Team Delta Emerge 2017 National Youth Games (NYG) Winner

Defending champions Team Delta has won the third edition of the National Youth Games (NYG), after gathering 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze medals in Ilorin.

Team Akwa Ibom emerged second with 16 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze medals, while Ondo State finished third with 12 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Hosts Kwara, which finished third last year with 8 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze medals dropped one place to fourth with 10 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze medals.

Ogun State gathered 7 gold, 6 silver and 14 bronze medals to place fifth, while Bayelsa State were in sixth place with 7 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Benue State won 7 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals in 7th place with Kaduna State in 8th position with 6 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze medals.

Osun State won 6 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals to finish in ninth place.

Niger State completed the list of top 10 states with 6 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals.

FCT garnered 4 gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze medals to finish in 11th position, with Oyo State in 12th place with 3 gold, 2 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Plateau State occupied the 13th position with 2 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze medals, while Anambra State finished 14th with 2 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Kano State ended the competition with 2 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals in 15th place, with Rivers in 16th position with 2 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Kogi State won 2 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals to place 17th, while Imo State finished in 18th place with 2 gold and 2 bronze medals.

Ekiti State won only 2 gold in 19th place to push Nasarawa State into 20th position after it gathered 1 gold, 6 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Team Delta State had won the National Youth Games (NYG) second edition at the same University of Ilorin venue with a total of 9 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze medals.

The Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, said the ministry was working assiduously to improve on the standard of the Games.

The Minister explained that it was in line with this that the number of events would be streamlined to reduce the burden of hosting.

In his words:

“Also, the Games will from the fourth edition in 2018 feature only under-15 athletes, in order for us to be able to fight age falsification.

The Games provides an avenue to bring the youths together under an atmosphere of friendly competition designed to enhance their potentials and all-round development.’’

Results:

Wrestling

Female 48 kg

Gold- Adekuoroye Mercy (Ondo)
Silver- Precious Ayuba (Nasarawa)
Bronze- Prince Preye (Bayelsa)
Bronze- Agatha Peter (Plateau)

Female 53kg

Gold- Kolawole Esther (Ondo)
Silver- Daniel Great (Ebonyi)
Bronze- Joseph Ozioma (Delta)
Bronze- Magret Musa (Kaduna)

Karate

Male – 55 kg

Gold- Bashir Abdulazeez (Kwara)
Silver- Omotayo Agbolade (Delta)
Bronze- Ikobong Uko (Akwa Ibom)
Bronze- Abdulraman Mohammed (Bauchi)

Male – 60 kg

Gold- Peter Emmanuel (Anambra)
Silver- Kelvin Kin (Plateau)
Bronze: Komolafe Moses (FCT)
Bronze: Usman Hussiani (Nasarawa)

Teakwodo

Male – 48 kg

Gold- Ibrahim Aliyu (Kebbi)
Silver-plated Adamu Ismail (Plateau)
Bronze- Okolie Chinedu (Delta)
Bronze- Nelson Ifeoluwa (Osun)

Female – 46 kg

Gold- Chidinma Nwankwo (Ebonyi)
Silver- Blessing Peter (Delta)
Bronze- Amina Mahamud (Plateau)
Bronze- Saadat Mustapha (Ogun)

The 2017 National Youth Games (NYG) which began on September 7 [2017] ended on September 16, 2017 in Ilorin.

Pius Adesanmi Emerge Recipient of 2017 CBIE Leadership Award

Pius Adesanmi, has been named the recipient of the Canada Bureau of International Education (CBIE) Leadership Award for 2017.

Mr. Pius Adesanmi, a professor of English language and Literature at Carleton University, Canada, heads the university’s Institute of African Studies. He holds a doctoral degree from the University of British Columbia.

The letter dated September 8 was signed by the President and Chief Executive of CIBE, Karen McBride and read as follows:

“It is our great pleasure to inform you that you have been selected to receive the CBIE Board of Director’s Leadership Award.

Our deepest congratulations to you on this highly merited honour.”

The award won by Mr. Adesanmi, also a Premium Times Columnist according to the CBIE, is for an individual whose contributions to and support for international education is recognised and highly valued.

The organisation says: “This outstanding individual personifies CBIE’s central value proposition: Expertise. Knowledge. Opportunity. Leadership”. This Award bestows Honorary Membership.

“This Award is typically made by the Board of Directors. Nominations are not accepted for this Award. However, the Board is interested in hearing from members who wish to suggest a possible recipient.”

The Board listed some criteria for the selection to include:
– Highly influential;
– Has played a significant role in raising the profile of international education;
– Contribution to international education is substantial, and has made an impact on Canada and/or other parts of the world;
– Not necessarily from a CBIE member institution;
– Not necessarily Canadian.”

For nearly a decade, Mr. Adesanmi has worked in African countries to groom the next generation of researchers in the humanities and the social sciences by training PhDs, postdocs, and early-career lecturers in interdisciplinary conversations and methodology. He has served for five years as faculty and consultant to the University of Ghana’s Pan-African Doctoral Academy, an annual summer school for doctoral students from the West and East African subregions.

During his sabbatical in Ghana in 2013-2014, he designed a brand new PhD programme in African Thought for the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. He is also the Associate Director of the Abiola Irele School of Theory and Criticism, an annual summer training school for Nigerian lecturers at the Kwara State University. In South Africa, he works with the University of Johannesburg and Wits University to train and mentor doctoral and postdoctoral students in interdisciplinary research methods.

In 2010, Mr. Pius Adesanmi won the inaugural Penguin Prize for African Writing with his book, You’re Not a Country, Africa. The Penguin Prize was initiated by Penguin Books in conjunction with Chinua Achebe. Mr. Adesanmi is the Director of Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies, the only such Institute in any Canadian University.

Mr. Adesanmi, with other honourees, were presented with the award at the CBIE’s 51st Annual Conference at the World Trade Conference and Convention Centre, Halifax, Canada.

Established in 1966, CIBE is not-for-profit organisation promoting “the special interests of the international learner, both the foreign national studying in Canada and the Canadian studying abroad, through educational exchanges, scholarships, training awards and internships, technical assistance in education and other related services.”

Its patron is David Johnson, the Governor-General of Canada.

Mercy Abang Emerge 2017 Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellow

Mercy Abang, a Nigerian journalist, and three others have emerged recipients of the 2017 Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellowships.

Mercy Abang is a syndicated freelance journalist reporting on issues facing vulnerable populations and had covered communities under siege from the Boko Haram terrorists as well as maternal health, poverty and biodiversity.

The three other journalists are Zeinab Mohammed Salih of Sudan, Mir Wais Jalalzai of Afghanistan and Ray Mwareya of Zimbabwe.

Salih is a freelance journalist for websites, mainly The Niles bilingual website sponsored by Germany.

Jalalzai, a war correspondent for the Khabarial News in Kabul, has covered the most dangerous conflicts and devastating events in his country.

Mwareya is the news editor for Women Taboos Radio Africa covering Southern Africa and a correspondent for Rural Reporters Africa based in Nigeria.

Ms Evelyn Leopold, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists, praised the exceptionalism of the four fellows out of the thousands of applicants for the fellowship.

According to Ms. Leopold on the criteria for choosing a fellow:

“We are looking for journalists who write well, who show some creativity, who do not just re-write the government press release, who are not censored by their media and come from developing countries.

We try to rotate the countries, it’s very hard, we get like 7,210 applications – and so it’s a ‘crack game’ who to choose.

And this year, we have the three Africans, that’s unusual and we have an Asian.”

The Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, represented by the spokesman of the Mission, Akinremi Bolaji, said Nigeria was proud to be associated with Abang.

He said Abang’s emergence as one of the four recipients out of thousands of applicants was a positive achievement in addition to the many Nigerians who had distinguished themselves and had been recognised by the UN this year.

Mercy Abang said she was interested in sustainable development goals of ending poverty and hunger and improving health and education.

Hammarskjöld, the second UN Secretary-General, was killed in a plane crash while on a peace mission to the Congo in 1961.

The Fund was established as a not-for-profit organisation more than 50 years ago by journalists at the UN as a living memorial to the legacy of peace, progress and justice of Hammarskjöld,

The Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fund’s programme for journalists seeks to advance a fuller understanding of UN deliberations to alleviate human suffering and promote peace.

It is also to support and encourage the journalism profession and to inspire a strong and diverse community of journalists who would give voice to the challenges facing their countries.

Four journalists are selected each year and the award money varies, while the fellowship includes travel, accommodation and a per diem allowance.

The journalists, who are awarded fellowships, are given the opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations at the UN in order to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern.

The 2017 Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellows spend up to three months in New York reporting the UN General Assembly from September to December.

Dana Air Becomes IATA Member [2017]

Dana Air has been formally announced as the newest member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The IATA membership is coming just two years after the Nigerian airline passed its International Operations Safety Audit (IOSA) and was admitted into the association’s global safety registry.

The Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo in respect to the airline’s latest achievement said:

“Becoming a member of IATA is a significant milestone for us at Dana Air and this only demonstrates our level of professionalism and commitment to operational efficiency in terms of providing our guests with safe, seamless and world-class air transport service in Nigeria.

Apart from the fact that this membership will further strengthen our relationship with other international airlines, we see it as an opportunity to take our amazing products to the global stage through interline and code-share agreements.

You would recall that Dana Air is the first and only Nigerian airline to have undergone an operational audit conducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and its foreign partners – The Flight Safety Group, and we are determined to reinforce our strategic route network within and beyond Nigeria.’’

Odunayo Adekuoroye Elected Into UWW Athletes Commission [2017]

Odunayo Adekuoroye has been elected into the United World Wrestling (UWW) Athletes Commission.

Odunayo Adekuoroye was among the seven people elected to represent the interest of athletes in the UWW. The wrestlers were voted onto the commission by their fellow athletes at the 2017 Senior World Wrestling championships last month in Paris.

In the words of Odunayo Adekuoroye:

“Honestly, I am very delighted that the NWF nominated me and with the recognition by UWW, it is a great privilege for me to serve.

I am excited because my president and my coach have always believed in my capabilities to excel. They are a veritable source of encouragement to me.”

According to Daniel Igali, President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF):

“She was the first Nigerian to win a silver medal at the world championships, thereby surpassed fellow Nigerian, Ifeoma Ihenacho who won bronze medals in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
The election took place at the last world championships.
The NWF had no reservations in forwarding her as a candidate for the athletes commission position and we were not disappointed.
This shows the steady progress we are making as a federation in all facets of sports development.

We hope Adekuoroye will make valuable contributions to the athletes commission and in uplifting the welfare of athletes on the world stage.’’

In the commission’s first act, four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs was selected to chair the commission. Burroughs will be a voting member of the United World Wrestling bureau and replaces 2008 Olympic champion Carol Huynh (CAN), who has served in the role since it was first established in 2013.

The Athletes Commission was established in 2013 with the role of protecting the rights and interests of all United World Wrestling Olympic style athletes. The Athletes Commission members reach out and communicate with active athletes as peers to collect feedback.

Folafoluwa Oginni 5.0

Folafoluwa Oginni has become the best graduating student from the University of Hertfordshire after she finished her Law degree with a perfect score of 5.0 GP [2017].

21 year-old Folafoluwa Oginni with her performance, has set a new record in the University and also becoming the first Nigerian Valedictorian in the school.

In 2013, 17-year old Folafoluwa emerged the overall best pupil in the May/June 2012 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) after scoring the highest grade (Grade 1) in all her eight subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. 

Plateau United FC Emerge 2016/2017 NPFL Champions

Plateau United FC have emerged the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions after defeating Enugu Rangers 2-0 at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos. Plateau United also pocketed ₦50 million having finished as champions.

Plateau United FC finished with 66 points from 38 fixtures, finishing four points ahead of second-placed MFM FC.

The Kennedy Boboye tutored side’s championship victory is their first ever league title and the 19th Nigeria league champions.

Plateau United FC will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League along with runners-up MFM FC, who lost 2-1 at El Kanemi Warriors.

Seven-time champions Enyimba finished third spot after a 1-0 success over Katsina United.

Akwa United ended up in fourth place.

Anthony Okpotu finished the season as NPFL top scorer.