God didn’t create Nigeria to be poor – Obasanjo
Photo credit Punch Newspaper
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, has said it is not the intention of God for Nigeria to be a poor country, saying the situation of the country should be blamed on its political leadership.
He said it was lamentable that Nigeria had not taken advantage of science and technology to attain self-sufficiency in food production.
The former president stated this at a lecture organised to mark his 86th birthday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He said, “God has created Nigeria for a great purpose. At independence, the world did not refer to Nigeria as giant in Africa, no, they refered to Nigeria as giant in the sun; Nigeria was more than giant in Africa, it was giant in the sun. But not only have we not been giant in the sun, we have not even been giant in Africa. Some people called us giant with clay feet.
“That is not what God has created Nigeria to be; that is what we Nigerians have inadvertently or advertently made Nigeria to be. But will Nigeria continue to be so, I believe no. So, we must continue to hold ourselves together, pray and understand all the factors and the elements that are making us not to be the giant, but the dwarf of Africa and how we can get out of it and I believe and pray that we will get out of it.”
On food security, the ex-president said, “Until Ukraine war, I really did not realise how much we in Africa, almost all of us in Africa depend on the Russians and the Ukrainians for wheat. Wheat, which is used to make bread, is only carbohydrate. Are there no carbohydrate foodstuffs that can be produced in Africa that we can be self-sufficient in? I know some of our countries cannot produce wheat and this is the sort of thing that IITA has been doing.
“Science and technology has given us all that we need for food and nutrition security in Africa what is left is political will and political action.”
Photo credit: Goggle
Three suspects kill Anambra man over N1,600
Photo credit Punch Newspaper
The Anambra State Police Command has launched a manhunt for three suspects for allegedly stabbing a man, identified simply as Chikodili, to death during a disagreement over N1,600 in Ogidi, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that until his death, Chikodili, who hailed from Ebonyi State, was a scrap dealer at Tarzan Junction along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Nkpor, in Idemili North LGA
It was learnt that the Chikodili was with the suspects when an argument ensued over the sharing of the N1,600 ensued among them.
An eyewitness, who refused to disclose his name to our correspondent for security reasons, said the argument degenerated and in the process, one of the suspects allegedly stabbed the victim to death.
The eyewitness said, “The deceased and the suspects earlier had a prolonged argument at their place of work over the sharing formula of N1,600 which prompted the intervention of a master trader before the disagreement was temporarily resolved.
“But the resolution did not go down well with the suspects and some hours later, they invited Chikodili to a drinking joint but he ignored their invitation knowing full well that they still wanted to harm him because the resolution was not in their favour.
Nigerian stars fire blank in Europe
Photo credit: Punch Newspaper
In a weekend where most Nigerian stars failed to hit the target in Europe, Super Falcons Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade shone in the Spanish women’s league. ANTHONY NLEBEM writes
Iwobi, Dennis, Awoniyi (Everton, Nottingham Forest)
Nigeria international Alex Iwobi was in the starting line-up for Everton as the Toffees played a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest in a Premier League fixture played on Sunday at the City Ground.
The Nigerian midfielder could not make much impact for Everton and was replaced by Tom Davies in the 89th minute.
Iwobi has scored one goal in 25 appearances in the Premier League this season but it is on the creative side that he has produced the goods with his six assists.
Meanwhile, his compatriot, Emmanuel Dennis, was a second-half substitute as he was brought on in the 70th minute to replace Remo Freuler and helped the Foxes secure a vital home draw.
Also, Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi was not listed in Forest squad as he is recovering from his injury.
Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough)
Nigeria-eligible player Akpom continued his excellent form and scored a brace as Middlesbrough thrashed Readings 5-0 in the English Championship fixture played on Saturday at the Riverside Stadium.
Akpom scored the opener from a penalty kick in the 24th minute to give Michael Carrick’s side the lead and added the second goal in the 48th minute following an assist from left-back Ryan Giles.
The 27-year-old former Arsenal youth star played the entire duration of the game and got a yellow card in the 32nd minute and has now scored 21 goals in 28 matches for the Championship side in the 2022/23 season.
I won’t drag NFF to FIFA – Noble
Photo credit: Punch Newspaper
Super Eagles goalkeeper, John Noble, says he will resist the temptation of dragging the Nigeria Football Federation to the world’s football governing body, FIFA, over his unpaid $25,000 2021 AFCON bonus, The PUNCH reports.
The unpaid bonus of the Enyimba goalkeeper became a subject of interest last year after it was reported that he was the only member of the AFCON 2021 squad yet to be paid.
Noble has opened up over the row, as the NFF is yet to fulfil their promises.
“It’s been over a year now and I’m tired of asking, I just pray they will pay it.” A crestfallen Noble told The PUNCH.
“It’s possible that I report to FIFA, but this is my country and I don’t want to do anything that will tarnish the image of the country. Even all this while, I never wanted to say anything, I’ve just been begging but it seems the more I beg the longer it takes,” he lamented.
The NFF through its Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire, last year also confirmed Noble would soon be paid, adding that banking procedures that delayed the payment had been resolved.
Content created and supplied by: Topakins99 (via Opera News )
COMMENTS