SPORTS minister John Enoh has insisted that the federal government is as interested as ‘thirsty’ Nigerians in how the Super Eagles fare in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament will be held in Cote d’Ivoire from January 13 to February 11, with Nigeria and 23 other teams participating.

The Super Eagles have won the AFCON title three times but their last triumph was in 2013, and they were eliminated in the round of 16 the last time out in Cameroon in 2022.

Enoh, who succeeded Sunday Dare as sports minister months ago after being appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has warned the Super Eagles not to fail this time and promised the full support of Aso Rock.

“Our country is so passionate about football, such that amidst all other sports, football is about the only sport that has an entry in the nation’s national budget,” Enoh said while meeting with Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Gusau and Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro in Abuja.

“That is how important football is because whatever happens to it, happens to us as a country.

“After 10 years, the country is thirsty to win the AFCON. It will matter a great deal to the Nigerian people, and the Government of President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“It is important to not just leave the task to the NFF alone, but the Government is also interested in being able to tell the Nigerian people what is being done in that regard.”

The Super Eagles are drawn in Group A for the tournament and will battle Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and hosts Cote d’Ivoire for round of 16 tickets.

Since the 2013 success, the Super Eagles have struggled at AFCON, failing to qualify for the 2015 and 2017 editions and the only medal they have won since then was bronze in 2019 under Gernot Rohr.

[NaijaTimes]

In an extraordinary announcement, the National Women’s Hall of Fame will induct Serena Williams and Ruby Bridges in March 2024, during Women’s History Month. This induction is not merely a nod to their individual legacies but a profound recognition of their significant impact on sports, civil rights, and beyond in the United States.

Williams, renowned for her remarkable achievements in tennis with a record 23 Grand Slam titles, has evolved into a formidable figure in the realms of finance and business. Her ventures, extending beyond the tennis courts, include fashion and entrepreneurship, demonstrating her substantial financial influence. This transition from a sports legend to a business icon marks a new era in the intersection of finance and feminism.

Bridges, who emerged as a civil rights icon at six years old, continues to inspire through her foundation, advocating for educational equity and social change. Her courageous act of integrating an all-white school in Louisiana in 1960 has been foundational in the fight for educational equality and racial justice.

The induction of Williams and Bridges symbolizes a powerful message about resilience and determination in reshaping societal norms and influencing fields like finance and social justice. They stand as icons of their time and architects of a future where finance and feminism are seamlessly integrated.

Serena Williams: A Global Icon Beyond Tennis

Williams’ impact extends far beyond the tennis court. After her retirement, she transitioned into a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs and fashion enthusiasts, evidenced by her recent recognition as a Fashion Icon by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Her business ventures, including Serena Ventures, reflect her acumen in venture capitalism and brand partnerships. This journey from tennis superstar to business mogul and fashion icon is a story of resilience and adaptability, serving as an inspiration for a new generation of women to pursue diverse career paths.

Ruby Bridges: Championing Equality and Education

Bridges’ historic act of bravery in 1960, immortalized in Norman Rockwell’s painting “The Problem We All Live With,” symbolizes the fight against segregation and injustice. Through the Ruby Bridges Foundation, she promotes tolerance and respect, focusing on creating a more inclusive society. Her continued advocacy in racial equality and educational reform is a testament to the enduring impact of dedication to a cause.

Legacy of Change: Celebrating Williams and Bridges

The induction of Williams and Bridges into the National Women’s Hall of Fame transcends individual achievements, symbolizing their roles as pioneers who reshaped societal norms. They serve as powerful reminders of the impact of challenging the status quo and breaking barriers. Their stories inspire future generations to continue fighting for equality and justice, showcasing their ongoing influence in creating a more inclusive world.

2024 Inductees: Diverse Pioneers and Innovators

The 2024 induction class reflects the diverse impact women have made in various fields. This group of trailblazers includes figures like Peggy McIntosh, known for her work on white privilege, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, who contributed significantly to critical race theory. Judith Plaskow’s critiques in Jewish feminism, Loretta Ross’s human rights activism, and Sandy Stone’s pioneering work in transgender studies highlight the Hall of Fame’s commitment to recognizing a wide spectrum of contributions.

Posthumous Tributes: Visionaries Who Shaped the World

The Hall of Fame will posthumously honor Dr. Patricia Bath, Dr. Anna Wessels Williams, and Elouise Pepion Cobell. These visionary women have left indelible marks in medical innovation, disease research, and financial empowerment, continuing to inspire and influence today. Their legacies serve as powerful reminders of the enduring impact of visionary work.

A Historic Ceremony: Broadcasting Women’s Achievements

For the first time, the induction ceremony will be nationally broadcast from New York City, highlighting the increasing recognition of women’s contributions. This historic event, symbolically connected to the women’s rights movement’s roots in Seneca Falls, will bring the stories of these remarkable women to a nationwide audience.

Embracing Women’s Power and Diversity

The 2024 induction celebrates the diverse and impactful contributions of women in various sectors. This event highlights the resilience, intelligence, and creativity women bring to every endeavor, encouraging a continued commitment to recognizing and supporting the roles women play in advancing the world. The induction serves as an affirmation of the invaluable contributions of women, past and present, to our society.

[hbillionaires.africa]

Nine-time African champions, the Super Falcons have qualified for the 2024 Africa Women Cup of Nations 7-1 on aggregate after a hard fought 2-1 victory over Cape Verde in the return leg of the final round qualifying fixture played yesterday in Praia, Cape Verde.

After a 5-0 whitewash of Cape Verde in the first leg of the 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations final round qualifying fixture last Thursday in Abuja, the Super had to fight back from a goal down to snatch victory from their opponents who needed to score six goals without conceding any to stand a chance of qualifying for the next AWCON.

Uchenna Kanu, with a first-half brace, and substitute Esther Okoronkwo, with a second-half brace, in the first leg had swept the nine-time African champions into a comfortable lead going into the return leg.

However, in yesterday contest, the more endowed Super Falcons suffered an early set back as the host went in front as early as the 8th minute of the match when Ivania Moreia put her team ahead with the opening goal of the match.

The Super Falcons sought for an instant response but the host stood firm to ensure that they went into the break with the slim advantage.

On resumption, the Super falcons continued to pile pressure and would have been on level terms with their host had the referee not ruled out Esther Okoronkwo’ 55th goal for offside.

But the substitute drew Nigeria level with a solo finish in the 62nd minute which literally took the tie out of the reach of Cape Verde.

To ensure they qualified for the 2024 AWCON in style, the Super Falcons refused to take their feet off the pedal and were rewarded with the winning goal in the third minute of second half added time.

Athletico Madrid forward Rasheedat Ajibade scored the winning goal for the Super Falcons to qualify for the 2024 AWCON in style.

The most successful team in the Africa Women Cup of Nation, the Super Falcons have been to every edition of the tournament beginning from 1991 when Nigeria hosted the inaugural edition.

The Super Falcons last won the AWCON in 2018 in Ghana.

[DailyTrust]

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has hit out at Sky Sports pundits, insisting that his players are not complacent.

City travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday on the back of conceding eight goals in three straight draws.

It is their worst run in the league since 2017.

Ahead of the Villa game, Guardiola hit out at former City defender, Micah Richards, Jamie Carragher and particularly Gary Neville, who suggested that the champions are suffering from complacency winning the Treble last season.

“Gary Neville knows how difficult it is, otherwise he would’ve won four Premier Leagues in the best period of Manchester United.

“But he didn’t do it. Maybe they accuse us of complacency because they felt complacency (at United). Maybe they felt it. This team so far, no chance.

“Jamie Carragher didn’t win one (title). Micah Richards didn’t win four Premier Leagues in a row. Never, ever. It’s never happened,” Guardiola said.

[DailyPost]

Super Eagles Star, Victor Osimhen has been named Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) 2023 player of the year following his superb year in the Serie A.

The Napoli forward played a pivotal role in leading the club to their first Serie A title in 33 years.

Osimhen and his teammates were honoured for the historic triumph.

Napoli’s title-winning coach, Luciano Spalletti was named the coach of the year, while winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia won the goal of the year award.

He has now joined the league of players to win the prestigious award, which includes Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon and Rafael Leao.

The 24-year-old scored 26 goals in 32 Serie A appearances for Napoli in the title-winning campaign last season.

He also had five goals in the Champions League as Napoli crashed out in the quarter final against AC Milan.

Osimhen has struggled with injury this season missing majority of Napoli’s matches.

He has scored six goals in 10 Serie A matches this season.

Osimhen and his Napoli teammates will resume Serie A action against Juventus on Friday.

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has insisted that they will still win the Premier League title this season.

The reigning champions have won the trophy for three consecutive years.

City however find themselves two points behind leaders Arsenal after 14 fixtures, ahead of a testy trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Guardiola’s men will be looking to end a run of three successive draws at Villa Park. But the Spaniard remains confident they are on track to become the first team to win the title four times in a row.

“If you ask me today, my feeling is that we’re going to win the Premier League.

“If we play at the levels that we showed against Liverpool and Tottenham, we’re going to do it again – knowing that it is not easy of course,” Guardiola told reporters.

[DailyPost]

The biggest story in Nigeria at the moment is the size of Nigeria’s delegation to the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Summit on Climate Change, otherwise known as COP 28. In simple terms, the objective of the Conference of Parties is to secure multilateral, bilateral agreements on the consensus by a panel of international, intergovernmental, climate change scientists (IPCC) that for our world to be save, global temperatures must be kept at a level not above 1.5C, as adopted in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, beyond which the whole world will be at risk. Before this year’s conference, it was disclosed in a UN Report that the world was indeed endangered and that the threshold could go beyond 2 degrees C. By September 2023, the world had exceeded the projected limit, far above pre-industrial levels.

This was meant to put pressure on world leaders to pay more attention to the threats of carbon emission, climate change, and the impact on human communities, that is challenges induced within the global ecosystem by the rise in sea levels, hurricanes, floods and environmental disasters, occasioned by man’s abuse of and neglect of the environment: man-made, man-conditioned environmental crisis. Climate adaptation, carbon markets, and climate financing are issues that have been atop the global agenda in the last three and more years. UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said the “emissions gap is more like an emissions canyon”.

From COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland, to COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, the Africa Climate Week organized by the African Development Bank Group in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2023 (Africa’s 11th Conference on the subject), and now the COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the goal has been to keep global warming to a limit of 1.5C or 2 C.– the second threshold in the Paris Agreement. High income countries account for the bulk of green-house gas emissions. At COP 26, commitments and pledges were made across the public and private sectors. At COP 27, in Egypt last year, many key arrangements remained unresolved, especially the demand by the developing countries for a loss and damage fund to compensate low-income nations. The main achievement of this year’s event would be the resolve on Day One to agree on a loss and damage deal for green-house gas emissions. Payments are to be made into the fund on a voluntary basis. The World Bank will host the fund for four years on an interim basis. A number of countries have already made pledges: Germany ($100 m), UAE ($100m), United States ($17.5 m) and Japan ($10 m). It is still a far cry from what is required, but it is a historic, hard-fought achievement.

For good reason, Nigeria is a participant at COP 28. We showed up in 2021at COP 26, where during the presentation of National Statements, President Muhammadu Buhari pledged Nigeria’s commitment to a net-zero emission policy. Buhari was not in Egypt for COP 27, the country was represented by Mohammed Abdullahi who was then Minister of Environment. This year at COP 28, Nigeria’s new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully on the ground in Dubai for the World Climate Action Summit scheduled for a total of 13 days – November 30 to December 12. President Tinubu has been very active, participating at high level sessions where he has shared the platform with world leaders including the COP 28 President, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, former US Vice President and Climate Change activist, John Kerry and the Chinese Envoy on Climate Change. President Tinubu has also met on the sidelines with Chancellor Olaf Scholz with whom he discussed Nigeria’s energy needs and the need to deepen collaboration with Germany, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, President William Ruto of Kenya, President of Namibia, Hage Geingob, and climate activist and philanthropist, Michael Bloomberg. He has made statements about Nigeria’s commitment to end gas flaring, reduce carbon footprint and commit not just to an energy mix, but an eco-friendly future driven by sustainable, alternative energy to turn Nigeria into an investment friendly environment for carbon market investments. He has also been using every opportunity to ask for collaboration with other nations. At the African Green Industrialization session on Saturday, President Tinubu further made a strong case for Nigeria and Africa.

It is most unfortunate, however, that Nigeria’s participation which should have turned out as one of President Tinubu’s major outings on the international scene from the perspectives of economic diplomacy and sovereignty affirmation, has now been marred, irretrievably by reports of Nigeria’s large delegation at the conference- the largest from Africa, the fourth largest globally after the host country, UAE, Brazil and China, attending a 13-day event. There has been some quibbling and tittle-tattle over the exact size of the delegation. I am familiar with that. In our time, when the Naira exchanged for less than N150 to the dollar, and Nigeria was a high performing economy in Africa, with an annual GDP growth of over 6%, Sahara Reporters constantly complained about the size of the President’s delegation to conferences.

If the number was anywhere near 30, Sahara Reporters would raise an alarm, and if I called to complain about a deliberate attempt to de-market the country and the Presidency, the publisher Omoyele Sowore would tell me that he was an Ijaw man who had no reason to de-market his own brother, and that in any case he had a copy of the delegation list. I put it all down to sabotage from within. But this time the situation is slightly different. The information out there in the public domain about President Tinubu’s delegation to Dubai is extracted by the analysts from the COP 28 website, and from reports by Statisense, a leading AI data company, and instructively from State House list. Whereas the details and figures may differ just slightly, what is clear is that Nigeria has a total delegation of 1, 411 persons in Dubai for COP 28. One newspaper reported that the main delegation travelled to Dubai in three plane loads – chartered flights, and the worst part of it is that the Nigerian government did not give the contract for the air freight to any domestic airline.

The total cost of the air ticket for the 590 delegates on the Federal Government’s account is estimated at N880 million. To be added unto this is the vast expenditure on hotel accommodation and estacodes. In a Statisense report, estacode per night for a Minister is $900, Special Adviser $800, Director General of MDAs - $900, House of Representatives member - $900… and so on. The only category that I did not see is the estacode for mistresses, family members and confidantes who according to the opposition parties, notably the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are all over Dubai as delegates. Ovieteme George, Arise News Correspondent reporting from Dubai, has claimed that he has not seen most of the delegates at key events that he has covered so far, not even at the Nigerian Pavilion: at most, the President and a few persons are the active ones at the event. Our investigative journalists would do well to check the shopping malls of Dubai, or cozy hotel rooms where far more pressing and important climate change discussions may be taking place among Nigerians!

Debo Ologunagba, speaking for the PDP has complained about an “over-bloated delegation” brimming with “cronies, political minions and mistresses at huge expense to the nation”. Peter Obi says Nigeria’s capacity to compete with China should be in the area of productivity, rather than the waste of resources on delegates to conferences, junkets, as well as unnecessary ceremony and showmanship as a mode of government behaviour - at a time more Nigerians are living in multi-dimensional poverty. Waziri Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential candidate, says Tinubu is in Dubai for an “owambe” party, an all-comers jamboree, that is ridiculous and indicative of a lack of governance, awareness and responsibility. The only voice of protest that I have not heard is that of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) who have been championing the call for accountability in the management of state resources. Someone has since whispered to me that they too may have their representatives in Dubai as part of the COP 28 party!

The tone of the response by the Federal Government is to dismiss the protests as opposition gimmickry. I doubt if this is politics. Temitope Ajayi, spokesperson to the President, was the first to offer a defence along the line that most of the delegates in Dubai are from the private sector and civil society organizations who paid their way to the conference to promote their respective causes, and that in any case, it is standard practice for all delegates to be registered against their country of origin, in addition to Nigeria being the most populous country in Africa. Ajayi was responding to reports that the Nigeria Council on Climate Change has 54 persons in Dubai, 53 from the Ministry of Environment, 36 from the National Assembly, and the Presidency- 138 and so on and so forth, making a total of 590 on the government list. Yesterday, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris fouled up the waters further in a press statement, in which he argued funnily that the Federal Government-sponsored delegation “is made up of a total of 422 persons.” He even tried to revise the breakdown in an even funnier manner. Would anyone ask the Minister, what exactly is the difference between 422 and 590? Can he tell Nigerians the difference between Okeke and Okereke? Sometimes, it is better for our leaders to keep quiet than to open their mouths and embarrass government. Minister Idris obviously does not get the point. He even mixed up the numbers in trying to “set the records straight”.

COP 28’s official published list says more than 97, 000 participants are attending COP 28 in person. In order to justify his spin, he cuts the number to “more than 70, 000”! Very bad optics. African leaders have often been criticized for rushing to any International Conference to mark the attendance register whereas they should be insisting that some of these conferences should be held in Africa. This year, Morocco has sent a delegation of 823 persons to Dubai, Kenya, 765; Tanzania 763, Ghana, 618! Nigeria has a low GDP compared to other countries, the country’s currency is over N1, 000 to the US dollar, inflation is 27. 33%, Nigeria is planning to borrow almost 100% to fund its 2024, 27.5 trillion, budget. Nigeria has now been said to have the same number of delegates with China in Dubai but while China is the second largest economy in the world, Nigeria runs a bankrupt economy. It is so bad that Nigeria imports traditional African batik, popularly known as adire and cassava flakes, garri, that our grandmothers used to produce from China! We even import toothpicks, and yet we have 1, 411 persons attending a conference in Dubai spending to help build the UAE economy. The Tinubu administration tells Nigerians to tighten their belts and make necessary sacrifices for the country to regain and restore hope.

Our leaders must lead by example. Malawi is not in Dubai this year. This is because its President, Lazarus Chakwera, in November, decided to suspend all foreign trips by himself and government officials till March next year. He cancelled his attendance at COP 28 as part of a number of austerity measures that he announced. Malawi recently took a four-year loan from the IMF – about $170 million. The country also devalued its currency, the Kwacha, by 44%. The country faces a cost-of-living crisis. The President says the country needs to save money, and the responsibility for doing so includes every one in government. In Zambia, President Hakainde Hichilema, upon assumption of office, refused to collect salaries for eight months, stating that he was more interested in serving the people. He refused to buy new cars for the Presidency. These are living examples for Nigerian leaders to emulate. Most of our people in Dubai COP 28 at government expense have no business being there. We can only hope that all the 1, 411 persons attending the party in Dubai will return home and not use the opportunity of the UAE visa to “Japa.” When all is said and done, Nigeria must institute regular mental health checks for public officials. I simply cannot understand why as part of the main highlights of Nigeria’s participation at COP 28, top executives of two government agencies with headquarters in Abuja - the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) are in Dubai to sign a joint Memorandum of Understanding and make a song and dance out of it. This is the very height of buffoonery and stupidity!

Now, the main event itself: the success of COP 28 would depend on what language is used in the final agreement – whether there would be an agreement to “phase out” fossil fuels or to “phase down”. This is one of the most controversial issues at COP 28 despite the fact that 100 countries already support a phase-out of fossil fuels. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told COP 28 last Friday that “the science is clear…Not reduce. Not abate. Phase out with a clear time frame.” Many other countries have a different attitude. UAE’s Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President of COP 28 was not joking at all when he thundered at a high-level meeting that there is “no science behind the demands for a phase-out of fossil fuels.” His country is in fact planning to ramp up oil production. He insists that a phase-out decision would block sustainable development.

Some progress may have been made with regard to loss and damage funding, Article 6, climate adaptation/financing, but the looming failure to reach a consensus on the future of fossil fuels by December 12 may well be the major story of COP 28. Other countries may not have voiced their hypocrisy openly but there are many of the privileged, developed countries, and Big Oil companies that are just window-dressing on climate issues and the scale of the energy transition. In September, the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak did a U-Turn on net zero emissions. He had earlier approved 100 new licences for oil and gas drilling for the North Sea. Green groups in the UK were aggrieved; they subsequently launched an attack on his North Yorkshire home. He could not be bothered. It should therefore not be surprising that the UK has pledged just a mere $60 million to the loss and damage fund. The US even did worse: $17.5 million, and Japan - $10 million. Payments to the Fund are voluntary, keeping the devil at the centre of the details.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag reportedly wants the Red Devils to sign Brazilian youngster Estevao Willian, who is also on the radar of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Barcelona.

According to a report by Fichajes, Man United are also keen to sign the 16-year-old winger, who currently plays for Palmeiras.

Man United’s recent additions to the wings, Antony and Jadon Sancho, have failed to leave an impact on the Premier League club.

However, Ten Hag’s side will also have to compete with the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Barcelona for Willian’s signature.

Willian scored three goals and provided the same number of assists in five appearances in the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup before Selecao were eliminated by Argentina in the quarterfinals on November 24.

[DailyPost]

A retired fighter who knows what it takes to become a three-time world champion doubts whether Anthony Joshua has the ability to repeat his feat.

Joshua is about to fight for the third time in a year for the first time since 2016. The contest is out in Saudi Arabia on December 23 against Swede Otto Wallin and, following wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius already, represents AJ’s toughest fight of the year.

Southpaw Wallin pushed Tyson Fury hard and inflicted a huge cut above his eye in their 2019 contest and has since had solid wins over the likes of Murat Gassier and Dominic Breazeale.

Should two-time world champion Joshua come through that test, many are hoping that all roads will then lead to a fight with Deontay Wilder in 2024. A former champion himself, Wilder fights on the same bill against Joseph Parker.

One man who has already secured his legacy by becoming a three-weight world champion is James Toney, who held multiple world championships including the middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight titles.

Speaking to ESNEWS, Toney was asked who would win should Joshua and Wilder come to blows.

“Wilder because right now, Joshua, he’s totally shot man. Joshua showed his true stature.”

Toney is likely subscribing to the theory that the Brit’s mindset has change since his loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, with many fans saying he is now a tentative fighter. The man himself disagrees, claiming he is just a better, smarter boxer.

Should he and Wilder win this month in Riyadh, the a match-up with the hard-hitting American will be the ultimate test of ‘AJ’s fortitude.

[Punch]

The Nigerian Military Wrestlers at the ongoing 36th World Military Wrestling Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, have clinched gold and silver medals, respectively.

This information was conveyed in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja over the weekend by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.

The statement explained that female wrestler Corporal Hannah Reuben achieved the feat on Friday, defeating her Italian contender in the 68-weight category of women’s freestyle wrestling to secure the gold medal.

According to the statement, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria wrestling team made an indelible mark on the global stage, setting a record and garnering widespread acclaim. The medal was presented to Cpl Reuben by the Vice President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM), Mr. Dirk Shwede.”

Recall that this is the first time the Armed Forces of Nigeria have secured a gold medal since participating in the CISM World Wrestling Championship. Another commendable performance was by Lance Corporal Ojolaide Esther, who earned a silver medal in the 72-weight category earlier at the event.

According to the statement, the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General Emmanuel Onumajuru, who represented the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, and the Director of Sports, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Abidemi Timothy Marquis, were present to witness the glory.

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It added that the senior officers respectively maintained that the historic victory wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen CG Musa, acknowledging his crucial role in the team’s success.