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Eagles open camp Wednesday

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The Super Eagles camp for the 2023 Africa Cup qualifying game against São Tomé and Príncipe will open in Uyo on Wednesday, The PUNCH reports.

The Eagles play the Selecao at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Sunday, September 10, in a dead rubber game.

Jose Peseiro’s side head into the game with their place at the AFCON in Ivory Coast next year already guaranteed with 12 points after beating Sierra Leone 3-2 in June.

Eagles coach, Peseiro had on Sunday named a 23-man squad for the encounter but had Alex Iwobi pull out due to injury.

In a chat with The PUNCH, Eagles media officer, Babafemi Raji, confirmed that the players were expected to resume camp on Wednesday.

“The camp opens on Wednesday and will be expecting most of the players in camp on that day as they’ve been able to travel on Monday and Tuesday. We are expecting a full house from day one. We will keep updating the media about the team’s progress as well as plans for the pre-match conference.”

Source: punchng.com

14 escape death in Ogun crash, FRSC blames speeding

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Fourteen persons were injured in a multiple accident that occurred at Magboro junction along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro gathered that three vehicles were involved in the crash that occurred around 8.30am after a Mazda bus reportedly rammed into a yellow commercial bus from behind at the junction, causing the other vehicles to lose control, leading to the crash.

 Residents who spoke with our correspondent who visited the scene after the crash said the yellow bus was badly damaged after it was hit by the Mazda bus.

 A driver, Salami Idris, who conveys passengers from Magboro to the Mowe area of the expressway, said he narrowly escaped, saying he and his passengers would have also been victims.

“The driver of the Mazda bus filled with passengers was speeding. It hit the yellow bus from behind, and the bus fell towards the sloppy part of the junction where commercial motorcyclists were usually stationed. It was God that saved us. The driver’s hand was badly injured and the bones on his hand were seen,” Idris said.

 A motorcyclist who gave his name as Ahmed said he saw officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps taking the injured victims away, expressing fear that some people might have died in the crash.

 But the spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector of the FRSC, Florence Okpe, when contacted, said nobody died and 21 passengers were involved while 14 of them were injured.

Okpe said, “No life was lost. It was a multiple crash and three vehicles were involved. The people involved were 21 in number, and 14 people got injured – eight males and six females. It was due to speeding and wrongful overtaking and one of the vehicles lost control.”

I underwent fitness training to act in ‘Jagun Jagun’— Bukunmi Oluwashina

An actress, Bukunmi Oluwashina, has said that she had to undergo fitness training in order to deliver on her dual roles of Kitan and Agemo in the acclaimed movie, ‘Jagun Jagun’.

In an interview with Saturday Beats, she said, “I knew it was going to be demanding, because of the characters I played, especially that of the warrior— Agemo. When I got the script, I immediately started going for fitness workouts. Because of my daughter, it was sometimes hard for me to go to the gym, so at times, I also worked out at home. I did that for a couple of weeks, before I joined them on set and started another round of training.”

Oluwashina also averred that the message in the movie was what Nigeria needed at the moment. She said, “I feel super excited about the reviews the movie has been getting. I knew it was going to be that way, because when I got on the set, I saw that everything was on point; from the actors to the equipment and locations. We had everything we needed to make a great movie. I am very proud of Femi Adebayo. It was a privilege featuring on that production. I appreciate him for counting me worthy to play those roles. I am sure his father (Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello) would be very proud of him. Being the son of a veteran is something to be excited about. The message from the movie is something we need now. The message of the film is resonating with the audience, in terms of our culture and tradition; and the way the country is being managed, particularly how the youths are being used against one another.”

The actress also stated that she and her co-star, Lateef Adedimeji, had a good working chemistry. She said, “People have been talking about the chemistry between me and Adedimeji. I believe that when two great actors work together, it is always exceptional and unique. I have worked with him many times, and it was great working together again. In a particular scene, he kept crying even when the director said, ‘cut’.”

source: @punchng.com

Orimerunmu residents blame heavy-duty trucks for bad road

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Landlords and residents of the Orimerunmu community located off the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State are lamenting the damage allegedly done to their only access road by the trucks of sand dredgers.

Our correspondent learnt from some of the residents that a dredging company claimed to have a licence from the state government to dredge sand from the river at the end of the community and started to scoop out sharp sand from the river.

Since then, according to the residents, the presence of the dredging company led to an influx of heavy-duty trucks into their community, which in turn destroyed the roads within the community.

One of the residents, Abdul Taofeek, said they had written many times to the local government chairman and the state government over the poor state of their road without any respite.

Another resident, Oladimeji Salau, told our correspondent that when the sand dredgers came with their equipment five years ago, members of the community did not know that they would experience any problems due to their operations.

 “Five years ago, some sand dredgers came here and started to dredge sharp sand from the river at the back of our community and when we challenged them, they said they got a permit from the Ogun State Government and nobody said anything but look at the way that they have destroyed our roads now. We are begging the local and state governments to come to our aid by constructing the road for us,” he said.

Another resident, Ariyo Sulaimon, said, “Sometimes, trucks fall due to the poor state of the road and despite our cries to the local and state governments, nothing has been done so far.”

Contacted, a consultant to the state governor on media, Kayode Akinmade, said, “The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has directed the local government chairmen in the state to make a list of their major roads the state government would rehabilitate and construct and parts of the directives are that they should liaise with the CDAs, community youths, market leaders and stakeholders for the identification of the major roads that need the government’s attention.

“We are still expecting them to do so but the Ogun State Government is ready to work on three major roads in every community in every local government that make up the state.”

Tinubu in meeting with Islamic leaders

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President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with a delegation of Nigerian Muslim leaders led by Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The group of Islamic leaders recently offered to interface with the coup leaders in Niger Republic on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States, got the approval, and actually interacted with the junta’s head, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

The Ulammas are meeting President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government, at the Presidential Villa to brief him on the outcome of their visit to Niger over the political situation in the country.

It would be recalled that the ECOWAS had taken steps to show its disapproval of the military takeover of power in Niger by imposing a series of sanctions and an ultimatum, which the body threatened could lead to an armed response.

The Ulammas, who are opposed to war with the Nigerien military, as threatened by ECOWAS, said that apart from the dire consequences of armed conflict, they were enjoined by their religious faith and the Quran to seek mediation first in cases like this before resorting to war.

Two farm workers jailed for stealing N606,000 catfish

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Justice O.O. Odumosu of a Magistrates’ Court sitting in the Isabo Area of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on Wednesday sentenced two persons, Adegoke Akinleye and Adediran Adewole, for stealing 404 pieces of catfish valued at N606,000 belonging to their boss, Ibukun Sanusi.

The convicts, who were workers on a farm located in Ilewo, Abeokuta, were arraigned on two counts of felony and stealing.

The prosecutor, Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the offences committed on January 24, 2023, contravened Sections 516(1) and 382(2) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State.

The charge read in part, “That you, Akinleye Adegoke, Adewole Adediran and others at large on January 24, 2023 at about 12noon at Abidelep Farm and Agro-Service Limited, Ilewo, Orile, Abeokuta in the magisterial district did conspire to commit felony and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 516(1) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State.

“That you, Akinleye Adegoke, Adewole Adediran and others at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did steal 404 pieces of catfish valued at N606,000 property of one Mrs Sanusi Ibukun and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 382(2) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State.”

In her judgment, Odumosu sentenced both convicts to six months imprisonment each for the first count and one-year imprisonment each for the second count.

 She, however, granted an option of fine for the convicts to the tune of N10,000 each for each jail term provided they can pay back the N606,000 to the complainant.

Amusan breezes into final, set for world title defence

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World champion and record holder in women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, is one race away from successfully defending the title she won in 2022 after easing into the final of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday.

She clocked a time of 12.56secs to win the second semi-final and take one of the automatic spots in the final, which comes up in the evening session on Thursday (today).

Like she did in the heats on Tuesday, Amusan picked up slowly from the starting block and crossed the line ahead of Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, who picked the second qualifying spot in the race in a time 12.60secs.

Amusan’s 12.56 is the eight best qualifying time for the final.

Relief, however, came two days before Budapest 2023, after a panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal, by majority decision, found her not guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period.

The final is slated for 7:22pm Nigerian time.

FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales over kiss

FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales on Thursday after the Spanish Football Federation president kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso on the lips following the Women’s World Cup final last weekend.

“The FIFA disciplinary committee informed Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final,” world football’s governing body said in a statement.

FIFA said the incident “may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA disciplinary code”.

Spain star Hermoso released a joint statement with union Futpro on Wednesday, which called for action to be taken against the RFEF president.

(We) underline that this behaviour is a form of sexual violence like any other, and cannot be justified in any way.”

Spain’s women’s football league, Liga F, has also called for Rubiales to be sacked.

The RFEF have opened an investigation into Rubiales’ conduct and are holding an emergency meeting on Friday.

Rubiales, 46, initially attacked his critics before eventually apologising but the criticism of his behaviour has not abated.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez previously said that Rubiales’ apology for the kiss was “not enough”.

We are in this boat together, I am the driver. President Tinubu tells the new ministers.

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President Bola Tinubu on Monday charged the 45 newly inaugurated Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to prioritise the interests and welfare of the entire nation and its diverse population, above any regional or state-specific considerations.

Speaking at the inauguration of new members of the Federal Executive Council at the State House Conference Centre, the President underscored the immense responsibility the ministers now bear in shaping policies that will significantly influence the lives of hundreds of millions of Nigerians.

“You are not a minister of a particular state, colony, region, or ethnic nationality. You are a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” President Tinubu declared, setting the tone for his directive to the new ministers.

“This is all about the cohesion and work of a great team, and I believe we now have it. It is an honour to be chosen to serve as a minister in the Federal Executive Council, and such a high honour comes with tremendous responsibility. In this moment of abundant promise and peril in equal measure, all of you that have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves. Nigerians are highly expectant of excellence in service delivery, accountability, and transparency,” he said.

“As your country honours you today, you must each work to make yourselves worthy in the eyes of God and our entire nation’s people. Your highest obligation is to restore public faith in government so that our people can once again believe that government can be a positive force for transformation and a vehicle for collective progress of all citizens of this great country,” President Tinubu said while congratulating each of the ministers and welcoming them to “the administration of Renewed Hope.”

He further affirmed that the newly appointed ministers were selected based on their track records of excellence in both the public and private sectors, noting their effective representation of the rich diversity present within Nigeria.

“In this new assignment, we are in this boat together, even if it is a vehicle, I am the driver. The entire nation sits watchful, as you and I navigate this vehicle. We must hold each other responsible. We have to do the job to meet the expectations of all Nigerians. God be with you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The event was witnessed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, among other dignitaries.

Obi’s camp denies planned merger with Atiku, Kwankwaso

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The LP national secretary disclosed that much as the party respects the privacy of its presidential candidate to associate with anybody, he vowed that Labour Party will never merge with any other political platform.

He, however, did rule out the possibility of an alliance.

“That is not true. I think it is the imagination of the writer. It has not come to us as a party. Whatever is going on, if at all it is true, Peter Obi is probably doing that as a candidate, which he has a right to do and associate with whoever he wants to associate with.

“But as a party, we are not thinking of a merger with any political party. And Labour Party will never merge with any party.

“Whatever the issue may be, we cannot take any decision until after the judgment of our election petition at the tribunal. But as a I mentioned earlier, count LP out of any merger with political parties. Alliance may be possible though,” he stated.

“But those who are close to Obi know he has no enemy, except for those fighting him unnecessarily. He is a Nigerian who will always interact with any other Nigerian for the good of Nigeria. But with the level of margin, I can tell you that for now, there is nothing like the merger you talked about.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, proved unsuccessful.

The Director of Publicity for the ruling party, Bala Ibrahim, however, dismissed the perceived threat such a merger could pose to the president.

“With my poor arithmetic, let me say if you can beat them individually, I don’t see any difficulty you will have beating them collectively.

“Whether they (Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso) merged or not, they will still remain below the ladder of the ruling party.” Bala boasted.

As of the time of filing this report, the National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Major Agbo, could however not be reached for clarification.

Isese festival mustn’t be eradicated — Traditionalists

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“In what Orunmila told us, the word of God is established, we have chosen a leader to teach us various languages. When he would gather some of them, he taught them various religions on Isese. He taught them to follow any religion that suited them, and he said one should not hinder one.

Traditionalists celebrating the Isese festival in Ondo State have declared that the festival would continue to be celebrated annually.

Speaking on International Isese Day on Sunday, the Araba Isese in Ondo State, Araba Folorunsho Adetunji, said the group was trying as much as possible to ensure the festival did not go into extinction as they infuse the culture into their children.

Adetunji said, “When we observed that our fathers had gathered and had observed this festival, where they stopped, we get involved. If there’s a festival and we don’t involve our children, such festival would get destroyed, that is why we have the religion of the Ifa Council gathered together.

“We, the youths of today, gathered together in a temple way, we gathered children together in order for them to know that this Isese should not be moved away from them.  You don’t have to be afraid of it, it is not something children should not see; that is why we gathered children for them to know that it is an important thing. It is the word of God being established, it is Irumole’s word we follow. It is how we are created; it is very important.

POLICE BAN RIDING OF OKADA WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED HELMET IN IJEBU ODE

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Following the new rule laid down by our DPO of Igbeba police division, CSP. CHRISTY OKPAGHORO who had Determine in her promised to fight crimes by making all efforts to leave no stone unturned.

She made this known in an interview with Michael Abiodun ( Oracle of Peace reporter) during the weekend
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She said to curb the criminal acts in the society there is need to make some new rules and this has to do with what this criminals uses as tool to carry out their criminal acts.

She proceeds by saying Henceforth, Motor cycle(Okada) rider will be allowed to work with an Identified and transparent helmet(s).

And, no motor cycle (Okada) rider is allowed to use unidentified helmet as criminals are using this means to disguising under this unidentified helmet or irrational nose and mouth covering to commit crime.

She concluded his speech by pleading to the public to take this notice seriously Because BEFORE WARN IS BEFORE HARM.

Let us be security conscious in all ways, in your household a and the society.

And no matter what never take an action into your hand.

Let’s remind ourselves that

POLICE IS OUR FRIEND..