EXCLUSIVE: Navy Arrests Fake Commander

Chief of naval staff, vice admiral dele Ezeoba 

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft under the command of the Commanding Officer, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, weekend paraded a fake naval commander, Alfred Onyine, who was caught in Lagos wearing the full regalia of the navy.

The fake officer was said to have been parading himself as the Commanding Officer, NNS Pathfinder in Port Harcourt, when he was paid full compliments befitting his rank by naval ratings at Liverpool, Apapa area of the state.

Okagbare Sets New African Sprint Record

Blessing Okagbare triumphed in London

Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare destroyed a stellar 100m field to set a new African record of 10.79 secs at Saturday's IAAF Diamond League in London. An hour before that new persona best time, Okagbare had earlier in the semi final dismissed the 10.90secs African record held by Glory Alozie since 1998, clocking 10.84secs.

The University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) graduate had similarly won the London leg of the IAAF Samsung Diamond League last year. In the second heat, Jamaica's reigning Olympic champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran a world leading 10.77 seconds to win thereby setting the stage for a titanic battle in the final.                              

However, Okagbare was in her elements in the final, storming out of the blocks in bullet-like fashion to win the race and the maximum IAAF Diamond League points to take her tally to 10, two behind Fraser-Pryce who could only manage a fourth place (10.94).     

SIMON KOLAWOLE: Look Very Well before You Leap

Simon Kolawole Live!: By Simon Kolawole, Email: simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com

Can you believe it? Some readers actually thought I was taking exaggeration to a new dimension when I painted the scenario in the event of a debilitating crash in crude oil prices. But they didn’t need to look too far ­– it has happened before, and nothing says it can’t happen again. If you recall, the government of President Shehu Shagari ran into a serious fiscal crisis in 1982-83 following a dip in oil prices. Our foreign reserves were thrown at solving the problem, all no to avail. Civil servants were owed salaries for months. Projects were abandoned. Retrenchment began to take a prominent position in our vocabulary. Importation was stifled. Prices of food and essential commodities went haywire.