tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27706435975638957152024-02-19T03:29:13.027+00:00 ARUKAINO UMUKORO. INSPIRED...Nigerian stories. Life. Entertainment. Inspiration. Sports. Music. National & Development Issues & moreARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-37924691750100421842018-03-21T22:27:00.002+00:002018-03-21T22:29:22.518+00:00GREAT WOMEN INSPIRE & MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #1d2129; text-align: start;">I’m blessed to have beautiful, strong and intelligent, super amazing women in my life; that I could write a bestseller about each of them.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Today, being <a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/great-women-inspire-make-world-go-round/" target="_blank">International Women's Day</a>, I dedicate this Facebook post to one of these special amazons. They say people make the world go round; I think women make the trip worthwhile.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">I remember walking into her office in Lagos about 10 years ago, not knowing what to expect. She had fixed an appointment after one of my closest mentors had introduced me to her. Fresh from the university, I was simply armed with a degree in Industrial Chemistry and untapped potential, waiting to be ushered into a professional world I didn’t really know much about at the time. And I wondered if I could fit into it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">But she welcomed me warmly after I had introduced myself. She had that vitality and effervescent personality. She asked me about my passion for writing and then gave me my first ‘journalism’ test. About an hour later, I was ushered back to her office with my ‘script.’ She read it. Although she said she was a bit impressed with my writing; she noted that it needed more polishing. But then, she asked me to resume that week in the magazine where she was Editor-in-Chief. Just like that.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">She gave me my first chance to become a professional journalist. I took it like my life depended on it. I knew I had to make my closest circle proud.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">A few months after swapping my chemist lab coat for professional journalism robe, I won my first major award, as the magazine’s “Writer of the Year.” It was a brand new standing fan, which she presented it to me. I felt on top of the world. She had so much confidence in me and belief in my raw talent, it was almost like I was her special somebody. It was a huge statement of her faith in me, and that unexpected gesture spurred me to greater heights.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">I literally wrote a part of my first award winning story while sitting in her office. She had brought a Nollywood guru to her office and sat me down with him. She threw questions and discussions about Nollywood and its history at him, to give me deeper insights into the Nigerian movie world. I listened with rapt attention and asked questions where I needed to. But she was the driver. About two hours later, it felt like I had become a Nollywood guru myself. Those insights literally became flesh for me as they sank into the meat of the story I would write later on. Armed with this new knowledge and further research, I went out to interview the who-is-who in Nollywood at the time; actors, producers and directors.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Let’s cut to the chase. My Nollywood piece became the cover story for the National Standard magazine. It went on to win a Nigerian Media Merit Award where I emerged Nigeria’s best entertainment reporter of that year.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">For over a year, I learnt the ropes of quality journalism, excellent writing and leadership from this amazon; from hours-long pep talks, discussions to editorial meetings at the office. She gave me daunting assignments, because she just had faith in my abilities, even when I didn’t believe I could. She was my boss, teacher, mentor and big sister, all rolled into one. The editorial meetings were brainstorming sessions; she drove everyone to perform better; “No, you can do this and that better!” She would always insist. Sometimes, it seemed she was hard, but simply getting the job done wasn’t enough, she wanted it to be the best, and for you to be the best at it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">The team was like a family. During production days, when we had to stay over at the office on some nights, she would order food for everyone from a choice eatery. She did a lot more to motivate staff, and me. For a bloody reporter, and a rookie one at that, the salary wasn’t so much then, but I was driven by my passion, and a woman who pushed me towards excellence in my profession, so much so that journalism became my ministry, despite my Industrial Chemistry background. I didn’t need to read professional journalism books per say (although I read a few) to become better; I was literally being schooled by a doyen at work every week.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Nine months after I had joined the magazine, I was to go for the compulsory national youth service in the Northern part of the country. She paid for my flight ticket to the NYSC camp. Then she insisted that I got redeployment to continue my job with the magazine in Lagos. Although it didn’t work out, she still gave me a few editorial assignments to do from my NYSC base, and assured me that a job was already waiting for me as soon as I finished my youth service.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">She kept her word.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><a data-ft="{"tn":"-]"}" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1448730872&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/mobola.lanrebadmus?fref=mentions" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="color: #365899; text-decoration-line: none;">Mobola Lanre-Badmus</span></a>. Thank you for the platform you gave me to explore and harness my potential and talents; for the opportunities to grow and excel; for simply being amazing to me.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Thank you for the standing fan too. I’m out here, eternally standing, because being outstanding in one’s calling or profession is one of the many great things I learnt from you. Thank you so, so much, from the depths of my heart, with love.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">P.S: In the jet age of smartphones, microwave ovens, instant coffee, Internet banking, quick fixes and quick results, not everyone takes a chance with potential or raw talent.<br />But great people mostly do.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">At every stage, recognise the people God brings into your life, either to teach you or vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Sometimes, all someone needs is a chance, and another one. Be someone’s guiding light; it doesn’t diminish yours. If it is in your place or power, provide a platform for them to discover, harness and maximise their potential and talents. Be patient with them, to help them become a better version of themselves.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Take a chance with potential. Give someone the opportunity to bask in the klieg lights of your inspiration. It might just be their audition for future greatness.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129; text-align: justify;">Happy International Women’s Day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><i>First published online on March 8, 2018 to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-60011993842906055732016-06-19T16:34:00.000+01:002016-06-19T17:27:09.727+01:00Happy Father's Day: Letter To My Father<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This post is for my first mentor and editor.<br />
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From a very young age, I learnt I could paint pictures with the magic wand and power of words, that I could let my imaginations fly and see, and impact, the world in Technicolor.<br />
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Like Aladdin on a magic carpet. Or cupid with wings. I learnt that I could dream, big. And with God, I could make all of them come true, through and through.<br />
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My first mentor and editor showed me the first glimpses of the power of faith and big dreams.<br />
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He taught me how to read and write the alphabets and my first numbers 1 - 20. At three years old, I knew better than my age mates and those older than me. And I hadn't even started primary school yet.<br />
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For most of my early primary school years, teachers from classes ahead of me would call me to read English comprehension lessons to classes filled with older students, in a bid to motivate them to read and do better, because this small boy can read so well. While I was in primary one, I was reading English comprehension lessons to primary two and three students, etc.<br />
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They thought I was that good. But they didn't know that small boy had a big teacher at home. My first editor had laid the right, strong foundations for me to build upon into my adulthood.<br />
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He edited my first fiction story when I was about eight years old. It was titled, 'One good turn deserves another.' It was published in the widely read <a href="http://kdsg.gov.ng/" target="_blank">Kaduna</a>-based newspaper, Democrat.<br />
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I think <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/pastor-netanyahu-former-editor-meet-buharis-latest-appointees" target="_blank">Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff</a>, was then still the editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna, publishers of Democrat newspapers (Okay, I only got to know that recently, thanks to <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/" target="_blank">The Cable</a>).<br />
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That story made me instantly famous, in my school, among my peers and teachers, who had read my short story.<br />
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Today, I write for <a href="http://www.punchng.com/" target="_blank">The PUNCH</a>, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper (Yeah, we’ve been doing this a long time, baby :)).<br />
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At about 15, I wrote my first poem, about Nigeria and the military's rule. It was titled, ‘The anger of the people shall prevail.’ Who did I show it to first? My first editor.<br />
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I wrote more poems. About politics, the military regime, and my anger about issues in the country into which I was born. Of course, I showed him the poems.<br />
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When he saw the train of my thoughts, poetical rage over Nigeria issues, he offered me an eternal fountain of wisdom. Write about other things and issues, he said, channel your passion into writing about other subjects.<br />
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He asked me to write about nature, life, living, and its beauty, and more.<br />
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That was where, I think, I picked up the finesse and brilliance of versatility - in my school at home.<br />
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So, I followed his advice. Like a doting son follows his loving father. I wrote about nature, life, living, and its beauty; about me, as well as my budding attraction to a lovely girl a street after mine, whom I had then been afraid to say hello to. Title? That girl.<br />
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(Dear future wife, I will be your Romeo, Shakespeare, and more :))<br />
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As usual, my first mentor/editor’s brilliance and words of wisdom showed me the way to go. And he let me know he was proud of me.<br />
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From then on, the eternal faucet of inspiration flowed ceaselessly, and became a brilliant, unending waterfall. The eternal gift.<br />
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Growing up, I remember how his encouragement helped the artist in me blossom. When I was about nine or 10 years old, he submitted my fine art entry for an <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/" target="_blank">Amnesty International</a> UK drawing competition for kids. I was also top of my class in Fine Arts. I remember drawing most of Walt Disney comic characters, from Darkwing Duck to Mickey Mouse, and Hollywood movie jackets, like Commando, in bold poster papers. I made greeting cards for family and friends.<br />
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With his loving guidance, excellent tutelage and more, my first editor gave me the springboard to dream, big. And believe they can come true.<br />
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He had long introduced me to a world of books. Reading through them, and listening to audio books on those turntables - Peter Pan, The tortoise and the hare, and others - I learnt to paint pictures with the deft strokes and brushes of words, to breathe life into them by simply writing or talking about them.<br />
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Long ago, I promised myself that when I get on a global stage, I would let the world know the significant role my first editor played, and still plays in my life.<br />
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Last year, I won the <a href="http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2015/10/12/hyacinthe-boowurosigue-sanou-named-cnn-multichoice-african-journalist-2015/" target="_blank">CNN MultiChoice Africa Journalism award.</a> The least I could do was dedicate it to my first mentor and editor.<br />
Like a great artist, his words of wisdom, his loving guidance and divine faith in my talents and potential has helped me, and still helps me, flourish; in unending bloom.<br />
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And if I wanted to, I could have become a famous artist or artiste, a world renowned architect, doctor, a scientist, a brilliant mathematician, First-class engineer, or a ground-breaking statesman.<br />
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Because you see, my dad is brilliant like that.<br />
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He is not perfect. Like every man, he has his flaws. But through his words and actions, he showed me that I can be all I wanted to be; if I can dream it, write it, believe it and work towards it.<br />
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Every day, I remember his words of wisdom. They are significant parts of the luminosity in my guiding lights.<br />
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Dear Mr. G. Dean Umukoro, because of you, I can scale great heights hitherto beyond my reach; I can break borders and barriers. I can move mountains and flatten rocks. I can do even more. And I can be. All I want to be.<br />
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Dad, you’re not just my first editor. You are my first best friend, my mentor, my very inspiration. I'm mighty proud to be called your son. I'm divinely honoured to call you father.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zy3hycw" target="_blank">Muhammad Alli</a> said he was the greatest boxer.<br />
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For me, you are the greatest dad. Against the odds, you punched your way through life, on the sheer power of divine faith, focus and an indomitable spirit, and you conquered. You still conquer.<br />
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And you give us, your children, family and others, the best you can, in every way possible. You show us the way, to freedom, to the eternal values of life, the beauty of the human soul and spirit, to live the life of beautiful dreams, to make the world a better place, because we pass through it.<br />
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Every day, I live purposefully towards becoming a better man, because of you. I live to make you and God proud every day, of the man I am. And the man I become.<br />
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You are my champion for life.<br />
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Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you; until the heavens fade.<br />
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© ARUKAINO UMUKORO</div>
ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-90227078865481468782015-04-16T07:38:00.000+01:002015-04-16T07:39:27.568+01:00For the #ChibokGirls #NeverToBeForgotten<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are no words for
deafening silence</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are no thoughts for numbness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are no pictures </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Worthy enough for nightmares<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are no buckets enough<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To fetch the tears of families<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Directly caught in the vortex
of this evil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A heinous crime against
humanity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is not a poem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is for you:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Halima. Hannatu. Mayramu<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hauwa. Iyagana. Liyatu<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fatima. Rebecca. Lugwa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">219 Chibok Girls. Our girls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nigerian schoolgirls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Daughters of the world<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the torrents of shuddering emotions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The world found you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hidden In the bowels of Sambisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-R7RwH0t1fWcM1GIQ-F-B5uQhTbYvY0tKIJh_ofTd5z1_jv2TL90Db8BvyIFdpvfjt_7weT7bjS5ZFtL1a-EJdIn9-hl0PeTnlCk4ySXPKs7HhEX-J4nsG7iVp3RJAoaltzDv0DgoA46/s1600/FLOTUS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-R7RwH0t1fWcM1GIQ-F-B5uQhTbYvY0tKIJh_ofTd5z1_jv2TL90Db8BvyIFdpvfjt_7weT7bjS5ZFtL1a-EJdIn9-hl0PeTnlCk4ySXPKs7HhEX-J4nsG7iVp3RJAoaltzDv0DgoA46/s1600/FLOTUS.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If only collective rage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On the media, Internet and social media,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-While our government dragged
its feet <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In denial and utterly shocking
silence –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If only a million articles and
broadcast</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If only a billion and one tweets</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Could have saved you</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We would have brought you
back home by now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Broken by your brazen abduction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">By blood sucking vampires in
human clothing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nigeria is still at a loss over your forced absence</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Maybe we should have asked more
questions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Right from the start<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">For your parents and a nation,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s been one year <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Of gnawing pain, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">crushing grief</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not knowing <i>exactly</i> where you are...</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But we hold on to strands of
defiant hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We believe in your redemption</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You must be rescued<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Your safety is a task that must
be done!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cos your freedom would bring
healing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And form a part of a nation’s
liberation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From the pangs of a failed
system<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s why this army</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#BringBackOurGirls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Would not stay silent<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thus, on the altar of collective rage <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And heartfelt supplications<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From Abuja’s heart,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">China's centre, </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To America’s depth,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In diverse voices</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">United as one global cry,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We pray for your safety and
rescue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#BringBackOurGirls!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BringBackOurGirls!!</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Gives us back our country’s
future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#ChibokGirls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#NeverToBeFogotten<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">© Arukaino Umukoro, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-89685577153560967372015-03-28T06:56:00.003+00:002015-03-28T07:06:55.577+00:00#NigeriaDecides #VoteNotFight: Credible and peaceful elections, duty of all Nigerians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98eRqOn1Ychhg39-eSGZ8ch_jgexottKEXeyzPrPgdutreU3fQ7clSPyeWxQ5l6dTU-Rd4tStwYfcxMpEtw6h-NktsSG2qeiCltsHKXqmpBPXh9NcJmTnw2u1iACyAfZvU2iHn-fQxGkl/s1600/gej+buhari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98eRqOn1Ychhg39-eSGZ8ch_jgexottKEXeyzPrPgdutreU3fQ7clSPyeWxQ5l6dTU-Rd4tStwYfcxMpEtw6h-NktsSG2qeiCltsHKXqmpBPXh9NcJmTnw2u1iACyAfZvU2iHn-fQxGkl/s1600/gej+buhari.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan (l) and Buhari (r). Credits: Punch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It took the United States President Barack Obama about
400 words in two minutes and 30 seconds on Monday, March 23, to remind over 170 million
Nigerians of a home truth: The general elections scheduled for March 28 and
April 11 presented the country with </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">a great opportunity to stand
united and secure the country’s future through the ballot box.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In his special <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxk9mxURChw">broadcast,</a> Obama mentioned ‘peace/peacefully’
thrice. He also mentioned ‘democratic’ thrice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Simply put, Obama’s message drove home the
importance of a peace, democracy and maintaining democratic structures in the
growth and development of any society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the more reason why, like Obama noted, all
Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without fear or intimidation. He
said, “I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their
supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections, and that they
would not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence, before, during or
after the votes are counted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Obama also said, “By casting your ballot, you can help
secure your nation’s progress. And this process must be done peacefully.” He
also noted that, for elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and
peaceful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Indeed. While the <a href="http://www.inecnigeria.org/">Independent National Electoral Commission</a> must do everything possible within its constitutional
powers to ensure it organises free, fair and credible elections; it is not the
sole responsibility of the electoral agency alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While it is the responsibility of the
Nigerian military, the police and all the country’s security agencies to uphold
the law and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order during and after
the elections; while the bulk rests on the <a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/polls-jonathan-buhari-sign-fresh-peace-pact/">leaders and candidates</a> to ensure
that their supporters do not engage or support any form of violence; it is also
the choice of that supporter to choose peace over violence, to choose
patriotism over ethnic, religious, political and regional sentiments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Going by previous elections in the
country, it is almost impossible to say categorically that there would not be
any kind of violence during the elections. However, it would be fair to say all
Nigerians have a choice to decide if they want to be part of a largely peaceful
election process.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thus, ensuring free, fair
and credible elections should not only be the sole responsibility of INEC,
leaders, political parties and their candidates, it should also be the
collective responsibility of all Nigerians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">After decades of military rule and then 16 years of
uninterrupted ‘home-grown’ democracy, the upcoming elections come at another
critical junction of our nationhood. It is a litmus test of our democratic
structures and our national character. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the more reason why every Nigerian must see
himself as a Nigerian first, before one’s ethnicity, religious or party
affiliations. Every Nigerian must work for the collective good, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">to
ensure that the country consolidates on her democratic gains by exercising
their constitutional rights peacefully during the elections.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is another historic opportunity for
Nigerians to write the next chapter of Nigeria’s progress by not only voting in
the upcoming elections, but also by exercising their constitutional rights
peacefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“A government of the people, for the people, by the
people,” a quote widely accredited to the 16<sup>th</sup> US President, Abraham
Lincoln, is the least Nigerians deserve. Whoever wins the elections should
uphold this timeless tenet of democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a patriotic duty, Nigerians should choose to go
about casting their ballots peacefully during the elections, and also maintain
the peace after the elections; no strong and enduring democratic structure was
ever built on the foundation of violence, political deceit and selfish interests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like President Obama rightly quoted from the famous
rallying slogan of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) during the civil war, “To keep
Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This journey begins again with free, fair,
credible and peaceful elections. Electoral violence should become a footnote on
the pages of our history as a great nation, not a recurring decimal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nigeria should become a great nation
indeed, where peace and justice truly reigns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God bless Nigeria.</span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-40806442023268124632014-02-20T05:49:00.001+00:002014-02-20T05:49:31.266+00:002014: No birthday for people born on February 29<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCS7j4OuUS3TMlOs-08KkejN6H-6HQfA2CDuRUL4BG0iLUvCY6nb-tzQqbvkW8Qnprzaolt2LnRhiuaBhtzYRisHIL0QNURSs8rdyXPmyXeHBzWHj5I3LdximuLogYKRa9LKDpW_78DzE/s1600/leap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCS7j4OuUS3TMlOs-08KkejN6H-6HQfA2CDuRUL4BG0iLUvCY6nb-tzQqbvkW8Qnprzaolt2LnRhiuaBhtzYRisHIL0QNURSs8rdyXPmyXeHBzWHj5I3LdximuLogYKRa9LKDpW_78DzE/s1600/leap.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: BBC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leap days come once every four years. ‘Leapling’ or ‘leap year
baby’ are terms used to describe a person born on February 29. And for many
born on this day, their birthdays usually come with extra treats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mr.
Jerry Adesewo is in his late thirties, but he has only seen his birth date nine
times since his birth over three decades ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
is because Adesewo was born on a <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/14/world/leap-year-fast-facts/">leap year</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> “If
we have to go by the Leap Year, I think I should be nine years old now.
But I’ll be 37 by the end of this month,” said Adesewo, who is a writer and
theatre director.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Since
he can only celebrate his birthday once every four years, he decided to rewrite
the script of his birth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He
said, “I’m not given to extravagant celebration, but I usually celebrate my
birthdays with a few friends and my family members. Before now, I picked
February 28, March 1, or the last Sunday of February to mark my birthday. I
chose the last Sunday because I was born on a Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“As
a young man, I used to feel bad that I didn’t have a birthday celebration every
year, especially as my friends always invited me to their birthdays every other
year. I decided to pick those three dates to measure up with my friends. It was
much later that I had a better understanding and realised I was a very unique
person as there are few of us born on February 29. Then, I began to appreciate
it even more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He
said his father prayed for him to be born on<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17203353"> February 29</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“When
I was younger, my father tried to make me understand my birth date was a
special day because he wanted me to be born on that day. I would have been born
on the 28th, but my father said he prayed that I would be born the next day
because it was a very special day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“He
said my being born on the 29th was the answer to his request. Also, there is
this belief among some Christians that the Leap Year was derived after Joshua
in the Bible prayed and asked the sun to stand still for a day which caused the
one or two days’ delay. I always tell myself that I am a special being,”
he told <i>SUNDAY PUNCH</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Maybe
that was why information and communications technology manager, Mr. David
Aderigbibe, named his son, who was born on February 29, Joshua. He clocks five
this February. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.65pt;">“Interestingly,
I never thought about it. I was just convinced about the name, Joshua, before
his christening. But obviously, there is a relationship between Joshua in the
bible and the sun standing still. Whenever his birthday is approaching, I
always think of how to go about it since February has 28 days each year and 29
days only in a leap year, which comes once every four years,” he noted.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As
he grows older, Joshua has become inquisitive about his birth date. Aderigbibe
said his son doesn’t want to hear that there is no February 29 this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He
said, “Whenever I want to celebrate his birthday on the last day of February,
being the 28th, he would ask me, ‘dad, but my birthday is on the 29th. I want
to have my birthday on my birth date.’ It is hard explaining to him at his age.
He may learn to overlook it as he grows older.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“This
year, I know I will get the same look he always gives me. He usually looks lost
when I try to explain it to him. I know his young mind finds it hard to
understand why the day is missing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Every
year is a special year, but Aderigbibe noted he would make February 29, 2016, a
leap year, more special for his son, who would be seven then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“For
the first time, I am going to design and make him a nice outfit, something to
remind us of that particular birthday. I would also bake him a cake with his
favourite cartoon character and take him swimming, he likes water a lot, like
me,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">For
communications and brand strategist, Merrilyn Okeleke, who is in her thirties,
she described her birthday as a unique one and noted that she has never felt
any different about being born on the February of a leap year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“My
parents usually bought a present for me every non-leap year and told me I was
very special. I get teased a lot on my non-leap year birthdays though.
Some friends deliberately tell me that they are planning a birthday bash and
want my birthday date; and when I mention 29th, they sigh and promise to do it
in a leap year,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Celebrating
her birthdays in her younger days was entirely her parents’ decision. But as an
adult, Okeleke now celebrates her birthday on February 26, 27, or she does not
celebrate it at all. “It is mostly low-key,” she said, adding that her most
memorable birthday was on her 20th birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“It
was the first organised by me and not my parents as I was in the tertiary
institution then. I got the surprise of my life when my roommate organised a
surprise birthday that had the crème de la crème in the school and pushed my
popularity up by 100 decibels. I always celebrate the actual February 29
birthday in a special way. At least, I have three years to decide and plan,”
she said, smiling. “I look forward to my fortieth birthday,” she added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">For
46-year-old Hilda Egboh, it does not matter whether it was a leap year or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“I
am a very happy person. So, I always look for any excuse to celebrate. As the
29th falls between February 28 and March 1, I expect pre-birthday wishes on the
28th and post-birthday wishes on the 1st. The actual February 29th birthday
period often falls in the Lenten period and being Catholic, the celebrations
are a bit more subdued. So, on non-leap years, I celebrate for two days instead
of the traditional one day. I always have special birthdays. This year will not
be any different,” she told our correspondent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Since
the date comes once every four years, people born on February 29 are considered
unique and not very common.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It is said that the odds of being born on a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9113311/Top-20-craziest-facts-about-leap-years.html">leap</a> day are one in
1,500. With a population of over 160 million, this means there could be about
100,000 Nigerians born on February 29.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Read more <a href="http://www.punchng.com/feature/2014-no-birthday-for-people-born-on-february-29/">here</a></span></div>
</div>
ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-42760939256585604372013-03-27T06:59:00.000+00:002013-03-27T07:33:53.151+00:00Music Nigeria: Ese Peters in Concert<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcgf0RZNCECOPffexjfaZ3lKNjXPTRBxNSETlVY6KlkfbVBv9ZV9qTXjPsRglPFFmCFzrbz80VYAJIERH78cl3fl3UJkK2MTzG_bns_cAu-PnNH6AOJBB5dHIQ2cqSt6tyyTuRwVWUAVo/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcgf0RZNCECOPffexjfaZ3lKNjXPTRBxNSETlVY6KlkfbVBv9ZV9qTXjPsRglPFFmCFzrbz80VYAJIERH78cl3fl3UJkK2MTzG_bns_cAu-PnNH6AOJBB5dHIQ2cqSt6tyyTuRwVWUAVo/s400/image.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
There are few songs that remain
evergreen and still give fresh goose pimples each time you listen to it. Like
Ese Peters' '<a href="http://eternalfilez.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-release-omote-by-ese-peters.html">Omote</a>'.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
And come this
Easter weekend, on Saturday, March 30, at <a href="http://olorisupergal.com/aboriginal-music-presents-ese-peters-in-concert/#.UVKX2BxwroI">Bogobiri,</a> 9, Maitama Sule, Off
Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Peters would be strumming his guitar and performing
Omote, as well as his other hit singles. The best part? You can watch Nigeria's
next contemporary<a href="http://eternalfilez.blogspot.com/2012/09/ese-peters-nigerias-next-rock-music-star.html">/rock music star</a> - for free. Peters is a gifted vocalist,
guitarist and songwriter, from Warri, Delta State.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">Once an independent artiste, Ese Peters signed a record deal with
AbOriginal Music, after last year’s release of his Acoustic EP, Then came 'Omote', which was released on Thursday, September 27, 2012. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;">His hit singles also include Gone, Stay with Me, Walk
Away, The Way You Are. Prepare to be impressed on an Easter weekend of
beautiful rock ballads from this gifted vocalist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">The concert is presented by <a href="http://thenetng.com/2013/03/netpod-aboriginal-musics-barzini-is-seeing-things/">AbOriginal</a> music.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-24325239513585749702013-03-26T05:59:00.000+00:002013-03-26T12:42:14.837+00:00They are the Champions! Purple Krown College Enugu Win NNPC/SHELL Cup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are the Champions: Purple Krown team in celebration mood</td></tr>
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Like Sunday Mba, whose goal ensured the Super Eagles of Nigeria were crowned Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, champions in South Africa 2013, <a href="http://www.futaa.com/football/article/nnpcshell-cup-hero-celebrates-victory">Uzodinma Emmanuel</a>, of Purple Krown College, Enugu, who was eventually named the Most Valuable Player of the NNPC/Shell Cup championship, scored the only goal of the game in the NNPC/Shell Cup final played on Sunday, March 24, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. However, Emmanuel's 50th minute goal was a cool dispatch from the penalty spot. His goal ensured that his school, Purple Krown College, Enugu, were crowned champions of the 15th edition of
the <a href="http://www.shell.com.ng/environment-society/shell-in-the-society/youth-development/shell-cup-update.html">NNPC/Shell Cup</a> as they ran away with a 1-0 victory over Government Secondary School (GSS), Wuse, Abuja, in an entertaining final.</div>
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In the first half,
both teams put on a fine display of skill and attacking intent, and had
numerous scoring opportunities, but lacked the decisive final touch in the
18-yard box. Like the first, the second half was also full of high end drama
and action, as the two teams made tactical changes to find the winning touch,
until Emmanuel’s decisive goal in the 50<sup>th</sup> minute. From then on, the
Wuse lads raised the tempo of their game and searched desperately for an
equaliser, but the Enugu team proved to be the better side for most part of the
game. In the end, there was going to be one winner. Purple Krown College held
on to win their first trophy in Nigeria’s biggest school football competition.
For their victory, the team won N2.5 million cash prize for sports development
in the school, while each of the players received N50, 000. As runners-up, GSS
Wuse went home with N1.4 million, while the players got N45, 000 each.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mutiu Sunmonu (MD Shell), Nigeria Sports Minister, Purple Krown captain</td></tr>
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On their way to the
final, Purple Krown College thrashed Government College, Ibadan, 4-1 in the
first semi-final. While Government Secondary School, Wuse, qualified via a 9-8
penalty shootout win against Government Arabic College, Kano, in the second
semi-final. The game had finished 1-1 at full time. With this historic win,
Purple Krown also earned a place at the invitational school football
competition in the United States of America, courtesy of the Nigeria School
Sports Federation, NSSF.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In an also exciting
third place play-off, Government Arabic College, Gwale, Kano, finished third
with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Government College, Ibadan, Oyo. The Gwale
lads also carted home N500,000 for their school’s sports development and
N40,000 for each of the players. While the fourth placed team received N400,000
for their school and N35,000 for each of the players. The winning team,
runners-up, third place and fourth placed teams all received certificates of
participation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“People have come to
appreciate the quality of the game, year in, year out, because the quality has
been improving. It has made us more proud than we have ever felt before,” said
Mutiu Sunmonu, Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing
Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, on why the NNPC/Shell Cup
is regarded as the biggest Secondary School football competition in Nigeria
today. “The interesting aspect of this for the players is that they do not have
to drop out of school to pursue a career in football. We are organising this at
secondary schools so that our students will understand that education is very
important and that the development of sports will make them complete. That is
what we want to imbibe in the leaders of tomorrow,” said Engineer Ben Akaakar, Technical Assistant to
Group Managing Director GMD, NNPC, Engineer Andrew Yakubu. The Minister
of Sports, <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mallam<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Bolaji Abdullahi</span></em></span><i>,</i> as well as many other distinguished
guests, graced the occasion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Special awards were
also presented to outstanding players during the championship. Osayeme Joshua
(Purple Krown College, Enugu) bagged the highest goal scorer award with six
goals and Arinze Okpanpa (Purple Crown College, Enugu) was named the best
defender. While Faisal Ali (Government Arabic College, Kano) won the best
goalkeeper award and Malomo Taofeek (Government College Ibadan) was adjudged
the best midfielder.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winning goal</td></tr>
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“We want to see
players from the <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/nnpc-shell-cup-q-finals-begin-thursday/">NNPC/Shell Cup</a> represent Nigeria in major championship and we
also want to see them grow academically because it is not all about football.
Education is very important and that is why our theme is; football and
education should go hand-in-hand,” said Shola
Akinwale, managing director, Worldwide Sports Limited, consultants to the NNPC/Shell Cup. “The
future is bright for these boys because they have potentials. The development
is positive but the end result is priority. After here, what’s next for the
lads? The National School Sports coaches should harness their potentials to
form the platform for the national Under 16 teams,” said Kudur Umar, public
relations officer, NSSF. Umar also added that the NNPC/Shell Cup will continue
to be the breeding ground for talented football stars in Nigeria. Over the
years, the competition has produced notable names such as Chinedu Obasi,
Ambrose Vanzekin, and many others who have represented Nigeria in international
football competitions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-10656072381894161952013-02-11T10:29:00.002+00:002013-02-11T10:30:51.202+00:00SUPER EAGLES OF NIGERIA CROWNED AFRICA CHAMPIONS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="line-height: 150%;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">In a
pulsating final played on Sunday, February 10, Stephen Keshi tutored Super
Eagles defeated the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations in South Africa</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-bbuK5Utjtp8YA_a8QpXTa3gTTFvvJklG9ixRFWwJ-9um8sUaQUmlqr0xv0sEVvYMOTvjvNcs9DKNeCnEmfCKyZ3oHWHRo6dswfPciWT6x1Nbm1LhQDkaWD7CWe5YATxvsQ3Xe9eN2tx/s1600/Eagles+champions+of+Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-bbuK5Utjtp8YA_a8QpXTa3gTTFvvJklG9ixRFWwJ-9um8sUaQUmlqr0xv0sEVvYMOTvjvNcs9DKNeCnEmfCKyZ3oHWHRo6dswfPciWT6x1Nbm1LhQDkaWD7CWe5YATxvsQ3Xe9eN2tx/s320/Eagles+champions+of+Africa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">Sunday Mba’s lone spectacular
strike in the 40<sup>th</sup> minute was enough to win Nigeria its third Africa
Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in the 2013 final against the Stallions of Burkina
Faso played on Sunday, February 10, at the Soccer City, Johannesburg. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1335541/match-winner-sunday-mba-toasts-dream-come-true?cc=3888">Mba</a>, a player who plies
his trade in the Nigeria Premier League, wore jersey number 19, and more
interestingly ended the country’s 19-year wait for AFCON title. Nigeria last won
the AFCON title on home soil in 1980 and 1994 in Tunisia. Against the odds, Coach
<a href="http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4687/2013-africa-cup-of-nations/2013/02/10/3740381/stephen-keshi-on-the-cusp-of-greatness">Stephen Keshi </a>also made history as he became the first Nigerian coach to lead
the Super Eagles to the title. He also becomes the second man </span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">to win it both as a player and a coach, the first being the late Mahmoud El Gohary who led Egypt to the AFCON title in 1998.</span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">The match kicked off at
a frenetic pace with nerves showing on both sides as they battled for supremacy
in possession and play. Although the Eagles looked the more settled as the
first half progressed, they failed to capitalize on their dominant possession. The
absence of striker Emmanuel Emenike due to injury was glaring as the Eagles were
unable to convert the numerous chances they created, with returnee striker IK
Uche and Brown Ideye, failing to make any visible impact. This was un</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">til the 40<sup>th</sup> minute when Mba struck a sweet
volley into the far corner of the post from inside the Burkinabe box. Mba’s
goal came from a determined run by the Warri Wolves/Enugu Rangers player after
Victor Moses and Brown Ideye had failed to capitalise on gilt edged chances
seconds earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">The second half continued like the first, with both
teams trying to grab the match by the scruff of the neck at the midfield.
Although the Stallions seem to have gained confidence from their bright start
at the second, they were not able to create clear cut chances, like the Eagles.
The efforts of their star players; Jonathan Pitroipa, whose unjust red card in
the semi-final against Ghana was reversed and Aristides</span> Bance were neutralized
by the Eagles’ defence, which put up an excellent shift throughout the match. <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%;">Wilfried<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><em style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Sanou</span></em><span style="line-height: 150%;">
almost snatched a late equaliser for Burkina Faso, but Vincent Enyeama’s
reflexes saved the day for Keshi and the Eagles. Ahmed Musa could have sealed
the match with a second goal but fell embarrassingly inside the Burkina box
after being put through on goal. The Eagles held on for the four minutes of
added time to be crowned champions of Africa </span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 150%;">in
the 2013 final watched by 85,000 fans.</span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">“I </span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">am overjoyed at the stunning victory of the Super
Eagles which has seen Nigeria emerge as the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2276601/Nigeria-win-Africa-Cup-Nations-2013-beating-Burkina-Faso-1-0-Final.html">champions </a>of the African Cup of
Nations, 2013. Well done Patriots, you have done Nigeria proud. 2013 is
obviously the year of Nigeria. We have emerged as a beacon of hope on the
African continent by proving to Africa and the world that a strong Nigerian
team put together and trained by a Nigerian coach can stand the test of time
and successfully rise to the challenge of a most formidable opponent. The
Nigerian spirit stands strong and steady as we march to the destination of
greatness. I doff my fedora hat to this great squad that has brought laughter
and happiness to our homes. Nigerians are grateful. We thank God. We thank you,”
said President Goodluck Jonathan, in his congratulatory message to the team,
who are billed to be hosted to a grand reception in Abuja on Tuesday, February
12.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">With this victory,
Nigeria would now represent Africa at the <a href="http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/news/newsid=2010112/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption">FIFA Confederations Cup</a> slated for
June in Brazil, where they would play against European and World champions Spain,
Uruguay and Tahiti. Brazil, Japan, Mexico and Italy make the other group.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-6012800934116215582013-02-10T09:45:00.001+00:002013-02-10T09:46:41.744+00:00Stephen Keshi and the Super Eagles: On the Cusp of Greatness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>So far, he has succeeded where others failed. And if he gets luckier, the <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4687/2013-africa-cup-of-nations/2013/02/10/3740381/stephen-keshi-on-the-cusp-of-greatness">Super Eagles</a> coach would write his name in gold in South Africa 2013</b></div>
<div style="color: #192733; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">
By Arukaino Umukoro</div>
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Even the best local pundits did not believe <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-ng/people/nigeria/67545/stephen-okechukwu-keshi/national"><span style="color: #004276;">Stephen Keshi</span></a>, coach of the <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-ng/teams/nigeria/777/nigeria"><span style="color: #004276;">Super Eagles</span></a>, would get this far. After all, the last set, the much praised golden generation, which won the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Tunisia 1994, took five years to build. In contrast, Keshi’s Eagles had roughly five to six weeks. Also, the fact that notable names such as Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi, Danny Shittu, Obinna Nsofor, Taye Taiwo et al did not make the final cut gave reasons for apprehension among Eagles’ faithful and neutrals.</div>
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But the coach had always been full of confidence in his Eagles’ project. “I have the frame of the team I want and I believe that the squad we have selected for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations is good enough. What we need is chemistry. Once we have that, we’ll be okay going forward and all the way,” he said on the eve of the competition.</div>
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Fast forward three weeks after. Even the most pessimistic football loving Nigerian has been transformed into a true believer. National faith in Keshi has hit the rooftops as many now feel that Afcon 2013 might just be the making of the next golden generation of the Super Eagles.</div>
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The good thing about this is that Keshi, as well as his assistant Daniel Amokachi, was a member and captain of the last golden generation - the 1994 Eagles team. That team, bleeding with class everywhere, also went on to dazzle the world at the FIFA World Cup USA 1994, where they got to the second round.</div>
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Now the captain has become the field marshal, poised to conquer the continent with his glory chasing soldiers. The 1994 set was the standard which others after them have failed to meet. As it stands now, Keshi’s team is in pole position to equal it and probably raise it further. He is the second Nigerian coach, after Adegboye Onigbinde in 1984, to reach an Afcon final. Interestingly, Keshi was also assistant to Jo Bonfrere when the Eagles reached the 2000 final in Lagos, where they lost to Cameroon on penalty kicks. Besides, he is the third player from that 1994 golden generation to become coach (alongside Austin Eguavoen and Samson Siasia). This means that no matter what happens in Sunday’s final, it would be recorded that Keshi succeeded where others failed.</div>
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All things being equal, he looks good to become the first ever to win it. And if he gets lucky, again, he would also make history as the second man to win it both as a player and a coach, the first being Mahmoud El Gohary who led Egypt to the Afcon title in 1998.</div>
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While the final against Burkina Faso would be a tricky tie, these new-look Super Eagles smell the scent of victory like blood to a vampire. Only the resurgent Stallions, whose objective before the tournament was to win a game at least, could stop them from flying.</div>
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If experience counts also, Keshi has some on his side. First he took an unfancied Togo team to the 2006 Fifa World Cup for the first time in their history. Then, he guided Mali to the Afcon in 2010, where they were eliminated in the group stages. Interestingly, his Afcon 2013 Super Eagles team were also on the verge of elimination before two Victor Moses penalties in their last group match against Ethiopia delivered them into the quarter finals. Since then, the team has grown in confidence and proved the doubting Thomases wrong.</div>
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Now, 19 years after winning the trophy in Tunisia and 13 years after their last appearance in an Afcon final, the Super Eagles can finally stand up and be counted in South Africa.</div>
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Like midfielder John Obi Mikel rightly noted, Keshi could be said to be a lucky coach. Indeed. The Eagles’ lucky charms seem to have been the enterprising Moses and striker Emmanuel Emenike, who might finish the tournament as the highest goal scorer - just like the late Rashidi Yekini did in 1994. However, beside Moses and Emenike, any of the players could be the joker in the final. They proved this with their display of teamwork and purposeful football in the semi-finals, where they took Mali to the cleaners. This team may have come of age in so short a time simply because Keshi is blessed with 23 determined players, brimming with passion and potentials, hungry enough to make their Fatherland proud, who can’t wait to get their hands on the Afcon trophy.</div>
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“We have real expectation of winning. From the moment we qualified, we knew we were capable of winning it. So, our expectation is to win the trophy and make Nigerians happy,” said Keshi before the tournament kicked off.</div>
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In November 2011 when the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) appointed him as coach of the Eagles, Keshi’s coaching contract included a condition that he must qualify for South Africa 2013 and reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Not only has he surpassed the first, he may go on to do the same with the second if they let him continue his rebuilding efforts.</div>
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More especially as his Eagles team have improved with every match, maturing into a fine blend, like vintage wine. While he may need to do more on improving their tactical discipline, Keshi and his evolving team are well on the threshold of making golden history. Barring the upset of upsets, with over 160 million Nigerians cheering and thousands more inside Soccer City, Johannesburg, the 51 year-old and his Super Eagles team would be crowned African champions on Sunday.</div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-87489705529336662762012-10-25T17:24:00.001+01:002012-10-25T17:49:30.015+01:00AFCON 2013: Super Eagles Draw Zambia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso in Group C<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv6Cr3BGLGoplZa7_8ETvY5Li-5TZiX_W4WenRr3FbQvqzqxYwdmX84hv6BK_mjqVfGC63nJ6ixFX3TsGGWMQVdHPLYC3JTbRJJ4kBQoBRx8s1ieC1Ib2Eyruh9n7dx-xIjHkyiq0pCP6/s1600/keshi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv6Cr3BGLGoplZa7_8ETvY5Li-5TZiX_W4WenRr3FbQvqzqxYwdmX84hv6BK_mjqVfGC63nJ6ixFX3TsGGWMQVdHPLYC3JTbRJJ4kBQoBRx8s1ieC1Ib2Eyruh9n7dx-xIjHkyiq0pCP6/s1600/keshi.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Keshi, Pix credits: Getty Images</td></tr>
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</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0cm;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">18 years and a few months after
Stephen Keshi captained the Super Eagles to winning the Africa Cup of Nations
(AFCON) trophy in Tunis; the same man would be leading the Eagles as coach to
the 2013 edition, with continental glory firmly in his sights. Not only that,
he would have to overcome the same hurdle – the Chipolopolo of Zambia – that he
and his team mates faced on that glorious April 10, 1994 night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">However, while it is yet day
before the big test, Keshi had already been talking tough about their now known
opponents in South Africa 2013. <span style="background: white;">“I have said to
a lot of people and will say it again that I am not afraid of any team in the
championship draws. You don’t win a championship by being afraid of your
opponents and that is the spirit with which I am going to the draws with”, he
was quoted as saying by Eagles Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, just two days before
the draws were conducted on Wednesday, October 24, at the Durban International
Convention Centre, South Africa. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">Besides
Zambia, the Eagles were drawn in Group C alongside Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;">On January 21, The Eagles would kick off their Nations Cup with a match
against the Burkina Faso in Nelspruit. While they face Zambia and Ethiopia on
January 25 and 29 respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTi74YGnnwRDf9clE9Uee_1tJzTL090Ts9xhdz-lERNvUqzaOt5cTHLkiyBjqjaMpTu-6Vj1-wyWyaJkwdjVRSnw2WaAgL5BQhHFDMfWNfMhD5NMM-wpvUcuI9h9QN0QGrfPAIvNnAVzE/s1600/Kalusha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTi74YGnnwRDf9clE9Uee_1tJzTL090Ts9xhdz-lERNvUqzaOt5cTHLkiyBjqjaMpTu-6Vj1-wyWyaJkwdjVRSnw2WaAgL5BQhHFDMfWNfMhD5NMM-wpvUcuI9h9QN0QGrfPAIvNnAVzE/s1600/Kalusha.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bwalya Pix credits: cafonline</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">For Kalusha Bwalya, the man
who captained the Chipolopolo to silver in 1994, and now president of the
Football Association of Zambia, it would have been a disaster if the defending
AFCON champions had not qualified. The Chipolopolo had to do it the hard way
though, by relying on a tense penalty shootout win over Uganda in their final
qualifier matches. “I told the players that they needed to put everything into
that final match against Uganda. Ultimately, we kept our nerves and we showed
why we are champions by winning in the penalty shootout,” Bwalya told <a href="http://www.cafonline.com/competition/orange-can-2013_2013/news/15695-kalusha-bwalya-prays-for-a-favourable-draw-for-champions-zambia.html">CAFonline</a> in Durban.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">The first match of the competition
would be see hosts South Africa play Cape Verde, who stunned four-time champions
Cameroon to book a place in their debut AFCON finals. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsx9CJJbDhVnjiKHhPtuuiQN_vYV-w3yPJL1va4sQCkeEeXfSd3EY4jgrZ6CqhBSmdSSrVS34qW48s19TrIvzvbKNRuuWPYOI4_FkahzS0VZrqK38jOckgZHEyaDzcZDgASFLsRl0dhc6/s1600/eagles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsx9CJJbDhVnjiKHhPtuuiQN_vYV-w3yPJL1va4sQCkeEeXfSd3EY4jgrZ6CqhBSmdSSrVS34qW48s19TrIvzvbKNRuuWPYOI4_FkahzS0VZrqK38jOckgZHEyaDzcZDgASFLsRl0dhc6/s320/eagles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Eagles. Pix credits: AFP</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">However for Nigerian fans,
the question would be: can Bwalya’s Zambia get a revenge against Keshi’s Eagles
and then go on to retain the trophy or can Keshi’s Eagles claim another Zambian
scalp by getting a win in their group match and then go on to make history for
the third time? South Africa 2013 will tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">Slated to
hold between January 19 and February 10, 2013, he tournament will be held in five
South African cities - Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Port Elizabeth and
Rustenburg.</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong>Group A:</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco,
Angola<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start;">
<strong>Group B:</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>Ghana, DR Congo, Niger, Mali<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start;">
<strong>Group C:</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina
Faso<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start;">
<strong>Group D:</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria<o:p></o:p></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-44709562461721277082012-09-29T12:04:00.001+01:002012-09-29T12:05:56.811+01:00SUNDAY OLISEH AND TARIBO WEST: A REUNION OF SUPER EAGLES’ LEGENDS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUxw-3ZAevNPXIjMNjFIRISjpq_DSZblmfOt8Vi6lZejCpFey817nDL2dCfx8nEnJlKIzBxzMFe7vwbZ3muEHpAC8E6ZhSN9PuhH0PJSXeJwxjhCIV_XwB-a1PmMR_cywIXou72ZIWIUw/s1600/DSC05226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUxw-3ZAevNPXIjMNjFIRISjpq_DSZblmfOt8Vi6lZejCpFey817nDL2dCfx8nEnJlKIzBxzMFe7vwbZ3muEHpAC8E6ZhSN9PuhH0PJSXeJwxjhCIV_XwB-a1PmMR_cywIXou72ZIWIUw/s320/DSC05226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday Oliseh and Taribo West Pix: By Arukaino Umukoro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">On Friday,
September 28, at the Soccerex Seminar Lagos, at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, I met
former Super Eagles defender and rock of Gibraltar, Taribo West, now turned
pastor. I shook hands with him and joked "Pastor, I would like a prayer of
blessings, sir,” He laughed “You’re blessed,” he said with a hand gesture as if
he were the Pope. Of course</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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In case you
don’t remember, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2002/may/12/worldcupfootball2002.sport">West</a>, also then famous for his crazy hairdos - including one
half of a dreadlock painted in Nigeria’s colours green white green, was part of
the golden generation of Super Eagles that won the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations
that rose up to become the best entertaining side at the USA 1994 World Cup. At
that time the Eagles were adjudged by FIFA as the fifth best side in the world.
West was also part of the all-conquering Dream Team that swept aside South
American giants, Brazil and Argentina to win the Atlanta 1996 Olympic football
gold, the first time for an African country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Okay. Let’s cut
the chase. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A few minutes
later, Sunday Oliseh walked out of the Soccerex meeting hall where he was
drilled with questions by Osasu Obayuiwana, one of Africa’s leading football
journalists, and Associate Editor of <i>NewAfrican
</i>magazine. And in case you didn’t know, <a href="http://www.sundayoliseh.tv/index.php?id=80&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=140&cHash=970f347755b020959587b45c680e8a9b">Oliseh</a>, like West, was also part of
the golden generation of the 1994 Nations’ Cup and 1996 Olympic gold winning
team. Oliseh aslo scored that beauty of a rocket in the 78 minutes to clinch a
memorable 3-2 victory against Spain, now European and World Champions, at the
France 1998 World Cup.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXtMRAwkhPE0p3Jw5mXuwMCmjFmui747JoTTjuq8xfo7SH1TZFX-5YXZfb1lPVPtC7_CLOuXmqpe7b1lQgKnecwzFwGOJTNcm-WxldyRjXHQvlVuhVIyhkt1Qu1vFa43bUAezWuiNDQ4u/s1600/DSC05228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXtMRAwkhPE0p3Jw5mXuwMCmjFmui747JoTTjuq8xfo7SH1TZFX-5YXZfb1lPVPtC7_CLOuXmqpe7b1lQgKnecwzFwGOJTNcm-WxldyRjXHQvlVuhVIyhkt1Qu1vFa43bUAezWuiNDQ4u/s320/DSC05228.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oliseh and West in conversation. Pix: By Arukaino Umukoro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Just as Oliseh
came out, he met West at the door. On sighting West who had his back to Oliseh
and was caught up in conversation with notable names that had gathered around
him. Oliseh gave him a playful nudge from behind. And when West turned round to
see who it was, it became two golden summers again, 1994 and 1996. Time seemed
to pause as people around watched in delight as<b> t</b>hey gave each other repeated bear hugs that lingered in the memory
and banter like best friends. They chatted for a while. Like during their
Eagles’ heydays, it was beautiful to watch them play like long lost friends.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Oliseh, the
classy and hugely-talented midfielder. Taribo West, the defender
extraordinaire. Both were integral part of a Super Eagles generation that was
bleeding with class everywhere. Indeed, they were a golden generation. It was
great meeting them both. They were golden moments with a touch of impressive
history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-63116504136398724222012-09-27T22:29:00.001+01:002012-09-27T23:16:24.515+01:00New Music (Nigeria): 'Omote' by Ese Peters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpthK3bLHsVqUMYPv0qCo-Eu52nnw0rd-KACJtQng_yQMZDMZVqVbgDoPvbWltvFKO01QqGt0zYcWQn1OLtH0MFIiWseM_-tsLzL4DEU7VAPrwY5GZFwJj4O1S7acxjSC9_DlTW4izPD_/s1600/Omote+-+Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpthK3bLHsVqUMYPv0qCo-Eu52nnw0rd-KACJtQng_yQMZDMZVqVbgDoPvbWltvFKO01QqGt0zYcWQn1OLtH0MFIiWseM_-tsLzL4DEU7VAPrwY5GZFwJj4O1S7acxjSC9_DlTW4izPD_/s320/Omote+-+Date.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">If you’re expecting the normal party song with lots of swashbuckling
beats for commercial appeal, then it may not be this. However, ‘Omote’, by <a href="http://eternalfilez.blogspot.com/2012/09/ese-peters-nigerias-next-rock-music-star.html">Ese Peters</a>; a
Nigerian artiste who performs rock ballads, is a beautiful composition definitely worth listening to, whether you're a fan or not. This guy sings so beautifully. What “Omote” lacked
in party beats, it pulled off with some depth and soul, and probably would
become a choice request for wedding ceremonies, receptions, romantic getaways,
or just to woo that beautiful and special girl somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<em style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-style: normal;">“AbOriginal Music is proud to present “Omote” – the brand new single
from Alternative Nigerian Singer/Songwriter and producer Ese Peters. Debuting
as the first single from his forthcoming self-titled EP, the Sizzle-produced
“Omote” is a soaring ballad that is very much vintage Ese Peters. Backed by
lush acoustic guitars, resounding string arrangements and subtle drum patterns,
over which Ese Peters effortlessly but compellingly displays his soulful vocal
tones, undeniable singing abilities and heart-tugging song writing dexterity,
“Omote” is a brilliantly crafted Rock ballad that not only cuts straight to the
heart of its listener but also sets Ese Peters well apart from anything that is
in Nigerian’s musical landscape in 2012,” read the statement from AbOriginal
Music, the label Peters signed on with after </span></em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: start;">last year’s release of his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArcmXdO1CqY&feature=related">AcousticEP</a>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: start;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18pt;">A hit
song? With the right marketing and distribution strategy- online and offline,
lots of air plays on radio stations; and probably a little more, it
could be. And it would definitely be worth the spot at the top of the charts.</span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 150%;">Listen and enjoy: <a href="http://soundcloud.com/werunthingsreload/omote">"Omote"</a>, which was o</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">fficially released today, Thursday, September 27.</span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-58280117215498351922012-09-26T14:51:00.001+01:002012-09-26T16:03:55.666+01:00Ese Peters: Nigeria's Next Rock Music Star?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">Remember this name: Ese Peters. This Nigerian singer,
guitarist and songwriter, from Warri, Delta State, is blessed with a vocal talent
that could propel him to become the country’s next contemporary/rock music star. Well, he also describes himself as a dreamer. But one thing that he
doesn’t need to dream about is how really good he can sing and perform love songs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">After last year’s release of his Acoustic EP, which includes the hit single, <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MWX3quvvrM">Gone (Wetin I Go Do)</a></i>, Peters has followed it up with another single; a beautiful composition titled “Omote”,
a rock ballad that would leave any girl with a taste for good music swooning
for love. Although written and performed in English, <i>Omote</i> is an Urhobo/Isoko word for ‘girl’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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And <i>Omote </i><span style="line-height: 150%;">does have a music soul,
untainted by the rush of blood for commercial or mass appeal, as common with
many new generation Nigerian artistes. Well, the thing is, this guy doesn’t come
across like an uncommon artiste. While there are a lot of foreign influences on
his songs, Peters’ evolving music constantly probes the depth of originality,
in voice and delivery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">“<i>Omote</i>, <i>don’t you know that I’d trade the world for
you, just to see you smile and have all that you wish for in life. I would
walk, run, pull down every door in your way. And if you fall, I will pick you
up. And if you cry, I will dry every tear in your eye. Cos you’re the sweetest
thing I know… And you dance. And you fly. And you tear down the walls with your
heart. And you run. And you soar... </i>” With a lush voice that cuts to the heart like John Mayer’s or Dave
Matthews’, Peters gushes about his undying love to his ‘Omote’. Laced with romantic clichés,
the song may just be a runaway hit with the way he makes the listener believe again
in love. “<i>Omote</i> is an honest
declaration of love. Honesty is a rare commodity in today’s world. It is one
lover telling the other; ‘I’ll be there for you’. I think we all need that
every once in a while. It is raw and passionately painful. It is truth. It is
real life, that’s what makes it special,” he told me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%;">Once an independent
artiste, Ese Peters signed a record deal with AbOriginal Music, after last
year’s release of his Acoustic EP. Watch out for <i>Omote</i>, which is due for
release on Thursday, September 27, online, including on this blog, on Spinlets
and iTunes, as well as on radio stations nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%;"><i>Omote</i>... </span><span style="line-height: 150%;">Two words: simply
beautiful.</span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-25637066102533913752012-09-12T17:16:00.001+01:002012-09-12T22:17:35.699+01:00ANDY MURRAY US OPEN CHAMPION: THE GRAND SLAM THAT FINALLY WAS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuKirGnO69oEIMYHDUdYz5JHfYIeqpcmsnSRrjFBuhfFlynJa1OORGlJW17GpLiXkE5nlvubuHB-gDWjXwEtCHiDitwwiVDHkj1t5W3Pdp8fA5d5A41hMTnmC-7tTQ9db6VY4Vw_cGjsg/s1600/article-0-14F34BF8000005DC-394_634x494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuKirGnO69oEIMYHDUdYz5JHfYIeqpcmsnSRrjFBuhfFlynJa1OORGlJW17GpLiXkE5nlvubuHB-gDWjXwEtCHiDitwwiVDHkj1t5W3Pdp8fA5d5A41hMTnmC-7tTQ9db6VY4Vw_cGjsg/s320/article-0-14F34BF8000005DC-394_634x494.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It had long been written in the stars. “If you write a
script, that is the way to have won it,” gushed an emotional John Lloyd, former
British number one, when 25-year-old <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2201423/Andy-Murray-happy-proud-relieved-achieving-Grand-Slam-dream.html">Andy Murray</a> won the US Open, his first
ever grand slam, on Monday, September 10. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It was a fitting description as Murray had to fight hard
till the last shot of a thrilling five-setter to beat Novak Djokovic, the defending
champion, 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in a pulsating four hours and 54 minutes of
breathless tennis on Arthur Ashe Stadium. With his hard-fought but thoroughly
deserved victory, Murray also became the first British man to win a tennis
grand slam title since Fred Perry 76 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">At some point, especially in the first two sets, it was
almost as if the wind gods and his tennis shoes conspired to ensure Djokovic didn’t
deny Murray his first grand slam hurrah. </span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">“Murray picked a heck of a way to win his long-elusive first major. Monday
night's win over Djokovic was epic in the truest sense, a wild, five-set
odyssey that featured swings of momentum, obstacles, acts of God, redemption
and, finally, triumph,” wrote Jon Wertheim, of Sports illustrated, summing it
up nicely.</span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Like his coach, 52-year-old
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/11/ivan-lendl-andy-murray-dream">Ivan Lendl</a> – </span></span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">eight-time grand
slam winner - </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">whom he hired on December 31,
Murray had to wait until his fifth grand slam final to emerge victorious. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"I'm getting closer,” Murray had said, in
between tears, in that gut-wrenching Wimbledon final defeat to Roger Federer,
the world number one. In that match on July 8, Federer ran away with a 4-6 7-5
6-3 6-4 to secure a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title and 17</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">
grand slam title. A month later, on August 5, on the same court, Murray
defeated the same Federer 6-2 6-1 6-4 to win the London 2012 Olympic gold. He
also clinched silver in mixed doubles with fellow Brit Laura Robson after they
lost in the final to Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoCZZOnvAL40kIqQMXkhCE4MK-CbBxTG-5_bi8MEKKn1F3gV7NrZQ6N_kXfgxoZNUeZbtsZ5ADYls4c6SlAJ9xDYts9D7hZaD6la44T6YP0pGhwHVsUPOPDivJ6OIoNjbJuzk3N4GqnjX/s1600/article-0-14F3487A000005DC-54_634x637-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoCZZOnvAL40kIqQMXkhCE4MK-CbBxTG-5_bi8MEKKn1F3gV7NrZQ6N_kXfgxoZNUeZbtsZ5ADYls4c6SlAJ9xDYts9D7hZaD6la44T6YP0pGhwHVsUPOPDivJ6OIoNjbJuzk3N4GqnjX/s320/article-0-14F3487A000005DC-54_634x637-1.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Finally, on September 10, at Flushing Meadows,
Murray achieved his dream, by winning his first grand slam title. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In the end it was worth the wait as he now joins the
elite league of grand slam winners and also moved up to number three in the
world tennis rankings. </span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">He
is also the first man to win both the Olympic singles title and the US Open in
the same year. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><br />
<b></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">“I am just so relieved to finally have got there
and I can put this one behind me and hopefully <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19554926">win more</a>,” said a delighted
Murray after the match. Only a few would doubt the potential of a man who’s finally
conquered history to become a grand slam champion.</span></span></b></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-71521304315963474132012-05-15T20:09:00.000+01:002012-05-22T15:16:00.208+01:00RASHIDI YEKINI: THE EXIT OF A NIGERIAN FOOTBALL LEGEND<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“They
wasted him!” exclaimed one of the neighbours when the magazine visited the
sprawling residence at Oni and Sons Way, near Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> It was desolate. Only the intermittent, loud, high-pitched cries from
peacocks, which Rashidi Yekini kept as his last few companions after he
reportedly told his human tenants and gateman to vacate his premises, could be
heard inside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It wasn’t the kind of sound heard
during their mating season. It was almost like a mourning cry, an eerie
reminder of how one man, once a famous footballer who was celebrated by
millions, was tossed about by personal troubles of varying degrees and managed
to live in such isolation for many years, lonely, hurt and deeply depressed.
“They have refused to come out, especially when press people come around and
seem to know that their benefactor is no more,” noted another neighbour,
speaking of the strange behaviour of the peacocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwA2MTpHCI45QmF4M6SJc3FO3rBPmNUS9BgvAOI5ylksXdmgoNQROPtT3KPN3wGnbB7VeIxziuTKNYgxSGROBseJEXUHphEVcYlZL9dvt0ySHY0J0sCYT8cKzqF738sSZOES7qrMgmn6O/s1600/Yekini+goal+USA+94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwA2MTpHCI45QmF4M6SJc3FO3rBPmNUS9BgvAOI5ylksXdmgoNQROPtT3KPN3wGnbB7VeIxziuTKNYgxSGROBseJEXUHphEVcYlZL9dvt0ySHY0J0sCYT8cKzqF738sSZOES7qrMgmn6O/s320/Yekini+goal+USA+94.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yekini scored Nigeria's first goal at USA '94</td></tr>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In
2010, Yekini’s iconic goal at the USA 1994 FIFA World Cup was ranked number
eight in the Top 50 Most Memorable World Cup celebrations of all time, as
polled by <i>Goal.com</i> in association
with Coca-Cola. As Super Eagles leading goal scorer, it was Yekini’s luck to
make history as the first Nigerian to score at the FIFA World Cup. The way he
celebrated the goal was aptly described as “sheer unrestrained joy” and “raw
emotion at its absolute best.” At least 80 million Nigerians across the world joined
him in celebration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Indeed,
it was Yekini’s avalanche of goals that ensured that Nigeria won its second
Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Tunisia 1994 and also qualified for its debut
World Cup that same year. Although he was at the 1998 edition<span class="apple-converted-space"> in France, that goal</span> was the last that
he ever scored in the World Cup. But he remained on the fringes of popularity,
while trading his skills with Africa Sports of Ivory Coast, national club sides
like the defunct Julius Berger of Lagos and Gateway of Abeokuta, until he
finally hung his professional boots for good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In
a cruel twist of fate, Yekini faded away from the limelight like a hermit. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Since he left active football, the only thing he knew how to do after
being a mechanic apprentice in Kaduna, isolation and depression seemed to have
been his closest companions. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">While rumours about his struggle with deep depression,
baffling reclusive lifestyle and mental state of health, especially in the last
few years of his life, were spoken about and written in whispers. This was the
state of affairs until Friday, May 4, when without the cheer of many thousands
and the attendant blaze of glory his death was announced to a shocked nation,
which in the past had been severally united by Yekini’s goals. At 48, it was an
untimely death for a legendary striker who made goal scoring a habit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But some persons saw it coming.
“The state I met him was sad and wasn’t what I wanted to see of someone who made
many Nigerians happy with his goals. Even policemen at the stadium would rush
to the pitch and hug Yekini. That day, he was like an absent-minded person.
Although he spoke rationally and was able to answer my questions coherently,
you could see that this man had lost the capacity to love and be loved, the
capacity to forgive and be forgiven, and you could see some level of dejection.
Don’t forget that he had marital issues, marriage didn’t work for him and, that
constituted loss of love, and maybe he was in that state where he felt that
there was nothing like love,” said </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Godwin Spiff-Sagbamah, chief executive officer, Hallysports
International, who interviewed the late football legend early in 2010. The
interview took place just before the FIFA World Cup in South Africa and shortly
after Yekini had refused the World Cup ambassadorial role proposed to him by
the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yekini
also rejected the sumptuous financial offer to participate in the Africa
Football Legend exhibition match played in Lagos in July 2009. According to
Spiff-Sagbamah, any attempt he made to talk about Nigerian football with Yekini
met a brick wall. The seeming lack of
proper recognition from the society where he lived may have also contributed to
him reclining further from the rest of the world to himself, where he thought
in that way nobody could hurt him again, Spiff-Sagbamah added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXH1SpmxqH5_hKeSzfVIPlGquk9_7aGDRlUaw8hL0SkkLSzViN1KcDGGgI0chyCzUEwJGZOdXlVqUxoko1LSqVenPlFkcTG-jaxjqdkpzBHWRLz5T_eugCK00ZtEOTMtesJli_4KbKO0Y/s1600/Rashidi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXH1SpmxqH5_hKeSzfVIPlGquk9_7aGDRlUaw8hL0SkkLSzViN1KcDGGgI0chyCzUEwJGZOdXlVqUxoko1LSqVenPlFkcTG-jaxjqdkpzBHWRLz5T_eugCK00ZtEOTMtesJli_4KbKO0Y/s320/Rashidi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Although
neighbours noted that he drove himself daily and continued his regular football
training for years, Yekini battled his personal torments alone, sank further
into the abyss of dejection and self-imposed isolation that even concerned
friends and family members spoke of their frustration at trying to help him
integrate back to normal life. Mutiu Adepoju, Yekini’s Eagles teammate and
close friend, said that much. “He never reached out to people; he was living an
isolated life. Quite a number of times, people have called me to inquire about
him and I always gave them his number and they reached out to him as well. But
he never came out to tell anybody what he wanted or needed. So I won’t be able
to say that nothing was done for him or that they didn’t do enough for him.
It’s one thing for somebody to say oh, I need help or reach out to people, and
another thing for people to help him. He never reached out and when people
wanted to reach out to him, he never gave them the opportunity to,” Adepoju
told the magazine in a voice laden with sadness. “After football, you don’t
have anything pensionable, an enlightenment and sensitisation should be done.
The transition is very difficult. So footballers have to learn as much as
possible to think about their future after football and the authorities should
also help to channel them to do meaningful things afterwards,” Adepoju advised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
need to help ex-footballers like Yekini, with little education, properly manage
their lives after the game was the more reason Seun Omotayo, a professor in the
Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports, University of
Education, Winneba, Ghana, proposed a rehabilitation programme for the late
striker. This was after Spiff-Sagbamah had also got in touch with him. “I am
deeply concerned about this news and situation (of Yekini) as a trained sports
psychologist. There are records of retired athletes that go into depression for
so many reasons which include but not limited to poor management of life while
in active sports and sudden loss of recognition. In any of such case(s) the
first approach is to apply the Significant Other Therapy,” wrote Omotayo in his
letter of appeal for assistance on professional management for Yekini in late
2010. It was addressed to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, who had
expressed his willingness to assist the late football legend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
therapy was a psychological management programme which would have included a
five-day planned visit of Yekini to the National Sports College, Winneba,
Ghana, where he would have been administered the adrenal burnout (fatigue)
intervention programme to help him reintegrate into normal life. If Omotayo’s
programme had seen the light of the day, Yekini would also have had the
opportunity to address the kids in the soccer academy, play an exhibition match
with students in the school’s Department of Physical Health Ed</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ucation, Recreation and Sports. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sadly though, Yekini reportedly refused.
“He turned it down and at that time, his family was hiding him,” recalled
Spiff-Sagbamah, who had travelled to Ibadan to see Yekini.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For
many, it is believed that Yekini’s </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">reclusive
lifestyle may have been caused by several factors, including the assertion that
he was not able to deal with the aftermath of repeated failed marriages, his
fade away from the limelight and lack of recognition from the public after
retiring from </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">international and club
football, as well as </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">personal, business and family
issues. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Also, Yekini’s
downturn into deeper isolation was said to have been compounded with the loss
of a huge sum of money when his bosom friend and business partner, Ibraheem,
was robbed and killed. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ibraheem,
who ran a bureau de change in the Sabo Area of Ibadan, was said to have been
the custodian of a large chunk of Yekini’s money with which he traded.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That incident, some said, buried
Yekini further into the abyss of depression and isolation from which he never
recovered. For years, he also stayed away from his family who were based in
Kwara State. “None of the individuals showed any concern towards helping my
late husband, and that was why the family came to his rescue, even though their
efforts still failed to save his life,” lamented Adeola, one of the former
wives of the late footballer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Although exact details of the
last days of his Eagles’ career are still unclear, it was rumoured that Yekini
felt betrayed by some of his teammates who were said to have ganged up against
him for being the one who scored most of the goals and received all the
recognition. He was the first Nigerian to win the coveted African Footballer of
the Year in 1993. That he was gradually starved out of regular position in the
national team, as balls were not being fed to him as the main striker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But this is an allegation that
Adepoju, who played with Yekini, swiftly disputed. “There was nothing like
that. The players didn’t gang up against Yekini. He was our best (goal) scorer
then and there was cooperation in the team. I was very close to him, as far as
I’m concerned, there was nothing like that,” Adepoju said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6mBE_LRk5k36fz1MSXd_ngvulMMoHIH1-qRqaqcIXMQzQMS9O2VqLXBvVGwd5aRsKHkYptnMY2jyZrl0aGA1EjIM9fGlAnD1dQhDQfsyYt_Io-m5xF9p2tt5B7hEEWwLJlKgE3rmA92H/s1600/Yekini+residence+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6mBE_LRk5k36fz1MSXd_ngvulMMoHIH1-qRqaqcIXMQzQMS9O2VqLXBvVGwd5aRsKHkYptnMY2jyZrl0aGA1EjIM9fGlAnD1dQhDQfsyYt_Io-m5xF9p2tt5B7hEEWwLJlKgE3rmA92H/s320/Yekini+residence+%25288%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yekini's apartment at Oni & Sons Way, Ibadan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Despite his isolated lifestyle
and rumours about his mental state of health, neighbours told of how Yekini
exercised and some of them joined him in his daily jogs from Mobil Filling
Station down to the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, where he regularly trained. “Some
people didn’t understand the guy because he only went alone. If you greeted him,
he answered if he wanted to; if he didn’t, he just went on his own way. Yekini
was a gentle, go easy man, he [was] a giver. He didn’t have quarrel with
anybody. He gave alms to beggars and didn’t like people publicising his
benevolence,” said Nufiu Isiaka, a neighbour who said he was one-time special
assistant to Governor Rasheed Ladoja on youth matters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Kunle Michael, another of
Yekini’s neighbour, whose wife has a provision store on the same street, also
agreed that loneliness and neglect were factors that contributed to the
football legend’s demise. “He was cheerful, gave people money and paid school
fees of less privileged children. Loneliness can lead to anything, that was
what really happened,” Michael said. Yomi Ojo, who lives in the same vicinity,
said Yekini regularly paid his neighbourhood security levy many months in
advance and also attended the landlord association meetings. “He was just a
loner and had hot temper. Even the white men can do what Yekini did, they also
used to be lonely and sometimes don’t interact with people or their family.
Rashidi never pursued anybody one day or showed funny character, how can they
say he was ‘mental’?” asked Ojo who noted that Yekini renovated his house a few
years ago in preparation for his first daughter’s visit from the US, which
never happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Michael added: “The federal
government should investigate the cause of his death and arrest the <i>alfas</i> that came to take him away. His
family betrayed him and we don’t want to see them here. For Ojo, he felt they
could have changed his life without taking him away, “because he was very
healthy. They can take the property, (it) is their own, but that man was our
brother… we are hurt.” He also told the magazine a story of how the late
footballer once bought a truck of pure water and asked the driver to take it to
a motherless babies’ home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A hairdresser around Yekini’s
neighbourhood, who preferred to remain anonymous, also recounted how Yekini
(whom she addressed as <i>Alhaji</i>) used
to visit her salon some four years ago to have his hair cut and how he regularly
gave her <i>ileya</i> (Muslim Sallah
festival) meat. She also remembered giving him a Christian tract in January
during one of her evangelism walks. “I told him that the world would soon come
to an end, that he should read the tract. The next thing he did was hand me N1,000.
He promised to read it and drove off,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Besides
the outpouring of emotions from across the country and worldwide, the
Confederation of African Football, CAF, and world football governing body, FIFA,
also sent condolence letters to the NFF over the death of Yekini. Nigeria’s
finest football striker ever, his record of 37 goals in 58 matches for the
Super Eagles remains unsurpassed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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(First published in TELL magazine)</div>
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-50036391818703232812012-03-08T18:20:00.000+00:002012-03-08T19:10:51.978+00:00Nigeria’s Johny Akinyemi Wins ICF Athlete of the Month<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcYGuU_8RInSbKteZDdTC299op40k7fDzyAy7-v4TgIGl3H9OA-O6LbV7Th4x-qKAZ_WONuHesYwXYT0pUj_XOOpI4otKXZdVEr8rbItr6Jofg-h_8_CrrsQJ61_wnmJfo45DxDuH4KuI/s1600/akinyemi_water_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcYGuU_8RInSbKteZDdTC299op40k7fDzyAy7-v4TgIGl3H9OA-O6LbV7Th4x-qKAZ_WONuHesYwXYT0pUj_XOOpI4otKXZdVEr8rbItr6Jofg-h_8_CrrsQJ61_wnmJfo45DxDuH4KuI/s1600/akinyemi_water_1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #242424; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nigeria’s
Jonathan <a href="http://tellng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1077%3A%E2%80%98i-am-hoping-for-an-olympics-medal%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-johny-akinyemi-first-nigerian-african-slalom-men%E2%80%99s-k1-champion&Itemid=126">"Johny" Akinyemi</a> has been voted the February ICF Athlete of
the Month. A gold medallist at the 2012 African Canoe Slalom Championships in
South Africa, Akinyemi went head to head with Beijing bronze medallist Benjamin
Boukpeti (TOG) and retained his K1 title, thereby securing Africa’s sole K1
spot at the London 2012 Olympic Games. “It’s just absolutely incredible and
I’ve not stopped smiling since I won the race. I wake up at night and after
about ten seconds remember that I’ve qualified for the Olympics and I just laugh
out loud. I’m just so happy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Akinyemi, who
holds a degree in Theology and is currently studying Accounting in university,
received 55% of the votes in a poll that saw an unprecedented number of
visitors access the ICF website to vote. </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Poland’s Marcin Pochwala and Piotr Szczepanski </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">came in a close 2nd place.
“Good news....I won ICF athlete of the month! Thanks for the votes everyone.
#TeamNigeria,” tweeted the 23-year-old after the results came through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Akinyemi who has
a British mother and a Nigerian father grew up in Warrington 12 years old
started Canoeing at his local canoeing club. Inspired by the achievements of
Paul Ratcliffe (GBR) who won silver in the K1 event at the Sydney 2000 Olympic
Games, he gave up his place at the top
of the British canoe rankings to compete for Nigeria, his father's home
country, after a first visit to Nigeria in 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #242424; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Launched in
2009, the ICF Athlete of the Month initiative is designed to recognize the
outstanding performances of paddlers from all over the world.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-64346111759614706682012-02-21T19:23:00.000+00:002012-02-21T19:35:46.016+00:00Nigeria’s Ugochi Anyaka Wins UNEP Young Environmental Journalist Award<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel3n2Cc3FoSAqEkXMwqwDZP5hTbxshgVtUZ6dEdYrJxCpK3F5PonfL0Sn5p40jgMLSig-dEWd1-4tC4BaMMD9v5xtfXw3YgCTBYL0zWaaWMxsMdW7sc9R4a9PPVDaZszC7hcz6BAG4hb0/s1600/02e43ae3338859116c925117bfafd803.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel3n2Cc3FoSAqEkXMwqwDZP5hTbxshgVtUZ6dEdYrJxCpK3F5PonfL0Sn5p40jgMLSig-dEWd1-4tC4BaMMD9v5xtfXw3YgCTBYL0zWaaWMxsMdW7sc9R4a9PPVDaZszC7hcz6BAG4hb0/s1600/02e43ae3338859116c925117bfafd803.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">28
year-old Ugochi Anyaka, a radio journalist from Nigeria has won the U<a href="http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2667&ArticleID=9044&l=en">nited Nations Environment Programme’s Young Environmental Journalist Award</a> (YEJA),
beating over 120 entries from reporters across Africa. Anyaka, who desscribes herself as an eco-journalist, environmentalist, singer, blogger and young photographer, </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">received her
award at a special ceremony held during the 12</span><sup><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13pt;">th</span></sup><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;"> Special
Session of the UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum in
Nairobi, Kenya. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">The
winning report, entitled </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;">Saving the Trees for Paper Briquettes</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">, was
broadcast on ASO Radio in Nigeria, where Anyaka works as a journalist and
presenter.</span><span style="color: #353535;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">The radio
feature profiled a project in a low-income suburb of Abuja that manufactures
briquettes from waste paper, in order to provide an alternative fuel to
traditional firewood. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">The
project aims to reduce the health risks associated with indoor use of wood
fuel, reduce deforestation and provide a source of income for the briquette
makers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">Anyaka’s
report also discusses the role of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM). “This story was done to show the opportunities in a changing
climate - and not just the woes,” said Anyaka. </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">“It also
seeks to show the conflicting view points about the Clean Development
Mechanism. But ultimately, it tells the story of what some Nigerians are doing
to protect their vulnerable environment and save their very existence. Winning
the UNEP Young Environmental Journalist Award is the greatest moment of joy in
my career. It is such an honour to be recognised in this manner,” she added. </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">The YEJA
jury described Anyaka’s winning entry as a “well-researched report that
clearly explained the essence of reducing green house gas emissions and the
need for creating environmental development in Africa”. </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">The winner
was presented with her specially-commissioned trophy by Achim Steiner, UNEP
Executive Director, </span><span style="color: #232323; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">Joseph Murphy, </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">US Permanent Representative to UNEP and
UN-HABITAT and Patricia Okoed-Bukumunhe, the winner of last year’s Young
Environmental Journalist Award</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3_vg-AuTKPL8zgQM8puiHxJqpZ_TD6DxGZSf7VBd8WvBqV_c2u3L8nwHsg3ztChkAosIkhj_Aaz4i6zSyXcpIvPhyphenhyphen9oS7DxkoFnEWkyoefMyXLopA5GmdpX4bjzW63ucisN9oTdZMF6s/s1600/ugo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3_vg-AuTKPL8zgQM8puiHxJqpZ_TD6DxGZSf7VBd8WvBqV_c2u3L8nwHsg3ztChkAosIkhj_Aaz4i6zSyXcpIvPhyphenhyphen9oS7DxkoFnEWkyoefMyXLopA5GmdpX4bjzW63ucisN9oTdZMF6s/s320/ugo2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">Ms. Anyaka
hosts an environmental radio show "Green Angle" on ASO Radio and also
works as a producer, reporter and continuity announcer with the station. She
writes an environmental blog, </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;">Eco Nigeria</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">, at <a href="http://www.greennnigeria.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #000094; text-decoration: none;">www.greennigeria.wordpress.com</span></a>.</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">As part of
her prize, Ms. Anyaka will take part in a professional exchange visit to the
United States, following a specially-designed “green itinerary”. Last year’s
YEJA winner, Patricia Okoed-Bukumunhe of Uganda, took part in a week-long
placement with Voice of America in Washington DC, spent time with National
Geographic magazine, the US Environmental Protection Agency and attended an
environmental journalism conference in Florida. </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">“With less
than four months to go until world governments meet at the UN Sustainable
Development Conference (Rio+20) in Brazil, raising public awareness of today’s
environmental challenges is perhaps more critical than ever,” said UN
Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">“The large
number of entries received from journalists from Cairo to Cape Town and Dar es
Salaam to Dakar for this year’s award, showed that young journalists are
becoming an increasingly vital voice for telling the story of Africa’s changing
environment - and showing the many solutions that are available on the
continent. On behalf of UNEP, I congratulate Ugochi Anyaka on her achievement
and wish her continued success in her work.” </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">Launched
in 2010, the UNEP Young Environmental Journalist Award aims to showcase
excellence in the field of environmental reporting and nurture new talent that
will help to shape opinion on the environment in Africa, and beyond, in years
to come. The award is made possible though funding support from the US
Department of State. </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">This year,
a total of 127 entries were received (in English and French) from television,
radio, online and print journalists in 28 countries. The diverse topics covered
included the economic and environmental impacts of invasive species in Lake
Victoria, efforts to reduce plastic bag use in Togo and the breeding of climate
change-resilient chickens in Namibia.</span></div>
</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-70375573052586463082012-02-17T11:42:00.002+00:002012-02-17T12:17:09.766+00:00ABDULMUTALLAB GETS MULTIPLE LIFE SENTENCES IN US<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV7-hLb8Cy78gnLtwt5H4G5peSh5dGL8WDbwHLJpYqTFA1IpX9LdmMiU1ymkye-MJLHwgEvUYP6daH1BzYyok-vXPkDQkGinMpE7tu-R8LLCOwEHaaRVnyi_6VjyGQA9JuEA7MX9Ypnah/s1600/article-2102254-0CFA6DE9000005DC-712_233x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV7-hLb8Cy78gnLtwt5H4G5peSh5dGL8WDbwHLJpYqTFA1IpX9LdmMiU1ymkye-MJLHwgEvUYP6daH1BzYyok-vXPkDQkGinMpE7tu-R8LLCOwEHaaRVnyi_6VjyGQA9JuEA7MX9Ypnah/s320/article-2102254-0CFA6DE9000005DC-712_233x423.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">25-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, aka the
underwear bomber, who was accused of trying
to bomb a US-bound flight on Christmas Day in 2009, has been sentenced
to multiple <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17065130">life sentences</a> in prison without parole. “The defendant has never
expressed doubt or regret or remorse about his mission,” “To the contrary, he
sees that mission as divinely inspired and a continuing mission,” U.S District
Judge Nancy Edmunds said as she imposed four life prison sentences on
Abdulmutallab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Abdulmutallab, had already pleaded guilty on the second
day of trial testimony last October to eight counts, including conspiring to
commit an act of terrorism, use of a weapon of mass destruction and carrying a
firearm or destructive device during a crime of violence. It was a failed
suicide mission for al-Qaeda when he <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20120216/NEWS03/120216053/With-video-Underwear-bomber-gets-multiple-life-sentences-failed-attempt-blow-up-jet?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE">attempted to detonate a bomb</a> in his
underpants as the plane, en route from Amsterdam, approached Detroit. Nearly
300 persons were on board that flight. “This was an act of terrorism that
cannot be quibbled with," Judge Edmunds said, as she imposed the maximum
sentence after several <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUEgYI5ocHc">passengers on Northwest Flight 253 talked</a> about how the
failed bombing attempt had forever changed their lives, causing them to fear
flying, seek mental health counseling and have continuing nightmares.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Abdulmutallab, the well-educated son of a wealthy banker, sat with his
hands folded under his chin, leaning back in his chair as the sentence was
announced. During his trial he told the court that the bomb in his underwear was
a 'blessed weapon' to save the lives of innocent Muslims’. “<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-16/underwear-bomber/53115186/1">The US</a> should be
warned that if they continue to kill and support those who kill innocent
Muslims, then the US should await a great calamity... or God will strike them
directly," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“We are grateful to God that the unfortunate incident that day did not
result in any injury or death," the family said. “We pray for a more
peaceful world and hope that all well-meaning persons, institutions and nations
will work to establish to world peace,” read a statement from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">Abdulmutallab's family</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">released by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-16/underwear-bomber/53115186/1">Anthony Chambers, Abdulmutallab's standby defense lawyer</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. The family also</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> asked the Department of Justice to intervene on their son’s
behalf. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Chambers, Abdulmutallab's standby defense lawyer,
said that had Abdulmutallab allowed him to serve as a full-fledged lawyer
rather than standby counsel, he could have gotten him more favorable treatment
at sentencing. He added that Abdulmutallab “is a very misguided young man. … I
think he's a very impressionable young man who got messed up with the wrong
people." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">By no option of parole, Abdultallab’s sentencing is made mandatory.
Parole, in the US criminal justice system, is the supervised release of a
prisoner before the completion of their sentence in prison.</span></div>
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-7901767925079140772012-02-16T14:00:00.002+00:002012-02-16T14:13:05.625+00:00I AM HOPING FOR A LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC MEDAL – JOHNY AKINYEMI, NIGERIA'S FIRST OLYMPIC CANOEIST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEhxS_vYyThae45vcZdSF8F8XhXhC03TBGsW_d284-_qeYAjEDABoIkeTtS-N9tPB9C6a0g1IvJL1WKYzU-HvCi2rLpSo2NyZkSna1tKPzftorWCs0kjc-WiBOyLhKDyua8OLKVX2_F68/s1600/Johny+Akinyemi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEhxS_vYyThae45vcZdSF8F8XhXhC03TBGsW_d284-_qeYAjEDABoIkeTtS-N9tPB9C6a0g1IvJL1WKYzU-HvCi2rLpSo2NyZkSna1tKPzftorWCs0kjc-WiBOyLhKDyua8OLKVX2_F68/s320/Johny+Akinyemi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Johny (Jonathan) Akinyemi, who is training to be an accountant and has a degree in Theology, made history recently when he </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">qualified to represent the country at the London 2012 Olympic
Games, also the first Nigerian to qualify to represent the country at any
Olympics canoe slalom competition.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">In this <a href="http://www.tellng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1077:%E2%80%98i-am-hoping-for-an-olympics-medal%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-johny-akinyemi-first-nigerian-african-slalom-men%E2%80%99s-k1-champion&Itemid=126">exclusive interview</a> – the first of its kind
with any Nigerian media outfit, with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Arukaino
Umukoro,</b> Akinyemi who has a Nigerian father and British
mother talks about his life, sport, historic feat in South Africa, goals for
London 2012 and the future of canoe slalom as a sport in Nigeria. Excepts:</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">How was it like growing up in
the UK and discovering your passion for canoeing?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I grew up in Warrington,
which is like a small town near Manchester. There’s not a very big Nigerian
community in Warrington. I started canoeing when I was 12 years old in a local
canoeing club in Warrington. This was after I watched the guy called Paul
Ratcliffe win silver in the canoe slalom at the 2000 Olympics. And I was very
interested. At the time, I really wanted to have a motorbike and wanted to go
do some racing and jumps at the track. But my mum and dad said it would be too
dangerous, that I should get a canoe. At the time, I was disappointed because I
thought it was not as good as the motorbike. But I though I’d give canoeing a
go. That’s how I got into it and realized I was quite good at it. That was when
I started to compete and win races.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">How does it feel to finally
qualifying for London 2012 as Nigeria’s first canoeist in any Olympic
competition or African K1 champion? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It’s just absolutely
incredible and I’ve not stopped smiling since I won the race. I can wake up in
the night and after about ten seconds, I remember that I’ve qualified for the
Olympics and I just laugh out loud. I’m just so happy. And I think honestly the
glory should go all to God though, because I honestly agree that it was a
miracle that happened out there. I felt God with me on the road and saw many
people praying for me. So, honestly, all glory goes to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Obviously, you’re a very
spiritual person?</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You became British Champion
in 2006, but gave up your place at the top of the British canoe standings to
compete for Nigeria, your father’s home country. What prompted your decision to
switch?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">At that time, I was really
discovering my Nigerian roots, learning more about Nigeria and basically Africa
in general. It was just something I thought I needed to do, just a switch to
compete for Nigeria. And at that time, I felt quite isolated on the British
team, like I felt different and didn’t fit in with the British team as well.
This combined with me discovering more of my dad’s side of the family… I just
decided to do the switch. I got in touch with the rowing/canoe federation and
have been canoeing with Nigeria since then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Before your first visit to
Nigeria in 2007, what were your impressions about the country?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZSndi8Qjeuk3KzzGlcLn2kGZyBSStqprPlwZ1qpRiZZMOqT32hDcJSGol2ZAGpdt7IBPt53aC7cEHGJWa4UsbmXr95ybPjtoQ_v3rfs8xJITnCOOmLui7P5bc9iHFWDxK2FllRjnblIy/s1600/Johyn+canoeing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZSndi8Qjeuk3KzzGlcLn2kGZyBSStqprPlwZ1qpRiZZMOqT32hDcJSGol2ZAGpdt7IBPt53aC7cEHGJWa4UsbmXr95ybPjtoQ_v3rfs8xJITnCOOmLui7P5bc9iHFWDxK2FllRjnblIy/s1600/Johyn+canoeing.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Basically, the main
impressions I had of Nigeria before I went to visit was from my grand dad
because he lived in Lagos his whole life and then moved on when he was an older
man. So he was really fond of the country and told me lots of great stories
about Nigeria and how he always missed the weather, the people, the jokes, the
bars, joints and stuff. So I needed to go see for myself. I’m very proud of my
Nigerian heritage. So I knew I had to go back. It was almost like going back to
the homeland and seeing with my own eyes.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My first visit to Nigeria was
like an emotional visit. It was great to see all these places you’ve been told
stories about. My first impression was that the best things about Nigeria are
Nigerians. Nigerians are just fantastic and so friendly, want to have a good
time and a good party. When people talk about how great Nigerians are, it makes
me really very proud to be a Nigerian.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p>
</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Has anything changed about
your perception of Nigeria?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Now I have been to Nigeria,
you see a broader thing. It was like an emotional visit. It was great to see all
these places you’ve been told stories about. My first impression about Nigeria is
that the best thing about Nigeria are Nigerians. The Nigerian people are just
fantastic and so friendly, want to have a good time and a good party. When
people talk about how great Nigerians are, it makes me really very proud to be
a Nigerian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Where did you visit?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">When I came, I stayed in
Lagos, I saw the Surulere national stadium. I saw the sights but the guy I was
staying with, Ibrahim, he took me to all the places, took me to Afrika Shrine
to see Femi Kuti (perform) (laughs), listen to the music. So it was the best
times. I walked up on stage and shook Femi’s hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, what do you think of Fela
and his music?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Oh, I love afrobeat. I have
Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti cds in my car and was always listening to it. And when
I was in South Africa on the day of the race, I had Femi Kuti’s cd in the car
when I was driving to the river. It put me in the mood. And I was so impressed
when I went to the Afrika Shrine. It was better than any night club or any
concert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Would you say that your visit
in 2007 put a seal to your conviction that you were making the right choice?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Yes, definitely. They were
two things. I went to the All Africa games in Algeria to meet the canoeing
federation and realized that they were great people and really passionate about
the sport, passionate that they could develop canoeing. After that, I went to
Nigeria to meet with them again and that was what sealed the deal that I was
making the right choice switching to Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p>
</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Did you ever think you were
different or had any issues about your colour, where your roots were or you
were more committed to Britain before your visit to Nigeria?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">No. Definitely in Britain, I
think race is quite like a big thing. I never felt really British because I’m
mixed race. For a Nigerian, I’m quite pale, for a white person, I’m very dark.
With my colour, I had to find my identity. And I found that being mixed race, I
associate more with my Nigerian side, they welcoming me much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSRLBmTjvWFKAPEup142vcZ1cGaCv0wUS-eOreFYwXITUrnb3MHam9EMb3tW2Gr8uTRcyYTMFQ7ziZBgC2HEodklMhaYm4vfGEnF98zhSFV18C0Lsedmgvwc9p_lv4izacXobLkIY3AW1/s1600/Johny+paddles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSRLBmTjvWFKAPEup142vcZ1cGaCv0wUS-eOreFYwXITUrnb3MHam9EMb3tW2Gr8uTRcyYTMFQ7ziZBgC2HEodklMhaYm4vfGEnF98zhSFV18C0Lsedmgvwc9p_lv4izacXobLkIY3AW1/s320/Johny+paddles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Canoeing is virtually unknown
to most people in Nigeria. Do you think there is a future for such unique
sports in Nigeria?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I think there is a future for
canoeing in Nigeria because I know this when I was in Lagos over the Lagoons
and the waters, there were this villages using canoe as their main form of
transport. So all we need to do is get those youngsters, get all those people into
them into the right canoe and environment and it would be perfect. There’s
definitely a future. And I just want to be a role model for young Nigerians to
look up to so that they can follow in my steps and maybe in the Olympics after,
young Nigerians will be competing and maybe beating me. That would make me
happy because I would know that canoeing is succeeding in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The Nigerian Olympic
Committee has ecstatic about your feat. How much role would you say they played
in ensuring that you represented the country?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">They Olympic committee has
been amazing and has helped with so much. Since the election of new committee
members a few years ago, they have been doing a fantastic job supporting me,
giving me all the support I have needed, they’ve always just been a phone call
away so that I can ask them for help. They’ve come to see me training at the
Olympic course. The support they have given me is fantastic and I don’t think I
would have been able to qualify without their help. They’ve really done a great
job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you were in position to
advise on how to develop canoeing and make future champions like you for the
country, what would your advice be?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The technical director of
canoeing in Nigeria came to town and we discussed this already. We need to do a
couple of things. But the most important thing is we need to find the rivers.
We need to find wide water rivers where we could set up canoe clubs and
basically make it more popular. Anybody can come in and just have a go in the
canoe. I think that is an important thing. The federation is already doing a
fantastic job, we ‘ve had technical seminars where kids have got involved.
We’ve taught some coaches the basics how to train people.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>Then I think what needs
to be done at the regional level is like having regional training centres and coaches
in each region to identify which youngsters have the potentials to make it.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Asides catching them young
and getting the right rivers, what does one need to be a good canoeist?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqipnfr3vkL9vABleiv6koaBgN4EpZI7z4gJB2h9IXju5UwPHCEPlhdTPaJB9vE7vxJ7qvL8WvlOzaySVAEtBuhOOUBp7AGw_lFOwNZSdd3v90PQnmtuGPZ67nvGdrk9e9q6RufjtcpdY/s1600/Johny+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqipnfr3vkL9vABleiv6koaBgN4EpZI7z4gJB2h9IXju5UwPHCEPlhdTPaJB9vE7vxJ7qvL8WvlOzaySVAEtBuhOOUBp7AGw_lFOwNZSdd3v90PQnmtuGPZ67nvGdrk9e9q6RufjtcpdY/s320/Johny+3.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You need to have good upper
body strength, mental toughness, and you have to be determined because you can
take a while to peak in this sport. So you have to continue with it and stick
with it, resilience and determination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What’s your London 2012
Olympic dream?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It’s to win a medal at the
Olympics. To get to the Olympics, I had to beat the Beijing 2008 bronze
medallist (Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo) in the African championships. All the
other canoeist countries around the world, including European countries, they
just assumed he was going to get the place. So I really worked hard and went
there to prove them wrong and I did that. So if I l keep the mental toughness
at the Olympics and have the same attitude, then I think anything is possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
© <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Arukaino Umukoro</span></div>
</div>
</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-5190279427872372662012-02-14T10:54:00.000+00:002012-02-17T13:00:40.640+00:00LOVE AND VALENTINE'S DAY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11pt; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This original poem won the COOL FM 96.9 Valentine Poem contest some years ago. So, in the spirit of the Valentine season, I have decided to share it with you. But remember, love goes beyond celebrating February 14, Valentine's Day; show love everyday. Love the most powerful force in the Universe. And like they say, Love conquers all; it makes the world a better place.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM58zMc05ieoXJ4t07rR5OQb4fXRf6PtKfl2Z1hXT2YG3e5xRc4TSInKfVxnN_ughsmPxlDl6q1IyCkl8S6WCkmEYODj2TLN2rifK18yJnjMVxBIxxabZT44_0wXMwbH8z43UOJe4dP5P/s1600/Free-Valentines-Day-eCards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM58zMc05ieoXJ4t07rR5OQb4fXRf6PtKfl2Z1hXT2YG3e5xRc4TSInKfVxnN_ughsmPxlDl6q1IyCkl8S6WCkmEYODj2TLN2rifK18yJnjMVxBIxxabZT44_0wXMwbH8z43UOJe4dP5P/s1600/Free-Valentines-Day-eCards.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11pt; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Happy Valentine!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11pt; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.ngex.com/poetry/arupoem_loveis.htm">LOVE IS</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is a four-letter word
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">That touches the bottom of
one’s heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And expands it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is a picture
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Framed in gold
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Showing unending treasures
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Painted in beautiful
colours<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is precious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is musical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is poetry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is like fire,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Refining fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is a desire
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To be irresistibly desired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is potent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is like a magnet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is an emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is tenderness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is passion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is companionship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is a gift.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is eternal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Love is you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #5085c4; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> © Arukaino Umukoro</span><br />
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-48154373992252654002012-02-10T15:18:00.001+00:002012-02-10T16:53:17.446+00:00A PEEP INTO THE WORLD OF JOHNY AKINYEMI: NIGERIA'S FIRST OLYMPIC CANOEIST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVT5KDK08kQtd6dIebv7qIcn1PimINkBpzboj6wFsHX9I8Y-EJXgXGfDeFCyGC5p5f2POgLoOR8iDdNKa_21eDrNJRfLxUWzDrP9zhTW3RUWl2QjyTAEGijRa5D-LWcozCp1UQzxgx57e/s1600/Johyn+canoeing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVT5KDK08kQtd6dIebv7qIcn1PimINkBpzboj6wFsHX9I8Y-EJXgXGfDeFCyGC5p5f2POgLoOR8iDdNKa_21eDrNJRfLxUWzDrP9zhTW3RUWl2QjyTAEGijRa5D-LWcozCp1UQzxgx57e/s1600/Johyn+canoeing.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">On
the morning of the final of the 2012 African K1 Canoe Slalom Championships in
Bethlehem, South Africa, he was listening to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uph_hnTCNdw">Femi Kuti’s “Wonder, Wonder, Wonder</a>"
playing in his car. And like that, 23-year-old British-born Nigerian Jonathan (Johny) Akinyemi went on become a continental wonder as he swept away competition from
Beijing 2008 bronze medallist French-born Togolese Benjamin Boukpeti and was
crowned the <a href="http://canoeicf.com/icf/NewsGallery/News/Akinyemi-Best-Boukpeti-in-Africa-Men-a-K1.html">African Slalom Men’s K1 Champion</a>, the first Nigerian to achieve
that feat. Most importantly, his victory meant that he qualified to represent
the country at the London 2012 Olympic Games, also the <a href="http://www.tellng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1033:johny-akinyemi-becomes-nigerias-first-olympic-canoeist&Itemid=126">first Nigerian</a> to
qualify to represent the country at any Olympics canoe slalom competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">However, Akinyemi’s Olympic
dream was 12 years in the making. At the age of 11, while sitting in his
parents' front room in North-East England, watching the final Olympic run of
British canoeist Paul Ratcliffe (who went on to win silver) at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, his
personal Olympic torch was ignited. He started canoeing at the age of 12. In 2006, Akinyemi emerged junior British
national Champion. However, the course of his <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14252191">Olympic dream </a>changed when he gave
up his place at the top of the British canoe rankings to compete for Nigeria,
his father's home country, after a first visit to Nigeria in 2007. That made
his K1 acheivement all the more special.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">An
unassuming fellow with a infectious determination to excel in his chosen
endeavour; Akinyemi, who already has a degree in Theology but is also studying
to be an accountant at the London School of Business and Finance, noted that
his strong belief in God has also helped him reach this pivotal stage of his
career. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In this <a href="http://eternalfilez.blogspot.com/2012/02/johny-akinyemi-makes-history-as.html">exclusive</a> interview, and the first of its kind with any Nigerian media outift (also his first after that historic race in
South Africa), with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Arukaino Umukoro</b>, Akinyemi who has a Nigerian father and British mother talks
about his life, sport, <a href="http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/9522884.Johny_books_Olympic_place/">historic feat</a> in South Africa, goals for
London 2012 and the future of canoe slalom as a sport in Nigeria.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Proud of his Nigerian heritage, the first question Akinyemi asked me was about the fuel subsidy and how it was affecting Nigerians “I keep an eye on all news and what’s happening from Nigeria," he said.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Watch out for the interview next week in TELL...</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Please stay tuned <a href="http://eternalfilez.blogspot.com/2012/02/peep-into-british-born-nigerian.html">here</a>, also :)</span></div>
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-61470412948137900452012-02-09T11:07:00.003+00:002012-02-09T11:10:12.254+00:00DON CORNELIUS: THE DEATH OF SOUL TRAIN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">He
founded ‘Soul Train’ in 1971, brought R&B into America’s living rooms and
broke down racial barriers through the nationally syndicated feel-good-music-and-dance
show that he hosted from 1971 and 1983. However, Don Cornelius couldn’t find
peace for his own soul or break loose from his train of personal troubles. On
Wednesday, February 1, Cornelius, 75, was found dead in his Los Angeles home
and it was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department that the
cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While
he brought soul and music to million across the world through Soul Train,
Cornelius’ personal life was full of discordant tunes. Plagued by health
problems for the last three decades of his life, he survived a 21-hour
operation in 1982 to correct a congenital malformation in blood vessels in his
brain. In 2008, he was arrested and charged for felony domestic violence
against his estranged wife Victoria Avila-Cornelius, who also filed multiple
restraining orders against him. While in 2009, he pleaded no contest to one
count of “corporal injury resulting in
traumatic condition of a spouse,” was put on probation for 36 months,
and ordered to pay over $1,000 in fines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“He brought soul music and dance to the world in a way that it had
never been shown, and he was a cultural game changer on a global level. Had it
not been for Don Cornelius, we would not have ever transcended from the
‘Chitlin circuit’ to become mainstream cultural trendsetters,” said Rev. Al Sharpton,
also an African American activist. Soul Train changed America’s pop culture,
brought more African American artistes to a wider audience and was a
springboard to greater fame for many others like James Brown, Stevie Wonder and
Michael Jackson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Until it was rested in 2006, Soul Train could be said to have
influenced many generations of African American artistes. No wonder, </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Aretha Franklin, whose rise
to fame could be attributed to the show, said Cornelius’ death was ‘sad,
stunning, and downright shocking … a huge and momentous loss to the
African-American community and the world at large.” For legendary music
producer, Quincy Jones, it was more. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Before MTV there was Soul
Train, that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius,” said Jones in tribute
to Cornelius. “Soul Train was a huge part of my Saturday mornings growing up,”
tweeted hip-hop artist Talib Kweli. Soul Train” also gave rise to the Soul
Train Music Awards and the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cornelius
would also be remembered for his timeless quote with which he closed each
episode: “I’m Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace
and soul!” Sadly, for the Soul Train founder who went on to become a broadcasting
icon, had a Chicago street named after him in 2011 at the </span><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">40th anniversary of the
show’s syndication</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
and was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, there was no soul,
music or dance to accompany his train to the great beyond; only a trail of
blood and disbelief from million of fans in America and across the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-78545073847190594872012-02-06T11:24:00.000+00:002012-02-06T15:06:45.613+00:00LONDON 2012: JOHNY AKINYEMI MAKES HISTORY AS NIGERIA’S FIRST OLYMPIC CANOEIST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 24px;">One of his favourite
quotation is “It is not a disgrace to reach for the stars and fail, but it is a
disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Aim high." So, it was that on a fine Saturday afternoon on February 4, in Bethlehem,
South Africa, British-born Nigerian Johnathan (Johny) Akinyemi, not only reached for the
stars, he claimed it in spectacular fashion. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 24px;">He made history by becoming the first Nigerian to
qualify to represent the country at any Olympics canoe slalom competition.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In what was labeled one of the biggest
upset at the just concluded <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_207005164">2012 </a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://canoeicf.com/icf/NewsGallery/News/Akinyemi-Best-Boukpeti-in-Africa-Men-a-K1.html">African Slalom Championships </a>- which serves as qualifiers for the
London 2012 Olympic Games, Akinyemi
finished first ahead of Beijing 2008 bronze medallist French-born
Togolese Benjamin Boukpeti and Mehi Rouich or Morocco, to qualify to represent Nigeria and Africa at the London 2012 Olympics
canoe slalom competition. With this victory, Akinyemi also became the
first Nigerian to be crowned the African Slalom Men’s K1 Champion.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Born and raised in England, Johny
Akinyemi gave up his place last year at the top of the British canoe rankings
to compete for Nigeria, his father's home country. </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">By 2006, he was already
junior British national champion and</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> first visited Nigeria in 2007 when he was aged 18. That changed
the course of his Olympic dream. “When I was a junior I used to raced for Great
Britain. I started to get in touch with my dad’s side and became more
interested in Nigeria,” explained Akinyemi when asked why he decided to compete
for Nigeria instead of Great Britain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“There's a choice, either you can ignore who you are or embrace
it. I personally am really proud of my Nigerian nationality and want to embrace
it as much as I can. I'm really grateful to the Nigerian Olympic Committee for
allowing me to do it and for helping me explore that side of me,” he had noted
in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14252191">an interview with the BBC</a>. Akinyemi also added that he hopes to help unlock
the future of Nigerian young canoeing as well as inspire young Nigerians to
rise through the ranks. With his recent
exploits at the African Slalom competition and a London 2012 Olympic medal in
his sight, Akinyemi has certainly achieved that.</span><br />
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-86149802751811488532012-02-03T14:01:00.002+00:002012-02-03T14:15:48.758+00:00EGYPT STADIUM DISASTER: BLACK DAY FOR AFRICAN FOOTBALL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It was a sweet
and sour story for African football on Wednesday, February 1, where on one
hand, the beauty of football triumphed at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in
Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, but lost in Port Said, Egypt. While millions of
fans from around the continent were being treated to two exciting matches at
the 2012 African Cup of Nations, another ill-fated tie between local rivals -
minnows Al Masry and giant Al-Ahly was simultaneously being played in Port
Said, Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the end, Ghana
played a 1-1 draw with Guinea while Mali edged out Botswana 2-1. Port Said recorded a surprise 3-1 win in
favour of Al Masry and the shocking loss of at least 74 fans dead and a
thousand injured after riots erupted at the blast of the final whistle. <span style="color: #262626;">The violence escalated Al-Masry fans invaded the pitch and
hurled sticks and stones as they chased players and fans from the rival team,
who ran towards the exits and up the stands to escape. Police officers stood
by, appearing overwhelmed</span>. It was the worst football stadium disaster in
the North African country, which has been the venue of recent political
upheavals. The next day, <span style="color: #1e1e1e;">protesters gathered
outside the gates of the Cairo-based Al-Ahly football club's headquarters,
close to the central Tahrir Square, the tipping point of the revolution that
ousted Hosni Mubarak a year ago.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"I
was beaten with fists and kicks to the neck, head and feet. I saw our fans die
before us and we are unable to do anything." Said a shaken Manuel Jose,
Al-Ahly's Portuguese coach, who has since returned to Portugal and has
threatened to leave his coaching job with Egypt's most successful club.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #151515; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">According to
reports, many fans suffocated after becoming trapped in a narrow corridor as
they fled the violence, while some people blamed the Egyptian police and
security forces for <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16864901">not doing enough </a>to intervene. "From the beginning of
the game, the fans of the opposing team were allowed to fire rockets and stones
at us without any intervention. In the end, it turned into a state of madness
without any role for the security in the stands. We tried to save the lives of
some of the fans, but many died before our eyes," explained Pedro Barny,
Al-Ahly assistant coach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #151515; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As a result,
the Egyptian Football Federation has suspended all leagues in the country.
"The Egyptian federation has decided to stop the football leagues in all
four divisions for an indefinite period after the violence that occurred in the
game between al-Masry and al-Ahly, which represented a tragic shock to the
centre of sport in general and the football family in particular,” read a
statement from the federation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The incidence has so far claimed the
jobs of senior officials in Port Said and the football association who have
been sacked. The </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">governor
of Port Said resigned, while the city's director of security and head of
investigations were suspended and are now in custody. The country’s government
has also declared three days of mourning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"African
football is in a state of mourning,” Confederation of African Football (<a href="http://www.cafonline.com/football/news/12953-caf-expresses-shock-at-port-said-tragedy.html">CAF)</a>
president Issa Hayatou said. </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A one minute's </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">silence</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
will be observed for the </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">victims</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> during the Nations Cup quarter-final matches this weekend. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">World football
governing body FIFA has demanded full investigation into the violence.</span><br />
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</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770643597563895715.post-25123673340863659462012-01-20T17:34:00.000+00:002012-01-20T17:50:14.354+00:00LETTER TO UNCLE GRINGORY by Sam Umukoro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Dear Uncle</span></b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Congratulations on your pyrrhic victory. A major achievement for
your administration, now you have every reason to pop champagne and dance to
the music of Dr Sid. You have saved the country from the throes of
economic ruin and in the words of your favourite youth, “Ose”. Indeed gratitude
is a small word to say for what you have done. In fact when I woke up this
morning and saw soldiers on the streets, my heart was filled with pride. Your
show of strength is a warning to those disgruntled protesters that you are not
a weak ruler. That you would crush any opposition, save for those people
who hate western education. Uncle, don’t listen to the critics encouraging you to
take them on, don’t they know that you are from the Delta, and as we say there
is no “Mumu” from our region. Please concentrate on the matter at hand; a
matter of urgent national attention. This is a very important assignment, a
divine task to transform our country economically. You should be commended not
condemned by the people, but please forgive them, they don’t know what is good
for them and where the shoe “pinches”, after all most of them wore shoes to
school and you didn’t. Now that you are in a position to wear one, you
can truly tell where it hurts. Pray uncle what is your shoe size? A very
good friend of mine who is into oil and gas business would like to know. He
told me in confidence that as part of his efforts to ensure he secures a lucrative
deal and also in appreciation of your fight against corruption, he is willing
to buy you 365 pairs of shoes. He promised that as long as his contract run,
you would not lack shoes. Trust me sir, I told him to jump into the Lagos
lagoon with his offer. If shoe were a problem, there would have been budgetary
provision for it. If you could budget close to six million dollars for food
alone, then you would have done the same for shoes if it were absolutely
necessary. My friend is a jester and is highly recommended for a political
appointment. Every king needs jesters in his court. Sorry, I digress,
back to the crux of the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Truth is, the new policy of your administration is welcome
development. We know that there is a wicked cabal bent on pushing the country
to the edge of the precipice and you have displayed exceptional courage
hitherto lacking in your administration in confronting these economic
saboteurs. Well done sir, I shall move from neighbor to neighbour asking
them to come out en masse to celebrate the country’s new messiah. I have
personally earmarked huge sums of money for musicians who are willing to wax
lyrical about your achievement. Better still; a concert will be organized to
herald this new era for our country. It is truly the dawn of a new era. We
would witness unprecedented growth and development. With the revenue that would
accrue to the country from your new policy, our streets will be paved with
gold; every village would have a refinery; healthcare will be free for all and
sundry; hospitals will have the best facilities in the world consequently top
government officials will no longer travel abroad to treat headache and
constipation; epileptic power supply would be history; manufacturers would
reclaim warehouses from churches. This new policy would take our country to her
apogee. I can see your name written in gold in the annals of the country’s
history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">However sir, I am worried. So to allay my fears,
can you please tell me if your subjects would be alive to see the glorious
future? Wont majority of them have died from the burden of the new policy? Just
asking and if my questions are provocative, please forgive me; blame it on the
naivety of youth. And I don’t want you to call out an entire battalion of
soldiers to deal with me.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>ARUKAINOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602000841792144514noreply@blogger.com0