Author: PositiveNaija

Nigeria Is Re-Elected Into UNHRC [2018-2020]

Nigeria has won a re-election into the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva for the 2018 to 2020 term at an election held at the UN Headquarters in New York.

According to the Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, Ambassador Samson Itegboje:

“There were two slots for West Africa in the election and Ghana and Sierra Leone were also contesting.

However, we reached an understanding that West African countries could not be antagonising themselves and that we have to reach a compromise.

So we got Ghana and Sierra Leone to step down for Nigeria. But even at that, there were a lot of reach out we had to do beyond West Africa.

So this election has once again showed that Nigeria enjoyed a lot of goodwill not only among its West African bloc countries but also in Africa and across the world”.

The UNHRC is a United Nations system inter-governmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world.

With the re-election, Nigeria, currently serving out its 2015 to 2017 term, would be among the four countries representing West Africa and the 13 countries representing Africa in the 47-seat Council.

The other two countries on the council with Nigeria are Cote d’ Ivoire and Togo, which tenure expire in 2018.

Ghana and Nigeria are already serving out their tenure for the 2015 to 2017 term while Ghana, which initially sought the-election like Nigeria, stepped down for Nigeria to get on board of the Council.

Felix Ariguzo Emerge 2017 Maltina Teacher of the Year

Felix Ariguzo, a teacher with Mastercare International School, Asaba, Delta state, has emerged the Maltina Teacher of the Year for 2017.

Ariguzo was rewarded with ₦1 million at the grand finale of the competition which held in Lagos.

According to the organisers (Nigerian Breweries- Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund), Felix Ariguzo will receive ₦1 million every year for the next five years and also be sent for a training programme abroad.

The organisers also promised to build a block of six classrooms at the school where the winner teaches.

Continue reading Felix Ariguzo Emerge 2017 Maltina Teacher of the Year

Nigeria Wins 6 Medals At 2017 ITTF Circuit Junior and Cadet Open

Nigeria Table Tennis players have won six medals at the 2017 ITTF Circuit Junior and Cadet Open in Cairo, Egypt.

Mati Taiwo won two gold and one bronze in the cadet single, mini Cadet singles and team event respectively.

Tosin Oribamishe on her part won one gold and one bronze in the female singles and team events while Azeez Solanke won a bronze medal in the team event at the Sharm El Sheik.

Mati Taiwo dedicated his victory to his coach, the NTTF Federation and those that believed in him. According to him:

“It is an honour wearing the jersey of Nigeria. This victory is not for me but for those that believe in my ability.”

Tosin Oribamishe also expressed her delight to be in Egypt and winning medals for the country. She promised continual training ahead of the 2018 Olympic Youth Games. Oribamishe is the only table tennis player to have qualified for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Argentina.

Nasarawa Amazons Emerge 2016/2017 Nigeria Women Premier League Champions

Nasarawa Amazons emerge champions of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Women Premier League after defeating Delta Queens 1-0 at the Super Four tournament held in Benin.

The Amazons had defeated Bayelsa Queens 1-0, holders Rivers Angels 2-1 and drew 2-2 with Delta Queens in the round-robin games before edging the Kwale based side to the league crown.

Amarachi Okoronkwo’s 42nd minute diving header handed the Christopher Danjuma’s ladies their second trophy in history after their first in 2013.

The win means Nasarawa Amazons are champions, carting away the trophy and 3.5 million naira cash prize, while runners-up Delta Queens and third place winners Bayelsa receive 2.5 and 1.5 million Naira respectively.

Akwa United Wins 2017 AITEO Cup

Akwa United have emerged as champions of the maiden AITEO Cup after claiming a 3-2 penalty win over Niger Tornadoes at Agege Stadium, Lagos.

The AITEO Cup was formerly the Federation Cup, which Akwa United won in 2015.

It was goalless all through the 90 minutes and the game went straight to penalty kicks.

With their win, Akwa United receives ₦25 million and would also be representing Nigeria in the CAF Confederation Cup.

On their part, Niger Tornadoes, who eliminated defending champions, FC Ifeanyi Ubah, to make it to the Lagos final receives ₦10 million.

How Great Is Nigeria! By Igbokwe Kingsley Chukwudi

How Great Is Nigeria! By Igbokwe Kingsley Chukwudi

The influence which a nation exerts, the respect which it enjoys, and the prestige accorded to it on the world scene, depend on two important factors: the size of its wealth and the calibre of its leadership.

 — Obafemi Awolowo

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea and has a total area of 923, 768 square kilometres. It shares land border with the Republic of Benin in the west, Niger and Chad in the north, and Cameroon in the east. Nigeria has 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory in Abuja. The country gained its independence from Britain in 1960 and the independence culminated in a full status republic in 1963. It is multi-cultural and ethnic diversified with some 250 ethnic groups and over 520 spoken languages. However, the nation has been plagued with some challenges that seem to undermine its existence and unity like Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group aligned with al-Qaeda, which built up its presence in the Northern region of the country with harsh implementation of Islamic law and has caused estimated deaths of 100,000 persons and two million displaced persons; militancy in the Southern part of the country that has wreaked havoc in the oil industry in pipeline vandalism and untold kidnaps which prompted the government to set up an Amnesty Programme in 2009 by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the creation of Niger Delta Development Commission in 2000 by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Nnamdi Kanu agitating for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria, etc. Despite these challenges, Nigeria has been able to maintain democracy for 18 years and since her independence, the nation with its diversity in culture, language, tradition etc. has proved among comity of nations to be indeed great. Therefore, in the words of Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, “The greatness comes not when things go always good for you. But the greatness comes when you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you’ve been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.” Hereunder are some of the points that show how great Nigeria is:

Continue reading How Great Is Nigeria! By Igbokwe Kingsley Chukwudi

2017 Chemonics Tech4Dev Contest Winners

Order Paper, has emerged winner at the inaugural edition of Chemonics technology for development contest (Tech4Dev) in the “new ideas” category of the competition.

Order Paper’s ConsTrack, a mobile application, designed to engender citizens’ participation and accountability for constituency projects across Nigeria, triumphed over 37 other entries in the “new ideas” category.

Oke Epia, Executive Director of Order Paper, described the award as a testimony to the hard work and commitment their company had put in, to effectively monitor legislative activities using technology.

In his words:

“Our organisation immensely appreciates the confidence and support from USAID in implementing ConsTrack which will significantly impact the policy environment around the execution of constituency projects by legislators in Nigeria.”

Chemonics, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) implementing partner, said the judging criteria bordered on “innovativeness of idea, replicability or scalability, and viability” of the technology under consideration.

In his acceptance speech, the leader of the team and the Chief of Party in Nigeria, Charles Abani said:

“Order Paper’s work on ConsTrack will ensure that citizens’ voices are amplified as they engage their legislative representatives in budget tracking and constituency monitoring.

This is what the SACE project is all about; empowering citizens to hold government accountable.”

Order Paper is a multi-platform and technology driven media organisation dedicated to reporting, tracking and archiving activities of the Nigerian legislature as an arm of government for the digital age.