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  • FG assures retired military officers of prompt payment of pension

    FG assures retired military officers of prompt payment of pension

    The federal government has assured retired and retiring military officers of prompt payment of their pension and other entitlements.

    It said retired military officers have sacrificed so much for the stability of the country, hence their pensions and other entitlements must not be delayed.

    The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, said this late night on Tuesday, December 19, during a Regimental Dinner Night organized in honour of newly retired and retiring Nigerian Army senior officers at the Armed Forces Officers’ Mess Asokoro, Abuja. 

    At the event, one General, one Lieutenant General, 67 Major Generals and 44 Brigadier Generals bowed out of the Nigerian Army, after meritorious and dedicated service without blemish to the nation. 

    The minister urged the retirees to take a break and reflect appropriately on the next phase of life. He saluted the retirees and expressed the nation’s gratitude for their exemplary service, love for country and commended their spouses for their perseverance.

    Read Also: FG assures retired military officers of prompt payment of pension

    Badaru charged members of the Armed Forces to remain loyal and sustain the culture of supporting democracy in Nigeria and across the shores, adding that the disposition of the Armed Forces towards democracy had made it a shining example in West Africa and an influencer in the comity of nations.  

    The minister said the occasion provided the Nigerian Army the opportunity to reflect on its service and profound dedication as demonstrated by the retired and retiring senior officers. 

    He said the experiences and skills garnered while in service and respect for diversity, which he said has been their working principles throughout their career, would provide them a veritable platform as they exit the service.

    He noted that the Federal Government will continue to do all within its reach to improve the well- being of serving and retired personnel.

    Speaking at the occasion, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja enjoined the retired senior officers to appreciate God and the Nigerian Army for a successful sojourn in the noble profession of arms’ and attaining the point of meritorious disengagement from active service.

    He congratulated and appreciated the wives and families of the retired senior officers for their patience and support, while holding the home front. 

    Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of Retired Generals, Maj.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu thanked the COAS for the honour accorded them, pledging that they will remain good ambassadors of the Nigerian Army, even at retirement.

  • Boniface plays down title talk as Leverkusen battle Bochum

    Boniface plays down title talk as Leverkusen battle Bochum

    Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has played down Bayer Leverkusen’s  title talk , adding  the players are focused on tonight’s German Bundesliga tie at home to Bochum.

    The Nigerian scored once and provided two assists in Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart  and Boniface insists they would approach the season one game at a time. 

    “It was really a good game. We knew what we wanted to do. We knew if we scored we would win the game,” Boniface told Bundesliga.com.”It has been good. A big credit to the coach and other staff of Bayer Leverkusen and the players. Everyone is given their 100 percent. We are really proud of ourselves. 

    Read Also: Leverkusen’s unbeaten runs excites unstoppable Boniface

    “We have a game on Wednesday and it is an important game for us. It is after that we can think of next year games.”

    Bayer Leverkusen are four points clear at the top of the league table with 39 points from 15 games but they have played a game more than second placed Bayern Munich.

    Boniface is having a debut season to remember at Bayer Leverkusen with 15 goals and eight assists from just 22 games in all competitions.

  • Oshoala’s coach set to quit Barca’s women

    Oshoala’s coach set to quit Barca’s women

    Super Falcons attacker, Asisat Oshoala will have to do without coach Jonatan Giráldez who has signified to leave Barça Women at the end of the season.

    The Blaugrana boss announced the decision in a press conference and will bring to an end a run of three successful and record breaking seasons.

    Giráldez came to the Club as an assistant to Lluís Cortés in the youth teams. In 2019 he joined the first team coaching staff as an assistant and was part of the squad that won the league and the cup as well as reaching their first ever European final. 

    Read Also: CAF award: Dabiri-Erewa  extols Osimhen  Oshoala, Nnadozie 

    Then, in 2021 the team did the treble, winning the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the league title in Barça Women’s best ever season. 

     In July 2021 Giráldez became first team coach and in his debut season the team won the league, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, as well as being runners-up in the Champions League. In his second season, 2022/23, the team took the league title once again, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup in another successful season for the Blaugrana.

  • Balogun rallies Rangers against St Johnstone

    Balogun rallies Rangers against St Johnstone

    Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun has urged his teammates to focus on  today’s rescheduled Scottish Premier League tie against St Johnstone amid the celebration of their Viaplay Cup triumph last weekend.

    The Nigerian international defender returned to Ibrox in the summer after a year with English side QPR and his return was blessed with a title last weekend following a 1-0 win over Aberdeen.

    Balogun loved every minute of getting his hands on the Viaplay Cup trophy with the 1-0 win over Aberdeen but says the players will be ready for the visit of St Johnstone on Wednesday.

    “It is a great day to remember, I am starting to collect a lot of good memories from here,” he said.“I am very proud, to give to the fans what they want, expect and deserve.

    “I am happy that we rewarded ourselves as well. I think we had quite the development in this season.

    “We will enjoy this and then make sure we are ready for Wednesday as there are some very important points to play for and we want to make sure we get them.”

    Read Also: Dessers tips Rangers for glory on all fronts

    Balogun has been impressed with the Belgian and says Clement will make sure his squad  is  set for today’s fixture.

    He added: “This is a big push for us. I am not a future teller but I am enjoying where we are going.

    “The manager is honest, 24/7, and I am sure he will tell us to enjoy it but there will be some friendly reminders about Wednesday in his usual affirmative way.

    “You saw him enjoying himself and it is important to take it all in.

    “We have to take it into the next games as we have some massive matches coming up with massive points to play for.

    “There is no time to rest, we enjoyed Sunday but we have to tune back in and go again on Wednesday.”

  • Fans to watch Kwara United, Plateau United free

    Fans to watch Kwara United, Plateau United free

    Fans hoping to watch the Kwara United versus Plateau United tie tomorrow  at the Kwara Sports Complex, Ilorin will do so without paying a dime following the directive from the Kwara State Government for the stadium’s games to be thrown open. 

    Kwara United have been struggling at home with only three wins from seven games played before their fans and to ensure the Harmony Boys turn the corner, the state government directed that the fans should watch the game free of charge.

    The press release from the club’s Media Department stated that the move became necessary to ensure Kwara United do not lack support against Plateau United

    Read Also: Rangers vs Plateau United: Maikaba eyes repeat of 2018 Federation Cup glory

    “This measure is to ensure more crowd support for the Harmony Boys, as well as give Kwarans and supporters of Kwara United from across the state and beyond an opportunity to come out en masse and watch and cheer their darling club to victory,” the press release stated.  

    “The management of Kwara United therefore appeal to would be spectators to conduct themselves peacefully and remain law abiding before, during and after the match.”

    Kwara United are placed 14th on the league table with 16 points from 14 games. 

  • Enyimba vs Enugu Rangers: Finidi eyes three points in oriental derby

    Enyimba vs Enugu Rangers: Finidi eyes three points in oriental derby

    Enyimba head coach Finidi George has urged  his players to go for the maximum points  against Enugu Rangers in the latest oriental derby fixed for today in Aba.

    The People’s Elephant will host the Flying Antelopes at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba in one of the Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 15 ties and Finidi in his pre match presser noted that they were up against a tough team but that his players must play with commitment and the mentality to beat Rangers.

    Read Also: AFCON 2023: Finidi fancies Super Eagles for fourth title

    “Yeah this is a game we approach with all sincerity and commitment, Rangers is a very good side and they are playing some good football,” Finidi told Enyimba media. “We know it’s going to be a very difficult one, my players are ready, hopefully we deliver tomorrow. We know it’s not easy to win every match but we will do our best to make sure the players go all out for it, hopefully Victory will be ours.”

    Enyimba are fifth on the league table with 22 points from 12 games despite having two games at hand while Rangers are 10th with 18 points from 13 games. They are also with an outstanding league game. 

  • Revived Ikoyi Club Badminton Classics end with show

    Revived Ikoyi Club Badminton Classics end with show

    The third edition of the Ikoyi Club Badminton Classics climaxed  last Saturday with a first time experience for most of the winners.  

    Last held 24 years ago, it  means  most of the players were not born when  the tournament  was last held in 1999 and it turned a worthwhile experience  with only ranked players were eligible to participate. 

    In this case, only the first 16 ranked players were involved. It was a thriller from beginning to the end. The opening round was a round-robin leading to the quarter-finals which produced the usual suspects – Anuoluwapo Opeyori Juwon (Lagos), Hansen Bello (Oyo), Victor Ikechukwu (Rivers) and Aliyu A.Shehu (Niger) – who proceeded to the semi-finals in the Men’s Singles.

     The Women’s Singles event was equally thrilling as Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan (Ogun), Ruth Chinenye Over (Edo), Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola (Rivers) and Deborah Ukeh Divine (Edo) were the survivors in the quarter finals who clichéd the semi-final berths.

    At this stage,  experience spoke loud as Juwon secured a comfortable win over Habeeb Temitope  Bello (Oyo) 21-8, 21-7 (2-0) while Ikechukwu was able to overcome Shehu 21-18, 21-19 (2-0) to proceed to the title match in the Men’s Singles.

    Read Also: Rainoil Grandslam Tennis starts today at Ikoyi Club

    In the Woman’s Semifinals, Adesokan won over Ruth C.Ibere 21-13, 21-15 (2-0) while Obanishola triumphed over Divine  21-18, 21-10 (2-0) to book a spot in the final.

    The title fights were titanic but  Juwon (Lagos) was able to edge out  Ikechukwu (Rivers) 23-21, 17-21, 21-11 (2-1) to win the Men’s Singles title. 

    In the Women’s Singles,  Adesokan (Ogun) prevailed  over Obanishola of Rivers to win the gold.

    During the prize giving, awards and presentations that followed, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso was inducted into the Nigerian Badminton Hall of Fame as the first inductee in recognition of his unwavering dedication and invaluable contribution to the development of badminton in Nigeria and Africa.

     One of the sponsors of the event, Mirror Homes Investment gave title documents for half plots of land in their estate in Lagos to each of the Men’s and Women’s singles winners.

    The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, expressed his delight at the resounding success of the championship where  over five  million naira was shared in prize moneys  in both the men’s and women’s events .

    As he conveyed the appreciation and gratitude of the Badminton Federation under his leadership and of the players for this great support, Orbih reiterated the Board’s resolve to go the extra mile in making all avenues of development of the game and players are explored.

  • Minister excited over new pitch, scoreboards at Abiola Stadium

    Minister excited over new pitch, scoreboards at Abiola Stadium

    Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, is delighted  with the completion of work and handing over of the rehabilitated pitch and scoreboards at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, by Dangote Group and Aron Nigeria Ltd.

     The Minister commended the companies  yesterday over the successful completion of the projects and called for increased collaboration between the government and the private sector to further advance sports development in Nigeria.

    The rehabilitation of the National Stadium facilities by Dangote Group and Aron Nigeria Ltd represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to enhance sports infrastructure in the country. Senator Enoh applauded the commitment and resources invested by Dangote Group, describing their involvement as a shining example of the positive outcomes achievable through collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector.

    “As a country, we are indebted to Dangote Group for the huge resources it committed to the rehabilitation of the National Stadium. I look forward to more collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector to develop sports in our country,” stated Senator Enoh.

    The Minister urged the private sector to display greater interest and commitment to investing in sports, emphasizing the pivotal role sports play in shaping the destinies of millions of Nigerian youths. 

    He noted that sports, beyond its recreational value, has become a significant business, and the Ministry of Sports Development is ready to engage in fruitful partnerships with the private sector to harness this potential.

    Despite the significance of the handover, Senator Enoh highlighted a critical issue—the non-certification of the pitch at the National Stadium by CAF and FIFA, preventing Grade A matches from being played. 

    Read Also: Moshood Abiola Stadium: Minister reaffirms commitment to infrastructural development

    He stated his determination to reverse this tide, emphasizing that the Ministry under his leadership would work diligently to ensure the pitch meets international standards. He stressed the importance of the national stadium in hosting Grade A matches, especially for the various National Teams of Nigeria.

    The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, lauded the partnership between the government and the private sector that led to the successful handover. He commended Dangote Group for its substantial rehabilitation efforts as part of its corporate social responsibility and called on other stakeholders to invest significantly in sports development.

    Representatives of contractors, Aron Nigeria Ltd, Soji Adeniyi expressed satisfaction with the successful execution of the project. He commended Dangote Group for its sponsorship and timely payments, acknowledging the cooperation of the Ministry’s facility managers in completing the project.

    Senator  laid down a marker for the continued maintenance of the National Stadium beyond the handover, pledging that the Ministry of Sports Development would ensure the facilities remain in perfect condition.

  • GOtv Boxing Night 30: Olowu gets new Ghanaian opponent for WABU title fight

    GOtv Boxing Night 30: Olowu gets new Ghanaian opponent for WABU title fight

    National welterweight title holder, Taiwo “Gentle Boy” Olowu, will now face-off with Alidu Sulemana of Ghana, for the West African Boxing Union (WABU) super welterweight title at GOtv Boxing Night 30. 

    Flykite Productions, the organisers of the premier boxing event, said in a statement yesterday  that Olowu Ghanaian boxer Michael Ansah who was initially pencilled to fight Olowu pulled out for personal reasons. 

    “Olowu will face another Ghanaian, Alidu Sulemana, for the West African Boxing Union (WABU) super welterweight title at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on December 26. Ansa pulled out for personal reasons, and his compatriot has taken up the challenge,” the statement said. 

    Sulemana has a record of 10 wins and eight knockouts from his 10 professional fights, while Olowu has a record of 15 wins and one defeat from his 16 professional fights.

    Read Also: Teni, 9ice, Nasboi to perform at GOtv Boxing Night

    Also scheduled for the night is a national super flyweight title bout between Sifon “Best” Iwatt and Saheed Azeez. In the other fights of the night, Arabambi Ojo and Ibrahim “Golden Boy” Opeyemi will square up in a national bantamweight challenge bout; Ayanfe Adeoye will face Ahmed Ganiyu in a national light welterweight category bout; Abdulafeez “Big Name” Osoba will square up against Christopher Ucheji, in the national super welterweight category, while national cruiserweight champion, Bolatito “Black Tito” Oluwole,  will face Blessing Abisoye, in a female national challenge fight. 

    Sponsored by GOtv and supported by Supa Komando, Classic FM, Beat FM, Nigeria Info FM, PulseNg and LegitNg, GOtv Boxing Night 30 will broadcast live on  SuperSport Variety 4 (DStv ch 209) and SuperSport Select 2 (GOtv ch 64 Channel).

  • Wilder eyes ‘biggest fight’ against Joshua

    Wilder eyes ‘biggest fight’ against Joshua

    Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder has said a fight with Anthony Joshua has never been closer as he builds up to his fight with Joseph Parker

    Deontay Wilder is “looking through” Joseph Parker to a potential fight with Anthony Joshua that looms ahead of him for 2024.

    Both Joshua and Wilder are boxing on the same bill on Saturday against different opponents, with the expectation that they will finally fight in Saudi Arabia next year.

    “That’s the biggest fight in the world,” Wilder told Sky Sports. “Now the moment has come where it’s the closest that it’s ever been in history right now. The closest that it’s ever been.

    Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder shared an awkward hand shake at a press conference after their separate fights in Saudi Arabia were announced

    “I’m excited to say that. I’m not 100 percent sure that it’s going to happen. There’s a lot of things that has gone on, a lot of things that has been done.

    “You can’t be 100 percent until that bell rings and that first punch has been thrown.”

    Wilder and Joshua have been linked for much of their professional careers, with substantive talks for a fight taking place as far back as 2018 when the pair held all four of the major world titles between them.

    Tyson Fury dismissed the significance of Anthony Joshua’s potential bout with fellow heavyweight Deontay Wilder and labelled the fight as a ‘battle of losers’

    “It’s been that way for a very long time. That fight, it’s a situation where it’s been hot and cold and every time the talks happened, it always gets back hot and then somehow it would die back down, it don’t happen,” Wilder said.

    Read Also: Wilder slams Joshua for ‘manipulating’ ticket sales

    “If I said I wasn’t frustrated I would be lying. It definitely has been a frustrating time and moment for me.”

    He claimed: “In my eyes you’ve got one fighter that really, really wants it and then on the other side you’ve got another fighter that don’t want it equally as bad as the other.”

    Wilder though insisted  it won’t be distraction ahead of his fight with Joseph Parker that is happening this Saturday.

    “You definitely don’t want to take anyone for granted. You don’t want to look past anyone. I’m not looking past Joseph. There are a lot of talks about other things that’s not related to him and I want people to understand I’m not looking past him,” the American said.

    “Sometimes it’s okay to look through a fighter. It’s just like window shopping you’re going to the mall and you see that nice outfit or shoes or anything that you want, you’re just window shopping right until it’s time to be able to get it.

    “So I’m window shopping but I’m not looking past him.

    “Right now it’s about Joseph Parker and me getting him out the way and then we’ll see what happens from that point on.”