News

Olympics: Team Nigeria Ends Paris Games Outing Without A Medal

Published

1 year ago

August 11, 2024

Nigeria has ended the 2024 Paris Olympics without a medal. Hannah Reuben lost her Women’s Freestyle 76kg fight early Saturday to effectively put the country’s slim hope of making the podium to rest. She lost 5-2 to Mongolia’s Enkh-Amaryn Davaanasan in the round of 16 tie, capping off a woeful showing for the West African nation.

Team Nigeria went to the Olympics on the back of some great performances in qualifying events. The country registered for 12 events, but sadly – like previous Games – failed to translate its continental dominance at the Olympics.

A series of heartbreaking losses and some administrative lapses have seen Nigeria return home without a medal. The last time that happened was at the London Games in 2012.

Nigeria’s poor showing in Paris was replicated in 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1968 Mexico, 1980 Moscow, and 1988 Seoul where the country won no medal.

President Bola Tinubu had approved N12 billion for the country’s outing at the Olympics and the Paralympics. N9bn was earmarked for the former while N 3bn was budgeted for the latter.

Tracks and Field Dreams In Tatters

Ofili was one of Nigeria’s medal hopefuls going into the Olympics.

Going into the Games, Team Nigeria had banked on tracks and field events, one of the country’s dominant areas, to rake in the medals.

Favour Ofili had made history as the first Nigerian since Atlanta 1996 to reach the semi-final of the 200m. Despite her season’s best of 22.05 seconds in the semi-finals, she could not make a podium finish.

In the 200m, Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike reached the semi-final while his compatriot Ezekiel Nathaniel also fell short in the 400m hurdles in the same stage.

Nigeria’s joy in the 4x400m men’s event was cut short after they were disqualified from the race for a violation of the rules. The quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie finished heat 2 with a Season’s Best time of 2 minutes 59.81 seconds.

However, one of the Nigerians was said to have crossed lanes leading to the tripping of a South African athlete. The West African nation’s spot was thereafter given to South Africa.

Medal Hopefuls Disappoint

Before then, world record holder Tobi Amusan was primed to finish on the podium in hurdles. She had a strong showing in the women’s 100m hurdles heat. But that flicker of hope was extinguished after she lost in the semi-final of the event.

The Nigerian was third in her heat, finishing in a time of 12:55 seconds. She missed out on the automatic qualifying spots with her hopes of entering the final as one of the best losers also gone. That was because her time was insufficient to make the cut.

Even though Nigeria’s Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor made history by reaching the women’s long jump final, none of them came back with a medal.

It was the first time three Nigerians had reached that stage of the event.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress may have been stopped in the quarter-final of the Games, but they did make history in Paris. Coach Rena Wakama’s ladies became the first African side (male or female) to reach the last eight of the Olympics.

The D’Tigress lost gallantly to the US – 88–74 – after a spirited showing.

In the wake of Nigeria’s shoddy outing at the Paris Olympics, the Minister of Sports Development John Enoh described the performances as a disaster, promising to address the issues leading to the nation’s failure in France.

“As we go back home, we must do everything to prevent future occurrences of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting federations, it will be done,” he wrote on X on Saturday.

“The elections for the federations are around the corner, and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who are most eligible to lead the various sports federations.

“Team Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country did not secure any medals does not entail being addressed just by our participation at the Olympics, but it is a product of very many other things that need immediate attention.”

News

DSS Arraigns Sowore Over Anti-Tinubu Post

Published

6 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government is set to arraign human rights activist Omoyele Sowore on a five-count charge for allegedly posting false statements about President Bola Tinubu intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, court papers show.

Sowore was sighted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of the arraignment.

The suit dated 16th September,2025, was lodged after Sowore allegedly refused to delete the controversial posts about the President.

The Sahara Reporters publisher was accused of using his official X handle to make the post, “This criminal @ official PBAT Actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”

The alleged offending post, said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, was said to have been made on August 25 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.

The charges were brought on behalf of the DSS and the Federal Government by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, alongside four other counsel to the DSS –M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.

Social media companies X Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. are listed as co-defendants.

Confirming the legal action in a Facebook post last week, Sowore wrote, “The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘X’ (formerly Twitter Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented and spread across five counts.

“It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”

Recall that the human rights activist and African Action Congress candidate in the 2023 election vowed not to delete the controversial tweet, despite a request from the DSS to X demanding its removal.

Restating his stance, Sowore wrote, “This morning, X (formerly Twitter) officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my Tweet on Tinubu. One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X.”

News

Lagos Opens Portal For Teaching Job Applications

Published

7 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has opened its official application portal for teaching positions across the state.

In a statement signed on Monday by the Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, the board said the recruitment exercise, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, targets qualified candidates willing to contribute to the delivery of quality education in Lagos State.

The statement partly read, “This is a unique opportunity for NCE holders, B.A (Ed), B.Sc (Ed), B.Ed, HND+PGDE, BA+PGDE, and B.Sc+PGDE graduates to build a career in teaching and contribute meaningfully to qualitative service delivery in the State.”

According to the commission, applicants are required to submit applications strictly online via https://subebjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng.

The statement warned that physical submissions would not be entertained and stressed that the board has not authorised anyone to collect money for the exercise, which is completely free.

It stated that the documents for application include, O’ Level Certificate (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB), Degree Certificate or NCE Certificate, and NYSC Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as applicable.

The board also noted that notifications or statements of results issued beyond two years would not be accepted.

“LASUBEB has not engaged or authorised any individual or group to collect money for this exercise. The application is absolutely free.

“Closing Date: The portal will close on 14th October, 2025,” the statement concluded.

News

FG Approves New NYSC Mandatory Regulations

Published

8 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved the compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a mandatory requirement for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The provides that, effective from Oct. 6, no Nigerian graduate – whether from a Nigerian university, polytechnic, college of education, or an overseas institution would be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.

This directive was contained in a circular issued to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on Sunday in Abuja.

The directive does not, however, affect serving Corps members or those enrolled before the enforcement date.

Akume said that the compliance directive was to convey the approval for the adjustment of “NYSC mobilisation criteria in accordance with the President’s regulation requiring proof of NERD Policy compliance for all prospective Corps members, regardless of where they were educated.”