NIGERIAN NOTCH

In a significant development for African sports, Valentine Ozigbo, Chairman of Feet 'N' Tricks, has been appointed as the first-ever Non-Executive Director and leader for Africa on the Board of the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA).  This landmark appointment was announced by Steve Elias, Co-Founder and President of WFFA and Daniel Wood, Co-Founder and Secretary General of WFFA, during the World Freestyle Football Championship held on Saturday, November 25, 2023, at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. "Valentine is bringing some transformational event concepts, partnerships and networks into Freestyle Football, which is going to dramatically raise the profile of athletes, the community and the Sport as a whole across the globe," Mr Wood told the audience. "We couldn't be happier to have him on board as a key member of the team."  Echoing the enthusiasm, Steve Elias, Co-Founder and President of the WFFA added, "We are beyond excited...

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU has condemned the continuous illegal detention of Mazi Michael Obieze who was abducted in Aba, Abia State by the DSS since May 2022 for allegedly supporting the Biafra self-determination movement. In a statement made available to this medium by it's spokesperson Emma Powerful, said that "Mazi Micheal Obieze is not a  member of IPOB but only a sympathiser and supporter of the struggle for the restoration of Biafra. We wondered why Nigeria DSS detained him in their secret cell for being sympathetic to Biafra agitation for over a year." He said IPOB is calling on the free world and their leaders to prevail on the Nigeria government and its secret police to release all Biafrans in their custody or take them to court. But if they have murdered them in their custody, they should hand over their lifeless bodies to the families or IPOB family members for proper burial.  "Keeping these ...

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the Supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU has debunked the fallacious statement credited to the Army Chief of Staff that Simon Ekpa is the leader of IPOB.  They said that the Nigeria Army Chief is much aware that IPOB has disassociated herselves from criminal activities of Simon Ekpa and his autobandit gangs. Nigeria Army, DSS, Police and Simon Ekpa are all in collusion to blackmail Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB and ESN have no other leader except our supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU, the statement from Emma Powerful stressed. Recall, that the Nigeria Army's latest media outburst that Simon Ekpa is an IPOB leader is nothing other than blackmail towards the upcoming judgment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's Supreme Court case. Moreso, the linking of Simon Ekpa to IPOB leadership and his recent tweet  where he threatened to start violent evacuation of Nigeria military in the South East is part of their collective plans...

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has debunked insinuations suggesting that he would contest against President Bola Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election. The former Rivers State governor vowed that having worked for the emergence of Tinubu as president, and having been made minister of the FCT, nothing would make him contest against his principal in 2027. The minister who spoke on a live television programme in Abuja yesterday also said good character should never be compromised on the altar of politics. Wike reiterated his commitment to the success of the Tinubu administration, even as he explained that the quest for justice was the key reason he and the G5 group of governors supported the presidential ambition of Tinubu. He stated: “Tinubu made me the FCT minister and I won’t allow anybody to crumble our political structure. No! Tinubu made me minister; people do not understand. I have character. “What will happen in 2027? I stood and ...

By C. Don Adinuba   In his famous study of leadership, Jim Collins, regarded as one of the most engaging leadership scholars across the globe, states in his book entitled Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t, that there are otherwise excellent leaders who have the weakness of not wanting their successors to do very well. They relish being described as indispensable, even after they have left office. You can never hear them say anything positive about their predecessors or successors. But the best and most effective leaders, according to Collins, are those who acknowledge the contributions of others and are professionally competent as well as humble. “I am a giant because I am standing on the shoulders of other persons”, Nelson Mandela, a global hero, used to declare, as documented by his biographer, Martin Meredith, the resourceful historian, and journalist.   The Anambra State government and people demonstrated what Collins calls Level ...

After about six hours of deliberations between President Bola Tinubu, Ondo state officials, the All Progressives Congress, APC, members and other stakeholders, the political logjam in Ondo was resolved. The parties converged on Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, on President Tinubu’s invitation yesterday. Recall that the state assembly had served the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, an impeachment notice following alleged gross misconduct. The deputy governor subsequently challenged his impeachment in court. Also, the continued absence of Governor Akeredolu after his return from a medical vacation abroad has further heightened tensions in the state. Supporters of Aiyedatiwa threatened to protest last week if the governor failed to resume. They demanded that in the alternative, Aiyedatiwa be declared acting governor. Notable personalities including the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and traditional rulers, appealed to the President to intervene. Things came ...

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Olayemi Cardoso, has said that the apex bank will be asking Deposit Money Banks to increase their capital base in order to service the $1tn economy projected by President Bola Tinubu. This is as he noted that he knew that there was much work to be done in the way the apex bank ran its operations, adding that he would need the collaboration of all stakeholders. Speaking on Friday at the 58th Annual Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Lagos where he was the special guest of honour, Cardoso said, “In my recent speech at the 370th Bankers’ Committee meeting, I highlighted the economic agenda of the President. The administration has set an ambitious goal of achieving a GDP of $1tn over the next seven years. “Attaining this target necessitates sustainable and inclusive economic growth at a significantly higher pace than current levels. It is crucial to evaluate the adequacy of our banking industry to serve the...

An Indian national, Amit Kumar Uphandhay has been on wanted list of security agencies over an alleged duping of Nigerian pharmaceutical merchants.  Mr. Uphandhay is said to have swindled unsuspecting businessmen a whooping sum of about three million Dollars. The forty six year old Indian swindler, was said to be operating with Future Pharmaceutical Co. Pvt Ltd and Burmit Pharma Pvt Ltd as his business names with the Office Address at No. 502, 5th floor, Tanishka Commercial Premises, Akurli Road, Kandivali, Mumbai. This News medium gathered his last known phone number was said to be +919769877107. According to credible source, "He swindled pharmaceutical merchant based in Kano popularly known as Ejima $750,000. Another pharmaceutical merchant based at head bridge market Onitsha called Paul the sum of $485,000.  He also defrauded another trader at Idumota, Lagos trading in the name of Puremedi pharmaceutical $685,000." a victim revealed. It was also gathered that th...

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has charged the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to make good its promise of ensuring the refining of petroleum products locally by the year 2024.  According to Senator Akpabio, local refining would ensure job creation for the teeming youths in the country and ultimately reduce incidents of pipeline vandalization and oil theft that are being experienced in the sector. “I am insisting you deepen the idea of producing what we consume, while we consume what we produce,” he said. Senator Akpabio gave the charge when the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari led management staff of the Company on a courtesy visit to the Senate and assured that the Senate would put in place legislation that would ensure the ease of doing business in the oil and gas sector.  The President of the Senate commended the NNPCL for the achievement in running the Company profitably unlike t...

The federal government has revoked a total of 1,633 mineral titles after the affected mining companies failed to pay the stipulated administrative fees. The minister of solid minerals development, Dr Dele Alake, who disclosed this during a press briefing yesterday at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja, said that the ministry will immediately dispatch its mining inspectorate department and security agencies to enforce the revocation order to make sure the affected firms do not go back to the mining sites.   He described the service fees in question as peanuts compared to the profit margins of the companies and said their refusal to pay the annual charges was a sign of bad faith. The minister also revealed that the mineral title fees will be reviewed upwards in view of the significant technological and infrastructural investments the government had made in the sector. In the statement he personally signed, Dr Alake explained said the Mining Cadastral Office is t...