Readers urged to assist in covereage of Eclipse from 7:15 to 11 am today

Readers are employed to kindly monitor the eclipse in their areas and send reports of such to us.

You can take snap shots of people monitoring the incident and also send to us.

If possible, we at the same time enjoin you speak with Nigerians on the issue and forward the interview clips.

For the pictures, text and photos, send via Whatsapp to 08034158834 or email to onohreal@yahoo.com.

Your opinions will be collated and compiled for publication , to serve you better.


Yours Faithfully,

Onoh, Innocent

Comedian Julius Agwu Allegedly Hospitalized in London

Julius Agwu and his happy family

Reports making rounds online has stated that popular Nigerian comedian and Nollywood actor, Julius 'D Genius' Agwu has been reportedly admitted in a London hospital following a relapse from his brain tumour.

It was gathered that the father-of-two was reportedly absent at his London show 'Crack Your Ribs' on Sunday, August 28, 2016 but was supported by Ali Baba and others who covered up for his absence.

According to Goldmyne TV, the top comedian was in a bad shape at Lewisham hospital, London. Below is how they reported it via Instagram;

As the news continue to make rounds online,  Pulse NG has reached out to the veteran comedian's US manager, Bishop, who confirmed he is alright but just went for a checkup, adding that the MC was grounded on routine visit to the doctor on Friday, August 26, 2016 because he needed to rest as prescribed by the doctor.

"That's not true. It's nothing serious. Julius just went for a checkup. He was grounded on routine visit to the Doctor on Friday because he hadn't been having enough rest as prescribed by the doctor.

"He's doing pretty well and might even come over to US to complete his much needed rest and routine doctor's visit," Bishop told Pulse.

IUCN World Conservation Congress Opens in Grand-Style in Hawaii

The much talked about International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, World Conservation Congress yesterday opened in Honolulu, the Hawaii Island, US.

It is the biggest conservation event on the face of the earth.

Here is the chain of media briefings lined up, to educate the general public on critical decisions and recommendations coming out of the congress which holds every four years.

Press conference schedule:

12:15 – 13:00	Opening press conference, Neal S. Blaisdell Center Panellists: Governor, David Y. Ige, IUCN Director General, Inger Andersen, US Senator, Brian Schatz	Neal S. Blaisdell Center
	Press Conference:  Expansion of Papahānaumokuākea Panellists: US Senator, Brian Schatz, CEO Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamanaʻopono Crabbe, and Director, Pew Charitable Trust, Seth Horstmeyer

Congress highlights:

06:00 - 07:30	Traditional Hawaiian welcome to honoured guests from across the globe, followed by speeches from; Master Navigator, Nainoa Thompson, Hawaiian Governor, David Ige, His Excellency President of Micronesia, Peter Christian, His Excellency President of Palau, Tommy Remengesau, IUCN Director General, Inger Andersen	Kahanamoku Beach, Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, Honolulu
10:00 - 12:00	IUCN World Conservation Congress Opening Ceremony Featuring Hawai’i Governor David Ige, President of Palau, Tommy Remengesau, IUCN President, Mr. Zhang Xinsheng	Neal S. Blaisdell Center
18:00 – 20:00	IUCN Congress Opening Reception Featuring Hawaiʻi-born musician, actor and filmmaker, Jack Johnson.	Rooftop Garden, Hawaiʻi Convention Center

Breaking News: Eclipse to occur tomorrow in Lagos, Nigeria

Global Type: Annular Solar Eclipse

Lagos: Partial Solar Eclipse

Max View in Lagos

Thursday, 1 September 2016, 08:26

Begins: Thu, 1 Sep 2016, 07:14
Maximum: Thu, 1 Sep 2016, 08:26
Ends: Thu, 1 Sep 2016, 09:52

Duration: 2 hours, 38 minutes

72 Persons With Disability To Serve As Election Observers In Edo Guber

A Disable voter

The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in partnership with IFA, JONAPWD Edo State Chapter has commenced training of 72 females and males with disabilities  from the 18 Local government areas of the State as election observers for 2016 Edo State gubernatorial election.

The training is part of the activities for the implementation of project on Accessibility Review of Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) for Edo State Gubernatorial Election.

The project is implemented with technical support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UKAID).

Already, CCD has been accredited by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the election.

Last month CCD with its partners launched the Leave No One Behind; Disability Votes Count campaign in Benin City, Edo state.

The goal of the campaign is to improve the participation of eligible citizens from Nigeria’s 25 million Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the country’s political and electoral process. CCD and its partners in Edo state are working to achieve this goal through short and long term objectives.

These include Advocating for relevant authorities including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make polling units and ballot boxes more accessible for PWDs; advocating for the use of sign language interpreters during all civic and voter education messaging on television; advocating for improvements in the distribution and reach of civic and voter education messages to citizens with different forms of disabilities; advocating for the use of braille IECs for civic and voter education at all levels and advocating for an improvements in the capacity of election officials to assist PWDs vote on Election Day.

IUCN World Conservation Congress opens ,set the global path for nature conservation

The IUCN World Conservation Congress , the world’s largest and most inclusive environmental decision-making forum opens  in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi tomorrow, and aims at defining the global path for nature conservation for the years to come.

Critically endangered

A site in Hawaii

 

Over 8,300 delegates from 184 countries, including Heads of State and other high-level government officials from various organisations are expected to attend the IUCN Congress.which holds between 1 and 10 September.

The IUCN Congress will be held under the theme ‘Planet at the crossroads’, emphasising that nature conservation and human progress are not a zero-sum game, and that credible and accessible choices exist that can promote general welfare while supporting and enhancing our planet’s natural assets.

This will be the first time the IUCN Congress will be hosted by the United States, home to over 100 IUCN Member organisations.

Key issues that will be discussed at the Congress include wildlife trafficking, ocean conservation, nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and private investment in conservation.

At the Congress, IUCN’s 1,300 member organisations – some of the most influential government and civil society organisations from more than 160 countries – will collectively decide on actions to address the most pressing and often controversial conservation and sustainable development challenges. 

Around 100 motions are expected to be adopted by this unique global environmental parliament of governments and NGOs, which will then become IUCN Resolutions or Recommendations calling third parties to take action.

Some of the motions to be voted on at the IUCN Congress include:

• Advancing conservation of biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction
• Mitigating the impacts of oil palm expansion on biodiversity
• Call for closure of domestic markets to all ivory sales
• Call for end of use of lead in ammunition
• Protection of primary forests, ancient forests and intact forest landscapes
• Protected areas and other areas important for biodiversity in relation to environmentally damaging industrial-scale activities and infrastructure development
•  

 The Congress will provide a unique opportunity for journalists to interview Heads of State and other high-level government officials, leaders, decision-makers and technical experts from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia.

Nearly 2 days rain flood Lagos, but not as expected

 

Nigeria flood outlook

Continuous rainfall for more than 24 hours has resulted to flooding ,which submerged many streets in parts of Lagos State, as fear raises among residents, over the occurrence of more devastating flood incidents, should the rain continues in coming days.

Correspondents went round town and found out that some areas in of Sari Iganmu , Maijidun in Ikorodu ,Lekki , among others , were the mostly affected, with the flood waters approaching the waist region of adults seen wading through them as in the case of Ekujumi street, Sari Iganmu.

In Lekki area, most of the streets have graduated to mini-rivers , big enough to accommodate canoes, while sections of the Lekki-Ajah Expressway on that axis, were also so flooded that the bonnet of some cars were covered by flood water.

Some residents at Orile, Ikorodu, Surulere and Ketu, told Radio Nigeria that  the rain which started on Saturday evening and did not stop till late in the night the following day, confined most people in their houses, and prevented them from going to church.

They said their neighborhoods were covered by pools of flood waters that also made movement difficult, even as some people were making frantic efforts to protect their property by moving them out of their flooded rooms. .

In Ajegunle and parts of Surulere, residents said they were not afraid of flood because there is much drainage to enable free flow of water and avoid flood.

However, one of the residents called on the authorities to urgently clear the blocked drains in some areas of Ajegunle to check flooding.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment had given the assurance that the state was prepared to manage flooding of any magnitude, and has put up measures such as clearing of blocked drains in strategic places, updating of facilities at relief camps for housing victims of flood and other emergencies.

The commissioner who said the state was planning to take the issue of environmental protection to the next level, however called on residents to cooperate with government by avoiding actions that worsen flooding, such as building on water channels and dumping refuse indiscriminately.

It will be recalled that Lagos is among cities predicted to experience flash flood, after high rainfall in the Sahel region had caused an increase in water level along the River Niger basin, which raised the fear of the repeat of 2014 devastating flood in the country.

Flood looms in Lagos as rain contnues after 24 hours

The long awaited flood disaster in Lagos seems to have finally arrived.

This follows the continuous rainfall in the State , which started yesterday in the evening and has failed to stop after 24 hours.

As the intensity of the rain increases gradually , the sky thickens even more , indicating more rains.

Lagos is among cities predicted to experience flash flood , after high rainfall in the Sahel region had caused an increase in water level along the River Niger basin, which raised the fear of the repeat of 2014 devastating flood in the country.

Continues.........

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu Unveils New Abia State Logo and Flag

 

As part of the activities lined up for the silver jubilee celebration, the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led government of Abia State, has officially unveiled a new logo, flag and anthem for the state on Saturday, August 27, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the state’s creation. 

 

See the new logo and flag below;

 

 

Abuja Doctor Nabbed for Having S*x with Female Patients and Using His Sperm for IVF

File photo

 

The doctor identified as Dr. Kalu Nwachukwu, a gynaecologist in Abuja is currently in police custody.

 

According to DailyTrust, the 47-year-old man was nabbed after female patients complained about the way he is alleged to have acted with them.

 

 They alleged that he drugged, then had intercourse with them.

 

Police arrested him on August 4 after a report of “unethical conduct”.

 

A police statement revealed the gynaecologist was “in the habit of taking undue advantage of his female patients who come to him for treatment to sexually abuse the patients.”

 

Police said Nwachukwu “confessed to have had s*xual affairs with some of his female patients.”

 

His gynaecologist colleagues question his being detained since early August. They also question police account of him drugging and then sexually abusing women.

 

“This is all just to taint his image and the medical professional,” a fellow gynaecologist said in Nwachukwu’s defence.

 

“I’m not saying he’s guilty, I’m also not saying he is innocent. That is what the court is for. But what the police is saying to impossibility. What drugs did he use? How much drugs did he give them? Did they test any of the women to know what drug they were given, even if did happen?

 

“To do that, even if you could, you would have had to force a patient to take the drug. How would you do that in a consulting room in a hospital, busy with staff and patients all over the place. Then you wait for her to go to sleep before abusing her. And then she would wake up, reorganize herself and then drive home. By day or by night? The timeline is impossible.”

Bayelsa Government's Accountant Allegedly Runs Away with Gov. Dickson's N1.84b

 

Bayelsa Government House Accountant, Richard Etonye (Photo: Sahara Reporters Media)

 

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Bayelsa State on Wednesday, raided the private residence of the Bayelsa State Government House Accountant, Richard Etonye in a secret operation that lasted for about two hours.

 

The house, located along Brass Road was allegedly raided on the orders of Governor Seriake Dickson after Etonye reportedly absconded with his principal's money said to be $4.6million. 

 

The money was handed over to the accountant by the governor for safe keep just a few days before the raid on Tuesday.

 

A spokesman for Mr. Dickson who was contacted, said that they were not part of the raid and were not informed as to why SARS raided Mr. Etonye’s home.

 

The spokesman said that “[Mr. Etonye] absolutely did not take any money from the Governor” and “we were told that the team was sent from the IG [Idris] from Police Force HQ but we don’t know why.”

 

According to a security source close to Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Dickson had handed over the sum to his accountant cousin shortly before departing for Akure, the Ondo State capital, to conduct the PDP governorship primary which held on Monday.

 

''The money was given to him by Oga before we left for Ondo State but by the time we returned, the accountant was no where to be found and his lines switched off,” one source said.

 

''Even his wife was not at home and after waiting for over twelve hours, the governor ordered that his private residence be searched by the police to see whether or not he kept the money there. Right now, we are looking from him because he has evacuated his family from the official quarters in Government House,'' the source said.

 

 

SaharaReporters

Wrong Medication Kills Senator Stella Oduah's First Son in Abuja Hospital

 

The  first son of Senator Stella Oduah has passed away at a Turkish private hospital in Abuja due to the wrong prescription by a medical doctor.

 

 SaharaReporters reports that Senator Oduah's son, whose name was given as Maxwell Chinedu Etoromi, died yesterday after he took a wrong medication prescribed for him following a tooth surgery.

 

It was gathered that the 28-year-old graduated from Guildford College in the UK before returning to Abuja.

 

Oduah served in the Goodluck Jonathan administration as a Minister of Aviation before running for a seat in the Senate.

 

 

Seminarian, others feared dead as Fulani herdsmen attack Enugu community

Suspected Fulani herdsmen, Thursday moring, attacked Enugu Atakwu community, in Nkanu West Local Government Area , killing ‎a seminarian of the Catholic Church and several others.
The herdsmen, who were armed to ‘teeth’ invaded and started shooting and maiming anybody in sight.

One of the victims, a seminarian is said to have just returned from his apostolic work.

A community source, who spoke to our correspondent, said “they just came early this morning and started killing people.

“There is confusion everywhere now; people are running helter-skelter.”

As at the time of filling this report, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Calistus Onaga are in the community.

Minor dead, 100 homes destroyed in Sokoto windstorm

The combined effect of heavy rains and windstorm that occurred Friday night killed three-year-old Sharif Bashir and destroyed about 100 houses in Tudun-Yando village in Dange Shuni local government area (LGA) of Sokoto State.

Windstorm leaves a building and a car in ruins

EnviroNews gathered that ‎the disasters, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, affected Tudun Yan-dogo, Kwanar Kinba, Dogon Marke, Shuni town, Rafin Ali, Betta and Kadabale, among other villages.

What is left of a petrol station

The bereaved father, Bashir Aliyu, confirmed to EnviroNews that Sharif died as a result of a wall that fell down on him at around 3.00am on Saturday.

Destroyed roofing

He said: “We regard the death of Sharif as an act of God. We have since buried him.” He added that, apart from farm produce and livestock that were lost to the combined disasters, several houses, schools and filling stations ‎were also affected.

Destruction trails the Tudun-Yando village windstorm

Sympathising with the victims of the disasters, the local government council chairman, Alhaji Mode Dan Tasallah, told EnviroNews that ‎the council would provide temporary shelters to them in schools and other public buildings.

Twisted steel roofing components litter the filling station

He added that the council would “set up a‎ committee comprised 10 members to assess the extent of damage caused by the disasters. 

It will also recommend the types of assistance to be extended to the victims.”
Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hassan Maccido, told EnviroNews that the agency would assess the situation and make recommendations to government.

By Abdallah el-Kurebe 





***Story From Environews

More groups protest privatization of water by Lagos State government

The attempt by Lagos State Government to private water has continued to receive strong oppositions and knocks as more groups protest against the move.

African Women Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Network (AWWASHNet) is the latest organisation  to join in the protest against what has been variously termed "the wickedness of a government to inflict suffering on the masses by privatising water", considered the most essential commodity to man.

Mrs. Vickie Njoku Onyekuru

A member of the protesting group, Mrs.Vickie Njoku Onyekuru, who is an executive of an NGO reported the protest.

She wrote; "African Women Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Network (AWWASHNet) rally against water privatization in Lagos. We say no to water privatization. Water is free gift of nature - it is our Human right.
Privatization of water will further impoverish families".

The protesters carry placards with various inscriptions, including , "Our water, our right, no to PPP".

Many organisations have protested in the past against the privatisation of Lagos State Water Corporation, but so far, government has paid deaf hear. 

Lagos State government has commercialised  virtually all essential services , including healthcare, thus making the state difficult for the people to live in.
 

Investors urge G20 leaders to ratify climate pact

As leaders of the world’s largest economies prepare to attend the upcoming G20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, 130 investors with over $13 trillion in assets under management (AUM) have written to the G20 Heads of State, urging them to ratify the Paris Climate Change Agreement this year.

The CBD skyline of Hangzhou, China. The city will host the upcoming G20. Photo credit: cnbc.com meeting

The investors, from a coalition of six organisations, have also called on G20 nations to double global investment in clean energy, tighten up climate disclosure mandates, develop carbon pricing and phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

The letter reads in part:

“The Paris Agreement on climate change provides a clear signal to investors that the transition to the low-carbon, clean energy economy is inevitable and already underway.

Governments have a responsibility to work with the private sector to ensure that this transition happens fast enough to catalyse the significant investment required to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals including:

• Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and
•  
• Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions (“a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHGs”) in the second half of the century.”

The six organisations co-sponsoring the letter are: IIGCC – Europe’s Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change; Ceres/INCR – the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk; IGCC – the Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change; AIGCC – the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change; CDP and PRI.

Commenting on the letter, Stephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), said: 
“The Paris Agreement provides a clear signal to investors that the transition to the low-carbon, clean energy economy is inevitable and already underway. Governments must ratify the Paris agreement swiftly and have a responsibility to implement policies that drive better disclosure of climate risk, curb fossil fuel subsidies and put in place strong pricing signals sufficient to catalyse the significant private sector investment in low carbon solutions required to realise the agreement’s goals.”

Investors also called on the G20 leaders to prioritise rulemaking by national financial regulators to require disclosure of “material” climate risks.

Commenting on this, Mindy Lubber, President of the US NGO Ceres and Director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), said: “Financial regulators, like the SEC, should step up attention to improve the quality of corporate climate disclosures, which are broadly lagging when considering wide-ranging and escalating climate risks. Improving the quality of climate-related financial disclosure, and aligning it between different jurisdictions, is vital to spurring broad capital market action on this issue. Our organisations are fully engaged with the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD). We applaud this initiative and encourage G20 nations to consider the TCFD’s forthcoming recommendations as inputs to their national disclosure rules.”
Investors urged the G20 to support a doubling of global investment in clean energy by 2020, as called for by the UN Secretary-General in January 2016.

Speaking about this, Emma Herd, CEO of the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), said: “While the private sector can provide much of this vital investment, policy signals must also support climate goals in the clearest possible manner. Maintaining strong growth in clean energy investment is key to tackling climate change. We strongly encourage G20 nations to ratify Paris and help drive trillions of dollars into new clean energy investment opportunities.”

The letter also welcomes the work of the G20 Green Finance Study Group, which aims to enhance the contribution of institutional investors to the greening of mainstream financial flows.

Fiona Reynolds, Managing Director of PRI, said, “Investors signing this letter understand that the study group’s conclusions will be presented at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2016. We therefore ask for the green finance agenda to be taken forward by the German and other future G20 presidencies. In order for green financing to reach its potential, the G20 must encourage the public and private sectors to work more closely together on issues such as stronger environmental protection and implementation of regulation. 

Incentives and policy frameworks must also be in place so that 
private capital flows more freely into green investments.”
Commenting further, Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, added: “Investors also highlight the recommendations made to world leaders a year ago in the 2015 Global Investor Statement on Climate Change and renew their calls for the G20 to support both the development of carbon pricing and the prompt phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies.”

Finally, the investors, in the letter, urged the G20 to both prioritise implementation of their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and to prepare to strengthen them with the goal of ensuring all G20 nations meet their commitments and raise their climate ambition during 2018 to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals.







*** Story from Environews

I am done with Nigeria--Siasia

All may not have been heard of the Federal Government's  lackadaisical treatment of the national football team, who brought home bronze medal from the just concluded Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

The Coach of the national team Samson Siasia has just announced his resignation.

Siasia Vs Sports Minister sports Minister Solomon Dalung

" I am done with Nigeria", Siasia said in an interview published in Vanguard.

While announcing his quit, Siasia offered explanation to the allegation leveled against him by the Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, that he (Siasia) did not carry him along in the team's plans.
  
" How can I take a national team out of the country without their knowledge of the NFF and the Sports Ministry? I really don’t know where that was coming from.We had the plan to travel from Atlanta to Brazil on the 29th of July. But the agent who was handling that did not get us the chartered flight or pay for our tickets, but nothing actually happened and that was when I, on my own, decided to contact an agent.....continues".

Siasia who recounted many ugly experiences meted to him by the Nigerian government, even after winning many laurels for the country both as a player and a coach, vowed not to have anything to do with the national football team again.

It will be recalled that the Father of the team's captain, John Mikel Obi , has also  lambasted the Federal Government , saying that he expected his son to lead the team home to a heroic welcome by President Buhari, which never came.
 

Am done with Nigeria- says Siasia On August 27, 20165:32 amIn News, SportsComments *Reveals what they did to his wife while he was away for the Olympics *Says he can no longer work with those running sports now *May only return when there’s a true change in sports *Recalls the efforts of President Buhari through Osibanjo, Lai ` Mohammed, Adeosun *Wants money meant for the failed chartered flight to be accounted for Coach of the National U-23 team, Samson Siasia is certainly not new to Nigerian football. His latest foray where he led the team to win Nigeria’s only medal at the just concluded Rio 2016 Olympic Games was not the first time the former Super Eagles striker will be on the saddle. Before now he had coached the same team to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where he won the silver medal after another silver medal in Under 20 World Cup in Holland. In this last assignment for the Rio Olympics, the sports minister Solomon Dalung called him names for taking the team to Atlanta for preparation. Before then the same minister publicly condemned him for dropping some players who played in the African Championship in Senegal. The minister wanted all those who played in Senegal to be in Rio their fitness level or injuries notwithstanding. The Nigeria Football Federation owed him salaries running up to five months. He never got the support he needed from the ministry to the federation. In this interview with Correspondent Jude Opara, Siasia speaks on his future in Nigeria and many more. Excerpts. Welcome from Rio Olympics. How does it feel? Siasia-DalungSiasia-Dalung It feels good because the end justifies the means. We wanted the gold but we are still happy with the bronze because it made Nigerians happy. The minister accused you of child trafficking for taking the team to Atlanta without his knowledge or consent. How can I take a national team out of the country without their knowledge of the NFF and the Sports Ministry? I really don’t know were that was coming from.We had the plan to travel from Atlanta to Brazil on the 29th of July. But the agent who was handling that did not get us the chartered flight or pay for our tickets, but nothing actually happened and that was when I, on my own, decided to contact an agent, Greg.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/am-done-with-nigeria-says-siasia/

Am done with Nigeria- says Siasia On August 27, 20165:32 amIn News, SportsComments *Reveals what they did to his wife while he was away for the Olympics *Says he can no longer work with those running sports now *May only return when there’s a true change in sports *Recalls the efforts of President Buhari through Osibanjo, Lai ` Mohammed, Adeosun *Wants money meant for the failed chartered flight to be accounted for Coach of the National U-23 team, Samson Siasia is certainly not new to Nigerian football. His latest foray where he led the team to win Nigeria’s only medal at the just concluded Rio 2016 Olympic Games was not the first time the former Super Eagles striker will be on the saddle. Before now he had coached the same team to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where he won the silver medal after another silver medal in Under 20 World Cup in Holland. In this last assignment for the Rio Olympics, the sports minister Solomon Dalung called him names for taking the team to Atlanta for preparation. Before then the same minister publicly condemned him for dropping some players who played in the African Championship in Senegal. The minister wanted all those who played in Senegal to be in Rio their fitness level or injuries notwithstanding. The Nigeria Football Federation owed him salaries running up to five months. He never got the support he needed from the ministry to the federation. In this interview with Correspondent Jude Opara, Siasia speaks on his future in Nigeria and many more. Excerpts. Welcome from Rio Olympics. How does it feel? Siasia-DalungSiasia-Dalung It feels good because the end justifies the means. We wanted the gold but we are still happy with the bronze because it made Nigerians happy. The minister accused you of child trafficking for taking the team to Atlanta without his knowledge or consent. How can I take a national team out of the country without their knowledge of the NFF and the Sports Ministry? I really don’t know were that was coming from.We had the plan to travel from Atlanta to Brazil on the 29th of July. But the agent who was handling that did not get us the chartered flight or pay for our tickets, but nothing actually happened and that was when I, on my own, decided to contact an agent, Greg.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/am-done-with-nigeria-says-siasia/