The Nation Newspaper

Tag: retain

  • Warri Wolves retain second spot on the log

    Warri Wolves retain second spot on the log

    •Beat Bayelsa United 2-1 in Benin

    Warri Wolves brightened their chances of winning their first league title after they beat Bayelsa United away from home 2-1 in a Glo Premier League Week 32 tie played at Benin yesterday.

    Freedom Omofoman’s  fifth minute effort put Warri Wolves at the driver’s seat before Oghenekaro Etebo increased the scoreline in the 22nd minute but was later sent off for unsporting behaviour in the second half.

    Etebo’s offence was his reaction to the referee’s call to award  Bayelsa United another spot kick after the initial effort was saved by the Seasiders’ goalkeeper, Okeimute Odah.

    The Restoration Boys’ Olufemi Oladapo didn’t miss from 12 yards like his colleague, Peter Ebimobowei. He scored in the  54th minute and the game ended that way.

    Wolves retained their second spot on the log with 52 points from 32 games while Bayelsa United are now courting relegation with 39 points from as many matches.

  • DStv Premier Basketball League: Kano Pillars retain title

    DStv Premier Basketball League: Kano Pillars retain title

    • Mark Mentors cry foul • Usman wins MVP 

     

    KanoPillars exhibited the true hallmark of a champion when they edged out Mark Mentors 89-88 to retain the NBBF organised DStv Premier Basketball League at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos at the weekend.

    The victory makes the coach Sani Ahmed tutored Pillars the first team in the history of the competition with four titles out of the six-season-old league

    The thrilling final, which kept fans at the edge of their seats as the Abuja-based Mentors looked set to do the impossible leading by four points (88-84) with nine seconds left. But the coach Peter Ahmedu side allowed the euphoria of winning a first title become its greatest undoing, thus allowing Pillars energetic point guard Adeolu Olaiya to go on a fast-break for two points.

    A hasty ball-inbound finally cost Mentors the game as Olaiya’s steal  set-up Pillars hit-man Abubakar Usman who made a three-point with three seconds remaining.

    Efforts by Mentors to draw a foul or hit two-point did not yield result as the buzzer went off to signal the end of the game which Pillars won 89-88  (20-25, 21-19, 20-18 and 28-26).

    Mark Mentors coach, Peter Ahmedu, however, believes his team was robbed of victory. He revealed that an official protest will be filed to the relevant authority.

    “Definitely I’m going to make an official complaint. I want the federation to go back and play that tape and  to tell us why the referee stopped the game when it was four seconds left. Then we’ll accept our defeat”, a visible angry Ahmedu said.

    Kano Pillars went home with N1million  and Mark Mentors got N750,000 while both teams will now represent Nigeria at the upcoming Continental games.

    Dodan Warriors won N500,000 after claiming the third spot with a over-time 81-71 points (08-16, 14-22, 18-15, 27-14 and 04-14) victory over Gombe Bulls.  Nigerian International Abubakar Usman of Kano Pillars won his second consecutive Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Final 8 award. Nda’ Abu as he is popularly called also won the Highest Scorer award having ended the tournament as the leading scorer with 138 points in five matches. While Mark Mentors forward Abdul Yahaya went home with the Highest Rebounder award.

  • Retain Keshi or employ Michael Emenalo

    Retain Keshi or employ Michael Emenalo

    Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has advised the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to employ Chelsea technical director, Michael Emenalo as Super Eagles coach, should Stephen Keshi eventually quit.

    Kalu said Emenalo remains his preferred replacement for the coveted position, despite reiterating his desire for Keshi to remain in charge of the team against rumours that the Afcon 2013 winner may reject a new contract.

    “We have good coaches in Nigeria, but we need someone who is tactically and technically sound in the knowledge of the game. Keshi’s performance with the national team is outstanding,” Kalu was quoted by Soccer Star.

    “His records speak volumes about what the country has achieved since he began as the head coach.

    “However, Emenalo is undoubtedly a capable replacement should Keshi leave the post. His current position as Chelsea’s sporting director shows his pedigree in the round leather game.

    “If he is not good on the job, he wouldn’t be in Chelsea since 2007,” the 54-year-old concluded.

    Emenalo was a member of the Super Eagles team, captained by Keshi, that played in the country’s first World Cup in 1994.

     

  • Kano Pillars will retain title — Coach Ahmad

    Kano Pillars will retain title — Coach Ahmad

    KANO Pillars Basketball Club coach, Sani Ahmad says his target is to retain the 2014 DSTV Premier League Basketball trophy this season.

    The defending champions who lead the Savannah Conference table after winning three games against Gombe Bulls, Immigration and Bauchi Nets, play away to Niger Potters this weekend.

    “Having secured our first away game win against Immigration of Kaduna, we are going to Minna with the goal of winning another away game and to extend our unbeaten run to four games,”Ahmad said.

    He continued: “Although the season is still young, I’m still not satisfied with my team’s play as the players have not gelled the way I want.

    “My players are not to blame for it, if you recall, the 2013 season ended in December, so they became tired, and they are starting to get to form.

    “Be it as it may, this will not disrupt our plans for this season as we won’t be like the football team Manchester United who have failed to defend the English Premier League title they won last season under Sir Alex Ferguson.

    “Sports, be it football or basketball can be funny. Look at Union Bank who were runners up to Kano Pillars, they have lost two games as the season enters game 4.

    “So, we’re taking this development with much concern, and we’re hopeful that if we raise our game and win more away games, Kano Pillars will definitely retain the DSTV Premier League Basketball title.”

  • CBN to retain $250,000 weekly sales to BDCs

    CBN to retain $250,000 weekly sales to BDCs

    Foreign exchange sales to bureau de change (BDC) operators will remain at $250,000 per week per BDC, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has said.

    In a circular to all authorised dealers and BDC operators, CBN Director, Trade and Exchange, Musa Batari, said the selling rate by the authorised dealers to BDCs shall be the prevailing interbank exchange rate, plus a margin not exceeding one per cent.

    He explained that foreign exchange cash purchased by BDCs from authorised dealers and the CBN shall be sold to foreign exchange end-users at a rate not exceeding two per cent margin above the buying rate.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the margin shall be applicable to all funds to be retailed by BDCs regardless of sources of the fund,” he said.

    Batari also explained that authorised dealers shall continue to render weekly returns on sales of BDCs, while the BDCs shall render weekly returns on purchase from authorised dealers. He enjoined BDCs to keep adequate records of foreign exchange sale and purchases for purposes of monitoring by the authorities.

    The apex bank observed that some authorised dealers have continued to deal in ‘free funds’ without adequate documentation contrary to provisions of extant regulation.

    The regulator reminded the dealers that the circular is still in force and all dealings in foreign exchange must be supported with appropriate documentation and returns rendered to regulatory authorities irrespective of the source of the funds, adding that violators of the laws will be sanctioned.

    The regulator had in September replaced the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) with the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) because of the ineffectiveness of the former in addressing hitches in the forex market.

    It also withdrew the licences of 20 bureau de change (BDCs) operators for violating forex rules, an indication that more licences withdrawal may be seen in future, should the violations continue.

    Under the RDAS, banks and other authorised dealers are required to place bids on behalf of individual clients who qualify to buy forex at the official auction. The change from WDAS to RDAS allows the authorities to monitor more accurately various sources of forex demand and any potential duplication of forex demand in the system. Banks will remain responsible for all documentation requirements.

  • Eagles retain Zimbabwe camp

    Eagles retain Zimbabwe camp

    Nigeria will still train in Zimbabwe for the AFCON even though they are in a first round group in Nelspruit, which is closer to Mozambique.

    The team have proposed a final training camp in Zimbabwe, but Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials had hinted MTNFootball.com that Mozambique could be considered were the Eagles to be drawn in Nelspruit.

    “The team’s final training camp will still be in Zimbabwe even though they are now in Group C in Nelspruit, which is by the Mozambique border,” a top team official told MTNFootball.com

    “Besides the weather conditions, other things have been put under consideration before the training base was picked.”

    Coach Stephen Keshi also plans a two-week training stint in Europe for players from the domestic league.

    Nigeria have already confirmed a friendly against Venezuela in Miami on November 14, while several other warm-ups against the likes of fellow 2013 AFCON finalists Angola are also on the table.