Category: Auto Guid

New International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Kirsty Coventry fought back tears as she urged nations to come together in the 2026 Winter Games, as the torch relay set off from ancient Olympia in Greece.

Addressing guests during the torch ceremony at the Olympia archaeological museum, as the first woman to head the Olympic movement, a tearful Coventry stressed the power of sport to unite.

‘I wasn’t supposed to get emotional, but this place is very special,’ the 42-year-old Zimbabwean, who is also the first African to lead the IOC, added to applause. ‘In a divided world that we live in today, the Games hold a truly symbolic place. It is our duty, our responsibility, to ensure that the athletes from around the world can come together peacefully,’ she said.

The former swimmer and Africa’s most successful Olympic athlete with seven medals from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, Coventry repeatedly veered from her prepared speech to stress her emotional connection to the Games.

‘The Olympic Games will always continue to exist, to break down walls that are put in our way,’ said Coventry, who was elected 10th IOC chief in March.

‘The flame we light today, carries not just the hopes of the athletes, but the dreams of all of those who believe in the power of sport,’ she added.

She later told reporters that the Olympics bring out ‘the best of humanity’.

‘We have to really fight very hard to ensure that the Olympic movement and the field of play remains neutral for all athletes to be able to compete, and for them to live out their childhood dreams,’ she said.

The torch was carried initially by Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis, a bronze medallist in Paris 2024, and then jointly with Italian cross-country skier Stefania Belmondo, a two-time Olympic champion, as the relay began the countdown to the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, which will open on February 6.

The pair ran from the museum to the grove in Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Games, where the heart of modern Olympics founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin is kept, and handed over the torch to Italian luge great Armin Zoeggeler, another double Olympic champion.

The flame ceremony was flanked by sculptures from the Temple of Zeus, the patron god of the ancient Olympics – and also rain.

The ceremony to light the Olympic flame is usually held among the ruins of the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera, near the stadium where the Olympics were born in 776 BC.

But a rainy weather forecast – which proved mistaken – raised concerns that the sun’s rays would not be able to sufficiently heat up the parabolic mirror used by actresses dressed as ancient priestesses to light the flame.

That forced organisers to head indoors for Wednesday’s ceremony where they used a flame lit on Monday, during an outdoor rehearsal under the sun.

In addition to the venue change, organisers also had to switch the first runner after their original choice – Greek-American alpine ski racer AJ Ginnis – was injured during training last week.

Following a December 4 handover ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, where the first modern Olympics were revived in 1896, the flame will head to Rome for a 63-day, 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) course through Italy’s major cities and the archaeological site of Pompeii.

Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for Milano-Cortina, said the relay will respect the ‘classical heritage’ of Greece and Italy by passing through sites such as Rome’s imperial monuments, Pompeii and parts of Magna Graecia.

Organisers were forced to head indoors for the Olympic flame ceremony due to a rainy weather forecast

The Games themselves will take place at various venues spanning a vast area from Milan to the Dolomite mountains in Italy’s north-east.

Ice sports will be held in Milan while Bormio and Cortina will host alpine skiing.

Across the Dolomites, the biathlon will be in Anterselva and Nordic skiing in Val di Fiemme, with Livigno in the Italian Alps hosting snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

The Paralympic Winter Games will be held from March 6-15.

More than 90 percent of Italy’s ski slopes use artificial snowmaking systems, according to an April report by Legambiente, and organisers of the Milan-Cortina Games are stockpiling artificial snow, just in case.

A December 2024 study published in the International Journal of Climatology indicated snow cover in the Italian Alps had decreased by half in the past 100 years.

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Zamfara State Chapter, has commended Governor Dauda Lawal for the timely commencement of allowance payments to fresh Zamfara Clinical Veterinary Students.

This was revealed by Dr Kaka’u Dalla Dalla, Publicity Secretary, NVMA Zamfara State Chapter, in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement said, ‘This thoughtful intervention demonstrates the Governor’s unwavering commitment to educational development, human capacity building, and the advancement of the veterinary profession in the state.’

The doctors said by supporting our young clinical trainees, the administration has not only eased their academic journey but also reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening veterinary public health and animal welfare in Zamfara.

‘The NVMA Zamfara State Chapter expresses profound appreciation for this gesture and assures the Government of its continued partnership in promoting quality animal health services, food safety, and improved livelihoods for the people of Zamfara State.

‘We encourage the beneficiaries to remain dedicated, disciplined, and focused as they prepare to serve the state and the nation.’

Zamfara schools to remain open as gov’t adopts new security measures

The Zamfara State Government says it is not considering closing schools despite rising insecurity and a wave of student abductions across parts of the country.

Instead, the state government has introduced new security measures to protect learning centres and ensure pupils continue classes without fear of attacks.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wadatau Madawaki, disclosed this while addressing journalists at an event organised by the Federated Association of Zamfara State Students in Gusau, the state capital.

Madawaki’s assurance comes amid the recent abduction of 25 students of Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, and the attack on Saint Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State that saw about 315 students and staff abducted.

These attacks have led some northern states to announce mass school closures, but Zamfara says it will not follow suit. Instead, authorities are strengthening security in and around schools to deter bandit attacks.

‘We have already done what we are supposed to do, and when you talk about security, you do not disclose your actions to the media. But we have taken steps to safeguard the interests of our students. The security of the schools and children is well taken care of.

‘We are in contact with all the security agencies, and they are giving us the necessary support to ensure our schools operate without hindrance. We believe nothing will happen, and our education will continue to flourish until the end of the academic term,’ Madawaki said.

Madawaki explained that states embarking on mass closures largely operate boarding schools, whereas Zamfara currently runs mainly day schools due to insecurity.

‘As of now, most of the states that have closed their schools operate boarding systems where students stay in hostels. Bandits often strike at night when people are asleep. Here, we are yet to resume our boarding system. Our schools run during the day,’ he said.

He noted that schools in areas with persistent insecurity remain closed until conditions improve.

‘Where we feel there is insecurity, the schools have already been closed. Where there is relative peace, we have allowed students to continue since the term is almost ending. If there is a need to extend holidays, we shall do so,’ he said.

The commissioner added that some higher institutions, including the state university, polytechnic and college of education, are already on holiday.

‘They are due to resume in December, but because they keep boarding students, we will extend their holidays until January to assess the situation before they return.’

A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Ojamiami Oyewole, has reaffirmed his commitment to uplifting constituents in Okitipupa Local Government through targeted economic empowerment initiatives.

Ojamiami, the founder of Ojamiami Foundation, spoke yesterday during an empowerment programme he sponsored at the Government Field in Okitipupa.

No fewer than 100 residents benefited from the initiative, which aims to promote grassroots economic independence and reduce poverty across the constituency.

The items distributed included sewing machines, grinding machines, hair-dressing tools, herbicide sprayers, wheelchairs and other income-generating equipment targeted at artisans, farmers, persons with disabilities and small-scale business owners.

Ojamiami said the programme aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which was designed to promote economic self-reliance and deepen grassroots development.

He said the intervention would enhance capacity for local entrepreneurs, lift vulnerable citizens out of poverty and contribute to economic growth in Ondo State and Nigeria.

The APC chieftain, who is seeking Okitipupa State Constituency II seat, said leadership should be driven by service and impact, rather than political convenience.

‘This aligns with the empowerment agenda of President Tinubu and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Our Ease initiative. It is time to empower our people, not enslave them. The government alone cannot solve all the problems, so we must work together to make life better.”

The Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government, Andrew Ogunsakin, represented by Mr. James Ogunyemi, commended Ojamiami for his continued intervention in the community, noting that such efforts complemented the government’s development agenda.

Traditional rulers, including the Lumure of Ayeka, Oba Babatunde Ayeyowa, and the Orungberuwa of Ode-Erinje Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Akinmoye, also lauded the empowerment programme.

Beneficiaries drawn from the six wards of Okitipupa Constituency II expressed gratitude for the gesture, saying it would improve their livelihood.

With a charge to ensure that criminals do not turn Edo to a safe haven, Governor Monday Okpebholo, yesterday met with heads of security services in the state.

The meeting followed a viral video in which a self-acclaimed terrorist threatened to attack Edo Central Senatorial district.

In the video, the individual claimed presence around Ekpoma and adjoining communities, issuing threats.

Confirming the meeting in a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Fred Itua, said the security chiefs briefed the governor on the issue.

Itua assured Edo residents that security was top-tier priority for the Governor, adding that emerging threats were being confronted.

He said the security architecture was designed to ensure early detection, swift response, and sustained pressure against criminal networks.

‘Following the Governor’s latest directive, the Department of State Service (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilante formations, and the Edo State Special Security Squad, have commenced intensified operations across forests, boundary communities, and known flashpoints.

‘Search-and-comb missions are ongoing, backed by enhanced intelligence gathering and coordinated patrols to deny criminal elements safe haven anywhere within the State.

‘Already, significant breakthroughs have been recorded. Arrests have been made in connection with recent security breaches, and several leads are currently being pursued.

‘The Government reiterates that these operations are continuous and will not cease until every inch of Edo land, urban centres, rural communities, and transit corridors are fully secured and safe for residents, commuters, and investors,’ he stated.

Itua urged the people to shun misinformation, panic-driven narratives, and unverified videos.

Ogume Grammar School, Ogume in Ndokwa West Local Government of Delta State, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary and launch of N500 million education and infrastructure endowment fund tomorrow.

In a statement, the old students body said the celebrations and endowment fund will be held at the sports ground with GovernorSheriff Oborewvori and Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme as guests of honour.

It added that Rear Admiral Mike Onah (rtd) would chair the occasion while Friday Abaja, Ukwuata 1 of Umukwuata in Ukwuani Local Government would be father of the day.

There is need for the government at all levels to provide more funds for education, the Vice Chancellor, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Prof. Lanre Olaniyan, has said.

He gave the suggestion at the 30th anniversary lecture of the Trinity International College, Ofada, Ogun State at the weekend. The event had as its theme: ”A legacy of excellence: 30 years of learning, leadership and lifelong connections”.

Olaniyan, who spoke on sub-theme, ”Reimagining education for a new generation: Strategies engineering lifelong learners”, however, argued that there was no way education could be free at all levels, despite the stand of the constitution on the matter.

He lamented that 82 million of Nigerians do not have access to education, despite the efforts of the government to provide education. While regretting the lack of access to education, he said only 15 per cent of Nigerians get admission to tertiary institutions yearly.

The don said the Federal Government was yet to meet the target set by the United Nations for Nigeria on education, while local and state governments are struggling to fund primary and secondary education, their areas of statutory concentration.

Chairman/Vice Chancellor, Trinity University, Prof. Clement O. O. Kolawole, sought better welfare for teachers to enable them to perform better.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, praised the school for three decades of transformative service to education, describing the institution as ‘a beacon of hope’ and a model for holistic learning in the state.

Arigbabu praised the school for producing graduates who have distinguished themselves globally as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

He noted the institution’s consistent achievements, including its impressive performance this year in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

He said Trinity’s alignment with Ogun State’s education agenda, which is ‘Quality Education for All: Every Child, Every Opportunity’-makes it a key contributor to the state’s development.

Chairman of Trinity Group, Pastor Samuel Olatunji,described recent abductions of pupils as a reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating value system.

He emphasised that the school continues to strengthen its security systems, constantly reviewing structures and urging the government to do more to safeguard lives.

The West African Management Development and Productivity Network (WAMDEVIN) has concluded a 3-day High-Level Networking Workshop at the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Lagos, bringing together Directors-General, Chief Executives, senior public officials, academics, and development experts from across West Africa to strengthen collaboration among management development institutions in the region.

The workshop, which opened on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, focused on deepening cooperation, improving leadership capacity, and promoting productivity and institutional excellence among member countries.

Delivering the keynote address, the outgoing President of WAMDEVIN and Director-General of the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA), Hon. Nee-Alah Varpilah, emphasised the need for stronger regional collaboration to address shared development challenges.

He noted that issues such as governance reforms, skills development, digital transformation, and public sector productivity required joint action and sustained networking among institutions.

‘Collaboration is no longer optional; it is a development strategy. Our countries face similar challenges, and the more we work together, the faster we grow together,’ he said.

The workshop featured technical sessions, peer-learning forums, and knowledge-sharing engagements among member institutions from Nigeria, Liberia, The Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and other West African countries.

A key highlight of the event was the confirmation of the election of the new President of WAMDEVIN at the joint sitting of the Executive Committee (EXCO) and General Assembly.

Mr. Alieu Jarju, Director-General of the Management Development Institute/Civil Service University (MDI/CSU) of The Gambia, was unanimously elected on July, 10, but had his election confirmed at the event as the new President of the Network.

Jarju expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms while strengthening cooperation among member institutions.

He stated that his leadership would focus on deepening regional collaboration; enhancing institutional capacity among MDIs; improving WAMDEVIN’s visibility and engagement with regional bodies; and expanding resource mobilisation and partnership efforts.

The Executive Secretary of WAMDEVIN, Mr Olaolu Adewumi also lauded the dedication of member institutions and reaffirmed the network’s commitment to driving capacity building and productivity improvement across West Africa.

Participants hailed the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Lagos for hosting the event and for its continued contribution to management development in Nigeria and the sub-region.

Sir: The recent warning from the World Food Programme about rising hunger in northern Nigeria confirms a reality many of us who study and report on this crisis have been following closely for years. Terrorist attacks and the widening insecurity across the region are now pushing nearly 35 million people toward severe food shortages as the 2026 lean season draws closer.

This figure is not inflated; it reflects conditions that have been building quietly across rural communities where violence, displacement, and economic strain collide every day.

In Borno State, where the Boko Haram conflict began, the situation is even more troubling. I grew up in this region and witnessed the early stages of this war. The estimate that around 15,000 people are heading into famine-like conditions is consistent with what local monitors, aid workers, and community leaders have been worried about for months.

When entire villages lose access to farmland because of IEDs, ambushes, and shifting control between ISWAP and JAS, hunger stops being a risk and becomes a certainty.

The conflict has already claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced close to two million people. Yet the crisis has expanded well beyond the northeast. The spread of armed groups into the northwest and north-central, commonly called ‘banditry,’ although their tactics now resemble insurgent operations, has opened a second front.

The recent mass kidnappings in Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara states are not isolated. They fit a clear pattern of criminal and terror networks blending forces, extending influence, and testing the state’s capacity to respond.

While the war is not as intense as it was in 2015, the pace of attacks has risen sharply this year. From my own fieldwork across Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, and Katsina, it is evident that security agencies are stretched thin.

Reinforcements often arrive late, community warnings go unheeded, and local vigilante groups that once helped stabilize villages are now worn out or deliberately targeted.

Economic hardship is adding more pressure. The lean season has always been difficult, but inflation has stripped families of the little safety net they once relied on. In many rural towns, the cost of staple grains has more than doubled, forcing households to depend on aid that is itself shrinking.

The WFP’s reduced capacity is already visible on the ground. Nearly a million people rely on their support in the northeast, yet funding cuts have shut down hundreds of nutrition centres.

In Jibia, Damasak, Zurmi, and Sabon Birni, families now walk long distances seeking help, only to find that the nearest facilities have closed. When a fragile system loses a third of its capacity, a surge from ‘serious’ to ‘critical’ malnutrition is the natural outcome.

The growing presence of jihadist groups adds another layer of concern. The recent claim by JNIM, a group rooted in the Sahel, marks a troubling shift. Their operations reaching into Nigeria suggest the slow merging of the Sahel and Lake Chad conflict zones; an escalation that regional analysts have anticipated for years.

The situation described by the WFP matches what communities across the north have been living through daily: shrinking farmland, repeated attacks, volatile markets, and aid pipelines drying up just when they are needed most. People who once showed remarkable resilience are now reaching breaking point.

As 2026 approaches, the humanitarian outlook is shaping into one of the hardest seasons since this conflict began. The numbers tell part of the story, but those of us from these areas have seen how hunger takes hold long before the statistics reflect it. The warning is credible, and it deserves urgent attention.

Human Rights Institute of National Human Rights Commission has okayed a major research by legal scholar and health-rights advocate, Jennifer Mike-Oworodo, for presentation at its national conference this month .

The project: ‘Operationalising Reproductive Health Rights in Nigeria: A Multi-dimensional Framework for Addressing the Policy-Practice Divide,’ was selected for its approach to bridging Nigeria’s gap between health policies and real-world access to care.

Dr. Mike-Oworodo, a voice in the country’s campaign for health justice, said Nigeria must confront the structural failures that deny millions equitable access to healthcare.

‘Health justice requires fairness. Every person, regardless of gender, class or location, deserves access to care needed to live a dignified life,’ she said.

A professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at DePauw University and assistant professor of Law at American University of Nigeria, she warned that Nigeria’s health challenges, from underfunded hospitals to overstretched medical workers, stem partly from weak legal protections.

Although the Constitution recognises the right to health, she noted that citizens cannot legally enforce it.

‘This is why people have no recourse when the system fails them,’ she said, adding that the situation is worsened by governance lapses, politicised health budgeting and corruption, which continue to fuel the migration of skilled professionals.

She also emphasised reproductive justice as a critical but neglected area in Nigeria’s health landscape, calling for clearer regulations on assisted reproductive technologies and surrogacy.

According to her, policies must reflect intersectional realities: ‘A poor rural woman faces different barriers from an educated urban man. Our system must acknowledge these differences.’

Here is a stronger, more polished news-style version:

She outlined four urgent reforms she believes are critical to repositioning the country’s health sector: first, making the right to health legally enforceable so citizens can demand accountability; second, increasing transparent funding and strengthening management systems across all levels of care; third, adopting gender-sensitive policies that respond to the different needs of women, men and vulnerable groups; and finally, engaging communities directly in shaping and prioritising their own health needs.

‘Health is not charity, it is justice,’ she said. ‘Until Nigeria treats healthcare as a right, not a privilege, the goal of a healthy nation will remain out of reach.’

Her research presentation at the HRI national conference is expected to shape ongoing national conversations on health law, governance, rights and accountability.

The Founder of the MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has donated a fully equipped two-storey building to the Alliance Française Kano, further providing N10 million in operational funding to support its sustainability and efficient running.

The new edifice, unveiled in Kano by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, alongside Prof. Gwarzo, features modern classrooms, digital language laboratories, multimedia studios, a digital resource library, conference halls, and learning-engineered furniture. It also comes with smart learning boards, audio-visual teaching tools and high-speed internet connectivity.

Located at Ahmadiyya Junction along Airport Road, Kano, the ultramodern facility is now regarded as one of the most advanced French language and cultural training centres in Northern Nigeria.

Speaking during the unveiling, Prof. Gwarzo said the centre would significantly strengthen bilingual education in Kano and give students access to world-class French language training. He described the initiative as part of his long-standing commitment to promoting education, cultural exchange and institutional development.

The French Ambassador commended Prof. Gwarzo for the philanthropic gesture and praised him for equipping the structure with state-of-the-art facilities. Fonbaustier prayed for God to grant the MAAUN Founder long life and good health to continue his humanitarian and educational contributions.

The Director of Alliance Française Kano, Ali Dabo, expressed deep appreciation to Prof. Gwarzo, noting that no individual in the centre’s decades-long history had upgraded or transformed its infrastructure to such a standard.

He said the donation finally provides the organisation with a permanent and dignified base after operating from rented facilities for more than ten years.