Category: Nigerian Tribune

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has celebrated 30 years since the creation of the state, explaining that his administration had strengthened security logistics and patrol operations, while maintaining a firm position against negotiating with criminal elements in the state.

Governor Lawal paid tribute to the founding fathers, traditional rulers, elders and other stakeholders who contributed to the struggle for the creation of the state in 1996.

He described the 30th anniversary as an opportunity for reflection on the journey so far and the sacrifices of those who contributed to the creation of Zamfara State.

He said Zamfara’s 30th Anniversary also coincided with Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, and described the occasion as a double milestone for the people of Zamfara.

The Governor acknowledged the security and socio-economic challenges that have affected the state in recent years, saying that banditry and other forms of violence had disrupted lives, education, families and livelihoods.

He said his administration had adopted a progressive security agenda, including the operationalisation of the Community Protection Guards to complement conventional security agencies.

‘The measures had contributed to improved security in some communities and the return of displaced residents to their ancestral homes.’

He commended the military, police, Department of State Services, paramilitary agencies and other security personnel for their sacrifices in protecting the state.

He also paid tribute to the families of security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, assuring them of the government’s continued solidarity and support.

On development, Governor Lawal said his administration’s Rescue Agenda was implemented across critical sectors, particularly education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and economic development.

‘My administration opens the state to responsible investments in the areas that includes mining, mineral processing and other sectors capable of creating jobs and expanding the state’s economy,’ he stated.

The anniversary celebration, held at the Gusau Trade Fair Complex, was attended by dignitaries that included the first Military Administrator, Col Jibril Bala Yakubu; first civilian Governor, Senator Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura; former Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi; and former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar and former Governor Bello Matawalle Maradun, who were represented by their former Deputy Governors, Mallam Ibrahim Wakala and Senator Hassan Nasiha, respectively.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, political pressure group Grassroots 121 Action has commenced grassroots mobilisation across Ekiti State in support of the presidential ambition of Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

The group said it was targeting a minimum of 200,000 votes for Makinde in the state, with its mobilisation structure covering the 2,445 polling units across the 16 local government areas.

The group disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during the inauguration of 5,000 polling-unit canvassers as part of its grassroots mobilisation structure.

Speaking at the event, the group’s convener, Mrs Lanre Fajuyi, congratulated the newly appointed unit coordinators and assistant unit coordinators and urged them to carry out their responsibilities with seriousness, discipline, and commitment.

Fajuyi charged the coordinators to maintain direct engagement with voters at the grassroots, understand the challenges facing their respective communities, and ensure that the group’s mobilisation activities reached all polling units across the state.

She said the group was working to establish a grassroots structure that could translate its support for Makinde’s presidential ambition into electoral participation in 2027.

‘We have set a clear target of a minimum of 200,000 votes in Ekiti State. This is not a declaration to be made and forgotten; it is a responsibility that requires organisation, commitment, and sustained engagement at the grassroots,’ she said.

Fajuyi urged the newly appointed coordinators to work towards achieving the group’s objective while operating within the law and respecting the rights of voters and other political stakeholders.

The group also criticized the economic situation in the country under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

It argued that some government policies had placed economic pressure on ordinary Nigerians and, in its view, contributed to increased hardship and declining purchasing power.

The group said the government’s response to the economic challenges facing citizens was inadequate, arguing that stronger measures were needed to address poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and the rising cost of living.

It said its support for Makinde was part of a wider political discussion on the direction of the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The group added that the newly inaugurated structure marked the beginning of a sustained grassroots mobilization campaign rather than a one-off political gathering.

Nigerian entrepreneur and civic advocate, Akin Olaoye, popularly known as Akin Tollgate, who supported Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.

Akin Tollgate announced his new position in a statement shared on his X handle, explaining that his decision followed his assessment of the Tinubu administration’s policies and performance since 2023.

He was a prominent supporter of Obi during the 2023 election and publicly backed his presidential bid at the time. A 2023 interview also identified him as a supporter of Obi.

However, Akin said his position had changed after observing developments under the Tinubu administration over the past three years.

‘In 2023, I was a critic. I distrusted the APC like many in my generation. I was disillusioned, and my conviction then was clear: the opposition offered the better path. I acted on it. I organised, I spoke, and I put my own resources behind that belief,’ Akin said.

He said he was now supporting Tinubu because of what he described as the administration’s reform agenda, particularly its economic policies.

‘Three years later, I have changed my position. Not because it is convenient. Not because I was paid. I have changed because the reforms, the vision, and the leadership President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown have moved the country in a direction I can no longer honestly deny,’ he said.

Olaoye cited the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange reforms among the major decisions that influenced his position, acknowledging that the measures had imposed significant pressure on Nigerians.

‘Fuel subsidy removal was painful. FX unification was painful. Nigerians have carried a significant burden through this transition,’ he said.

The International Monetary Fund has said Nigeria’s reforms since 2023 have helped strengthen macroeconomic stability, reduce fiscal vulnerabilities and improve the functioning of the foreign exchange market, while also noting that economic conditions remain difficult for many Nigerians.

The social critic said he believed the reforms were addressing structural problems that had persisted in the Nigerian economy.

‘But I believe the architecture of a functioning economy is being rebuilt in public, with determination. Leadership sometimes requires decisions whose benefits are not immediately visible,’ he said.

The entrepreneur acknowledged that his decision to switch political allegiance would attract criticism, particularly because of his previous support for Obi.

‘Some will be upset to see me pivot. Others will cheer. I understand. But loyalty to a 2023 posture is easier than responding to what you believe the evidence before you now shows. I choose the latter,’ he said.

‘Nigeria cannot be frozen in the arguments of 2023 while 2027 and the future demand new decisions.’

He also said his support for Tinubu did not mean he opposed the existence of a strong opposition or the right of Nigerians to disagree with the government.

‘I respect those who still stand with the opposition. I admire their persistence and the constituencies they speak for. Democracy needs that contest, and I will continue to advocate for it,’ he said.

‘My position is simply that I no longer believe their current path represents the direction I want to support for Nigeria at this time.’

He identified fiscal policy, infrastructure and what he described as the administration’s willingness to take politically difficult economic decisions as factors behind his decision.

Olaoye also said he intended to remain actively involved in politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

‘That same energy and vigour will be deployed ahead of 2027 – not as a convert seeking applause, but as a Nigerian who has watched the data, lived through the pain and reached the conclusion that the country must keep moving,’ he said.

He argued that changing a political position based on changing circumstances should not automatically be interpreted as inconsistency.

‘There is nothing democratic about insisting that a citizen must remain permanently imprisoned by a political decision he made in 2023. Democracy also means the freedom to reassess, question, change, and make a different choice based on what you see today.

‘My position today is clear: Nigeria must move forward,’ he concluded.

Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has urged political actors, community leaders, and residents to reject violence, division, intolerance, and criminality in order to sustain peace and development in the state.

Yusuf made the call on Thursday while addressing citizens at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kano.

The governor also urged residents to pray for peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections while exercising their civic responsibilities responsibly.

‘Let us shun violence and anything that may threaten the peace and stability of our dear state,’ Yusuf said.

He called on the people of Kano to renew their commitment to peace, unity, and responsible citizenship as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Yusuf said nation-building required unity, sacrifice, and collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to turn the country’s diversity of languages, cultures, traditions, and faiths into a source of strength through mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

The governor also urged citizens to obey the law, protect public property, reject violence and criminality, pay legitimate taxes, and contribute to the peace and development of their communities.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working with the federal government, local governments, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, and development partners in the interest of the people.

Yusuf called on residents to support farmers, traders, teachers, entrepreneurs, women, and young people, saying a peaceful and stable environment would enable citizens to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

He said his administration would remain focused on consolidating its achievements in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, water supply, security, and human capital development.

Residential homes and farmlands have been destroyed by heavy flooding in at least five agrarian communities in Lafiagi, in the Edu local government area of Kwara.

The Tribune gathered that the incident followed a heavy downpour on Tuesday and affected communities include Pututa, Tswako, Likpata, Godangi, and Ekko, all within Lafiagi Ward 4.

It was gathered that no lives were lost in the flooding incident; however, property and rice farms were reportedly washed away, and a source of drinking water was also destroyed.

Speaking when he paid a sympathy visit to Pututa and other agrarian communities in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area, that were ravaged by the flood, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the recurring incident as unfortunate.

The governor identified dredging of the River Niger as a lasting solution to flooding in the area and promised to continue to push for a lasting solution.

‘The purpose of this visit is to come and commiserate with the communities over the flood incident and to see how we can bring succour to the affected communities,’ the Governor said at the Palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, HRH Alhaji Muhammed Kudu Kawu.

‘It is a bad situation, we are glad that no life was lost, though a lot of properties were destroyed. The dredging of River Niger is beyond the state but we will continue to engage federal agencies like the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Inland Waterways, HYPADEC and other federal agencies for their support.’

Earlier in Pututa, the Governor told the head of Pututa (Lashan Pututa), Alhaji Muhammed Manko Ibrahim, that the government is working hard to fix their challenge.

He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to visit the place and take inventory of their losses for adequate government support.

He also gave them a sum of N10 million to provide for their immediate needs, including medical, food, and drinking water.

The Governor thanked the people of Kwara North, including the Lafiagi Emirate, for supporting his government.

AbdulRazaq also visited the College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi, and Lafiagi Stadium under reconstruction, with the promise to intensify efforts for the upgrade of the former to Federal University of Education.

He said the government will look into the reopening of the Gbugbu International Market, Lafiagi, which was earlier closed for security reasons.

The Governor also justified the zoning of the governorship ticket to Kwara North, saying the motive was to expedite development in the region.

‘On a final note, the push of this administration is that wherever a leader comes from, it brings more development to that area. It is a natural thing,’ he said at the Emir’s Palace.

‘For Kwara North to feel greater impacts, our administration has decided to make sure that the next Governor of Kwara State comes from Kwara North.’

Speaking on behalf of the Emir, the Somasun of Lafiagi, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, appreciated the Governor for the visit and for the developmental projects by his government.

He specifically thanked the government for donating a Coaster Bus to the College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi, to ease the mobility of staff.

He appealed for the reopening of the Gbugbu International Market to improve commercial activities and grow their economy.

Lashan Pututa, Alhaji Ibrahim, for his part, said the Governor’s visit further demonstrates his leadership qualities and a commitment to the well-being of people of the community.

He commended AbdulRazaq for providing them with good leadership and appealed to his government to assist in putting an end to their challenge.

‘There have been governors in Kwara state, both military and elected ones like Your Excellency.

What we have witnessed during your time is unique. We have not had it so good as you have done for us,’ he said.

‘This is Lafiagi Ward 4; we have about 31 villages within the ward, all in the riverine area. We are just one single ward, but our votes count even more than some local governments in the state.

‘Since we have been practicing politics along with other people, we have not had a governor who would be stepping into our ward like you. You have been coming to this ward as if you were born here. Your contributions to our community are enormous. We will reciprocate this kind gesture with our vote in 2027.

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dayo Mobereola, has revealed plans to introduce body cameras for enforcement officers who board vessels in order to further enhance transparency in the agency’senforcement operations.

He disclosed this when he received a delegation of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN).

The director general appreciated MACN’s continued engagement and contribution to strengthening conversations around integrity, transparency and accountability in the maritime sector and expressed the Agency’s readiness to deepen collaboration with MACN towards building a more transparent, predictable and efficient maritime sector.

Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Engineer Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, Mobereola emphasised the importance of data in demonstrating and communicating the progress being made in the sector.

‘Data is essential to show the progress being made in the maritime sector. We need to be able to demonstrate what we are doing and showcase the impact of these reforms,’ he stated.

Mobereola also hinted at efforts to further enhance transparency in enforcement operations to include the introduction of body cameras for enforcement officers who board vessels.

‘The initiative would provide greater transparency in interactions between enforcement personnel and operators, while also promoting more efficient and accountable operations’, he said.

The NIMASA DG also advocated the replication of successful reforms across maritime administrations in the region with a concomitant impact on trade and investment, stressing that a more transparent maritime environment would create opportunities for businesses and strengthen regional competitiveness.

Speaking earlier during the visit, Chief Executive Officer of MACN, Cecelia Torbrand, commended NIMASA for the reforms being implemented in the maritime sector, noting that the measures have contributed to the increased transparency and improved business environment currently being witnessed across the sector.

Torbrand highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing corruption risks within the maritime industry, noting that sustainable change requires strong collaboration among government institutions, industry stakeholders, civil society and other relevant actors.

She explained that MACN’s work is anchored on three key pillars: Capability Building, Collective Action, and Collaboration/Culture of Integrity, emphasising that provision of innovative tools, training and compliance resources; sustainable, on-the-ground change; and partnerships across board are critical to addressing the root causes of maritime corruption.

The MACN CEO commended NIMASA for the reforms undertaken to improve transparency and integrity within the Nigerian maritime space, stressing the importance of sustaining the momentum and documenting the progress being achieved.

Also speaking, a member of MACN and Chief Executive Officer of the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI), Mr Olusoji Apampa, said the progress recorded in Nigeria’s maritime sector deserved greater visibility.

He noted that the reforms being implemented in Nigeria are attracting attention across the sub-region, with countries including Ghana and Senegal developing mechanisms inspired by the Nigerian experience.

Apampa described the development as ‘the Nigerian Miracle’, noting that the experience demonstrates what can be achieved when government and industry stakeholders work together to address systemic challenges.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the economic struggles facing some Nigerian families did not begin with his administration, arguing that the hardship was the result of problems that accumulated over several decades.

Tinubu made the assertion in his Independence Day address to Nigerians, where he acknowledged that millions of citizens still struggle to afford food, school fees, medical bills and transportation.

The president said these difficulties were rooted in years of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, limited opportunities and institutional weaknesses, rather than being created by the economic reforms introduced by his administration.

According to him, the government could not reverse in four years problems that had accumulated over generations, but it could change the country’s economic direction and create conditions capable of lifting more Nigerians out of poverty.

Tinubu said his administration was therefore combining economic reforms with measures designed to support vulnerable citizens, including strengthening direct assistance to poorer households and improving the National Social Register to ensure support reaches people who need it.

He also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying it was intended to help students from low-income families pursue higher education despite their parents’ inability to pay tuition.

The president pointed to CREDICORP’s consumer credit scheme as another measure aimed at helping working Nigerians acquire essential assets, including vehicles, solar systems and digital devices without having to save for years before making such purchases.

Tinubu said the government was also working with state and local governments to strengthen primary healthcare, basic education and other essential public services relied upon by poorer Nigerians.

He maintained that the economic reforms introduced since he assumed office in 2023 had been necessary to address longstanding weaknesses in the economy.

By 2023, he said, poverty was rising and the country faced severe economic challenges, leaving the government with little choice but to implement difficult reforms.

Tinubu said the reforms had since produced what he described as measurable improvements, including economic growth of more than four per cent in 2026, lower inflation from its peak, rebuilt foreign reserves and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.

He also said Nigeria recorded more than $6 billion in non-oil export revenue in 2025, describing it as the highest in the country’s history.

The president said the government had now moved beyond the initial phase of economic correction and was focusing on translating the reforms into broader prosperity.

He identified lowering the cost of living as a major priority, with the government seeking to reduce production and transportation costs through agricultural mechanisation, irrigation, improved access to seeds and fertiliser, storage facilities and better transport infrastructure.

Tinubu also said the administration would focus on job creation and industrial expansion by using Nigeria’s gas resources to power industries, reviving factories, expanding digital connectivity and developing skills demanded by employers.

He said Nigeria’s large youth population should become a source of economic production and opportunity rather than despair.

The president further said the government would continue investing in roads, railways and ports to connect farms and factories with markets, arguing that lower production and distribution costs would eventually reduce prices for consumers.

Tinubu said the ultimate goal was to create an economy in which farmers could earn better incomes, businesses could access reliable power and credit, young people could find productive employment, and Nigerian companies could compete in global markets.

He acknowledged that poverty reduction would take time and require sustained economic growth and the creation of millions of productive opportunities.

Tinubu declared that Nigeria had moved beyond the reform phase and entered what he described as an era of prosperity, urging Nigerians to look ahead rather than return to the economic practices he said had contributed to the country’s longstanding challenges.

The statement partly reads, ‘I am also conscious that millions of our fellow citizens cannot wait for tomorrow. Some Nigerian families still struggle today for the next meal, the next school fee, the next medical bill, or simply enough money to get to work. Their circumstances did not begin with the reforms of the last three years. Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient opportunity and institutions that too often failed those who needed them most.

‘We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course. We can build an economy that steadily lifts people out of poverty while ensuring that those who remain vulnerable are not abandoned along the way.

‘That is why we are strengthening direct support for the poorest households and improving the National Social Register so that assistance reaches those who genuinely need it.’

Taraba Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has approved a total of N2.5 billion in intervention funds to cushion prevailing economic hardship among vulnerable households, boost youth empowerment, and accelerate recovery in communities hit by communal crises.

The governor announced the approvals on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during his statewide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

While exercising his constitutional powers under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) upon the recommendation of the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, Kefas also granted executive pardons to 24 reformed prison inmates.

Breaking down the N2.5 billion intervention, the governor explained that N500 million has been earmarked for the six-month TARABA CARES Social Investment and Poverty Relief Programme running from October 2026 to March 2027, aimed strictly at supporting indigent households, widows, persons with disabilities, and the elderly without political bias.

He also announced an additional N1 billion injection into the Taraba State Youth Development Agency to finance vocational skills and enterprise support, alongside another N1 billion intervention fund dedicated to rebuilding livelihoods and providing relief materials to crisis-affected communities in Karim Lamido Local Government Area and other affected parts of the state.

Kefas said: ‘Independence must mean that a poor family’s child can access quality education, a pregnant woman can enter a clinic without fear, and our farmers can reach markets profitably.

‘Leadership must be measured by what it does for the people. These three interventions represent N2.5 billion in approved funding. Every single naira must serve its intended purpose, and the implementing agencies will publicly account for every kobo.’

On infrastructure and the prolonged hardship trailing the collapsed Namnai Bridge along the Jalingo-Wukari federal highway, Governor Kefas issued a seven-day ultimatum to the State Ministry of Works and the Secretary to the State Government to engage the North East Development Commission, NEDC, the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, and the contractor for a realistic completion timetable.

‘The people do not need another speech about Namnai Bridge; they need a safe, completed bridge. Repeated assurances without visible progress are no longer enough,’ he said.

Addressing the controversy surrounding the state’s debt profile, the governor noted that he

welcomes responsible scrutiny, accountability and fact-based criticism but rejects the use of incomplete figures and distorted records to frighten the public.

He said: ‘Borrowing is not automatically evidence of failure; what matters is whether it is lawful, affordable, transparent, and invested productively. Our books must be open to lawful scrutiny, and I take full responsibility for our financial decisions.’

Kefas also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government over Nigeria’s September 17, 2026 victory at the International Chamber of Commerce arbitration tribunal, which cleared legal hurdles stalling the multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

He, however, noted that Taraba will not depend solely on the federal dam, directing the State Electricity Commission to open up the state’s intrastate power market to credible mini-hydro and solar investors under the Electricity Act 2023.

Other key policy announcements in the broadcast included the planned rollout of the Taraba Teachers’ Welfare, Professionalisation and Housing Programme in 2027, the unveiling of the 168-Ward Quick Impact Development Programme before the end of October 2026, and an upcoming multi-stakeholder summit on October 3 to regulate artisanal mining against environmental pollution, mercury poisoning, and child labour.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, political pressure group Grassroots 121 Action has commenced grassroots mobilisation across Ekiti State in support of the presidential ambition of Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

The group said it was targeting a minimum of 200,000 votes for Makinde in the state, with its mobilisation structure covering the 2,445 polling units across the 16 local government areas.

The group disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during the inauguration of 5,000 polling-unit canvassers as part of its grassroots mobilisation structure.

Speaking at the event, the group’s convener, Mrs Lanre Fajuyi, congratulated the newly appointed unit coordinators and assistant unit coordinators and urged them to carry out their responsibilities with seriousness, discipline, and commitment.

Fajuyi charged the coordinators to maintain direct engagement with voters at the grassroots, understand the challenges facing their respective communities, and ensure that the group’s mobilisation activities reached all polling units across the state.

She said the group was working to establish a grassroots structure that could translate its support for Makinde’s presidential ambition into electoral participation in 2027.

‘We have set a clear target of a minimum of 200,000 votes in Ekiti State. This is not a declaration to be made and forgotten; it is a responsibility that requires organisation, commitment, and sustained engagement at the grassroots,’ she said.

Fajuyi urged the newly appointed coordinators to work towards achieving the group’s objective while operating within the law and respecting the rights of voters and other political stakeholders.

The group also criticized the economic situation in the country under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

It argued that some government policies had placed economic pressure on ordinary Nigerians and, in its view, contributed to increased hardship and declining purchasing power.

The group said the government’s response to the economic challenges facing citizens was inadequate, arguing that stronger measures were needed to address poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and the rising cost of living.

It said its support for Makinde was part of a wider political discussion on the direction of the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The group added that the newly inaugurated structure marked the beginning of a sustained grassroots mobilization campaign rather than a one-off political gathering.

Nigeria’s sporting story is not defined only by the trophies that slipped away or the major tournaments the country failed to reach.

For 66 years, Nigerian athletes and teams have also produced some historic sporting moments that have brought the country international recognition, broken records and created memories that have endured across generations.

Football has provided some of the biggest celebrations, from the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumphs to the Dream Team’s Olympic gold, but the country’s sporting achievements stretch far beyond the pitch.

From Atlanta to Oregon, from the Paralympic Games to the Commonwealth stage, Nigerian athletes have repeatedly shown that the country’s sporting talent extends across several disciplines.

Here are six historic sporting moments that stand out.

Atlanta 1996: The Dream Team and Ajunwa

The 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta remain one of the defining moments in Nigerian sports history.

The country’s football team won gold in the men’s tournament after one of the most memorable runs in Olympic football.

The Dream Team came from behind to defeat Brazil 4-3 in the semi-final after extra time before overcoming Argentina 3-2 in the final.

The victory made Nigeria the first African country to win Olympic gold in men’s football.

The team featured several players who would go on to become major figures in Nigerian football, including Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba and Emmanuel Amunike.

Atlanta also produced another historic moment for Nigeria.

Chioma Ajunwa won gold in the women’s long jump, becoming the first Nigerian to win an individual Olympic gold medal.

Her leap of 7.12m secured the title and added another landmark to an unforgettable Games for Nigeria.

The two achievements made Atlanta 1996 much more than a football story.