DOAMF Charity Golf finally here…See full details

Golf

Today is the day many have been waiting for. It is the day lovers of golf and all men and women with good heart will gather at the Ikoyi Club 1938 golf section to play or witness the tee off of the final of the seventh Daniel Ogechi Akujobi Memorial Foundation Charity Golf Tournament.

The competition has strong support from corporate and individual sponsors, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Diamond Bank Plc, ARM Pension Managers, Radial Circle Group, Zenith Bank, Air France-KLM, ExxonMobil Producing, Arik Air, SEPLAT Petroleum, Channels Television, Silverbird Television, Grand OAK, Cappa & D’Alberto, SPAR (Park N’ Shop), Southern Sun, Debonair Group, Mixta Africa, Heritage Bank, Four Points by Sheraton, Seven Up Bottling, Victoria Crown Plaza, Ikoyi Club 1938, and many more.
 
Players are looking forward to enjoying the unique tournament day experience, featuring a very competitive field of golfers, international standard tournament management and trophies/prizes, with unrivalled player hospitality, fanfare and care. 

Participants are expected to feature in an 18-hole stroke-play contest, with winners to be rewarded later in the evening at a prize giving cocktail event. Three business class return tickets to choice international destinations are among prizes up for grabs by winners.
 
According the coordinator of the DOAMF Charity Golf Tournament, Pat Bassey, the premium and fun-filled atmosphere at the tournament celebrates and motivates sponsors and donors, which in turn encourages high levels of support to the Foundation to increase its reach and touch more lives. 

“We are ready to put up a show worthy of the brand and social responsibility reputations of our esteemed corporate and individual sponsors, who continue to support our efforts in bettering lives of the less privileged in our society. And, as we have done over the years, we are committed in ensuring resources are prudently utilised in changing more lives,” he said.

He revealed that since DOAMF was founded 10 years ago, it has touched about 66,000.Bassey added: “We also use this opportunity to appreciate those corporate organisations, groups and individuals who continue to give generously of their resources, through this golf event, in order to enhance the capacity of the Foundation to deliver on its mission of touching lives.

“We warmly welcome participants and invited guests to the tournament and the evening cocktail event and, look forward to interacting with all our partners and donors and to formally appreciating them for keeping the Foundation’s charitable works afloat.”
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ohuruogu leads England against Bolt’s World All-Stars in Australia …See full details

Christine Ohuruogu will lead England in a contest against a Usain Bolt-led All-Stars in a new athletics event in Melbourne, which begins at the weekend, reports dailymail.co.uk.

England’s 22-athlete team will also compete against Australia, China, Japan, and New Zealand in the Nitro Athletics event in Australia.

The competition is spread across February 4, 9 and 11 and will allow athletes to prepare for the Commonwealth Games, which are also in Australia next year.

Team GB’s 2008 400m Olympic champion Ohuruogu will captain the team, which includes three-time Olympian Michael Rimmer and Bianca Williams, who took bronze in the 200m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Ohuruogu told nitroathletics.com.au: ‘It was a chance to come back to Australia, as I’ve not been back in more than 10 years. The last time I came I had such a good time at the Commonwealth Games back in 2006.

“In athletics, we don’t really get chance to just enjoy our sport as we’re so busy chasing qualifying times, trying to stick to gruelling training regimes, sort out races, warm weather training.

“You don’t get a chance to enjoy everything as there’s always pressure and I thought this is a great opportunity for all of us to come out and have great competition.”

There are 12 events based on power, endurance, technique and teamwork including the 100m, pole vault, three-minute run, javelin and a mixed 4x100m relay.

Deeney delivers huge blow to Arsenal title hopes…See full details

Watford's English striker Troy Deeney (L) vies with Arsenal's German defender Shkodran Mustafi (C) and Arsenal's French midfielder Francis Coquelin during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Watford at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 31, 2017. Watford won the match 2-1. PHOTO: Adrian DENNIS / AFP

Goals by Younes Kaboul and Troy Deeney inflicted a highly damaging blow to Arsenal’s title hopes as Watford emerged 2-1 winners in their Premier League clash on Tuesday.

Alex Iwobi got one back for the hosts in the second-half but they couldn’t eke out at least an equaliser with the loss leaving them nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea, who the Gunners face this weekend.

The visitors — who are eight points above the relegation places — took the lead through a freekick from Frenchman Kaboul.

He stepped up and opted for power, not placement. His low drive was heading towards one corner when it struck Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey on the back and wrongfooted Petr Cech to end up in the other one.

Arsenal found themselves 2-0 down less than three minutes later.

Etienne Capoue — who like Kaboul played for Arsenal’s north London rivals Spurs — burst on to the ball and smoothly slalomed his way past flimsy challenges from first, Francis Coquelin and then Skhodran Mustafi.

His shot was blocked by Cech but rebounded into the path of Deeney who steered it home with glee.

Worse was to follow for Arsenal when injury forced Ramsey to be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 20th minute.

It was Watford who were creating the better chances.

The inspirational Capoue again drove past defenders before crossing for Sebastian Prodl to force Cech into a tip-over after 34 minutes.

Cech made an even better stop moments later, acrobatically turning away a Daryl Janmaat effort.

Wenger, whose players were booed off at half-time, brought on Theo Walcott upon the restart.

The sense of urgency in Arsenal’s play was immediately apparent with Walcott shooting narrowly wide. Two minutes later another Walcott effort following a flowing move was blocked by the legs of Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Mustafi then headed wide from a corner before Gomes denied both Iwobi and Mesut Ozil in quick succession, the first with a brilliant reaction stop low down to his right.

The breakthrough finally came in the 58th minute. Alexis Sanchez had been all but invisible in the first half but he drove to the by-line before looping a delightful pass into the path of Iwobi whose volley was ill-timed but deceived Gomes nonetheless.

Watford were struggling to relieve the pressure. As they became ever more desperate in defence, Prodl was booked for upending Sanchez on the rain-sodden surface.

As the minutes ticked away, however, Arsenal were also guilty of snatching at chances with one Gabriel shot lifted high into the night sky.

Substitute Lucas Perez came closest to snatching an equaliser five minutes from time.

Sprinting on to a throw-in, he struck a rising drive which thudded against the underside of the bar and away to safety.

Obinna Nsofor joins Dinamo Bucharest…See full details

Victor Obinna Nsofor

Super Eagles’ former midfielder, Victor Obinna Nsofor, has joined top Romanian club, Dinamo Bucharest. Quoting various Romanian media reports, allnigeriasoccer.com reports that Dinamo Bucharest are on the verge of announcing the signing of Nsofor, who has played in six countries since he joined the European train in 2005.

It added: “Nsofor has been in Romania for the past two days and will be unveiled by the Whites and Reds if he passes his medical examination held today (yesterday).

“The 29-year-old had been declared surplus to requirements at German Bundesliga outfit SV Darmstadt due to his lack of first team opportunities.”

The South Africa 2010 World Cup star previously wore the jerseys of Chievo Verona, Inter Milan, Lokomotiv Moscow, West Ham, Malaga and MSV Duisburg.

He started his professional club football at Plateau United, played for Kwara United and Enyimba before he left for a brief stint in Brazil in 2005 before moving to Italy, where he played for Chievo Verona.

An Olympic silver medallist, Nsofor also played in the 2006, 2008 and 2010 African Nations Cup, winning the bronze medal at the Egypt 2006 and Angola 2010 editions.

Nigerian, Ghanaian coaches assemble in Lagos for ITF level 1 course…See full details

Chairman, Lagos State Table Tennis Association, Femi Sokoya, presenting table tennis kits to cadet players donated by Scuola Italian Tennis Tavolo Club at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba…recently.

About 40 coaches from Nigeria and Ghana are currently updating their knowledge in tennis at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Level 1 coaches course holding in Lagos.

The nine-day programme, which is coming through the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is facilitated by the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) and according to ITF Instructor, Rotimi Akinloye, the course, which is in two parts, is supported by the ITF through the provision of materials.

Akinloye, who is Nigeria’s national tennis head coach, who runs ITF courses for English-speaking West African countries, disclosed that the course is aimed at producing quality coaches, adding that the programme is under the ITF Coaches Educational Programme (CEP)

“We have had Level 1 and 2 courses before but what makes this particular one unique is that it is coming through the IOC. It means the Nigeria Tennis Federation applied to the IOC through the Nigeria Olympic Committee,” he said.

Akinloye, a former Nigeria tennis captain, added that the essence of the programme is to prepare Nigerian coaches to get modern teaching methodology.

He added, “We are very optimistic our coaches will never remain the same as their philosophy of teaching will change.“In the history of coaching courses in Nigeria, this is the first time we are having coaches from another country taking part. This highlights the high rating of this course.”

Asamoah Gyan eyes history (Read full details)

Asamoah Gyan

Skipper of Ghana Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan will hope to feature in today’s last group match against the Pharaohs of Egypt. The striker netted the only goal in Saturday’s victory against Mali and he has now scored eight times at the Cup of Nations over six consecutive tournaments.

The 31-year-old is also closing on a significant landmark as his next goal will be his 50th in international football.“In tournaments you don’t look for personal glory,” he said at a press conference on Monday when asked about the significance of reaching his half-century.

“Maybe after if I get on the scoresheet then I can celebrate personal glory, but as a striker people expect you to score and I am here to win the trophy.”

That is something he has not yet managed to do with the Black Stars winning the last of their four Cups of Nations back in 1982.They have looked like one of the most accomplished sides so far in this year’s tournament, despite losing left-back Abdul Rahman Baba to a serious knee injury in their opening 1-0 win against Uganda.

In Oyem, Mali must beat Uganda and hope Egypt lose if they are to stay in the tournament, but to do that Alain Giresse’s side need to improve in front of goal having thus far failed to score.

Eliminated from the last Cup of Nations in 2015 in bizarre fashion after a drawing of lots with Guinea in a hotel meeting room in Equatorial Guinea’s capital Malabo, another such scenario is possible.
Mali and Egypt drew 0-0 with each other in their first game and so if they end up locked on the same points and same goal difference, such a last resort will be required to separate them.

Uganda, meanwhile, are already eliminated so will hope to bow out of their first Cup of Nations in 39 years by registering a first goal and a first win.

Asamoah Gyan eyes history

Court orders merger of two firms (Read full details)

PHOTO: cityconjure.wordpress.com

A Federal High Court in Lagos has given an order granting Standard Alliance Insurance Plc and Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited to sanction the scheme of merger as set out in the document between the two petitioners.

The order as set out on pages 20 to 23 of the scheme document is also granting the petitioners power of transferring to and vesting in the first petitioner all the assets, liabilities and business undertaking of the second petitioner.

Justice Babs O. Kuewumi gave the order in a motion ex-parte dated December 19, 2016 after reading the affidavit in support of the motion paper sworn to by Managing Director of Standard Alliance Insurance Plc (first applicant), Bode Akinboye and that of O. Adeyemo.

The order also sanctioned the issuance and allotment of 917,857,136 ordinary shares of N0.50 kobo each of the first petitioner to the scheme shareholders as at the qualification date.

Court orders merger of two firms

‘Economic recession will end soon’ (Read full details)

Cleric urges political leaders to reduce cost of governance
The President of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Pastor Abraham Akinosun has assured Nigerians that the economic recession would end soon.

He said the country would emerge stronger after these challenges.

Akinosun, who stated this at the weekend during the commissioning of the CAC Staff Guest House in Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, stated that the economic situation would lead to the discovery of the potential in Nigerians.

“Things cannot be smooth forever in any country. There is time for everything under the heaven. There is time for plenty and there is time for scanty. This is a time we as a nation must pass through for us to receive blessings from God and appreciate it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the General Superintendent of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church of Nigeria and Overseas Inc. (SCSCN), Dr. Solomon Alao has called for a reduction in cost of governance in Nigeria by political leaders cutting their emoluments.

Alao, while speaking during the 87th annual general meeting of the church in Aba, Abia state, called government to pursue with greater vigour, its efforts to recover the nation’s stolen money.

The supreme head of the church also disagreed with the notion in some quarters that the fight against corruption by the president was selective.

‘Economic recession will end soon’