Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday to win his fourth US Open and a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, cementing his claim as the greatest tennis player in history.
The 36-year-old Djokovic won 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to become the oldest men’s champion in New York in the Open era and match Margaret Court’s all-time mark for most Grand Slam victories.
“I don’t know where to start. It obviously means the world to me,” said Djokovic, wearing a white jacket with the number 24 on his chest during the trophy presentation.
“It’s hard to describe. I’m really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in this sport.
“I never imagined I would be standing talking about 24 Grand Slams but the last couple of years I’ve felt I have a chance and I have a shot at history and why not grab it.”
The Serbian is the first man to win three Grand Slam events in the same season four times, crowning his impending return to world number one in the most fitting of ways inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The victory added to his wins at the Australian and French Opens earlier this year, with the only blemish his five-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon in July.
“You know, some people who are born, he’s a genius. He’s one of kind. Not too many people in this world like him in sport-wise,” said Djokovic’s coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
“This is one of the biggest achievement in the sport history.”
Medvedev suffered his fourth loss in five Grand Slam finals, all of which were against Djokovic or Rafael Nadal.
“First of all I want to ask Novak: What are you still doing here? Come on!” quipped Medvedev.
“I don’t know when you are planning to slow down a little bit.
“I mean, 24. I feel like I have not a bad career and I have 20 titles. You have 24 Grand Slams. Wow.”
Medvedev defeated Djokovic in straight sets in the 2021 final to prevent the Serbian from becoming the first man to win all four Grand Slams in the same year since Rod Laver in 1969.
Djokovic admitted to feeling overwhelmed on that occasion, but there was little evidence of nerves as he quickly took command of Sunday’s championship match.
The second seed — who missed last year’s US Open because of his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19 — burst out of the gate with a confident hold sealed by successive aces and struck at the first opportunity, punishing Medvedev for a double-fault to break for a 2-0 lead.
A third ace consolidated his advantage before Medvedev got on the board in the fourth game.
The pair traded holds largely untroubled until Djokovic again put pressure on Medvedev as the third seed served down 2-5.
Medvedev dug in to twice stave off set points, but Djokovic calmly made the set his the following game.
– Second set grind –
Medvedev dethroned last year’s champion Alcaraz with a “12 out of 10” performance in the semi-finals, but he struggled to replicate his very best consistently against an imperious Djokovic.
Attempting to be the first player to beat the top two seeds en route to the title since 1975, Medvedev once more repeatedly found himself under the pump early in the second set.
He was able to resist, hitting a sweeping volley to fight off break point as he secured a gutsy hold for 4-3 before finally asking questions of Djokovic, who was showing signs of fatigue.
A leaping overhead gave Medvedev his first break chance of the contest the very next game, but Djokovic responded with a brilliant scoop on the half-volley to save it.
Djokovic wobbled serving at 5-6, double-faulting twice as Medvedev brought up set point. But Djokovic was waiting as Medvedev went cross-court, and put away the volley to force a tie-break.
Medvedev seemed to have the momentum on his side after winning an astonishing rally to nose 5-4 ahead only for Djokovic to bag the next three points, snatching a marathon 104-minute second set and closing in on a historic triumph.
“Should have won it,” Medvedev said of the second set. “Should have won it, but sometimes tennis is not that easy.”
Djokovic sportingly offered to help Medvedev to his feet after the Russian took an awkward tumble early in the third set, but there was no such goodwill when two break points came about soon after.
Medvedev pumped a backhand long to hand Djokovic a 3-1 advantage. He gave the break straight back, but Medvedev faltered again and there was no mistake second time around as Djokovic wrapped up the title before the emotions streamed out.
HMS Trent, a UK Royal Navy warship, has berthed in Lagos to support Nigeria’s efforts in combatting crimes on the sea.
The warship arrived on Sunday.
The development would enable the Royal Navy to deliver capacity training and maritime support on tackling sea piracy and illegal trafficking.
Speaking on the deployment of the warship, Tim Langford, HMS Trent’s commanding officer, said the visit is an opportunity for the UK navy to work with their Nigerian counterparts.
“The Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the region and an enduring partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” Langford said.
“This is an opportunity for the Royal Navy and the Nigerian Navy to work together in order for us to identify possible solutions in the maritime environment and counter insecurity on the high sea.
“We are together to understand the lessons that all nations have identified individually and share the lessons with each other.”
On his part, Jonny Baxter, UK deputy high commissioner in Lagos, said a secure environment will support trade, investments, and prosperity between the two countries.
“Nigeria is an important and valued defence partner for the UK in West Africa,” Baxter said.
“Our two countries face many shared threats and we are keen to work with Nigeria to defeat these and to help improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.”
In 2021, the warship was in Lagos to “conduct maritime security patrols as well as support partner navies” in West Africa.
[TheCable]
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially announced that it will begin accepting a maximum of 15,000 complete applications for the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship program in October 2023.
Eligible applicants from Nigeria who have obtained Canadian citizenship can then apply for this visa on behalf of their parents or grandparents, enabling them to reside in Canada permanently.
As of October 10, 2023, the IRCC will start sending invitations to apply, with up to 15,000 fully completed applications being accepted. These invitations will be distributed over several weeks, starting on October 10, 2023.
Instead of launching a new interest-to-sponsor form, the IRCC will extend invitations to apply to randomly selected potential sponsors from the existing pool of submissions from 2020. This approach was used for both the 2021 and 2022 intakes. Therefore, anyone who completed an interest-to-sponsor application in 2020 but did not receive an invitation to apply in either 2021 or 2022 should check the email address they provided in 2020.
For those who are invited to apply for the 2023 intake, the submission of their applications will be done electronically through either the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Permanent Residence Portal.
General Eligibility To be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian Permanent Residency (PR), you must meet the following criteria:
You must be at least 18 years old and fall into one of these categories: a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
You must demonstrate that you have sufficient financial means to support the family you wish to sponsor, with valid proof of income for the past three years, meeting the financial requirements set by the IRCC. The amount of money for each family member is stated on the website.
Canada Super Visa, an option Individuals who aspire to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada but have been unable to participate in the sponsorship program since 2020 have the option to apply for a super visa that is valid for up to 10 years and allows multiple entries.
Recall that the super visa allows holders to stay in Canada for a maximum of 5 years at a time, with the possibility to extend their stay by up to 2 years without needing to leave the country.
These changes make it easier for Canadian citizens and permanent residents to have the opportunity to reunite with their parents and grandparents.
Video: ‘Pulpit isn’t for politics’, Olukoya lambasts prophets over failed 2023 election prophecies
AdminThe General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, has cautioned prophets who are fond of predicting elections in the country to desist from the despicable act.
Olukoya said the pulpits in the House of God are for saying truth to the children of God, and should not be manipulated for political campaigns for politicians.
The revered deliverance pastor made this known during the sermon on Sunday, at the headquarters of the church, while lamenting how many Christian clerics that predicted the outcomes of the 2023 elections failed.
He said the so-called prophets brought shame to the religion of Christianity by declaring unfounded predictions on their preferred politicians in the build-up to the electrons.
He said, “You see what happened in Nigeria during these last elections, disgraced the religion of Christianity very well. This prophet said this person would win, and this would not win,” Olukoya said.
“‘If this one wins, I will become a herbalist, if this one wins, let them cut off my hand, if this one wins this, this one will die before his wish.’
“All did not come to pass, and they call themselves prophets. Prophets of where? It is madness when you begin to say what God does not ask you to say. The pulpit in the house of God is the pillar and ground of truth. It is not for political campaigns,” he added.
The 2023 elections saw many Nigerian clerics coming out to predict who would be winners, a move that caused confusion among the populace.
The presidential election which took place on February 25 produced President Bola Tinubu as the winner.
Last Wednesday, the Presidential Election Petition Court, in Abuja, dismissed the petitions filed by the three opposition parties and upheld Tinubu’s victory.
Media
Nollywood Actress Moyo Lawal Responds To Viral Sex Controversy Amid Alleged Private Video Leak
AdminFans of a popular actress, Moyo Lawal, have taken to different social media platforms to air their opinions about a video that showed her having sex with an unidentified man.
The video which went viral on Saturday showed the faces of both the actress and her partner on a bed in what seemed to be a hotel room.
Since the video surfaced on the Internet, the actress had been heavily criticised by her fans. Meanwhile, the actress has not said anything on the issue; instead posting a picture of herself on set.
Reacting to the video, a fan, John Joshua, said, “All the celebrities have leaked their nudes for more publicity and connections that we don’t know about.”
Another fan, Tina Omovo, wrote, “You celebrities are meant to be role models to your viewers (sic). You are the least person I expected that from.”
Commenting on her recent set picture, Erugo Blessing wrote, “This picture should be captioned, ‘No leaked video can bring me down’.”
Offering her words of encouragement, Sri George wrote, “Kindly do not let this disturb you. Instead, use it as a stepping stone towards higher possibilities.”
Though Lawal is known for posting controversial and sensual contents online, she had earlier stated in one of her videos that the last thing she could be ‘dragged’ online for was any kind of sex-related issue. She had said, “I have made many sacrifices and said no to so many things. People know how I am when it comes to sex matters, so the last thing one could use to drag me down is sex.”
The actress had also often claimed that despite the impression that some people had of her, she was not as ‘bad’ as they thought. She said, “Whatever it is I have done, I have not been as bad as a regular girl.”
In a surprising twist, an X account, @moyolawalofficial, purportedly belonging to the actress wrote on Saturday, “The lady in this clip is not me please stop spreading fake news. That’s not me please, stop spreading misinformation.”
However, many have stated that it is a parody account, with the actress’ authentic X account believed to be @moyolawal.
Fee hike: We spend N1.7 billion on electricity per annum, struggling with huge debt - UNILAG VC.
AdminVice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has said the university spends N1.7 billion on electricity per annum.
Speaking at a virtual meeting with reporters on Saturday evening, Ogunsola noted that the institution was also struggling with huge debts and under pressure to survive, hence it was imperative to increase fees.
The VC said it was necessary to let the public know the state of affairs in the university following the outcry and recent protest that greeted the increment.
In July, the university increased tuition fees. Previously, students of the institution paid N19,000,but the management fixed new fees at N190,250 for students studying Medicine, while courses that require laboratory and studio, are to pay N140, 250.
Programmes that do not require lab and studio were fixed at N100, 750.
Ogunsola said the university had maintained its fees for 15 years without increment, but “with the harsh economic climate in the nation,it was imperative to increase,”she said.
She added that parents, students, university unions and other stakeholders were briefed in January on the need to increase fees.
She said even with the hike, there was still subsidy for students.
“We spend N1.7 billion on electricity per annum, despite the fact that our street lights are solar-powered and we use low-energy bulbs. Also, we have huge debts to pay. The harsh economic climate of the nation has affected the university, we should have been increasing our fees every year. We are under pressure to produce quality education,” she said.
The VC said despite getting N150 million every year for overhead running costs, maintenance of the university gulps huge amount of money.
“Maintenance of the university is where money is sinking. Hostel maintenance alone costs N500 million. The extra charges are to shore up dwindling government funds,” she said.
Ogunsola reiterated the university’s commitment to excellent service delivery, adding that no student will drop out because of the fee hike.
” The revitalisation of our Work Study Programme is ongoing. Students can now earn N500 per hour and they can work for 10 hours. Before,it was N200 per hour.Students can also register for the Indigent Student Package. Last year 600 students registered, over 200 were adopted. No student will drop out. We have made adequate provisions for indigent students,” she added.
On Wednesday, students of the university took to the streets to protest the hike in fees by the authorities.
Greenstrides Development Initiative, GDI, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to dredge the downstream channels of the Benue River to reduce the effects of flooding when the Lagdo Dam is finally opened.
The Executive Director of GDI, Mr. Viktor Ikiriko, in a statement, also urged community leaders to get involved in efforts to evacuate residents of the river belt, saying majority of these communities bordering the basin were already battling with the consequences of heavy rains.
Ikiriko, who advised the National Orientation Agency, NOA, to spearhead the exercise, said all concerned bodies must mobilise impact-mitigation and protection strategies to save lives and properties.
His words: “The notice to open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in Cameroon to release its water content by the Cameronian authorities has been received in Nigeria with the usual concern that accompanies such news year in year out.
“It is no longer a surprise that the Cameronian authorities periodically open the flood gates of the dam to allow water flow downstream to avoid a deluge that may break the banks of the dam thereby having devastating effects on the environment, ecosystem, and communities downstream which include the Nigerian communities lying along the Benue basin and its tributaries.
“The concern generated by the planned opening of the dam therefore is not surprising, going by what has transpired over the years, with cases of flood increasing with each year.
“The recent overflooding of the Benue River, with devastating effects leading to the submergence of farmlands, entire communities and livelihoods is still very fresh in the memory of many, especially the affected. “
[OpinionNigeria]
As President Bola Tinubu marks his 100 days in office, some experts have expressed divergent views on the state of the country’s security situation.
DAILY POST reports that terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities were the major crisis bedeviling the nation prior to May 29 2023 when President Tinubu took over the mantle of leadership from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
While some experts are of the view that the wanton killing, kidnapping and other heinous activities perpetrated by the bloodthirsty assailants have drastically reduced, others are saying that nothing has changed so far.
Recall that in an effort to quell the age long security crisis ravaging the country, President Tinubu after a few days in office, overhauled the security architecture with new service chiefs.
DAILY POST reports that although the President’s action stimulated a new hope amongst Nigerians who were hitherto in despair over the havoc being wrecked by the daredevil terrorists and bandits, killings and abduction of unsuspecting citizens have continued.
The criminal elements are still on rampage in the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the nation despite efforts of the new government to tackle the menace.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported in August that no fewer than 23 local government areas are controlled by bandits in Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states.
More worrisome is the deteriorating situation in Sokoto and Zamfara states where residents are forcefully sacked from their ancestral homes, abandoning their various sources of livelihood.
DAILY POST gathered on Saturday that the security of lives and property in the eastern part of Sokoto State recently hit an all-time low as the criminal elements continued their killing sprees, kidnapping and maiming innocent members of the communities.
According to a source, Mr Muhammed Magaji, who is conversant with the ugly situation, the development has instilled fear in residents, especially those in Isa, Sabon Birni, Rabah, Goronyo, and Illela local council areas of the State.
Kaduna State has also been a den of the criminal elements with several abductions, killings occuring incessantly.
Recent among the numerous attacks was the incident that occurred on Thursday when the unscrupulous elements burnt down the parish house of Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the State, killing a Seminarian in the process.
Locals, who witnessed the attack, said the miscreants in their large numbers stormed the Saint Raphael Parish at Fadan Kamantan, Kafanchan Diocese on Thursday night and set the building ablaze alongside a vehicle parked in the premises.
The perpetrators of the dastardly act causing mayhem across the country did not exempt the nation’s capital as bandits continued to terrorize parts of the city, particularly the satellite areas.
On Thursday, September 8, about 19 persons were kidnapped in the Bwari Area Council by gunmen yet-to-be identified
The development was revealed during the maiden meeting between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six area council chairmen.
The Minister, who was concerned about the developments, said he would summon the FCT Director of Department of State Services, DSS, as well as the Commissioner of Police, to be comprehensively briefed about the kidnap incident and facilitate rescue operations.
Similarly, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna G. Garba on Thursday paraded no fewer than 15 suspected criminals who were nabbed for various crimes, including murder and abduction across the territory.
DAILY POST reports that while the Southerners are enjoying relative peace, some states in the region including Rivers and Edo have been in the news following activities of suspected cultists.
Recall that armed men suspected to be cultists terrorizing parts of Rivers State on Friday night killed a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, identified as Bako Amgbanshin.
A viral video which surfaced on the Internet revealed how Angbanshin’s head, hand and his private part were cut off.
Experts view and recommendations
President of the Eagle Crime Awareness Prevention Initiative, ECAPI, Samuel Eniola Adam told DAILY POST on Saturday that the insecurity situation in the country has tremendously reduced.
Adams claimed that the crime rate in the country has in the last four months reduced from at least 100 to 50%, citing the level of killings prior to Tinubu’s assumption of office.
He said, “To me, the insecurity in Nigeria has so far reduced from at least 100 to 50%.
“Majority of the security crisis we faced during the past government has really gone down.
“Although we still have some elements causing trouble in the north, it cannot be compared to what Nigerians were facing during the past administrations.
“Go to the Southeast and you will understand what I’m saying. Kidnapping and other activities of the unknown gunmen have drastically reduced since the President took over the leadership of Nigeria.”
Mr Adams, however, admitted that the fight against insecurity would yield more positive results when the county’s economy is in good shape.
“I think the only thing that is affecting the society now is the economy. People are hungry and I believe that if the President can tackle the hardship problems, insecurity will be a thing of the past.
“My advice to Nigerians at the moment is to exercise patience. I am sure that by the time the economy is revived, every other thing will fall in place. I’m begging Nigerians to have patience; this is the only country we can call our own.
“It is better to prevent crime than fighting crimes. Economy is the problem in Nigeria. There are no jobs anywhere. The federal ministries and even the states have no employment going on and that is why our children are joining bad gangs to perpetrate evil.
“If the majority of the youths are engaged through employment, the general crime rate will be reduced to a minimum. Both adults and even children are now into internet fraud because there is no job.
“I don’t blame them, I blame both the government and the parents. Everybody wants their children to go to university whereas the highest qualification that is recognized in Nigeria is secondary school. With such certificates you can become governor and even president.
“Parents should encourage their children to acquire skills. If you have a skill, for instance, a fashion designer, you don’t need a job from the government. You will engage yourself and earn good money”, he added.
But a security analyst, James Adakole, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja on Saturday, said nothing has changed since the President took over power.
He said, “I have not seen any change. Have the bandits stopped attacking innocent people? Has the killing in the Northeast stopped?
“Are the Fulani militias no longer killing people in Benue, Kogi and other states? Where is the change?
“Everyday we keep hearing of attacks, abductions, killings everywhere. The thing is, when people are unhappy, the crime rate automatically increases. Nigerians are not happy so the crime rate is increasing rather than reducing.
“Many people are now going into the business of kidnapping to survive. Yes, many of them refer to the crime as business. Yahoo boys are multiplying everyday and these boys are now into something else. They now use human life as a sacrifice to boost their crimes.
“So when people say the security has improved, I don’t understand. Maybe I will understand better when things begin to work well. When the cost of living reduces and Nigerians are happy.”
Adakole also pointed out that “the best way to tackle security problems is to improve the lives of the people. Many people are into what they naturally don’t like doing but they feel that is the only option for them.
“When the government puts up measures to better the lives of the citizens, people will change. You hardly hear of this security crisis in most developed countries and that is because things are easy for them.”
[DailyPost]
Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has placed N100 million bounty on the killers of Bako Angbashim, a superintendent of police, in the state.
Angbashim, a divisional police officer (DPO) in Ahoada, Ahoada east LGA of Rivers, was killed on Friday when his team ran into an ambush while returning from an operation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Fubara said intelligence from the security agencies has linked one Gift David Okpara Okpolowu and his criminal gang for being responsible for the murder of the senior police officer.
The governor said Okpara and his gang have established camps in the area and are responsible for the resurgence of violent crimes, including kidnapping and terrorism in Ahoada east LGA of the state.
“As a responsible government, we cannot fold our arms and allow criminals and crimes to rear their ugly heads and thrive in any part of our state,” the governor said.
“First, the prime suspects, Mr. Gift David Okpara Okpolowu (a.k.a. 2-Baba) and all members of his criminal gang are hereby declared wanted.
“Secondly, a bounty of one hundred million (N100,000,000.00) naira is hereby placed on his head for anyone who gives useful information that would lead to his arrest and prosecution.”
The governor also suspended Cassidy Ikegbidi, a traditional ruler in the area, indefinitely for “acts of complicity in ceding control of his territory to the notorious David Gift and his gang to freely operate and carry out their criminal activities”.
IGP ORDERS IMMEDIATE ARREST OF ANGBASHIM’S KILLERS
Meanwhile, Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, has condemned the murder of Angbashim, while demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits.
In a statement issued by Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, Egbetokun said the killing of the DPO is not only an affront to the nation but a reflection of a lack of patriotism and gross illegality.
The IGP said any nefarious acts against any officer of the force will not be treated with levity as perpetrators will be made to face justice.
[TheCable]
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Saturday in Maiduguri lamented that the Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damages in the North-East, to the tune of $9 billion.
The Director, Information, Office of the Vice President, Mr Olusola Abiola, in a statement, said Shettima stated this while inaugurating the distribution of palliatives in the North-East.
He also performed the official groundbreaking for the construction of the 22.5km Jere Bowl road network project, covering Jere and Mafa LGAs, in Borno, undertaken by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC).
The event coincided with the 8th meeting of the North-East Governors’ Forum.
According to the vice president, Borno alone had damages worth $6.8 billion.
He said: ” Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damages in the northeast, to the tune of $9 billion.
” There are similar destructions across Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba. If Northeast of Nigeria was to be treated as a nation, we are poorer than Chad, Afghanistan, Niger.”
Shettima called on the NEDC to expand the scope of its interventions in the region to cover more road projects, regardless of their status.
He added: ” I want to urge the NEDC board to expand the scope of its intervention to cover more road projects across the northeast region, including Gombe-Bauchi, Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu and Gujiba-Biu roads, among many others.
“Though these roads are regarded as Trunk A roads, they will eventually be used by Nigerians, particularly the people of the northeast.”
Shettima commended the NEDC board for its prudent management of resources, and lauded the support of political leaders, including legislators from the north east region, for standing firm with the commission.
The vice president also commended the efforts of governors across the region for uniting the people in spite of their socio-political differences.
Shettima said: ” The northeast is a kaleidoscope of colours, made up of different people from different socio-political backgrounds.
” But i want to commend our governors for coalescing these units into a single force, irrespective of the differences in political and other backgrounds.”
On the distribution of palliatives worth N15 billion to beneficiaries in 110 LGAs, and 18 Senatorial Districts across the region, Shettima reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare of the people.
The items to be distributed to beneficiaries across the zone includes; mats, variety of clothing materials for women and children, blankets, rice and vegetable oil, among others.
Earlier, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno called on NEDC to be more determined in the discharge of its responsibilities.
He also urged the commission to focus more attention in supporting agriculture, especially irrigation farming in the region.
Zulum said that as part of efforts to improve the fortunes of the region, Governors in the area would collectively checkmate the activities of illegal miners.a
He lso said the governors would engage actively with the Federal Government, with a view to exploiting mineral resources in the region for the benefit of the people.
Shettima also commended security agencies for the progress made in the ongoing fight against insurgency.
The governor, therefore, urged them to intensify efforts aimed at eliminating the remnants of fighters hiding in enclaves, in parts of the region.
Also, the Managing Director of NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, said that the first phase of construction of the Jere Bowl road network was among other infrastructure projects undertaken by the commission across the region.
He said the commission was excited with the full implementation of the North-East Master Plan.
Alkali said the commission would simultaneously key into the present administration’s transport initiative by partnering with the states to deploy affordable, energy efficient electric and CNG-fuelled vehicles.
“Indeed, we will factor our activities with the Renewed Hope Agenda initiatives for agricultural value chain, food security, energy, industrialisation and human capital development,” Alkali said.
In attendance were the governors of Bauchi, Sen. Bala Mohammed; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri and Deputy Governors of Taraba, Karim Iliyasu and Gombe, Manassah Jatau and members of the National Assembly, among others.
(NAN)
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Israel Adesanya has reacted to his defeat by Sean Strickland who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history defeating the Nigerian to win the middleweight title in Sydney.
The 32-year-old American beat Adesanya at the UFC 293 on Sunday to dethrone the Nigerian, who is one of the sports’ finest.
The match ended in favour of Strickland 49-46.
“I hate losing, but I love living. What a life!” Adesanya tweeted on X.
In a video shared with family members seen by THE WHISTLER, Adesanya showed his bruises, saying “It is not that bad. Nothing broken. We are great baby. I’m still thriving and it is all good. I am driving.
“(I am) hanging out with my family first then I will address the people. Right now, I got to put me first.”
Media
The camps of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar; and that of President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, clashed over the watermark on the copy of the judgment of the Presidential Elections Petition Court which went viral on Friday.
The viral copy of the Certified True Copy of the court’s judgment had the watermark of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team on it, with commentators, especially social media users, suggesting a sinister motive.
The PEPC had on Wednesday delivered a 12-hour judgment on the appeals arising from the presidential election, upholding the election of the President who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party had rejected the court’s judgment, vowing to approach the Supreme Court.
On Saturday, Atiku’s camp joined those who faulted the appearance of the watermark of the President’s legal team on the viral CTC.
In a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Public Communications to the former Vice President, Mr Phrank Shaibu, the camp urged the PEPC to explain the circumstances surrounding the appearance of the watermark on the viral copy.
The statement read in part, “After causing a needless delay in availing the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his legal team Certified True Copy of its judgment, the PEPC must explain to Nigerians and the world ambiguities around why copies of the judgment bear the header of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team.
“It is not our intention to stir up controversy on the matter, but the PEPC needs to tell Nigerians why it chose to affix the header of the respondents on the CTC copy of their judgment, whereas the copies that went to the petitioners did not have the same.
“Was that because the Tinubu legal team is deemed to be accorded special privileges? The court must explain!
“It is very clear that many questions are begging for answers, including why the PEPC decided to avail the respondents, especially the Tinubu legal team to have a first receipt of the CTC of the judgment before the plaintiffs.”
Shaibu said Nigerians would want to know why the PEPC conferred special privileges on the Tinubu legal team by making them have first custody of copies of the judgment, even though it was more urgent for the petitioners who needed the document to cause an appeal to the Supreme Court within 14 days.
He added, “Unfolding developments after the court’s ruling elicit suspicions about whether or not the Tinubu Legal Team provided clerical services to the PEPC. Otherwise, how and when did the ‘Tinubu Presidential Legal Team’ creep into a document that was supposed to be the official document of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria?
“‘Tinubu Presidential Legal Team’ on the top left-hand corner of all the 798 pages is neither a monochrome nor a metadata. It is a header, meaning that except for a valid explanation, the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team is the originator of the document.
“The PEPC must, on its honour, clarify why the court chose to put the header of the Tinubu Legal Team on a CTC copy of its judgment document, while the only emblem that should have been on the document is the stamp of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.”
President’s team reacts
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team, Babatunde Ogala, in a statement on Saturday berated the critics for insinuating the watermark was a result of pre-determined manipulations, saying there was nothing untoward to it.
He also said the PDP collected the first copy of the judgment and not the President’s team contrary to Shaibu’s claim.
Ogala said the team watermarked their copy of the judgment after collection from the Court of Appeal before circulating the scanned copies to members of their team.
The statement read in part, “After the delivery of judgment in the three election petitions by the Court of Appeal on September 6, 2023, the court directed its registry to make physical copies of same available on September 7, 2023.
“Accordingly, the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team applied for a Certified True Copy of the said judgment and paid the prescribed fee.
“Lawyers for the PDP were present at the registry at the same time to collect the same judgment.
“The representative of the PDP collected the first copy that was made available by the registry.
“On collecting our copy, we immediately scanned and watermarked it with the inscription – ‘Tinubu Presidential Legal Team TPLT’ before circulating the scanned soft copies to the lawyers in our team.
“The Certified True Copy issued to us and other parties in the petitions by the registry does not contain the said inscription and any insinuation to the contrary is untrue.
“Counsel for the petitioners will also appreciate the fact that the insinuations being circulated in some quarters are untrue, unkind, unfair, and unfortunate, as they have the same certified copies of the judgment as we have.”
Obi writes supporters
Meanwhile, Obi has urged his supporters to keep hope alive, adding that the Wednesday judgment should not weigh them down.
He made the call in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday.
[Punch]
The return of coups in some African countries has created global jitters on the grounds that the epidemic of military intervention in the continent could spread more and ultimately imperil democracy.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is no less worried about the ugly development and shared his concerns in an interview with TheCable. Asked what type of democracy would work for us in Africa, Obasanjo replied: “I don’t know. But we have seen that the liberal type of democracy as practised in the West will not work for us.
We have to put our heads together”. Former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party at the federal level, weighed-in on the Obasanjo stand, saying: “Today, I read former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview saying our liberal democracy is not working and we need to revisit it, and I agree with him. We must move from the political alternatives. I think we are almost on a dead end of that.
“What we need is alternative politics, and my own notion of alternative politics is that you can’t have 35 per cent of the vote and take 100 per cent. It won’t work! We must look at proportional representation so that the party that is said to have won 21 per cent of the votes will have 21 per cent of the government. Adversary politics bring division and enmity”. In this package, professor of international law and jurisprudence, Akin Oyebode; Bola Akinterinwa, professor of international relations at Achievers University, Owo; public policy expert, Faculty Member at the Lagos Business School and Head, Centre for Applied Economics, Pan African University, Dr. Austin Nweze; and Nigeria’s former Career Ambassador to Thailand, Olufunso Olumoko, react to the position of the former President. Excerpts of the Obasanjo interview:
Increasingly, we are witnessing an era of military coups in Africa again. What do you think is going on?
In 2021, when Col Mamady Doumbouya overthrew President Alpha Condé of Guinea, I recall that I travelled to Conakry. I spent two nights there. The coup leader didn’t want to meet with me because he didn’t know what I would say. They said he was out of town, which was not true. But I met every other important government official.
I met his No 2 and his speaker. I listened to them and concluded that we had a new phenomenon on our hands. I realised that they had the support of the youths and were not thinking of staying in power for four, five years. They are in for a generation. When I noticed this, I went to Addis Ababa to meet the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
I told him that maybe he had not seen what I was seeing. That I saw this in Guinea Conakry. He said I was talking about Guinea Conakry, what about his own country, Chad? He said Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea Conakry, and Chad were thinking the same way and they were connected.
I said that was a new phenomenon in Africa. I said I was the one who in 1999 advocated that if you are not a government backed by the constitution, you should be suspended from the African Union, and these chaps don’t even mind any suspension.
I told him that all the instruments we had used in the past would not work and asked what he would do about it. He told me about his challenges, especially with his country.
So we have a situation where we have a continent where we have to rethink democracy. The liberal democracy we are copying from settled societies in the West won’t work for us.
What type of democracy would work for us?
I don’t know. But we have seen that the liberal type of democracy as practised in the West will not work for us. We have to put our heads together.
Some would say it is working in Nigeria, that it has survived 24 years…
I won’t answer you (laughs).
But what can work?
You have to put your heads together to fashion it out. You can give it any name. But we have seen that this is not working. Out of the six countries that have experienced coups, three of them are directly from elections. Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, and Gabon that we have just had are directly from elections. The other three are indirect, if you like.
Would you say ECOWAS could have handled the Niger coup differently?
What I said about the Niger is now what we did with Gabon, not a threat of force. Tinubu said “we are watching”. In Niger, ECOWAS has beaten the drum, and they have seen that it didn’t work. The point is this: where in Africa have the people benefited from the dividends of democracy? Tell me.
Maybe Botswana…
You don’t know the inside of Botswana. Ian Khama, the former president, cannot go to Botswana today. His father was the first president. I worked with him. As they were settling down, I thought they were making progress because the president after his father was the one who became minister of finance.
When I was military head of state, he used to come and visit us, and we would render assistance to them, and he later became vice president and president. The next one was the same way. Ian Khama, who became the head of the army, moved the same way. The one that succeeded him now is chasing him from pillar to post. That is not liberal democracy.
What of Ghana?
(laughs)
Even if not in terms of dividends of democracy but liberal democracy…
Maybe Namibia is the closest to it.
[Vanguard]
Before tomorrow’s low-key encounter, Nigeria had already qualified for the AFCON with one match left to be played. So, there is no pressure on the Super Eagles when they return to Uyo, the city with the best football ground in Nigeria currently. It should be an easy match, one that will be good advertisement for a new, winning Super Eagles.
Even the great Arsene Wenger, former legendary manager of Arsenal FC, was quoted last week to have described the Super Eagles as ‘under-achievers’ considering the quality and quantity of Nigerian players playing at the highest levels of football in Europe.
Wenger is right. That’s partly why I had the audacity to ‘arrogantly’ and ‘recklessly’ predict, last week, that Nigeria shall not only win AFCON 2024, but shall also use that success as a springboard to kick-start a new era in Nigerian football. It will also serve as a catalyst for faster development of the Sports industry in the country, as fuel for Sport and Diplomacy to drive the global cause of the African, and to justify leading West Africa to jointly bid for and host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The height of my prediction is that the Super Eagles will win it!
So, for the match tomorrow, I send my best wishes to the Super Eagles.
The next big Sports development project!
These days, my head only conjures and relates with big dreams. Nigerians should look forward to the end of November this year.
A small seed is being planted in the ancient city of Abeokuta in Nigeria from which a sports event of global dimension shall sprout and add great value to any current effort to grow sports at the grassroots.
Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy, SOCA, in conjunction with all relevant sports authorities, is organising the first Lee Evans Memorial Annual International Invitational Athletics Meet, an event that shall catalyse the revival of effective sports programs in schools for the development of sprinters and jumpers for Nigeria by borrowing a leaf from a formular that has taken Jamaica from ‘nowhere’ to become the ‘Sprinting and Jumping’ capital of world athletics.
Other Caribbean Islands are latching on fast to that formula of tapping into the already abundantly available natural resource of people with the basic genetic ingredients found in the descendants of West and Central Africans. These ingredients make them naturals with great advantage for some sports events that require power, speed and strength.
The East Africans have used the advantage of their geography, the high altitudes in the Eastern part of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda) to breed humans that have been dominating middle and long distance races forever. Egypt, Morocco and Algeria have also been exploiting their ties with desert conditions to also breed tireless long-distance runners.
West Africans, particularly Nigerians, have always been known to harbour nature’s gifts of physique and power that produce excellent sprinters, boxers and jumpers.
Even a casual look at Nigeria’s greatest successes reveals the preponderance of sports events requiring explosive speed and power – the sprints and jumps. The evidence is found in the long list of some of the best athletes in the country’s history – Chioma Ajunwa, Gloria Alozie, Mary Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya, Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Modupe Oshikoya, Christy Okpara-Thompson, Innocent Egbunike, Sunday Bada, Ene Udo Obong, the Ezinwa brothers, Charlton Ehizuelen, Yusuf Ali, Olapade Adenekan and so on. All these goddesses and gods of athletics have either been sprinters or jumpers, or both.
What has been missing in establishing a proper tradition of excellence in the world is a clear vision of a production line with institutions, curriculum, process, facilities, funds and the ‘drivers’.
The most important resource, the gifted boys and girls, are in abundance in secondary schools all over Nigeria, waiting and wasting like flowers in the desert. What are needed are programmes within the schools to identify the talented ones, a program on how to train them, and high-level competitions to complete the honing process.
Developing young talents does not require knowledge of rocket science. A system once existed and worked well in Nigeria. Schools bred the best young athletes that eventually went on to compete for Nigeria, even though the final honing process still required a transition to the American collegiate system.
The good news is that late Lee Evans has been ‘resurrected’ in a new athletics project starting in November 2023 to complete the work he started in SOCA.
Lee Edward Evans was a legendary African/American athlete, one of the greatest sprinters in history – Double Olympic Gold medalist, World Record Holder for over two decades with world records in 11 different sprints events. When he became a coach, he was recognised as one of the best sprints coaches in the world.
The last eight years of his life were spent in Nigeria with the last two as a teacher and head coach of athletics at the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy in Wasimi, near Abeokuta. He helped to create a pathway for several of the student/athletes in the school to transit to American colleges to further develop their sports talents.
His ultimate dream was to establish a local training program with indigenous facilities so that the annual migration to America by a few would be complimented by development for most others here in Nigeria.
Lee spent a good part of his life as a coach of athletics in Nigeria, with stints in the University of Ife, the National Sports Commission of Nigeria, Cross Rivers State and Lagos State.
He intermittently led several Nigerian national athletics teams to various meets for several decades from the 1970s to the 1990s.
He died over two years ago, and was buried inside the campus of SOCA where he now rests peacefully,
His name and international influence are now to become tools of this new program, fueling and driving a most ambitious ‘sprints and jumps’ development program in Nigeria.
It is not by accident that Jamaica has become the sprinting capital of the world. SOCA is adopting the Jamaican model (and more) to ensure a rich harvest of great sprinters and jumpers of world-class standards from the international competition. The catalysing agent is COMPETITION!
SOCA has chosen to immortalise Lee Evans and his great works by establishing this international athletics event and naming it after him. It will involve schools and clubs from Nigeria and several other countries. It will drive renewal of interest in sports within schools, and to fast-track athletics development.
The first edition of the Lee Evans Memorial Annual International Invitational Athletics Meet, comes up this year from November 21 to 26.
Selected schools in Nigeria and abroad are being invited to send in student/athletes, boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 18, for the event. 24 schools in all are expected to participate. Athletics-proper shall be for two-days.
There shall be other social engagement programmes attached to make the event memorable for all those that attend. Scouts from Europe, the USA and even the Caribbean Islands will be around to scout for gifted athletes amongst participants for their Collegiate programs.
The children are guaranteed some of the best times of their lives. They will be accommodated in the posh, secure and luxurious environment of Green Legacy Hotel, inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex with its first class facilities in leisure, recreation, theme parks, a zoo, museums of history, art and culture, cinemas and so on.
The events shall be in sprints and jumps only, and shall take place on the tracks and field of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.
Very Special guests from the world of Sport and Diplomacy, including some of Lee Evans’ African/American Colleagues from the United States may be attending to honour him and to be a part of the historic Mausoleum to be built around his graveside in Wasimi Orile.
Through Lee Edward Evans, Nigerian athletics will have a new platform to take off and join the league of the best in the world within a very short time, indeed. Coming this November. Watch out.