Dangote Group hands over rehabilitated football pitch, scoreboards to Federal Government

The Federal Government on Friday received the rehabilitated football pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, as well as new digital scoreboards from the Dangote Group of Companies.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, while receiving the rehabilitated football pitch and the scoreboards, stated that the move was an offshoot of the Federal Government’s Adopt-a-Pitch Initiative which aims at using private collaborations to enhance the development of sportsmen in the country.

Mr Dare, who restated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to the development of youth and sports in Nigeria, assured that the Ministry will continue to use its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative to woo private interests in the rehabilitation and renovation of all the National Stadia in the country.

According to him, the provision of sports facilities is critical to the development of sports, as such, the “government will continue to provide enabling environment for more partnerships with a view to giving sports its pride of place in the country.”

The Minister commended the Dangote Group of Companies for the provision of the latest grass technology in the world – pure dynasty paspalum, (same as the one being used for Qatar, 2022) as well as the latest digital scoreboards for the Moshood Abiola Stadium. He further commended the contractors, Aron Nigeria Limited, for their resilience in ensuring the realization of the task after the 2year slow-down owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He called on them to ensure the realization of the 2-year maintenance stipulated in the contract terms, stating further that, “our expectation is that, our national teams will play at the National Stadium. Our national teams need home advantage,” he said.

The Minister then expressed optimism that soon, the National Stadium, Lagos, will come on stream so as to provide the players with the opportunity of alternating between the Lagos and Abuja stadia for their matches. He explained that the maintenance of the facility will be a pride to the nation and millions of football-loving Nigerians.

Our team, he said, “will play here, score goals and win and football will continue to promote unity and love in Nigeria,” the Minister added.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar, stated that the rehabilitation work being handed over to the Ministry today is a testament of the commitment of the present administration to sports and youth development in the country.

He called on all sports-loving Nigerians and philanthropists in particular, to continue to partner with the Government towards ensuring the development of our teeming youths through sports so as to bring about socio-economic growth and development of the country.

The Executive Director, Stakeholder Management and Corporate Communications, Dangote Group of Companies, Mansur Ahmed, stated that his company is committed to lifting the Moshood Abiola National Stadium to an international standard because of the tremendous impact sports has had on the stability and unity of the country.

He said that Dangote Group of Companies has today handed over the rehabilitated Football Pitch and Digital Score Boards of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development with a view to boosting Sports development in Nigeria.

In his speech, the Executive Director, Projects, Aron Nigeria Limited, Soji Adeniji, explained that his company will maintain the pitch and scoreboards for two years.

24 Terrorists, 7 Soldiers Killed In Borno Military Base Attack

 

About 24 terrorists have been killed when Nigerian troops repelled an attack by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on a military base at Rann in Kalabalge local government area of Borno State.

This is even as the military lost two officers and five soldiers in the attack which occurred on Thursday.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred when the terrorists attempted to attack the Rann military base.

Comfirming the attack, a military intelligence source who craved anonymity, said: “Two military officers and five soldiers were among the casualties of the crossfire that ensued between the ISWAP fighters and troops of Operation Hadin Kai.


“The armed terrorists stormed the town on several gun trucks and engaged the military in a gun battle.

“The terrorists could not subdue the gallant troops, during the gun battle. 24 of their dead bodies killed in the gun battle were recovered as the rest fled with injuries to different directions.


“We also recovered huge sophisticated weapons apart from their gun trucks that were completely destroyed by airstrikes.”

FG approves COVID-19 vaccine booster dose

Federal Government has approved the administration of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for persons that have completed two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech or one dose of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The exercise, it said, will be monitored by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development (NPHCDA).

NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, in a statement, on Friday, explained that the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine booster doses will commence from the 10th of December, 2021, across all states of the federation.

Dr. Shuaib, further explained that COVID-19 vaccine booster dose gives greater protection against the virus, and urged all Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He said; “The booster dose is for any person that is 18 years and above; has time interval of six months or more after receiving the second dose of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech; time interval of two months or more after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.”

“Consequent upon the above, eligible Nigerians are advised to visit the nearest health facility or mass vaccination site for their booster doses as from the 10th of December, 2021, across all states of the federation.”

Why I chose to welcome my baby via surrogacy – Ini Edo

Nollywood actress, Iniobong Edo, recently welcomed her first child, a daughter, via a surrogate.

Surrogacy is a type of pregnancy in which a woman carries and gives birth to a baby for a person who is not able to have children.

In a surrogate pregnancy, eggs from the woman who will carry the baby or from an egg donor are fertilised with sperm from a sperm donor to make an embryo.

The embryo is implanted in the uterus of the surrogate mother, who carries the baby until birth.

The 39-year-old actress broke the news during an interview with popular blogger, Stella Dimoko, on Friday.

Following this revelation, the actress has become the second Nigerian celebrity to openly admit to welcoming a baby via surrogacy after an ex-beauty queen, Nike Osinowo, did the same in 2013.

During the interview, the actress revealed that she had undergone surrogacy to fulfill her life-long dream.

She said: ‘‘Yes I do have a daughter and I had her through surrogacy. The Eggs are mine and so genetically she’s my blood. I chose this path to fulfill my dream of becoming a mother. I still have a good number of eggs frozen in case I decide to do surrogacy again or carry my baby myself .who knows”.
Why surrogacy?

The actress said she didn’t want to talk about her daughter until she turns one but was forced to make the news public when ‘‘mischief-makers’’ started speculating lies.
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The award-winning actress and entrepreneur said she opted for a surrogate for her peace of mind and that of her baby. Also, she said she wouldn’t want any form of controversy.

“Another major reason I opted for a donor is that it scares me so much when I see banter and controversies between a mother and a father over a baby in public forums or when I see the man insisting he wants his child if things don’t work out between both parties. For me, it’s the fear of what that would mean for the child . Ideally, it’s marriage then children but we are not living in an ideal world.

” I am not someone who allows any situation to control me. I make lemonades out of lemons thrown my way and have no regrets. Life itself is so fragile and short to be striving for perfection. I am well and capable of taking care of my own child as I’ve been taking care of myself. I wanted a child and thank God for the options of surrogacy and donors.”


Joy of motherhood

Having attained her goal, she said she’s grateful to be her daughter’s mother.

“It is an awesome feeling and experience and as I watch my daughter grow every day, I am in awe of the miracles that God has sent my way and I am so thankful and grateful to be my daughter’s mother.”

Having suffered several miscarriages, the actress encouraged women who have challenges conceiving to try surrogacy.

”I would recommend surrogacy for anyone having difficulty conceiving. I had a series of miscarriages in the past but that wasn’t my reason for going this route. I still hope to carry babies in my womb in the future, God willing”.

Unlike many celebrities, she said she would not flaunt her baby on social media.

‘‘I really hope to keep my baby off the social media, and this was why I’ve been reluctantly putting her out there. I would love to keep everything about her private for now. There are a lot of celebrities whose children are not growing up on social media pages and living normal lives. That is how I want it to be for my daughter. it is a choice to put her out there or not and I choose to keep her private’’.

Marriage

The Nollywood star married Philip Ehiagwina In 2008 but they parted ways in 2014.

While the actress claimed the breakup was due to domestic violence, Mr Ehiagwina accused her of being unfaithful.

Edo has remained single but her ex-husband recently married for the third time.

Asked if she would remarry, she said: ‘‘Right now, marriage isn’t my priority, I’ve been married before and it wasn’t exactly a Bed of Roses. Marriage is a good thing instituted by God and ultimately most people’s desire but I am not just crazy about the distractions and the complications that come with it. I am not against it though.

‘‘I’m in the phase of taking care of my child and focusing my positive energies on motherhood and my running businesses. This is all I have time for right now and shun all negative news or energy”.

The actress, who has remained a household name for over two decades, shot into the limelight after she featured in ”World Apart” in 2004.

Parents of Oxford High School shooter are charged with manslaughter for making gun 'freely available' to their son

 

The parents of Ethan Crumbley who opened fire at Oxford High School in Michigan, killing 4 and injuring 7, have been charged with manslaughter

A prosecutor in Michigan on Friday, Dec. 3, filed involuntary manslaughter charges against James and Jennifer Crumbley.

The prosecutor alleged that the parents ignored disturbing warning signs and refused to take their son out of school just hours before the shooting.

Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald charged James and Jennifer Crumbley with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

During a press conference on Friday December 3, McDonald revealed some disturbing new details concerning the family.

"The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons," McDonald said Thursday.

The gun, which Ethan's father, James Crumbley, had just purchased on Bkack Friday, four days before the rampage, "seems to have been just freely available to that individual."

Ethan has been charged as an adult with 24 crimes, including murder, attempted murder and terrorism, for the shooting on Tuesday.

The school shooting - the deadliest in the US since 2018 - claimed the lives of Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17. Seven more people were injured.

UPDATED: Lagos orders Dowen College shut indefinitely over death of 12-yr-old Sylvester

*…2 suspects in Sylvester’s death flown abroad by parents
By Adesina Wahab & Esther Onyegbula

The Lagos State Government has ordered the indefinite closure of Dowen College, Lekki, pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, a student of the school.

Commissioner for Education Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, announced the closure after a meeting with the school’s management and staff.


The Commissioner called for calm, saying no effort would be spared in getting to the root of the incident.
Mgt’s notice

Meanwhile, earlier the had announced that it will be temporarily shutting down for two days.


In a newsletter sent through email to parents and guardians by the school’s management, the school stated that it will be closed for two days, following the death of one of their students, Sylvester.


Memo

The letter read:



Dear Parents, in view of the current situation concerning the school and considering the emotions of our students, we have advised that our students stay home tomorrow (today) Friday 3rd and Monday 6th.

“This will also afford the students opportunity to revise for their forthcoming examinations starting next week.



“Thank you for your understanding.”

Meanwhile, Vanguard learned that that two of the students, whose names were mentioned by Sylvester before his death, have flown out of the country by their parents.