The Full quarter final #UCLdraw has been released and we must say, they are epic clashes.
Spanish club, Atletico Madrid will face reigning Champions of England, Leicester. Two European heavyweights, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid met in 10 knockout ties, and won five each. Borussia Dortmund will take on Monaco while La Liga giants, Barcelona will battle with out with Juventus.
Interesting ties.
Olajumoke releases beautiful photos as she celebrates 1 year of stardom.
Olajumoke Orisaguna, the lady whose meteoric rise from obscurity to stardom shook the country to its core a year ago has released new lovely photos to celebrate her one year in stardom. Recall that the beautiful bread seller was discovered by ace photographer, TY Bello during a photoshoot for UK-based singer, Tinie Tempah.
The model recently declared her intention to venture into the make-believe world.
Photo by Phillip Trimnell.
Ahmad Ahmad is the new CAF president
Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar has emerged the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
He beat Issa Hayatou who presided over Africa’s football ruling body for 29 years. While Ahmad garnered a total of 34 votes, the Cameroonian pulled 20 votes at an election which took place today at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ahmad, the head of Madagascan Football Association ousted Hayatou who was running for the 8th term in office.
Hayatou’s loss will see him leave his positions as president in Africa, FIFA vice president and a member of its ruling council. Those positions will be taken over by the President
Stephanie Linus’ Foundation carries out 35 repairs of VVF patients in Kebbi State
The Extended Hands Foundation, a non-governmental organization with sponsorship from NNPC/SNEPCo has completed the successful repair of 35 Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients in Kebbi State. The pool effort took place at the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development VVF Center in Gesse, Birin-Kebbi and received the co-operation of the Kebbi State Government.
Led by the founder Stephanie Linus, the Extended Hands Foundation team was received by the Governor of the state Dr Abubakar Bagudu and the First Lady Dr Zainab Bagudu. They both paid visits to the women at the VVF Center, showing their support for the cause.
All the repairs have been completed successfully and the women are recovering well.
Stephanie Linus, who spent some time with the women at the VVF Center during the course of the exercise, expressed her appreciation to the sponsors of the pool effort – NNPC/SNEPCo for investing in this cause. She also added that this was the second time the foundation was carrying out such an exercise in Kebbi state.
The team of medical staff was led by Dr Sa’ad Idris, a seasoned VVF Surgeon and former Commissioner for Health in Zamfara State with over 20 years experience in the field. He was assisted by Dr Abubakar Bawa, and other doctors and nurses at the VVF Center.
Against the backdrop of her Child Bride and Fistula advocacy movie, DRY, Stephanie Linus has been taking the message of restoration and hope to real women suffering from VVF. This pool effort goes a long way to show that DRY is more than just a movie, but a tool for touching the lives of women actually living with this condition.
Messi raises awareness to end conflict in Syria
Barcelona FC star, Lionel Messi is heartbroken by the plight of Syrians and has taken to his social media account to call the world’s attention to the crisis in the Middle East.
The Argentine who has over 88 million fans on Facebook implored the world to call for the end of conflict in the region.
“A war day is too much. The children of Syria have been subjected to violence and cruelty for SIX years in a conflict that holds them hostage. As a father and as a UNICEF’s Ambassador I am heartbroken. Add your voice to UNICEF to demand the end of the war.” He wrote
The Appalling State of Nigerian Airports |By: Tony Ogunlowo
From the 8th of March the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport, in Abuja, Nigeria’s second busiest airport will close for approximately six weeks for repairs. It is to enable the authorities carry out essential maintenance work on the facilities and pot-holed runway. Julius Berger, contracted to do the job, are ready and have promised to have it ready in time.
As an alternative all flights are being re-routed to Kaduna, a small regional airport, about two hundred kilometres away. To try and minimize disruption the government is providing free shuttle buses to and fro with armed police presence along the way as notorious armed robbers and kidnappers are known to prowl the route.
There are currently twenty-six airports in the country ranging from small regional ones to the much bigger international ones such as MMIA in Lagos. Under the auspices of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) a great many of these airports have been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair over the years. It’s not uncommon for these airports to have uncompleted structures, gaping holes in their runways, non-existent sanitary and passenger facilities, constant power failure and security issues. Some airports, like the one in Port Harcourt, are just glorified ramshackle motor parks complete with agberos and other unsavoury characters. Like with most other things in Nigeria there is a lack of constant maintenance. You can’t just close an international airport for six weeks to repair it, maintenance and refurbishment should be an ongoing concern 24/7, 365 days a year. Can you imagine the uproar if Heathrow airport in London or JFK in New York had to close for six weeks? Millions of passengers pass through these terminals every year, not to talk of freight. They don’t even close on Christmas day and they have a dedicated maintenance team that keeps the facilities and runways up to scratch round the clock.
But not in Nigeria, Lagos MMIA and Abuja airports are amongst the worst 10 airports in Africa and the disgrace-of-an-airport in Port Harcourt has been voted the world’s worst one.
You can’t just build an airport and forget about it, expecting it to self-repair itself when the need arises. The FAAN and successive governments have shown a total disregard for the upkeep of the airports. Many airports have uncompleted and abandoned structures, such as Yakubu Gowon or Port Harcourt airports, due to lack of adequate funds to complete the projects( – which could have been allocated and subsequently pilfered ?) putting both planes and passengers at great risk. Pilots are forever complaining about having to negotiate pot-holes on runways and in December 2013 a Saudi Arabian cargo plane damaged its undercarriage landing on a runway in Abuja.
All this is in addition to frequent power cuts which have seen not-so-friendly staff trying to get people on to flights using flashlights. The lack of power also affects navigational aids which are crucial to planes taking off and landing – and that’s if the landing aids are installed in the first place! There’s even been a case where passengers have been forced to use a step ladder to disembark from a plane because portable stairs were not available! Imagine some airports, in the 21st century, still using tents as check-in halls? Disgraceful!
On a rather embarrassing note whenever there is harmattan or bad weather over Lagos MMIA flights are diverted to Cotonu, next door, because they have better facilities and navigational aids – and the power doesn’t go! Better facilities, better runway, better navigational aids because the government of a miniscule country called Republic of Benin know the importance of maintaining an airport. In Nigeria, however, more important is the allocation of funds from the budget for the maintenance of the airport which will subsequently disappear into someone’s bank account and no work will be done.
Even the security around the airports is laughable: herders are known to take their cattle to graze on the grassy fields in between runways and armed robbers sometimes try to hijack planes taxiing.
Over fifteen million passengers use Nigerian airports every year and all these people expect these gateways into the country to be pleasant, well-maintained and safe. Using an airport in Nigeria is like catching a bus at the Mile Two bus stop with its non-existent shelters, area boys and agberos ready to prance on you, pot-holed dusty roads and that’s not to talk about the buses themselves which are death-traps on wheels.
The first impression anyone gets when visiting a new country is when they disembark at the airport. And if your airport is full of bolekaja personnel, appalling facilities and services and uncompleted buildings with bandits and herders roaming freely around you are not painting a positive picture of the country. No wonder Nigerian airports are bottom of the list on most travel websites.
Tony blogs at http://www.archangel641. blogspot.co.uk
Real Madrid to open their first soccer school in England.
Top Spanish club, Real Madrid have disclosed their plans to open their first soccer school in the British Isles. This project is a part of a partnership with a school in Croydon, South London.
The Real Madrid Foundation said in a statement, ‘The aim of the project is to support children and young people by offering them activities to develop their skills, both in sports and relational and social integration.” The school will be targeted at economically and socially disadvantaged youths between the ages of eight and 11
The project is a partnership between the Foundation, The Cedars and Football for Unity, a non-profit pro-football organisation, as well as the Kinetic Foundation, a Croydon sports charity. The school will be opened by Club legend, Emilio Butragueno on March 22.
Mercy Johnson, appointed SSA to Kogi State Governor
Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okogie, has been appointed Senior Special Assistant on entertainment, arts and culture by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
The 32-year-old actress was appointed alongside 53 other Senior Special Assistants and nine Special Assistants to the Governor as Federal Constituency Supervisors for the GYB Connect Programme on Tuesday.
Secretary to the State Government, Ayoade Arike, said the appointments which will be effective from April 1, are to “plug identified gaps in service delivery, fill key positions with the right people and to broaden inclusiveness in governance by bringing people from more communities on board.”
Confirming the appointment, the mother of 3 said, “I am gratified with the official notification reaching me on my Appointment as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor of Kogi State on Entertainment ,Art and Culture.
I am humbled, as i duely acknowledge this attending responsibility to serve my great state with the modest experience I have gathered over the years.
With depth of gratitude, I want to thank the Governor of Kogi State; His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his wife, the first lady of Kogi state Her Excellency Mrs Rashida Bello for this unparallel opportunity to serve.
My endless gratitude goes to my husband, Prince Odianosen Okojie for giving me his concent, knowing fully the sacrifices and adaptations he will have to put up with.
To all my family, friends, colleagues and fans, thank you for all your prayers and well wishes, I am eternally greatful to Almighty God, to him be all the glory.”
Michael Essien joins Indonesian club, Persib Bandung
Ex Chelsea and Ghana midfielder, Michael Essien has joined Indonesian club, Persib Bandung on a one year deal. Essien, who also had spells in Real Madrid and AC Milan had been a free agent since leaving Greek club Panathinaikos at the end of last season.
The 34-year told the club’s website: “Thank you for bringing me here. I’m excited and want to give my best.”
Teddy Tjahyono, a member of the club’s management, added: “The reason to bring Michael Essien is in order to increase the value of competition in Indonesia. Opening the door to the other world players to strengthen the team in Indonesia. The process to bring in players to this part of the world is quite difficult. It took months to negotiate.”
First Child Advocacy Centre in Nigeria Launched.
The Cece Yara foundation, Nigeria’s flagship advocacy organization in line with its aim and vision to effectively tackle the menace of child sexual abuse is set to open the doors of its ultra-modern relief and support centre in Lagos.
In recent times research has shown that the incidence of child sexual abuse in Nigeria is growing exponentially, statistics precisely state that one in four girls and one in ten boys experienced sexual violence before 18. As a response to these alarming figures, the establishment of the Cece Yara foundation has been a major breakthrough in the fight against child exploitation and sexual abuse. The Cece Yara foundation believes that childhood should be a phase of purity and complete innocence, a period when the character of an individual is formed. The phrase ‘Cece Yara’ means ‘Save the child’ in Hausa language.
The founder, Mrs. Bola Tinubu a lawyer and a staunch advocate for children believes that the future of every child, regardless of gender, race or social background, should be preserved. She is undauntedly ready to take on the fight against sexual abuse amongst children thus her drive and motivation for establishing and running the NGO.
The Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre provides a warm, safe and friendly shelter where survivors will be comfortable enough to rise above whatever experience they have been through. Having taken into cognizance the major problems which could arise from child sexual abuse, the centre is equipped with state of the art facilities tailored to assist the psychological and physical healing process of the survivor with a fully operational 24 hour hotline ready to cater to those in distress.
The foundation strives to put in place programs and campaigns aimed at preventing child sexual abuse, raising awareness on the issue and also giving the children a voice and a support system. The activities and successes of this organization are laudable and truly encouraging. One of the foundation’s recent accomplishments was getting justice for a 6 year old girl who was sexually violated by an adult male. The accused was detained and charged to court in October 2016. On the 16th of February 2017, the Cece Yara foundation claimed justice for the victim and the accused was sentenced to seven years imprisonment without the option of fine.
The Cece Yara foundation played a pivotal role in bringing the sex offender to book while providing legal support and psychological healing to the ‘survivor’ and her parents, through its Victim Advocacy Program. The victory serves as a deterrent to perpetuators of child sexual abuse in the country and a source of succour to survivors and their families
The centre will be opened officially to the public on the 19th of March 2017.