CAF: Kwara United Win Big As Rivers, Plateau Get Slim Home Wins

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October 10, 2022

While Rivers United and Plateau United won 2-1, Kwara United take a two-goal lead into the second leg

The three Nigerian clubs on the continent staged dramatic comeback victories over their respective opponents on Sunday in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

While Rivers United and Plateau United won 2-1, Kwara United will take a two-goal lead to Morocco for the second leg.

Kwara United came from a goal down to defeat Confederations Cup defending Champions, RS Berkane, 3-1 in a dramatic encounter at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.

Second-half goals from substitutes Taofeek Ahmed, Wasiu Jimoh, and Barnabas Daniel handed the Afonja Warriors a victory over Berkane who got an early goal from Cheick Ouattara.

It took the visitors just seven minutes to break the silence after Ouattara’s header from a corner beat Adewale Adeyinka.

Chisom Samuel’s chance to draw the home team level from a long-range shot went off target a minute later. Berkane, who settled fastest, almost scored a second goal through Burkinabe defender, Dayo Issoufou, but the shot went wide in the 11th minute.

Two minutes later, another attempt by Jimoh’s shot was saved by Goalkeeper Hamza Hamdani.

Berkane kept frustrating the hosts with a rigid defence as another attempt from Jimoh was parried for a corner kick after he had earlier saved Jide Fatokun’s header in the 26th minute.

Berkane missed a great chance to double their lead through Adama Ba, who received a pass from Ouatarra in the 44th minute.

The second half breathed new life into the Afonja Warriors who came back with two goals.

At the start of the second half, Kwara United sent on Ayobami Junior and Taofeek Ahmed for Chisom Samuel and Paul Samson, respectively.

In the 57th minute, the combination of Taofeek and Ayobami produced a chance that smashed against the woodwork.

Taofeek made another attempt in the 68th minute from Jimoh’s pass, but the ball went wide.

Their efforts eventually paid off four minutes later with a Taofeek strike off Issa Gata’s assist.

Kwara United then added two more goals in the 79th and 87th minutes from the duo of Jimoh and Barnabas Daniel.

Elsewhere, Esperance were punished by Plateau United 2-1 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Plateau who came back from Badri’s 27th-minute goal struck back with first-half replies from Ifeanyi Emmanuel and Mustapha Ibrahim.

The Peace Boys didn’t take long before restoring parity as Emmanuel connected a header to Daniel Itodo’s long throw in the 35th minute.

Ten minutes later, Daniel Itodo again provided another assist via a long throw for Mustapha Ibrahim, who scored Plateau United’s second off another header.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers United stunned Champions League defending Champions, Wydad Casablanca, in a comeback 2-1 victory.

First-half and second-half goals from Malachi Ohawume and Paul Acquah, were enough to take the win as Bouly Sambou got the consolation for the visitors.

Sambou opened the goal chart for Wydad from a 33rd-minute tap-in. Two minutes later, Rivers United equalised through Ohawume. Rivers United took the lead eight minutes into the second half from Acquah’s finish.

All the return legs are scheduled for next weekend.

Cricket: Sports Minister Commends ICC, NCF For Excellent Organisation Of World Cup Qualifier

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Emenike Agu

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October 10, 2022

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The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has commended the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Nigeria Cricket Federation(NCF) for the excellent organisation of the just concluded ICC Under 19 Men Africa Division 2 World Cup Qualifier held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The minister said the pace and the dedication of the NCF to youth development and facility upgrade are commendable.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has commended the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) for the excellent organisation of the just concluded ICC Under 19 Men Africa Division 2 World Cup Qualifier held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the qualifier on Saturday, Mr Dare praised the NCF for being a focused and strategic federation that is carrying out the vision of the government for sports development to the letter.

He said the pace and the dedication of the NCF to youth development and facility upgrade are commendable, stating particularly that he is impressed with the investment in and upgrade of the twin cricket ovals at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Mr Dare said: “The facility here and what it means to sports development, especially cricket is a major win for the country and I commend the Nigeria Cricket Federation for the vision and the investment. I also commend the ICC for the quality of administration and the trust in Nigeria to host this event. We look forward to working with them on the development of the game in Nigeria.”

The minister encouraged the Nigerian U19 team who lost the keenly contested final of the qualifier to Kenya to bounce back from the loss and put the lessons learned from it to good use during next year’s Division 1 World Cup playoffs in South Africa.

Kenya, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone will join Uganda, Tanzania, and Namibia in next year’s U19 Cricket World Cup playoffs in South Africa.

New Nff Boss, Gusau Charges Nigerian Flag-Bearers To Grab Group Stage Tickets

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Emenike Agu

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October 10, 2022

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President of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau has challenged Rivers United, Plateau United and Kwara United to ensure progress into the group stages of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup respectively, following battling performances against North African opponents in Nigeria on Sunday.

All three clubs came from behind to win their matches, with Confederation Cup contenders Kwara United trouncing Cup holders RS Berkane of Morocco 3-1 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos. Plateau United and Rivers United, in the CAF Champions League, edged Esperance of Tunisia and Cup holders Wydad Casablanca of Morocco 2-1 in Abuja and Port Harcourt respectively.

“Our teams have done well in the first leg matches, but I want them to go all out in the return games because North African playgrounds are usually difficult ones for most teams. They showed the Nigerian spirit in an excellent way to come from behind and win their matches at home, but they will need to show this spirit in an even more pronounced manner in the second leg matches.

“The NFF is backing all three teams to reach the lucrative group stages of their competitions,” said Gusau who, in company with Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong and Youth and Sports Minister, Hon. Sunday Dare watched Plateau United come from a goal down to defeat the Blood and Gold at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. Both teams meet in Tunis next week.

Kwara United were a goal down to Cup holders RS Berkane after only seven minutes in Lagos, but they flowed with strong current in the second period at the arena formerly known as Onikan waterfront.

Rivers United also played manfully against one of the most experienced campaigners in African club football and got a narrow win that could stand for something when both teams clash again at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca next week.

Ronaldo Reaches Another Landmark To Fire Man United To Win Against Iwobi’s Everton

By

Emenike Agu

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October 10, 2022

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Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to earn Manchester United a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, taking his career goal tally to 700 in the process.

Just as United did last weekend in their derby mauling at the hands of local rivals Manchester City, they again found themselves behind early on at Goodison Park after Alex Iwobi curled a sublime strike into the net from 20 metres.

The visitors, however, responded much better this time around and soon levelled things up as big-money signing Antony slotted home, the Brazilian becoming the first United player to score in his first three Premier League appearances.

Substitute Ronaldo then entered the fray unexpectedly early after Anthony Martial picked up a back injury and took only 14 minutes to score his first Premier League goal of the season, his 144th for United across two spells.

United striker Marcus Rashford thought he had made doubly sure of a fifth win in six league games for the visitors late on but his effort was ruled out after a VAR review for handball against the England forward.

Everton never really looked like finding a late equaliser as United held on for a victory that moved them up to fifth on 15 points, nine adrift of leaders Arsenal. Everton’s first loss in seven league matches leaves them 12th on 10 points.

UK Royal Navy Seizes Drugs Worth Over £15m From Arabian Sea Boat

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Angel Gimalo

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October 9, 2022

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Hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were recovered from the dhow by the crew of HMS Montrose in a six-hour operation.

It was the fifth drugs raid by the frigate this year.

HMS Montrose’s commanding officer said the seizure was a huge blow to criminal gangs and terrorists using drugs to fund their activities.

“Disrupting terrorist organisations, criminals and their funding lines is key to keeping to UK, and rest of the world, safe,” Commander Claire Thompson said.

A Navy spokesman said HMS Montrose sent a helicopter to track the movements of a suspect boat before specialist Royal Marines from 42 Commando seized control of it in choppy conditions.

An initial search turned up some drugs and the boarding team of sailors and Marines then found a hidden compartment behind a false bulkhead on the small boat.

In total, there was 870kg (1,918lb) of crystal methamphetamine on board, which the National Crime Agency said had a wholesale value of £15.5m.

HMS Montrose, based in Devonport, Plymouth, has been deployed in the Middle East since 2019.

It has seized an estimated £47m worth of drugs and two illegal arms shipments so far this year.

The frigate is part of the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150, a partnership of 38 nations involved in maritime security operations across the Red and Arabian Seas, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Beautiful Nigeria: Dagona Birds Sanctuary, Yobe State

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 9, 2022

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Dagona Birda Sanctuary is located in Dagona village of Bade local government area of Yobe State.

This sanctuary is where birds of different species from Europe and other continents of the world come to roost during winter.

This sanctuary has since been declared a National Park and commissioned in 1990 by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Dagona is a place located some 50km south of Gashua in Bade Local Government.

The sactuary is an ox-bow lake located at Kuza Fadama on the tributary of River Hadejia and covers an estimated area of 657sq. km. The Nguru-Hadejia-Bade wetlands project is located there.

The international significance of this tourist destination lies in the fact that, the outfit of Dagonas used as a seasonal stop-over habitat by thousands of erotic migratory birds escaping from the harsh winter of Europe, America and Asia.

The birds are of different colours and sizes that could stimulate interest in bird watchers.

The sanctuary was declared a “Vocational Park” and was commissioned on 17th February, 1989 by Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh, who is also the president of the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

Once Upon A Time – October 9 – 1855 – American Inventor Isaac Singer Patents Sewing Machine Motor

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 9, 2022

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768 Charlemagne and his brother Carloman I are crowned Kings of The Franks

1000 Leif Ericson discovers “Vinland” (possibly L’Anse aux Meadows, Canada) reputedly becoming first European to reach North America

1446 The Hangul (Korean) alphabet is first published in Korea by King Sejong the Great

1831 Ioannis Kapodistrias, first Head of State of modern Greece, assassinated in Nafplion

1941 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt approves an atomic program that would become the Manhattan Project

2006 North Korea conducts its first nuclear test, with an estimated yield of between 0.4-2 kilotons

Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
1926 NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation) forms

Today in Music
1986 Stage musical “Phantom of the Opera” premieres in London, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman; runs for 13,629 performances

Today in Sport
1919 Baseball World Series: Cincinnati Reds beat Chicago White Sox, 10-5 at Comiskey Park for a 5-3 series victory; due to ‘Black Sox Scandal’ last WS to take place without a Commissioner of Baseball in place

1928 Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3 at Sportsman’s Park to become first to sweep consecutive World Series; Babe Ruth hits smashes 3 HRs for Yanks

MORE FACTS…
1855 American inventor Isaac Singer patents sewing machine motor

1963 Vajont Dam disaster, landslide creates 50 million cubic metre wave killing around 2,000 in the Piave Valley in Northern Italy

Famous Weddings
1514 King Louis XII of France marries Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII (sister of Henry VIII)

1901 Philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. (27) weds Abby Aldrich in Warwick Neck, Rhode Island

1916 Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (21) weds Maxine Gates in Farmington, Utah

Exploring Rainmaker Hotel, American Samoa

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 9, 2022

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Rainmaker Hotel was a former luxury hotel with 250 rooms, located in Utule’I, Pago Pago, in the Territory of American Samoa.

As it was the only proper hotel in American Samoa, the hotel was operated and taken care of by the government.

Erected by the Pan American Airways in 1959, in the past it was known as the Pacific’s Intercontinental Hotel, which was also the peak of its operation.

The hotel opened in 1960s, immediately gaining popularity and remaining popular until the end of the 1970s.

The hotel maintained the tall thatched roofs to give the flavor of a South Pacific island. The name Rainmaker comes from the Rainmaker Mountain which is located above the Pago Pago Harbour.

Due to the volcanic structure of the island with fringing reefs, the sand which was imported and made from coral, does not build up like the continental beaches.

The hotel was hit by a big disaster in 1980, when a US Navy plane hit the cables of the Mt. Alava aerial tramway and crashed into the hotel, killing the six servicemen aboard and two tourists who were staying at the hotel.

The hotel manager at that time refused to erect a memorial inside the hotel grounds.

The fate of the hotel is really not good at all. In 1990s due to hurricane damage, poor management, and accumulated debts, the hotel fell into hard times.

Out of the 250 rooms which were rented from the beginning, slowly were “cut down” and in 2004, only 10 rooms were being operated.

Nowadays, what remains of the once magnificent Rainmaker Hotel will soon be completely demolished by local company E&W Construction that won the bid for the contract.

The Hotel is still partially being removed, with asbestos taken from the ground, however, whether the whole buildings complex will be removed, or something will be left as a memory remains to be seen.

Kogi Flood: National Emergency Management Agency Distributes Relief Materials To 9 Local Governments

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 9, 2022

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National Emergency Management Agency NEMA has distributed relief materials to Kogi flood victims.

The food and non-food items distributed include rice, beans, maize, salt, vegetable oil, tomatoes, mats, mosquito nets, toilet soaps and clothes.

Justin Uwazuruonye, head of Abuja Operations of NEMA, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

“This urgent intervention of the Federal Government through NEMA, led by Mr Mustapha Ahmed, is to cushion the impact of the ravaging flood that has displaced thousands of persons this year.

“So far, we have distributed these items to victims in nine local government areas in the state, namely; Lokoja, Kogi, Igalamela/Odolu, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Omala, Bassa, Ibaji and Idah,” he said.

Mr Uwazuruonye said the distribution was done in collaboration with Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KGSEMA) at St. Luke’s Primary School, Adankolo.

The flood victims are temporarily residing at the school.

Edward Onoja, the Deputy Governor of Kogi, who was present at the exercise, thanked the Federal Government, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and NEMA for the timely intervention.