News
Rivers, Six Other States Qualify For Quarter Finals In Men’s Cycling
Seven states have qualified for the quarterfinals of the men’s 200m cycling event in the on-going 17th National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt.
The states are Rivers,Imo,Kaduna, Oyo, Edo, Nassarawa and Abuja. The quarter finals will be held on June 30.
Cycling is one of the event which began ahead of the opening ceremony of the festival scheduled for July 3 at the Liberation Stadium Port Harcourt.
The men’s 200m sprint heats were decided along Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt .
The Secretary-General of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria,Mrs Thecla Opara told correspondents in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, that 13 of the 18 states which reported for the festival took part in the first cycling event.
Cycling has a total medal capacity of 15 gold,15 silver and 15 bronze medals.
Opara said the states have been doing well since the cycling event began.
“We had our first race today (yesterday) with the cyclists and presently, we have about 18 states that have reported for the festival.
“So, our first race was 200 meters sprints and it took place at Aggrey Road and we have about 13 states that participated and so far they have been doing very well.
“The event has been going very well and am impressed with the turn out. A lot of states were present and hopefully by tomorrow (today), I know most of them would have reported for the festival, so far, the festival is going very well,’’ she said.
Opara said the federation would use the festival to discover new talents for future national and international cycling events.
Coach Bashir Mohammed,national cycling coach says new talents have been discovered in the sport in the on-going 17th National Sports Festival.
One of them is Edward Osim of Rivers State who came first in the men’s 200 m sprint heat.
Mohammed told correspondents in Port Harcourt yesterday that the new talents have knocked out the defending champion in the men’s 200m sprint.
He said the new talents would be camped after the National Sports Festival.
“In today’s (yesterday) race I am impressed indeed, in the fact that there are some new discoveries. You can see that the defending champion in this event did not even qualify to take part in the sprint event.
“So, I am impressed with the turn out and there are some boys coming up. “We will try to encourage them and to expose them to national and international competitions
“Like the person I forsee picking the gold medal is one young cyclist from Rivers,he is a new boy and we are going to take him to the national camp immediately after this sports festival
“We are going to have a kind of five day coaching clinic at the Valedrome,so that we can introduce them to the track racing,” he said.
He said Nigeria has a lot of talents that could become world and African champions in the track.
Mohammed said there might be more upsets in the cycling event and that the inability of the defending champion to go beyond the first round of the 200m men’s sprint, was an indication that the events would be keenly contested.
“There are lots of revelations and there will be lots of upsets. New boys will emerge champions in the sprints,’’ he said.
News
Elele Etche community Gets Interim Youth Leaders ….As traditional rulers Warned Against land grabbing

Elele Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state has inaugurated an interim Youth Executive to run the affairs of the Elele Central Youth Association for the next six months.Among those inaugurated are, Comrade Godspower Anaele as the youth leader, Godspower Nwala, deputy youth leader and Barrister Nnamdi Abel as General Secretary/Legal Adviser.Also inaugurated are,Mr Ifeanyi Emmanuel as Assistant General Secretary,Chibuike Nwamkpa as financial secretary, Michael Ogundu , public Relations officer,Miss Faith Nwaobilor , welfare officer and Charles I K.Agugoesi as provost.The Ochimba of Elele community Etche local government Area ,HRH Eze Innocent Anaemeje who inaugurated the youth executive warned them against involvement in anti social behavioursEze Anaemeje particularly warned them against involvement in land grabbing stressing that having eliminated land grabbing from the area, the community will frown at any attempt to bring it back.He said though the interim youth executive has six months to run the affairs of the Elele central youth Association, the community might return them if their performances are satisfactory.In an interview with newsmen, The Elele Etche monarch said his kingdom has only one youth body which is the Elele Central Youth Association, warning that private youth bodies will never be allowed to operate in the kingdom.He said his kingdom is laying a foundation that will promote hardwork and respect to constituted Authoritaties especially from the youth, adding that nobody irrespective of his position will be allowed to hold the community to ransomAccording to him, the youth of Elele Etche must respect their elders , the government and cultivate the virtues of hardwork and honesty, stressing that nobody will be allowed to bring shame to the kingdom.Anaemeje who is the chairman welfare committee of The Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers used the occasion to call on both the Rivers state Government and Etche Local Government Council to assist the community with the rehabilitation of its dilapidated health centreHe said the health centre which was constructed through communal efforts has become dilapidated leading to its abandonment.Eze Anaemeje also called for Government intervention on the epileptic power situation in the area and congratulated Governor Siminalaye Fubara for his reinstatement after six months of emergency rule in the state.Also speaking the Ezeoha of Etche ethnic nationality,HRH Eze Chima Nwagha called on youths in the community to respect their eldersHe warned that no indigene in the area should be allowed to use his position to destroy the kingdom and advised the newly inaugurated youth association to rule with the fear of God.
By: John Bibor & Birane progress
News
Stop blaming leaders, take responsibility, CAN tells Nigerians

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Borno State chapter, has urged Nigerians to make the right choices and take responsibility for the nation’s progress instead of blaming leaders for its challenges.
Borno CAN Chairman, Bishop John Bogna Bakeni, made the call in Maiduguri on Saturday, stressing that national renewal requires both accountable leadership and responsible citizenship.
He said the transformation of Nigeria’s economic and political systems depends on deliberate moral choices and collective action by citizens.
“As I said in my message on the pulpit, Nigerians must make the right choices. We must hold our leaders accountable at all levels, but we must also take responsibility,” Bishop Bakeni stated.
He added that it is not enough to desire a better country without consciously choosing good over evil and making efforts to build it.
Bakeni noted that problems such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and corruption stem from the failure of families to instill discipline and values in their children.
“We cannot continue to blame the government alone. Parents must monitor their children and instill discipline and honesty in them. Evil thrives when families abandon their moral duties,” he warned.
News
NUJ hails DSS for releasing detained journalists

The Nigeria Union of Journalists has commended the Department of State Services for the prompt release of two journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang of Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, who were recently arrested while covering the funeral of the late mother of the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
The NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya, in a statement on Sunday, said the union welcomed the intervention of the DSS Director-General, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, which led to the immediate release of the journalists.
Our correspondent gathered that the journalists had captured footage showing DSS operatives preventing some pastors from gaining access to the church premises where the funeral service was taking place.
Security officials were screening attendees, and in the process, some clerics were denied entry.
Marcus and Jang had been detained after posting a video report on social media showing a confrontation between a cleric and security operatives at the funeral, an incident that raised widespread concern over press freedom and the right of journalists to perform their lawful duties.
The statement partly read, “We are encouraged by the decisive intervention of the DSS Director-General, who not only ordered their release but also personally reached out to the Union to tender his apologies. He has also reiterated his directive to DSS operatives to conduct thorough investigations before making arrests.”
The NUJ president described the gesture as a positive shift in the culture of Nigeria’s security institutions.
“The willingness of the DSS leadership to admit errors, apologise where necessary, and commit to reforms is an important step in strengthening public trust and confidence in the agency,” he stated.
While commending the development, Abdullahi urged the DSS and other security agencies to sustain the new approach and respect the rights of journalists at all times.
“Press freedom is the bedrock of democracy, and journalists must never be treated as adversaries for performing their constitutional duties. We call on the DSS to institutionalise accountability by sanctioning officers whose actions undermine democratic values and constitutional rights”, he said.
He stressed that only by enforcing discipline within the ranks can such progress be consolidated.
Abdullahi further assured that the NUJ remains committed to constructive engagement with security institutions to strengthen mutual understanding, promote professionalism, and safeguard both press freedom and national security.
“We urge our members across the country to remain vigilant, courageous, and professional in the discharge of their duties,” the NUJ president added.
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