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Race to Costa Rica 2022: Falconets arrive Brazzaville to battle Congo

Published

4 years ago

December 3, 2021

The U20 Girls’ National Team, Falconets have arrived in the capital of the Republic of Congo, Brazzaville ahead of their 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup African qualification first leg, third-round clash with the Congo U20 Girls’ National Team on Sunday.

Member of the NFF Executive Committee and FIFA Match Commissioner, Alhaji Babagana Kalli led the contingent of 23 players and officials into the Congolese capital about mid-day on Friday, aboard an Ethiopia Airline flight from Addis Ababa. The delegation is quartered at the Hotel Saint Francois de Paula in Brazzaville.

Officials confirmed that the Falconets, two-time runners-up at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup and one-time semi-finalists, will have the official training at the match venue on Saturday evening.

To reach this stage, the Falconets walloped their counterparts from the Central African Republic 11-0 on aggregate, while Congo’s U20 Girls prevailed 4-2 over Egypt on aggregate.

This is the penultimate round of the African qualification series. The winner on aggregate in this fixture will proceed to the ultimate round scheduled for next month, where three teams will emerge to fly Africa’s flag at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup to be hosted by Costa Rica in August 2022.

The second leg comes up at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos on Saturday, 18^th December.

FALCONETS IN BRAZZAVILLE FOR CONGO CLASH:

Goalkeepers: Nelly Ekeh (Sunshine Queens); Monle Oyono (Bayelsa Queens); Inyene Etim (Abia Angels)

Defenders: Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels); Omowunmi Oshobukola (Edo Queens); Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Motunrayo Ezekiel (Naija Ratels); Oluwabunmi Oladeji (Nasarawa Amazons); Oluchi Ohaegbulem (Confluence Queens)

Midfielders: Bashirat Amoo (Nasarawa Amazons); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Yina Adoo (Nasarawa Amazons); Chidinma Ogbuchi (FC Robo Queens); Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons); Deborah Ajibola (Rivers Angels)

Forwards: Joy Jerry (Bayelsa Queens); Mercy Idoko (Nasarawa Amazons); Flourish Sebastine (Bayelsa Queens); Taiwo Lawal (FC Robo Queens); Precious Vincent (Bayelsa Queens); Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels); Kehinde Adebowale (Brighton Hove & Albion, England)

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UniAbuja Awards PhD To Former Lawmaker, 3 Others

Published

1 hour ago

November 6, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

Former Akwa Ibom State lawmaker Hon. Patrick Nathan Ifon, alongside three others, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Governance and Leadership on Tuesday at the Abuja Leadership Centre (ALC) at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.

According to the external examiner, Professor Chika Oguonu from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, the academic achievements were conferred after the candidates successfully fulfilled all requirements, including defending their theses on November 4, 2025, and pending approval of the University’s Senate.

Other recipients of the Doctoral degrees in Public Governance and Leadership include Obichi Godwin Obiajunwa, Ibiam Okechukwu Owora and Mohammed Hadi.

After the event, the Centre’s Director, Professor Philip Dahida, commended the external examiner for her professionalism, knowledge transfer, and commitment to evaluating the candidates’ work.

He charged all graduates to heed the advice of both external and internal examiners, while emphasising the need for them to put what they have learnt into practice in the wider society.

In his remarks, Hon. Patrick Ifon, who hitherto represented Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, lauded the institution for enhancing his capacity and vowed to impact his environment positively with the acquired knowledge.

Speaking on his thesis, which dwelt on the media in Nigeria and issues around agenda setting, the former lawmaker decried the challenges affecting media personnel from delivering on their mandate as watchdogs of the government.

He called on the government to collaborate with the Nigerian media and see them as partners rather than enemies. Adding that the government must invest in training and retraining of media persons to encourage balanced reportage. While urging members of the Nigerian media industry to maintain high ethical standards.

“The media is supposed to be like the gatekeepers in society, and is supposed to be keeping the government on its toes, but if the problems that militate against the media for a long time remain, then certainly it will not be able to function.

“The military must be transparent with the media and vice versa. they must relate in a way that makes them better professionals.

“My advice will be that the government should see the media as partners in progress, and once that is done, then it will be easier for them to deal with the media in a very transparent way and give them information,” Ifon stated.

The Abuja Leadership Centre is a TETFUND Centre of Excellence for Public Governance and Leadership, dedicated to enhancing public governance and leadership in Nigeria and beyond.

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