The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has congratulated the ‘Nigerian nightmare’ Kamaru Usman for successfully defending his Ultimate Fighting Championship(UFC) welterweight crown on Sunday.
Usman beat his opponent Colby Covington by unanimous decision in the UFC 268 rematch in New York. The Auchi born fighter had won the first fight by a fifth round knockout.
Dare said the exploits of Usman should be an encouragement to the Nigerian youth that with hard work, focus, discipline and determination they can rule the world.
He urged the World Champion to continue his drive at providing facilities for the promotion and development of the sport in Nigeria.
A stalwart of APC in Abia State and the CEO Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Danag, Chief Dr. Daniel Okeke has congratulate Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu on his trsdit title of Kibiyan Kabi (Commander of the Archers) by the Argungu Emirate in Kebbi State, saying it’s a demonstration that Sen. Kalu is a bridge builder.
In a congratulatory message made available to ABN TV on Sunday, Chief Okeke, the CEO of Express Concern Int’l Group further said the recognition by the Emirate Council on Sen. Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in an outcome of his contributions to nation building.
Chief Okeke added that by conferring the coveted honour on Sen. Kalu, former governor of Abia State, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Mohammed Mera has recognized the role the lawmaker has played in the congruence, stability, and growth of the country, noting that the Emir further characterized Senator Kalu as a bridge builder that represents love and unity across the nation’s geopolitical zones.
He added, “No doubt, it’s a well-deserved title because Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been an epitome of peace and unity.
“Hence I join all the Progressive Abians and Nigerians to say congratulations to our Action Leader, I pray God gives you the grace to continue to make great impact.”
Ohafia Youths Initiative Movement (OYIM), has congratulated the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on his installation as the Kibiyan Kabi of Argungu Emirate by the Emir of Argungu, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohammed Mera.
The group noted that the honour accorded to Senator Kalu is a confirmation of his hard work and proof that he is a detribalized Nigerian whose service to humanity transcends beyond tribe, religion or creed that has qualified him for the exhorted traditional chieftaincy title.
The message was contained in a statement issued by the group after their expanded meeting in Abuja on Sunday, which was signed by her President, Comr Amos Kalu, National Secretary, Hon. Gabriel Idika Ukairo, and made available to the Press on Monday 8th November, 2021.
Commenting on the antecedent of the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, the group said: “Without doubt, Senator Kalu is a performer and detribalized Nigerian.
“We congratulate you as your constituents because we believe you have performed beyond expectations. The recognition and conferment of the Kibiyan Kabi title by the Emir of Argungu is a confirmation of your astuteness and national appeal.
“You have demonstrated your capacity as a resourceful manager; Your simplicity, humility and sense of service and dedication are commendable and worthy of emulation.
“While we appreciate your developmental effort in our rural communities, like Oliver Twist, we urge you to even do more. “Congratulations, Your Excellency.”
Bruno Fernandes says but for the heroics of David De Gea, Manchester United would have suffered an embarrassing defeat to city rivals Manchester City.
The Premier League champions opened the scoring seven minutes into proceedings when Bailly turned home a cross from Joao Cancelo.
The Portuguese then sent in a hopeful clipped cross late in the first half which Bernardo Silva clipped in from a tight angle.
There were countless poor defensive moments by United throughout a match that would have got far uglier had De Gea not produced a string of superb saves between the visitors’ goals.
“It’s always a bad time to concede a goal,” Fernandes said. “The problem is the way we concede goals. It’s too easy.
“As I said many, many times, if it was not David again, the result could be much more higher and worse for us.
“We have to protect better, David, because he is protecting us a lot and we have to help him because he cannot make every game eight, nine saves and then still concede goals.”
United had only been three points behind City going into the match, but the loss means they ended Saturday as close to Burnley in the final relegation spot as Premier League leaders Chelsea.
The Bauchi State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore said it is in support of the clamour for bandits to be declared terrorists.
In support of the stance of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Speakers of State Houses of Assembly who harmoniously called for such declaration, the association advised the Federal Government to do the needful if it’s committed to curbing banditry.
Its Bauchi State Chairman, Alhaji Sadik Ibrahim Ahmad in a phone chat with The Nation yesterday said: “Who are terrorists? Terrorists are people who try to destroy legitimate activities of society, they are not productive. If the Federal Government is serious, they should do the needful and provide a lasting solution to incessant killings by the so-called bandits,” he said.
On zoning among political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections, he said the masses should be allowed to choose their leaders irrespective of tribe.
“Whether you’re Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo, once you are competent, you should be qualified enough to lead the country. The issue of zoning cannot be and will never be a democratic process. People should go for leaders with integrity if we want to unite ourselves. Our leaders are the ones creating problems, confusion, and regional crises among us,” he said.
Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim has praised more than 5,000 corps members deployed to Anambra for the governorship election to ensure a credible process.
Ibrahim commended the corps members while monitoring the election in nine local government areas of the state.
This was contained in a statement signed by the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi.
Ibrahim described the corps members’ participation in the electoral process as “patriotic”.
He however urged the corps members to remain impartial and perform their duties in line with established rules.
“The corps members have written their names in the annals of history, having contributed towards the entrenchment of a credible electoral process.
“I urge them to remain impartial and perform their duties in line with the established rules.
“In all the polling units I visited, there were security agents on the ground, and the corps members informed me that the conduct of the exercise was peaceful,” Ibrahim said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at least 5,000 corps members were deployed by the scheme to serve as polling officers during the conduct of the elections in the state.
The NYSC director-general visited polling units across the 21 LGAs of the state to monitor and ensure the safety of corps members working in the areas.
In an earlier interview with NAN, the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations said that once corps members are sworn in for the one-year mandatory service, their security remains a top priority for the scheme.
Adeyemi assured that proper arrangements have, therefore, been made to ensure the safety of corps members deployed for the Anambra governorship election.
“The synergy between the NYSC and security agencies is always ongoing and quite effective. This synergy ensures that the security of corps members is maintained during the orientation, during the service year, and also on election duties.
“NYSC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) interface regularly, before, during, and after an election,” Adeyemi said.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA says it has arrested a notorious drug dealer, Okoli Collins Ikenna, who is the mastermind of recent multiple attempts to export illicit drugs to London in the United Kingdom through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, and some courier companies in Lagos, ABN TV reports.
According to NDLEA, Okoli has been on court bail following his arrest in November 2020 and subsequent arraignment before a Lagos Federal High Court for attempting to export 15.700kgs of Methamphetamine to Australia.
Femi Babafemi, the Director, Media & Advocacy NDLEA in a statement obtained by ABN TV on Sunday says series of investigations into recent multiple attempts to export illicit drugs to the UK led to the arrest of the drug dealer on Tuesday 2nd November, when he was caught with 78 parcels of Cannabis, concealed in black soap packs labelled as Dudu Osun, with a total weight of 12.250 kilograms heading to United Kingdom.
Okoli Collins Ikenna
He said, “Further investigation also revealed that Okoli is the one behind the attempt to export 7.350kgs of Cannabis to the UK on Thursday 21st October, a consignment that was intercepted at NAHCO export shed of the MMIA.
“Curiously, a separate investigation by operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, of the Agency, attached to courier companies have equally traced two other attempts to export 47.7kgs of cannabis to the UK through courier firms, to Okoli after his agents arrested in the course of investigation named him as the owner of the consignments.
“In the same vein, desperate bids by traffickers to export over 2 kilograms of Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Cannabis hidden inside containers of body cream, tea bags, vehicle oil and air filters to London, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate and New Zealand through two major courier firms in Lagos have been scuttled by narcotic officers of the Agency.”
Similarly, in Kano, NDLEA says a controlled delivery of an illicit consignment on Friday 5th November led to the arrest of two suspects; Ibrahim Sulaiman and Muhammad Sani Alhassan with 23kgs of Diazepam tablets; 2kgs of Codeine syrup and 32kgs of Exol 5 tablets, bringing the total weight to 57kgs.
The agency further says earlier on Wednesday 3rd November, operatives of the Kano command of the Agency had arrested one Mizambilu Tijjani, with 64kgs of Cannabis sativa and Victor Nsodikwa Chu-chu, with 34 cartons of Pentazocine injection and one carton of Diazepam injection in Sabongari area of the city.
“In Kogi State, operatives also seized a consignment containing 28.251kgs of Exol- 5; 6.6kgs of Barcadin Codeine Syrup; over 38.532kgs of Tramadol, bringing the total drugs seized to 73.808kgs. In a related development, operatives of the Osun state command have seized 130.518kgs of cannabis and 18grams of Cocaine in Modakeke area of Ile-Ife.
“Impressed by the outcome of investigations that led to the dismantling of the drug syndicate led by Okoli in Lagos, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA command, DOGI, and their counterparts in Kano, Kogi, and Osun for sustaining the heat on the cartels across the country. He urged them and their compatriots in other commands to intensify the offensive action against all merchants of death in Nigeria.”
Seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams has declared herself fit for next year’s tournament after battling back from a hamstring injury.
The 40-year-old picked up the problem during the first round of Wimbledon against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich and was forced to pull out of the competition.
Williams subsequently sat out the US Open, but during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the former World Number 1 declared herself ready for the event in Melbourne.
Williams told Kimmel: “Yeah, I’m definitely [ready]. My hamstring is better. It took a long time, it’s like forever, but it’s much better now.”
Williams – who has now dropped to 41st in the world rankings – prepares for January’s tournament seeking her first Australian Open win since 2017, where she defeated her sister Venus Williams in the final.
(FILES) In this file photo taken on October 01, 2019 Sadd's coach Xavi Hernandez reacts after a goal during the first leg of the AFC Champions League semi-finals football match between Qatar's Al Sadd and Saudi' Al Hilal at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha. - Barcelona are set to announce Xavi Hernandez's dramatic return to the club as coach, after Al Sadd confirmed on November 5, 2021 a deal has been agreed between the clubs. Al Sadd said in a statement Barca have paid the release clause for Xavi, who has been coaching in Qatar since 2019 and now rejoins the club where he enjoyed such incredible success as a player. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP)
Barcelona have named former midfielder and captain Xavi Hernandez as head coach on a contract until 2024, following the sacking of Ronald Koeman.
The La Liga club received the green light on Friday to sign the 41-year-old after they paid the release clause in his contract with Qatari side Al-Sadd.
Xavi played for Barcelona for 17 years, making 767 appearances and winning 25 trophies, including four Champions League wins and eight league titles.
“FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with Xavi Hernandez for him to become first team coach for the rest of the current season and two more seasons,” the club said in a statement that was headlined “WELCOME BACK HOME, XAVI!”
“Xavi Hernandez, a youth team product at Barca, has left his current club, Al-Sadd of Qatar, after talks held over the last few days with the owners of the club.”
Dutch coach Koeman was sacked after a 1-0 defeat by Rayo Vallecano last month which left Barca, as it is commonly known, ninth in LaLiga.
The club are still in ninth place after Sergi Barjuan was appointed as caretaker coach and sit nine points behind leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand.
Barjuan is set to remain in charge for their league match at Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Xavi arriving in Barcelona this weekend before his presentation on Monday.
“It wasn’t goodbye, it was ‘see you soon’. The Camp Nou has always been my home,” Xavi said in a video addressed to the fans.
“You’re my fans, my people, the club that I love the most. And now, I’m coming home. See you soon, Culers. Forca Barca!
Xavi’s first game would be a local derby against Espanyol on November 20, after the international break.
Seven members of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) sponsored abroad by the Founder of the ministry, HRM King Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, have officially commenced...
