AfroBasket: D’Tigress bounce off Mozambique, advance to semi-finals

Nigeria’s D’Tigress on Wednesday in Kigali, Rwanda extended their winning streak in Africa to 22 straight wins by over-running Mozambique 59-52 to advance to the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket semi-finals. The hard-earned win means the Nigerian senior women’s national basketball team will now meet hosts Rwanda in Thursday’s semifinal. Mozambique led at the break, after 18-16 and 15-13 wins in the first and second quarters, but Nigeria overcame their lethargy to eventually turn the tables around. They outscored Mozambique 18-10 in the third quarter to set the tone for claiming the win, before a close 12-9 win in the fourth and final quarter. With Nigeria trailing by four points at half-time, they had to rally and find a way to get back into the game. When the opportunity occurred, Elizabeth Balogun seized the moment to help Nigeria tie the contest at 40-40. Amy Okonkwo then gave the reigning champions a short but solid advantage, before Ifunaya Okoro scored from behind the arc to give Nigeria the lead definitely. Mozambique tried to fight back, but they met a resilient and combative Nigeria. Okonkwo chipped in 17 points, Balogun contributed 12 points, and Sarah Ogoke finished just one point shy from a double-digit. Nearly every Nigerian ended the game with at least two points to their credit. However, what saved Nigeria was the depth of their bench, which produced 22 of the 59 points Nigeria needed to see off Mozambique. Nigeria also made the difference on free throws ratio, having 14 for 18 free throws which gave them the edge over Mozambique who had 16 from 24 attempts. The D’Tigresses also out-rebounded Mozambique 51-43, by being more active on the defensive side with 38 boards. But ironically, the game’s best rebounder was Mozambique’s Tamara Seda. With this win, Nigeria have also sent a message to hosts Rwanda that they will be tough nuts to crack, ready and focused on getting a fourth title in a row. Speaking after the game, Nigeria guard Sarah Ogoke said while their opponents were good her team was better and deserved their win. “Mozambique are a great team, and credit to them for putting up such a game. But we stayed together and we made it through,” she said. Looking ahead to their semi-final fixture, Obote said: “We’re going to be playing against the stadium, against the fans, against the entire country. “So it’s going to be very difficult. We will try to get us to Saturday’s final and to the 2024 Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT). “We definitely have what it takes to make it four titles in a row and we have a way of making things happen. And we’ll find a way.”

Stella Oketete not under our investigation- Code of Conduct Bureau

The Code of Conduct Bureau has denied reports making the rounds in some online media platforms that the Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, Stella Erhuvwu Oketete is under investigation by the Bureau. In a statement signed by the Director Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi S.P. on behalf of the Chairman of the Bureau, and made available to the media, he noted that the information did not in any way emanate from their office, and as such, advised the general public to disregard the information. “The attention of the Code of Conduct Bureau, (CCB) has been drawn to the nefarious and deceptive letter with Ref No. CCB/HQ/11&M/NB/099 dated 21st March 2023 purported to have emanated from the Bureau on the above-named Public Officer being investigated by the Bureau in an online media, particularly published by the Sahara Reporters on the 29th July 2023. “The Code of Conduct Bureau wishes to state clearly that it has no hand in the information in circulation, as such the general public should disregard the letter and it’s content,” the statement said. NIGERIAN ANCHOR had reported that an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Oladotun Hassan, asked the Nigerian Senate to disqualify one of the ministerial nominees, Stella Okotete, over allegations of corruption. Read more.. Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force also ordered a discreet investigation of Okotete over alleged falsification of documents and monumental fraud. The human rights lawyer ordered a proper investigation over the alleged use of various front companies as proxies to defraud banks of billions of naira and dollars. The petition called for a reversal of Okotete’s appointment, stating that she was not qualified to hold such a position. “Predicated upon our demand for the independent and conscientious thorough background investigation and profiling of the culprit’s academic credentials and sequence of events as stated in her unsubstantiated and ridiculously padded CV as follows: “To investigate her academic profile as regards her school’s records of exams, school fees payments and NYSC certificate, as well allowance payments during years of service. “To investigate her disqualification by the Senate and her noncompliance to Senate resolution and ruling is highly contemptuous and disobedience to the constituted authority of Senate,” the petition partly read. The Nigeria Police Force investigation order followed a petition by Barrister Aare Oladotun Hassan Esq of Juryman Associate Chambers against the ministerial nominee to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged falsification of documents, fraudulent misrepresentation of qualification to hold Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) statutory position, corrupt practice, monumental fraud and misappropriation. The lawyer in had in April, written a petition to the National Assembly through Akinyelure, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to look into the issue of the Executive Director of Nexim Bank.