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Afe Babalola Emerges African Man Of The Year In Food Security, Counsels FG On Lifting Sector—Renown farmer, Chief Afe Babalola, has beaten nine other nominees across Sub- Saharan Africa to emerge the 2024 African man of the Year in food security, the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports.
The conferment of the award on the nonegarian legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD),was by the Global Food Security Committee of the Initiative For Green Sustainability.
The Award Committee Lead, Tim Grunguis, and Country Director, Caleb Osasona, who signed the letter, said Babalola defeated nine other leading African farmer nominees from Bostwana, Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Zambia and Liberia.
Briefing journalists at a news conference, on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, Babalola, reputed to be one of the leading farmers in Nigeria, and the largest single farmer in his home State, Ekiti, and second largest employer of labour after the state government, said he was elated by the conferment of the award.
He said the award would spur him to do more in his singular efforts, aimed at  returning agriculture to its rightful place, and lift it to the expected destination of competitive revenue earner.
The letter explained that the choice of Babalola was based on his many radical revolutions in agriculture and include ABUAD Bio-Diversified Farms, and granting of millions of Naira under the Afe Babalola Annual Agricultural Grants to hundreds of farmers.
Others are ABUAD Talent Discovery Center, ABUAD Planetarium, ABUAD Industrial Pack that houses over 132 Farm Industries and ABUAD FM Radio among several others.
” As part of my resolve to encourage agriculture among Nigerians, especially youths, I reduced school fees of students in my university studying agriculture by 50 per cent.
“In addition, I give a seed money of N250,000 to every graduate in agriculture.
” At the same time, in the last ten years, I have been organizing the Annual Agric Festival in Ado-Ekiti, with the best farmer in the state going home with N2million, while others that came behind them, getting their own lump, in millions as well,” Babalola said.
He appealed to the Federal Government to tow his line of Agric revolution, by commencing the process of reviving all moribund farm settlements across the country.
The pro chancellor of ABUAD said that revamping the moribund farm settlements in different regions of the country, would boost food security, agricultural production for local consumption, as well boost export and provide raw materials for industries.
According to him, this would also create job opportunities for the unemployed youths in the countryz and the level of insecurity reduced to barest minimum as they would be gainfully engaged.
Equally, he advised that governments at all levels should introduce agriculture into all levels of schools from primary to university, ensure that all allocations to local governments go to them directly, and not through their respective governors.
Babalola also advised the Federal Government, Federal Government to consider giving national honours to successful farmers and promoters of farming, and not only to politicians.
He recalled how the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as premier of the defunct Western Region, made use of the farm settlements in the region to promote its economy.
Babalola said that the revival of the farm settlements should be passionately considered as springboard to rediscover the country’s dying agricultural potential as the future of Nigeria lies in agriculture and not in crude oil.
He said Nigeria, which used to be one of the leading exporters of cocoa and palm oil, has lost its place, due to neglect of the sector.
“It may not be crime to abandon agriculture but it is certainly a sin. Don’t forget, the place of the Garden of Eden, placed under Adam and Eve in Book of Genesis. This is a divine instruction that man must work and provide for whatever he needs,” Babalola said.
He also called for increased annual budgetary allocations to the agriculture sector, saying it had had potential to lead millions of Nigerians out of poverty and provide food security.
The  PRO-Chancellor  equally stressed that the government must as a matter of urgency, implement sustainable policies, and provide modern farm implements, improved  seedlings and soft loans, to make agriculture more attractive so that the youths would develop interest in it.

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BREAKING: Harry Maguire 121st Minutes Header Send Manchester United To The UEFA Europa League Semis As Lyon Fumbled 2 Goals Lead

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Maguire 121st Minutes Header Send Manchester United To The UEFA

BREAKING: Harry Maguire 121st Minutes Header Send Manchester United To The UEFA Europa League Semis As Lyon Fumbled 2 Goals Lead—-Harry Maguire was the hero as Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-finals in astonishingly fashion, beating Lyon 5-4 on an unforgettable night at Old Trafford when both teams blew two-goal leads, advancing 7-6 on aggregate.

Thrashed 4-1 at Newcastle United in the Premier League last time out, Ruben Amorim needed a positive reaction from his men – and it came quickly, Manuel Ugarte sweeping home on 10 minutes to complete a slick team move and notch his first Old Trafford goal.

Back between the sticks after being left out of the trip to Newcastle following his pair of costly mistakes in United’s 2-2 first-leg draw, Andre Onana made a point of celebrating his side’s opener in front of the travelling Lyon fans.

Diogo Dalot’s goal in stoppage time capped a hugely encouraging first half in which United showed great aggression to take the game to Lyon and go in two goals up at the break for the first time since November.

Man Utd remained well on top the first 25 minutes of the second half but, after Alejando Garnacho had missed a chance to make it 3-0 on the night, found themselves facing a nervy finale when Corentin Tolisso pulled a goal back for Lyon.

And when Nicolas Tagliafico bagged an equaliser seven minutes later, things became more than nervy.

Tolisso’s red card shortly before the end of normal time ought to have handed the initiative back to Man Utd, but the hosts appeared shellshocked from throwing away such a healthy-looking advantage.

Lyon came out all guns blazing at the start of extra time to go 4-2 up on the night and lead 6-4 on aggregate, Rayan Cherki putting his side ahead before former Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty seemed to have put the tie to bed.

But the second half of extra time was to prove to be one of the most dramatic periods of football Old Trafford has witnessed in its long and glorious history.

A Bruno Fernandes penalty gave Man Utd hope, before substitute Kobbie Mainoo struck in the 120th minute to, seemingly, send the tie to penalties.

There was to be no need for the lottery of a shootout, though, as, barely one minute later, Maguire, pushed up front as an emergency centre-forward once again, sparked unadulterated pandemonium by meeting Casemiroqw’s cross to head home a winner which had seemed so far away barely six minutes earlier.

Man Utd’s progression keeps alive their hopes of sealing Champions League qualification as Europa League winners, an achievement which would go some way to mitigating what looks set to be their lowest league finish for 35 years.

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BREAKING: Chelsea Through To UEFA Conference League Semis Despite Shock Home Defeat To Legia Warsaw

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Chelsea Through To UEFA Conference League Semis

BREAKING: Chelsea Through To UEFA Conference League Semis Despite Shock Home Defeat To Legia Warsaw—-Chelsea reached their first European semi-final under their BlueCo ownership, though you would not have known it by the reaction at the full-time whistle.

Fans booed as confirmation came of this second-leg loss to a side sitting fifth in the Polish Ekstraklasa, despite Enzo Maresca turning to his A-listers for the visit of Legia Warsaw.

Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson took themselves to 15 and 12 games without scoring respectively, and there were further jeers from fans when they felt the football was too tedious.

Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to secure this trophy, but still need to win over their fanbase.

Those arriving at Stamford Bridge thought with such a comfortable lead from the first leg, Enzo Maresca would turn to the Cobham conveyor belt. They supposed wrong. Maresca’s substitutes’ bench was certainly chokka with academy kids, but his actual line-up was of Premier League strength, which was surprising with an important trip to Fulham less than 72 hours away.

Even Palmer started. He had not scored in any competition since January 14. He should have got a goal here after 84 seconds when one-on-one with Vladan Kovacevic but the out-of-form Englishman missed the target entirely.

When Christopher Nkunku was then denied by Kovacevic, Palmer rushed on to the rebound. He tried a diving header, but Legia’s goalkeeper recovered to produce a super save.

Legia’s first attack after 10 minutes led to them scoring as Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen crashed into Tomas Pekhart to concede a penalty. Pekhart took it himself, scoring to make it 1-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate despite Jorgensen diving the right way.

Legia should have further reduced the deficit when Ryoya Morishita broke behind unmarked, but he dragged wide when facing down Jorgensen.

After 32 minutes, Jadon Sancho crossed low, Marc Cucurella tapped in, and Chelsea’s three-goal advantage on aggregate was restored. They had not scored in any of their last eight first halves but had now. Cucurella thought he had added another before the break, but VAR correctly disallowed it for an offside in the build-up.

At half-time, Maresca replaced Jackson with Tyrique George, the 19-year-old who went up top. After 50 minutes, another youngster in Josh Acheampong lost possession carelessly in midfield as Legia broke forward, with Jorgensen needed to stop Luquinhas from scoring.

The visitors won a corner from that move, and the out-swinger was volleyed towards goal by Claude Goncalves before being helped in by Steve Kapuadi for 2-1.

Chelsea’s fans were frustrated and as was the case in Sunday’s draw with Ipswich, they let it known by jeering as their team tried to pass their way out of the back. Legia’s away support responded by lighting dozens of flares.

Maresca’s side went in search of a leveller with Noni Madueke and George both denied by goal-line clearances. Jorgensen was relieved when another penalty was not awarded against him after colliding with Luquinhas, and George was frustrated when the offside flag denied him a goal.

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