Eniola Bolaji Clinches Nigeria’s First Medal at 2024 Paris Paralympics

Nigeria has secured its first medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, thanks to a stellar performance by 18-year-old Eniola Bolaji.

Bolaji captured a bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 badminton event, defeating Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in a dominant 2-0 victory on Monday at the La Chapelle Arena.

In a match that lasted just 24 minutes, Bolaji overpowered her Ukrainian opponent with identical 21-9 scores in both sets.

Her commanding performance in the third-place match marks a historic achievement, as she not only secured Nigeria’s first medal at this year’s Games but also solidified her place as one of Africa’s rising stars in para-badminton.

Bolaji’s journey to the podium has been nothing short of remarkable. On Sunday, she became the first African athlete to reach the semi-final of a badminton event at the Paralympic Games, after defeating India’s Mandeep Kaur 2-0 in the quarter-final.

Despite her dreams of gold being dashed in the semi-final by China’s Xiao Zhuxian, Bolaji’s determination remained unshaken as she stormed back to claim the bronze.

The young para-athlete had dedicated her participation in the Paris Paralympics to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically passed away in a road accident while Bolaji was preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. Bolaji had vowed to honor his memory by winning a medal at the Paralympics, a promise she has now fulfilled.

As Nigeria celebrates Bolaji’s achievement, attention now turns to other athletes who will compete later in the Games.

Flora Ugwunwa is set to compete in the final of the F54 women’s shot put, hoping to add to Nigeria’s medal tally. Additionally, Kayode Alabi and Isau Ogunkunle are scheduled to take part in the round of 16 in the men’s table tennis event.

With Bolaji’s triumph setting the tone, Nigeria’s athletes continue to demonstrate their resilience and determination on the world stage, bringing pride and inspiration to their nation.

By Chioma Kalu, Arise

NNPC says its facing financial strain over costly fuel imports

Nigeria's state-oil firm NNPC on Sunday said it is facing financial strain making it unable to import petrol into Africa's most populous nation, that has seen weeks-long fuel scarcity across its retail stations.

The news comes after Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country's sole importer of refined products, in August announced record profits for 2023 but warned that it was covering for shortfalls in government's petrol import bill.

Reuters reported early July that the NNPC's debt to oil traders had surpassed $6 billion, doubling since early April, as the company struggled to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and global fuel costs. The NNPC declined to comment at that time.

It later blamed operational hitches for the long fuel queues.

"This financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply," NNPC's spokesperson Olufemi Soneye said in a statement late on Sunday.

President Bola Tinubu scrapped a costly but popular subsidy on petrol last year when he took office, to cut government expenditure. But he reintroduced subsidy partly after inflation skyrocketed, worsening a cost of living crisis and stoking tension among the population.

The IMF has said fuel subsidies could cost Nigeria up to 3% of GDP this year as the increases in pump prices have not kept up with their dollar cost.

The West African country expects to likely spend 5.4 trillion naira ($3.7 billion) this year - 50% more than in 2023 - to keep petrol prices fixed, while borrowing to plug gaps in its budget, a draft document had said in June.

"We are actively collaborating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to maintain a consistent supply of petroleum products nationwide," the NNPC said. 

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Hounded South African beauty queen wins Nigeria contest

After being hounded over her nationality and forced to drop out of the Miss South Africa contest, Chidimma Adetshina has been crowned beauty queen of a totally different country.

Ms Adetshina cried tears of joy as she was named Miss Universe Nigeria on Saturday.

"This crown is not just for beauty; it's a call for unity," the 23-year-old law student stated after weeks at the centre of an intense media storm.

She was invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria after her position as a finalist in the Miss South Africa contest sparked a wave of criticism.

Some people in South Africa had questioned her eligibility to compete in the beauty pageant because despite being a South African citizen, Ms Adetshina's father is Nigerian and her mother has Mozambican roots.

In interviews Ms Adetshina said she was born in Soweto - the South African township next to Johannesburg - and grew up in Cape Town.

The row over her nationality sparked an investigation with the organisers of Miss South Africa asking the nation's home affairs department to look into her eligibility.

After an initial probe, the department announced that Miss Adetshina's mother may have committed "identity theft" to become a South African national.

However, the statement added that Ms Adetshina "could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother as she was an infant at the time".

A day after the announcement, Ms Adetshina dropped out of the contest, saying she took the decision for her and her family's safety and wellbeing.

By now, her ordeal had made headlines around the world.

After hearing of Ms Adetshina's story, the organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria invited her to participate in their contest.

They said she would be able to "represent her father's native land on the international stage".

After winning the contest on Saturday, Ms Adetshina will represent Nigeria at November's Miss Universe competition.

Her success has been celebrated on social media.

"Your story is inspirational - you are stronger than you think and we love you our African sister," one South African woman wrote on Instagram.

Another supporter said: "Trust me guys we Nigerians are proud of her... she’s our very own sister, a very smart, intelligent girl, our Nigerian blood runs through her veins."

However, others alleged the contest was "rigged" in Ms Adetshina's favour - an accusation the Miss Nigeria organisers have not responded to.

"She's undeserving," one Instagram user said.

"She has never lived in Nigeria and was merely invited to compete after the final delegates had been chosen... she arrived in Nigeria for the first time after 20 years last week, only to be given our crown. This organisation reeks of sheer bias."

Another wrote: "In all honesty you won out of pity... feeling very sorry for the other contestants who were there long before you came."

At the Miss Universe contest in November, the law student's rivals will include Mia le Roux, who won this year's Miss South Africa competition after Ms Adetshina dropped out.

Ms le Roux became the first deaf woman in history to win the crown.

Wedaeli Chibelushi, BBC

Nigeria ranks among top 20 for US Green Cards

Nigeria ranks among the top 20 countries globally that received United States permanent residency status visas, known as green cards.

This is contained in BusinessDay reports, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The data revealed that Nigerians received 12,385 PR to migrate into the United States in the period under review.

Comparatively, the data highlighted Mexico and India as the leading sources of new permanent residents.

Together, these two countries accounted for a combined total of 265,784 individuals, which constituted 26 percent of the overall total of new permanent residents.

A further analysis of the data showed that 1,018,349 immigrants globally received their PRs, which included 82,117 green cards issued to African nationals.

The classes of PR visas issued to Nigerians included 7,529 persons who were immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, 818 through family-sponsored preferences, 3,213 through employment-based preferences, 14 through diversity programs, 797 as refugees and asylees, and 14 through other broad classes of admission.

Concerning asylum, Nigeria saw 259 individuals who were granted asylum affirmatively in 2022, a significant increase from 61 in 2013.

In terms of naturalization, Nigeria had 9,545 naturalized persons in 2013, which rose to 14,438 by 2022.

In a similar development, the US Department of State on Thursday announced that it has issued all visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024.

“The State Department, working in close collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is pleased to announce the issuance of all available visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024,” it said.

The development comes as a desire to emigrate surge among Nigerians especially the Youths in what is now known as ‘Japa syndrome’.

Outside the US, the population of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, Canada, Austria and other countries has increased significantly in the last four years, according to available data.

By Ogaga Ariemu, Daily Post

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Nigeria signs aircraft maintenance and safety deal with Boeing

Nigeria on Thursday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Boeing that will enhance Nigerian airlines' ability to lease new aircraft and get maintenance and technical support.

Boeing, which supplies 60 airlines with 500 airplanes throughout Africa, projects the continent will need 1,170 airplanes over the next two decades.

The MOU signed in Seattle on Wednesday by Nigerian aviation minister Festus Keyamo and Boeing executives will see the manufacturer provide planning workshops, training, technical support and assessments to Nigerian airline operators.

Under the terms of the MOU, Boeing Airports Engineering team will provide consultation to open or expand airport capabilities across Nigeria and offer advisory services on the development of local aircraft maintenance facilities.

"This partnership with Boeing represents a significant milestone in our efforts to modernise and enhance the capabilities of Nigerian airlines," Keyamo said.

Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales for Africa Anbessie Yitbarek said the agreement is an important step in establishing a sustainable civil aviation ecosystem in Nigeria.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

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