Nigeria Emerge Joint Overall Winner Of The 2018 Fazza World Para Powerlifting World Cup

Nigeria and Jordan have emerged overall winners of the 2018 Fazza World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Nigeria and Jordan finished top of the medals table with four golds. Nigeria won two golds each in both the women and men categories. Ukraine won two golds and two silvers to finish in third position. Hosts United Arab Emirates ended fourth with two golds and one bronze.

Nigeria’s reigning Paralympic and world champion Paul Kehinde sets a new world record in the men’s 65 kg category at the 2018 Fazza World Para Powerlifting World Cup. The 29-year-old lifted 221 kg to break the previous record of 220.5 kg he set at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Mexico in November.

In his words:

“I’m very happy with my performance. I put God first in everything I do and I believe that is why I have been achieving these results.

Coach Are and his wife also motivate me a lot. The coach is always telling us to believe in ourselves and that we can achieve anything despite our status. His words have always kept us going even when things are tough. Whatever I achieve, I owe to God, my teammates, coaches and Nigeria.”

Furthermore, Folashade Oluwafeniayo broke the world record in the women’s up to 86 kg. The 32-year-old cleared the bar at 146 kg, a 1 kg increase from the mark she had set last year on her way to gold at the Mexico City 2017 World Championships.

Nigeria’s winning details (gold medals), participants and results at the competition are as follows:

  1. Senior – Men’s Up to 49.00 kg: EZURUIKE Roland (192)
  2. Senior – Men’s Up to 65.00 kg: KEHINDE Paul Olumide (221)
  3. Senior – Women’s Up to 55.00 kg: OYEMA Esther (125)
  4. Senior – Women’s Up to 86.00 kg: OLUWAFENIAYO Folashade (146)

Over 128 powerlifters from 30 countries competed at the competition.

Access Bank Plc Wins 2018 Euromoney ‘Commercial Banking Capabilities’ Award

Access Bank Plc has emerged winner of the best ‘Commercial Banking Capabilities’ award in Nigeria by Euromoney for the year 2018.

The award was presented to the bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, at the Euromoney Private Banking Awards 2018, which held at the Landmark in Marylebone, London. Access Bank Plc in the 2017 edition of the award category finished in 4th position.

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Catherinemary Nneamaka Ugoji Emerge Overall Best Graduating Student 2017 At Godfrey Okoye University

Catherinemary Nneamaka Ugoji, a computer science graduate has emerged as the overall best graduating student 2017 also with a first class degree at Godfrey Okoye University during the convocation ceremony held on the 10th of February, 2018.

Catherinemary Nneamaka Ugoji has proved to be a top academic from her formative years. She attended Rose Bethel Primary school, Anambra State and further proceeded to Loretto Special Science school, Adazi-Nnukwu, Anambra State. She graduated as one of the best students from her secondary school; Loretto Special Science school, Adazi-Nnukwu, Anambra with 9 A’s (Distinction).

Catherinemary Nneamaka Ugoji whose ambition is to specialize in Artificial Intelligence also took part in pagentry with her emergence as Queen of her University, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu in Nigeria at age 17 in 2014. She eventually won the Miss Coal City Nigeria Beauty Pageant in 2015 at age 18.

At the convocation ceremony, she gave her valedictory speech titled “The Romantic Face of Programming” where she explained her fascination with programming, encouraging women to embrace the beauty of programming and computing and to specialize on it.

She was awarded a number of prizes by the University for being the Overall best graduating student for the 2017 graduands, Best in her faculty (Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences), Best in her department (Department of Computer and Mathematics) and Best in her program (Computer Science).

In her speech, she thanked the university for the opportunity given to her, her parents, siblings, family, friends and students from her alma matter, Loretto Special Science School who were in attendance at the convocation ceremony.‎

Emmanuel Iyayi Unuabonah Wins 2017 NAS Gold Medal Prize

Dr. Emmanuel Iyayi Unuabonah, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, has emerged winner of the 2017 Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) Gold Medal Prize.

The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) instituted a Gold Medal Prize in 2016, after 40 years of its existence, to be awarded to deserving Nigerian scientists who have made significant achievements in science of national relevance and global resonance. The award is to be made annually, alternating between the life sciences and physical sciences.

Announcing the winner at a media briefing in Lagos, Chairman of the Nigerian Academy of Science Prize Committee, Professor Gabriel Ogunmola, a past President of the NAS stated that Dr. Unuabonah emerged the pioneer winner of the prestigious prize after a due process of evaluation by a five-member physical science jury chaired by Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, FAS, a past NAS President.

Professor Ogunmola said in picking Dr. Unuabonah for the prize, his numerous contributions in physical sciences were subjected to critical scrutiny, stating that his work that fetched him the award focused on the development of alternatives for the replacement of expensive zeolites activated carbon and membranes currently being used in the treatment of water and wastewater.

According to Professor Ogunmola, the research work of Dr. Emmanuel Iyayi Unuabonah has contributed significantly to the body of knowledge of modified hybrid kaolinite clay as absorbent of metal ion pollutants as is evident from his publication and patents, adding that “this innovation has the potential to be further developed into point-of-use system for ready treatment of water in rural communities”.

In his remarks, the NAS current President Professor Mosto Onuoha decried the neglect of science studies in Nigeria, while calling on the federal and state governments to set up an endowment fund for the support of scientific research in ensuring that Nigeria joined developed nations in scientific advancement.

Winners Of 1st Aiteo Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Awards

Winners have emerged at the 1st Aiteo Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) awards held in Lagos.

In attendance were FIFA President, Gianni Infantino and his CAF counterpart Ahmad Ahmad, Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Francis Peters, the Deputy Managing Director, Aiteo Group.

Others were ex-internationals, Samson Siasia, Christian Chukwu, Wilson Oruma, Femi Opabunmi, Mutiu Adepoju, Segun Odegbami, Daniel Amokachi, Mutiu Adepoju, Uche Okechukwu, Garba Lawal, Austin Okocha, Austine Eguaveon, among others.

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Bashir Dodo Develops New Technique For Identifying And Diagnosing Damage To The Human Retina

Bashir Dodo, a student at the Brunel University, London, has developed a new technique for identifying and diagnosing damage to the human retina.

The technique described by the Press Office of the university is an algorithm for Optical Coherence Tomography equipment, which could automatically segment images of the retina into seven distinct layers.

Bashir Dodo, currently a doctoral student at the institution’s Department of Computer Science, demonstrated the new algorithm at the BIOIMAGING 2018 Conference recently held in Portugal and was rewarded with the ‘Best Student Paper’ Award at the event.

Dodo’s work seemed to have been inspired by the psychological concept of similarity, used the ideas of continuity and discontinuity to develop the algorithm.

The university expressed the hope that apart from improving the accuracy and speed of diagnosis, the technique would help to save the sight of patients by identifying damage earlier.

According to Bashir Dodo:

“Layer segmentation is one of the early processes of OCT retina image analysis, and already plays an important role in clinics.

For example, the thickness profile of the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer – which can be calculated directly from the segment layer – is used in the diagnosis of glaucoma, which is one of the most common causes of sight loss worldwide.

Automatically segmenting the layers could provide critical information for abnormality detection by comparing them to the average population, and monitoring the progress of disease against previous scans.”

While doctors are able to identify the layers manually from OCT images, Dodo’s new technique would automatically segment images of the retina, thereby allowing specialists to spot abnormalities quicker and better track the progress of medication.

Iliya Pam & Deborah Pam Win 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Iliya Pam and Deborah Pam have emerged first place winners in the Nigerian male and female category respectively at the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

With increase of ₦2 million in the 2018 edition, Iliya Pam and Deborah Pam were rewarded with ₦3 million each.

In the words of Deborah Pam:

“I was not expecting this result because I prepared well ahead at least to improve on my personal best which is few minutes better than what I have today.

When I started full marathon, I ran 3:15 and in Ibadan I ran 2:30 and later 2:49 which is a slight improvement. For the race today, I was hoping to perform better which I did until about 21 Km when I started to feel pains in my leg, then I knew I had injury.

The injury actually slowed down my pace and gradually some of the Ethiopians ran past me, I only struggled to beat the last tape.’’

The Nigerian Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung also gave ₦500,000 each to Iliya Pam and Deborah Pam while he gave ₦100,000 each two sisters Damilola and Bimpe Oluwaseyi, who both completed the 10 km race.

Kenyan athletes dominated the male category as Kiprotich Kiroi, Ronny Kiboss and Peter Benjamin emerged in first, second and third place winners, taking home $50,000, $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

Ethiopian athletes Ayelu Hordofa, Tigist Girma and Guta Herpha also swept the female category, emerging first, second and third respectively.

A total of 165,000 athletes selected from across the continent battled for prizes at the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. Over 40,000 participants took part in the 10 kilometre family race, as an impressive number of 125,000 athletes, including notable international marathoners, also contested for the $50,000 prize money in the 42 km-long race. The marathon kicked off at the National Stadium, Surulere, while the 10 km race started at the Lekki Roundabout, Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge.

Speaking before the event, the Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, emphasized the bank’s immense pride as a title sponsor of the Lagos Marathon, stating:

“Our approach to advancing Nigeria’s blossoming drive for health and fitness, through the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, also reflects our capacity to create value for stakeholders. We have made it our responsibility to encourage the general public in the adoption of lifestyles that promote good health and well-being,”