Agriculture remains easiest way to boost Nigerian economy – Okojie

The immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie has emphasized that Agriculture remains the easiest way to boost the nation’s economy and guarantee stable internal revenue for the country.
He made this known during his reception at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta where he left 15 years ago before his appointment as the Executive Secretary of the NUC.
Okojie who said he was happy to return to his base after one and half decade of leave of absence, noted that the country has gone beyond the era of mono economy.
While inspecting some of the farm produce of the University, Okojie said a lot of things has changed in the institution as some of his students at that time are now occupying top positions in the university system.

I Will Do All In My Power To Flush Out Militants From Lagos – Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode today vowed that the State Government would deploy its entire arsenal to ensure that militants and vandals threatening the peace are flushed out of the State once and for all.
The Governor gave the assurance when he received the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Kpotun Ibrahim, who was on a courtesy visit to the Lagos House.
“I want to also use this medium to commend the Nigeria Police and other security agencies on our fight against the militants and vandals that we have embarked on in this Operation Awatse in the last one week. I want to commend all the security agencies for a job well done, I also want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for approving that operation by what we have seen, I also commend the Chief of Defence Staff for also approving the joint effort. We are already seeing the results. I have just been briefed this morning about the impact of what has been done. Continue…
“Again, we need to sustain and ensure that these people do not go back to the creeks. On our part as a government, whatever it is that it takes to take the militants and vandals off Lagos we are going to do it, if it means shutting down some locations where they seem to be hibernating in terms of any commercial trade, we would do it and make sure that we guarantee the lives of our people and whatever it takes in terms of financial support for the security agencies to sustain the success we’ve had in the last few days, we would do it,” the Governor said.

LASU Expels 69 Students Over Exam Malpractice, Cultism

The management of the Lagos State University, LASU, has expelled 69 students over examination malpractice and cultism.
A statement by the school’s Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, CIPPR, today said the decision to expel the students was taken during a management meeting of the school.
The statement added that 25 other students had been suspended by the school’s management for various offences bothering on examination misconduct.

Sorry, Tiger: Nike getting out of golf equipment business

Nike is getting out of the golf equipment business, a surprising announcement Wednesday that is sure to send Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and other players searching for new clubs and golf balls next season.

Nike said it would stop making clubs, golf balls and golf bags, instead devoting its resources to shoes and apparel, longs its strength in the golf marketplace.

"We're committed to being the undisputed leader in golf footwear and apparel," said Trevor Edwards, president of Nike Brand. "We will achieve this by investing in performance innovation for athletes and delivering sustainable profitable growth for Nike Golf."

Woods has been with Nike since he turned pro in 1996 with that "Hello, World" advertisement, and he remains the most famous figure among Nike golfers. The Beaverton, Oregon-based company also signed Rory McIlroy in a splashy announcement in Abu Dhabi to start the 2013 season.

Woods has gone more than a year without playing because of back surgeries, though his agent at Excel Sports Management said he would remain "the iconic ambassador" for Nike Golf, just with a smaller group of products.

"He's been the most loyal ambassador and longest standing for Nike Golf. That doesn't change," agent Mark Steinberg said in a telephone interview. "It just means he'll likely have some different equipment in the bag, whether that's tomorrow, next month or a year from now. Tiger and I have been talking about this the last couple of days. We have a very sophisticated, legitimate plan in place and we're going to see it through."

Brooks Koepka is another Nike client. He tied for fourth in the PGA Championship on Sunday and is in position to make his first Ryder Cup team. His agent, Blake Smith at Hambric Sports Management, said Koepka is happy with his equipment.

"I don't think he'll be in any rush at all to jump ship," Smith said. "He's got a bunch of tournaments coming up that are very important."

Nike also has Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie on the LPGA Tour.

Woods began promoting the shoes and apparel when he turned pro, and he made a switch to the Nike golf ball (which Bridgestone manufactured) in 2000 in Germany, winning the U.S. Open by 15 shots a month later. No other Nike golf ball moment was more vivid than when Woods won the 2005 Masters with a chip-in for birdie on the 16th hole, in which the ball rolled down a slope and hung on the edge of the cup for a full second — the Nike swoosh aimed at TV screens around the world — before falling.

He changed to the Nike irons at the American Express Championship in Ireland in 2002, one week before the Ryder Cup, and then gradually added the fairway metal, the driver and, finally, the putter in 2010.

During those changes, Phil Mickelson caused a stir when he said in a Golf Magazine interview that Woods had "inferior" clubs and then tried to pay Woods a compliment by saying he was the only player good enough to "overcome the equipment he's stuck with."

David Duval was the first player to win a major with Nike equipment at the 2001 British Open.

Through it all, Nike never took command of any aspect of the golf market, succeeding mainly in shoes and clothing.

Daric Ashford, president of Nike Golf, said in the brief announcement that Woods, McIlroy and Wie "drive tremendous energy for the game and inspire consumers worldwide," and then he went on to mention various apparel and footwear that have "connected strongly with golfers."

"We'll continue to ignite excitement with our athletes and deliver the best of Nike for the game," he said.

Nike did not say how the move would affect its golf equipment staff, either the representatives on tour or at the "Oven" in Fort Worth, Texas, where the clubs were made.

Steinberg said the news was too fresh to get an idea how this would affect Woods or other golfers when it comes to their contracts.

"We have a long-term contract with Nike, and that likely will not change," Steinberg said. "I'm sure we'll have a conversation into what exactly the future looks like with less product."

Hon. Zakari Mohammed responds to Jibrin’s allegation

Former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin,
released a statement today alleging that Speaker Yakubu Dogara was bribing some lawmakers with $25,000 each to sign a vote of confidence for him and three other principal officers he has accused of budget padding. Jibrin alleged that it was being coordinated by Hon. Zakari Mohammed and others at the Speaker’s guest house in Asokoro.
Hon Zakari has now responded and debunked the allegation. His statement read,
 “My attention has been drawn to yet another tweet by the former chairman appropriation committee, Hon. Jibrin, saying that I and others were distributing $25,000 to each member of the House. That the money was to generate signatures for speaker Dogara as vote of confidence on him.
The accusation is not only untrue but it is another tale by moonlight to hoodwink Nigerians to malign my image.
Fellow countrymen please disregard this cheap blackmail aimed at playing to the gallery. I challenge Jibrin to name at least 10 members or less who benefitted from the bribe.
My advice to Jibrin is that he should stop the mudslinging and concentrate on licking his self inflicted wounds.”