Kenya’s Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu has banned early morning and late evening studies in schools, saying “we don’t want to subject the kids to strain – kids should sleep for nine hours”.
Machogu directed that classes in both private and public primary schools be held between 08:00 and 15:45 to ensure learning takes place within the designated times.
“The syllabus should be covered appropriately between the stipulated time. Let us not subject pupils to unnecessary mental torture,” he added.
The minister said he had noticed a trend where school buses pick children up as early as 05:00 and drop them off as late as 20:00.
The issue of school reporting times has been contentious in Kenya.
The BBC carried out an investigation in 2021 when there was a spike in arson cases in secondary boarding schools, and revealed that students were in class as early as 04.30 up to 22:00. Students who were interviewed then complained of a tight academic schedule and lack of extra-curricular activities.
Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman scored for the fourth game on the bounce in all competitions as Atalanta defeated Sampdoria 2-0 at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo on matchday 20 of the Italian Serie A on Saturday, January 28.
After hitting the post in the build-up to Joakim Maehle’s headed goal three minutes before halftime, Lookman doubled the advantage with a beauty.
The Charlton Athletic academy product nutmegged a Sampdoria defender, sprinted forward and buried the ball into the far corner for his 12th goal of the season in the league alone.
According to the statisticians at OPTA, Lookman is the top scoring player in the big five European Leagues comprising the English Premier League, La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 since the start of 2023.
5 – Goals in 2023 in the Big-5 European leagues:
5 Ademola Lukman
4 Victor Osimhen
4 Lautaro Martínez
4 Erling Haaland
4 Wissam Ben Yedder
The 2017 U20 World Cup winner with England bagged a brace against Salernitana and Juventus, before his brilliant strike versus Sampdoria, taking his tally to five goals in 2023.
Lookman has outscored international teammate, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Inter Milan’s World Cup winner with Argentina Lautaro Martínez, Manchester City’s Norway goal machine Erling Haaland and Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, who are all on four goals.
The Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) serves as an inspiration for many people on the importance, values and rewards of leadership through servitude, embodied by Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
OOPL contains a vast wealth of knowledge and experiences yet to be seen in Nigeria and West Africa.
Conceived in 1988, the idea to establish the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library remained just an idea until 10 years later when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo rode from prison to the State House as Nigeria’s second elected Executive President.
He soon established the Office of Presidential Libraries (Libraries, Research and Documentation) with a stated mission to see the OOPL idea translated into reality.
On November 12, 2002, the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation was incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation to advise, promote and encourage the establishment, growth and development of the Library, to coordinate its activities and provide support for its programmes.
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees was charged with mobilising private sector interest and funding to construct, furnish, maintain, and protect the Library complex’s buildings and its holdings.
Abeokuta fought several wars with Dahomey, provoked by the city’s rise as a major trade hub for the
A primary concern for the establishment of a Presidential Library is first to acknowledge the contributions of, at any one time, the occupier of Nigeria’s most important political office.
It is also generally acknowledged that, there is a gap in understanding the complex conditions that prevail or act upon important decisions leaders make when they occupy their positions.
A Presidential library, with documents and other archival materials can avail researchers of important resources that may enable them arrive at accurate and objective analysis of their subjects.
The Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library was established to demonstrate and deepen democracy.
One essential aspect of democracy is a developed and engaged citizenry. The Presidential Library will enhance transparency and accountability and ensure that policy choices are better understood.
It will clear up the myth and misconceptions that citizens hold for the office of the President and perhaps broker a more pragmatic understanding of the events of history and the person caught in its storms. For children in schools, the benefit and value of understanding the travails of a leader cannot be underestimated.
The presidential library complex is strategically located at the intersection of two major roads that lead into the city of Abeokuta from two different directions, namely, The Presidential Boulevard and The MKO Abiola Way.
The first leads to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, and the second leads to Ibadan, formerly the largest city in Nigerian and West Africa. The complex’s 32 hectares lie in the immediate vicinity of the Federal High Court, the City Stadium, the Federal and State Governments’ Secretariats, a golf course and several high-brow residential estates.
The construction of the complex presented a lot of environmental and physical challenges because of the site’s unique topographical formation. Almost 47 per cent of the site is covered with outcrops of igneous granite rock formation.
The shape and outlook of the rock formations are impressive and interesting. A plateau-like formation serves as a natural helipad. Others form hillocks that create an excellent view of the entire complex and major areas of the surrounding cityscape.
The site is not all rock. A swift stream empties into a small swamp and was dammed to provide water and electricity. The dam is one of the highlights of any visit to the library complex.
Roma coach, Jose Mourinho, has likened Victor Osimhen to his former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
Osimhen proved Napoli’s matchwinner against Roma yesterday.
“He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive,” said Mourinho.
“If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money. However, if he does go to England one day, he needs to change, because in Italy they put up with this sort of behaviour, whereas in the Premier League, they’d come down hard on him.”
Mourinho spoke to Osimhen at the final whistle.
“I told him that he scored a wonderful goal and needs to stop diving so much. His goal was fantastic, he did the same thing when we met earlier this season, so he’s a fantastic player. But he mustn’t dive.”
Former Nigerian goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph believes Super Eagles forward, Kelechi Iheanacho has done enough to be in Brendan Rodgers’s Leicester City’s starting line up after his goal scoring form in the FA Cup.
The Nigerian international for the umpteenth time rescued the Foxes as he netted the winning goal in the team’s 1-0 win over Walsall at the weekend. It was his second goal in the FA Cup.
Since making his FA Cup debut in 2016, Iheanacho has scored 17 goals- the highest tally of any player in the competition.
Reacting to Iheanacho’s form, the Atlanta Olympic gold medalist in a chat with Completesports.com stated that the Super Eagles star should be saddled with the goalscoring responsibility at Leicester City.
“I really think Iheanacho has be patient and has done well to have helped his Leicester City progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
“Coming on from the bench to score the winning goal shows he deserves to be giving the chance to be in the starting line up.
“With Leicester City struggling for goals, who knows, Iheanacho could just be their saviour at the end.
Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 29, 2023 in Naples, Italy.
Victor Osimhen is currently living a dream in Italy – one that is bigger than him. On his lanky shoulders rest the hopes of the football-crazy southern city of Naples, which is holding its breath for a first Serie A title in 33 years.
THE DREAM CONTINUES Earlier on Sunday, I stumbled upon a scarf amid countless Maradona items in a souvenir shop in the Spanish Quarters of Naples that read: Osimhen 9 – The dream continues. At night he confirmed it with a blistering goal against Roma. The Diego Armando Maradona stadium was in awe and I felt proud and honoured to have witnessed the goal-scoring prowess of a compatriot that is turning heads across the football world.
SUPERB GOAL Osimhen first raised his hand in anticipation of Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s cross, and when it came, after beating three defenders, he claimed the ball with his chest, brought it down to his thigh before blasting it beyond Rui Patricio and into the roof of Roma’s goal. It seemed like I could even hear the sound. It was unstoppable. A much needed heat on a chilly Sunday night. The goal itself and the confidence with which Osimhen executed it were simply mesmerizing. Even Roma coach Jose Mourinho got to personally praise Osimhen for the “amazing goal”.
Ten times the stadium announcer shouted “Victor!” and each time the sold-out crowd responded with an “Osimhen!” that reverberated around the stadium. I felt goosebumps. It was his 14th league goal of the season, his fifth in four consecutive matches. He is scoring for fun and could become the first African to finish as top scorer in the 125-year history of the Italian topflight. He is also poised to succeed George Weah – the only African player to win the Ballon d’Or – as the African with the most Serie A goals.
SOUGHT-AFTER Osimhen is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe at the moment and according to Mourinho, “if one day I’m in a club with a lot of money, I’ll buy him”. Rumours say Manchester United are in front of the queue, but Luciano Spalletti remains focused on making history with Osimhen. After the 24-year-old scored a brace and registered an assist against Juventus a few weeks ago, Spalletti said: “Osimhen is such a great striker. The potential he has is scary, I’m excited to see what he can do in the future. He still has a remarkable amount of room for improvement.”
INCREDIBLE SUPPORT On Sunday night, it was also scary when Osimhen needed medical attention twice. Thank goodness it was nothing serious. He would be substituted a minute after El Shaarawy equalised for Roma in the 75th minute. His job on the pitch was done and for the remaining minutes he was an incredible supporter from the bench. Then substitute Giovanni Simeone ensured victory for the hosts in the 86th minute.
A LEADER Even during the celebrations at the end of the match, Osimhen was a leader. The joy and jumps of triumph were a beauty to behold. This was my first time in Napoli, first time at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, first time watching Victor Osimhen live in a stadium and I am glad it did not end any other way.
“HE NEVER STOPS” I did not get to speak to Osimhen after the game for reasons beyond my control, but seeing how much he is loved and appreciated was satisfying. Osimhen is the name on everyone’s lips. “He is a warrior, he never stops,” a fan said to me. I approached another Napoli supporter who was walking with his son towards the entrance of the stadium and at the mention of “Victor Osimhen” his shy kid smiled.
Osimhen has had his low moments. After becoming Napoli’s marquee and most expensive signing in the summer of 2020, he could only manage 10 goals and three assists, from 30 games in his debut season was riddled with injury, suspensions and coronavirus-related problems. The following season he suffered a horrendous facial injury but still went on to win the best Under 23 player of the season and was Napoli’s top league scorer with 14 goals. And this month, he received the Globe Soccer’s Emerging Player of the Year 2022 award.
MARADONA In Napoli, Diego Maradona is worshipped, after he led them to “the promised land” in1986/87 and 1989/90 – the only times they have ever won the Serie A title. Maradona’s number 10 jersey is still very popular and even on matchdays they are hung beside those of the current players. But Osimhen seems to be building his own legacy in this Italian city that has be likened to the one in which he was born and bred, Lagos.
NAPOLI LIKE LAGOS A Nigerian fuji singer, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma captured the similarities of Napoli and Lagos in his song “Napoli Like Lagos”. Osimhen used the phrase for one of his intial tweets on July 31, 2020 after he was announced as a Napoli player. I have come to see some as well, especially the busy and chaotic lifestyle that defines both.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Osimhen was born in Olusosun, one of the poverty-stricken slums in Lagos and he never forgets his humble beginnings of playing football without boots. The world first took notice of his brilliance at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile where he clinched the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards as the Golden Eaglets won the title. He was 16 years old at the time and scored a tournament-record 10 goals, which eventually earned him Africa’s Youth Player of the Year award for 2015.
With the 2-1 win over Roma, Napoli now have 53 points from 20 games and are 13 points clear of second-placed Inter Milan.
Brazil coach Tite (right) and assistant coach Cleiton Xavier during their World Cup match against Croatia.
More than two decades since their last World Cup triumph and without a local consensus pick, Brazil are considering breaking an unwritten taboo – hiring a foreign coach.
After six years in the job, Tite left the Brazil post in December following the Selecao’s World Cup quarter-final exit against Croatia.
Despite knowing for some time before the Qatar showpiece that Tite was leaving, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues still has not found a replacement.
Now he is widening his search. “We have no nationality prejudices,” he said earlier in January.
“We want it to be a respected coach who can bring a level of play worthy of the athletes. We want to do what Brazil have always tried to do – to be very attacking.”
Apart from England, who hired Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello of Italy in the 2000s, almost no other major footballing nation has had a foreign coach in decades.
Brazil’s World Cup drought – stretching back to their dazzling triumph in 2002 with a three-pronged attack comprised of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo – has forced the record five-time world champions to cast the net farther afield. There are potential Brazilian candidates, but none have garnered widespread support.
“We have good quality, but before we used to produce more coaches than now,” Luiz Felipe Scolari, the 2002 title-winning coach, said recently.
“The new generation… haven’t won enough trophies.”
The Brazilian press have been proposing numerous possible foreign candidates – Spaniards Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, Italy’s Carlo Ancelotti, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, Jose Mourinho of Portugal and even Argentinians Marcelo Gallardo and Mauricio Pochettino.
Manchester City’s Guardiola and Ancelotti of Real Madrid have both ruled themselves out, although the former did say a couple of years ago that he fancied leading a national team when he leaves the English champions.
“Since the end of last year, I think I’ve heard 26 names. We will go after some of them,” said Rodrigues, who hopes to have the new man in place by March.
But it is not easy hiring a world-class coach when top European clubs can pay such inflated wages and offer the chance to compete for the Champions League or national titles.
It is also not easy to convince Brazilian fans to accept a “gringo” in charge of the Selecao.
A poll in December found 48 per cent were against the idea, with only 41 per cent in favour.
“In Brazil there is one idea – we have the best football in the world, so we don’t need a foreign coach telling us how to play,” said historian and editor of sports website Ludopedio, Victor Figols.
“Us, who know how to develop great players, who in part created dribbling, the way to play the Beautiful Game.”
Al-Nassr may not be the final bus stop for the increasingly nomadic Cristiano Ronaldo who made a dramatic switch to Saudi Arabia few weeks ago.
The move to Al-Nassr was Ronaldo’s fourth switch since his first stint at Manchester United. He had been with Real Madrid, Juventus and then a return to Manchester United before the current one.
Even his current coach at Al-Nassr, Rudi Garcia, knows that Ronaldo’s stay is temporal.
The coach has claimed that the forward will ‘go back to Europe’ before retiring from football.
The superstar forward only secured a move to the Saudi Arabian side last month but it seems talks over his future have already begun to circulate.
And, this time, it’s his own coach that has added fuel to the fire after Garcia suggested that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will have one final stint in Europe before hanging up his boots.
Al-Nassr head coach Garcia said: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition as he helps disperse defenders.
Al-Nassr’s next fixture sees Ronaldo’s team travelling to Al Fateh on Friday, while his former United colleagues face Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
NIGERIA-VOTE-UNREST-DISPLACED
A group of girls stand in front of their compound at Malkohi refugee camp in Jimeta, Adamawa State, Nigeria on February 19, 2019, four days ahead of the country's General elections set for February 23 after a last-minute rescheduling. - Malkohi is a camp for internal displaced who fled their homes as Boko Haram insurgents advanced across north-eastern Nigeria. From their homes on the outskirts of Yola, capital of presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar's home state Adamawa, Malkohi residents say they feel forgotten. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUIS TATO/AFP/Getty Images)
The National Human Rights Commission Commission (NHRC) will on Tuesday (7th February 2023) inaugurate a Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Implementation of Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-North East).
The inauguration will take place at Bukhari Bello Auditorium, NHRC Headquarters at 10am.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN, who made this disclosure in Abuja Monday stated that the panel will among other things focus on investigating Reuters report which alleged that Nigerian Military was involved in abortion of many pregnancies in the North East in the last 10 years.
Besides, the international media organisation had alleged that the Military was involved in the massacre of children as well as other Sexual and Gender Based Violence(SGBV) in the North East.
However, the Military has refuted the allegations saying that it was a ploy to malign the image of the Nigerian Armed Forces which has been at the forefront of the counter insurgency efforts in the North East.
It would be recalled that the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor during his visit to the Commission in December 2022 told the Executive Secretary that the Military is willing and ready for any probe, particularly as it relates to Reuter’s report as stated above.
Members of the panel are Honourable Justice Abdu Aboki, retired Justice of the Supreme Court ( Chairman), Ms Kemi Okonyedo, representing Women Rights Organisation, Barrister Azubuike Nwankenta, representing NBA, Major General Letam Wiwa rtd (Military Law and Intelligence Expert), Dr. Maisaratu Bakari (Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital Yola), Dr. Fatima Akilu (Humanitarian Expert, representing Civil Society), and Ms. Halima Nuradeen (Psychologist, representing Youths).
SpaceX’s Starlink is now live in Nigeria, according to the company.
The Elon Musk-owned firm confirmed this in a tweet on Monday, stating that Nigeria was the first African country to enjoy its services.
It tweeted, “Starlink is now available in Nigeria – the first African country to receive service.”
Nigeria is the 47th country in the world to get Starlink Internet services.
Starlink seeks to deliver a global broadband network, using a constellation of Low Earth Orbit to provide high-speed internet coverage with the capacity to penetrate rural and geographically isolated areas.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, broadband penetration hit 47.36 per cent as of December 2022. Nigeria hopes to increase its broadband penetration to 50 per cent in 2023 and 90 per cent in 2025.
The ‘Nigerian National Broadband Plan: 2020–2025,’ reads in part, “The new Broadband Plan is designed to deliver data download speeds across Nigeria of a minimum 25Mbps in urban areas, and 10Mbps in rural areas, with effective coverage available to at least 90 per cent of the population by 2025 at a price not more than N390 per 1GB of data (i.e. 2 per cent of median income or 1 per cent of minimum wage).
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
