Davron Online

Moses Otolorin, former central defender of Shooting Stars of Ibadan is dead. The former Green Eagles player was reported critically ill before breathing his last at the early hours of Monday at his hometown in Ilorin, Kwara state. Otolorin until his death was a member of the IICC squad that brought the first continental laurel to Nigeria in 1976 after winning Africa’s Winners Cup. In the 1976 continental laurel, Otolorin played alongside late Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami, Folohunso Gambari, Nathaniel Adewole, Mudashiru Lawal and Best Ogedegbe, to mention just a few. Otolorin, who died in his late 60s, is survived by a wife, children and grandchildren.

A legislator, Mr. Solomon Adeola, has applauded the candidature of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as (rtd) General Muhammadu Buhari's running mate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Adeola, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, said that it was a welcome development as Osinbajo would run an effective and unbiased campaign with Buhari. According to NAN, Osinbajo on Wednesday emerged the running mate to Buhari, the APC presidential candidate for the 2015 election. “At the end of the day, we have been able to resolve on one particular person, I believe this is good for the party. “I commend the leadership of the party and thank Nigerians who have shown interest on this issue for the APC to have come out strong to announce a name,” Adeola said. He said that the party had demonstrated that the interest of Nigerians was paramount. Mr. Ayodeji Odu, Chairman,Commi...

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zone-B, has advocated autonomy for the third tier of government in Nigeria in the on-going amendment of the 1999 Constitution. According to a statement in Akure on Thursday by Mr. Dele Atunbi, Vice-President of the zone, granting of autonomy to the local government is in the spirit of true federalism. “Local government autonomy will bring about rapid transformation at the grassroots, unlike the present situation of stunted growth and inaction. “Grassroots development will reduce tremendously rural urban drift and congestion in our city centres. “Reduction in rural urban drift will equally reduce organised crimes in the country and ensure the success of the youth in agriculture programme of the Federal Government. “This will in turn bring about food security as well as generate more activities at the grassroots,” the statement said. The union decried a situation whereby only two out of the three tiers of government enjoyed autonomy, saying “t...

The Nigerian Navy said the gunboats that were alleged to belong to ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, actually belonged to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that media reports said recently that Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, had acquired some warships and gunboats for maritime activities. The Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Austin Oyagha, made the clarification while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday. “No individual has acquired gunboats in this country, the gunboats in question actually belong to NIMASA and these boats are currently being manned by personnel of the Nigerian Navy. “And as you are all aware, the navy has collaboration with NIMASA which dates back to more than three years and it is ongoing. “We have a maritime component attached to the organisation in support to their statutory responsibilities in ensuring the safety of our habours an...

Former African women's footballer of the year Genoveva Anonma has called for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations to be cancelled over fears of the devastating Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Similar to Anonma’s fear of spreading the Ebola virus to her home country, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had to change host after former host Morocco insisted on a postponement of the tournament, a requested not granted. Anonma said: "I am afraid for everyone. They should cancel it for the good of humanity and the good of our country." Following the position of Morocco, government of the Equatorial Guinea insisted it could control the threat and thereby lost the right to Morocco as CAF refused to delay the event. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and has rapidly become the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. The BBC reports that up to 15 December, 6,856 people had been reported as having died from the disease in si...

I am a Nigerian who loves his country and am hopeful about what it can become. I have seen and conducted myself as a patriot long before I thought of myself as a politician. I shall always walk this line and no other. After all the political calculations are made and the dust of competition has settled, it must be this nation and its people who stand first and foremost. The question becomes whether we stand strong, able to shape ourselves into our best future or will we stand frail and trembling, burdened by the abject failure to surmount the multiple problems confronting us. It is against this backdrop that I assess any action I take. Here I come to my name being placed in consideration as the Vice Presidential candidate for our party, the APC. I have laboured hard to move this party from being merely an idea in the minds of a few into being a political organization that might win this election and govern the nation in way that gives the people the hope and opportunity they seek. No...

A computer failure at the United Kingdom’s (UK) air traffic control centre has left UK bound passengers facing widespread flight. The BBC Nats confirmed a "technical problem" at its Swanwick control centre in Hampshire and said airspace remained opened but restricted. It said "every possible action" was being taken to resolve the issue. Heathrow reported delays and Gatwick said all its departing flights had been grounded. Other UK airports reported knock-on effects. They said: • at Heathrow Airport flights are "currently experiencing delays" and planes could be turned away • Incoming flights to Gatwick are continuing to land and all departing flights grounded • Stansted say it is currently working with Nats to find out how it will affect the airport Manchester Airport said it was unaffected by the incident and was ready to accept diverted flights. Thus, many UK bound passengers have remained stranded at various airports around the world as EasyJet confirm...

Many people believe that skills or talents in football or other sports could be inherited but that number may not be as much as those who do not. Quite a number of footballers like Didier Drogba, according to the Daily Mall, think so, especially when he celebrated Chelsea's 6-0 Champions League win with his son Isaac. In his celebration, Drogba showed his son, Isaac what life could be like if he makes it through the academy ranks at Stamford Bridge. Having said that, the long list of father-and-son duos featured in the Premier League’s article entitled "Family Ties: Fathers and Sons of the Barclays Premier League" does much to support this claim, with Harry and Jamie Redknapp, Steve and Alex Bruce, and Gus and Diego Poyet. However, for every genetically gifted offspring, there are equally as many who did not inherit their football gene from their fathers. It was reported by Chronicle Live that even at the age of 12, Paul Gascoigne's son Regan knew he had no "gen...

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, who has been suffering from urinary infection, has left intensive care as he continues to recover from the urinary. The three-time World Cup winner was admitted to Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital on 24 November. A statement from the hospital said the 74-year-old, Brazilian legend "is doing well without medical complications". Though till receiving ‘semi-intensive care’, his kidney function will be assessed again on Wednesday but he is "lucid and eating well" and can walk around his room. BBC reported that the World Cup winner in 1958, 1962 and 1970, was initially discharged from hospital on 13 November after surgery to remove kidney stones. Widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, the football legend scored a world-record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games during his 21-year career.