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Estacy, As Ochonu, Agada, Ayuma set Mavlon on fire in 3-0 defeat of FC Pirin-Razlog
After a goalless first half which FC Mavlon were very dominant against FC Pirin-Razlog, the trio of Josiah Ochonu, Charles Agada and Israel Ayuma became very clinical on resumption, hitting the Bulgaria premier league outfit with three unreplied goals, www.totorinews.com reports.
It was an overwhelming display of top class football from FC Mavlon and it was not a surprise when the rain of goals began 15 minutes from time when Josp itiah Ochonu intercepted a pass from the central defender of FC Pirin-Razlog and the attacker hit a low drive into the net.
Mavlon continued piling pressure on the defence, as the strike duo of Kelechi Onwugamba and Charles Agada threatened again to increase the goal tally.
It eventually came after the defence of FC Pirin-Razlog committed an infringement inside their box and the referee wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot.
At 15 years old, Agada, a striker calmly slotted into the net the penalty in the 83rd minute. Mavlon was in cruise control against a more illustrious opponents, FC Pirin-Razlog.
As if the the damage was not enough. Israel Ayuma hit a ferocious shot from 25 yards, which beat the goalkeeper and a complete package of 3-0 was delivered five minutes to regulation time.
The remaining minutes had Mavlon players still energetic, very fit, spraying passes and winning all the tackles, as the referee signalled the end of the game with the Nigerian side having 78% ball possession.
In a chat with the media after the game, Paul Ogunlaja, the chief scout of FC Mavlon said that it was a wonderful performance from the Nigerian side, beating a top Bulgarian club 3-0.
He, however noted that the emphasis is for the young players to continue to work hard and improve their football, which is the main essence of the training tour.
“The team played very well and we are glad that these young players are living up to expectations,” Paul Ogunlaja said.
“Victory is good. This is the first victory of of team since we arrived Bulgaria on this training tour and it really feels good.
“The focus still remains the development of these players and we are glad that they are learning fast,” he said.
FC Mavlon will tackle FC Levski-Karlovo in another friendly game on Saturday evening at the Evima Football Field.
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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.
The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.
Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.
“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.
“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”
The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.
Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.
“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.
Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.
Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.
He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.
Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.
He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.
To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization
Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.
Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.
“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee
is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.
The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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