News

WAFCON 2004-winning Coach, Izilein Is Dead

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2024

Godwin Izilein, an ex-international and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished football coaches, on Wednesday died in Benin City, the Edo State capital aged 81, The PUNCH reports.

It was learnt that Izilein, who led the Super Falcons to win the 2004 WAFCON in Johannesburg, died after “battling abdominal issues.”

A member of the Izilein family, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH that Izilein, who also coached the Golden Eaglet at the African U-17 Championship in 2005, said he died in a hospital in Benin.

Media Officer of Edo State-owned Bendel Insurance Kehinde Osagiede confirmed the news.

“He died today (Wednesday) after a brief illness. He was a former Insurance coach who gave everything to discovering and nurturing football talents, both male and female, in Nigeria. The club (Insurance) is saddened by his death,” Osagiede said.

Regarded as one of the country’s best indigenous coaches, Izilein guided the Falcons to their sixth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations glory in South Africa in 2004 in controversial circumstances.

After their continental triumph in South Africa, protesting Falcons players insisted on getting their camp allowances and winning bonuses in Johannesburg before the trip back home, but angry federation officials believed the girls were instigated by Izilein to down tools.

The then Ibrahim Galadima-led Nigeria Football Association board refused to pay Izilein his entitlements — $12,000 — after the protest, with successive boards also reneging on payment 20 years after, until his demise.

Agile and outspoken until his death, Izilein during his last interviews with The PUNCH, pleaded with the Nigeria Football Federation to pay his owed allowances.

“Since 2004 that they have owed me, I have not heard from the NFF,” Izilein told Sunday PUNCH June 2023.

“It’s a pity that I may not get the money again. It’s over 19 years that the NFF has yet to pay me the $12,000 and the N2m promised me by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“What is my offence, since they refused to pay me my money? I did not do anything wrong. The girls said they were not coming back to Nigeria because they were owed by the NFF. I was on my knees begging them, I did not care if they were my daughters.

“I told them that a different meaning would be read into this action. It is easy to say the coaches are responsible and that was exactly what it turned out to be but it’s not fair to me and I feel very bad.”

At club level, the 81-year-old also managed local sides NNB FC and Bendel Insurance.

News

BREAKING: Former Inspector-General Of Police, Solomon Arase, Is Dead

Published

4 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja.

As of the time of filing this report, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force has issued an official statement confirming the development.Japan trip

Arase, who served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was later appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).Japan trip

Before becoming IGP, he headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the police force’s top intelligence unit.

Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, graduating in 1980, and joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981.

News

Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

22 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

News

Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

22 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

“The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.