The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Five Nigerian weightlifters set for Paris 2024 qualifiers

    Five Nigerian weightlifters set for Paris 2024 qualifiers

    Nigerian  Weightlifters are upbeat  ahead of  their departure for the African Championship slated for Tunis, Tunisia  between May 11th and  20th .

    The competition which serves as the 2024 Olympic qualifiers will have vie for slots to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Nigeria will be represented by two men and three women.

    Expected to represent Nigeria in the women category are  Olarinoye Adijat Adenike (59kg) who won gold medal at the last Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Lawal Rofiat Folashade (59kg) another gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games last year and Joy Eze Ogbonne (71kg) who was impressive at the 2021 IWF World Championship in Uzbekistan. The Men are represented by  Edidong Umofia Joseph (73kg) and  Desmond Akano (102kg).

    The five weightlifters and Adeyemi Abayomi Vincent have been training  at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

    Captain of Team Nigeria, Olarinoye Adijat, disclosed that the weightlifter have been training very hard  to ensure creditable performance in Tunis.

    “We have been training very hard and doing all what we can do to make Nigerians proud. We are going to Tunisia with a big dream and to be the best in our various categories,” Olarinoye told our correspondent. We have everything readily available for us and we can’t ask for more. The NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul has been doing a lot to make us comfortable. Our Technical Director and other coaches have been doing their job too. We are in high spirit.”

    The NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul , disclosed that all is set for the athletes and some officials that will follow them to the African Championship.

    He said  the federation ensure the weightlifters attend all the five Olympic Qualifiers to ensure Weightlifting presents about five athletes to represent Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

  • Alaba International Market in Lagos not on fire – Police

    Alaba International Market in Lagos not on fire – Police

    Contrary to the reports in the media that the popular Alaba International Market, Ojo area, Lagos was on fire, the Police have dismissed the claim, saying the market was not razed.

    Clearing the air on what transpired in the market on Friday, the Lagos police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the market was not razed, rather, police stormed the facility, arrested some suspected criminals, and recovered their weapons.

    He described the market fire story as a false narrative.

    “Acting on credible information, police operatives from Ojo Division raided shanties around the market, arrested suspected criminals, and recovered some weapons.

    “The shanties were thereafter set on fire,’’ he stated.

    Earlier reports had stated that the fire began in a gas cylinders shop, spread to other parts of the market, and ruined goods worth millions of naira.

    It added that traders at the market adopted self-help methods to put out the fire before the arrival of emergency responders.

  • Zack Orji, IK Ogbonna, Ronke Ojo star in ‘The Will’

    Zack Orji, IK Ogbonna, Ronke Ojo star in ‘The Will’

    Zack Orji, IK Ogbonna and Ronke Ojo are three of the main stars that featured on Kool It Down’s debut project, ‘The Will.’

    The entertainment company, which has been in the industry for over 20 years, is set to release the film in May on DVDs and YouTube for a wider reach.

    ‘The Will’ focuses on the tale of a wealthy man whose home begins to experience some challenges after a new member joins the family. Some physical facts led him to take a drastic decision that his wife did not support. According to the film’s promotions manager, Olabanji Adelana, the film is expected to teach the public some lessons.

    “We made this movie just to inform everyone out there that most times, physical evidence is never enough to draw a conclusion to a situation as it might just be a ploy to distract from the actual fact. The movie is one that requires a lot of character switch so we needed people who could really interpret the roles smoothly hence our decision and we were not disappointed,” Adelana said.

  • Piotr Zielinski

    Piotr Zielinski

    When Giacomo Raspadori rammed in his stoppage-time winner at Juventus last month, metronomic midfielder Zielinski slowly flopped to the floor in a mixture of joy and relief in the knowledge that the title was finally coming to Naples. Alongside Mario Rui, Zielinski is one of only two veterans of Napoli’s disappointment in 2018, when after beating leaders Juve in Turin to go one point behind with four games remaining they fell away.

  • Glo-sponsored African Voices celebrate P-Square

    Glo-sponsored African Voices celebrate P-Square

    This week’s edition of the African Voices Changemakers of the Cable News Network (CNN) sponsored by Nigeria’s foremost telecom company, Globacom, will feature P-Square, Nigeria’s musical duo of Paul and Peter Okoye.

    The edition will celebrate the identical twin brothers who were born on 18 November, 1981, in Anambra State, Nigeria.

    Psquare released their first album in 2003, followed by the second in 2005. Since then, they have grown to become stars with followership across the world. Some of their popular tracks include Chop My Money, Bring It On, Beautiful Onyinye, E No Easy, Danger, Bizzy Body and several others.

    Over the years, Psquare have won several awards, including BET, KORA, MOBO, MTV Europe, Channel O music awards, thus proving their recognition and acceptance globally. They have also collaborated with top musical stars, including Sean Paul, Dave Scott, Akon and Rick Ross.

    Peter Okoye popularly known as Mr. P and Paul Okoye, a.k.a Rudeboy, will delight viewers with the story of their adventure in the music industry as well as the route to reuniting after a long breakup.

    CNN African Voices Changemakers comes up on Saturday at 9.30 p.m., with a repeat edition on Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and at 7.30 p.m.

  • NITEL/MTEL pensioners owed 36 months, says PTAD

    NITEL/MTEL pensioners owed 36 months, says PTAD

    The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) said it has completely liquidated the inherited unfunded liabilities of all the defunct/privatised agencies handed over to it in 2017.

    It said only NITEL/MTEL pensioners  had a balance of 36 months yet to be paid

    Executive Secretary, PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, said Nigeria’s outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, made payments of pensions ‘an un-written first line charge’.

    Dr. Ejikeme, who spoke in Akure at the Southwest stakeholders’ forum said the commitment of the directorate to the welfare of its pensioners remained sacrosanct.

    Ejikeme urged pensioners in the Southwest region to complete their “I AM Alive” Confirmation (IAAC) solution, which was inaugurated last month for the use of pensioners in ensuring efficient and effective delivery.

    She stated that 50 per cent of retirees of the Nigerian Police have confirmed their aliveness through its IAAC solution, an internet-based verification platform for all the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners.

    “It is our prayer that the president-elect will be as favourably disposed towards the pensioners of the Defined Benefit Scheme as the administration of President Buhari has been.

    “Our journey from field verifications, and mobile verifications, to putting together a solid database of pensioners, benefit computation, ensuring the regular payment of monthly pensions and paying long overdue pension arrears to pensioners, has been a progressive one filled with creativity, dedication, commitment, persistence and resulting in milestone achievements.

    “It is not yet a perfect situation, albeit, PTAD has made giant strides and is committed to continuing to make giant strides,” she said.

    South-West Zonal Council of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Mr Ayo Ikumapayi, said the narrative had changed with the introduction of technology.

    Ikumapayi said PTAD had sent the template at the national level for states to emulate and the directorate was now serving the interest of pensioners and not the other way round.

  • Women in Energy reiterates commitment to oil sector

    Women in Energy reiterates commitment to oil sector

    Executives and members of Women in Energy, Oil and Gas (WEOG), led by the National President, Dr. Oladunni Owo has commenced activities lined up to mark its fifth anniversary.
    “This year WEOG is celebrating its fifth anniversary alongside OTC’s 55th edition with a special anniversary lecture, fireside chat, site tour, networking award dinner and anniversary thanksgiving from 1st to 7th May, 2023 at the NRG Park in Houston, Texas, USA,” Owo informed.
    Happily, Owo goes down memory lane to talk about the inspiration for the organisation currently taking the lead in closing energy gaps.
    “It all started at the 2018 edition of the landmark Energy event OTC, where Energy Professionals from across the globe gathered in Houston, Texas for its 50th anniversary milestone celebration.
    According to her, “Energy industry experts and leaders from across the world came together at the NRG Park in Houston, Texas from 30th April–3rd May 2018 to celebrate the 50th edition of the renowned Offshore Technology Conference (OTC).”

    Read Also: NNPCL chair seeks gender parity in energy sector


    Alongside that celebration that hosted over 61,300 attendees from more than 100 countries came the birth of WEOG, Women in Energy Oil and Gas, she recalled.
    Owo, therefore riding on the back of the OTC golden jubilee celebration convened a meeting of Diasporans and African female energy professionals after the OTC Women in Energy roundtable lunch and networking event called the WISE (Women in the Industry Sharing Experiences) event, a staple at OTC since 2012, offering an opportunity for women and men to share experiences and collaborate on topics such as improved industry diversity, mentorship, communications in the workplace, career and business growth for women.
    Ms Susan Morrice, Chairperson Belize Natural Energy (BNE) an unforgettable prominent WISE keynote speaker at the transformational women roundtable charged the female participants to go back home and make female leadership in the energy industry happen by all means recounted Owo, National President Women in Energy Oil and Gas.
    Today, WEOG the award winning pan African Women in Energy Group is a voice and force to be reckoned with across Africa and indeed globally.

  • Makinde appoints Oni as Oyo HoS, constitutes 15-man transition committee

    Makinde appoints Oni as Oyo HoS, constitutes 15-man transition committee

    Governor Seyi Makinde has appointed Mrs. Olubunmi Oni as the new Head of Service for Oyo State. Oni will be taking over from Mrs. Ololade Agboola who just retired from the Oyo State Civil Service Commission.

    Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs. Fausat Sanni, made the announcement while briefing newsmen shortly after the fourth state Executive Council meeting of the year.

    Until her new appointment, Oni was the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet, at the Office of the Governor.

    During the briefing, the Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun also announced that the governor has constituted the Inauguration/Transition committee to ensure a seamless transition on the 29th of May.

    The 15-man committee is headed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Segun Ogunwuyi, with the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Ms. Ololade Ajibola as the secretary.

    Also, speaking at the briefing, the Attorney General and commissioner for justice, Prof Oyelowo Oyewo said the executive council has granted approval for the presentation of four bills and one amendment to the state house of assembly.

  • MLS on fire as revitalised Rooney’s DC united go for boke

    MLS on fire as revitalised Rooney’s DC united go for boke

    Reports of the death of the ‘big number nine’ in international football may have been premature and that appears to especially be the case in Major League Soccer.

    Today, two teams enjoying success with old-fashioned target men go head-to-head with Eastern Conference joint leaders FC Cincinnati taking on Wayne Rooney’s revitalized DC United.

    United has won four straight in all competitions after managing just the same amount of victories in 33 prior matches with signs that former England international Rooney is turning around the struggling club.

    Key to United’s upturn in form has been striker Christian Benteke – the strong, physical Belgian who joined the club from Premier League team Crystal Palace in August.

    The former Aston Villa and Liverpool forward made a slow start to life in the US capital but his five goals so far this season, including his acrobatic bicycle kick in last week’s 3-0 win over Charlotte, have been central to the team’s revival.

    The sight of a team making full use of a target forward is something of a throwback.

    Tactical trends in the game, with Spanish style short-passing and ‘false nines’ or German intense pressing from the front, led many to suggest the days of the ‘target man’ are over.

    But, just as Erling Haaland and others are proving in Europe, there remains value in a center-forward who can lead the line, be an aerial threat and score goals.

    Benteke struggled towards the end of his time in England with Palace, scoring just four goals in his final season, but he is looking back to his best in MLS.

    Rooney has adjusted his team’s style of play to ensure it gets the best out of the 32-year-old Belgian, hitting more crosses from wide and being more willing to play direct football.

     “You can smack it into him and he’s going to make something happen,” DC captain Steve Birnbaum told the Washington Post.

    Midfielder Lewis O’Brien, on loan from Nottingham Forest, says it is clear that opponents are finding it hard to deal with Benteke’s physicality.

     “Defences are scared of him. He has his abilities in the air and abilities on the floor. They’re going to double up on him. They’re going to try to be aggressive with him, and that opens spaces everywhere,” he told the paper.

    Cincinnati know all about the value in a big man as 24-year-old Brandon Vazquez had a breakthrough season for the club last year, scoring 18 goals and pushing himself into contention for a US national team spot.

    Vazquez has also drawn interest from several European clubs because of his ability to combine mobility, a good touch and power in the air.

    Today’s game in Ohio should be a fascinating encounter between two of the league’s form teams and while Cincinnati start as favourites there is a new steel about Rooney’s side.

    Inter Miami ended a six-game losing streak with a victory at Columbus last week after leaving out off-season signing Venezuelan striker Josef Martinez but may be tempted to recall him to face his former team, Atlanta United. Martinez scored a prolific 103 goals in a 144 league and playoff games for Atlanta but has yet to find the target for Phil Neville’s Miami.

    Defending champions Los Angeles FC, fresh from securing their place in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League in midweek with a two-legged win over the Philadelphia Union, are back in action at San Jose on Saturday.

    LAFC will face Mexico’s Leon later this month for the chance to complete the double of MLS and CONCACAF titles and coach Steve Cherundolo may be tempted to rotate his squad.

    Western Conference leaders Seattle Sounders host Sporting Kansas City tomorrow.

  • Napoli’s unsung heroes also deserving of title glory

    Napoli’s unsung heroes also deserving of title glory

    While Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have stolen the show this season, Napoli’s title triumph has been a team effort, spearheaded by their two attacking stars but backed up by diligent lesser names capable nonetheless of playing sparkling football. Here AFP Sport looks at some of the more unsung heroes of Napoli’s first Scudetto since 1990.