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Incoming Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri Shows His Love For Sports And Youth Development

It was a friendly, cool and serene weekend as ardent soccer lovers gathered to keep a date with physical fitness. All garbed in their sport kits and ready to show the good people of Bayelsa the stuffs they are made of as far as football is concerned. One of the great sons of Bayelsa on the field is the governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in the forthcoming November 16th election in the state, Senator Douye Diri.

Though, it initially appeared to spectators that the Senator representing Bayelsa Central at the Upper Chamber may just be at the occasion just to acclimatize with his people, only few knew that he would be a major participant of the soccer fiesta. He, indeed made the football showpiece a wonderful and memorable experience for all and sundry.

Acording to one of the participant, he attended the showpiece with his brother to watch the Bayelsa ‘superstars’ displaying their God-given skills and soccer artistries. He is one of the best things to happen to the people of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri was on the other side. The celebrities among others were indeed cynosure of all eyes as the epic football match started. The performances of the two sides brought back an unforgettable memory of past football matches held in the state.

Senator Diri’s side was trailing the other team by 2 goals to 3. This development brought a heavy sad look on the faces of those in support of the Senator’s side.

Despite being led by the one goal margin, the Senator Diri’s team kept playing as if they were the ones leading, not allowing the strikers of the opposing team to add more to the goal tally. And within a twinkle of an eye, as the match was about to come to an end, even when the supporters of the Senator’s team almost gave up hope on any equalizer, the in-coming governor stroke brilliantly and he leveled up scores to bring back smiles on the faces of Diri’s supporters.

It ended 3 apiece and Senator Diri’s goal was adjudged the golden goal of the match. This is simply a signal to the unique administrative abilities and skills Senator Diri will bring into the affairs of Bayelsa State, given the mandate on November 16th, 2019.

There is no doubting the fact that Senator Douye Diri will put the development of sports and youths in Bayelsa State on the front burner as the number one citizen of the oil rich state and he is ever ready to put smiles on the faces of the youths. As a patriotic Nigerian and a man who knows the importance of the youths in any sane society, Senator Diri would not leave any stone unturned including the youths in his government, giving them the benefit of being stakeholders in the affairs of the state. He knows quite well also that the youths are very energetic and ready to tap on a necessary opportunity and this has paved way for the Nigerian youths in engaging in several anti-societal behaviours and crimes to the detriment of their images.

Senator Diri believes vividly that if an avenue like sport could be well tapped into, the sky will only be the limit in youth emancipation, rehabilitation and reorientation. According to him, he will embark on massive employment of the youths and also not leaving out the elders who are also potent members of the communities all across Bayelsa State.

The philanthropist of note also plans to bring on board several sports stars of Bayelsa origin who have made huge names for the country both locally and internationally. Cutting across football, swimming, boxing, athletics, wrestling and many other sporting activities, Senator Diri will, no doubt deliver Bayelsa sports to the highest peak.

He is indeed a man of his words and it will be very justifiable to vote such a man of passion and willingness into seeing to the affairs of Bayelsa State, a state that has been deprived of its rightful dividends of democracy for many years regardless of the fact that the state has produced one of the duly elected civilian presidents of Nigeria. A feat only a few states could boast of.

It is left for the people of Bayelsa State, most especially the youths to cast their votes for the man that will breathe a new life into sports development which is one of the most vital tools of their young minds and ensure their sporting careers and future.

While speaking to some residents of the neighbourhood where the football match was played, some are of the view that Senator Douye Diri was only using that as an opportunity to win the hearts of the people of Bayelsa State in order for them to cast their votes for him but many debunked that criticism saying that Senator Diri is never a man who hides his feelings and he would not stoop so low to deceive anybody just because he wants to be governor of Bayelsa State. He has been doing this sort for things for years while serving in all the offices in found himself up till today as a Senator.

More than 90 percentage of people in his locality vouched for his open-mindedness, caring and undented spirit of brotherhood. He is a man who wants people around him regardless of class and caliber. He never looked down on anyone and ensures that he maintains cordial and mutual relationships with everybody he comes across. He loves football and his passion for the game is not only in watching it, but practicing it physically on the pitch whenever the opportunity arises.

His coming in as the 5th civilian governor of Bayelsa State will surely bring a new dimension for sports in the state thereby improving tourism, hospitality and business in general. This is a state that has been yearning for the return to action of all sporting activities so as to enable the young talents in the state discover to the outside world for international recognition, accolades and laurels just like the likes of Samson Siasia, Daniel Igali, etc who are all Bayelsans that took the great name of Nigeria to global sporting perspectives.

APPOEMN set to Scale up Events Industry Practices with TEIC 2019

The Association of Professional Party Organizers and Event Managers of Nigeria (APPOEMN), is set to convene TEIC 2019, a 3-day transformational network of learning and cutting edge exponential conference for members of the association from September 18 to 22 2019.

Addressing the press in Lagos on Sunday September 8, Vice President of the association, Mrs Adefunke Kuyoro disclosed that the theme of this year’s conference, the third in a series, being ‘Stepping Up’; presented an opportunity for event industry practitioners to put their brands ahead if not at par with industry leaders and players in the event space.

“We call all eventprenuers/practitioners to ‘step up’ their game in the industry, because the more excellent our brands become, the better our event industry in Nigeria; be you a vendor, planner, venue owner, service provider in the event industry. It is time to step it up for good.” Kuyoro posited.

Speaking further about the 3-day conference, Mrs Kuyoro said what informed TEIC (The Event Industry Conference), expected to assemble key professionals from across the country and a spectrum of events service providers, to share experiences, perspectives, insights and latest developments in the events industry, was the desire to mix international growing trends with existing traditions.

According to her, “events have always been a part of our culture, but in the recent past it has received a sudden boost, apparent by the increase in coverage received from the print and social media.”

“The 3-day conference is drawn up to provide technical sessions and poster sessions on cutting edge issues related to the event industry, and will also provide ample opportunities for networking and socializing with colleagues.” Kuyoro averred.

TEIC 2019 is expected to kick off on the 18th of September with a Masterclass scheduled for 250 participants, where evolving issues and trends in the industry will be learnt, culminating in a bonding after-party in what can best be called “Senior Lit of a lifetime”

Day 2 of the event will be devoted to Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR by way of easing motorists’ driveway through Lagos Island and mainland in a give back approach to law-abiding Lagosians.

To that extent the association has partnered with the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) to coordinate traffic in heavy-traffic-prone areas in super hyper traffic time between the hours of 7am-9am, with 350 members of the association expected to take part in the exercise. Next on Day 2 agenda will be a yardsale (a kind of compensation plan) to the industry where various valuable items will be circulated especially to new entrants, to boost their brand equity in the trendy event market space at giveaway rates.

The icing on the cake in regard to TEIC 2019, is its culmination on the last day of the event with a dinner and award night, where up to 500 guests are expected to attend the TEIC Award for the year, as the best practitioners in diverse categories of the industry will be appreciated.

Speaking to SMILE on the criteria adopted for the award, Mrs Kuyoro said nominations were done by members of the association on the different categories with 5 to 6 nominees in each category, while voting was done online to produce the list of recipients for the final awards, all in strict compliance to the best ethos.

With respect to some challenges in the industry cutting across relevant training, optimum service delivery, trust and abuse issues etc., Mrs Kuyoro told SMILE that APPOEMN has over the years been able to set the standard for operation in the industry which has made the association a credible force, saying the association is not just an all-comers affair, as prospective members are observed for up to two years before being registered in the organisation, while penalties which include suspension or dismissal, depending on the degree of rules infringement are also meted to erring members, all in a bid to make the industry attain and maintain standard global practices, assuring that such erring members would at the end of their penalty also have to reapply again, if qualified to. Training opportunities she added were also being constantly offered to members to ensure best practices.

APPOEMN is an association with a mix of seasoned events professionals that have been at the forefront of event planning and coordination in Nigeria, for the past 15 years. The association has risen to become a major player in the socio-economic space in the Nigerian polity contributing 55bn to the country’s GDP in budgets, appreciatively deflating the country’s unemployment balloon.

The Event Industry Conference (TEIC) is an annual event of APPOEMN and this year’s would be the third edition of the event.

Tickets to attend the event can be obtained via www.teic.live or 08033053529, 08033728555 while interested event practitioners can also join the association by sending such requests to appoemnnigeria@gmail.com

Fayemi’s wife picks stranded nursing mother’s hospital bill

The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Bisi Fayemi, on Sunday picked the medical bills of a nursing mother, Mrs Sade Ojo, who had been stranded at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, since August 31, following her inability to pay the bill after being delivered of a set of twins.

The governor’s wife, who read about the woman in the social media on Sunday, dispatched an official, Mr Dauda Lawal, to the hospital to verify the claim and rescue the woman and her surviving baby.

The woman was admitted in the EKSUTH on August 30 and lost one of her twin babies during labour, while the second was referred to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

She was discharged on August 31, but her bill rose to N80,750 following complications.

The nursing mother, who said she was tired of sleeping in the hospital after being discharged, had appealed to the governor’s wife; the Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade; and well-meaning Ekiti indigenes to come to her aid.

Lawal said, “Around 8pm today (Sunday), the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, called me that she read about one Mrs Ojo in the social media, who was delivered of a set of twins at the EKSUTH since August 31 but could not go home because her husband could not pick the N80,750 bill.

“Erelu directed me to the hospital to find out the true situation of things and that if found to be true, she would be ready to settle the bill and that the woman and her surviving baby must not sleep in the hospital that night.

“I came to the hospital and I met Mrs Ojo, her mother and husband, who were worried about the ugly development without any solution. I promptly introduced myself and delivered Erelu’s message to them. Praises of joy immediately rented the ward.

“We approached the nurses on duty and actions were expedited to discharge Mrs Ojo and her baby. I am happy to tell all that the woman and her baby have been let go courtesy of Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

“I personally drove the family down to their home around 9.30pm and they were full of praises to God Almighty and offered prayers for Erelu Bisi Fayemi.”

The nursing mother and her husband appreciated the governor’s wife for her prompt intervention.

The Head of Corporate Affairs, EKSUTH, Mrs Rolake Adewumi, said the hospital witnesses situations like that from time to time because it had to discharge its responsibilities of saving lives first.

Adewumi stated, “The hospital’s management, on being notified, had already arranged for relief measures for the woman, which would have been perfected on Monday so that she could go home.

“When we have cases of genuine indigent patients, who cannot afford their medical bills, such patients are referred to the social services department, where the details and debts will be recorded so that such will be included for philanthropists, who may come later to offset bills of indigent patients.”

British Airways’ pilots’ 3 Days Strike enters Second Day

A landmark strike by British Airways pilots entered its second day on Tuesday with more travel chaos — and no end in sight to the long-running dispute overpay.

BA has decided to cancel almost all its flights for the second day in a row, it announced in a statement identical to the one issued Monday.

The carrier, which is owned by London-listed International Airlines Group, said it has cancelled nearly 100 per cent of its 850 daily flights, affecting the travel plans of more than 100,000 passengers.

However, the pilots’ trade union stood firm in its demands for greater salary and benefits.

The industrial action by pilots, which is the first in BA’s 100-year history, has seen flights axed for approximately 200,000 travellers, mostly from London Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

In advance of the strike, BA offered full refunds or bookings on alternative dates or flights with a different airline.

The walkout overpays by members of the British Airline Pilots Association trade union follows around nine months of failed talks.

With no talks scheduled, pilots will also stage another one-day strike on September 27.

“Pilots are standing firm and have shown just how resolute they are,” BALPA boss Brian Strutton said in a brief statement.

“British Airways needs to start listening to its pilots and actually come up with ways of resolving this dispute.”

BA has offered a salary increase of 11.5 per cent over three years, which it argues would boost the annual pay of some captains to £200,000 ($246,000 or 220,000 euros).

However, the union has rejected the proposal that was made in July, arguing that its members want a bigger share of the company’s profits.

BALPA estimates that the 48-hour strike is costing the airline a total of £80 million but BA has yet to give an estimate.

Buhari receives envoy to South Africa, orders evacuation of 640 Nigerians

The President also gave clear instructions that Nigerians willing to return home should be evacuated from South Africa immediately.

The President took the decisions when he received  the report of the special envoy he sent last week to his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa, to register Nigeria’s concerns over the attacks.

The Presidency, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the special envoy, who is the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai-Abubakar, returned to Nigeria after the assignment and had submitted his report to the President.

It said Rufai-Ababukar was in Pretoria from Thursday to Saturday. While in Pretoria, the envoy conveyed the following to Ramaphosa, “The deep concern of President Buhari and Nigerians about intermittent violence against Nigerians and their property/business interests in South Africa.

“President Buhari stressed the need for South African government to take visible measures to stop violence against citizens of brotherly African nations.

“President Buhari is worried that the recurring issue of xenophobia could negatively affect the image and standing of South Africa as one of the leading countries on the continent, if nothing is done to stop it.

“The special envoy conveyed the assurance of President Buhari that the Nigerian government was ready and willing to collaborate with the South African government to find a lasting solution to the involvement of few Nigerians in criminal activities, and to protect the lives and property of the larger groups of other law-abiding Nigerians and indeed Africans in general, against all forms of attacks including xenophobia.

“President Buhari further assured that the Nigerian government will guarantee the safety of lives, property and business interests of South Africans in Nigeria.”

The statement, which was signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, also gave details of Ramaphosa’s responses.

It added, “On his part, President Ramaphosa agrees that the violence is most disconcerting and embarrassing, adding that his government completely rejects such acts, which undermine not only the country’s image, but also its relations with brotherly African countries.

“President Ramaphosa reaffirmed his stand against criminality and that he was committed to doing everything possible to protect the rights of every Nigerian and other foreign nationals in the country.”

Upon receiving the report, Buhari said he had taken note of it and directed Onyeama “to continue to engage with appropriate authorities on the concrete measure the South African government is expected to take.”

He also gave “instructions for the immediate voluntary evacuation of all Nigerians who are willing to return home.”

The Presidency added that the envoy also met with his South African counterpart “where they reviewed the situation of foreign emigrants in general and Nigerians in particular.”

It said the two “agreed to work together to find a permanent solution to the root causes of the recurring attacks on Nigerians and their property.”

Two aircraft to bring 640 Nigerians from South Africa – Presidency

Also on Monday, the Presidency said the number of Nigerians in South Africa, who had shown interest in returning home had risen from 400 to 640.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this when she appeared before the Senate Committee on Diaspora.

Apc chieftain dies in Edo fatal accident

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress ( APC ) Mr. Friday Moses is dead.

He passed away on 1st of January after his car was swept into drainage carnal with incident reporting he was coming from a new year celebration with three of his Friends who are also Members of All Progressive Congress, namely Mr. Lookman Osadolor age 43years, Mr. Damian Obasogie 40years and Omonsigho Ekinadose Osazuwa age 39years.

According to an eyewitness who was at the scene when the terrible accident happened Mr. Haruna Abark, said that the disease was on a high speed coming down from Sepele Road before he lost control as a result of drinking and driving.
According to another undisclosed eye witness who said that the driver was reckless in driving.

Meanwhile, the All Progressive Congress in Edo State has described the late Friday Moses, as a grassroots politician and been one of the founding fathers of All progressive Congress in Edo state, the Apc Further described the chieftain as a stabilizing force who was identified with progressive in the party.

In a statement issued by the party secretary in Edo state, Mr. Phillips Osamudiamhen recalled that the late Friday Moses, served as a member of the Presidential campaign Committee that worked for President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, Mr. Friday Moses was also a grass-root mobilized who helped governor Godwin Obaseki secure a landslide victory in 2016.
late Friday Moses survived with one wife Mrs. Aghedo Joy moses, and 4 kids From Edo state.

The A.P.C party will miss the experience, temperament, and maturity of late Friday Moses displayed of his duties.
We express our deep condolences to his family especially the young wife who he left behind with 4 kids.

In a statement from the Family of Friday Moses, the elder brother of Friday Moses, Mr. Osagie Moses said that the sudden death of his brother is a result of domestic violence between him and his wife Mr. Aghedo Joy moses, who the family blame as the major reason while he was drunk while driving, Mr osagie Moses said that the brother and his wife had a problem that morning on January 1st before his brother drove out of the house describing the accident as a result of treatment given to his brother by the wife.

According to the Edo state police command PRO, Mr. Sunday Iyase said that the body of the late deceased has been put in motuary while the Nigeria police will carry out investigations and urgue membres of the public to go out doing their normal businesses.