The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ‘Tinubu’s efforts developed my community’

    ‘Tinubu’s efforts developed my community’

    • His win for all, says council

    IJE Ododo in Iba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has hailed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for ‘his efforts at developing our community’

    Chief Jelili Ododo, community head, said Tinubu is ‘a builder who built communities in Lagos through his political manifestation’.

    He noted the electricity, schools, health care centre, recreational centres in his community are due Tinubu efforts.

    Ododo, who congratulated Tinubu on his victory, said it is for democracy ‘which he has always clamoured for’.

    ‘’He would deliver on the mandate given to him by Nigerians going by his track records,” he added.

    Ododo urged his people to vote Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on March 11 ‘which will be an opportunity to work on the Ije Ododo road  awarded over a year ago’.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Professionals’ Council has described Tinubu’s victory as one for all Nigerians.

    National Director-General of the council, Seyi Bamigbade, said Tinubu’s presidency will usher in a new dawn.

    A message by Bamigbade said Tinubu will preside over a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria, adding he will be magnanimous in victory.

    The statement reads: “I congratulate, Bola Tinubu on his victory. It is a collective voice of Nigerians to usher a new beginning for our country. We must join hands to make our country work. Now that politics is over, it is our responsibility to make Nigeria work.

    “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his Kashim Shettima, on their victory.”

  • Forum seeks protection for women

    Forum seeks protection for women

    An Initiative, Gender and Election Watch (GEW) Room, has called on the Federal Government to ensure stringent measures to protect female candidates and electorates in elections.

    It said women’s participation in the democratic process is critical to achieving a truly inclusive democratic process.  

    The Chief Executive Officer, Mufuliat Fijabi, stated this at a news conference in Abuja. According to her, efforts of security agencies at the just-concluded polls is commendable, but needs to be improved to record zero security breaches and intimidation throughout the elections, especially to secure the confidence and participation of women in the process.

    Fijabi, who said GEW deployed 400 observers across seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), lamented the kind of violence experienced by some female candidates and the electorate. She condemned the act, and called on relevant security agencies to take action to forestall a recurrence.

    She said: “Women need to improve on their turn out in numbers and continue to be resilient. Security should continue to comply with the requirements of the law on elections and uphold it to record zero intimidation of voters on election day. Women need to be assured of their safety during elections. 

    “The conduct of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections has been largely peaceful, and has witnessed the resilience of many Nigerians, especially women who participated as voters, poll officials and candidates.”

    The Gender and Election Watch (GEW) Room is an initiative of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), an organisation founded to close the gender gap in governance in Nigeria.

  • Alasoadura congratulates President-elect Tinubu

    Alasoadura congratulates President-elect Tinubu

    A former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Tayo Alasoadura, has congratulated the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

    Tinubu defeated Peter Obi of the Labour Party(LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge as the 16th democratically elected president .

    Congratulating Tinubu, Alasoadura, through a  statement  on Thursday, described the election of Tinubu as a victory for all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, political affiliation, or religion.

    He  stated that he holds high confidence that the emergence of Tinubu, given his excellent track record, will provide Nigeria with the much-needed holistic intervention it needs to address its various challenges.

    He also praised the people of Ondo State and Nigerians at large for voting massively for Tinubu, whom he described as the “people’s choice,” while also calling on all Nigerians to support Tinubu as he aims to take Nigeria forward.

  • Jigawa govt pays N9.5bn to 13,327 retirees

    Jigawa govt pays N9.5bn to 13,327 retirees

    The Jigawa State and Local Government Contributory Pension Scheme Board has disbursed N9.547 billion to 13,237 retirees in 2022.

    The Executive Secretary of the board, Kamilu Aliyu-Musa confirmed the development in Dutse yesterday.

    He said the amount represents comprehensive payment of entitlements such as retirement and death benefits,  pension, refund of eight per cent contribution and monthly pension.

    According to Aliyu-Musa, the payment covered retirees of state, local governments and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).

    He said that 571 pensioners from the state government received retirement benefits amounting N1.4 billion while 371 others from local governments got N444 million while 441 retirees from LEAs received N1.04 billion.

    The Secretary said that under death benefit, 107 beneficiaries from state received N312.38 million, 98 deceased from local government received N194,641 million and 81 others from LEAs received N244,411 million.

    Aliyu-Musa said: “Under death pension balance, 43 beneficiaries from state received N48,131,401.61; while 41 from local government received N29,885,879.60 and 37 others from LEAs received N29,049,075.85.

    “Under refund of eight per cent contribution, three beneficiaries from state received N841,710.58; one from local government received N149,578.75 and two others from LEAs received N132,541.91.

    “Within the period under review, 724 beneficiaries from the state received N4,791,273,954.39 including their monthly pensions while 457 beneficiaries from local government received N1,495,094,504.34 and 561 beneficiaries from LEAs received N3,260,879,135.75”.

    He reiterated the commitment of the state government towards improving the welfare of workers and retirees to enhance effective service delivery.

    The Secretary said the board has begun payment of N1.7 billion terminal benefit to 707 retirees for 2023, adding that amount would cover workers who recently retired from service, at the state, local government and LEAs.

    He said the payment would cover payment of retirement benefits, death benefits, death pension balance and refund of eight per cent contribution.

    According to him, 302 of the beneficiaries are from state service, 117 local governments and 288 from LEAs.

    He said that N816 million would be disbursed to 303 beneficiaries from the state service while N200 million to 288 beneficiaries from local government service and 707 beneficiaries of the LEAs to receive N748 million.

    “The board is up-to-date in the payment of entitlements to retirees, including those who died in active service,” he said.

  • Bago promises to enhance mechanised farming

    Bago promises to enhance mechanised farming

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Niger state, Alhaji Umar Bago, has promised to leverage the state’s four hydroelectric dams to establish mechanised farms, if elected as governor.

    Bago said this in Minna yesterday when he visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    “We are going to leverage on the four hydroelectric dams in Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Zungeru to establish mechanised farms across the state to enhance food security. We want a situation where our farmers will utilise irrigation facilities from the dams to engage in all-year farming activities,” he said.

    He said that the measure would increase food production, create jobs and bring wealth to the people.

    The governorship candidate said that if elected, his administration would create a Ministry of Inter-Tribal Affairs to tackle intertribal issues in the state.

    “We want to give equal opportunity to indigenes and non-indigenes; we want everyone to contribute his quota toward developing the state,” he said.

    He opined that a government not willing to accommodate non-indigenes would not witness rapid development.

    Bago said that his administration would establish an industrial park in between Suleja and Tafa Local Government Areas to engage more youth and increase the revenue base of the state.

    “All of you know the proximity of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Suleja and Tafa Local Government Areas. We are going to remodel Suleja and Tafa by building an industrial park in these areas, akin to the parks between Lagos and Ogun states,” he said.

    He also said that if elected, his administration would take advantage of the heavy vehicular movement from the FCT to Suleja to increase the revenue base of the state.

    The governorship candidate appealed to the people to vote for the APC in the governorship/state assembly elections to offer him the opportunity to push his lofty ideas.

    He thanked the people for voting massively for the party in the just concluded presidential/national assembly elections in the state.

  • A Big Shaking is Coming!

    A Big Shaking is Coming!

    • Text: “…… it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land” (Haggai 2:6)

    By Venerable Henry O. Adelegan

    During those days of manual black and white television sets with control switches at the front and the back, the act that brings order to the set whenever the image was unstable to get it stabilize it entails hitting the top of the television set and for voice clarity, one needed to hit it at either of the sides. Whenever such a shaking is made, order is interestingly brought into disorderliness; and the harder one hits it, the better its conformity to order – a big shaking is coming!

    From our text, the Almighty God said that in a little while, His hands will shake the entire creation. Who is this God? He is the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1). He introduced Himself as the Central Bank Governor of the world economy – He said that Gold and Silver are His (Haggai 2:8). Whenever God shakes anything, all the ripe fruits, either low, medium or high hanging, visible to human sight or covered by leaves, that are set for human consumption and necessary for human enjoyment, strength and vitality are duty bound to drop. In fact, they all drop of their own accord.  For your sake, and during this Lenten season of Mega miracles, God is going to shake all shakeables and your ripe fruits shall drop of their own accord into your hands, in the name of Jesus.

    At Philippi, which is the chief city of Macedonia, Paul and Silas were held bound and thrusted in the inner prisons with their feet fast in the stock, God caused a shaking such that “….the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:26 cf Job 9:6). When God shakes, He addresses issues of the foundation (Psalm 11:3). A foundation is that unseen but most important aspect of a structure that controls the seen. When God shakes, He brings order into disorderliness and form into formlessness (cf Genesis 1:1-3). Doors that have also hitherto been locked shall open of their own accord. What this means is that where they have told you that there is no way, God has the capacity to suspend order and make not only a way but introduce ways therefrom (Isaiah 43:19 cf Exodus 14:15-16); and where there is none to help you, the help of the helpless shall arise for you (John 5:5-9).

    When He shakes, He has promised that the desire of nations shall come, that He will restore the glory of the latter days which shall be nothing comparable to the former and that He will arrest every storm with peace (Haggai 2:7-8 cf Mark 4:35-42). His shaking will provoke the manifestation of the sons of God which the entire creation had been waiting for (Romans 8:19). His shaking will change menopause status to ‘menostart’ and the the restrictive laws and embargoes by human contraptions shall be lifted for extraordinary happenstances. Suffice to say that His shaking will bring to externalisation answers to prayers, fulfillment of divine purpose and actualisation of the essence of creation. It therefore doesn’t matter the level of your hopelessness or what your desires or prayers have been, when He shakes, manifestation shall come.

    Beloved, there is a time for everything on earth (Ecclesiates 3:1-8). Permit me to announce to you that this is the season for your Mega miracles. This is the beginning of your joy, peace, progress and testimonies. God is about to do new things in Nigeria and we are on the verge of singing new songs of triumph. The night time of weeping, that will herald a new morning is over. This season is the set time for God to shake, reposition, favor and elevate Zion (Psalm 102:13). “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former’, says the Lord of hosts: ‘and in this place will I give peace” (Haggai 2:9). To be a partaker of the blessings of this set time, you must to surrender your life to Jesus Christ because holy things are not for dogs (Matthew 7:6). You must hand over the affairs of your life to Him and ask Him to shake the heaven, the earth and the waters for your sake. As He lives who honours His words more than His name, God shall restore your lost grounds and you shall not only celebrate but you are set to be celebrated. Nigeria shall rise again in the name of Jesus Christ.

    Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, arise in Your mighty power and shake the nations for your name to be glorified forever in the name of Jesus Christ

  • Tinubu to Nigerians: I will work hard from day one

    Tinubu to Nigerians: I will work hard from day one

    President-elect Bola Tinubu has promised to hit the ground running from from Day One in office after inauguration on May 29.

    He said he promised to run a fair and inclusive administration would be kept to unite all Nigerians.

    The President-elect spoke yesterday in Abuja when he hosted members of his All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC).

    They were led by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on a congratulatory visit to Tinubu in his Abuja Asokoro residence.

    The President-elect said: “My administration is going to be a fair government guided by the rule of law, justice and fairness. It is going to be hard work from day and we are going to join hands in building a government of the people and by the people.

    “We drew a strong commitment with Nigerians. From the primary we were transparent. We were committed to our ideals. We promised Nigerians that if we win we will work for all Nigerians.”

    Reiterating his president-for-all commitment, Tinubu said: “I am committed to uniting the country. Definitely in any contest, particularly democratic contest, there must be losers and winners.”

    Adamu said though transition elections are always tough for ruling parties, the victory of the APC was long foreseen.

    He said the APC NWC came to identify with Asiwaju Tinubu and congratulate him on his victory.

    During the visit Adamu directed other members of the NWC to offer special prayers of gratitude to God for the party’s success which he described as hard fought.

  • Sport Development: Stakeholders set agenda for president-elect Tinubu

    Sport Development: Stakeholders set agenda for president-elect Tinubu

    President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a novice to sports and his Midas touch in Lagos brought positive changes to the face of sports in the state. His interest goes beyond erecting facilities as it was under his government that Lagos started hosting major international competitions. Even some former Nigeria internationals confirmed his passion for sports while some of them have benefited from the magnanimity of Tinubu. With the majority of Nigerian youths taking part in various sports, stakeholders believed Tinubu can bring to bear his magic wand in order to make sports in Nigeria great under his watch. MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN and OLALEKAN OKUSAN write.

    Former Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu cannot forget the support his foundation – The Kanu Heart Foundation- got from president-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he founded the body in 2000.

    The former Arsenal of England admitted that Tinubu was a major supporter of the foundation.

    Under Asiwaju Tinubu’s governorship in Lagos, policies and programmes were put in place to ensure sports development thrive and this enabled athletes to excel in various competitions at home and abroad.

    His tenure as Lagos State Governor brought international reputation and attention to the sports industry in Nigeria and was the first governor to stage a world-class tennis tournament through the Annual Governor’s Cup which was later rechristened Lagos open.

    Played annually at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club yearly since the year 2000, the Lagos Open has attracted some of the best players in the world since it became an International Tennis Federation (ITF) standard tournament.

    Given his drive for sporting activities, two-time Olympic medallist Enefiok Udo-Obong specifically urged the President-elect to appoint a technocrat who understands the whims and caprices of sports, adding a competent sports minister will bring further vibrancy to the sector.

    “Since it is the same government as the current ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), I don’t mind the continuity of the outgoing government in terms of their sports policy but the person that will man sports must be well versed in sports so that such individual can be a minister of sports and not football,” he Sydney 2000 gold medallist cum writer told NationSport. “We need a round peg in a round hole to take charge of sports for us so that we can revive the fortune of our sports and produce more world stars that will make the country proud in all major competitions.”

    Incidentally, Sumonu Bello-Osagie, the erstwhile Super Eagles coordinator equally believed that the president-elect’s consummate passion for industry and love for the youths would vastly improve the development of sports under his watch.

    “I think we all know the capacity and capability of Asiwaju Tinubu already,” noted SBO as the burly official at the Nigeria House in New York is fondly called.

    “That he would walk his talk, especially about his readiness to work for Nigeria is never in doubt given the fact about all that he did when he was Lagos State Governor.

    “Again, we all heard him loud and clear during his acceptance speech that the youths would also be at the centre of his administration and we know that it is the youths in their millions that are involved in sport and I think we have an interesting future ahead of us as far as sport is concerned.

    “Having said that, I would like Asiwaju Tinubu to ensure that sports policies are geared towards professionalism at all levels. Of course, we all know that in a country like ours, we can’t discountenance the amateurs because it serves as a veritable platform for the development of young athletes.

    “But by and large, our sport is not where it should be and I will be happy if the president-elect can give attention to sports than mere lip service as we’ve had many times in the past.

    “Sports development is more than putting up facilities, we need development of the human capital too as such the person to be entrusted with the ministry of youth and sports development in the coming dispensation must be ready to harness all these variables and breath a new life into the sports sector,” added SBO who was one of the brains behind Nigeria’s success at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics where the national U-23 team (Dream Team) won Africa’s first soccer gold medal.

    Yet, one of the emerging forces in sports administration in Nigeria and the cosmopolitan Federal Capital City Football Association (FCTFA) chairman, Adam Mouktar Mohammed, is also backing the president-elect to succeed on all fronts including sports.

    “First and foremost, I congratulate the president-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his well-deserved victory and we look forward to a ‘renewed hope’ for the sports sector; it must be one of the major policy thrust for the new government,” explained the self-styled ‘game changer’ who has given football in the FCT and its environs a big facelift in terms of infrastructural development and human capacity development.

    “My Hope and dream is to see HE Asiwaju Tinubu hit the ground running and first indicate he has a proper plan for Sports as an important sector, and a major indication would be his appointment of who will man the ministry of youth and sports development and push the agenda.”

    In his usual pragmatic way, Mohammed further canvassed for the calibre of person that should henceforth man the sports ministry: “We want to see a young dynamic competent person with fresh ideas, vigour and passion to deliver on a road map plan as per infrastructure, logistics and manpower in order to deliver bottom to top foundation as well as building a strong structure and new culture in the entire sports’ ecosystem.

    “We also need massive investment, focus, and governmental support at all levels for sports to thrive,” he added.

    However, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (retd), a board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has suggested ways out of the current quagmire in sports, adding the president-elect must do things differently in order to breathe fresh air into the sporting sector.

    “I will suggest two levels for consideration for the president-elect Asiwaju Tinubu and these are the strategic and operational levels,” Nesiama, a World Athletics License Athletes Representative, told NationSport. “At the strategic level, consideration must be given to the proper establishment and constitution of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and this should be the body to direct and begin the processes of implementing the recently approved sports policy.

    “At the operational level, there are two-pronged approaches: the development pathway and the performance pathway. Both have defined processes and procedures to achieve desired objectives,” noted the World Athletics Silver badged Referee.

    Still, foremost sports broadcaster, Bimbo Adeola, has listed a six-way route for the president-elect in order to rejig the sports sector, adding his will to clean the Augean stable would be crucial in order to put the sport on a high pedestal despite other competing interests.

    “Frankly, I would like the president-elect to focus on six arrears to serve as the fulcrum of his administration as per sports,” Adeola a.k.a Top Striker, said.

    He added: “These are investment and development of facilities; strengthening school sports for more talents to be discovered, improved funding is needed for the federations from the government; encouragement of Corporate Nigeria to invest by granting them tax holiday; execute all the propositions of the NESG-Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) as far as sports is concerned and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) should be a truly professional league and not the ragtag that we currently have.”

    Meanwhile , Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) Vice President Adesoji Tayo believed that in line with the campaign plans of the president-elect , his government should be conscious about the youth in relation to sports.

    “Looking at the antecedents of the President-elect when he was Lagos State Governor, I believe he won’t not take sports with kids’ gloves but he must be deliberate in his plans for sports and get people that understand sports to take charge,” Tayo advised. “Sports is something most youths are involved and there must be deliberate efforts to ensure that this sector is given the needed attention.”

    Former Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Executive Chairman, Kweku Tandoh, said the take-off for the President-elect should be the restructuring of the country’s sports architect.

    He offered: “With regards to the sports sector, a good starting point is the National Sports Industry Policy. However, we need to restructure our sports architecture in such a way as to ensure it supports the implementation of the Sports Industry Policy.

    “In that regard, there is a need to bring back the National Sports Commission as a matter of urgency. It must be noted however that the structure of the Sports Commission must be fit for purpose. It must be autonomous and report to the Presidency directly.

    “The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) must be made to take up its responsibilities and the national sports federations must also be revamped. Going forward, we must recognise that just like in other sectors, the sports sector must begin to apply strategic planning principles to each of the layers of the administrative setup; i.e. NSC, NOC, and sports federations.

    “The social and economic benefits of sports must be fully explored and exploited. Finally, there is a need for the setting up of the National Sports Trust Fund to support the NSC with regards to private sector involvement,” he added.

  • Djokovic hits Dubai Open semis

    Djokovic hits Dubai Open semis

    World number one Novak Djokovic continued his perfect start to 2023 by beating Hubert Hurkacz to reach the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals.

    The 35-year-old Serb took his record to 15-0 so far this year with a 6-3 7-5 win over Poland’s Hurkacz.

    Djokovic, who is chasing a sixth win in Dubai, will next face Daniil Medvedev or Borna Coric for a place in tomorrow’s final.

    Defending champion Andrey Rublev beat Botic van de Zandschulp to progress.

    The second seed defeated his Dutch opponent 6-3 7-6 (7-3) and will play Alexander Zverev in the last four after the German overcame Lorenzo Sonego 7-5 6-4.

  • FIFA set to alter group format  for 2026 World Cup

    FIFA set to alter group format  for 2026 World Cup

    A decision to switch the 2026 World Cup format back to four-team groups could be confirmed later this month.

    The expanded 48-team competition in the United States, Mexico, and Canada was due to feature 16 groups of three.

    But the excitement generated by last year’s tournament in Qatar, when some groups went down to tense final games, has caused FIFA to rethink.

    Confirmation of the move could come at the governing body’s council meeting in Rwanda on 16 March.

    BBC learnt that there is agreement among all parties that the four-team format should be retained, providing it does not extend the ‘footprint’ of the competition – which includes preparation time as well as the tournament itself.

    “Groups of three sounded great but there are some issues,” CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani told the FT Business of Football Summit.

    “Is it right that you qualify for a World Cup and a third of teams go home after two games?

    “We do have to be responsible. There was a footprint of days for 2014 and 2018 and we can’t go over that. We can’t have a three-month World Cup.”

    Moving to groups of four would expand the competition from its projected 80 matches to a possible 104.

    While the tournament would have to take place over a longer period, it is felt cutting preparation for teams – from nearly three weeks before Russia 2018, although not quite as drastically as the week they had before Qatar 2022 – would mean players were not on duty for a greater length of time.

    The move is also bound to raise environmental concerns given more teams will have to travel and Montagliani says that issue is being taken seriously.

    “The match schedule is very important,” he said. “You can’t have teams travelling from New York to Los Angeles.

    “Teams will play in pods. There will be a group playing out of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Another one in Vancouver and Seattle and another in LA and San Francisco.

    “There are other strategies that have to be applied as well so we adhere to what is put in the bid.”