Metro
Western Conference: Lagos School Wins 2023 Nestlé MILO Basketball Championship
Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos State has won both the girls’ and boys’ categories in the Western Conference of the 23rd MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship held on Monday June 5, 2023 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
In the girls’ category of the championship, Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos State defeated their counterparts from Kings International College, Moniya, Ibadan Oyo State by 36 points to 30 points in a keenly contested encounter. The boys from Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos State, following the footsteps of their female counterparts, defeated the boys from Adedokun International School, Ota, Ogun State by 48 points to 17 points in a one-sided game.
The coach of Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos, Mr. Godswill Anukaku said “It is a great privilege to come here and play on this platform. So, I feel very happy and proud that we are moving to the nationals in Lagos, just as we did last year. we won in the conference here but did not really perform to the best of our abilities in the nationals, where we finished in third place. But, I assure you that this year, we are going to the nationals to come first in both the boys and girls categories.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. C. A. Abioye thanked Nestlé for their invaluable support over the years. She also called on other corporate bodies to follow their footsteps by supporting school sports.
Speaking further, Mrs. Abioye said, “The Oyo State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Sports is taken to higher heights. One of such efforts is the upgrading of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, including the Indoor Sports Hall, the venue of this program. The government encourages students’ participation in sports by supporting inter house sports competitions, which are yielding favorable results in students’ performance at competitions”
The girls and boys from Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos State have now qualified to play in the national finals of the competition in Lagos in July. Other teams who will be in Lagos for the national finals are winners from the already concluded Savannah Conference which held in Kano from the 3rd to the 10th of May, Central Conference held at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja from the 12th to 19th of May and Atlantic Conference which held in Asaba from 20th to the 27th of May, 2023.
Category Manager for Beverages, Nestlé Nigeria, Mr. Olutayo Olatunji, reiterated Nestle’s commitment to developing talents, promoting healthier lifestyles, and instilling values for success in life through sports. “MILO, firmly believes that through participation in sports, children learn enduring values to help them achieve success in life,” he said.
“We are therefore, pleased to have this opportunity to provide a platform where young talents find expression through MILO Secondary School Basketball Championship. On the field of play, the teams depend on the discipline, perseverance, courage, self-belief, and respect that they imbibe during practice and through their interactions with each other. These life skills are not only for basketball; they equip the players to navigate their careers and to be productive in society. This is grit, learned from sports but useful in every area of life.”
Nestlé Nigeria’s MILO Secondary School Basketball Championship has been promoting the value of grit for over 23 years, helping school children learn essential life skills such as resilience, persistence, stamina, cooperation, and self-belief. These values enable them to overcome challenges and achieve their goals in life.
Nestlé continues to lead grassroot sports development in Nigeria through its MILO Basketball Championship, contributing to the growth of many players in the Nigerian national teams, and notable clubs across the world today.
States who competed in the Western Conference of the MILO Basketball Championship at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, from the 30th of May to 6th of June, 2023 are Edo, Lagos, Ogun and host Oyo. Others are Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara and Anambra.
The MILO Basketball Championship has grown tremendously from about 500 schools at its commencement in 1999. It now reaches over 150,000 individual players from over 10,000 schools across Nigeria every year.
Friends and family members of a newly wed lady are still perplexed over her tragic demise on her wedding day.
The tragic incident occurred in Douala, Cameroon on October 26, 2024.
The lady, identified as Sorelle Emmanuella Kamga, was joyfully performing at her own wedding reception when suddenly she slumped, and was later declared dead by medics.
News of her sudden death went viral on October 27 when the video of her performing with her bridesmaids and husband spraying money at her circulated on social media platforms.
Invitees were pictured expressing shock as Sorelle, adorned in her beautiful wedding party dress, slumped while singing for her spouse.
A photographer who was covering the event, said the song she was singing is that of Ivorian artiste, Roseline Layo, titled: “Mogo Fariman.”
The celebrant had chosen the song to announce the cutting of the wedding cake, which ceremony did not see the light of day, as her sudden death marred the wedding reception.
The reception hall of Johannesburg Hotel, where the wedding reception was taking place, suddenly went cold after the sad and shocking incident.
The photographer recounted: “When it was time to cut the wedding cake, the bride went out to change her attire with her husband.
“On return to the hall, she took the mic and started singing for her husband.
“She called her husband to join her on stage.
“He moved towards her with a cigar in his mouth and began spraying money on her.
“First, a ten thousand note, a second ten thousand note…when the man threw the third one, that was when she slumped before him, and that was all.
“We saw something really serious at the hotel that Saturday.
“People immediately rushed to rescue the victim.
“She was rushed to the Adlucem Hospital in Akwa-Nord.
“There, the medics on service referred her to the Douala General Hospital.
“It was at the General Hospital that she was clinically declared dead.”
The photographer said immediately the news of the bride’s demise was announced, the atmosphere at the reception turned gloomy.
Those who had come to celebrate the wedding suddenly became mourners.
Three of the guests were said to have collapsed after receiving news of the bride’s sudden death.
A few hours to the sad development, the now late Sorelle was all joyful, feasting and coordinating the decoration details of her wedding.
Many could not imagine that the day would end without her.
According to family sources, Manuella Kamga and her spouse, Émile, spent seven years together and had three children.
They had planned their wedding in 2020, but due to COVID-19, it was postponed.
A relative said: “This year, we rescheduled the wedding; the dowry was paid on Friday, then yesterday (Saturday), it was the civil wedding.
“It was during the reception that the tragedy occurred in the middle of the hall.
“My little cousin leaves a husband and three pretty little girls, having worn her wedding ring just for a few hours.
“What we often read on Facebook – that people die on their wedding day, has also hit our family.
“Rest in peace, Sorelle Manuella!”
The recent demolition of homes in the Ruga settlement along Airport Road in Abuja has sparked public outcry, as residents took to the streets on Friday, demanding that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike be held accountable for the destruction of their community.
The protesters led by lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, accused Wike’s task force, known as “Operation Sweep,” of heavy-handed tactics that have left scores of residents homeless.
Adeyanju condemned the demolition, highlighting that homes were burned and property worth millions was destroyed.
“There is no justification for this demolition. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to consider the plight of the displaced residents, who are barely surviving,” Adeyanju said.
Several of those affected, he explained, have already been forced out of their homes in northern states such as Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe due to insecurity, leaving them in a precarious situation.
“These demolitions are excessive,” he continued, “and Mr. President needs to act to prevent further harassment of the people. We are sounding a warning to those in government that peace is only achievable if the poor are allowed to live peacefully. When the poor cannot sleep, it affects everyone.”
Vincent Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, joined the protests and criticised the government for ignoring the needs of the less fortunate.
“This is strange,” he remarked. “The repercussions of this will have a heavy toll on Abuja. These people have been rendered homeless amid the ongoing hardship in the country. They are evicting these people without compensating them. It is sad that the elite think the poor are not part of society.”
The protesters urged President Tinubu to halt further demolition and prevent land reallocation that would favour the wealthy.
In giving the communities the best they deserve, Nestlé has a comprehensive understanding of where and how the ingredients for their factories are produced, and the challenges farmers and their communities face. These firsthand knowledge enables the brand to support rural development.It is worthy of note that 57% of Nestlé’s ingredients purchased in 2017 were responsibly sourced just as 63% of raw ingredients purchased in 2017 were traceable.
It is also a statement of fact that 431,000 lical farmers were trained in good agricultural practices also in 2017
3. Helping young people
4. Coffee sustainability programs
5. Sustainable agriculture
With a whopping N18 million set aside for the present season, where 90 verified indigenes will benefit, the scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, uniforms, books, and other essential expenses, ensuring the students have the resources they need throughout their education journey.
“These scholarships reflect our unwavering dedication to investing in the future of our youth. At a time when economic challenges place added strain on families nationwide, we’re proud to provide meaningful financial support that eases this burden. By investing in education, we’re not only empowering individual students but also fostering the growth and prosperity of our entire community,” Nestlé enthused.
This investment in the education of young people, is Nestlé’s avenue of seeking to create long-lasting positive impacts in its host communities, helping to shape a more promising future for Nigeria’s next generation of leaders and innovators.
Recently, 65 recipients of the scholarship were produced from schools in Abaji, Agbara and Sagamu, and decorated with the benefits of the scholarship.
In 2023, Nestlé Nigeria launched its Flowergate Technical Training Centre (TTC), a broader technical training initiative, which has been running since 2011. Since its inception, the program has seen over 200 young Nigerians successfully complete the rigorous 18-month curriculum.
It has also invested over six billion naira in this initiative, and continues to prioritize developing the next generation of skilled professionals to drive the country’s industrial future.
Nestlé’s bond with Nigerian communities has necessitated the growth and development of mostly the host communities, and have spiraled into neighbouring communities. This is seen in its attention to education of indigenes, agriculture, empowerment of women and youths in various businesses.
A Nestlé in any community has remained the best thing to happen to that community.
