African Games: Nigeria Denied Consecutive Gold Finishes In Women’s Football

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March 22, 2024

Ghana defeated Nigeria’s U-20 team in the final, denying the team a second consecutive African Games gold medal after their last triumph in 2019

The Black Princesses of Ghana claimed the gold medal in the women’s under-20 football event at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

The hosts defeated the Falconets of Nigeria 2-1 to emerge victorious in the match played at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Thursday.

Nigeria’s Loveth Edeh had put the Falconets ahead in the 24th minute of the game before Tracey Twum got the equaliser in the 78th minute with a thunderous strike to beat the Falconet’s goalkeeper.

Ghana`s Mukarama Abdulai scored the winning goal in the 99th minute of extra time as her low shot on the edge of the box beat Faith Omilana, the Falconets goalkeeper

The loss means that the Falconets have relinquished their reign as African Games champions.

The Falconets booked their place in the final after defeating Uganda 2-0. Ghana also defeated the Teranga Lionesses of Senegal, 3-1 to book a place in the final.

Meanwhile, Uganda beat Senegal 6-5 in a penalty shootout to secure the bronze medal in a thrilling match at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

The 13th African Games, which began on 8 March, will end on 23 March. The games are being held across three cities: Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast.

Kanu’s family criticise South-East politicians for abandoning IPOB leader

By

Mana Balagbogbo

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March 22, 2024

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The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has criticised political leaders in the South-East for failing to meet with President Bola Tinubu to secure the release of their son.

The IPOB leader has been in detention since June 29, 2021. His recent bail application was declined by Justice Binta Nyako on Tuesday.

However, in a statement on Thursday on behalf of the family, Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel, questioned why Igbo political leaders had not met with Tinubu to address Kanu’s situation nearly a year since the president assumed office.

The statement partly read, “How be it that nobody among Igbo political leaders has reached Tinubu to discuss Nnamdi Kanu’s release almost a year after he came to power?

“Is it not deliberate? Have they not been gaining access to the President concerning other issues? It’s a shame that Kanu is being punished for asking for the freedom of Ndigbo, and the leaders have abandoned him to die in DSS custody.”

He alleged that some people were benefiting from his continued incarceration, hence the apparent apathy on the part of the political elite to engage the President in his release.

Emmanuel added, “Why can’t they go for his release if they truly love the South East? Something is wrong somewhere. They are benefiting from his continued detention, and that’s why they are not making any serious moves to engage Mr President. Don’t forget that some people sponsored his abduction and extraordinary rendition.

“Why should he be abandoned for asking for the freedom of Biafra? He didn’t take up arms against the government, but he was tagged a terrorist. Yet the same government is busy releasing terrorists from detention.”

Emmanuel threatened to expose the beneficiaries of Kanu’s continued incarceration and the insecurity in the Southeast region.

He said, “If they fail to act, Ndigbo and Biafrans at large must hold them responsible. And it may get to a point where the masses may no longer be held back.

“Nobody dies with any secret. Very soon, all those behind Kanu’s continued detention will be exposed. Those benefiting from the insecurity in the South-East are the ones enjoying his continued stay in detention. But nothing lasts forever. One day, they will be out of power.”

Emmanuel also expressed sadness over the refusal of Justice Nyako to grant him bail.

The family wondered if the trial Judge had taken time to go through the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgment on the matter which held that the Federal High Court ought not to have revoked Kanu’s bail in the first place.

Senegal’s elections set for Sunday

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Mana Balagbogbo

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March 22, 2024

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Senegal is set to hold its delayed Presidential elections on Sunday amid a tense political atmosphere caused by the failure of President Macky Sall to postpone the vote and the release of two key opposition figures from prison.

According to the Associated Press, the delayed elections have sparked violent protests testing one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.

Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released from prison last week sparking wild jubilations in the streets of Dakar and adding to the excitement of the much-anticipated elections.

Alioune Tine, the founder of Afrikajom, a Senegalese think tank, said that Sunday’s election has a set grim record in Senegal’s political history with various rights groups accusing President Macky Sall of repressing the media, Civil society, and the opposition.

“It was the longest and most violent presidential election process, with the most deaths, injuries, and political detainees,” said Tine.
Human Rights Watch said over 1000 opposition members and activists were arrested across the country in the last three years. President Macky Sall has faced accusations of wanting to hold on to power which he has denied many times.

There are 19 candidates in the race, the highest in Senegal’s history.

The ruling party has picked Amadou Ba, 62, a former prime minister and finance minister as its candidate.

Amadou Ba faces a crowded opposition of 18 contestants with the most prominent being 43-year-old former tax inspector Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who gained enormous popularity after being backed by firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

Both Sonko and Faye were released from jail on March 14 due to an amnesty proposed by Sall after months in detention, and have since pushed the momentum of the election to the opposition ranks.

Anta Babacar Ngom, the first woman to run for president in years, is the only female presidential candidate in the race, but few expect her to gain a significant share of the vote.

Other contenders in the race include Idrissa Seck, who has run in previous races and served as prime minister some 20 years ago, and Khalifa Sall, a former mayor of Dakar and longtime opposition figure.

Analysts in the country say unemployment remains the biggest issue amongst most Senegalese going into the elections. Around half of Senegal’s population of 17 million are under 18, according to Afrobarometer, an independent survey research group.

Poverty also remains a challenge in the country according to Marieme Wone Ly a former Senegalese political party leader.

“The big question right now for the Senegalese election is how are we going to break out of poverty,” said Marième Wone Ly, “We can’t see the end of the tunnel. People don’t see it.”
According to World Bank Data, about a third of Senegalese live in poverty. Thousands have fled to the West in search of better lives often experiencing risky and life-threatening journeys.

Senegal’s election was originally slated for Feb 25th before it was abruptly delayed by President Macky Sall on Feb 3 citing risks caused by dispute over the candidate list as the reason for the postponement.

The news of the postponed elections sparked violent protests, leading the country’s highest constitutional authority, the Constitutional Council, to reject attempts to delay the vote and extend Sall’s mandate beyond April 2.

Sunday’s election is set to be Senegal’s fourth democratic transfer of power since it gained independence from France in 1960. The West African country has enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most stable democracies in the region.

Around 7.3 million people are registered to vote among Senegal’s nearly 17 million population, more than 60% of whom are under 25.

Tinubu praises integrity of Senators over Budget

By

Mana Balagbogbo

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March 22, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu on Thursday told the leadership of the 10th Senate that the integrity of the National Assembly remains intact in the thick of allegations of budget padding over the last few weeks.

He said his administration will always encourage cooperation between the executive and judiciary for the advancement of the nation.

Tinubu said this when he hosted the leadership of the Senate to a dinner on Thursday to break the Ramadan fast at the State House, Abuja.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement released in the early hours of Friday titled ‘President Tinubu: We will not allow anyone to undermine our security; killers of soldiers in Delta State will face certain justice.’

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP) had alleged that the Tinubu-led government is implementing a budget other than the one approved on January 1, 2024.

Ningi, who chaired the Northern Senators’ Forum and Senate Committee on Population, had contended in a BBC Hausa Service interview that a N25tn budget was debated and passed, not the N28.7tn that is currently being implemented.

He maintained that N3.7tn could not be accounted for in the 2024 budget.

However, at plenary on March 12, the Senate suspended Senator Ningi for three months over this claim.

Reacting to the allegations for the first time in public, Tinubu said, “I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Assembly, and I know what numbers came back.

“I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much.

“Those who are talking about malicious embellishment in the budget; they did not understand the arithmetic and did not refer to the baseline of what I brought. But your integrity is intact.”

“The natural challenge we are facing will be over. On the current economic difficulty, we are about turning the corner.

“Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditures and manage ourselves better.

“Light is at the end of the tunnel, and Nigerians will soon smile again,” the President affirmed.

Tinubu also thanked members of the National Assembly for the speedy attention given to the Student Loan Amendment Bill, urging more tolerance, forgiveness, and charity during Ramadan.

He said the perpetrators of the killing of soldiers in Delta State will face certain justice, warning that his administration will not tolerate attacks on the military and security infrastructure.

The President also affirmed that the military would continue to enjoy the support of his administration in neutralising security threats across the country.

“Our armed forces are working hard, and we will not allow attackers to undermine the integrity and value of our armed forces and its leadership.

“We will continue to encourage and fight for our sovereignty, our individual rights to exist, and we will succeed in banishing poverty from our land,’’ the President stated.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thanked the President for hosting the lawmakers, noting that regular interactions would enhance understanding and productive governance.

“We bring you greetings from the 10th senate. We bring you assurances of continuous collaboration because we believe strongly that for us to have two brothers from the National Assembly as President and Vice-President, and even the Chief of Staff as our member, we have no option but to work with you, and to do everything possible for this administration to succeed,’’ said Akpabio.

Uzodimma Appoints Brother as Aide

By

Mana Balagbogbo

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March 22, 2024

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The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has approved the appointment of his brother, Ferdinand Uzodimma, as his Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of general services.

Ferdinand Uzodimma was a Councillor, Transition Committee Chairman and Sole Administrator of Oru East Local Government Area.

The governor also reappointed Cosmos Iwu as the Secretary to the Government.

Also reappointed by the governor are Nnamdi Anyaehie, Patrick Ekeji and Olisaemeka Sydney Agbor as Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) and Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) respectively.

Iwu, Agbor, Ekeji and Anyaehie all served in the same capacities in the same capacities in Uzodimma’s first four-year term.

Governor Uzodimma also named Sam Anyalewechi Nwaobasi named as Special Adviser on Programme and Policy Implementation/ Monitoring.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Oguwike Nwachuku, the appointments are to take immediate effect.

The statement reads, “The Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma has reappointed Chief Cosmos Iwu as the Secretary to the Government of Imo State.

“In the same vein, Sir Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, Chief (Dr.) Patrick Ekeji and Barr. Olisaemeka Sydney Agbor have been reappointed as Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) and Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) respectively.

“Also, the Governor has approved the appointment of Chief Ferdinand Uzodimma, a one time Councillor, Transition Committee Chairman and Sole Administrator of Oru East Local Government Area as his Deputy Chief of Staff (General Services) with Mr. Sam Anyalewechi Nwaobasi named as Special Adviser on Programme and Policy Implementation/ Monitoring.

“The appointments take immediate effect.

“Governor Uzodimma who congratulated the new appointees urged them to bring to bear their professional competence in the efforts to drive the vision of the Shared Prosperity 3R Government of Imo State.”

We Will Not Allow Anyone Undermine Our Security – Tinubu

By

Mana Balagbogbo

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March 22, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu says the perpetrators of the killing of soldiers in Delta State will face certain justice, warning that his administration will not tolerate attacks on the military and security infrastructure.

The President, who hosted the leadership of the Senate to a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at the State House on Thursday, said the military will continue to enjoy the support of his administration in neutralizing security threats across the country.

“Our armed forces are working hard, and we will not allow attackers to undermine the integrity and value of our armed forces and its leadership.

“We will continue to encourage and fight for our sovereignty, our individual rights to exist, and we will succeed in banishing poverty from our land,’’ the President stated.
President Tinubu told the leadership of the Senate that the integrity of the National Assembly must remain intact and that his administration will always encourage cooperation for the advancement of the nation.

“I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Assembly, and I know what numbers came back. I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much.

“Those who are talking about malicious embellishment in the budget; they did not understand the arithmetic and did not refer to the baseline of what I brought. But your integrity is intact.

“I am grateful for what you have been doing. The natural challenge we are facing will be over. On the current economic difficulty, we are about turning the corner. Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditure and manage ourselves better.
“Light is at the end of the tunnel, and Nigerians will soon smile again,” the President affirmed.

President Tinubu thanked members of the National Assembly for the speedy attention given to the Student Loan Amendment Bill, urging more tolerance, forgiveness, and charity during Ramadan.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio thanked the President for hosting the lawmakers, noting that regular interactions would enhance understanding and productive governance.

“We bring you greetings from the 10th senate. We bring you assurances of continuous collaboration because we believe strongly that for us to have two brothers from the National Assembly as President and Vice-President, and even the Chief of Staff as our member, we have no option but to work with you, and to do everything possible for this administration to succeed,’’ the President of the Senate said.

International Friendly – Ghana Black Stars Face Super Eagles Of Nigeria In Morocco

By

Emenike Agu

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March 22, 2024

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The two eternal rivals trade tackles with each other in their first games since enjoying differing fortunes at the 2024 AFCON

Nigeria’s men’s national team will lock horns with their Ghanaian counterpart in the bustling Moroccan city of Marrakech on Friday in the latest superiority battle between the two West African powerhouses.

This is the first match both teams will play after their campaigns at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.

Ghana went to that tournament as one of the teams with an outside chance of lifting the trophy, but the Black Stars left disappointed.

The Ghanaians scored more goals than all but five of the countries at the AFCON but failed to win a game or make it out of a Group B which had Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Egypt.

The Ghana FA wasted little time in dismissing head coach Chris Hughton after that debacle.

Nigeria, by contrast, were unbeaten during the group stage and edged past Cameroon, Angola and South Africa in the knockout rounds to reach the final, where they lost narrowly to the host nation.As the vice-champion of Africa, the Super Eagles will be expected to overcome the Black Stars in Morocco on Friday.

However, Ghana hold the historical advantage over their eternal rivals and this match will be far from being a walk in the park for Nigeria.

Head-to-head

Despite boasting seven times more population than Ghana, Nigeria have always found the former Gold Coast a difficult customer to dominate in sports, especially football.

Ghana, in fact, have enjoyed arguably more success in football than Nigeria.

The Black Stars have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times, one more than the Super Eagles.

Ghana have been to the FIFA World Cup on four occasions, reaching the quarterfinals in 2010. By contrast, Nigeria have never made it past the second round at the Mundial.

In direct meetings, Ghana also hold the advantage, beating Nigeria 22 times and losing only 11 of 53 games since their first meeting in 1950.

No other nation has beaten Nigeria more times than Ghana and the 78 goals the Eagles have conceded against the Black Stars is the highest of any opposition they have ever faced.

The last time these two teams met, Ghana celebrated after making it to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the expense of the Nigerians.

Team news

Ghana and Nigeria arrive for this encounter with new coaches in charge.

The Black Stars will be handled by former international Otto Addo, who left his role at Borussia Dortmund to take up the head coach position.

Nigeria also said goodbye to coach Jose Peseiro, who led the Eagles to a silver-medal finish at the AFCON early this month.

The Nigeria Football Federation has engaged former AFC Ajax and Real Betis winger Geroge Finidi on an interim basis.

Finidi was an assistant to Peseiro, and he is also one of those who have applied for the head coach job. Hence, this match could be his chance to impress fans and stakeholders that he is ready to be the Super Eagles head coach.

As if the pressure on him is not cranked up enough, Finidi faces Ghana without the full complement of the squad that excelled at the AFCON.

Star forward Victor Osimhen, captains Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong, and fullback Ola Aina are unavailable due to injury.

Taiwo Awoniyi, Gabriel Osho, and Tyronne Ebuehi, who were in the 26-man squad the NFF invited for this game, have also pulled out.

While Nigeria rue their misses, Ghana have key players unavailable as well.

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, goalkeeper Richard Ofori, and West Ham forward Mohammad Kudus will not be up for selection against Nigeria.

Coach Addo can, however, count on the talents of Mohammed Salisu, Andrey and Jordan Ayew, and youngster Fatawi Issahaku.

Without goalkeeper Ofori, FC St. Gallen ace Lawrence Ati-Zigi should step in for the Black Stars.

Nigeria Predicted lineup (4-4-2):
Nwabali; Awaziem, Ajayi, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Chukwueze, Ndidi, Onyeka, Iwobi; Lookman, Iheanacho.

Ghana predicted lineup (4-4-2):
Ati-Zigi; Lamptey, Djiku, Salisu, Mensah; Samed, Majeed, Jordan Ayew, Issahaku; Andre Ayew, Semenyo

Match details

Competition: Friendly
Match: Nigeria vs. Ghana
Venue: Stade de Marrakech, Morocco
Date: Friday, 22 March 2024
Kickoff time: 5 pm (Nigerian time)

Senate Approves Student Loan Act Bill

By

Nzubechukwu Anodo

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March 20, 2024

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The Senate has successfully passed the Student Loan, Access to Higher Education Act, Repeal and Re-Enactment Bill, 2024, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in a significant step toward enhancing access to higher education

This landmark legislation marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s commitment to creating educational opportunities for its citizens.

The bill’s passage culminated with dedicated efforts and detailed scrutiny by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.

After thorough evaluation, the committee’s findings and recommendations were brought forward to the plenary session for a decisive vote.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse presented the comprehensive report, facilitating informed discussions and subsequent approval by the Senate.

This legislative achievement confirms President Tinubu’s resolve to remove financial barriers to higher education, ensuring that aspiring students nationwide have the means to pursue their academic goals.

Just In: Tobi Amusan Wins Women’s 100m Hurdles Round 1 At African Games

By

Emenike Agu

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March 20, 2024

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Nigerian sprint Queen, Tobi Amusan has won the women’s 100m hurdles Round 1 heat at the 13th Africa Games in Ghana.

Amusan won the heat with a time of 13.03s.

By virtue of her victory, she secured a spot in the semis of the women’s 100m hurdles.

Details coming

Hiroshima grapples with Oppenheimer Oscars success

By

Emenike Agu

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March 20, 2024

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Oppenheimer had a glittering night at the Oscars but in Hiroshima, devastated by the first nuclear bomb in 1945, the film about the weapon’s creator is harder to stomach.

Kyoko Heya, president of the Japanese city’s international film festival, after the blockbuster won seven academy awards including best picture said “is this really a movie that people in Hiroshima can bear to watch?”.

Christopher Nolan also picked up best director for the biopic, which was a huge hit worldwide last summer — except in Japan, where it was absent from cinemas.

There was no official statement at the time, fueling speculation that sensitivities around the subject matter had kept the film off Japanese screens.

Around 140,000 people died in Hiroshima and 74,000 in Nagasaki when the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities, days before the end of World War II.

The mega-budget “Oppenheimer” will finally be released in Japan on March 29, but Heya has organized a special screening for high school students.

From the city’s peace memorial park near the bomb’s hypocenter, the 69-year-old says that she had found Nolan’s movie “very America-centric.”

In the park, the ruins of a domed building stand as a stark reminder of the horrors of the attack, along with a museum and other somber memorials. Heya was at first “terrified” about the prospect of screening it in Hiroshima, today a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people.

Yu Sato, a 22-year-old student at Hiroshima City University, says she felt “a bit scared” about how bomb survivors and their families would react to the Oscar-winning film.

Sato says, “i have mixed feelings, to be honest,” who works with the survivors through her studies. “Oppenheimer created the atomic bomb, which means he made this world a very scary place.

“Even if he did not intend to kill many people, he cannot be seen as completely unaccountable.”

Director Nolan has said he was inspired to make “Oppenheimer” after stumbling upon a Pulitzer prize-winning biography of j. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who oversaw the invention of the atomic bomb.

But those jokes sparked anger online in Japan, the only country to have suffered a wartime nuclear attack, and social media users were also quick to react to the “Oppenheimer” Oscars sweep.

One user on x, formerly twitter, called the movie’s seven victories “overwhelming,” asking: “what is this strength? It must be one heck of a masterpiece. Another questioned its frame of reference.

“maybe it’s time someone made a film about atomic bombs from the perspective of Japan or a Japanese person.”