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The Anambra State Government has commended the state fire service for containing fire outbreaks throughout the state in a professional way. In a letter by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, addressed to the Managing Director of the Anambra State Fire Service, Air Vice Marshall Ben Chiobi (rtd), the government specifically mentioned the agency's prompt response to the fire at the Onitsha Main Market on Wednesday afternoon. “The reaction time of the fire service was superb and its handling of the fire at the Plaza Section of the internationally famous market  exceedingly impressive”, Adinuba said. He noted that no lives were lost in the incident, despite the fact that the fire started in a place with plenty of combustible materials. “Your men contained the fire no sooner than it began, making a lot of people in the great commercial city unaware there was such an incident”. Adinuba also acknowledged cooperation from sister agencies in the ...

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its nationwide protest slated for Thursday, 27th January and Wednesday, 2nd February . NLC President, Ayuba Waba said the decision was reached at its National Executive Council meeting of the Congress held on Tuesday morning. He said the decision to suspend the protest was based on suspension of the proposal to stop subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government. Wabba said members of the NLC who had been mobilised would be demobilised following the decision to suspend the protest.

Sir Paschal Isele, Global President, ACCIOBA The Annunciation Catholic College Irrua Old Boys Association (ACCIOBA) has instituted a N100 million endowment fund and completed eye-popping  infrastructure to support the re-development of their alma mater in the Edo State community.  Dr. Joseph Ohens, President,  ACCIOBA North America The unveiling of the various completed and ongoing projects coincided with the school's maiden Nine Lessons and Christmas Carols festival, which also featured the award of cash and scholarships to deserving students of the school, which was founded in 1955. At the event, ACCIOBA announced N70 million had already been raised from the N100 million Scholarship and Endowment fund just launched. It  unveiled a fully completed six-bedroom Corpers' Lodge, a 500-capacity College Auditorium, and a 20-bed ultra-modern medical centre which is now in its completion stages. Other projects showcased at the event included a perimeter fence constructed a...

  This evening, Nigeria will know the last hurdle to a seventh appearance in this year's FIFA World Cup finals.   While waiting to battle Tunisia on Sunday for the quarterfinal ticket of the ongoing 33rd Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the Super Eagles will have their attention directed at the final phase of Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup starting on November 21.   What is sure is that Nigeria will not be paired with the dethroned continental champions Algeria, or Senegal, who the North Africans defeated to win the title in 2019.   Tomorrow's opponents in Garoua, Tunisia and Morocco are not on the path of Nigeria either.   Like Nigeria, these sides are seeded in the draw based on their FIFA rankings.    Among the teams that will be in the hat for Nigeria are Egypt, the continent's most decorated team, and the hosts of AFCON 2021 Cameroon.   The others are Ghana, Mali and DR Congo.   The Pharaohs of Egypt, who su...

By C. Don Adinuba As Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the first African to serve as Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, turns 89 today, the government and people of Anambra State celebrate this global citizen who thinks home. He is in every sense exemplary. One of the most decorated Africans in modern history, as exemplified by 34 honorary doctoral degrees he has received from various local and foreign universities, Chief Anyaoku’s tenure as the Commonwealth chief executive from 1990 to 2000 is spoken about throughout the world in nostalgic terms. The organization, for example, became a global vehicle for the mobilization of democratic values like holding periodic free and fair elections but also upholding the dignity of the human person. He was thus easily reelected at the summit in Cyprus in April, 1995. One of the most respected voices across the globe, Chief Anyaoku has served as the president of the Worldwide Foundation and on the board of the International Institute for Strateg...

The result of the controversial Match No 11 of the ongoing Cameroon 2021 stays at Tunisia 0, Mali 1. That is the verdict of the Organising Committee of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Following Tunisia's protest of the Group F game that was abruptly ended by centre referee Janny Sikazwe on Wednesday, which had ended one-nil in favour of Mali, the committee reviewed the situation late Thursday and dismissed the petition.  The result of that Matchday 1 fixture placed the  Les Aigles  as joint leaders of Group F together with fellow West Africans, Gambia.  “After examining the protest of Tunisia and all the match officials’ reports, the committee decided to dismiss the protest lodged by the Tunisian team. ”It also decided that the match result will stand as 1-0 in favour of Mali", CAF said in a short statement late Thursday. Sikazwe, from Zambia, had stirred controversy during the match with some inexplicable decisions. Twice, he ended the match before...

The shape of the Round of 16 of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (Cameroon 2021) will begin to emerge from today. The contenders will be separated from the also-rans as the Matchday 2 of the competition gets underway with hosts Cameroon taking on Ethiopia. If the Indomitable Lions aspire to be the first team to cross the line to the first knock stage, they have to avoid the mistakes of their opening day game. In the presence of the dignitaries who had just witnessed the fanfare that heralded the tournament, Burkina Faso stunned the home side in the 24th minute through 25-year-old midfielder Gustavo Sangaré. But Vincent Aboubakar's penalty brace demonstrated the bravery of the Lions. While Cameroon's second win will take them further in the competition, that result may see Ethiopia out of it. A second defeat for the East Africans may see them on their way out of Cameroon unless they win their final group match well and other factors work their way. Cape Verde, who shocked Ethiopi...

Only 12 goals were scored at the conclusion of the first round of matches in Cameroon 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Ten goals in 12 matches may suggest that the defence lines of the 24 teams in Cameroon are tighter than those of Egypt 2019 when the 24-team format was introduced. Or, could it be that the attackers aren't getting as much supplies as required? In 2019, the 24 teams on parade struck 27 times in total in the first set of matches, an average of 2.25 goals per match, unlike this edition's one goal per match. The opening match of  Cameroon 2021 produced the highest number of goals; the hosts coming from behind to beat Burkina Faso 2-1. Since then, there have been nine lone goal wins plus two barren results. Among the goalless outcomes was the most shocking - Sierra Leone denying defending champions Algeria victory. The other was that of Sudan against Guinea-Bissau. It then means that there is no indication of the teams that will progress to the second round. In Groups B,...

Former Interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan is dead. He was 85 last 9th May. Family sources said the incident happened in Lagos. S honekan was appointed to replace military President Ibrahim Babangida on 26th August 1993 whose regime was enmeshed in political crisis following the voiding of the 12th June 1993 presidential election which billionaire businessman Chief Moshood Abiola won but was victory by the Babangida junta. He was kicked out of office 84 days later by the then Minister of Defence, General Sani Abacha. Babangida had appointed Shonekan as Head of Transitional Council on 2nd January 1993. That body was designed to be the final phase leading to a scheduled hand over to an elected democratic leader of Nigeria's Third Republic. Before his political venture, Shonekan was a well known businessman, particularly in his years as Chairman and Chief Executive of then leading conglomerate, United African Company of Nigeria (UACN). UACN was then the largest African-contro...

The Council of Maritime Transport Union Associations (COMTUA) has demanded an end to alleged extortion of truckers on the port access road in Lagos. This practice, it said, was common among officials of the enforcement team responsible for the free flow of traffic in and out of the port. The union named the Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) among the perpetrators. COMTUA President Yinka Aroyewun alleged that truckers have become cash cows for officials of these government outfits and agency. The union leader urged the Police to end the extortion outside the port premises. He said: “The Maritime industry is so large that it contributes about 40 per cent of revenue to the government coffers yearly. “We are members of COMTUA. Some people believe when they talk about union, you are talking about louts. But we are law-abiding citizens who know the importance of the Maritime sector to the economy". But the Assistant Inspecto...

Pope Francis yesterday rose  vehemently   in support of vaccination against coronavirus describing the act as a “moral obligation”. The Catholic Pontiff denounced how people had been swayed by “baseless information” to refuse vaccination - one of the most effective measures to save lives. In a speech to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, the Pope used some of his strongest words yet calling people to get vaccinated. The annual event allows the Pontiff take stock of the world and set out the Vatican’s foreign policy goals for the year. The 85-year-old Pope has generally shied away from speaking about vaccination as a “moral obligation”, though his COVID-19 advisory body has referred to it as a “moral responsibility”. Rather, Francis has termed vaccination as “an act of love” and that refusing to get inoculated was “suicidal”. But, he has now gone a step further in a formal speech, saying that individuals had a responsibility to care for themselves “and this translates into...

Contrary to earlier reports, the Lagos State government is not contemplating shutting down schools that failed to start the new term on 4th January as directed by it. The Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni said should a measure would be counter-productive to learning. In a statement on Monday, Seriki-Ayeni said that 640 out of the 720 schools visited by the OEQA complied with directive on resumption date, which is a compliance rate of about 89 per cent. While commending the schools that adhered to the state’s resumption date,  the OEQA DG lamented that about 80 schools failed to comply. She said that the OEQA would not go beyond issuing letters and placing stickers of non-compliance on the gates of schools that disobeyed the directive. The OEQA boss clarified that the directive for public and private schools to maintain a uniform calendar was not new as it had been in place for several years. She, however, said the renewed enfor...

The International Monetary Fund has advised emerging economies including Nigeria to allow their currencies to depreciate in response to tighter funding conditions and an imminent policy tightening by the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States. The Washington-based lender also counselled the Central Bank of Nigeria and the apex banks of emerging economies to raise their benchmark interest rate in preparation for the Fed policy tightening. The IMF disclosed this in a blogpost titled, ‘Emerging Economies Must Prepare for Fed Policy Tightening,’ on Monday. According to the fund, while changes in the global economic outlook appear positive, especially in the United States, these changes are uncertain for emerging markets. It noted that emerging markets with high public and private debts, foreign exchange exposures, and lower current-account balances had been seeing larger movements of their currencies relative to the US dollar in recent months. As a result, the IMF said the combination o...

It's Day 3 of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations and Nigeria's interest in the competition will rev into higher gear. The Super Eagles get their campaign off the ground with a top class clash against the Pharaohs of Egypt. Chasing a record-extending eighth win of the title, Egypt have the added advantage in squad member Mohamed Salah, one of the world's prolific wingers. With 16 goals so far, Salah is the leading scorer in the English Premier League this season. And his side Liverpool have 18 games to conclude the season, meaning Salah is on the way to eclipse his previous season's goal haul of 22. While Egypt have their main threat on show, Nigeria will be without leading striker Victor Osimhen. Together with Zambia's Patson Daka, the Napoli star led the goal chart with five goals in the qualifiers for Cameroon 2021. He also turned in four goals to support Nigeria's journey to the last qualifying phase of this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Osimhen suffered in...

Buhari receives in audience APC Chieftain Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in State House on 10th Jan 2022. PHOTO: Bayo Omoboriowo The genie is finally out of the bottle! After meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in his office this afternoon, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu broke the news that has been on political pundits' lips for months: he will join the 2023 Presidential race. “I have informed the President of my ambition but I have not informed Nigerians yet, I am still consulting,” the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) told State House media. His spokesman, Tunde Rahman confirmed the words of his boss, and assured that a full statement would follow later. Since concluding his two-term tenure as Governor of Lagos State in 2007, Tinubu has remained relevant in Nigeria politics. He has delivered the governorship of the state since then and also spread his tentacles to other states, particularly in Nigeria's southwest region. In 2013, he teamed u...

Remo Stars immediately reclaim top spot from Rivers United, thanks to Samuel Anakwe's 55th minute goal which earns the Ikenne-Remo side maximum points. The Sky Blue Stars have now established a two-point gap at the summit with five matches played. Only Remo Stars and second placed Rivers United remain unbeaten as Nasarawa United eventually succumbed in Uyo to Dakkada who have to wait till the 90th minute for Emmanuel Ayaosi to strike the winning goal. Aniekan Ekpe shoots Dakkada ahead in the third minute, Michael Tochukwu cancels that 30 minutes later. Nasarawa United are now 11th on the log having dropped four spots, while Dakkada climb to eighth from 15th. Enyimba win the match of the weekend just three minutes to the end. Emmanuel Godwin is the hero for the home side who suffered back-to-back defeated prior to this game. That result sees Enyimba bounce back to the top three from No 10, while Shooting Stars crash back to the relegation zone (No 18) from 13th place. Rangers deny K...

Delayed, troubled, AFCON 2021 kicks off as 24 teams chase 1 title By Muyiwa Akintunde Which national team will wear the African football crown on Sunday 6th February? Seven matches, no defeat at the knockout stages will deliver the trophy to that team at the grand finale to be held  at the  Stade Omnisport Paul Biya (otherwise known as  Olembe Stadium) in Olembe,    Yaoundé , Cameroon. As the 33rd edition of the continent's flagship competition kicks off, pundits and fans have their favourites among whom are title holders Algeria, who have only won the tournament once when they hosted in 1990 beating Nigeria by a lone goal in the final. The Super Eagles had been humiliated by the Desert Warriors 5-1 in the opening match a fortnight earlier. Expected to shine and perhaps break the voodoo are the Teranga Lions of Senegal. Africa's No 1 rated team who painfully lost the final of Egypt 2019 by a lone goal, just as they did in Mali 2002 to Cameroon in ...