Author: PositiveNaija

230 Nigerians Under UNMIL Awarded UN Peacekeepers Medal

At least 230 Nigerian peacekeeping troops serving under the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have been awarded the United Nations, UN peacekeepers medal.

The UNMIL, which announced the awards stated that the peacekeepers were conferred with the UN medals at a ceremony in Morovia in recognition of their contributions to peace and stability in Liberia.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, SRSG, Farid Zarif, presided over the ceremony at Camp Abuja in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia.

The UNIMIL said the UN medals were also presented to Staff Officers, Military Observers, and the Pakistani Medical Contingent, PAKMED.

In his remarks, Mr. Zarif said the peacekeepers contributed towards strengthening and consolidating peace and stability in Liberia.

In his words:

“They have brought pride and honour, not just to their contingents, but also to their nations.

You have also given meaning to the United Nations services throughout the world by helping nations in distress in order to fight back some of the challenges that may have gone beyond their capacity.”

The SRSG urged the peacekeepers to take pride in their contributions to serving the common cause of the United Nations by helping humanity and nations in distress.

He said by so doing, peacekeepers justify the presence and continuation of the work of the United Nations as the most indispensable organization without which humanity would be in difficult distress.

Mr. Zarif further stated:

“Be proud of what you are doing in supporting and maintaining peace around the world and helping other nations.”

The event was graced by top officials of UNMIL and UN Country Team, including the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, DSRSG, for Peace Consolidation, Yacoub El Hillo, Force Commander, Salihu Zaway Uba, a major-general and Director of Mission Support DMS, David Penklis.

However, UNIMIL said the Security Council at its 7851st meeting held on December 23, 2016 adopted the Resolution 2333 (2016) that extended its mandate for a final period until March 30, 2018.

A request has also been sent to the Secretary-General to complete the withdrawal of all uniformed and civilian UNMIL components, other than those required to complete the Mission’s liquidation, by April 30, 2018.

Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon Is Appointed ILO Assistant Director-General & Regional Director for Africa

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has appointed Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon as its Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa.

According to Guebray Berhane, the Senior Communication Officer of ILO Regional Office for Africa in Abidjan, in a statement:

“Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), after having duly consulted the Officers of the Governing Body, has appointed Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon of Nigeria as Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire with effect from Nov. 10, 2017.”

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Winners Of Nigerian Sports Awards 2017

Winners have emerged in the Nigerian Sports Awards 2017.

Nigerian Sports Awards 2017 Winners

Sportsman of the year – Aruna Quadri
Sportswoman of the year – Odunayo Adekuroye
Woman footballer of the year – Asisat Oshoala
Footballer of the year (Men) – Victor Moses
Ball sports person of the year – Evelyn Akhator
Team of the year – D’ Tigress
Wrestler of the year – Odunayo Adekuroye
Special sports person of the year – Hannah Babalola
Discovery of the year – Georgia Oboh
Coach of the year – Akuh Purity
Journalist of the year (radio) – Anthony Bekederemo
Journalist of the year (TV) – Promise Efoghe
Journalist of the year (print) – Lekan Okusan
Photo journalist of the year – Olusegun Aderinto
Sports governor of the year – Akinwunmi Ambode and Udom Emmanuel
Sports administrator of the year – Waheed Enitan Oshodi and Daniel Igali
Special recognition – Amaju Pinnick
Lifetime achievement – Pa Fabio Lanipekun (formerly of NTA Sports)

Olusegun Arowolo Invents Cocoa Pod Breaking Machine

Olusegun Arowolo, has invented a cocoa pod breaking machine to boost the production of the commodity as well as encourage more Nigerians to take into cocoa farming.

Mr. Olusegun Arowolo said the idea of inventing the machine was conceptualised to complete the mechanisation of cocoa plantation so as to take cocoa farming to large scale industrial dimension.

According to Mr. Arowolo:

“This machine was invented in order to encourage people, both young and old, especially school leavers to have interest and fun in going into cultivation of cocoa thereby reducing unemployment rate among the populace. The machine is to ease the hardship being encountered by farmers on cocoa plantation and boost production as well as increase internally generated revenue of the state.

The cocoa pod breaking machine was invented by me and it is the first of its kind worldwide and can break 20,000 to 30,000 pods per hour. Also, it is important to state that the cocoa season is around the corner and so the machine will complement the already available spraying and moving machine in the market.”

Arowolo in Abuja stated that his aim of developing the machine was to also encourage all segments of the populace to partake in cocoa farming, as this would reduce unemployment, boost the economy.

Two Nigerian Airports Attain ICAO Global Safety Standard

Nigeria has become the only country in Africa to have its two airports attain Global Safety Standard certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the only country in West Africa sub-region with internationally certified airports.

This was made known by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman during the ceremony to mark the certification of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Last September, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos was certified, thus recognising two major airports in the country as meeting global safety standards.

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Munachi Ernest-Eze & Jessey Uche-Nwichi Win 2017 Cowbellpedia Maths Quiz

Jessey Uche-Nwichi and Munachi Ernest-Eze have emerged overall winners respectively in the junior and senior categories of the 2017 Cowbellpedia Maths Quiz.

By winning the 2017 Cowbellpedia Maths Quiz, Jessey Uche-Nwichi and Munachi Ernest-Eze emerge Nigeria’s youngest next inventors.

Munachi made history however, having won the 2015 edition in the junior category and coming back to win in the senior category.

Munachi is a 16-year-old student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja. He was the Cowbellpedia 2015 junior champion and is the first person to win the competition twice, as a junior and as a senior.

Jessey Uche-Nwichi is a 13-year-old student of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Each of the champions got ₦1 million and an all-expense paid education excursion outside the country.

In the senior category, Munachi Ernest-Eze was trailed by Oluwanifise Onafowokan of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State and Evans Owamoyo of Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, who finished as first and second runners-up respectively.

Michael Paul of Excel Grace Academy, Akaajime-Gboko, Benue State; Ikechukwu Ibeh of Federal Government College, Suleja, Niger State; and Tomiwa Olatunbosun of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesha, Osun State were the other finalists in the Senior category.

Munachi Ernest-Eze said:

“I thank God for the end of the journey today. I am now confident to tell Nigerians that I was a Champion and I am a Champion again today. God has done it and it is marvellous in my eyes.”

Uche-Nwichi scored 115 points to confine Oluwafemi Adeyanju of Jesuit Memorial College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Ezekiel Ekanem of Advanced Breed Group of Schools, Sagamu, Ogun State to the second and third places respectively.

Uche-Nwichi dedicated his victory to God and his parents, while promising to maintain the momentum.

The first and second runners-up for each category won ₦750,000 and ₦500,000 respectively.

Each teacher of the 2017 champions in each category was rewarded with ₦400,000, while those of the first and second runners-up received ₦300,000 and ₦200,000 respectively.

Also, the winning schools won Mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.

According to the Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Anders Einarsson:

“The programme has absolutely met its objectives.

We are committed to this initiative and by next year, we will celebrate 20 years of Mathematics and Cowbell.”

In his remarks, the Registrar of the National Examination Council, Prof. Charles Uwakwe, commended Promasidor for the Cowbellpedia initiative and stated that education remained the best legacy parents and society could give to children.
Uwakwe pledged NECO’s continued technical support for the project in appreciation of what he described as Promasidor’s great Corporate Social Responsibility to the Nigerian society.

The journey of the finalists began when 52,000 students wrote a preliminary test. Out of the 52,000, 108 made it to the live-show. These 108 were the 74 best junior and senior students from all 36 states and the FCT (to ensure every state is represented). The remaining 34 were the best students nationwide – 17 junior and senior. In the end, 12 finalists emerged – 6 in the junior and senior categories and 2 of them (Munachiso and Jessey) won the grand prize of 1 million Naira each, an all-paid educational excursion outside the country and the ultimate bragging rights of being the 2017 Mathematics Champions.

Cowbell has been promoting mathematics in secondary schools in Nigeria for about 20 years now through the yearly competitions.

How Great Is Nigeria! By Mpamugo Chinedu Christian

How Great Is Nigeria! By Mpamugo Chinedu Christian

Good People, Great Nation

Besides in the setting of the slogan of the 2009 rebranding exercise and on a few other occasions, it is currently not common to see the word ‘great’ employed to describe Nigeria positively. The slogan itself is now scarsely heard, possibly more out of perceived inappropriateness than out of advancement beyond 2009. Indeed many headlines about the country today are those which, like a painter’s brush, successfully add successive layers of uncertainty and ugliness over her image. Unfortunately, Nigeria and Nigerians have become known for many unpleasant reasons. Widespread and deep-seated corruption, nepotism, misappropriation of public resources, insecurity of life and property especially due to militancy and terror, high unemployment and an unstable economy are realities which confront Nigeria. Adding to these bad governance at various levels, the weakness of basic infrastructure like education and health, poverty due to unequal distribution of wealth, continuous ethnic and religious tension and mistrust, and the surge in the level of crime, it is obvious that the concerns of well-meaning Nigerians are serious and sincere.

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