The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Joshua vs Fury: AJ to get first fight contract draft today

    Joshua vs Fury: AJ to get first fight contract draft today

    Our Reporter

     

    Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight unification bout with Tyson Fury is edging ever closer, as contract talks advance this week.

    Boxing fans around the world have been clamouring for the fight for much of the last 12 months, particularly since Fury’s demolition of Deontay Wilder last February.

    And with Olexandr Usyk and the Bronze Bomber seemingly out of the way for now, talks between Bob Arum, Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn are set to ramp up this week.

    The Gypsy King’s US co-promoter Arum, 89, explained to talkSPORT: “I talked to Eddie yesterday.

    “Eddie, with the Joshua people, will have the first draft of the contract to us on Tuesday.

    “And then I will circulate it to Frank [Warren], to Tyson and to the various lawyers.

    “We’ll then get back to Eddie with our comments and I really believe that this is pretty much a no-brainer because everybody are professionals and want this to happen.

    “So I think shortly we’ll be able to tie this up and then jointly select the site.”

    Read Also: Joshua-Fury title fight sealed

    On the process itself, he added: “When we get the draft we’ll have our input and send them back a red line copy.

    “They’ll study it and send us back a copy, and within a week or two we’ll have a complete meeting of the minds, I’m very confident.

    “And we’ll get a document that both parties can sign.”

    As for the location, hopes were raised that the ‘Battle of Britain’ unification bout would take place on home soil.

    But given the current uncertainty in the UK, those plans have been scuppered.

    Arum continued: “The appropriate place would’ve been the United Kingdom.

    “But with the restrictions and uncertainty, we’re looking for a site someplace else – be it the Mid-East or Asia.

    “And I’m sure that once we get this document signed, we’ll jointly be able to select the site and get it announced.”

     

     

  • Enyimba beat Adamawa to go third

    Enyimba beat Adamawa to go third

    By Tunde Liadi

    Enyimba have moved to the third position on the NPFL table after a 2-1 away win against Adamawa United at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.

    The People’s Elephant dominated the early exchanges and raced into the ascendancy in the eighth minute through Anayo Iwuala before Imoh Omot doubled the advantage in the 32nd minute. But they lost many gilt edge chances with Iwuala, Gabriel Orok guilty of calamitous misses even in the second half.

    Adamawa United halved the deficit from the penalty spot in the 61st  through their inspirational skipper, Idris Abubakar and they threatened a late fight back thereafter.

    Enyimba are now on third spot in the NPFL with 12 points from six games and they host Katsina United in Aba on Sunday.

    In  a related development, Rivers United head coach, Stanley Eguma has described  their CAF Confederation Cup playoffs round clash with Enyimba as battle between familiar  foes.

    Read Also: Enyimba crashes out of Champions League

    Speaking  ahead of the two legs fixed for Aba and Port Harcourt on Valentine’s Day and February 21st respectively.

    “Our game against Enyimba is between known foes,” Eguma told Rivers United media. “Enyimba and Rivers United are Nigerian teams. We are closed door neighbours. We know each other very well. We have been playing in the league and now that we are going to the continent to play it is going to be a big cracker.”

    He continued: “It is a continental derby. The CAF Confederation Cup group stage ticket is at stake. If not that, I think it could have been a brotherly affair so that both teams will qualify. We are not underrating them because Enyimba have a lot experience in the continent.

    “They have been there for a long time and they understand the terrain more than us. We at Rivers United are more than determined to succeed.

    “The players, the management and the sponsors have set up a target. I think that it will be difficult for us to derail because we are all working round the clock to ensure that we succeed. It will be the obstacle that Enyimba would meet. I feel that it is a game that could go either side so we are prepared.”

     

     

  • Musa doles out N6M to Jos football tourney

    Musa doles out N6M to Jos football tourney

     Kolade Adeyemi, Jos.

     

    Super Eagles captain and West Brom target, Ahmed Musa, has supported the maiden edition of the Plateau North Peace, Unity and Reconciliation Football tournament with an impressive Six million naira for the eventual champions, second and third placed teams.

    These pledges were made at the weekend at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos; venue of the tourney organised by Senator Istifanus Gyang, member Representing Plateau North/Bassa Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.

    Musa used the opportunity to appeal to the governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong to complete the state New Stadium which will give the Youths in the state the opportunity to display their God given potentials.

    Ahmed Musa further called on the State Government under the leadership of Bako Lalong to make land available for him to build a sports edifice  like the one he recently built in Kano and Kaduna.

    Read Also: Balarabe Musa: Of a man and legacy

    Also at the event, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Maje , promised to dole out N1million, N700,000, and N500,000,and N300,000 for takeaway for the best goalkeeper, best team and highest goal scorer respectively at the peace football tournament.

    Meanwhile, West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed the former Leicester winger is set to link up with the club for a trial.

    Musa, who had an unremarkable spell with the Foxes between 2016 and 2018, is a free agent after leaving Saudi side Al-Nassr.

    West Brom will run the rule over him before making a decision on whether to offer him a short-term deal.

    Allardyce said: “He’s not here yet. He’s a person of interest and when he arrives we’ll alert everybody and let them know.”

     

  • Tuchel to replace Lampard at Chelsea

    Tuchel to replace Lampard at Chelsea

    Our Reporter

     

    Chelsea sacked manager Frank Lampard on Monday after 18 months in charge, with former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel hotly tipped to take over at Stamford Bridge.

    Lampard signed a three-year deal in July 2019, leading Chelsea to the FA Cup final and a fourth-placed Premier League finish in his first season in charge.

    Chelsea cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League and briefly topped the Premier League table in December but they have slumped to ninth after five defeats in eight matches – 11 points behind leaders Manchester United.

    Sunday’s 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round win against Championship side Luton was not enough to save the former England midfielder.

    The club said it had been a “very difficult decision” to part ways with the 42-year-old, who is their all-time record goal scorer.

    “We are grateful to Frank for what he has achieved in his time as head coach of the club,” Chelsea said in a statement.

    “However, recent results and performances have not met the club’s expectations, leaving the club mid-table without any clear path to sustained improvement.”

    In a rare public statement, the club’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich said: “This was a very difficult decision for the club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him.

    “He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics. However, under current circumstances we believe it is best to change managers.”

    Former PSG boss Tuchel, who was abruptly fired by the French champions in December, is in line to take over, it was widely reported.

     

     

  • Nigerian contingent shine at American indoor classics

    Nigerian contingent shine at American indoor classics

    Our Reporter

     

    Three Nigerian athletes were in action at the American Track League I, the first leg of the World Indoor Tour in Fayetteville, all churning out very impressive performances in their events.

    Blessing Okagbare who hadn’t competed indoors since she last won the NCAA 60m title in 2010, opened up her season, racing to a Personal Best (PB) of 7.17s to win the race.

    She got a rebound over Jamaica’s Christiania Williams who had edged her out in qualification, with the latter returning 7.18s, same as she did in the heats for second place overall.

    Meanwhile, Kayla White pipped Morolake Akinosun over the finish for third as they both were timed 7.20s, a PB for Akinosun.

    On to the men’s 60m, Divine Oduduru after winning his heat in 6.70s, clocked a Season’s Best (SB) of 6.65s to finish second to Trayvon Bromell who powered to a blistering World Lead (WL) of 6.48s for a thorough win.

    Read Also: Okagbare, Amusan lead Team Nigeria to Doha

    Chukwuebuka Enekwechi also got his 2021 campaign going as he hurled an SB of 20.65m to finish second in the men’s Shot Put.

    The event was won by Ryan Crouser who pulled an astonishing indoor World Record (WR) of 22.82m, breaking the previous record of 22.60m that had been set by Randy Barnes since 1989.

     

  • MASVI Cycling extravaganza gets Easter date

    MASVI Cycling extravaganza gets Easter date

    Our Reporter

     

    The second edition of MASVI Cycling extravaganza comes up on Easter weekend April 2-4, 2021 in Owan West Local Area of Edo state.

    The Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Hon. Frank Ilaboya has assured that this year’s edition will be unique because the sponsor, Mr. Sunday Ajayi has promised to make the competition a memorable one.

    The former chairman of Edo State Football Association, EFA commended Mr. Ajayi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MASVI Hotel in Sobe, Edo state and his wife, Mrs Ajayi for their support and for agreeing to sponsor the second edition of the MASVI Cycling road race despite the current economy crunch orchestrated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Read Also: Recycling plant for Badagry

    “The sponsor, Mr. Sunday Ajayi, the CEO of MASVI group, is a man after my heart. Despite the poor economy in the country, he agreed to sponsor this year’s edition of the competition. He has done noble and deserves commendation, “noted  Ilaboya .

    Six states namely Rivers, Cross River Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Edo are expected to take part in the race.

    The race will flag off at the Owan West local government Secretariat in Sabongida-Ora on Saturday, April 3, 2021 and end at the MASVI Filling station in Sobe.

    Rivers and Delta  states won the male and female trophies of the inaugural edition last February respectively.

     

  • Aruna eyes revenge against Königshofen in TTBL

    Aruna eyes revenge against Königshofen in TTBL

    By Olalekan Okusan

     

     

    Quadri Aruna will be aiming for revenge  as RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell host  TSV Bad Königshofen on Tuesday  in a  week 15 of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL).

    Still unbeaten in the New Year, TTC Fulda  goes in today’s battle fresh  with the 3-0 defeat suffered away to the visitor on week one of the TTBL last September.

    Yet TTC would again be relying on Aruna’s form against the star-studded visiting side complete with  experienced German international Bastian Steger.

    TTC Fulda Coach Qing Yu Meng is in good spirits: “We know that we will see a good team at home. We can win the game.”

    Read Also: Aruna eager to end TTC’s slide in TTBL

    The visiting team are seventh in the TTBL table, three places ahead of the TTC Fulda  but a confident Aruna told NationSport that they are ready to avenge the first leg loss.

    “I remember what happened in the match being my first game in the Bundesliga,” recalled Aruna.

    “ But  things have changed since then as I am getting used to the league now and I hope we can avenge the first leg defeat at home against Königshofen.

    “It promises to be exciting and we hope we can pull through in the match,” he said.

    The TTC Fulda is expected to field Aruna alongside Ruwen Filus and Fan Bo Meng as the team is still hopeful of getting their new Asian player Lam Sui Hang who could not travel to Germany following travel ban by the Hong Kong government.

     

  • Uzodimma donates buses to Heartland supporters

    Uzodimma donates buses to Heartland supporters

    Our Reporter

     

    Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, has donated two brand new Coaster Buses to the Heartland Football Supporters Club.

    Presenting the buses to the club at the Government House Owerri on Sunday, Uzodimma said the donation was a way of encouraging the members to follow the players and cheer them up wherever they are playing their matches within and outside the state.

    The sports loving governor added that this is fulfilling his promise during his maiden broadcast to the State that priority would be given to human capital development through Sports, especially football, which is one of the most important activities in Nigeria.

    Governor Uzodimma said because Imo people hold Heartland Football Club to their heart, “there is every need to encourage the team to come out as a world class football club that will be able to compete favourably, not only in the local league but also in the National and International competitions.”

    Read Also: Convention: APC appoints Uzodinma Southeast leader

    The Commissioner for Sports in the State, Mr. Dan Ogu appreciated the Governor for the gesture and assured that they will not let him and the State down while Mr. Ugwuegbulem Nkem, Chairman of Heartland Columbia Supporters Club, described the donation as the first of its kind and promised that they will do their best to make the Governor and Imo people proud.

    The handover ceremony had Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, Commissioners, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, members of Expanded Executive Council as well as staff and management of Heartland Football Club Owerri in attendance.

     

  • Dangerous impunity

    Dangerous impunity

    Editorial

    In recent weeks, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, especially the Oyo State chapter, has been in murky waters of allegations that its operatives were going rogue. Amidst a string of operational mishaps involving its personnel, the agency is being accused of perpetrating undue harassment and other forms of high-handedness against members of the public, including extra-judicial killing of defenceless citizens. Such abuses characterised the discredited and now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    Amotekun is an initiative of South-west state governments to buffer their people against worsening insecurity across the country, which conventional agencies like the police have seemed far too stretched and disconnected from local communities to effectively combat. The outfit by conception is complementary and not parallel to the major security agencies; it, however, has grassroots flavour needed to engender community ownership that is believed vital in dealing with the insecurity scourge, but which the conventional agencies lack. Although the agency is present in all South-west states, the Oyo State chapter is particularly notorious for allegedly perpetrating abuses that Nigerians saw in the police and rejected, prompting suggestions that it is transforming into another SARS.

    The agency has, however, given insight into what might partly explain this notoriety. Chairman of the Amotekun Corps, Gen. Kunle Togun (rtd.), said some unauthorised tailors sewing fake uniforms of the corps for unscrupulous elements in the state had been arrested and handed over to the police. Speaking on a radio programme in Ibadan, Togun explained that the suspects were arrested after information filtered in that they were sewing and selling fake Amotekun uniforms to some residents of the ancient city. “We heard that these people were sewing and selling fake Amotekun uniforms to some people, particularly in the Lagelu area of Ibadan. We are presently in the area to uncover the truth. Our fear is that if the uniforms get into the wrong hands and they use them to commit crimes, people will believe it is the handiwork of real Amotekun personnel,” he added.

    Some two weeks ago, a 23-year-old commercial motorcyclist was killed in Ibadan after being hit by a stray bullet from an Amotekun operative, triggering a street protest by his colleagues that caused severe traffic gridlock and disruption of commerce around Mokola roundabout. The agency subsequently dismissed the errant operative for acting outside its protocols and handed him over to the police for prosecution. “We want to reassure members of the public of our internal mechanisms for dealing with erring officers. We will continue to train and retrain our officers on best practices and rules of engagement,” agency commandant, Col. Olayanju Olayinka (rtd.), had said in a statement. Prior to the Mokola incident, at least two persons were reported killed in Ibarapa North council area following a shooting that involved operatives of the state’s Amotekun in a clash with some residents of Tapa community. Five other persons were said to have sustained injuries. Among others, there was also a student reportedly shot dead by Amotekun personnel in Sabo area of Oyo town; as well as a police officer who was killed when an Amotekun operative opened fire to disperse a crowd that had gathered in Oyo for New Year carnival in the closing hours of 2020. The notoriety was such that Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka recently warned that Amotekun must not transform into another SARS.

    It is not clear how the reported trade in fake Amotekun uniforms explain abuses by certified officials, but the development nonetheless has grievous security implications. With certified personnel being accused of errant behaviour, it  is dreadful to imagine what havoc phonies in uniform could wreak on hapless citizens. We suspect that the tailors may not have acted on mere self-motivation, hence it is necessary to dig for patrons who may have commissioned them on the illicit trade and bring such to justice.

    Besides, the agency needs to patent its genuine uniforms with corporate insignia that would be difficult to counterfeit and easily detectable to discourage just every tailor on the streets from sewing the uniforms for unscrupulous persons with criminal intentions. Security is serious business.

  • I have no hand in LASU VC selection, says Abiru

    I have no hand in LASU VC selection, says Abiru

     Emmanuel Oladesu

     

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) has said that he was not involved in the cancellation of the selection of a new vice chancellor for the Lagos State University (LASU) by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    In a 10-minute video published on @baloguneko Instagram handle, one Abisoye Oyeyemi Oshodi wrongfully alleged that Abiru prevailed on the governor to cancel the first selection process.

    He also alleged that the senator told Sanwo-Olu to screen out indigenes of Ikorodu Division contesting the vice chancellor. He claimed that Abiru gave the advice on the grounds that Ikorodu Division was only interested in the governor, and not the VC position.

    Abiru said in a statement that “all these claims were nothing, but mere figments of Mr. Oshodi’s imagination,” adding that they do not in any way represent the truth.

    He maintained that he neither prevailed on the governor to cancel the process first initiated by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Committee to select LASU’s next VC nor influenced him to zone the position out of Ikorodu Division for any reason.

    He said as a matter of fact, he did not play any role in the whole process.

    Abiru stressed: “For the purpose of record, I worked in public and private sectors for 32 years before I joined partisan politics. For this period, I was a promoter of good corporate governance hinged on competence, due process and transparency.

    “Although I am now in partisan politics, I still believe these values should be at the core of operations in all public or private institutions.

    “Coming from this background, I strongly believe the appointment of LASU VC, like other tertiary institutions nationwide, should be based on competence and due process.

    “This is the position I have always held, especially in this era when we consciously look forward to our universities to lead the path to sustainable development in all facets of life.”