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Tag: coaching

  • Coaching institution, varsity partner to expand education landscape

    Coaching institution, varsity partner to expand education landscape

    A coaching organisation, Olusola Lanre Coaching Academy (OLCA), has entered into partnership with Myles Leadership University (MLU), to proffer solutions to some critical issues affecting the continent.

    The deal is aimed at bringing forth opportunities to award university diplomas, degrees, and masters in coaching across the MLU campuses globally.

       At the signing of documents on the partnership in Lagos, Dr. Lanre Olusola, Chief Catalyst at OLCA Coaching Limited, said coaching had been positioned globally as a game-changer.

    Olusola said the partnership would have significant impact in Africa, with content-based on human behavioural sciences and coaching.

    “The future is given to critical reasoning and problem solving and the intervention that delivers that is coaching and it is a great honour to partner Myles Leadership University to begin research, create curriculum and content for our leaders.

    “Traditional coaching can no longer solve our problems in Africa.

    “We, therefore, need integrating practice, that is combination of coaching, psychology, psychodynamic, neuroscience and energy psychology.

    “The very first benefit will be Afrocentric research that speaks to our critical issues and proffers solutions to our problems, especially using coaching, neuroscience, psychodynamic and behavioural change psychology,” he said.

    Olusola said that in the long run, there will be Africa-based standardised research.

    “Over the years, when we want to quote research report, we say American or European, but soon, we will be saying Africa,” he said.

    Dr. Matthew Mario, Director of Programme, MLU, said the institution was excited about the impact that the partnership would make in Africa.

    He noted that the partnership would go a long way in providing an enabling environment for collaborative research.

    He said it would measure growth and, progress in five years’ time.

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    According to him, it entails setting a milestone, putting together solutions that generation unborn will benefit from, being the idea behind this partnership.

    “What we are doing today will change the narrative for Africa in the future.

    “There will be opportunity for coaches from here to come to take classes under the ‘exchange of faculty, and we will have collaborative research.

    “Africa can only be redeemed by Africans, only Africans can proffer solutions to African problems because we understand our problems than others,” he said.

    OLCA is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of individuals, organisations and nations across Africa, with a mission to inspire and guide aspiring leaders.

    The academy has certified over 500 coaches, physiologists, implementing innovative coaching programmes and workplace solutions to foster personal, professional and organisational growth.

  • Coaching for employee retention

    Organisations in the 21st century must carefully strategise and map out plans to retain talent. The recruitment process does not end the moment talent resumes.  The most effective strategy used to increase employee retention is an employee coaching programme, which supports career growth and development.

    Organisations that want to retain their best talent and maintain productivity should focus their attention on engagement, loyalty, and job satisfaction. The organization that invests in coaching his or her employees ultimately is creating an engaging environment with those employees. According to a study done by Teresa Amabile of Harvard Business School, the No. 1 motivator of employees today is NOT reward and recognition, but progress! This sense of progress that the employee feels cannot occur without the involvement of a coach.

    The following are three key areas where a coaching can help improve employee retention

     

    Alignment of goals:

     

    When there is no alignment there is bound to be conflict. An employee needs to be coached through the process of aligning their personal goals with the organisation’s goals. Alignment occurs when the employee can find a common ground between his or her personal goals and that of the organisation, when alignment occurs the employee feels more involved in the organisation. The employee finds his fit in the organisation and moves from working for a pay check to working for a purpose. He finds that being a team player in the organisation will help him fulfill personal goals in the long term and he puts in more effort and begins to work from the heart and not just from the head. No employee wants to leave an organisation where they feel purposeful.

     

    Employee satisfaction

     

    A research showed that the most popular reason why good employees quit their jobs is not because of money as we all may think, but because of a sense of satisfaction and purpose. It is important that key elements like empathy and emotional intelligence are dominant in your work space as an employer, these two factors play a huge role in employee retention. For the average employee, it’s not necessarily always about the money, priorities are shifting on a daily basis, and people are beginning to cherish their peace of mind and dignity in the workplace. Are your employees happy at work?, are their needs for a sense of belonging effective communication and a meaningful work environment met?.  All these and more are the job of a coach, who ensures that employee satisfaction is on an optimum.

     

    Work life integration:

     

    The future of work is swiftly gravitating towards employees seeking to live more wholesome lives. The idea of work/life balance or work/life integration is fast becoming the order of the day. There is so much in the personal life of an employee that affects productivity and output at work, most employees fail to realize that outside the 9-5 hours of the day, the employees have to deal with issues in their personal lives. When an employee begins to feel like their entire life revolves around an organisation, they may soon be thinking of the way out of the organisation. When coaching is involved the employee can be coached to create a balance between work and life.

    Employee incompetence

     

    From experience I have discovered that most of the times the response to client incompetence is not always a query of some disciplinary action. It is very easy for employers to assume that the reason why employees make mistakes during the cause of their jobs is incompetence or laziness. In this situation a coach is able to step back and view things from an aerial view to elicit the underlying reason for such mistakes

    Coaching supports the skill development and forward movement along a set career path that so many individuals are looking for from the organization they are associated with. Because these needs are being fulfilled, and the individual can see that their company values them, they are more likely to stay.

     

     

  • How coaching can help reduce conflicts

    Organisational conflict is a state of permanent or temporary disarray caused by the un-alignment of needs, values and interests between people working together.

    An organisation can be referred to as a melting pot of different people from different backgrounds, cultures, belief systems, ideologies and a host of other components that form the people who in turn form the organisation.

    Conflict can occur in any organisation when employees with different backgrounds and priorities work together. Conflict can be expressed in diverse ways such as insults, in- subordination, bullying and physical altercations. Causes of organisational conflict can range from personality clashes, misunderstood communication to rivalry and even organisational management.

    The negative effects of workplace conflict can include but isn’t restricted to work disruption decreased productivity, project failure, employee dissatisfaction, disunity, lack of organisational loyalty and unity, absenteeism, and ultimately termination.

    What many people do not know is that usually with conflict in the workplace, it is not often the people that clash, it is a clash of values, beliefs and ideologies these are the factors that make up the people. Conventional Human resources practitioners would try to dissolve conflict on the surface level by dealing with the people in conflict. This is where coaching comes in; coaches dissolve such conflicts by streamlining the conflict to the underlying factor and deal with it on that level. This is because a coach understands what Albert Einstein meant when he said ‘no problem can be solved on the same level of consciousness that created it.’

    The average employee involved in a workplace dispute would not always feel safe to openly discuss and actively address their unresolved conflict because of the fear of a confidentiality breach, office gossip, partial interventions by senior managers with vested interests, and other concerns.

    One of the difficulties of the conventional conflict resolution in organisations is that it can suggest that the ‘problem’ is with the employee. This is often why such intervention is refused or is taken up simply to fulfill the policy requirements of a Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure and can be ineffective if the person feels like they may be attacked or if they may be blamed for the conflict.

    Here are four ways coaches can help with conflict resolution in your organisation:

    Clarity of conflict:  A coach will help bring clarity of the conflict at hand. The importance of clarity in a conflict situation is the people involved in the conflict are able to see whatthe underlying cause of the conflict is. A good coach is able to guide them to a point where they no longer see themselves as rivals or enemies. Clarity of conflict helps those at conflict strip the conflict to its barest minimum and enables them understand if it really is a conflict of values, beliefs, or mindsets. This way those in conflict can begin to work together to align and agree on the way forward, because they no longer see themselves as enemies but as partners in progress. Coaching shifts the attention from the parties and helps the parties focus on the issue at hand.

    CONFIDENCE: A good coach equips employees with the much needed confidence to embrace conflict and use emotional intelligence as a skill to solve conflict.Many employees and employers of labor are afraid of conflict and run away from conflict, confidence in conflict coaching helps the professional view conflict as an avenue for growth and learning. The employee and employer are able to handle conflict with the mindset of asking: what is in this for me? What is in this for the organisation? , what lessons have this situation taught me that will equip me to act in a different and more productive manner should future conflict arise? Confidence changes the game in conflict management.

    SELF-AWARENESS: A good coach can help employees decidewhat kind of person they are when conflict arises. It’s important to have a very good understanding of how you deal with conflict. A good coach will help employees discover what triggers them, how to avoid triggers, what emotions they exhibit that can cause conflict and how to best manage such emotions, how to channel negative emotions or feelings into productivity. Self-awareness is the beginning of conflict resolution because it prevents the organisation from moving in circles when trying to resolve conflict.

    The future of work is tilting towards employees building a safe space for their employees, improper management of conflict can make the workplace hostile and reduce productivity. The main objective of the coach in a work place is to ensure the choices the employees make, are based on a good understanding of the situation and to manage their future actions in a constructive way. The International Coaching Federation Global Coaching Client Study shows most clients reported improved work performance, better business management, more efficient time management, increased team effectiveness, and more growth and opportunities after receiving coaching. The same study found that coaching clients noted greater self-confidence, enhanced relationships, more effective communications skills, better work-and-life balance and an improvement in wellness.

    For more information on coaching in the work-place and conflict resolution please send an e-mail to gbemieobadan@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @coachgbemz.

    Conflict will inevitably arise in your organisation, as such is the nature of all human interactions, a smart organisation ensures that conflict is nipped in the bud and effectively resolved.

     

  • Jonathan Akpoborie – I’m not cut out for coaching

    Jonathan Akpoborie – I’m not cut out for coaching

    Jonathan Akpoborie, former Super Eagles striker, has sensationally revealed the dramatic circumstance that forced him from taking to coaching after he hanged his goal scoring boots.

    He reportedly  started his professional career at Julius Berger, before moving to USA. In 1990, he joined 1. FC Saarbrücken of German 2 Bundesliga.

    He later had spells with FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Stuttgart Kickers, for whom he scored 37 goals in one season, and Waldhof Mannheim, before finally joining top-flight F.C. Hansa Rostock in 1995. After spending two years at Hansa, he  moved to their Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart and then VfL Wolfsburg in 1999; and he finished his playing career at Saarbrücken in 2002.

    International career

    But despite his Teutonic mentality , Akpoborie said he knew his limits, hence he dramatically turned his back to coaching afterwards, saying matter-of-factly  that not every Tom, Dick and Harry is cut out for the coaching profession.

    “I cannot be a coach because I don’t think I have the talent for  coaching,” explained Akpoborie, a member of the Golden Eaglets  that won the first edition of the FIFA U-16 Championship  China  1985, scoring  the opening goal in the 2-0 win against the then West Germany in the Final Match.

    “ I had this funny experience when I was a player; I sat on the bench when I was just coming out of injury when  I was at Wolfsburg at that time. 

    “I was watching my coach and his hands and in fact, his whole body was shaken because of the pressure of the game and from that day, I told myself ‘I don’t want to be a coach.’ 

    “The pressure and demands of coaching is enormous and it is not only about picking just 11 players; it is more than having the temperament to be a coach. It deals with human management because you are part and parcel of the lives of your players and their families.

    “ What makes a good coach? Apart from your philosophy, man management on and off the field your reading and knowing when a player is ready is important.  Being a great footballer does not translate to a being a good coach; they are two different things,” he noted.

      In his usual frankness, Akpoborie took a swipe at some of former colleagues  who  have joined (or planning) to join the coaching career on a faulty premise of being retired  footballers :“I think designated areas pick you by itself; as such, you must have the talent of being a coach like you have the talent of being a footballer.

    “You must have talent to organise to be a good, competent, administrator. Unfortunately, some of our former players do not have these experiences but some go into coaching because they don’t have any other thing to do.

    “It happens in Europe too and I would give you one good example. Lothar Matthäus was one of the best players of his generation and a former World Best Player but he was abysmal as a coach. 

    “There is another instance of  Franz Beckenbauer who never took a coaching course but led Germany to win the World cup in 1990; and you Look at Pep Guardiola , he is a better coach because he has the talent and had also played the game at the top level,”  added Akpoborie who won bronze and silver respectively with the Super Eagles at the  1992 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations .

    Here, Akpoborie in an exclusive interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN speaks about his glowing Golden Eaglets days in 1985 through some unpleasant circumstances with the senior national team, amongst sundry issues. Excerpts…

    Eaglets’ reunion and PMB reception

    The emotions were quite mixed. On one part, we were annoyed with previous governments that failed to recognise us for something that was really big in the history of Nigerian football. I said big because prior to that time( when we won the World Cup in 1985), a lot of people had difficulty in playing football. There were so many challenges and footballers were regarded as outcasts; even parents did not want their kids to play football. But the face of Nigerian football actually changed because of that victory. Yet all the past governments could not even blink and acknowledge what we did, it is not all about money. I have explained to people severally that when you hear footballers complain about money, sometimes it’s not about the money per se, rather the principle behind it. For instance, maybe promises to them were not being kept. In this case, we were happy that 30 years after, we were hosted to a reception by the same person (President Muhammadu Buhari) who welcomed us back then from China after we won the World Cup.

    We are sad that we had to wait this long for the promises made to us since 1985, but we are equally happy that the president who welcomed us back from China has assumed power and redeemed the pledge he made to us 31 years ago.  Though it is shameful for Nigeria as a country, we have to thank God that he remembered  the promises he made and has tried the best he could to partly fulfil it.

    Of course, you will get different opinions whether the two million naira he gave to each member of the squad was enough or not. I had a successful career after the U-16 World Cup  win in China but  I must abide with the collective thinking of the group because this was where it all started from. All of us are not in the same shoes and some of us will really need that money than I do; but you have to voice an opinion that is it worth it after waiting for 31 years?  The expectations were high and opinions on this issue  would differ  but I commend  President Buhari  for remembering us. It may be a token but we also have to consider the present economical circumstance we are in the  country right now. Frankly, if he had given us two naira, I would have been grateful because through this U-16 World Cup victory, I got the belief that I can succeed professionally as a footballer. I pursued that dream and succeeded. I can say I’m one of a few Nigerian players that represented the country at the U-16; U-20;U-23  and Super Eagles. I’m grateful to God for that.

     Escape route to stardom

    Yes, some of my colleagues could not travel outside the country after we won the World Cup. I think everybody has a route that has been plotted for him by God. Our passports were not given to us at that time and we could only train among ourselves  because we could not even play in the local league; it was a very big problem.  Today, you see a lot of young Nigerian players signing for clubs even before they are done with their assignments  but we did not have that luxury. The inexperience of winning such a big tournament was really heavy on Nigeria (football) at that time, hence we were prevented from going abroad at that time to continue the development of our careers. I don’t begrudge anyone; there were issues with Nigerian football in 1985 and unfortunately, they are still there even now.

    Contentious issues in Nigerian football

    There are plenty, there are plenty! For instance, look at the issue of paying players. The issue of inviting players for national assignments. I think this needs to be overhauled. I don’t think cash should be changing hands in the national teams since everybody has accounts home and abroad. The issue of ticketing (air fare) for players  on national assignment should not come in at all. We are in a modern world now and I read recently that the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) got Arik Airlines to transport a delegate to London (for management course) and I think such sponsorship can be extended to the players too.  The NFF, as one of the biggest brands in Nigeria, should be able to attract sponsorship at least from one of this big airlines to get tickets for the players coming on national assignments. And I think this can put an end to some of this hullabaloo about ticketing since you already know the FIFA calendar and where and when you are going to play. That way, the issue of cash changing hands does not exists. As per bonuses, you can pay through their bank accounts …these things are done in Europe and I don’t see how it cannot be done here. The world is changing and I think our football administrators should learn about the best way of doing things in this modern era.

    Not bothered being a critic

    The unfortunate thing in Nigeria is that people only read or listen when you criticise but they don’t read when you praise. I don’t agree with you that my praises are not common  just because there are too many problems in Nigerian football.   Look at our (Golden Eaglets class of 1985) own predicament, I don’t want to blame the NFF solely for not pushing hard enough for our recognition because I knew their hands were tied. The government in power as well as the presidency of the NFF has changed over time, so who do you blame?   I don’t dwell on private things, rather I look at issues dispassionately and If I have to support the NFF against the players or coaches, I will. And if I need to support the coaches or the players against the NFF, I will. I will tell you what I feel based on my own experience  as a professional. Obviously, I can also be wrong since I’m not perfect but I will say my mind based on my conscience  and objectivity.  But when I’m wrong, I do apologise.

     On being a fierce critic of Keshi

    But be that as it may, I can’t and I will not apologise to Stephen Keshi (over my criticisms) because I know all that I said from the outset when he was appointed as the coach of the Super Eagles to the end  was all correct. I went to Keshi’s training three months after he was  appointed  and I made up my mind that he was the kind of trainer Nigeria was looking for.

    Yes, we won the African Cup of Nations (in 2013) under him but  if you look at our performance professionally, we were  tactically abysmal. We won the AFCON through individual brilliance and to be precise, Victor Moses.  For instance, if Moses had not gotten those two penalty kicks against Ethiopia , we won’t have even qualified for the quarter finals. Until Keshi left, if we played against an organised team, we would always lose.

    Slow process under Oliseh

    The organisation of our team (under Sunday Oliseh) is coming up gradually but I don’t also know why the process is slow and tedious. It’s too slow but I won’t use that against  Oliseh  because I know the Nigerian system and I have to give him time. I don’t want to listen to any complain that we don’t have players in Nigeria. We saw players like Chikatara at the CHAN and what I can say right away is that we have proven goal scorers in the national team now. What the coach needs to do is to use the strengths of these proven goal scorers to now build his team.  Take Odion Ighalo for instance,  he doesn’t score a lot of goals outside the box but when he comes to the Super Eagles, you see him hustling for the ball outside the box, definitely we can’t get the best out of him playing from that deep position because he has shown overtime he’s just a box-player. The coach just needs to arrange his team so that they can bring the ball into the box for Ighalo to score and that is the kind of thing you see Barcelona does for Lionel Messi. They arrange everything to suit his strength and that is what a good coach should after an objective analysis of his team. I never saw that with Keshi and I expect to see more of this from Oliseh because we don’t have just one goal scorer, we have plenty.

    In our league, we have to start giving younger players the chance, and there is no point in waiting to say that  a player must be massively built before he can be integrated into the Super Eagles but we must start that revolution of giving younger players the chance in the league so see what they can do. I remember when  we came back from the U-16 and I was with the U-20, sometimes  I was allowed to even train with the super Eagles and that sort of thing can always give younger players confidence.  It was while training with the Super Eagles that coach Ganiyu Salami told coach Chris Udemezue that ‘you have to include this boy in your plans for the Under-20.’ In fact, it was based on coach Salami’s recommendation that a friendly match was arranged and that was how I was drafted back into the fold of the Under-20. We have a lot of young players that can be drafted into the super Eagles and we have to give them that experience by integrating them through the process even if they are not yet ripe to be played in top notch matches.

    They do this in Europe and I don’t know why we don’t do this in the national team and even in our leagues. The average age of players in our league now is between 23 and 24, but I think the time is already running; we can have them a bit younger.  I started playing in the league while I was still in secondary school  after I was discovered from the Principal Cup. We have to recreate such developmental process because there are a lot of younger boys who want to play football. I see players that can actually represent Nigeria in different age grades  and it is a shame that some of them are going to waste away because there  is no conscious developmental process.

     Thoughts on Oliseh’s unfortunate video rant

    Frankly, I was surprised about what Oliseh said (in the in famous video rant). For heaven’s sake, who is he not to be criticised? As good as Messi and Ronaldo are, are they not criticised? I have not seen what is bad in what Nigerians were saying other than that we expected a better performance of the team that he took to the CHAN in Rwanda. But his reaction was simply unimaginable given his own experience as a player, coach and analyst.  Though we all know that the CHAN was a platform to build the confidence of the players and new talents for the Super Eagles, not everybody can be patient and that was why we had such reactions from Nigerians. Personally, when he was to be signed on, I said it was ideal to give him a four-year contract since it will allow him plan through the World Cup qualifiers and to the end of the tournament if we qualify for the 2018 event in Russia. So, regardless of what I say match-per-match, I know there is a long term vision.  So, the onus is still on me and Nigerians to criticise the team if we feel they have not done well in a particular match.  He would have done the same if he was in my shoes; after all, as a studio analyst for Supersport, he did more of that.  Yes, we were teammates; but I don’t mix sentiments with football. I didn’t choose to be a coach because I know I can’t cope with the demands. He knew what he was going into and that was why he chose that and he should expect to be criticised by every Tom, Dick and Harry. The  worst aspect was him saying that he was begged; since he didn’t beg for the job, he can as well resign.  What he did was not good at all because he is actually bringing unnecessary tension to the team ahead of two important matches.  We can only wish him luck and it is my prayer that he does well for Nigeria but at the same time, I cannot bend the truth and can’t be economical with the truth when I’m discussing football or the Super Eagles. My own reputation is at stake too.

    Transition from being  a footballer to TV punditry

    A lot of retired Nigerian players make the mistake of going into coaching simply because they played football but the truth is that not all of us can be coaches or because you played the game professionally, you must be an administrator or hold a post in the NFF.

    Personally, I can do a lot in organisation of Nigerian football but I can’t be a coach. But I must see that chance in order to bring my ideas to bear at improving Nigerian football.

    I would not push myself forward for the same reason I did not beg to play for the Super Eagles. I have acquired varied experiences as a professional player  in Germany. Germany is the best organised place for football and I have a great experience because I played all through from division three to the Bundesliga.  So, I have seen and learnt but I will never beg to represent Nigeria. I didn’t do it as a player and that actually was the main reason I did not make the team to the France 1998 World Cup.

    France 1998 World Cup fiasco

    I was asked to beg just to be part of the World Cup team in 1998 but I refused.  Then I was the best Nigerian player (arguably in Europe at that time) and I played in the final of the European Cup that year. There were only two of us that played in the final of the European Cup that year, Taribo West and Jonathan Akpoborire , so for heaven’s sake, I was  a good player then.  I didn’t even care to know whom they said  I should go and beg, once they said that, I dropped the phone and went on holidays.  I don’t have any regret whatsoever and that is why right now, I can say anything I want to say since I owe allegiance to nobody. I went to the Atlanta’96 Olympic Games after playing against Togo. I was actually on holidays and on that particular day, I had eaten pounded yam at the home of honourable Nduka Irabor but he encouraged me to see Jo Bonfrere at half time. But lo and behold, I was given boots and jerseys to play. After the match, we were off to the USA to prepare for the Olympics and I was taken as one of the alternate players.  I left earlier and when the team came back, nobody remembered I was part of the team and I did not get anything up till today for being part of that team. So they do owe me something.  I played in the last Super Eagles’ qualifier for the 2002 World Cup and everybody that participated in that match in Port Harcourt was given something by the government of River State but up till today, I have not been given mine.

    I’m not pained because by the grace of god, I’m still surviving. Even if they don’t give me those things, I’m okay and pretty good by the grace of God.  Though I have not officially requested for these things, I can’t just beg people to be given what I deserve.

     Arrogant? What arrogance?

    A lot of people think I’m arrogant and a difficult person but I’m not. I’m the simpliest person you can ever know, it is yes or no. It works for me and a times, it does not work. I’m a very straight forward person and I try not to economise with the truth. I say it the way it is and that was why some felt I had issues with Keshi.  Keshi, as a matter of fact, was my idol and I played along with him and Rashid Yekini-unforgettable memories because I learned so much from them especially at the 1992 African Cup of Nations in Senegal. Samson Siasia is my adopted brother, but when he was given the Super Eagles’ job, I said he was not ripe for it because I felt he was not ready despite the fact that he won the silver at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.  The Super Eagles’ job is very challenging and I still feel Oliseh would have difficulty because he is a Nigerian. I’m of the opinion that the job is not yet meant for a Nigerian. It is not because Nigerians are not good enough but we have not been able to separate sentiments from football in Nigeria. There is also the political influence …which is enormous.

    Improving quality of the league

    Our league needs to be cleaned and that is the honest truth.  I’m not talking only about the organisation but also the quality of the teams we have; the quality of the players as well as coaching. May be we have to cut down on the number of the teams to enhance quality of clubs owed money left, right and centre; why not reduce it to the number of teams that can take up their responsibilities and obligations to the players?

    My other passion

    I have passion for real estate. I’m a sucker for real estate and I love developing things from the scratch and by the grace of God that is what I’m settling into.  I went into shipping because it was lucrative, but out of jealousy, we ran into problems.  Some said I was into child trafficking  but I want to use this medium to tell the world that there is no iota of truth in that and I’m still fighting the case  with the government of Republic of Benin for allowing me to pay ten million naira for a judgement  I got in their court.

    They sank my ship in Benin Republic without any justification or provocation to do so and since 2009, I have won the case in their appeal court. I wanted to execute judgement but was told I must pay the equivalent of ten million naira in tax, which I did. But the government of Benin Republic has failed to pay me the money I won in court.

    I’m praying that the government of Nigeria can now help me  press them to pay  up because this is clear injustice. I didn’t need the help of anybody to clear my name over the ghost 250 children that UNICEF claimed were in my ship for trafficking but I need Nigerian government to help me press Benin Republic to obey their own law.

     

  • First coaching course ends for secondary pupils in Efon

    he first ever holiday coaching programme for Junior and senior Secondary schools pupils in Efon Local Government Area of Ekiti state has ended in Efon Alaaye.

    The course, which covered such core subjects as English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Arts and the Sciences was sponsored by Chief Afolabi Akanni, a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly representing Efon Constituency.

    The course was organised to keep the pupils busy during the holidays and steer them away from mischief and wasteful propensities. It was concluded with assessment tests for the participants.

    At the closing ceremony in Efon during the week, Akanni presented the best three pupils in the tests in the Junior and Senior Secondary School categories with mobile phones, Mathematical sets, dictionaries and cash gifts.

    Akanni, who chairs the House Committee on Works and Transport, also announced that he would payment for the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application forms for the first three in the SS3 class.

    Akanni said he organised the classes as his contribution to the Ayo Fayose administration’s efforts to deliver quality education to children in Ekiti State.

    Present at the ceremony were the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Pastor Wole Oluwawole; the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Jide Egunjobi; Chairman,  Efon Local Government Caretaker Committee, Hon. Peter Daramola; the Alaaye, Oba Aladejare; Quarter Heads, Chiefs and other prominent personalities.

     

  • Alausa takes to coaching

    Alausa takes to coaching

    Former league top scorer, Kabiru Alausa has expressed satisfaction with his learning process as he starts to build a new career in coaching.

    Alausa has been working on his new love since leaving from City of David.

    “It’s a new experience for me and I want to thank the management of Shooting Stars Sports (3SC) Club for the opportunity to have my internship in Ibadan.

    “I completed my program at the National Institute for Sports and I’m with 3SC to learn more about coaching. Before coming to 3SC, I worked with Taiwo Oloyede at non-league side, Eko Akete, in the Lagos State Federation Cup,” he told supersport.com.

    Alausa started out as a central defender at defunct Julius Berger, but former coach, Fatai Amoo converted him into a striker and he blossomed in front of goal.

    Back in 2004, he finished as top scorer in the league with 13 goals for the “Glamour Boys”.

    Apart from 3SC and COD, he has also played for Sunshine Stars as well as Heartland and was invited to the Super Eagles squad in 2008 for the CHAN 2009 qualifiers.

  • Pinnick seeks use of modern coaching technology

    Pinnick seeks use of modern coaching technology

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has urged club coaches to equip themselves with modern technology to further enhance their capabilities.

    He spoke in Ibadan after watching Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League match between Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and visiting Rangers International FC of Enugu, which ended 1-1.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Pinninck spoke against the backdrop of the acquisition of match reading software for national team coaches by the federation.

    He said the Glo Premier League has improved, stressing that the NFF had invested so much to improve the standard of the league.

    “The last time we took 20 of our coaches to England for training, I noticed some lapses. Some of our coaches are not familiar with the use of modern technology in coaching and analysis.

    “Modern technology is put into use worldwide by coaches, to meet up with such standards, our coaches must embrace it,’’ he said.

    Pinnick, who said he appreciated the League Management Company (LMC) for improvements in the league, stressed that the NFF would accept nothing short of high standard in performance.

    He said  the federation and the LMC are working round the clock to attract investors’ support for clubs in the league, assuring that the result of such effort would manifest in a couple of months.

     

  • Coaching for a living

    Coaching for a living

    More Nigerians are turning to business coaching for a living. One of them is Steve Harris. Daniel Essiet reports.

    HIgh demand for services to  improve business performance has opened the gateway to business coaches and  entrepreneurs providing guidance  on lifestyle management.

    One of them is Steve Harris, chief executive officer, EdgeEcution, who aspires to take business coaching to important markets and in the process, encourage young entrepreneurs to explore the  opportunity.

    He  started his coaching  business in 2011 with N17,000, but today, Harris has become a household name in several organisations, including West African Portland Cement (WAPCO), Guaranty Trust Bank, FinBank, Access Bank, Skye Bank, Diamond Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Zenith Bank, and Shell PetroleumDevelopment Company.

    In most of these places, Harri said he has managed streams of customer service management, leadership,passion infusion and workforce activation training programmes and retreats.

    Addressing  a  conference in Lagos, a small and medium enterprises enterprises (SMEs) Development Conference for chief executives officers and business executives of start-up companies, Harris said, it was an unstoppable mindset that drove him to business coaching. He realised that motivating people to bring out the best in people and this came naturally and he  did  it best.

    His business involves helping others to make the transition that they have: living the lifestyle they want to lead.

    Lifestyle, he said, has been awesome since he chose to go into coaching.

    While business coaching may  not be the only way to make money, Harris said there are a lot of opportunities for would be entrepreneurs as long as they can  offer products and services  that can   solve their problems.

    His  advice, however,  is  that they   must be willing to do the work and learn the skill set to provide solutions. In fact, from training to seminars, books and coaches,  Harris said he  has spent a lot  of money on professional development coaching.

    The firm specialises in: one-on-one coaching, a group coaching and seminars. His challenges at the beginning were  lack of funds and  not  being  able  to  sell himself  to  reach out to people who do not know him  but may be looking for support.

    He  has  had  amazing clients who have given him good referrals. He  has tried out some ideas and questions which have worked brilliantly.

    He  has  spoken in front of many different groups and have created a specific coaching programmes, that takeclients step by step to build the confidence, belief, motivation and  mindset to make more money in record time, every time.

    For  every  entrepreneur who want to succeed, Harris said a positive  mindset  will help  to  accelerate results. According  to him,   it’s not about the type of business  one  is in but  combining the belief, mindset and marketing  to bring about the results one is e looking for.

    The Founder, Watermark Academy Miss Victoria Adewunmi said the conference was aimed at  developing individuals and build their capacities through entrepreneurship as a tool for societal advantage.

  • I miss coaching Nigeria – Bonfrére

    I miss coaching Nigeria – Bonfrére

    Former Super Eagles coach, Johannes-Franciscus Bonfrére popularly known as ”Jo” Bonfrére in Nigeria, has openly admitted that he still misses coaching the senior national team of Nigeria.

    Speaking exclusively on  www.footballlive.ng, the Dutch coach confessed that he still misses the Super Eagles and would love to tinker the team again.

    Bonfere, who assisted fellow Dutch, Clemens Westerhof to win Nigeria’s second Nations Cup title in Tunisia ’94, hinted that he desires to come back to coach the Eagles once again based on abundant talents in the country.

    “I miss coaching Nigeria, miss working with the talented players in the land. I will not mind coaching the Super Eagles again. If I get the chance, I will definitely bring in my wealth of experience, my discipline and organisation and get the best  of the country’s players both at home and abroad,” Bonfrere admitted.

    Bonfere,  who led Nigeria to Africa’s first Olympic football gold in 1996 with Kanu Nwankwo as captain, said that Nigeria has talented players and therefore should be among the best four football nations in the world if there is proper programme for the development of the round leather game in the country.

    “Nigeria is abundantly blessed with top players and when managed well they will take the country places,” he explained.

    And looking at the standard of the ongoing 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea, he noted that the competition has been good while noting that the tournament clearly misses the Super Eagles.

    “The standard of the competition is quite high, some teams have not played well. Cameroun for instance were poor and I’m not surprised they crashed out early.

    “It’s a pity Nigeria did not qualify and I think the AFCON misses the Super Eagles,” he added.

  • New coaching crew for Super Falcons soon

    New coaching crew for Super Falcons soon

    The Secretary-General, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu, on Friday in Abuja said that a new coach would soon be appointed for the Super Falcons to enhance their World Cup preparation.

    Amadu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that arrangements were nearing conclusion for the engagement of the coach to give direction to the team.

    “There are ongoing plans to hire a new coach for the Super Falcons. The team will be totally overhauled in terms of the playing personnel and the coaching crew. It is the objective of the NFF to return the Super Falcons to the pinnacle of the game in Africa.

    “I am confident that by the time we announce the coaching crew, they would be able to prepare the girls well to qualify for the World Cup in Canada in 2015,’’ he said.

    On the change of Nigeria Premier League’s (NPL) name to Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Amadu said that it was not an issue.

    Amadu was reacting to the assertion by the League Management Committee (LMC) Chairman, Nduka Irabor that the new body’s incoming board could revert to the old name when elected.

    Irabor had on Thursday told newsmen in Abuja that a new NPFL board when elected could revert to the name NPL if they so wished.

    NAN recalls that the NPL interim management committee had on Feb. 15 effected the change of name for the league.

    The LMC chairman had explained that as the LMC, they had been given the powers by the NFA to take decisions and conduct fresh elections into the elite league board. He, however, did not disclose when the elections would hold. Amadu said that what was important was for the league to kick off on March 9 as proposed by the committee.

    “I don’t see the change of name as an issue at all. It doesn’t change anything really. What is imperative is for the league to kick off as scheduled. No matter what name it is called, the league has to kick off as soon as possible,’’ he said.