cardinal position.

“This creates employment and career opportunities, provide strong and binding force for national unity, cohesion and youth mobilisation.”

The Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, urged the participants not to do anything that would jeopardise the ideals for which the completion was instituted.

“There should be no ill-feelings at any point in the competition.

“We should all imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and keep in mind that this event is an opportunity to give the youth the chance to showcase their potential,” Abdulkareem said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Delta won the 3rd edition of the Games with 21 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze. (NAN)
OOH/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Basketball

By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos Sept. 10, 2018(NAN) Eight teams have booked spots in the National Finals of the Total NBBF Division 2 league holding in Lagos between Sept. 16 and Sept. 22.

Ondo Kings emerged winners of the Atlantic Conference finals held in Akure after winning four out of the five games played.

In the Savannah Conference, Coach Abdusamad Usman inspired a young Nigerian Prisons Basketball Club of Minna to four wins out of five to emerge champions of the conference.

The Nigeria Prisons team will also be heading to the finals.

CAMAC of Bayelsa who finished second behind Atlantic conference champions, Ondo Kings, on inferior points difference will also be joined by Coal City of Enugu.

Brave Hearts also of Enugi mades the mark for the Total NBBF Division 2 League National Finals which will take place at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium.

From the Savannah conference, Nassarawa Hurricanes, Bukavu Blinks of Kano and Samaru Bulls of Zaria also confirmed their places.

The League Director, Andrew Isokpehi, thanked all the officials and Zonal Coordinators for a job well done in organising a league which had continued to generate positive reviews.

“This is a great feat just recorded in Nigerian basketball. All the teams who have qualified for the national finals have all played an average of 12 games which started from their state qualifiers.

“It is an improvement on what we used to have in the past where the five teams will gather in a particular location to play for four or five days in the name of National Division 2,” Isokpehi said.

He promised more exciting time for all when the teams who have emerged the best out of 61 teams converge on Lagos for the finals. (NAN)
BAO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)