The Nation Newspaper

Tag: depart

  • Rio 2016 Qualifier: D’Tigress depart to Cameroon for Nations Cup

    Rio 2016 Qualifier: D’Tigress depart to Cameroon for Nations Cup

    The female national basketball team, D’Tigress will today depart Abuja for Cameroon for the Rio 2016 Olympics qualifier.

    The team, which left Brazzaville  Sunday along with other Team Nigeria contingents after the close of Brazzaville 2015 having won silver, will slug it out against arch rival Angola who defeated them in the final of the just concluded AAG 2015 .

    Other countries in the group with Nigeria fighting for the only slot for the continent at the Olympics are: Algeria, Egypt, Senegal and Guinea.

    Coach Adewunmi  Aderemi who spoke to SportingLife at the Mayamaya International Airport in Congo before  Team Nigeria departed for Nigeria expressed optimism that the female basketball team will pick the Olympics ticket to join their male counterpart.

    Although Aderemi agreed it won’t be an easy task, he however expressed optimism that the girls are capable and they will put in extra effort to make it to Rio 2016.

    The qualifier starts on the 24th till the end of the month.

     

  • U-20 World Cup: Falconets finally depart in batches tonight

    U-20 World Cup: Falconets finally depart in batches tonight

    Nigeria U-20 women’s team, the Falconets, will finally depart for Moncton, Canada through Frankfurt in two batches aboard Lufthansa Airlines flight on Thursday and Friday from Abuja.

    A training tour of Canada was called off following the recent crisis that rocked the country’s football.

    Meanwhile, coach Peter Dedevbo has released his final list of 21 players for this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals, including full international Asisat Oshoala and former U-17 stars Patience Okaeme, Halimatu Ayinde, Jiroro Idike, Uchenna Kanu and Yetunde Adeboyejo.

    There are three goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders and six strikers in the squad that Dedevbo said will stun the world in Canada.

    Dedevbo, who steered the U-17 girls to the quarter finals at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 and in Azerbaijan in 2012, has also included US–based college star Courtney Dike, younger sister of Nigeria forward Bright Dike. The tall and spritely forward from Oklahoma State University is the only overseas –based player in the squad.

    Nigeria has featured in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, since the inaugural edition, also in Canada, in 2002. They reached the Final in Germany four years ago and also made the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.

    This year, Dedevbo’s maidens will clash with Mexico, Korea Republic and England in Group C, with the first two games coming up in Moncton, before they travel to Edmonton to slug it out with England.

     

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers:

    Sandra Chiihii (Ibom Angels); Ibijoke Sangonuga (Inneh Queens); Chiudo Ehiudo (Delta Queens).

     Defenders:

    Ebere Okoye (Nasarawa Amazons); Jiroro Idike (Delta Queens); Maryam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons); Sarah Nnodim (Delta Queens); Ugo Njoku (Rivers Angels); Victoria Aidelomon (Pelican Stars); Gladys Abasi (Ibom Angels).

    Midfielders:

    Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels); Patience Okaeme (Delta Queens); Halimatu Ayinde (Delta Queens); Yetunde Adeboyejo (Bayelsa Queens); Osarenoma Igbinovia (Inneh Queens).

    Forwards:

    Loveth Ayila (Makwada Babes); Courtney Dike (Oklahoma State University, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Pelican Stars); Yetunde Aluko (Sunshine Queens); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pelican Stars); Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels).

  • Clark: I’m ready to depart this world. Really?

    Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark must be having a time of his life right now. Uwa ngbede kamma, that is how Ndigbo describe it, meaning a good evening of life is the best among all the stages of life. Even the Yoruba often pray that the evening of life be always better than the early part. This is why Hardball thinks that Pa E.K., as he used to be fondly known (hope we can still call him that now), was only grandstanding and posturing when he proclaimed recently that he was ready to depart this world.

    It was at the 87th birthday briefing of the former Information Minister in Abuja. He was expansive and effusive with it if we might add: “I believe that I have played my part, ready to depart in joy and peace. Hence, I have repeatedly proclaimed it loudly at given occasions that as a mortal being, I am now like one at a departure lounge awaiting the call to meet my creator… I have come to this position, believing that I have played my part, ready to depart contentedly…”

    One thing is sure about Papa E.K., he is certainly a contented and happy man. Looking ebullient and rejuvenated in the last few years of Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, he does not look like one who is waiting anxiously at any departure lounge. No sir, we take E.K.’s comment with a pinch of salt; for a man who is effectively the First Father of not just the Ijaw nation today, but that of the whole nation. For instance, Pa E.K., in his octogenarian end stage, did not only relocate to Abuja upon Jonathan’s presidency, he carved out his own special, filial position as Father of the President. And for the life of Hardball, he has acquitted himself so brilliantly well in that position. Never begrudge a man his booty, who has done his job well.

    Pa E.K. virtually corralled Jonathan into the current son-hood position. He has been father, godfather, shepherd and warhead to the president since inauguration. A wily old man, Pa E.K. would stoke a fire on behalf of the president and then go ahead and quench it also on his behalf. He would reach out and reach in and of course he has been building bridges and even burning them as the situation demands. It has been a dual mandate of a queer kind; an exciting two headed diplomatic odyssey. It has worked, or shall we say that the president has never complained. But Hardball wagers it has worked even better for Pa E.K.

    Hardball cannot make a categorical statement about the financial status of Pa E.K. now but there is a saying that when you are very well off, your skin is the first to betray you. If we go by the tone and texture of Pa E.K.’s skin (which is as smooth as a little boy’s) you are bound to accuse him of being extraordinarily wealthy now. Again, we cannot tell. But what Hardball can tell for sure is that a year ago, Pa E.K. took a very beautiful young wife. Ladies and gentlemen, which man ready to depart this world takes a young wife?

  • 105 Sokoto indigenes depart for studies in Uganda

    A hundred and five Sokoto State indigenes at the weekend left the state for a post-graduate diploma programme in Education in Uganda.

    They are members of the first batch of the 300 students who will study various programmes at the Islamic University, Uganda.

    The students departed aboard an Arik Air chartered flight via the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

    A statement in Sokoto by Abubakar Dangusau, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Press Affairs, said the students were among those sponsored by the state government for post-graduate diploma and Master’s in Education at the foreign university.

    The statement said: “This first batch of 105 students has NCE and other non-Education degrees holders who will first undergo the post-graduate diploma studies in Education.

    “The remaining 195 students have both NCE and Education-related degrees and they are expected to leave Sokoto next December and meet the 105, who just left.

    “They will together undergo the Master’s degree studies in Education and they are expected to come complete their studies in 18 months and come back to Nigeria.”

    The statement quoted Governor Aliyu Wamakko as urging the students to be good ambassadors of the state and Nigeria.

  • Pillars depart for Port-Harcourt today

    Pillars depart for Port-Harcourt today

    League Champions Kano Pillars will leave Kano this morning for Port-Harcourt ahead of Sunday’s week 7 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) tie against Sharks FC.

    The Pyramid City side defeated Sunshine Stars of Akure 1-0 in a week 6 league game on Wednesday to consolidate their lead on the table with 15 points from six games played this season.

    The team’s media officer, Idris Malikawa told SportingLife that the Pyramid City side will stop over in Owerri and will be there till Saturday before heading to Port-Harcourt same morning.

    Malikawa also hinted that the team is poised for three points in Port-Harcourt.

    “We want to do everything to retain the league title this season because we want to return to the continent next season. We have plans to begin the Port-Harcourt trip early by leaving tomorrow (Friday) morning so that we can have enough rest before the match on Sunday. We will have a stop-over in Owerri before departing for Port-Harcourt Saturday morning.

    “We hope for a good result against Sharks and we believe we can get something from the game. We’ve put the CAF Champions League disappointment behind us and are now fully focused on the league.”

  • Heartland depart for Gabon today

    Heartland depart for Gabon today

    A 33-man Heartland FC delegation will leave for Gabon today for the second leg match of their first round CAF Confederation Cup tie against US Bitam.

    The players and officials of the club left Owerri on Wednesday morning by road to Lagos where they passed a night before jetting out from Murtala Mohammed International Airport to Gabon through Askar Airlines.

    The Naze Millionaires are confident of defending their 2-1 victory recorded in the first leg at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri and have called on Nigerians to back them up with prayers as they go for the encounter.

    Heartland drew bye in the preliminary round and will face stiff opposition in their quest to qualify for the second round from the hosts. The game would be played on Saturday in Bitam.