Sports – African Development Magazine

Sports News: Senegal hosts maiden NBA showcase in Africa

by Adewale Adenrele on April 8, 2023

It’s a big first in Africa. Senegal hosts the first NBA Academy Showcase organized on the continent. A meeting in which 71 young people from different academies of the North American Basketball League around the world participate. The first experience on a huge scale for Abdou Khadre Kébé, a Seed Academy resident who, like his other friends, intends to seize this opportunity.

“For most of us, it’s the first time we’re in a big stage. So, we are very excited about it and we try to give the best of ourselves. It’s a great opportunity already because it’s what gives us the opportunity to show what we’ve been working on all year. So, we give it our all to be able to make results.” says Kebe.

Africanews correspondent Wahany Sambi reports that indeed this was a very nice brood of future world basketball stars. “This NBA Academy Showcase is a golden opportunity for these young talents to catch the eye of the many scouts who have made the trip here to Saly, Senegal”. Sambo said

For Frank Traore head of Basketball Operations NBA Africa, this showcase gave scouts an opportunity to discover new talent. “It’s very, very important that scouts from all over the world can come and feel comfortable in Africa, in general, but especially today here in Senegal, to see these young people, to see what these young people have to offer to the basketball world. Many of them have the level, right now, to play in the NBA. We have a few that I think and hope will make Africa proud in the NBA in the years to come”.

NBA Academy Africa is an elite basketball training center in Senegal for the top male and female prospects from throughout Africa and the first of its kind on the continent. The academy is a partnership between the NBA and SEED Project (Sports for Education and Economic Development), a non-profit organization based in Thies, Senegal, that uses basketball as a platform to engage youth in academic, athletic, and leadership programs

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I’ll be advocating and campaigning globally for Rugby sports- Herbert Mensah

by Adewale Adenrele on April 5, 2023

Herbert Amponsah Mensah is the new President of Rugby Africa, the governing body of Rugby in Africa. His emergence followed the conclusion of the Rugby Africa Executive Committee Elections held recently.

Mensah, a renowned Businessman, Sports Administrator, and Philanthropist with a passion for “Moving Africa forward”, is known for his passion for sports and extensive experience in sports administration. He is a believer in the greater good of humanity and always seeks to push the status quo.

He is an alumnus of the Achimota Secondary School in Accra, Ghana, although he completed his O levels in the United Kingdom and later obtained his graduate degree in economics at Sussex University.

In his younger years, he played rugby for Sussex and Saracens. He entered the business world while still a student and gained business experience, among other places, in the tobacco industry in Zimbabwe. His entrepreneurship led to his pursuit of success in the telecommunications industry

Herbert was elected President and Chairman of the Ghana Rugby Football Union in 2014. His tenure in office saw the Union attaining its World Rugby status. He has been instrumental in pushing the game of Rugby in the sub-region.

In addition to his business ventures, Mensah’s passion for sports led him to the coveted seat of Board Chairman of the popular Ghanaian football club Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC which was bestowed on him by the then Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II in 1999. Mensah set out to restore the success of earlier glories of the then-failing club by implementing a five-year plan, which included sponsorships, the introduction of professional training facilities, and a transparent financial approach to their financials.

In March 2023, he was unanimously and overwhelmingly elected President of Rugby Africa

In this interview with ADEWALE ADENRELE, The President, Herbert Mensah reiterated his passionate vision for the growth of African Rugby. He also speaks about his priority to continue the work he has already begun, helping rugby progress and grow not just in Africa, but globally. He emphasized his business experience and stated that he would apply it to Rugby Africa, to generate revenues and development opportunities for all member associations.

Below are excerpts:

Firstly, let us congratulates you on your new position as the President of Rugby Africa, we are optimistic about your ability and capacity for growth and development. What are your plans and vision for Rugby Africa?

We’re talking about Rugby, so, therefore, we must make sure that everyone has the right to play and when they do to win! All children with time must be exposed to the beauty of Rugby. Unions must be supported, and structures put into place so that the talented can go on and win. Africa must become winners. Countries like Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Algeria must follow South Africa to the zenith at World Championships.

But to achieve this, we need to recognize that sport is big business and that much needs to change!

What is the most challenging moment while growing up?

Growing up was realizing that my mother was alone but determined to give and make me what I have become today.

Have you fulfilled a dream in your life by going into Rugby sports, share with us your journey into Rugby sports.

*Herbert Amponsah Mensah, President, Rugby Africa*

Many times over! Playing rugby for my school Kent College and going unbeaten was special. Then I started at Sussex University but switched quickly to Lewes the perennial Country winner was a special moment. My progression thereafter was something I never imagined. Playing for Old Hararians and Mashonaland and an international against Italy was special. When I returned to the UK from Zimbabwe, after the start of the following season, I never imagined progressing to the point of being handed the number 11 shirt for Saracens 1st team against London Scottish!

Sadly, I damaged my left knee badly and never played serious rugby thereafter although I did have another life-fulfilling moment when I arranged the Max Brito charity match in Accra. An ex-Springbok team led by Naas Botha and an England team led by Dean Richards, Tim Rodber, and Martin Johnson played in Ghana and even though I was invited to join both sides I chose to play in the warmup/lead-up match which was Ghana vs. West Africa.

How important is nutrition to your success and performance during your days as a player, what advice would you give to anybody wanting to get fit and improve their health?

Nutrition is everything. I have always been a student of sports nutrition creating a program that is workable for all depending on where they are. I’m deeply conscious of the need to eat a balanced diet and to respect carbs, fats, and protein. Not everything is bad and not everything is good! Fruits and vegetables high in anti-oxidants are also very important.

What has been the highlight of your career?

Helping others. My May 9th Charity and what it has achieved for over two decades and now my involvement with the Shen Yang and Shen Yuet Children’s Heart Foundation is saving children’s lives. Children with hole-in-the-heart conditions.

As the new president, will you consider advocating and campaigning for Rugby sports to youths to reduce unemployment in Africa?

I will be advocating and campaigning for Rugby for all and especially children. It will not reduce unemployment, but it will help foster new and wonderful values for all. Respect, integrity, etc. are fundamental to Rugby and life in general.

You have visited many countries, what would you advise the African leaders?

African leaders need to help to break barriers and encourage us to work together. Executive power in leadership is everything and therefore change can be simple.

African ethnic groups and tribes have customs and traditions that are unique to their culture. What do you like about African Culture?

African culture is unique to Africans which is why one of our slogans is “Africa as one”. We need to love and respect where we came from before we can possibly understand where we are going.

African Development Magazine would like to be part of promoting Rugby sports in Africa and coverage of your activities, would you facilitate and support this development?

Absolutely….. we are about to embark on an exciting and difficult journey. An African journey into the global world to conquer and be the best. Africans are multi-faceted and can play many sports!

Amazing memories are unforgettable; can you share with us the most amazing memory?

Saving lives!!!!!!!!

What advice would you give the younger ones?

Younger people are smarter than we give them credit, but I do ask that they exercise patience whilst sticking to their principles. This is their time. They must seize it with dignity and respect. Remember ….. do unto others as you would they do to you!

Thanks for sharing with us

Thank you.

ADM 2023

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Ufitfly Boss Congratulates Gov Makinde, Urges Him To Do More For Hospitality, Tourism Sectors

by Adewale Adenrele on March 21, 2023

The team Lead of a destination management outfit, the owner of the Ufitfly brand, Evang Ajibola Ogunkeyede has congratulated Oyo State Gov. Engr. Seyi Makinde on his re-election for the second term as the executive governor of the state, while urging him to take leverage more on the hospitality and tourism sectors to boost the state’s economy.

Ogunkeyede in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Ibadan commended the peaceful and alluring disposition of Engr. Makinde to the electoral process which he believed was responsible for his landslide victory but advised him to create more enabling atmospheres for cross-cultural tourism to strive in the state.

Evangelist Ogunkeyede averred that the Ufitfly brand is a good ambassador of Oyo State because it has grown to become the biggest player in the Christian pilgrimage sector in Africa with many awards of recognitions for unblemished records in moving Christian pilgrims from Nigeria to Israel and Jordan.

“I want to believe that the governor has done well to earn the trust of Oyo State people which was evident in the way he was massively re-elected, hence we will like to see a good collaboration with the state government in the area of boosting the hospitality, sports-tourism, and pilgrimage sectors.

“This significantly is aimed at promoting cultural assets for national pride, deploying our diverse and rich experiences and resources aimed at helping the government combating the vices such as youth restiveness, insecurity, unemployment etc with hospitality, sports-tourism, and pilgrimage”.

The popular tour broker said sports is now a money-spinning venture and a key component of tourism which brings some significant benefits to the destinations where sports events are hosted, with economic boosts, both direct and indirect, being among these advantages, saying our government is yet to take full advantage of this.

Ogunkeyede added that the direct spending by sports tourists at host facilities, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues stimulates the local economy, Jobs are created, and tax revenue is earned.

He however, called on Gov. Makinde that had to rebuild the Lekan Salami Sports Complex into an international standard to complement the good deed by ensuring synergy between sports and tourism which fall under five categories: sports participation, sports training, sporting events, tourism with sports content, and luxury sports travel.

If the youths are properly managed through active engagement in sports and good collaboration is fashioned out between sports and tourism, the state and the country will generate great revenues that surpass what is derivable from oil.

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Sports News: African Rugby is Big Business, Let’s Stop Pretending it is not- Herbert Mensah

by Adewale Adenrele on March 15, 2023

African Rugby needs to respect itself and behave in a “world-class” fashion before it can be respected by the rest of the world.

African sports have been forgotten by the world.

More so, it seems that African sports have been forgotten by Africans. In the world of rugby, in particular, there are countries across the continent that haven’t had active rugby leagues in more than three years!

Nothing is more demonstrative of this sentiment than the very view that World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, has of African sports. Last year, World Rugby awarded just $2 million to promote the sport across the whole African continent. This is an absurdly small amount for a whole Continent, but what is more telling is the way it undervalues the African continent more than anything else. We see evidence of this when this same organization is willing to award $5 million, or $6 million dollars per year, to a Rugby Europe country while leaving the entire African continent with scraps to promote Rugby to a population of over 1.2 billion.

This fact alone is telling of how little respect is given to African rugby by the world and it is inevitable that we ask ourselves, if that respect shouldn’t first come from us, Africans. We have the same governing bodies that rich Western nations have, the associations, the managers, the boards, the board meetings, but what is it all for if they are mostly populated by “friends of friends in high places” and if they have no monetary support to act on any of the decisions they might take?

We need to remind ourselves of the power and the value of Sports. It is Big Business ergo Rugby, is Big Business!

I’ve dedicated my life to running various businesses in and outside Africa and if there is one thing that drives any business, it is money. We cannot continue to act like African sport is a charity case in need of aid. I profoundly believe in H.E. The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s vision of an Africa Post-Aid, and Post-charity!

That is my vision for African rugby, rugby post-aid.

The path to achieving that is no mystery. We all know it, even if most times we are unwilling to admit it. Rugby is Big Business, and it needs to be run like a business. It is that simple. That is the only way there will be capital to promote the sport and make it grow. Capital generates capital. We need to improve our governance track record across the board, get better managers that will drive the business forward, and raise capital to give them the tools to do their jobs right.

The world of rugby sees Africa as one big poor country. This must end. The diversity of the continent’s nations is manifested equally in its sports cultures. We need to adjust our tactics to the specificities of each market and each region. We need to brand ourselves and promote ourselves to the world, making ourselves worthy of notice and respect. Only then will we be able to demand from global organizations the respect and capital we deserve?

That starts with changing our practices, with implementing World-standards to what we do, rather than African standards. We have forgotten the positive impact sports, and sports events can generate. Sports competitions are not about entertainment and physical prowess. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry that generates advertising revenue, tourism inflows, infrastructure development, and investment in a myriad of different economic sectors. It promotes social growth, and on top of it, showcases a country to the world. Sports help to elevate nations, drawing the spotlight on a country worthy of investment, worthy of visiting, and worthy of doing business with. Sports actively contribute to elevating a nation’s economic development and the lives of its citizens.

This is the true potential value of Rugby, and the potential value of treating it as the Big Business that it is.

We need to change the way the world looks at African rugby, by changing the way we operate, and showing our value and potential for growth. The change must start with us! We cannot go begging rich countries to borrow money to start generating money. We need to lobby, we need to organize, we need to engage the political leadership of each nation and region to engage the continental institutions that can help finance these developments. We need to engage the African Union, Ecowas, African-owned Banks, African Development Bank, and the like.

Once we have professionalized the world of rugby and managed to finance ourselves within ourselves, then, and only then, can we look at demanding more from World Rugby, from global advertisers and sponsors, competing side-by-side to bring major international competitions to Africa.

Treating Rugby as Big Business is not reinventing the wheel. Understanding that image, perception, and branding, is everything when we want to attract capital and visitors is nothing new, and yet it has never been done for African rugby. This has meant a loss of hundreds of millions of Dollars and the direct and indirect benefits that could positively affect hundreds of millions of people across the continent.

That is the vision that I will bring to Rugby Africa if my candidacy for its presidency is successful.

This is the first time that there is competition in the election for the Presidency of Rugby Africa.

Let’s make things differently, let’s make it count.

Let’s Make Rugby Africa a Big Business, for the benefit of all.

Herbert Amponsah Mensah is a Ghanaian businessman, sports administrator, and the president of the Ghana Rugby Association operating as the Ghana Rugby Football Union and the Candidate for the presidency of World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa

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Herbert Mensah announces candidacy for President of Rugby Africa, promise good representation

by Adewale Adenrele on March 14, 2023

Herbert Mensah, sports administrator, and President of the Ghana Rugby Football Union, today announced his candidacy for President of the World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, the governing body of rugby in Africa. Rugby Africa will be electing a new president at the Annual General Meeting to be held in Cape Town on 18 March 2023.

The President will be elected for a period of four years commencing immediately after the results are announced by the executive committee on 18 March 2023. This will also be the first time in the history of Rugby Africa that elections will be contested.

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation nominated Mensah to run for President. Mensah, a current member of the Africa Rugby Executive Committee, is also an accomplished businessman with many years of experience in the business and sports sectors in Africa.

In 2014, Mensah took the helm at the Ghana Rugby Football Union where he significantly increased awareness around the sport while injecting much enthusiasm for players and officials, as well as encouraging the youth to participate in rugby through numerous initiatives and activities. He was instrumental in spearheading the national team’s qualification to the World Series, after they won the West Africa competition, before moving on to the African championship.

Mensah’s vision is to build a positive and strong brand for Rugby Africa and to make rugby more accessible and visible to all Africans, in particular the youth. He would like to see an increase in continental competitions and greater support of member associations in terms of how they are structured and in the economic development of the sport.

Currently, less than 30 percent of rugby players in Africa are women. Mensah’s strategic plan is to broaden the reach and appeal of rugby, raising the profile and image of women rugby players and officials, while ensuring that all structures further reflect the diversity and inclusion of the sport. He also wants to provide greater cohesion between English and French-speaking countries, both in terms of sport and governance.

Commenting on his candidacy Mensah said, “I am extremely humbled to be nominated to run for President, and I am overwhelmed by the good wishes from my colleagues and peers. I am immensely proud as an African, to be given a chance to represent Africa on a global platform. African rugby has historically not received the recognition it deserves, and I look forward to the opportunity to use this platform to create meaningful change, while promoting a better understanding of the game on the continent, and beyond, and to encourage greater support of rugby across the entire African continent. If elected, my tenure will be one marked with service to Africa Rugby and the rugby and sports fraternity at large on the continent.”

2023 Rugby World Cup will be held in France from September to October. Mensah hopes to use this world-class platform to collaborate with leading international rugby bodies and other associations to raise awareness around African Rugby while gaining much-needed support for the sport. Rugby will be one of the first competitions on show at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where Mensah hopes to see more representation from African teams in the qualifying events.

*3news*

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Sports News: Brazil legend Pele died after battling with cancer

by Adewale Adenrele on December 30, 2022

Pele, who is the only player in history to win three World Cups, passed away at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo following a battle with cancer; he became an icon of the game after winning the World Cup in 1958 as a 17-year-old, netting twice in the final to defeat hosts Sweden

Brazil football legend Pele, one of the greatest players of all time, has died at the age of 82.

The former striker, who is the only player in history to win three World Cups, passed away at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo following a battle with cancer.

Pele, who is Brazil’s joint all-time top scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches, became an icon of the game after winning the World Cup in 1958 as a 17-year-old, netting twice in the final to defeat hosts Sweden.

A message from Pele’s official Twitter account on Thursday read: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever.”

Pele’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, who has provided updates on her father’s health from hospital, wrote on Instagram: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”

Pele, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, to a poor family in Sao Paulo, won the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups with Brazil.

Injury restricted his contribution to Brazil’s triumph in 1962 in Chile but he was player of the tournament eight years later, as Brazil assembled one of the greatest sides of all time and lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in Mexico thanks to a 4-1 win over Italy in which Pele scored the opening goal.

That goal makes him one of only five players to have scored in two World Cup finals and, thanks to his exploits in 1958, he remains the youngest player to have netted a goal at the tournament.

In total, Pele scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup appearances and also provided 10 assists – the most by any player in the history of the competition, and a reminder that he was much more than a goalscorer.`

It was his spectacular scoring feats, though, that made him a Santos legend at club level.

Pele holds his hometown side’s all-time goal record and helped them to two Copa Libertadores titles and six Brazilian league crowns during a glittering 18-year spell with the club.

Pele, who scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games for club and country during his career, ended his playing days at New York Cosmos and retired from football in 1977.

After retiring, Pele acted as an ambassador for football. In 2013, he was awarded the FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur in recognition of his career and achievements. In 2020, he was named in the Ballon d’Or Dream Team, a greatest of all-time XI.

Three days of mourning for Pele have been declared by the Brazilian government.

Neymar: King Pele is forever

Neymar, Brazil’s joint-highest scorer in men’s international football alongside Pele, shared an emotional tribute to his idol following his passing.

“‘Before Pelé, 10, was just a number’,” Neymar, who wears the No 10 for Brazil and also started his career with Santos, wrote in a post on Instagram.

“I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete.

“I would say before Pelé football was just a sport. Pelé has changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment.

“He gave voice to the poor, to black people and especially: he gave visibility to Brazil. Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pelé is forever.”

Martin Tyler: ‘In the football world Pele is immortal’

Sky Sports football commentator Martin Tyler says Pele deserves to be remembered as the best player to have played the game.

He said: “For me he is the greatest player of all time. One of my early jobs outside of television was to put the English voice on a VHS, as it was in those days, of his Brazil career and his 1,000 goals.

“If I had any doubts about how good he was, that video proved it. It was a privilege to do that and pay tribute to a man who could do so much more than score goals.

“He will always be remembered for the ability to score amazing goals in terrible conditions on bumpy pitches, when players had more license to use all means to stop him. He was irresistible.

“Undoubtedly for me, he will always be the greatest and in the football world he is immortal.”

‘One of the greatest: Sport pays tribute to Pele

*Sky News*

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QATAR 2022: Argentina wins World Cup on penalty kicks over France

by Adewale Adenrele on December 18, 2022

A World Cup final for the ages delivered a crowning glory for soccer icon Lionel Messi on Sunday as Argentina beat reigning men’s champion France on penalty kicks.

One of the most dramatic major sporting events in history saw the teams tied 3-3 after extra time, with the French ultimately missing twice in the shootout before Gonzalo Montiel converted to seal an exhausting and emotional victory.

Argentina had dominated the bulk of the match, leading 2-0 with just about 10 minutes to go, but France suddenly burst into life with star forward Kylian Mbappé scoring twice in as many minutes. Both sides traded missed chances and then late goals again in the 30 minutes of extra time before the tension of penalty kicks.

The game capped a month of sporting drama and geopolitical controversy in Qatar. The tournament featured surprise results and fairy-tale runs, but the final saw two giants of the game compete for the title — headlined by a pair of diminutive stars.

Mbappé solidified his claim as the young pretender to Messi’s throne, with the speedy and skillful forward scoring a hat-trick as France came so close to being the first team to go back-to-back since Brazil in 1962.

But ultimately it was Messi who took the glory, securing the trophy that cements his status as perhaps the game’s greatest-ever player as the 35-year-old bows out on the global stage by sealing the third title for his soccer-mad nation.

Teammates mobbed the great Lionel Messi moments after the winning kick, knowing he can no longer be dogged by the one trophy, not on his mantle.

Despite being a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and a member of 10 La Liga championship teams and four UEFA Champions League winning sides, fans back home in Argentina had long held that missing World Cup trophy against him.

Argentina won last year’s Copa America, but fans weren’t satisfied until Sunday when Messi’s side won the sport’s ultimate prize.

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Sports News: FIFA, UN bring football training to classrooms in Ivory Coast

by Adewale Adenrele on November 15, 2022

Children at primary schools in the Ivorian commercial capital Abidjan traded classrooms for football fields last week to take part in a FIFA initiative to make the sport more accessible and contribute to education.

Ivory Coast is the first country in West Africa and the fifth on the continent to join FIFA’s Football for Schools (F4S) programme, launched in 2019 with pilot projects in Puerto Rico and Lebanon.

Children in yellow bibs and white jerseys practised passes and dribbled between cones under the guidance of FIFA instructors.

“When they play on football fields they banish violence, build leadership (skills) and communicate with others,” F4S manager Fatimata Sow said in Abidjan.

The programme is run in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and aims to contribute to the schooling of around 700 million children by combining sports and education.

“The workshops … connect football with education. Life, football and technical skills are taught in a session,” said F4S instructor Antonio Buenano

According to FIFA’s website, each of its participating member associations will get a one-off grant of $50,000 to run the programme. It remains unclear how many member associations will be involved.

Learning equipment will also be distributed to schools.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

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Sports News: Golfers Sets For 2022 Cancer Awareness Golf Tourney In Ibadan

by Adewale Adenrele on November 8, 2022

In a bid to keep enlightening golfers against the deadly disease called cancer, all is set by the organizer of the annual golf event tagged: Cancer Awareness Golf Tournament scheduled for between 25 and 26 November this year at the prestigious Ibadan Golf Club (IGC).

The unique golf tourney was conceptualized by a concerned golfer and former Lady Captain of IGC, Mrs. Lizzy Afonja who claimed to have lost scores of loved ones to cancer, but believed enough awareness about cancer, using golf could reduce the scourge.

While speaking ahead of the tournament with newsmen in Ibadan, Mrs.Afonja, the initiator of the tourney said most people lack enough knowledge about the dreaded disease which is responsible for the rise in the volume of victims.

“We are using this golf tournament to carry out advocacy against the deadly disease called cancer; it is killing people around us irrespective of age or background. The campaign is to enlighten people on tackling it if the symptoms are noticed early in the body.

“Cancer can happen in any part of your body, it’s very painful to me because I have lost many loved ones to cancer, for the past 24 years I have lost over 20 friends, and that was why I came up with this idea to use golf to advocate for cancer awareness whereby doctors will come around and enlighten us about scourge”, Afonja noted.

The respected Lady gofer who once managed the lady section of the Ibadan Golf Club in the past added that golfers will have a touch of the lush-green course of the IGC, while medical practitioners will also hold a health talk to enlighten the participants about the preventive measures against cancer on the 25th, the first day of the tournament. The following day, Saturday 26th will be for the competition and closing ceremony.

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Sports News: Nigeria Set to Join YouthConnekt Africa

by Adewale Adenrele on October 15, 2022

To Enjoy Investment Acceleration Boost for Nigerian Youth

Nigeria is set to join YouthConnekt Africa, a youth forum that brings together young people from across the African continent.

The Nigerian Delegation led by directors in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports: Olusegun Olufehinti, Hajiya Amina Dauran and the Special Assistant on youth and ICT to the Honourable Minister Kemi Areola is currently attending the YouthConnekt Africa Summit held in Kigali Rwanda to solidify the partnership between Nigerian youth and the youth across the African continent under the umbrella of YouthConnekt Africa.

Following the commitment of the Federal Government to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen youth policy, which is the subject of a sectoral policy letter focusing on citizenship, volunteerism, social cohesion, and employment of young people and women that correspond to the objectives of YouthConnekt Africa, the Federal Government through the Youth Ministry decided to approve Nigeria joining the youth group.

This decision, to join this initiative, was taken for the sole purpose of the socio-economic transformation of the Nigerian youth

This decision, to join this initiative, was taken for the sole purpose of the socio-economic transformation of the Nigerian youth.

During the Intergenerational Dialogue at the opening ceremony of the Summit, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda reiterated to the African Youth that, “You must play a part in what you become. You must play a part in what your society becomes. No matter how small. You must make that decision to play a part. If you wait for handouts, that’s what you become.”

Also speaking at the event the Rwandan Minister of Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbabazi highlighted the importance of the ‘3Ps’ for youth empowerment, which are; Policies, Programmes and Partnerships.

While Rigathi Gatchgua, the Deputy President of Kenya reminded the youth that happiness is an attitude of the mind and urged them to focus on the years that they are young, ensuring they take advantage of their youthfulness vigor, energy, and opportunities to build the best future for themselves and others.

As Nigeria continues to implement an ambitious range of programmes aimed at training and empowerment of the youth, through a strong focus on education, the creation of decent jobs, and strengthening policies for social inclusion.

Youth Minister Sunday Dare stated that he strongly believes the YouthConnekt platform will help enhance these areas of focus for the African youth.