The Nigeria Female National Basketball Team, popularly known as D’Tigress, is set to face tough opposition at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games later in the year.
D’Tigress are grouped alongside Olympic Game host, Japan, World Champions, USA and European Best, France.
The Engr. Musa Kida led Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, has however expressed optimism that there is no cause for alarm following the draws that pitted D’Tigress against the best in World, ‘group of death’.
Reacting to the draws conducted yesterday, the Federation said it is focused on preparing the team well for the challenges ahead in their quest to make Nigerians proud.
Kida stressed that all the 12 teams at the Olympics have a reasonable chance of winning the tournament, hence there are no minnows.
“Nothing good can be handed to you on a platter of gold. You have to work hard and be ready to seize the opportunity when it comes because to be the best, you have to beat the best.”
He also added the D’Tigress could pull some strings and prove bookmakers prediction wrong by doing the unbelievable.
“A lot can still happen between now and when the games tips off capable of upsetting bookmakers predictions and the fate of teams.
“We have to be focused on what we have to do as a federation with the help of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Sports to ensure we adequately prepare the team, get the right personnel for the challenges ahead.”
On his part, head coach of the senior women’s team, Otis Hughley described USA and world number five- France as familiar foes.
“We met USA and France at the last World Cup in Spain and again faced USA at the Olympics Qualifying Tournament in Serbia last year where we qualified for the Olympics.”
Otis who led the team to the quarter finals of the 2018 World Cup thereby setting an African record before winning the 2019 FIBA Afrobasket championship noted that, “We are mindful of the threat these teams pose to us including Japan who are ranked 10th in the FIBA ranking. We are going to prepare adequately to ensure that when the time comes, we will be ready.”
In an unprecedented fashion prior to any Olympics, D’Tigress are currently camped in Atlanta, USA months before the games under the watchful eyes of Coach Otis.
The Olympics games will be held between 23rd of July and 8th of August, 2021 after its initial postponement due to thr COVID-19 pandemic.
In a commando style, some suspected robbers caused panic in Ado Ekiti as they dispossessed three victims of the sum of N20 million on Wednesday.
The gunmen numbering three, reportedly snatched N20m from accountants attached to the Office of the Cabinet Department of the Governor’s office during an attack.
It was learnt that the accountants were trailed to a point close to Fajuyi Park, a business district of the state capital, while returning from a new generation bank along Government Secretariat road, where they had gone to withdraw the money.
The suspected robbers started shooting sporadically before they robbed the officials of the money.
The robbers were said to have shot into the air sporadically as they escaped from the scene through the GRA Area.
The incident crippled economic activities in the state capital as financial institutions, filling stations, supermarkets and eateries hurriedly shut down while motorists and commuters took to their heels.
The apprehension forced some banks to take strict security measures as news filtered round Ado metropolis that it was a case of bank robbery.
However, the Ekiti Police Command allayed public fear, saying the rumoured bank robbery was untrue and baseless.
The Police Commissioner, Babatunde Mobayo, implored members of the public to disregard such fabricated and misleading false alarm, aimed at causing unnecessary apprehension.
Mobayo, in a statement by Command’s Spokesman, ASP Sunday Abutu, said: “For clarity, the incident that occurred today(Wednesday) in Ado-Ekiti was about a driver of a Toyota Corolla Car with about three other occupants who were accosted by a group of yet to be identified hoodlums and dispossessed them of some amount of money.
“Upon the receipt of the information, the Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), led his Operatives to the scene but the hoodlums had fled the scene already.
“Meanwhile, some persons have been invited by the Police for interrogation and further investigation while serious effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.”
Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popular as Sunday Igboho has bowed to pressure from prominent southwest leaders to apologise to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi. The Igboho, Ibarapa, Oyo state born activist had on Tuesday, during a virtual meeting with some Yoruba in the diaspora, attacked the monarch as a traitor and Fulani slave.
Igboho also attacked other Yoruba leaders, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos state governor and All Progressives Congress National Leader and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state for frustrating his efforts and other well meaning Yoruba to flush out killer Fulani herdsmen from the region. He also did not spare the Oluwo of Iwo, in the attack, for describing himself as an Emir.
He has now apologized “I have called our father, the Ooni of Ife and I have apologised to him. When I said those things, I was carried away by my emotions. The killing of my people by Fulani herdsmen and the way our fathers in Yoruba land are handling the issue is giving me great concern. I am a Yoruba man and I know it is not in our culture to insult the elders. I have called the Kabiyesi and I have apologised to him. You can call him to confirm. Once again, I want to beg our royal father to forgive me. It was a slip of tongue,” Igboho said.
Igboho: Forced to Apologised to Ooni
The attack on the Ooni, did not go down well with many people who considered Igboho’s action to be disrespectful to the monarch and capable of destroying the united front against the Fulani criminals.
Many Nigerians, particularly Yoruba political, religious and traditional rulers had supported the activist after he gave a quit notice to Fulani herdsmen in Igagan, Oyo state and eventually went to enforce the order after the seven days ultimatum expired.
His attack on Ooni, however, shocked these leaders who believe that the activist needed to be reined in quickly before making more statements capable of causing tension in the south west.
Igboho had lashed at Ooni and those he considered as traitors “I am not concerned about the police. The struggle is about Yoruba agenda as it concerns security situation in our land and I trust Yoruba people for support. People are afraid because of the atrocities of the herders. We also pray that our leaders will support us irrespective if their fear of being arrested. They should be able to talk to President Muhammadu Buhari on security in Yoruba land.
“When Ooni visited Buhari, the president received him by standing up but he said something I don’t like. That is why the Alaafin called me. He wants to tackle what Ooni said.
“I need buses to transport people. The three vans we use are bought by me. We lost three buses that were hired on our way to Oyo. Ooni should be able to tell Buhari about what Yoruba want. But he has collected dollars from Buhari. He called me but I don’t want to see him. Only Alaafin is supporting us and he has written a letter to the president. Ooni disappointed me. Politicians are with him.
“The Oluwo will wear turban and start calling himself an Emir, our people should call him and tell him to stop what he is doing. Our leaders are lazy and slaves to Fulanis. They visit Abuja to collect money, we will attack them and destroy their property. Ooni should be dealt with. I am annoyed. Why should we be afraid of the crown they (Yoruba monarchs)wear?
“Tinubu and other Yoruba politicians are Fulani slaves. We need not be afraid. I have not collected any money from anyone. I am a full Yoruba man and I will not allow Fulani people to enslave me, we do not look or behave alike in any way. The herders should go. Makinde is also a slave to the herders because of second term ambition,” Igboho said.
The magazine learnt that that the attack on the Ife monarch rattled leaders in the region, so much so that, leaders of Afenifere, the Yoruba social political group, the Council of traditional rulers from the six states in the region as well as politicians in the APC and PDP, called the activist privately, to express their dissatisfaction with his action.
Apart from Femi Fani Kayode, a former minister of Aviation who has publicly scolded the activist and apologized on his behalf to the Ooni, some traditional rulers, the magazine was told have reached out to Igboho to douse the tension caused by his attack on the monarch.
“I just spoke with Sunday Igboho and he confirmed to me that what he said about our revered Ooni of Ife was said in the heat of the moment. He expressed his regrets and I was relieved to hear that. To err is human and to forgive is divine. I appeal to Kabiyesi to forgive him. For the record, let me state clearly and categorically that no Ooni of Ife, whether living or dead, has ever been a slave of the Fulani and neither will they ever be,” Fani-Kayode said.
The former minister is from Ife and a staunch supporter of the activist.
‘Some Afenifere leaders have called Sunday to berate him for his disrespect to Ooni of Ife, who’s regarded as the custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition. We respect our Obas in Yoraba land and will not allow their image to be dragged on the mud by any young man,” a prominent leader of the social/ political group said on Thursday.
The source said Igboho’s comment is capable of weakening the formidable front the leaders of the region are trying to form against the threat to their livelihood by the Fulani pastoralists. “if care is not taking, such careless statement could set our people against each other and when such happens, it would be very difficult to join hands to confront the menace. Nobody in Yoruba land will be happy when their Obas are being attacked,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Gofundme account opened for the purpose of raising funds for the activist to implement his project of ridding the south west of killer herdsmen has raised over N4 million within 14 hours. The fudraiser was initiated by Maureen Badejo, a United Kingdom based activist to help Igboho raise N50 million after he complained of paucity of funds.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State says the video and images being circulated on Social Media by some Ethnic Nationalities in the State, alleging they are being attacked, with lives and properties lost, while his administration has neglected them are fake. They are fabricated, and meant to cause trouble he insists.
In a statement, Governor El-Rufai said that the Kaduna State Government notes with grave concern, video clips circulating on social media platforms like WhatsApp in which citizens of a particular ethnicity are being massacred and their properties destroyed in parts of Nigeria.
This, he said, is coming amidst avoidable rhetoric, frenzied ethnic profiling and unlawful eviction of citizens from their places of domicile.
He stressed that many citizens of the State have reached out to him as their Governor to confirm the authenticity of these video clips.
Some, he said, alleged that these incidents have the support of leaders of the places where attacks have occurred.
“While I am unable to confirm the authenticity of the video clips, their impact on the peaceful coexistence of our people is a source of concern.
“On behalf of the Government of Kaduna State, I call on all Nigerians living in our State to respect law and order and the rights of all citizens to live in peace and security wherever they reside or work. I appeal to my colleagues governing other States in our country to make similar statements, and disavow these attacks and massacres.
“We must avoid anarchy and vigorously promote the rule of law and the right of all citizens to life, liberty and livelihoods wherever they choose to reside. Elected and appointed public leaders across the country must act on their constitutional obligations to protect all citizens, uphold order, and contribute to a climate for peaceful resolution of all issues.
“In Kaduna State, we are learning from decades of unfortunate and needless experiences. We have faced the tragic manifestations of the indigene-settler divide.
“This has been compounded by criminal activities that often have fatal consequences. But the victims of criminal actions like banditry and kidnapping in our state cut across all ethnic and religious groups. We have resisted the attempt to tar all members of any ethnic group for the criminal actions of some of their members. At all times, our government has upheld the right of every citizen to live and pursue legitimate livelihoods wherever they choose.
“This is why we ordered the arrest of persons who issued an unlawful eviction notice to our citizens of a certain ethnicity in 2017. The impunity and calculated disregard for a common humanity that prompted such irresponsible rhetoric is sadly at play again”.
He added that the genuine fears felt by people across the country for their safety and security imposes a responsibility on all leaders to ensure that these anxieties are assuaged and urgent steps taken to relieve human misery and stop the criminal actions that menace our citizens and their property. This should be the top priority.
“It is time for governments and leaders at all levels to step in, exercise firm action, engage people and ensure that the responsibility these dire times demand are not derailed by those who only see opportunity for their own myopic agendas. We cannot allow, by inaction or otherwise, the reign of anarchy where fear creates a tragic momentum of violence, blurring the lines between victims and perpetrators and complicating a difficult moment. We urge our representatives in the National Assembly to expedite action on the Constitutional amendments that would usher in State and community policing as this is the ultimate panacea for effective law enforcement nationwide.
“We should not allow the criminal actions of insurgents and bandits to tear our country apart. We should not be seduced into the dangerous passion of blaming innocents, declaring them guilty of the crimes of others, evicting them, killing and destroying their property. In difficult times, we must uphold the right of everyone to live, with security and safety. The frenzy of ethnic labelling makes solutions difficult and can only guarantee disorder, violence and pain”.
He however urged Governments and security agencies to rein in all non-state actors, tackle hateful rhetoric and protect all communities.
“Those that engage in criminal acts must be arrested and prosecuted without regard to their ethnic or religious persuasion. Civic leaders, across ethnic and religious lines, in all our communities should also help calm the heated passions of the moment, lest the few destroy the many, turning victims of crime against each other, to the delight of those who do not mean well.
“We cannot quench one fire by setting more places ablaze. Let us reject the path of disorder, marginalise, expose and prosecute all criminals and promote peace”, he said.
The Nigerian Military High Command has refuted the allegation that they executed six officers of Igbo extraction after a secret trial. It is fake news, the Army emphasised.
An Abuja-based lawyer had raised the alarm that the Nigerian army has secretly tried six military officers of Igbo extraction, sentencing them to death without legal representation as part of their investigations about missing guns in the armory.
the lawyer, who led a group that called themselves The Coalition Of Rights Activists And Scholars, had said he, as the Legal Counsel to one of the soldiers was denied access to the trial on the grounds that it is only military lawyers that are allowed at such trials.
The story has gone viral and has been greeted with outrage.
This followed on the heels of a viral video of some alleged camps of Fulani herdsmen being destroyed by people alleged to be members of the Eastern security networks. this, however, has not been confirmed.
But the Nigerian Army, in a swift reaction, called the report fake, false and malicious news.
Agency reports quoted military sources as saying it is impossible for the Army to have secret trials of soldiers. According to him, court martials are done publicly.
“There is no iota of truth whatsoever that six soldiers were tried secretely and executed by Nigerian Army on January 25 as alleged.The promoters of that allegations are enemies of Nigeria who are trying hard to instigate tribal or ethnic crisis in the Coutry”, NAN quoted the source as saying.
In a related developement, a group that alls themselves a coalition of youth groups challenged the purveyors of such allegations to show proof of the execution.
A High Court, sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, has ordered the Nigerian Breweries Plc to pay the sum of N169.175million as the haulage fees the company is owing the State Government.
The Court, also, ordered that the company should be sealed until it is able to pay the debt.
The company had approached the court to challenge the demand notices served on it by the Ondo State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives for the payment of the fee last year .
The respondents in the case were the Ondo State Government, the Ondo State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives and the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice
The petitioner, in the suit no: AK/l45/2020, had asked the court to excempt it from paying the haulage fee.
According to its averrment, “It is not liable to pay for haulage of goods as part of its object and business and the respondents cannot, therefore, demand the payment of haulage fee from the petitioner and/or enforce the payment of haulage fees purportedly due to the respondent from third parties transport/haulage companies against the petitioner.”
It sought also “an order of the court restraining the respondents from further demanding for haulage fees from the petitioner forthwith, as well as restraining the respondents from further harassing and intimidating the employees of the petitioner and from the unlawful disruption and closure of the petitioner’s business premises on the ground of non-payment of haulage fee.”
“An order of the court directing and/or mandating the respondents to directly enforce the payment and/or collection of the alleged haulage fees due to them , directly form the third parties, transport companies, engaged by the petitioner to transport its drink to Akure, being the companies that actually engaged in haulage and/or haulage business, under the Taxes And Levies (Approved List For Collection) Act, (Amendment) Order, 2015, to wit: AOP Logistics Limited and Tasho Nigeria Limited.”
After the series of arguments from the counsels of both the petitioner and the respondents, the court ruled in favour of the state government .
Justice William Akintoroye, dismissed the petition, filed by the NB Plc saying it lacked merit .
The Court held that the first respondent, Ondo State Government, has the constitutional right and it is the constitutional duty of Nigerian Breweries Plc to pay haulage fee to the government being the principal to the transport agencies that convey its product.
The Judge, also, granted the cross-petition of the respondent for the recovery of the sum of N169.175 million from the petitioner, being the haulage fee owed by the petitioner for the period of 2017 to 2019.
Twenty new private universities are expected to join Nigeria’s education sector before the end of the year.
This followed the approval, on Wednesday, by the Federal Executive Council during its sitting in Abuja.
The approval was sequel to a memo from the Federal Ministry of Education seeking the nod for the establishment of 20 new private universities across the country.
The 20 new private universities are to be given provisional licenses to run for three years, while the ministry monitors and evaluates their growth.
This will bring the total number of private Universities in the country to 99.
A peaceful protest is going on by truckers of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) today to drive home their demands on the sudden eviction notice issued by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
The seven-day notice served by the Authority is in respect of the Association vacating the premises or risk their properties to confiscation.
The notice reads: “All Trespassers of this land are hereby given seven days notice from 27th Jan., 2021 to quit with their possessions.
“Defaulters will be prosecuted and properties found will be confisticated,” Order by NPA Management, it read.
The order, however, comes as a shock to members as the Chairman of RTEAN, Comrade Peter Eze expressed dismay at the development.
He said the Association had written a series of letters to seek permission in developing the bay.
He was, however, surprised that the eviction notice was still served despite the procedures.
He informed that the short notice may lead to a court redress by the Association.
His words, “The word Trespassers is what I am not comfortable with because we have spent millions of Naira to develop this facility and I don’t think it is proper for NPA to carry out such actions,” he lamented.
Wealthy Igbo in Nigeria and in Diaspora have been urged to cultivate the habit of investing part of their resources in their homes.
Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egbu Rt Rev Geoffrey Okorafor who made the clarion call when he inaugurated and dedicated the 50 – bed space expansive Medical City Hospital, Egbu, Owerri, floated by a United States – based Medical Doctor, Dr. Chima Oleru noted that they would by so doing stimulate industrial and economic development of the area, and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the land .
Bishop Okorafor expressed gratitude that Dr. Oleru, in establishing the N1 billion worth of well equipped outfit modeled after what obtains in the United States, has impacted greatly on Egbu community and the Diocese at large,stressing that they were grateful to God that the community and Diocese have some one like Dr Oleru.
The Bishop further observed that Dr Oleru has done what so many wouldn’t have done disclosing that the state of the art equipment in the hospital would meet the yearnings of Nigerians in the areas of kidney treatment, laboratory service, obstetrics and gynaecology, digital x- tray, ultra sound, cardiology, accident and emergency, neurosurgery / neurology, orthopedic / echocardiogram, intensive care / maternity and 24 /7 service.
On its part, the Imo State Government in its determination to ensure adequate health coverage, said it has commenced discussion with well equipped private medical institutions with the view to curing patients with all manner of ailments.
The Governor, Hope Uzodimma, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Lina Okereke, disclosed this last weekend at the event attended by the immediate past Governor of the state, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha;some traditional rulers amongst them His Royal Majesty, Eze Mitchell Uchenna Egbukole, among other experts. The Governor said the hospital has been designated a complimentary effort, stressing that it was in tandem with the recently established 27 mobile clinics in the 27 Local Councils in the state, with free diagnosis, tests and drugs.
In his speech, Ihedioha, pointed out that the decision by Dr. Oleru, to set up such a health institution was commendable, describing the institution as one of the best private iniative and encouraged other wealthy imolites to emulate him.
In his brief remarks, the Chairman of Medical City Hospital,Dr Chima Oleru, said he purposely invested about N1 billion in Egbu, Owerri North, to enable the people of the state have access to good medicare, bemoaning the state of healthcare each time he visited relations and friends admitted in hospitals here. He revealed that the over N1 billion project was started in 2018 , some two to three years ago.
According to him, they had ordered and installed Computerised Thermographic Scan (CT), machine for the health services there at a cost of $300,000. ( three hundred thousand dollars )
Five Medical Officers, eight Consultants and other health professionals, he said, have been engaged to handle the facility assuring that though he teaches doctors, he would monitor the operations of the outfit on daily basis from the United States.
Dr John Bosco Iwuagwu id the Acting Medical Director
Dr Oleru who travelled to the United States in 1997 is a world renowned nephrologist. His late mother, Mrs Mama Grace Oleru was a Registered Nurse.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. appointed Enoh T. Ebong as the Acting Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The appointment meant a return to USTDA where from 2004 to 2019,
Ms. Ebong had served in a variety of roles, most recently as the Agency’s General Counsel, and Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer.
As Acting Director, Ms. Ebong leads an agency that partners with the U.S. private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies, while supporting U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services.
“It is an honor to return to USTDA. The opportunity to lead the Agency comes at a critical moment when the world is turning to the United States for leadership on clean energy and climate-smart infrastructure, as well as safe and secure ICT solutions,” said Ms. Ebong during her swearing-in ceremony.
“The Agency is one of the most effective, targeted and proven tools within the U.S. government. I’ve long believed in USTDA’s mission and program, which are fully aligned with the President’s vision of strengthening our economy and addressing climate as an essential component of American foreign policy and national security.”
Prior to her return to USTDA, Ms. Ebong served as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, where she drove the development of strategic partnerships to expand access to education, health, financial empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Prior to joining USTDA in 2004, Ms. Ebong practiced law at the Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris and Popeo, P.C., representing public and private companies in public offerings, financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions,
Ms. Ebong earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, a Master of Arts in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in History, with Honors, from The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bar.
