Kano Pillars Emerge Champions In Savanna Conference Six Play-offs [2017]

Kano Pillars have emerged champions in the Kwese Premier League Savannah Conference Six play-offs by winning all their five matches and ending the championship with 100 percent record.

The tournament, which held inside the Indoor Hall of the Murtala Square, Kaduna, between August 14 and 19 had six teams from the Savannah Conference including Kano Pillars, Gombe Bulls, Plateau Peaks, Niger Potters, Bauchi Net and Kada Stars. Bauchi Net and Kada Stars replaced Mark Mentors and Defenders, both of Abuja, which failed to turn up for the competition.

To emerge champions of the conference, Pillars beat hard fighting Gombe Bulls 104 to 97 points in their first game, defeated Kada Stars 91 to 58 points, stopped Bauchi Net 85 to 44 points, beat Niger Potters 103 to 71 points and routed Plateau Peaks 80 to 64 points to maintain an unbeaten run.

Coach of the Kano-based team, Sani Ahmed, described his team’s performance as in line with his club’s desire to retain the trophy at the Final Eight in Kano. In his words:

“Winning the Savanna Conference Six shows the level of consistency in the club. It also tells of the amount of hard work put in by the players to winning tournaments. The team is not 100 percent perfect yet. We are still a high scoring side averaging 80 points per game, but we are still going to do more so as to defend and win the Final Eight at home in Kano. Our tradition is to win any tournament we find ourselves in. So, we aim to retain the Final Eight. We have noticed some weaknesses and lapses in the course of our games and will work on them before the Final Eight. I noticed the boys sometimes get complacent; but we need to be consistent and more perfect in taking shots.”

The coach also disclosed that the Conference play-offs was part of preparations for his team’s participation in an invitational tournament slated in Malaysia in the first week of September.

 “Immediately after the play-offs and Final Eight we shall be honouring a fully sponsored trip to Malaysia for an invitational tournament involving teams from Japan, China, Malaysia and other Asian countries. Good enough, we will be prepared because this championship serves as good preparations for the tournament,” he said.

Other teams that qualified from the Savannah Conference Six are Niger Potters, Gombe Bulls and Plateau Peaks. The Final Eight in Kano will see four teams each from the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences battle for the ultimate prize to climax the Kwese Premier League Season.

Brand Finance Names Nigeria’s Most Valuable Companies [2017]

Brand Finance has named Nigeria’s most valuable companies.

Dangote Group emerged as Nigeria’s most valuable brand with a brand value of US$491 million.

Nigerian Breweries came in as Nigeria’s strongest brand with a brand strength rating of AA+ and a brand value of US$78million.

The ICT sector saw its brand value grow by 63%. Tranzact emerged as the fastest growing brand, up 65% to US$17 million. Glo mobile is the most valuable telecommunications brand, value that US$427 million, up 62% from last year.

The Banking sector made up 48% of the Brand Finance list this year with the sector’s overall brand value growing at six percent year on year. First Bank of Nigeria has consecutively been the most valuable banking brand, valued at US$301 million.

The Oil and Gas brands, which comprise 20% of the overall brand value, experienced a decline in sector brand value this year. Oando was an exception; its brand value did not see a change this year. Despite the waning brand value of the sector as a whole, Seplat’s brand value enjoyed a 10% increase to US$90 million, confirming it as the most valuable Oil and Gas brand. The decline in the sector’s brand value is attributable to the decline in oil output and prices, which has increased discount rates.

According to Babatunde Odumeru, Managing Director, Brand Finance Nigeria,

“The fact that both the strongest and most valuable brands came from the manufacturing sector is re-assuring. This somewhat dispels the notion of how undiversified our economy really is. This is something to build upon. The government’s effort towards diversifying the economy should be complimented with a drive to develop corporate Nigeria’s capability of building strong and global brands. This is absolutely crucial in successfully implementing the policy of wealth creation we seem to have embarked on.”

Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand and branded business valuation consultancy, with offices in over 25 countries, providing clarity to marketers, brand owners and investors by quantifying the financial value of brands.

Nigeria Police Team Wins 11 Medals At The World Police Games [2017]

Nigeria Police Team has won a total of 11 medals; five gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the World Police Games in the United States of America [2017].

Nigeria Police Force Director of Sports, DCP Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed that Sergeant Noa Nehikhare who competed in boxing, Corporal Martins Ogierikhi who took part in mens’ 110m hurdles in athletics event, Yeiyah Yellow (swimming) and Goodness Thomas who ran in both women 100m dash and 200m event won gold medals in each of the events to make it two, accounted for the five gold medals.

The Silver medals were won by Inspectors Martins Ogierikhi (men 400m), Abraham Onyemelusi (wrestling) and Oluwatoyin Oladeji who fought in boxing, while, Inspector Ralph Ubah and Sergeant Selubo Ekundayo won the two bronze medals for Team Nigeria.

Chairman of the Nigeria Police Sports, AIG Sanni Mohammed, who was the leader of delegation, said he was overwhelmed by the performance of his group, considering the fact that this is the very first time the Team Nigeria Police would be competing at such a high global championship.

Furthermore, the Inspector-General of Police ( I-G), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has rewarded five athletes that won gold medals with automatic promotion.

Landmark University Appoints Azubuike Ezenwoke As Registrar [2017]

The Board of Regents, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, has appointed 32-year old Dr. Azubuike Ezenwoke as the new Registrar of the University. This makes Dr. Azubuike Ezenwoke arguably the youngest university Registrar in Africa.

Continue reading Landmark University Appoints Azubuike Ezenwoke As Registrar [2017]

Winners of Titans of Tech Awards 2017

Established by Technology Africa, the Titans of Tech Awards is a platform where the most influential players in West African ICT markets interact for the purpose of exchanging ideas and positively influencing and promoting ICT agenda for the optimal good.

The Titans of Tech award held at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island Lagos, recognizes stakeholders presently contributing to the advancement of technology in Nigeria.

  • ‘Titan of Tech Merit’ award – Wale Olaoye (CEO of Halogen Security)   Honoured for his commitment and dedication to the integration of technology and its application to the Nigerian security landscape.
  • Outstanding Government Agency of the Year – National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
    In recognition of the Agency’s recent drive at ensuring IT Compliance among MDAs and effecting a high level of professionalism in the industry.
  • E-government solutions provider of the year – Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc

Nigeria Wins 16th African Karate Federations Zone 3 Championships

Team Nigeria has won the 16th Union of African Karate Federations Zone 3 Championships in Cotonou by winning seven medals.

Team Nigeria won two gold, two silver, and four bronze at the Championships that took place between 6th and 13th August 2017.

According to Godspower Ede, media aide to the President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria:

“The national karate team made up of six athletes – four boys and two girls, put up a superlative performance to win two gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the championship.”

Ede commended the President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria, Silas Agara, for making sure Nigeria participated in the championships after four years absence.

Tioluwani Comfort Emerge University of Wales 2017 Best Graduating Student

Tioluwani Comfort has emerged the 2017 best graduating student with distinction in Law (LLM) at University of Wales, United Kingdom. She is a graduate of the University of Abuja where she got her first degree in law.

According to Tioluwani Comfort:

“I attribute my success to the Lord Jesus Christ because nobody receives anything on earth except it be given to him from heaven because in all fairness, I never expected that I would graduate with a distinction in LLM Law let alone graduate as the best student. Romans 9:16: “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

I cannot claim that I read a lot but I can claim that I prayed a lot to achieve this. Thus I attribute this success to Jesus, who is the lifter of my head. The prayers of my parents also went a long way to make this happen. It symbolises the fact that Jesus still answers prayers. Also, faith in God with hard work pays.”