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INDIAN 2018: Aruna Quadri Leads Foreign Legions to Ultimate League

By Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji, Abeokuta
Aruna Quadri has been selected as the only African among 18 other foreigners to compete in the season two of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis holding in three Indian cities – Pune, Delhi and Kolkata.
Quadri who competed in the maiden edition as the only player from Africa has been teamed up with Indian legend – Sharath Achanta to form the Warriors TTC coached by India’s R. Rajesh and Hungarian ace, Ferenc Karsai.
Described by the organizers as African sensation – Aruna Quadri stays and leads the foreign contingent, which include Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan, Austria’s Sofia Polcanova, and Czech Republic’s Hana Matelova to complete the foreign quota.
Indian star player – Achanta leads the way for the Indian players in the team. Achanta will be joined by Pooja Sahasrabudhe, Sreeja Akula and Ravindra Kotiyan, who are three of Indian table tennis’ brightest stars to occupy the domestic spots.
The CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis Powered By Kellogg’s promises 18 days of trailblazing table tennis across Pune, Delhi and Kolkata starting June 14, 2018.
The second season promises to take the sport to greater heights and newer audiences as six franchises will battle it out for the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis trophy, with Falcons TTC coming in as the defending champions.
The CEAT UTT Powered by Kellogg’s, is an initiative by 11Sports with the support of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
World number 12, Simon Gauzy and Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem (World No. 13) are among the top-ranked foreign players in the glitzy league featuring six teams– Empowerji Challengers, Dabang Smashers T.T.C, Falcons TTC, Maharashtra United, RP-SG Mavericks and Warriors T.T.C.
Players from 19 different nationalities will be competing in the league and amongst them are 24 Olympians, 19 National champions and 17 No. 1 ranked players of their respective countries.
During the league phase spread over 15 days, each team will play the other once with six ties each in Pune and Delhi. Kolkata will play host to three league ties besides the semifinals and the grand finale on July 1.
Maharashtra United, whose roster boasts the likes of Anthony Amalraj along with Swede Kristian Karlsson (World No. 18) and Romanian Elizabeta Samara (World No. 19), face a stiff challenge first up as they line up against defending champions Falcons TTC who are spearheaded by Sanil Shetty and another top Swede in Matilda Ekholm (World No. 30) on the inaugural day at the Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune.
High-voltage action is on the cards on the second day when Empowerji Challengers, who possess top-ranked players in Gauzy, Manav Thakkar (World Junior No. 2) and Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching (World No. 20), clash with an equally quality side RP-SG Mavericks, who have World No. 20 Mattias Karlsson (Sweden), Doo Hoi Kem and Mouma Das in their ranks.
According to the organizers, CMG double gold medallist Manika Batra would step up to the table on the third day when her team Dabang Smashers T.T.C., that includes Sakura Mori (World No 28) and G Sathiyan, lines up against Warriors T.T.C. (formerly Yoddhas) comprising Sharath Kamal, World No. 15 Chuang Chih-Yuan (Chinese Taipei), World No. 22 Aruna Quadri (Nigeria) and World No. 18 Sofia Polcanova (Austria).
The teams will be aiming for an early lead as they play their second ties in the next three days of action before heading to the Capital.
Delhi fans get an opportunity to root for their homegrown star Manika as Dabang Smashers will lock horns with RP-SG Mavericks in the first tie at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex. The next five days are expected to throw up some exciting fare as teams will be looking to log maximum points.
The proceedings at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium begin with the Empowerji Challengers facing Dabang Smashers TTC. The penultimate day of the League will see Maharashtra United taking on Warriors T.T.C while RP-SG Mavericks meet Falcons TTC on June 28.
After the league stage, the first and fourth-placed teams will play the first semifinal on June 29 while the second and third-placed teams play the second semifinal the next day. The final will be on July 1.
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Golden Nsogbu Unveils Nsogbu TV: The New Powerhouse Set to Shake Up Nigeria’s Entertainment Scene
Lagos is about to feel the heat as Nsogbu TV, a brand-new YouTube-based entertainment platform, officially launches with a bang! Founded by serial entrepreneur and music mogul David Ewofobe, popularly known as Golden Nsogbu, the channel is already making waves with promises to redefine the way fans consume music, comedy, and lifestyle content.
Described as a “Power House” for fresh talent and premium entertainment, Nsogbu TV is setting itself apart with an irresistible lineup of music videos, hilarious comedy skits, exclusive celebrity interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage fans won’t find anywhere else.
“We are not just creating a YouTube channel; we are building a global entertainment hub,” Golden Nsogbu declared. “From music lovers to comedy fans, there’s something for everyone. Nsogbu TV will soon be the name on everyone’s lips.”
And he isn’t doing it alone. Golden Nsogbu has teamed up with ace comedian IGoSave (Otaghware Otas Onodjayeke) as Creative Director, alongside a host of talented creators ready to take Nigerian entertainment to new heights.
The platform’s official teaser video, fittingly titled “POWER HOUSE🏠”, has already given fans a taste of what’s coming, sparking excitement across social media.
With its headquarters in Lagos, Nsogbu TV is positioning itself as a launchpad for young creatives while also delivering high-quality content that resonates with global audiences.
🎥 Check out Nsogbu TV’s launch video here: Watch Now
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @NsogbuTV
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ROTARIAN, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!
Membership Drive — August: Month of Membership 2025/2026
By Prince Adeyemi Aseperi-Shonibare
Charter President, Rotary Club of Ikeja Alausa
“Friendship was the foundation rock on which Rotary was built and tolerance is the element which holds it together.” — Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary
This August, Rotary clubs worldwide celebrate Membership Month — a time to reflect on why we joined, how we serve, and who we will invite next. Membership is the heartbeat of Rotary. Without new minds, fresh energy, and diverse perspectives, even the most vibrant club risks losing momentum. If you have yet to invite a friend, colleague, or family member to join, you may be withholding one of life’s greatest gifts: the opportunity to serve humanity through fellowship.
Rotary is not just a meeting. It is a movement, a mindset, and a lifestyle of purpose — a passport to significance and a front-row seat to impact humanity.
We are 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries and territories, united by a single motto: Service Above Self. Membership begins with one simple act — an invitation.
“The true measure of a Rotarian’s leadership is not in holding a title, but in multiplying our tribe” “When everyone bring one, and you’ve changed a life. Bring many, and you’ve changed the world.”
Rotary’s 7 Areas of Focus: A Magnetic Invitation
The most compelling way to introduce someone to Rotary is through action. The 7 Areas of Focus are powerful entry points for potential members:
1. Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention – Promoting dialogue, resolving disputes, and fostering understanding.
2. Disease Prevention and Treatment – Fighting polio, tackling malaria, and expanding access to healthcare.
3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene – Providing clean water and proper sanitation for healthier communities.
4. Maternal and Child Health – Reducing mortality and empowering mothers through quality care.
5. Basic Education and Literacy – Combating illiteracy and fostering lifelong learning.
6. Community Economic Development – Creating jobs, supporting entrepreneurship, and reducing poverty.
7. Supporting the Environment – Protecting ecosystems, promoting sustainability, and addressing climate change.
When people see Rotary in action — planting trees, building schools, equipping hospitals, or supporting mental health — they see a cause worth joining.
Meetings That Inspire
Rotary meetings should be engaging, uplifting, and relevant. Keep them concise and full of energy. Vary formats with outdoor fellowships, club visits, service days, and inspiring guest speakers. Hybrid meetings are vital in today’s busy world — reliable internet, quality audio-visual tools, and inclusivity ensure every member stays connected, even when attending from office or outside the country.
Caring for Our Own
A strong club does not only serve the community; it also cares for its members. Reach out to those who miss meetings. Make every member feel valued. Rotary is a family — and families look out for one another.
Why Members Leave — And Why They Stay
Members leave when they feel disengaged, meetings lack energy, onboarding is weak, culture is unwelcoming, or flexibility is absent.
Members stay when they find meaningful service, global fellowship, personal growth, flexible structures, and a shared purpose.
Inviting People Into Rotary
Lead by example. Share Rotary stories. Use social media. Invite community leaders. Showcase our projects in maternal health, peacebuilding, and the environment. Host open events. Involve families. Show them a project in action. And never underestimate the power of asking: “Would you like to join Rotary?”
The Benefits of Rotary
Rotary membership opens doors to global friendship, leadership growth, professional networks, international experiences, purposeful living, recognition, and the joy of leaving a legacy. As RI Past President Barry Rassin said: “Rotary is a gift. You don’t keep a gift this good to yourself.”
This Rotary year, let us shine our light brighter, welcome more members, and extend the most valuable gift — the invitation to a life of service and fellowship.
Be the reason someone says, “Joining Rotary changed my life.”
Come and join Rotary with me. See what we do, feel the fellowship, share in the service, and be part of a story bigger than yourself. Let every Rotarian bring at least one new member. My personal goal this year is to bring ten. It is possible, it is necessary, and it is how we keep the Rotary light shining.
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Bye- Election: TRUE NIGERIANS HAVE SPOKEN! By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Fellow Nigerians, and friends of Nigeria abroad,
They said the APC was not popular with the people. They said its strength was only in government houses, not in the marketplace, not in the villages, not in the hearts of men and women who rise each day to labor under the hot sun. Yet the people have now spoken, and their voice is louder than the rumors of social media, stronger than the whispers of drawing rooms.
In the bye-elections of this past weekend, sixteen seats were set before the people. Out of these, the APC took eleven, stretching across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Edo, Adamawa, and Niger. One more stands in contest, and there too the APC leads.
APGA secured two seats in Anambra. The PDP held one in Oyo. The NNPP claimed one in Kano. But the others—ADC, SDP, Labour—were nowhere to be found. Not a single seat fell their way.
So I ask: how do you define popularity? By the clamor on Facebook? By the trend on Instagram? By the fury of TikTok or the storms of X? No. Popularity in a democracy is measured by ballots cast, by hands inked, by real people walking to the polls to say with their vote: this is who we trust.
In America, they speak of midterm elections, a verdict passed halfway through a presidency. There, such elections measure the strength of the president and the staying power of his party. Nigeria has no midterm Congress. But these bye-elections, spread across thirteen states and five geopolitical zones, are our closest equivalent. And their meaning cannot be ignored.
Many thought the ADC, older in years than the APC, would rise with its new converts and prove itself a rival. Many thought the PDP would mount a strong wave. But the verdict of the ballot tells a different story. The PDP lives, but it fights to hold ground. The ADC, SDP, and Labour remain shadows, not yet substance. The NNPP, for all its color, remains a Kano river, not a national sea.
The APC, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not only stood but has been endorsed. For all the cries, for all the bitter words against his reforms, the people have answered with their votes: they are willing to endure the hard medicine if it promises a better tomorrow.
What then is the road ahead? It is clear. The APC stands as the party to beat in 2027. The opposition must gather itself, must bind its wounds, must cease from fighting in fragments if it wishes to rise as a true alternative.
But for now, let it be recorded in the annals of our young democracy: that on the 16th of August, 2025, the Nigerian people spoke with ballots, not hashtags; with votes, not noise; with courage, not despair. And their verdict was plain.
The APC is not a party of rumor, but a party of the people.
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