Archive for nigeriang

Ministers’ absence stalls council meeting

17/03/2011 No comments

Ministers’ absence stalls council meeting

The weekly Federal
Executive Council meeting was yesterday shelved when no minister showed
up at the presidential council chambers hall, venue of the meeting.

No reasons were
given for the postponement of the meeting, but a presidency source said
it might have to do with the presidential campaign of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), which ended yesterday in Jigawa and Kano states.

The campaign tour,
which lasted for more than a month, affected the attendance of the
ministers at the weekly meeting where issues concerning governance and
the country are discussed and decisions taken.

The last two
council meetings were presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo
while the president continued his campaign. Last week’s meeting
witnessed a scanty turnout of ministers. Since the start of the
campaign, the memos discussed during the meetings have dropped to
almost zero, with the time spent at such meetings ranging from 20
minutes to one hour as against the usual two hours and more.

Over the past five
weeks, President Goodluck Jonathan and Mr. Sambo have campaigned across
the six geo political zones, with several ministers in tow.

Do your job

Mr. Jonathan had,
during the zonal tour, advised members of the cabinet not to allow the
campaign to affect their performance in their different ministries. He
also said that they could attend the campaign in their various zones or
states rather than striving to be at all of the campaign rallies.

The state tour,
which started on the 16th of February, took the president’s team to
Taraba, Plateau and Benue states in the first week; Kogi, Kwara, Niger,
Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra states in the second week; Ogun, Lagos,
Ondo, Ekiti, Osun states in the third week; and then Cross River, Akwa
Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Sokoto states.

The tour ended with Yobe, Borno, Gombe, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa.

Click to Read More Latest News from Nigeria

newstoday

‘I will run a government for all Nigerians’

17/03/2011 No comments

‘I will run a government for all Nigerians’

President Goodluck
Jonathan yesterday promised to run a government that will cater for the
yearning and aspirations of all Nigerians, if elected President in
April.

Mr. Jonathan told
the large crowd of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters gathered
at the Kano Polo ground to witness his campaign that he shared a lot in
common with them.

He recalled that he
came from a poor background whereby, at a point in his life, he never
envisaged that he could rise to his current position of power and
authority.

The President
promised that if voted into power, he will live by the ideals of
uplifting the downtrodden which the late political leader of Kano,
Aminu Kano worked for in his day.

“We would play
politics without bitterness, we would offer selfless service to the
people, and we would help the downtrodden because I share similar
background with you too,” Mr Jonathan said.

“I am one of those
from a poor background. If I am here today, it means there is hope for
you too. I will give hope to the young and jobless. We will unite all
Nigerians and bring peace to this country of ours.”

Mr. Jonathan, who
was delayed from mounting the rostrum for about 30 minutes due to break
down of the public address system, emphasised the need to resuscitate
the power sector.

Promising that
over-reliance on electric generators would reduce drastically in the
next four years, he assured the ecstatic crowd that small and medium
scale industries required to provide employment opportunities would
come back to life if the goal is achieved.

Underlining the
importance of agriculture to Nigerians, he promised to revive
irrigation farming, rehabilitate poor road network and ineffective rail
system to further open up windows of opportunities to Nigerians.

Happy Kwankwanso

The elated Kano
State governorship candidate of the PDP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso expressed
delight to have Mr. Jonathan in the state. He listed the Kano Western
Bypass road project, Irrigation projects at Imawa and Kadawa and the
choice of Kano as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) as some of the
federal government projects in the state.

Urging supporters
to vote for Mr. Jonathan and all PDP candidates, Mr. Kwankwaso, who was
governor of Kano from 1999 to 2003, described the state as a home of
PDP from 2003 to date

At the heavily
secured venue, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Bello Haliru,
received dozens of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) decampees led by
former Director General of Kano Pilgrims board Sani Lawan Kofar Mata to
the PDP.

Among chieftains of
the PDP on Mr. Jonathan’s entourage were his Vice, Namadi Sambo and his
wife, Amina who is from Kano; former Speakers of the House of
Representatives, Salisu Buhari and Ghali Umar Na’abba; Tony Anenih,
Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman; Minister of Education
Ruqayya Ahmed Rufai and Minister of power, Nuhu Wya.

Click to Read More Latest News from Nigeria

newstoday

ACN holds townhall meeting with youth

17/03/2011 No comments

ACN holds townhall meeting with youth

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Monday, during a town-hall meeting in Lagos, paraded before a large number of youth an array of its best candidates for the coming general elections in April.
The event had the party’s presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu and his vice, Fola Adeola, and the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, address a number of issues raised by the youth. Questions answered ranged from education to employment and job creation. Others were power, security, and resource management.
In his opening remarks, the Lagos State governor, who is seeking a re-election for another four year term, stated that the “townhall meeting demonstrates the committement of the ACN to make democracy meaningful in Nigeria.”
Decribing himself and his vice as “the new face of Nigeria that the nation has been looking for,” Nuhu Ribadu noted that the country is currently suffering from the mismanagement of its resources and he that the first thing the ACN government will do is to “stop the bleeding immediately.”
“We will produce a honest leadership that will fix this country and make a country that we will all be proud of,” Mr. Ribadu said.

Opportunity in challenges
Acccording to Mr. Fashola, the party has defined its character ahead of what he called “an uphill task to transform the remaining 32 states of Nigeria.”
“That change can only be achieved if ACN takes over at the federal level to implement a people-focused economic strategy,” he said.
The party presently controls four states in the country.
On addressing the dilapitated standard of education across the country, Mr. Fashola said his government has just recruited graduates of key subjects that students are failing and are required to make a minimum number of credits before admission into the university. He claimed the graduates have been trained to be excellent teachers, with adequate welfare provided for them.
This he describes as seeing “opportunity in challenges by creating jobs in the education and transportation sector in a bid to address the problem.” He urged the youth to be prepared for hard work, saying “the work lies in getting our hands dirty in building our country.”

Corruption, the bane of power
Speaking on power, Mr. Ribadu, the former anti-corruption czar, noted emphatically that “the reason why we do not have power is corruption,” adding that “destroy corruption, take it out, and we will give you electricity and good health.”
He also admitted that sabotage, lawlessness, and ineptitude were responsible for the failure of the ruling party to provide power, despite spending billions of dollars on the problem.
Affirming that he was there when contracts were signed to supply materials to build power stations, Mr. Ribadu noted that up till today, the materials were yet to be supplied and the contractors, who he claimed were friends of the government, are nowhere to be found.
Mr. Adeola, who spoke on the need to tackle the lack of capacity required in the power sector, stated that “within one year, we (the ACN) will achieve something” by tackling the capacity, and start producing people who can address the issue and we will start producing power.”
The former banker explained that the party will be using a long and short term approach to address the problem, as he vowed that “the short term has to be addressed as soon as possible because it is an emergency and while that is being done, the long term approach for sustainability will be worked out.”
On the issue of security, the party’s presidential candidate said there are over 12 million Nigerian graduates roaming the streets without jobs, and he noted that the provision of jobs for this unemployed multitude will reduce crime.
He also noted that to address the issue of security, the nation’s security operatives must be empowered. This was a point corroborated by all the three aspirants, who called for a change of attitude from Nigerians to the police officers who are expected to sacrifice their lives in protecting others.
The Lagos State governor also re-stated the need for each state to have its own police force, and explained that the police force could be a good avenue to create employment if the standard of the profession can be upgraded to make it attractive for young graduates to want to build a career in the force.
The candidates all enjoined the youth to collectively build a society that will make it impossible for corrupt people to survive in the society.
The town hall meeting, which kicked off late due to delayed return of the presidential candidates from Abia State, where they went for their presidential campaign, was streamed live on the internet and broadcasted live on television.

Click to Read More Latest News from Nigeria

newstoday

dele jegede’s ‘Peregrinations’

17/03/2011 No comments

dele jegede’s ‘Peregrinations’

Art historian dele
jegede (he does not capitalise his name) is to make a return to the Nigerian exhibition space with
‘Peregrinations’, his first solo show in the country in over 20 years.
The exhibition, which opens at the Nike Art Gallery in Lagos next
month, will showcase new paintings and drawings by the US-based artist,
currently Professor of Art at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. His last
art public appearance in Nigeria was in April 2010, as the keynote
lecturer on ‘Bruce Onobrakpeya: The Legacy’ at the Grillo Pavilion in
Ikorodu, Lagos. The forthcoming exhibition go a long way to remind
aficionados and patrons of the visual art, practice of jegede, who
graduated with a First Class degree in Fine Art from Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, in 1973.

Social conscience

Pieces that will go
on display in ‘Peregrinations’ include the Niger Delta Series, works
executed in latex on canvas, collage and mixed media. The militancy
motif is a major factor in the Niger Delta Series, exploring the
artist’s ruminations on Nigeria’s oil politics.

“My work has become
a platform for parsing the anguish that is a concomitant of the aborted
dreams that Nigeria emblematises,” jegede said in a statement released
ahead of the exhibition. “From the Niger-Delta imbroglio and the
government’s shocking tepidity in responding to the massive
environmental degradation that has become a perennial issue, to the
political charade in which political actors out-compete themselves in
plundering the collective wealth, Nigeria has become-or should
become-the politically sensitive artist’s canvas,” he stated.

“In contributing to
the efforts to conscientise the citizenry to the squandering of
Nigeria’s human and natural riches, and in stemming the promotion of
the culture of self-aggrandisement by the political class, I stand for
an art that nags our social conscience.”

Receptacles

Also on view in
‘Peregrinations’ are ‘The Abuja Series’ (latex on canvas) and the
‘Ancestral Spirit Series’ (acrylic on canvas). “My canvases function as
receptacles: archives for deeply personal visual soliloquies that are
uttered on those occasions when the need for visual pungency trumps the
desire for the promulgation of beauty.”

The Daily Times years

One of the older
pieces in the exhibition is likely to be ‘State of Anomie’, a 1994
collage on paper piece from the Joe Obiago Collection, which recalls
Jegede’s illustrious career as Art Editor of the now defunct Daily
Times, a position he held from 1974 to 1977. During his time at the
newspaper, jegede worked with, among others, cartoonist Josy Ajiboye
(whose solo exhibition is currently open to the public at Terra Kulture
in Lagos).

jegede made social
and political cartoons the order of the day on the pages of the Daily
Times; and he was responsible for the popular ‘Kole The Menace’ strip
cartoon, which he began drawing in 1976. He was elected President,
Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) in 1989 and worked with notable
scholars and artists, including: Bisi Fakeye, Ndidi Dike and the late
Okpu Eze. SNA state chapters were created during jegede’s tenure. He
delivered the lecture at the first Africa Regional Summit and
Exhibition on Visual Arts (ARESUVA), in 2008.

As he prepares for
his new two-week exhibition, dele jegede suggests that his art is also
a reflection on his self-exile, among other preoccupations. “My art is
cathartic. It is an averment of my personal aesthetics: an articulation
of the pangs and anxieties, the socio-cultural bemusements and
conflicts, and the political conundrums and economic predilections that
have continued to assault my sensibilities as a Diasporic citizen,” he
declared.

He stated further: “My creative temper has become increasingly
apathetic to the production of art that cosmetises. The social,
intellectual, and emotional tensions imposed by voluntary exile-the
contradictions inherent in living in an adopted home but incapable of,
or unwilling to, sever the umbilical cord to my ancestral roots-are
confronted, addressed, but remain unresolved in my art.”

dele jegede’s
‘Peregrinations’ is at the Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos from April 30
to May 12.

Click to read more Entertainment news

entertainment

Italian and Nigerian artists for cross cultural art exhibition

17/03/2011 No comments

Italian and Nigerian artists for cross cultural art exhibition

‘Crosscurrents’, a
contemporary art exhibition which will feature works by artists from
Italy and Nigeria, will open on Thursday, March 17, at the Civic
Centre, Lagos.

Speaking at a
conference in Lagos on Tuesday, March 15, the organisers of the
exhibition, Marta Boezi and Marinu Paduano of M Contemporary Art,
revealed that the aim of the exhibition is to export Italian culture to
other countries.

A similar
exhibition titled ‘Under Italian Eyes’ had been organised by M
Contemporary Art in Egypt last year. Also present at the press
conference was actress and filmmaker, Ego Boyo, one of the Nigerian
facilitators of the exhibition, and representatives from sponsors,
Oando Plc, Agip, and Global Energy Group.

From Italy with art

The organisers
revealed that ‘Crosscurrents’ is “a significant meeting point of the
cultures between two countries.” According to them, “this exhibition is
a unique opportunity to confront contemporary Italian currents with a
country and a continent, where the ancient roots are flourishing more
vigorously than ever in the artistic production of the new millennium.”

They added that the event was also an opportunity to “energise the ongoing metamorphosis of Italian art.”

According to Ms.
Boezi, some of the Italian artists are talented and well known in
Italy, with each possessing their own unique styles, which will be
reflected in their artworks. She added that some of the artworks will
explain how the artists use different materials to explain contemporary
art.

“We are sure that their selection can give a panoramic view of Nigerian and Italian contemporary art,” she said.

Twenty are chosen

On the criteria for
selecting the Nigerian artists, Ms. Boyo stated that there are numerous
talented artists in Nigeria. However, the shortlist had to be narrowed
to the selected ten.

“All the artists
are spectacular, they bring something fresh,” she said, adding that
some of the artworks to be put up were new and had never been displayed
before.

Apart from
selecting Nigerian artists doing impressive work, she revealed that the
artists were also chosen on the basis of certain similarities between
their works and that of the ten Italian artists.

The organisers
stated that a follow-up exhibition, which would take the ten Nigerian
artists to Italy, would be organised and that a date would be announced
later.

The representative
of Oando Plc, one of the sponsors of the exhibition, Meka Olowola,
announced that the company’s interest in the exhibition stemmed from
her aspiration to promote Nigerian talents.

The ten Nigerian
artists participating in the exhibition include: Peju Alatise, Uche
Edochie, Oliver Enwonwu, Rom Isichei, Uche James Iroha, Chidi Kwubiri,
Alex Nwokolo, Abiodun Olaku, Kolade Oshinowo, and Mudi Yahaya.

The Italian artists
for the exhibition include: Matteo Basile, Angelo Bellobono, Filippo
Centenari, Alberto Di Fabio, Omar Galliani, Jonathan Guaitamacchi,
Adriano Nordi, Davide Eron Savadei, and Stefania Fabrizi, the only
female in the group.

“The justification
for us is simple and straightforward; the ability to take the
made-in-Nigeria dream and turn it into a world class project,” Mr.
Olowola stated.

He lauded the
initiative, and said it is a positive sign for Nigerian Art, which
would end the underrepresentation of Nigerian art at international art
exhibitions.

‘Crosscurrents’ is at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, from March 17 to 18.

Click to read more Entertainment news

entertainment

Liverpool, Ajax battle for Europa League survival

17/03/2011 No comments

Liverpool, Ajax battle for Europa League survival

Liverpool
and Ajax Amsterdam, nine-times European champions between them, will
both sorely miss Uruguay’s Luis Suarez as they battle for survival in
the Europa League on Thursday.

Four-times European
champions Ajax travel to Spartak Moscow for a last-16 return match 1-0
down from last week’s first leg while Liverpool face Portuguese
upstarts Braga at Anfield trailing by the same score.

Suarez scored 81
league goals in less than four seasons with Ajax before leaving for
Liverpool in January and the Dutch team could certainly have done with
his nose for goal in Russia, having dominated the game and missed a
hatful of chances.

Suarez miss

Liverpool will also be unable to count on the 23-year-old forward because he is cup-tied.

“We would much
rather have Luis playing in the Europa League but then we would much
rather have him for a long-term contract than just for three months,”
manager Kenny Dalglish told Sky’s website (www.skysports.com).

“We are happy he is at the club and we just need to wait.”

Although Suarez is
absent, plenty of other South Americans have been enjoying themselves
in Europe’s much-maligned second-string tournament.

South American
players grabbed winners in four of last week’s eight ties and Colombian
Radamel Falcao Garcia tops the overall scoring charts with seven goals
for Porto.

Brazilian
midfielder Alex Meschini poached Spartak’s winner at Ajax and
compatriot Nilmar netted twice to give Villarreal a 3-2 win at Bayer
Leverkusen and put his side in the driving seat in the clash between
the only surviving Spanish and German teams.

Portuguese sides
Porto and Benfica regularly feature up to eight South Americans in
their starting line-ups, with Colombians and Argentines joining the
more familiar Brazilians.

Porto have been a
dominant force in the competition this year, losing only one out of 11
games, and are strongly placed to progress as they host CSKA Moscow
with a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Russia.

Superb strike

The winner was courtesy of a superb strike from Falcao’s fellow Colombian Fredy Guarin.

Benfica’s line-up
could include Paraguay World Cup striker Oscar Cardozo, experienced
Argentines Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola and bright prospects for the
future in Franco Jara and Eduardo Salvio.

Salvio is hoping to
collect a winner’s medal for the second year running, having been part
of the Atletico Madrid squad that lifted the trophy last year.

“I had a wonderful
experience in the Europa League with Atletico. Now I am feeling the
same with Benfica,” said the 20-year-old whose team take a 2-1 lead to
Paris St Germain after goals from Uruguayan Maxi Pereira and Franco
Jara.

“I think we can
score in France … we all know it will be a very difficult game but we
have very good, experienced players who can help us through.”
Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas is another Europa League fan.

“For me it’s a big competition,” he said.

“Maybe some people
don’t give this competition too much importance but in Brazil the
Europa League is very important for everyone.

“I am looking forward to getting through to the next stage and why not dream of the title?,” Lucas added.

“Unfortunately I
still don’t have medals but when you come to Liverpool you come to win
trophies and that’s the way you have to always think. When you retire
all you have are the good clubs you have played for and the trophies
you have won.” In other ties, big-spending Manchester City will try and
claw back a 2-0 deficit at home to Dynamo Kiev while Twente Enschede
take a 3-0 lead to 2008 champions Zenit St Petersburg, the third
surviving Russian team.

Rangers also host Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven after a goalless first leg.

Click to Read More Sports Stories

Sports

I have learnt my lessons, says Akpan

17/03/2011 No comments

I have learnt my lessons, says Akpan

Heartland
FC goalkeeper, Bassey Akpan is excited that the Appeals Committee of
the Nigeria Football Federation has lifted a one year ban placed on him
by the disciplinary committee.

Akpan was
sanctioned after he shoved the centre referee for what he believed was
a wrong call in a game against Sunshine Stars on January 20.

Despite his joy, the goalkeeper said he learned some hard lessons in the time he spent outside the football arena.

“I have learnt a lot and I have also realised my mistakes,” he said.

“I have no business
with how any referee handles any match; my job is to guide against the
opponent scoring against my team and that is what I will face
squarely.”

A successful appeal

Heartland had appealed the decision to ban Akpan for a year and on Tuesday the Appeals Committee ruled in their favour.

The committee
reduced Akpan’s ban to the time he has already served in addition to
six month suspended ban, which he would have to serve if he is involved
in any disciplinary case within the period.

The committee also ruled that the Nigeria Premier League should promptly refund the N100, 000 fine paid by Akpan.

Ready to return

Already, Akpan is
eager to return to action stating that he is still optimistic of
getting a call to join the Super Eagles team for the must win match
against Ethiopia on March 27.

“I am still hopeful
for a call; I hope the coaches can still give me a look in. I have been
part of the team’s training at different times and I always give my
best when any opportunity is given,” he said.

Only the
Israel-based duo of Vincent Enyeama and Dele Aiyenugba were handed call
ups in the 24-man list released by Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia.

Akpan thanked the football federation and everybody that stood by him while the ban lasted.

“I am very excited and happy right now; I thank God almighty and
everybody for their support in those trying times. It wasn’t easy I
must confess I am happy to be back,” he concluded.

Click to Read More Sports Stories

Sports

Eriksson says Yakubu will rediscover scoring touch

17/03/2011 No comments

Eriksson says Yakubu will rediscover scoring touch

Nigerian
striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu hasn’t scored for Leicester City in almost a
month but his coach at the English Championship side, Sven-Goran
Eriksson believes it won’t be long before the striker rediscovers his
scoring form.

Yakubu, who joined
Leicester in January — on loan until the end of the season from
Premier League side Everton — found the back of the net four times in
his first six games for the Foxes.

But since grabbing
Leicester’s opening goal in the Foxes 2-1 win over Bristol City at the
Walkers Stadium on February 18, the Nigerian international has been
unable to score a goal for the promotion seeking side.

Five games and over
500 minutes of football have since gone by since Yakubu’s 21st minute
strike against Bristol City, and it is enough to make any striker
worried.

Eriksson, a former
coach of the English national team, admits that it was a source of
concern for the highly-rated Yakubu, but is quick to add that he was
satisfied with the Nigerian’s overall contribution to the team.

Confidence

The Swedish-born coach is nevertheless certain that the 28-year-old would very soon rediscover his goal scoring form.

“I guess it is more
a concern for him as a striker, but not just him, any striker,
especially as he has come from the Premier League and dropped down a
division,” said Eriksson, also a former handler of Italian sides Parma
and Lazio.

He added: “His fame
is goal scoring. He had a couple of chances against Norwich (on
Tuesday, March 8) and he will score again soon, no problem.

“We want to play
him in as often as possible because we know if he can control it, and
he is always marked of course, something will come out of his
cleverness.

“He comes out on the half turn and plays people in. He is a clever football player.”

Leicester City,
following five straight victories, have since suffered three losses in
their last five games and have dropped to ninth on the log standings.

But with nine matches to the end of the season, they will need to
rediscover their early season form if they are to secure one of the two
automatic promotion spots beginning with this weekend’s home game
against Portsmouth which incidentally was one of Yakubu’s former sides.

Click to Read More Sports Stories

Sports

Eguavoen beefs up Olympic squad

17/03/2011 No comments

Eguavoen beefs up Olympic squad

Head
Coach of the national U-23 team, Austin Eguavoen has reviewed his team
list for next weekend’s 2012 Olympic Games qualifying match against
Equatorial Guinea. Eguavoen called up Nosa Igiebor and Odion Jude
Ighalo to replace central defender Alex Nkume and forward Uchebo
Okechukwu.

Just as his team
was preparing to hit Benin City on Thursday morning to continue
preparation for the match at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Eguavoen
said he has come to the conclusion that Ighalo, who captained the
Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009 and Igiebor
would better serve his purpose for the first leg encounter.

Striker Ighalo plays for Grenada FC of Spain while Igiebor plays in
Norway. Uchebo Okechukwu and Alex Nkume played for the Flying Eagles at
the African Youth Championship in Rwanda in early 2009.

Click to Read More Sports Stories

Sports

Nigeria’s Odoh vies for millions in Golf Open

17/03/2011 No comments

Nigeria’s Odoh vies for millions in Golf Open

Nigeria’s
former number one ranked golfer, Oche Odoh, will take to the field
today as this year’s edition of the MTC Namibia Open tees off in the
Namibian capital, Windhoek.

The championship,
which will see participants battling for a share of the 1.2million
South African rand (around 39million naira) prize money will be taking
place on the 6,570-metre par-71 Windhoek Country Club.

The star prize is
however 190,200 rand (around six million naira) and a strong field of
131 golfers, including Oche, will be hoping that they get to become the
winner of the princely amount come the end of the championship on
Sunday.

“I am very
positive. In a while I have not felt like this and I am very
confident,” said Oche who is the only Nigerian taking part in the
championship which is one of the biggest events in the Southern
African-based Sunshine Tour.

Odoh recently took
part in the Harare Open, but despite an impressive display of shots
that saw him progressing from the pre-qualifying rounds and into the
tournament’s main draw, he failed to advance past the second round no
thanks to a heavy downpour.

He is however
hoping to make up for his recent disappointment with a good display at
the Namibia Open, and is encouraged by the victory of his close buddy
Gift Willy in last month’s Gambian Open.

“Gift is my
room-mate in South Africa and it is comforting and encouraging to hear
the news of his win in Banjul,” Odoh said of his compatriot.

“We share the same dream of playing ourselves to the top of the world ranking. It is encouraging.”

The favourites

Odoh is scheduled
to take to the greens later today in the company of South Africa’s
Lourens Kleynhans and Finland’s Onkoshi Eriksson but he, as well as
other competitors at the Open will have to be at their best to get the
better of South Africa’s Branden Grace.

In the absence of
defending champion, Hennie Otto, and with the man who beat him to the
title in the final round of last month’s Telkom PGA Championship,
George Coetzee, in action in the Sicilian Open on the European Tour,
Grace, currently ranked seventh on the Sunshine Tour, is one of the
favourites for the title.

But he won’t have things all his own way as he will challenged by
his cousin Michiel Bothma, a four-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, and
fellow South African Oliver Bekker.

Click to Read More Sports Stories

Sports
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »