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  • Cricket: Five NCF officials to participate in ICC advanced programme

    Cricket: Five NCF officials to participate in ICC advanced programme

    Cricket: Five NCF officials to participate in ICC advanced programme Igwilo said that the programmes when completed would keep the participants abreast with current trends in the sport.

    ‘’We have good coaches and umpires in the country, but there is the need to further expose them in order to be in tune with what is happening at the international level.

    ‘’The closest place within our reach is South Africa and they will also learn from cricket South Africa.

    ‘’The programme will be in two batches, a coach and umpire selected by the NCF will go for the first batch of training, while two coaches and umpire from Edo State will attend the second batch.

    ‘’We urge more states to emulate Edo State and also send their coaches to such programmes for the growth of the sport in the country.”

    Read Also: ICC WT20 West Africa Qualifier: NCF calls up 36 to first phase camping2018

    On Nigeria’s preparation for the T-20 ICC Sub- Regional qualifiers holding from April 16-22 in Lagos, the Manager said that preparation was in top gear.

    ‘’The federation has put all the necessary logistics in place to ensure a hitch free event for participants.

    ‘’The Local Organising Committee, led by our amiable Vice-President, Uyi Akpata are working round the clock to ensure that we host the region,’’ he said.

    Our reporters, reports that an ICC representative in Africa, Kuben Pillay carried out an inspection of the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket pitch in Lagos on March 2, ahead of the qualifiers.

    Ghana, Sierra Leona, the Gambia and host Nigeria will participate in the qualifiers.

    NAN

  • Taraba Killings: Buhari to visit Mambilla Plateau

    Taraba Killings: Buhari to visit Mambilla Plateau

    President Muhammadu Buhari will visit the troubled Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba before leaving for Accra, Ghana, later today.

    The President will also receive the visiting Liberian President George Weah at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, before the Taraba visit.

    Already the President’s advanced team of personnel had left Abuja for Taraba to prepare for his arrival.

    We reliably gathered that while in Taraba, President Buhari will visit the troubled areas and address traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state on need to shun all forms of violence and embrace peace.

    The latest communal clash on the Mambilla Plateau was reported to have claimed the lives of about 20 persons while 300 cows were either killed or stolen.

    The Mambilla Plateau has been witnessing outbreaks of ethnic violence with hundreds of people reported dead in recent times.

    President Buhari will proceed to Accra, Ghana after the official engagement in Taraba.

    NAN

  • Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company warns against electricity hazard

    Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company warns against electricity hazard

    The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company ( IBEDC ) on Monday, advised the public to be wary of electricity hazards and shun habits that poses danger to their lives and property while using electrical appliances.

    The Regional Head of Communication IBEDC Ilorin Zone, Mr Asaju Kolawole, gave the warnings during a road show by the company.

    The road show included distribution of flyers to members of the public while the staffs went round the metropolis singing, dancing and intermittently giving short enlightenment talks.

    Risk prone areas such as Sawmill, Taiwo Road, Surulere, Unity, Post Office and Challenge, people were warned against building houses under power lines.

    READ ALSO: CHI Rights Issue hits 100.09% success

    IBEDC also cautioned residents against illegal connection, tampering with or vandalizing installations of the distribution company, among other vices.

    Kolawole stressed that the campaign was to educate the general public on the dangers of toying and tampering with electrical installations.

    He warned those who build, sell, load vehicles and plant trees under or close to power lines to desist to avoid electrocution.

    The spokesman also frowned at the vandalism of public facilities, particularly electricity installations, urging communities to be proactive in reporting any suspicious movement around electrical installations in their domain to security agencies in the state.

    He regretted that misuse of electricity had led to the death of many people and enjoined the public to be careful in order to avert such ugly incidents.

    Kolawole reiterated the company’s commitment to offer efficient services to its customers and appealed that complaints on illegal electricity connections, low power supply and electricity surge, electrocution and fire out break be reported promptly for immediate intervention.

    He also appealed to customers to settle their electricity bills promptly to enable the company serve them better.

    NAN

  • Four Brigade Nigerian Army holds cultural festival March 10

    Four Brigade Nigerian Army holds cultural festival March 10

    The 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Benin, says it will hold its West African Social Activities ( WASA ) festival on March 10.

    A statement by Capt. Mohammed Maidawa, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, in Benin, on Monday said that the cultural day and get together would take place at the Ekenhua Barracks by 2 p.m.

    Maidawa said the event would showcase the nation’s vibrant cultures which abound in the barracks.

    He said WASA “is an annual social event organised in military formations in which soldiers and their families come together and merry”.

    READ ALSO: Troops arrest seven herdsmen in Benue

    According to him, it is also an event in which all those who contributed to Army successes during the out-gone year are rewarded.

    “It is also an opportunity for us to throw our doors open to wider community in an atmosphere of friendship, good neighborliness and harmony in line with the Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s desire to promote a more harmonious civil-military relationship,” he said.

    NAN

  • Oyo moves to rid Egungun festival of violence, hooliganism

    Oyo moves to rid Egungun festival of violence, hooliganism

    Oyo State Government has reiterated its determination to rid the annual Masquerade ( Egungun ) festival of violence and hooliganism that usually characterised it across the state.

    The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun and made known in a statement in Ibadan on Sunday.

    The annual festival was in the past characterised by violence and hooliganism, which has severally promoted insecurity in the state.

    Arulogun stated that the state government had as part of efforts to proffer solution to the problem held a meeting with the heads of masquerades across the state.

    “The state government has put in place machinery to reform the celebration of the festival across the state in order to curb the excesses of Egungun followership.

    “The festival will rather be used to showcase the rich cultural values of Egungun in the state and promote it beyond the shores of the country,” he said.

    He said that the era of using the festival to perpetrate violence was gone, adding that the entertainment and cultural values of the festival would be celebrated and promoted locally and internationally.

    According to him, the festival is one of our heritage festivals and the ministry is task with the promotion and preservation of our cultural heritage.

    “The ministry is set to project and package the entertainment value in a manner devoid of violence.”

    The Commissioner said that government has commenced the engagement of stakeholders in readiness for due collaboration to give the festival the prominence it deserves.

    Arulogun urged the stakeholders to support the state government’s reform process aimed at making it a worthwhile celebration.

    Chief Ojetunde Akinleye, Olori Alagbaa of Ibadan had appreciated the government for the initiative, pledging their loyalty to the government on its effort at using the festival to promote the cultural values of Egungun.

    Akinteye, popularly known as Asoleke declared their readiness to cooperate with the government on its reform process aimed at curbing violence and promoting the festival.

    He advocated a three-year ban on any masquerade that foments trouble, saying they have cautioned their members to stay away from any conduct that could smear the reputation of the festival.

    Similarly, Chief Sesan Onibode, Aare Isenbaye from Saki Zone, said the efforts has shown that government was very serious about security.

    Onibode stressed that the repackaging of the festival and the collaborative efforts of the government would bring sanity to street carnivals.

    He appealed to government to engage in sensitisation and enlightenment at various levels, appreciating government’s extension of fellowship to the masquerade during their festivals.

    Mr Yinka Ogundaisi, a representative of Universal Films and Communications Limited, said that the government was not taking away the festival from the custodians of the masquerades.

    He said that the collaborative efforts of government with their outfit was to ensure that the festival is transformed to have global appeal.

    NAN

  • We will deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag – Bagudu

    We will deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag – Bagudu

    Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi says the state will work together with farmers and millers under the Federal Government’ Anchor Borrower Programme to deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag.

    The governor gave the assurances Sunday night in Birnin Kebbi at a dinner hosted in honour of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The minister is on a two-day working visit to Kebbi with a team of journalists to showcase and assess the government agricultural revolution.

    Bagudu who commended the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government policy on rice called for more investments by the public and private sector.

    The governor said that the mobilisation of 70,000 farmers and N11 billion spent on the pilot scheme had yielded so much dividends and attracted national and global attention to the state.

    He said in addition to the two major rice milling factories – Labana and Walcot – , there were so many small and medium scale millers springing up in the state.

    Bagudu disclosed that Labana and Walcot rice milling factoriies had N55 billion demand for paddy.

    The governor also disclosed that the Dangote group recently visited him and were concluding plans to set up a rice milling factory in the state.

    He said the partnership between Kebbi and Lagos states on rice value chain that produced the Lake rice had solved the challenge of glut by providing ready made market for farmers.

    The governor, who is the Chairman Presidential Task Force Committee on Rice and Wheat Production noted that the level of investment in the state had proved that agriculture is the easiest sector for diversification

    He said the huge investments had also shown the confidence the investing community had in the Buhari’s administration.

    For his part, the minister appreciated the governor for honouring him and members of his entourage.

    He said Kebbi’s goal is to be a trailblazer in using the Anchor Borrowing Programme to transform the agriculture sector.

    Mohammed said the programme aimed at food production, job creation, income generation and self sufficiency had been a tremendous success the state.

    The minister said he led the media to the state to show to the world that the government agriculture policy is working and yielding results contrary to the claims of naysayers.

    Besides agriculture, the state commissioners gave score cards of the giant strides of the governor in roads, health, infrastructure development, culture and information technology.

    NAN

  • Researchers discover new HIV antibody

    Researchers discover new HIV antibody

    Researchers said they have discovered an HIV antibody that can suppress the virus for nearly six months without additional treatment.

    The new study involved about half of a group of monkeys, infused with a broadly neutralising antibody to HIV combined with an immune stimulatory compound.

    The findings, released at the 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, lend a

    clue to strategies that attempt to achieve sustained, drug-free viral remission in people living with HIV.

    Being supported in part by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ), the study may have targeted the viral reservoir, populations of long-lived, latently infected cells that harbour the virus and that lead to resurgent viral replication when suppressive therapy was stopped.

    “HIV excels at evading the immune system by hiding out in certain immune cells,” said NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

    “The virus can be suppressed to very low levels with antiretroviral therapy, but quickly rebounds to high levels if a person stops taking medications as prescribed.”

    “The findings from this early stage research offer further evidence that achieving sustained viral remission without daily medication might be possible,” he added.

    In the study, scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center infected 44 rhesus macaques with simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), an HIV-like virus commonly used in nonhuman primate studies.

    They then initiated daily antiretroviral therapy (ART) during acute infection to suppress the virus to below detectable levels in the monkey’s blood.

    After a 96-week treatment, researchers divided the monkeys into four equal groups and continued to administer ART for 16 additional weeks, with an aim to determine whether the combination of HIV antibody and immune stimulant could reduce the viral reservoir while virus replication was well controlled by the ART.

    After discontinuation of ART, the virus rebounded in the blood of all 11 monkeys that neither received HIV antibodies or immune stimulant after a median of 21 days.

    The experts also said six of 11 monkeys that received the therapy combination showed a delayed viral rebound after a median of 112 days, and five others of the 11 did not rebound for at least 168 days.

    “Our findings suggest that the development of interventions to activate and eliminate a fraction of the viral reservoir might be possible,” said Dan Barouch, principal investigator of the study.

    The researchers said compared with the antiretroviral therapy which needs to be taken daily, antibodies to HIV tend to last longer in the body and have shown promise for longer-acting HIV therapeutics and prevention modalities.

    Xinhua/NAN

  • Bayode sets new Guinness World Record in reading

    Bayode sets new Guinness World Record in reading

    A 40-year-old Nigerian, Bayode Treasure Olawunmi, who few days ago set himself on a reading spree to break the World Guinness Book of Records mark for the “Longest Marathon Reading Aloud” Category has finally done it.

    The book enthusiast and proud father of three children, logged 120 hours at 3:30 pm today at the YouRead Library Yaba in Lagos, Nigeria.

    His amazing record outpaced that of his predecessor – Deepak Sharma Bajagain from Nepal, who had 113 hours 15 minutes in 2008.

    Bajagain’s book reading began on September 19 and ended on September 24, 2008. In accomplishing this, he recited 17 different books from 13 authors during his record attempt.

    However, the latest world champion, Bayode, started his reading at 1:30 pm on Monday, February 26, 2018 and ended 3:30 pm on Saturday. This made it five days and two hours of marathon reading.

    To show his excitement at his world record, Bayode took to his Facebook page to announce his feat. This is what he had to say:

    “Hello everybody, something just happened right now! My name is Bayode Treasures Olubunmi (Olawunmi) – I have just finished reading aloud for 120 hours non-stop!

    I did it for the CULTURE!”.

    The Osun State Polytechnic alumni whose persistence and determination to follow through on his dream to was palpable was obvious and palpable  before and during the reading foray

    In a Twitter post he said: “I have always loved to read good materials right from when I was in secondary school. I am doing this for the youths.”

    Special Adviser to the Lagos state governor on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh expressed his joy at Bayode’s accomplishment, and said that he has been taken to a location where he will recuperate before meeting with His Excellency, the executive governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Bayode is definite a great beacon light of hope and inspiration to this generation. Nigeria, Africa and the world needs more readers and thinkers to move the wheels of innovations and development.

  • Cross River donates to Cameroonian refugees

    Cross River donates to Cameroonian refugees

     

    The Cross River government has provided food and non-food materials to over 3,500 Southern Cameroonian refugees camping in Boki local government area of the state.

    Items include, rice, plantain, beans, yam, garri, palm oil, cartons of noodles, toiletries, cooking utensils among others.

    Presenting the items on Saturday to the refugees, Managing Director, Cross River Food Bank Commission, Dr Mercy Akpama, said that the gesture was part of the activities to celebrate the 50th birthday of Governor Ben Ayade.

    Akpama said that Gov. Ayade’s administration takes the welfare of residents in the state and those in distress serious.

    She explained that the donation was meant to ameliorate the plight of the refugees.

    “The governor has sent us here to come and donate this food and non-food materials to you. In his vision, he has decided that we come here today and give you this food so that you can also join him in celebrating his birthday.

    “There is no greater pain like depriving a people of their ancestral homes and reducing them to wants in body and soul’’, she said.

    Member representing Boki I state Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Dr Itam Abang, urged the refugees to be law abiding.

    Abang assured them that the state governor was working with the Federal Government and the international community with a view to find a solution to the crisis.

    Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr John Inaku, told the refugees that the state governor was passionate about their plight.

    “We have your brothers and sisters in other locations as well. These items are for those of you in Boki and I can assure you that the governor will also reach others soon,” he said.

    Mr James Ogar, who spoke on behalf of the refugees, lauded the government and people of the state for their concern.

    He said the gesture was a sign of true love to those in need.

  • NAPS faults rejection of Peace Corps Bill

    NAPS faults rejection of Peace Corps Bill

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari for refusing to sign the Peace Corps Bill, passed by the National assembly in 2017. The body believes that this decision has dashed the hopes and hard work of Nigerian youths.

    In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Eneji Mohammed and the Public Relations Officer, Comrade Olasunkanmi Ijaduoye, the body said that refusal to assent to the Peace Corps bill is denying Nigerian youths a means of livelihood, as youth empowerment is the pathway to the future.

    “This move had killed millions of hope and hard work. It took some people’s effort nationwide to come together and task themselves on the creation of a security platform for the benefit of the government and it citizens (especially the youths).

    “The President needs to reconsider his stance and assent to the bill, so as to save millions of Nigerian youths who had hoped that the Peace Corps of Nigeria would provide means of livelihood for them.

    Read Also: Buhari misled over Peace Corps Bill, says commandant

    The President, in a letter read last Tuesday by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, had cited security concerns and financial implications amongst reasons for his decision, but the body insists that “the country cannot spend too much on security.”

    The body further urged the National Assembly to call a parliament where a two-third vote will be gotten in favour of the bill, and it will be passed into law, regardless of the President’s position.

    NAPS also spoke against the Nigerian police for shutting down the Peace Corps headquarters for a long time. According to them, “We are aware of two court orders asking the Police Force to open the building. We believe that the Police should be the first organization to have respect for the rule of law.”