By Dr. Salau Dee Elf (NUGA Publicity Liaison Officer, 1993-2001)

The recent appointment of Mr. Finidi George, 58 as the Senior National Team, Super Eagles Coach/Team Manager on the NFF’s X (formerly Twitter) handle is a right decision in this prevailing circumstances.

Finidi popularly called ‘Finito’ has paid his dues in the Nigerian Football circle. A grassroot footballer who was a product of the old Principals’ Cup Football Competition where he was discovered before being drafted to the great Sharks Football Club of PortHarcourt and other Clubs in Nigeria before he eventually left to ply his trade in Europe.

Earlier, Adokie Amesimaka (Justice) was a product of Grassroot Sport. He also played in the Principals’ Cup before going ahead to compete in the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Games where he was discovered and invited to the Nigeria’s National Football Team.

Players in this category from the Grassroot School Sports were able to combine their God-given talents with their education which made it very easy for them to understand and interpret what their Coaches want them to do. But we have abandoned this to the other less productive fire brigade approaches of discovering talents

Finidi joined the National Team as an elite player and his understanding of the round leather game was enormous. As a National Team player who played 66 times for Nigeria, his team spirit demonstrated by his combination with other players on and off the pitch was tremendous.

Finidi’s wing runs which normally produces beautiful pullouts or crosses for other team players to score indicated his good combination spirit. This spirit he demonstrated throughout and after his Football career.

As Assistance Coach of the immediate past Coach of the Super Eagles, Joe Passero, he demonstrated this and carried everyone along. He was loved by both the players and the Coaching Staff which testified to his final selection for this position

As for his technical knowledge, he was among the top Coaches in the Nigerian League before he was drafted to the National Team as an Assistant Coach. His team Eyimba Football Club is among the teams gunning for the league title in the Nigerian Professional League. His 18 months stint as the Assistant Coach of the Chief Coach Passero has offered enough experience to enable him perform. His two friendly matches as Acting Chief Coach of the National Team has been encouraging.

The Nigeria Football Federation board has gotten it right having considered not only technical capabilities of the Coach but his managerial prowess too. In today’s sports albeit Football, managerial capabilities is a big plus to add to technical input for success.

It is now left for Finidi George to rise up to the occasion and prove that the NFF was right in his decision to stick to him where there were so many Foreign Coaches who sought for the same post. He has to combine his technical experience with the managerial experience he has garnered from his playing days in the National Team.

This is the time to prove that local Nigerian Coaches can manage the National Team successfully as is done in other climes. For success, NFF, Players, Coaching stakeholders, and Nigerians support for our much loved Finito must be total. It’s the time of the home based Coaches, let’s support and give them this opportunity.

Dr. Salau Dee Elf writes from Lagos

[email protected]

Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie instant noodles, in partnership with the Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society, extended its goodwill to the shores of Abeokuta, Ogun state, at a product distribution event on Tuesday 24 April, where cartons of Indomie noodles were distributed to the underprivileged, as part of its ongoing efforts to support families worst hit by the ongoing economic hardship.

The event which saw a thousand vulnerable families go home with a carton of Indomie each, individuals present were also provided with cooked noodles to help relieve their immediate hunger. The outreach had in attendance members of the disabled community, orphans, widows, the elderly, pregnant women, and vulnerable families.

The outreach is in alignment with the brand’s goal to feed two million consumers across various cities and communities in Nigeria, by collaborating closely with recognized NGOs to ensure that only the most vulnerable persons in the various cities and communities are invited and given a carton of Indomie and a fresh bowl of the nourishing tasty noodles.

The event was graced with the presence of notable dignitaries including the representative of the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Ogun State, Mrs. Wonuola Kassim; the Ogun State Chapter Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Hammeed-Bello Aderinola; a representative of the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Superintendent Adeoye Adejoke Asake; the Chairman of the Ogun State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Venerable (Dr.) Samson Kunle Popoola, Chairman of the Peace Initiative Network, Dr. Femi Sodipo , and Trace PRO, CDR. Babatunde Akinbiyi, amongst others.

Mrs. Wonuola Kassim in her keynote address, commended the efforts of Dufil Prima Foods Ltd, and acknowledged that this was not the company’s first CSR initiative as she recalled that it had embarked on a similar venture in 2020.

“This program cannot be more timely than a time like this, when feeding becomes very difficult for most people. This is the kind of gesture which would linger for ages in the hearts of the beneficiaries. The objective of the palliative distribution is to alleviate the hardship faced by the citizens due to the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government,” she said.

Speaking in the same vein, Popoola of the PCRC said, “We believe in PCRC that food security and eradication of hunger will go a long way in reducing the level of criminality in our society. What we have seen today is a conscious effort on the part of the organisers to see to the eradication of poverty, eradication of hunger and to support the food security initiative of the Government.”

Other dignitaries present also expressed their gratitude for Indomie and the organisers of the event, the Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society. They commended their efforts for taking the right steps to ensure that families across the country are catered for in these challenging times.

Indomie Instant Noodles remains steadfast in its quest to provide satisfaction and put smiles on the faces of families across Nigeria.

LG Electronics, a global leader in consumer electronics, recently hosted its LG Showcase MEA 2024 at the Conrad Hotel in Abu Dhabi. With the overarching theme “Reinventing Together,” the event focused on showcasing the latest innovations and extending relationships with its stakeholders. Hosting over 500 esteemed guests, the event offered hands-on experience with its latest products.

A key focus area during the exhibition was LG’s line-up of home entertainment products, which ranges from its televisions, audio and gaming products.

Commenting on the event, Chief Executive Officer, LG MEA Region, Mr. Il Hwan Lee, said, “We design each product with the goal of enhancing the daily lives of our customers. This LG Showcase MEA 2024 event is a testament to this commitment, and we are proud to exhibit our flagship products today.

“Each of these home entertainment products are designed with practical innovations while keeping customer use-case requirements at heart, which aligns with our goal of creating a better life by elevating everyone’s entertainment experience and the interior of their homes.”

During the event, LG brought to the region its latest innovations in OLED technology; including its flagship 97-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED M, the world’s-first consumer TV with Zero Connect technology which enables the transfer of 4K video and audio, wirelessly at 120Hz.

This iconic feature resolves all cable management nightmares and allows for an uncluttered space by having all devices connected to the Zero Connect Box and positioned away from the TV.

Also featured during the event is LG’s innovative StanbyME Go, the 27-inch FHD smart screen that boasts a unique carry bag design that allows users to easily use them on-the-go. It keeps mobility in mind with its unique design and a built-in battery that lasts up to three hours of screen time. It comes with various connectivity options such as wireless mirroring and NFC, which can be activated with a simple tap.

The screen itself also rotates, giving users the option of a vertical or horizontal orientation. In addition to the streaming options, the screen is also ideal for listening to music with its turntable skin or for playing chess with the pre-installed Chess game. Customers can also control the unit through voice control, even from a distance. The unique design of the StanByME Go promises enhanced durability, keeping the screen safe from bumps, temperature fluctuations, low pressure, dust, salt fog and vibrations.

During the course of the event, LG also showcased its latest LG webOS which brings to the table a completely revamped home screen with wider title cards and smoother tiles for categories such as Game, Music and Home Office. The smart operating system, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, expanded into 300 TV brands and 3,500 content partners, including local partners and has an active user growth increase in the MEA region by 20 times.

LG also showcased its new á (Alpha )11 processor that will be used in its flagship TVs, one that will deliver powerful AI capabilities and enhance the overall viewing experience. This new processor is four times more powerful than its predecessor and will refine clarity, color and sharpness, as well as providing a 70 percent improvement in graphics performance and a 30 percent faster processing speed.

LG displayed its range of XBOOM speakers which deliver bold and loud sounds with strong bass and massive sound. For instance, the LG XBOOM XL9T, the most powerful-in-class party speaker, produces an immense sound of 1000W with booming bass and high notes. Additionally, the pixel art and multi color ring lights further step up the party. Its smaller variant, the LG XBOOM XL5S with a 200W output for powerful party music, complete with the series’ iconic party lighting.

Amongst these audio products, LG presented their portable speakers, such as the XBOOM Go XG8T, a 120W speaker with 15 hours of battery life. This on-the-go speaker not only packs a powerful punch in audio but can also boost sound further and turns up the party with its studio light feature. Also on display were the LG XBOOM Go XG7Q and the compact XG5S with a 30W output and 20W output respectively, which comes in a unique design with ambient lighting, perfect to set the mood. It is also IP67 rated, making it the perfect musical companion for the outdoors.

Additionally, LG showcased the LG TONE Fit TF7, which focuses primarily on comfort, convenience and immersive sound. The LG TONE Fit TF7 offers a superior fit for fitness enthusiasts, ensuring customers can focus solely on their workout without any distractions.

Featuring a patent-pending skirt shape hook, these earbuds offer optimized fit and usability for various outdoor activities. Apart from its superior sound quality, these earbuds are also focused on health, with the UVnano technology integrated into the earbuds’ cradle actively sanitises the ear gel surfaces, creating a more sanitary listening experience.

LG Electronics also showcased the LG CineBeam Q, the much awaited, stylish and smallest 4K portable projector from LG. This mighty 4K laser projector not only delivers stunning picture quality, but also a range of streaming features, while its minimalist design fits into any home design ethos.

This was all be topped off with LG’s innovations in monitors, with the new LG UltraGear™ OLED gaming monitor and LG MyView Smart Monitor.

The latest lineup of LG UltraGear OLED gaming monitors is a true testament to LG’s commitment to the gaming industry. Available in sizes of 32-inch (model 32GS95UE), 34-inch (model 34GS95QE) and 45-inch (model 45GS95QE), these OLED gaming monitors are the pinnacle of gaming displays, bringing in a true immersive experience.

The new 32GS95UE, the world’s first VESA certified Dual Mode gaming monitor, which enables it to switch between 4K (3840 x 2160) up to 240Hz and Full-HD (1920 x 1080) up to 480Hz with one simple click. It also comes with a range of other features such as the LG’s Pixel Sound technology, which projects sound directly from the display using vibrating film components built into the monitor itself.

Meanwhile, the LG MyView Smart Monitor, a must-have for productivity and entertainment even without having to connect to a PC, was showcased alongside. Available in sizes of 27-inches with FHD and 32-inches with 4K resolution, these smart monitors pack in LG’s webOS software along with support for AirPlay 2, ScreenShare and Bluetooth.

Designed for multi-tasking, this monitor will allow you to do your daily work, control home gadgets and even stream your favorite content, all from one display. Also, the 27SR50F is available in four color options (beige, pink, green) to cater to various tastes and seamlessly blend into any interior design.

What’s more, LG unveiled the LG MAGNIT (model LSAL006), a stunning 118-inch, 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution Micro LED display. Delivering unparalleled picture quality through the brilliance of Micro LED technology, the LG MAGNIT allows customers to enjoy complete viewing immersion in the comfort of their own spaces, be it personal or professional.