The Nation Newspaper

Tag: team

  • …As U-17 team gets warm welcome in Cairo

    The Golden Eaglets were warmly received  Wednesday night as the Nigeria’s national Under-17 team landed at the Cairo Airport aboard EGYPTAIR from Abuja.

    The contingent of 25 players and nine officials led by Ahmad Muazu Kawu, a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation and Chairman of the Nigeria Nationwide League, finally arrived the ‘land of history’ at 7:20pm local time (8:20pm Nigerian time) and were met on arrival by officials of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) led Mr. Nadar Darwish of the Players’ Affairs Department.

    Expectedly, Golden Eaglets’ Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke was an instant hit with the Cairo fans following his successful stint at Egypt’s top side, Zamalek FC in the 1990s.

    “Emmanuel! Emmanuel!!” shouted well-set security personnel who quickly offered a warm handshake. “It is great to see you again.”

    Another excited Zamalek fan actually came in tow with his family to welcome Amuneke’s Eaglets saying, he was so happy to meet the 1994 African Footballer of the Year again.

    “I hope this is Emmanuel, “said the enthusiastic guy who brought along his son for a photo shot. ” I’m a great Zamalek fan and we cannot forget what Emmanuel did when he played for us and I want to wish you well.”

    Similarly, Hassan El Shafey, a staunch Al Ahly fan and General Manager at Sheraton Dreamland Hotel and Conference Centre , was equally elated on seeing Amuneke during  lunch time  on Thursday: “You were wicked to us when you were are playing for Zamalek but we love you dearly because you were such  a great player; Emmanuel is half Egyptian!”

  • Building the right type of teams for productivity

    Teamwork is fast becoming the preferred practice in many organisations as traditional corporate hierarchies give way to flat, multi-skilled methods of working. There is no limit to the potential of a good team. If given a seemingly impossible task, team members will reinforce each other’s confidence as they seek to turn the task into reality.

    Michael Harrison, an author, publisher and business consultant, says the collective ability to innovate is stronger in a good team than that of individuals because the combined brainpower of a team, however small in number, exceeds that of any one person. By harnessing this power, a team can go beyond simple, useful improvements to achieve real breakthrough.

    Vague usage

    One word that is vaguely used in Nigeria, especially in the corporate environment is “Teamwork”. Having teams in place or engaging in teamwork without actually defining the type does not automatically guarantee organisational success. Effective teamwork is the foundation of all successful management and a true and effective team is a living, constantly changing, dynamic force in which a number of people come together to work. Team members discuss their objectives, assess ideas, make decisions and work towards their targets together under strong and effective leadership.

    Realising corporate goals

    Carole Sue Jones, a training and instructional design professional with a strong focus on management development says managers need to be able to build effective teams and relationships in order to accomplish business priorities and goals. In Jones’ words, “They define success in terms of the whole team’s performance and will allow people to be responsible for the work they do.” Such managers must balance that with the ability to provide the information their team members need to do to complete their tasks while helping them to feel good about the work that they do. Informing is a critical task in productivity and team-building.

    Ineffective teams

    Ineffective teams are either metaphorically not seen as teams or they are literally seen as purposeless teams just as a cowardly man can either be metaphorically referred to as a woman or literally called a fearful man. That is why Jim Clemmer, the bestselling author of “Pathways to Performance and The Leader’s Digest” says, “For all the big talk, matching T-shirts…, calling a group of people a team does not make it one. These groups are usually just a collection of individuals from the same department who meet periodically. Few of us have been lucky enough to participate in a strong, united team.” Clemmer adds that giving everyone a T-shirt may produce short-term warm and fuzzy feelings but it rarely leads to a powerful, united team unless root issues are addressed. An example of a root issue is chronic animosity between managers working with the team.

    Success factors and types of teams

    Preparing the ground rules and setting goals are just a few of the guidelines that can help your teams reach their goals such as improvement in productivity, process management, innovation, cost-effectiveness, etc. According to Kevin Eikenberry, a leadership expert, everyone thinks teams are a good thing. Leaders like to form teams. People, for the most part believe in the value and purpose of teams.

    Two types of teams have been identified. These are football/basketball teams; and track and field teams. Your organisation’s success depends on your choice out of these two types and how effective you are able to manage the right choice you have luckily made.

    First type and 2013 Fifa Under-17

    Football/basketball teams are teams that naturally require that everyone should play as a unit. Such teams naturally compel people to cooperate and remain committed in organisations because it is not possible to be successful alone as individuals. Despite parading really very young Under-17 team during the 2013 Fifa Under-17 World Cup at the United Arab Emirate last year, we were able to win the tournament because our players played cohesively as a team with a common goal.

    Second type

    Track-and-field teams constitute the second type of teams in organisations. Organisations need to avoid putting this type of teams in place because people will target individual success instead of being committed to effective teamwork. For instance, we lost in the final of the 2009 edition of Fifa Under-17 World Cup that we hosted because some players were pursuing individual agenda, trying to impress the football scouts and/or winning golden boots, etc. Track and field teams are unconsciously created in organisations when individual efforts are predominantly rewarded instead of team efforts. Then rivalry will start among staff instead of healthy competition among different teams in an organisation.

    Addition

    For example, we normally have Team Nigeria whenever we are going to the Olympics. The team will naturally be made up of sprinters, high jumpers, shot putters, distance runners, footballers, etc. Even though members or sub-teams are collectively known as Team Nigeria, they are not interdependent in their engagements when they get there as they target individual or sub-team success. This is because the shot putters can succeed without the high jumpers, sprinters or footballers. In track and field events, except in relay events, athletes are not interdependent. Though members of the football sub-team at the Olympics need each other to succeed, the football sub-team does not need other sub-teams to succeed because their set skills are different, even though all the sub-teams are Team Nigeria.

    Last words

    Success of any organisation depends greatly on effective teamwork. So organisations need to set priorities right and review them frequently; balance teams for strengths; give team members proper orientation as regards overall corporate goals, etc. To achieve results, encourage team performance in your firm and discourage personal reward. When there is a promise to reward players that score in a football match, we know they will no longer pass to each other very well, not even to a player that has clear chances to score.

     

    •GOKE ILESANMI, Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is an International Platinum Columnist, Certified Public Speaker/MC, Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker and Career Management Coach. He is also a Book Reviewer, Biographer and Editorial Consultant.

    Tel: 08055068773; 08187499425

    Email: gokeiles2010@gmail.com

    Website: www.gokeilesanmi.com

  • ‘No excuses Keshi, just get the team to play’

    ‘No excuses Keshi, just get the team to play’

    Stephen Keshi’s claim he has a team of inexperienced players who are not exposed is a mere excuse when what is expected of him is to get them to improve by the next game.

    On Saturday, Mali for the first time at full international level beat Nigeria 2-1 in an opening Group A CHAN match because the Super Eagles were pathetic on the night.

    Keshi’s team in South Africa do not lack experience or exposure and a quick review will prove this –

    Chigozie Agbim – He played in Sudan many years ago and has been the country’s third choice goalkeeper for several years now.

    Azubuike Egwuekwe – He is another full international and but for illness would have featured at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He also featured at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and has represented Warri Wolves internationally.

    Solomon Kwambe, Benjamin Francis – Both fullbacks have been very much part of the full international squad and featured against Italy in November among several other A internationals they have played.

    Ejike Uzoenyi – He is another full international, who has even posted a short stint in the French Ligue 1.

    Rabiu Ali – One of the most experienced players in the Nigerian league, who has featured for Kano Pillars in three CAF Champions League campaigns.

    Ifeanyi Ede – He has featured for Enugu Rangers and now with Enyimba, where he has played in the CAF Champions League.

    Gbolahan Salami – The Shooting Stars forward has played for Nigeria ‘B’ team since 2009 and has represented the country at U-20 and Olympic team levels.

    Ugonna Uzochukwu – He is skipper of one of the country’s top clubs, Enugu Rangers and captained them at last year’s ill-fated CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns. It is therefore clear to see that Keshi is not short of experienced players at CHAN.

    As for exposure, the team have most recently had the benefit of two international friendlies in Jordan and against Ethiopia in Abuja. It is a build-up that most of the other teams at this tournament did not enjoy.

    Against Mali on Saturday, the Eagles defence was in shambles, the midfield did not come to the party and so the team created very few chances as against what the more tactically aware Mali produced.

    It is rather baffling that the defence, which ought to be the team’s strongest suit at the CHAN going by the wealth of experience there, was the team’s biggest undoing.

    On Wednesday, Nigeria must beat a decent Mozambique side to revive their hopes in this tournament, which is no longer a jamboree as it has been graded by FIFA as a full international competition.

    It will most certainly not be an easy task particularly as public confidence in the team has taken a big body blow after Saturday’s disgrace.

    But it is now up to the players to stand up and be counted so that the country could get behind them again and not see them as a distraction and a waste of time before the World Cup in June.

  • Making your team committed through listening

    Making your team committed through listening

    ave you ever taken time to find out the level of commitment of your team as a manager or leader? If you have, what is the result of your findings – low or high? If the result shows their commitment level is low, this may be due to many reasons. One of them may be your failure to listen to your team. Superior leadership involves listening to your subordinates to get their valuable input, and it is rewarded with their trust in you and their commitment to the job. This boosts your productivity and profitability as a firm. There are two types of listening: listening with the intention of replying; and listening with the intention to understand. Listening to understand must always be our target because without real understanding of another person’s point of view, differences of understanding cannot be resolved amicably while communication breaks down.

    Relevance

    Gaining employees’ commitment is far more important than solving individual workplace problems, especially that committed employees will on their own solve many, many more problems than you can. Problems occur in any work team with a predetermined regularity dictated by the difficulty of the work and the extent to which employees are committed to the work. The higher the difficulty and the lower the extent of commitment, the greater the number of problems and the longer each remains before resolution. Highly committed workers continually strive for excellence.

    Gateway to employee commitment

    Bennet Simonton, author of “Leading People to be Highly Motivated and Committed,” says astute executives and managers know that giving orders is putting the cart before the horse. In other words, it is only by encouraging subordinates to participate in the give-and-take of decision-making that they can be motivated not to leave their brainpower at the door before entering the workplace. Employees’ brainpower is the source of their creativity, productivity, motivation and commitment. For managers and leaders, the skill of listening is the gateway to employee commitment.

    It is saddening that many bosses are so busy giving orders that they fail to listen, and subordinates decide to leave their brainpower at the door as they enter the workplace. In this type of work environment, people with suggestions are too often viewed as troublemakers or complainers and employees are regarded as mere numbers. Though orders may be necessary in an emergency, the irony of it all is that orders are probably the weakest action a boss can take because employees consider orders to be disrespectful, clear evidence that the boss does not consider them valued team members.

    Ownership culture and sins

    Institution of ownership culture or true concept of intrapreneurship is one the strategies that can get employees committed these days. That is, to be committed to work, one must psychologically have ownership of the work, and to have ownership of the work, one must be able to influence what goes on in the workplace. And to influence the workplace, one must be heard and reasonably answered by the boss. So when management listens, subordinates will develop a sense of ownership in their workplace.

    Dan Bobinski, co-author of “Living Toad Free: Overcoming Resistance to Motivation” reveals that millions of dollars go down the drain simply due to poor listening. Because listening is so vital to workplace success, let us look at “sins” that get in the way of good verbal communication. These sins are: filtering, second guessing, discounting, relating, rehearsing, forecasting and placating. Let us explain them.

    Explanation

    Filtering occurs when a person’s mind is sifting through another’s words and tuning in only when he or she hears agreement. Second guessing refers to a situation where someone usually misses important details because he or she is too busy (a) imagining someone has hidden motives for saying what he is saying, and (b) trying to figure out what those hidden motives might be. Discounting is a ‘sin’ that occurs when a listener lacks respect for a speaker. Relating refers to a situation where someone who continually finds references from his or her own background and compares them to what the speaker is saying.

    Rehearsing is the ‘sin’ that blocks much listening as it is simply about waiting for the other speaker to finish what he or she is saying so that one can start talking again. Forecasting refers to a situation where someone takes an idea from the speaker and runs light years ahead of the topic at hand. Forecasting can stem from being bored with the subject matter, or simply because one’s mind automatically thinks ahead. Placating happens when someone agrees with everything anyone else says, just to avoid conflict.

    Listening process and tips

    You can develop your listening skills by developing the desire to listen; always letting the other person do most of the talking; not interrupting; learning active listening; asking for clarification if needed; and getting used to ‘listening’ for nonverbal messages – body language. Listening requires a lot of practice and concentration. As a boss, you need to listen to your people and since they are the ones who do your work, they are very important people. So listen with total attention and take notes to record what has been said. Pay particular attention to tone of voice and body language since these may send signals more important than the words spoken.

    Ed Brodow, a motivational speaker and author of “Negotiate with Confidence,” says you must ensure that your own body language and tone of voice clearly send the message that you really care about what your subordinates are saying. When they stop talking, start asking questions to flesh out what you have heard. It is very normal for people to give you less than half of what they know about the problem, so your questions are essential to getting the detail. Then ask them if they might have a suggested solution or know someone who might.

    Advice

    As a manager, make it a habit to elicit your employees’ commitment by attentively listening to them all the time. Listen with the intention to understand, not to hastily reply.

    PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit the website indicated on this page for details.

  • The winning team

    The winning team

    The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This biblical saying depicts the state of our football and, by extension, the sporting sector within the Nigerian polity.

    I remember the theory of exploitation in sport as was explained to me by one of my professors in my days as a post-graduate student at the University of Ibadan. He told us the story of how the principal of a school, who previously never supported the idea of having a school team, let alone agreeing to sponsor one, underwent a rapid mind change when the team became successful. He suddenly became proud to call them ‘my boys’.

    Kudos must be given to the current managers of our football because before now, no one, and I mean no one, gave them a chance, especially when they had to grapple with the disappointing year that ended with Nigeria not qualifying to play in any major competition. Although, this, to me, was as a result of the fact that the football managers were spending more of their time in and out of courts because of the incessant litigations that were directed at frustrating the system. The challenge was taken up by the managers of our football and to a large extent they were able to address the various cases.

    While the management is busy working hard to achieve the splendid result that we are recording, I must also identify the very pragmatic role of leadership that was played by the Honourable Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi. This minister threw away the ministerial toga, rolled up his sleeves and worked for peace within the Nigerian football family. Furthermore, his ability to work around seemingly difficult terrain to achieve results earned him more respect from many. Here is a man who did not allow himself to fall into the trap of his predecessors, who, rather than solving the problem in their sector, became partisan members of the same problem and as such never commanded the ministerial respect they ought to have commanded.

    In my assessment of the contribution of sport to our national polity within the year under review, I am of the strong opinion that sport tops all other sectors of the Nigeria polity in terms of offering practical results that can be seen and attested to by all Nigerians.

    Let me digress. The government and by this I mean the Federal Government should by now understand the power of sport and the need to support the growth and development of this sector. The plain truth is that without adequate funds we may not be able to prosecute the various plans and programmes that will take our sport to the next level. I am aware that due to the paucity of funds in the Glass House, management staffers are still being owed arrears of their salaries, while so many committee sittings were done on credit, but the sheer determination of the managers saw them through to achieving the victories that are now celebrated by the entire country.

    Government must make a policy direction shift from all the talk of creating jobs through other means and consider sport as one of those means through which we can create jobs. As I have often advocated, the activation of sport economy in Nigeria will be a revolution of great things to come and will be able to match our current inflow from oil, if not surpass it, because we have the human resources and talents to drive all what we need.

    Considering the various achievements recorded in our sport sector, I am of the strong conviction and view that we need to make all necessary amends as it relates to our national policy direction because of the fact that we have the capacity to record great successes in all areas of sport, if we are determined to promote the sector to such a stage that it will in turn be regarded as a catalyst for national rebirth and patriotism among Nigerians.

    Let me also say that the idea as is being muted in some quarters that sport should not be properly and adequately funded is a factor that should be jettisoned by all interested parties who are concerned about the growth and development of sport in this country. I dare say that those in this category are only interested in feasting on the failure of sport, and, since Mr. President is now able to see the impact and power of sport, I am of the sincere opinion that we should begin to see more government investment in sport.

    In concluding this piece, I must once more congratulate the amiable leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation for their forthright leadership which has ensured that we can relax when watching any of our national teams play. I also commend the Honourable Minister of Sports for a job well done and I say congratulations to all Nigerian’s.

  • Any national team should have home-based players—Keshi

    Any national team should have home-based players—Keshi

    Stephen Keshi led Nigeria to its third Africa Cup of Nations title earlier this year in South Africa. He is in Cairo to attend the symposium for the analysis if the Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2012 and 2013. Cafonline.com had a short talk with Mr Keshi.

    How do you see this symposium?

    Well, it’s very nice to be here. I received an invitation while I was in the United States and thought I wouldn’t be able to do it but I managed to join. It’s so good to meet all these coaches. While I was in South Africa for the Cup of Nations I didn’t have the chance to meet this big number of friends and fellow coaches. It’s very good to have this chance.

    Would you like to have such symposia often?

    Definitely. This is very helpful for me and for the coaches in Africa and we thank CAF for organising such an event. I’d like to have like three symposiums every year to discuss football matters in Africa, which would be amazing.

    You will face Spain next month in the FIFA Confederations Cup, and you know Spain coach Del Bosque is coming to attend this symposium. What will you tell him?

    That would be very good to meet a great coach like Mr. Del Bosque. He is a master, I’m still learning and I want to learn from him. I’ll ask him to give me some of his blessings (smiling).

    Next month you’re going to Brazil to represent Africa in the FIFA Confederations Cup. How do you see that?

    It’s a great chance for Nigeria o play in such an important competition. We’ll do our best there to give a good image for the African football.

    Do you believe it’s a good omen to go to Brazil a year before the 2014 World Cup?

    Yes, maybe. We’ll do our best in the World Cup qualifications and we hope to qualify and go to Brazil once again.

    This year you won the Orange Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria despite not being title favorites. You had a young team with a number of local players, yet you managed to win the cup.

    I always believe in locally based players. I think national teams should basically have local players with 4 or 5 abroad based ones. We had a good team and Thank God we managed to win the Africa Cup of Nations, and we deserved that.

    You became the second African to win the Cup of Nations as a player and coach. How did you see that?

    I didn’t know it until after the final. Some journalists told me that after the game and that Egypt’s late Mahmoud El Gohary was the first one to do it. I think It’s a grace from God and I’m happy to achieve that feat as Nigeria’s captain in 1994 and coach in 2013.

  • Team praises Rivers model school

    The National Good Governance (NGGT) Team has described the new model primary and secondary schools built by the Rivers State government as “wonderful infrastructure that would guarantee good education of the children at the foundation level.”

    Leader of the team and Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, made the remarks while inspecting the Ambassador Nne Kurubo Secondary School, Ebubu in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

    Maku who praised Governor Chibuike Amaechi for the infrastructures, noted that the foundation level of education is very crucial in the educational growth of the child. The minister however advised the governor to also take the issue of teachers’ motivation seriously because of the negative impact poor remuneration could have on the morale of teachers in the school.

    The advice was given based on the observation made by one of the participants that wages of teachers in the Model Schools managed by Educomp Solutions Nigeria Limited, a foreign outfit, is lower than what their counterparts in the government- run public schools receive.

    He further advised the governor to take steps to ensure that infrastructure in other public schools in the state were also upgraded to avoid creating class differences.

    Said Maku: “While you keep model schools going, it is important that you fix the other schools to also motivate the teachers and pupils in them.”

    He advised the governor to encourage competition in the management of the model schools by involving not only foreigners but Nigerians, stressing that the spirit of competitiveness results in improvement.

    Speaking earlier, Amaechi said the Ambassador Nne Kurubo Secondary School was a model and replica of Achimota Secondary School in Ghana with all hostel, laboratory, recreational facilities, and class facilities for teachers and students built in the school. The school which he said is first of the 24 that would be built in the state has international standard.

  • This is Yobo’s team, says Enyeama

    This is Yobo’s team, says Enyeama

    Nigeria goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama aka The Magnet will step aside and allow defender Joseph Yobo lift the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title should Nigeria defeat Burkina Faso in Sunday’s final.

    Yobo has lost his place in the Nigerian starting 11 following strong performances from Godfrey Oboabona, Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose and Kenneth Omeruo in the team’s last four matches in the competition.

    It is highly unlikely that Yobo will start Sunday’s final against the Stallions but Enyeama says he will not hesitate to step aside and allow Yobo lift the Afcon trophy in the event of a Nigerian victory.

    “Jay (Joseph Yobo) is the captain and if we win on Sunday, and I know we will win, he will just go out there and pick his cup,” Enyeama said.

    Enyeama then stressed that he was not the Nigerian captain but was merely holding brief for the Fenerbahce defender who remains the leader of the Super Eagles.

    “I am not the captain; I am merely putting on the (arm) band. Yobo is the man and he deserves to lift the trophy if we win and we will win.

    “He has served Nigeria all these years and will lift his cup on Sunday,” he concluded.

    The game between Nigeria and Burkina Faso will be played at the First National Bank (FNB) Stadium, Johannesburg on Sunday from 7pm.

  • Jonathan needs a new team

    Jonathan needs a new team

    SIR: Nigeria is a very populous country, and one out of every five black person is a Nigerian. Beneath its large landmass lie such natural resources as limestone, tin-ore, columbite, crude oil and others. It has equable climatic conditions and fertile soil: these are incentives that boost agriculture and food production in the country. More so, Nigeria has big rivers, which can play prime role in the generation and distribution of electricity in the country. Steady supply of electricity is critical to the national development and industrialization of a country. But, sadly, for all our human and material resources, Nigeria is at the rear on the global ladder of development. Our country is rated as one of the worst places to be born on earth. This is an indictment on the current and past political leaderships in the country.

    We are not unconscious of the stark fact that inept and corrupt leadership is at the root of our national problems. Imposition of national leaders, which is a feature of our political system, had always thrown up people who failed to tackle effectively our national problems. Right from 1960, and till now, Nigeria hasn’t been led by its best citizens, who possess integrity and leadership qualities. Now, our freedom fighters may have become poltergeists owing to the parlous state of Nigeria.

    President Goodluck Jonathan owes his ascendency to power to divine intervention. His success story bears the imprints of God and fate. His name is Goodluck, and there are ample instances of manifestation of good luck in his life. From being an obscure and nondescript lecturer in one of the universities in the marshy creek of the Niger-Delta, he became the President of Nigeria after serving as the governor of Bayelsa State.

    But, does President Goodluck Jonathan still remember his difficult past when he was toiling and praying for success in his endeavours? If he is a people-oriented President, he ought to be initiating policies that will reduce poverty and high rate of unemployment in the country. Sadly, since his assumption of power, things have not looked up in the country. As a result, millions of Nigerians have became disillusioned and disenchanted with the leaders.

    President Goodluck Jonathan may have good intentions for the country, but some members of his cabinet constitute stumbling block to his achieving his leadership objectives. These people are just square pegs in round holes.

    President Jonathan’s executive cabinet is long overdue for re-jigging. He should remove the incompetent ministers, and infuse new blood and experienced technocrats into his team. What Nigeria needs now is a winning team that consists of patriotic technocrats and politicians without moral blemish.

    We can’t realize our potentials as a nation if we continue to run our country with our third eleven while leaving the best people suitable for the ministerial jobs out of the power loop and equation.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu – Obosi,

    Anambra State.

    __._,_.___

  • Crash: FG probe team arrives Yenagoa

    Crash: FG probe team arrives Yenagoa

    …Navy sets up panel

    As the presidential investigate team arrives Yenagoa to probe last weekend’s helicopter crash, the Bayelsa State government said it is eagerly awaiting the outcome of investigations.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, was in Yenagoa, where he briefed Governor Seriake Dickson on Federal Government’s directive to carry out a thorough investigation on circumstances leading to the crash.

    Vice Admiral Ezeoba, who called on Nigerians to remain united despite the national loss, informed governor Dickson that President Goodluck Jonathan has directed a detailed investigation of the helicopter crash, assuring that, all necessary steps would be taken to unravel the problems that led to the incident.

    Receiving the team, Dickson who described the incident as a monumental tragedy reaffirmed his administration’s commitment and support for the investigation.

    He commended the Chief of Naval Staff and the team for their prompt response by visiting the state to carry out an assessment tour of the crash site at Okoroba community in Nembe Local Government area of the state.

    While sending his condolences to the government and people of Kaduna State over the death of former Governor Patrick Yakowa, Governor Dickson lamented that the late Yakowa was in Bayelsa for an important mission, but ended up dying.

    He also eulogized the late Azazi, saying “we have lost one of our best who means so much to the state and has contributed towards nation building.”

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy has constituted a board to unravel the remote and immediate causes of its helicopter crash.

    The Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ogbor announced the constitution of the board at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

    He said that the members, who are aircraft investigation specialists, are drawn from Agusta Westland, the manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft and other aviation regulatory agencies as provided by extant regulations.

    Ogbor said that some components of the helicopter that could assist the board to carry out its investigation had been recovered.

    “It is expected that the board will come out with the remote and immediate causes of the accident with far reaching recommendations that will forestall future occurrence,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Ogbor at the briefing.

    He explained that the Navy’s helicopters, including the NN07, which crashed on Saturday, were properly maintained and serviced regularly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification.