13072019 - Buhari on new cabinet: I’ll never appoint ‘strangers’ again

<strong>Buhari</strong> to Super Eagles: Two
more victories to trophy
Nigerian
President,
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> has
congratulated the Super Eagles for
another spectacular outing that
has confirmed Nigeria’s progress
to the ‘Next Level’ in the Africa Cup
of Nations (AFCON) Egypt 2019.
With a well-deserved victory over
the Bafana Bafana of South Africa,
President <strong>Buhari</strong> believes, like
millions of other sports-loving
Nigerians, that the mission of
having the trophy in our hands for
the fourth time is almost
accomplished for the high flying
Super Eagles,
reports Voice of
Nigeria.
The president
urged the team
and their handlers
to remain focused,
disciplined and
scale the
remaining two
hurdles to glory.
He affirmed that
the crop of players
in the national
football
represent
resilient
team
the
and
WRESTLING: Adekuoroye, Oborududu
storm Istanbul for Ranking Series
eigning Commonwealth champions
ROdunayo Adekuoroye and Blessing
Oborududu will on Tuesday night depart
Nigeria for Istanbul, Turkey ahead of the
prestigious Yasar Dogu Ranking Series
event which runs from 11th to 14th July,
2019.
The pair, who recently retained their
respective national titles at the 3rd Gov.
Dickson Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa,
Bayelsa State, will be guided by
experienced women’s head coach, Purity
Akuh.
The 4-day tournament will have in
attendance over 150 female wrestlers from
20 countries around the globe, who will
be vying for crucial ranking points ahead
GOtv Boxing Night 19: 'Watch out for
me', Showmax tells fans
aheed “Showmax” Shogbamu
Whas declared that he is ready to
be the next big thing in Nigerian boxing.
The fast-growing light welterweight
fighter and product of GOtv
Boxing Next-gen Search, is billed to
face Akeem “Sugar Boy” Olaiwola in
a national challenge bout at GOtv
Boxing Night 19 on 21 July at the
Indoor Sports Hall of the National
Stadium, Lagos.
Speaking in an interview during
the week, Shogbamu, who has built
a fearsome reputation in such a short
time, said he aims to dominate the
light welterweight division in the
country, Africa and the world.
“I came into the sport at a very
young age and I have been learning.
There is also a wide scope of
improvement for me because I am
still young. I am being trained by the
best coaches available, so I am on the
right path," he said.
GOtv Boxing Night 19, a nine-bout
show, will be headlined by feature
the international welterweight challenge
between reigning West African
Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight
champion, Rilwan “Babyface”
Babatunde of Nigeria and Eden Biki
of Ghana.
Also lined up is a string of explosive
match-ups featuring big-name
ring artists. These include national
lightweight challenge bouts between
reigning African Boxing Union
(ABU) lightweight champion, Oto
“Joe Boy” Joseph and Tope “Berinja”
Agboola; as Hammed “Ese
Hammed” Ganiyu against current
West African Boxing Union (WABU)
lightweight champion, Rilwan “Real
One” Oladosu.
Former ABU featherweight champion,
Waidi “Skoro” Usman will go
head-to-head with Taiwo “Esepo”
Agbaje; while Kazeem “The Light”
indomitable Nigerian spirit, which
must be reflected in all other areas
of national life.
President <strong>Buhari</strong> assured the
players that Nigerians are praying
for them to fly higher and get to
the peak of the tournament,
knowing that the taste of victory is
sweet and what they have achieved
so far is pleasing to Nigerians
irrespective of ethnic, religious or
political inclination.
The Nigerian team defeated
South Africa 2-1 in the quarterfinal
match on Wednesday.
President <strong>Buhari</strong> welcomes Super Eagles
players to the State House
of the 2019 World Championships in
Kazakhstan in September.
Adekuoroye, a World silver-medallist
in 2017, will be competing in the 57kg
weight class, while 9-time African
champion Oborududu will battle for
ranking points in her usual 68kg category
at the tournament.
Nigeria’s Aminat Adenyi (62kg), a twotime
Commonwealth champion herself,
who is also listed for the Yasar Dogu event
will miss the trip due to visa issues.
The contingent will depart the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport Lagos
via a Turkish Airline flight by 8:50pm on
Tuesday night, and arrive Istanbul by
5:30am the next day (Wednesday).
Oliwo will face Tope “TP Rock” Musa.
The light welterweight category
also promises a cracking duel between
Adeyemi “Spirit” Adekanla
and Isaac “I Star” Chukwudi
Also on the card are two female
bouts, which will see Rodiat Ibrahim
take on Rodiat Yusuf, while Adedeji
Abiodun swaps punches with Cynthia
Ogunsemilore.
The best boxer at the event will go
home with a cash prize of N1 million
alongside the Mojisola Ogunsanya
Memorial Trophy.
GOtv Boxing Night 19 will be
beamed live on Africa’s biggest sport
channel, SuperSport, in 47 African
countries.
No regrets using football to develop young
talents - Martin Apugo
he President of the Diamond Football
TAcademy,Hon. Martin Ikechukwu Apugo is
certainly a fulfilled man not for the heights he has
attained in life but for the reasons of making
something out of nothing.
His passion for football as a boy who came from
Umuahia Abia State growing into the excitement
of playing soccer as a kid, made him establish a
football Academy just for the fun of it,and younger
lads often come with canvass, shoes and slippers,
at some point he spends his money on refreshment
buying food before you know it those of the players
without proper football kits were gradually
equipped to proper sports outfits.
The dream of yesterday became his excitement
today, excitement over his efforts and dreams in
building the Academy with the sole purpose of
discovering talents from the streets within his
locality and across Nigeria.
A project he started selflessly with no intentions
of making out gains, Apugo spoke about this
passion again during the talent hunt tournament
Billionaire oil and gas magnate,
Femi Otedola has thrown light
on why he stepped in to help
former Captain and Coach of the
Super Eagles Christian Chukwu get
quality medical treatment abroad.
Chukwu returned to the country
this week after undergoing surgery
and sundry treatments at the Wellington
Hospital, Circus Road, St
John’s Woods London.
Speaking when the former Nigerian
defender fondly called ‘Chairman’
paid him a thank you call yesterday
in Lagos, Otedola said he was moved
when he heard about Chukwu’s situation.
“I was moved when I head about
Mr Chukwu’s situation because I remember
that about 20 years ago, my
father, the late Sir Michael Otedola
also suffered a stroke from using fake
aspirin.
“This experience has over time
made me to appreciate that good
medical attention can give a good
and prolonged life and that was what
motivated me to rise up and assist
Mr Christian Chukwu,” observed
Otedola who was represented at the
event by Ag. Chief Operating Officer
of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Company
Limited, Mr Philip Akinola.
While admitting that the treatment
expenses of Chukwu has cost him
N36.6million, Otedola revealed that
he has derived joy in spending the
money God blesses him with to assist
a fellow Nigerian who has done
great things for the country.
“In my circle of friends, many
spend up to N50million to drink
champagne and generally enjoy life,
but at the end of it all what happens?
It passes out of the body as waste.
at the Academy's playground, when the African football
heritage was showcased to the amazement of
Manchester United scouts and other scouts across
Europe who described the skills they saw in the young
stars whose age ranged from 14 to 20 years as
inexplicable .
He also said that part of his passion for the Academy
is because it pays in terms of youth development, a feat
that earned 3 of the Academy players, notably Samuel
Chukwueze and. Kelechi Nwakali a call up to the
national team under 17 which eventually won the 2015
U-17 World Cup in Chile.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 13, 2019—43
Otedola welcomes Chukwu from
London
•Explains why he footed his medical bill
•Oborodudu
L - R, Mrs. Lilian Chukwu(wife), Chukwu, Philip Akinola(Rep of Femi
Otedola) and Ada, Chukwu's daughter.
For me therefore (and I also tell my
friends) it is important to use such
money to benefit others and put
smile on the faces of as many people
as we can,” he reasoned.
Otedola also hinted that this gesture
was not a on off thing. “ People
may not be aware but Mr. Peter Fregene,
another former Green Eagles
goalkeeper is currently being assisted
with his medical situation and we
are confident that he will also come
out of the hospital strong and
healthy.”
Interestingly, Otedola’s large heart
of magnanimity is not limited to
former sports men and women alone.
He is currently also footing the hospital
bills of a popular actor, Mr Victor
Olaotan in a Turkish hospital.
CP Zubairu H. Muazu (m) poses with members of Police Darters
Association
Olaotan was a lead character in the
popular tv soap opera series, Tinsel.
“For me, it is just my nature to give
back to the society and these philanthropic
gestures are just a tip of the
iceberg. I am humbled by the gratitude
being expressed by Mr Chukwu
but I believe that all thanks belong
to God and I thank God for putting
me in a position to be able to be
of assistance,” concludes Otedola.
In his response, Chukwu said only
God can repay Otedola’s generosity
towards him.
The ceremony was witnessed by
Chukwu’s wife, daughter and
younger sister who accompanied him
to London during his treatment
there.
Ojajuni leads Lagos state Archery
association
By Jacob Ajom
he newly constituted board of the Lagos State Archery
TAssociation has been inaugurated.
The eight member board has ACP Bode Ojajuni as chairman
and Mike Egbayelo as vice chairman. Other members
are Ladipo Alapini, Alhaji Rasheed Gbadamosi,
Wendy Adeniji, Dapo Sotuminu, Kunle Akintimehin and
Coach Lucky Izekor.
Chairman of the board, ACP Bode Ojajuni said outlined
the board's plan was to ensure mass participation of Lagosians
in the sport across the state.
“It is worthy of note that our board has set a new record
as Archery has become the fastest growing sport in Lagos,”
Ojajuni said.
He said there was also a plan in place to intensify efforts
at spreading the sport in schools in the state. “our catchthem-young
programme will see to the inauguration of
Archery clubs in secondary schools across the state”.
Explaining the board's strategic plan for the year, Vice
Chairman of the association, Mike Egbayelo said “the
primary objective is to make Archery the flagship of sports
in Lagos state and make Lagos the home of Archery in
Nigeria.
“We intend to achieve this by expanding the scope of
participation and work hard to entice
corporate Nigeria to get involved
in the development of the sport.”
He pleaded with the state government
to support the association even
as he called on wealthy individuals
to identify with their programmes.
Twenty five Archery clubs from
across the state were also inaugurated
at the event which also witnessed
the investiture of Patrons.
Police Darters
host Grand
Patrons
T
he Nigeria Police Darters Associa
tion, recently, organized a 3-day
Patron’s Cup Competition to hosts
its Life Grand Patron, CP Zubairu H.
Muazu at the Ikeja Police College.
SUPOL Martha Nwokolo, the Police
Darters Coach, said the hosting
is timely now that the Life Grand
Patron is presently the Lagos State
Commissioner of Police and is to honour
him as the founder and initiator
of Darts game in the Nigeria Police.
The Nigeria Police Darts Vice Chairman,
SUPOL Isah Wakili, in his address,
announce that the CP Zubairu
H. Muazu will no longer be addressed
as Grand Patron but Life
Grand Patron.
In his remark, the Life Grand Patron,
CP Zubairu H. Muazu said, he
is very happy to be present in person
and announced that the competition
will be an annual event.
The Grand Patron appreciate the
efforts of the organisers and all participants
for the maximum turnout
and reward the winners in cash for
both male and female for their outstanding
performance where the 1st,
2nd and 3rd get N30,000, N20,000
and N10,000 respectively.
The Darters also organized a brief
surprise birthday bash for their Matron
cum Technical Assistance, Evangelist
Adekunbi Akin-Taylor.