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LRSO Facilitates Sports for Development Training in Taraba State to Promote Peace and Unity

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Lighthouse Rescue Sports Outreach (LRSO) in July 2025 signed a contract to facilitate the Sports for Development (S4D) project under the German Cooperation and GIZ initiative.

In August 2025, the organization deployed three Sports Consultants — Geoffrey Bottson, Choji David Bot, and Yop Bottson — to Taraba State to conduct a week-long training for 30 coaches and 50 players, forming Cohort 1 of the program.

The participants were equipped with practical skills and knowledge on how to use sports as a tool to promote peace, unity, empathy, leadership, and teamwork in their respective communities across Taraba State. The training concluded with a friendly football tournament featuring six teams made up of the trained players, each mentored by five of the newly trained coaches. During the matches, both players and coaches demonstrated the lessons they had learned, showcasing sports as a vehicle for social transformation.

Following the success of the first phase, LRSO returned to Taraba State from October 6–10, 2025, to conduct another week-long Sports for Development (S4D) training for Cohort 2, comprising another set of 30 coaches and 50 players. This second group also benefited from modules on how to use sports to foster peaceful coexistence, strengthen relationships, and build community resilience.

The Sports for Development (S4D) initiative is part of a larger project titled “Strengthening Capacities for Conflict Transformation and Livelihood for Groups in Vulnerable Situations in Nigeria’s Central Zone (PEACECORE II)”. The project engages selected government institutions, non-governmental organizations, national and international consultants, and grassroots actors to support conflict transformation and livelihood security in Taraba, Plateau, and Kaduna States.

These three states have, over the years, faced recurring cycles of violence fueled by ethno-religious tensions, farmer–herder clashes, and competition over land and resources. The conflicts have caused loss of lives, displacement, and erosion of trust among communities.

Recognizing the central role of young people in peacebuilding, Sports for Development leverages the universal appeal of sports to break barriers of language, religion, and ethnicity, creating safe spaces for dialogue, teamwork, and mutual respect. When combined with peace education and inclusion-focused interventions, sports have proven to be an effective means of promoting social cohesion, reducing tensions, and building leadership among youths.

Indeed, sports can play a crucial supporting role in preventing violence and fostering unity in divided societies.

For partnership or expert facilitation in sports-based peacebuilding programs, contact Lighthouse Rescue Sports Outreach (LRSO).

#SportsForDevelopment #LRSO #GIZ #GermanCooperation #PeaceCoreII #TarabaState #Nigeria #YouthEmpowerment #Peacebuilding #SportsForPeace

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Nigerian Youngster Elo Onuchukwu Joins Manchester City Academy From Leicester City

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Young Nigerian heritage attacker Elo Onuchukwu has officially completed a move to Manchester City Academy from Leicester City, marking a significant step in his budding football career.

Sports247 reports that the promising youngster has put pen to paper with the Premier League giants and will continue his development within Manchester City’s highly regarded youth system.

Onuchukwu is set to join City’s Under-14 team, where he will have the opportunity to develop his technical abilities and gain valuable experience as he begins a new chapter in Manchester, North West England.

The move represents an important progression for the young attacker, who has emerged as one of the Nigerian-heritage talents attracting attention at youth level.

Having previously developed within Leicester City’s academy setup, Onuchukwu will now continue his football education at Manchester City, with the club renowned for its emphasis on technical development and youth progression.

His arrival at the City Football Academy provides another platform for the youngster to sharpen his game, compete at a high level and work towards fulfilling his potential.

For Nigerian football followers, the move also puts Onuchukwu among the emerging Nigerian heritage players to monitor closely as his career develops.

While still at the early stages of his football journey, the Manchester City opportunity offers the young attacker an important environment to grow and gain experience.

The next phase of Onuchukwu’s development in Manchester will be closely watched, particularly by those following the progress of young Nigerian heritage talents across Europe.

For now, the teenager can celebrate a major career milestone — a move from Leicester City to Manchester City and the beginning of a new chapter with the club’s U14 side.

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Ethiopia, Djibouti hail Dangote’s $660 million pipeline as energy security boost

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh have commended Dangote Group’s $660 million Damarjog-Dewele Oil Terminal and Pipeline Project, describing it as a major infrastructure investment capable of transforming regional trade and energy supply.

The leaders spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the project at the Damerjog Industrial Development Free Trade Zone in Djibouti.

The project involves the construction of a 120-kilometre multiproduct pipeline connecting marine and coastal storage facilities at Damarjog in Djibouti with inland storage and distribution facilities at Dewele in Ethiopia.

Upon completion, the pipeline is expected to facilitate the movement of refined petroleum products into Ethiopia, reduce transportation bottlenecks and improve the reliability of fuel supplies to the country and the wider region.

Boost to Djibouti

President Guelleh said the project would support Djibouti’s ambition to become a major logistics, industrial and energy hub in Africa.

“Today marks an important chapter in Djibouti’s journey toward becoming a premier centre for logistics, energy, and industrial development. The Damarjog-Dewele Pipeline Project is not merely infrastructure; it is an investment in the future prosperity of our region,” he said.

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According to him, the investment would increase trade volumes, expand port operations, attract additional investments and create direct and indirect employment opportunities.

“We are proud to partner with the Dangote Group in delivering a project that demonstrates the strength of African-led investment and practical African solutions to African challenges,” Mr Guelleh said.

On his part, Prime Minister Abiy said the pipeline would strengthen Ethiopia’s energy security by providing a more efficient and reliable channel for transporting refined petroleum products.

“Ethiopia’s continued economic expansion depends on reliable and efficient access to energy resources. This pipeline will provide a modern, dependable, and cost-effective system for transporting refined petroleum products into the country, thereby enhancing our energy security and reducing supply-chain vulnerabilities,” he said.

He said the project would support sectors including aviation, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing and construction by improving access to petroleum products.

The prime minister also said the infrastructure would reduce losses associated with long-distance transportation and improve the efficiency of Ethiopia’s petroleum distribution network.

He described the project as another example of economic cooperation between Ethiopia and Djibouti.

The project will reduce logistics risks

Speaking at the ceremony, Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, said the project was part of the group’s broader efforts to develop infrastructure that supports Africa’s economic growth and self-sufficiency.

“This project is designed to enhance energy security, improve supply-chain efficiency, and create sustainable economic value for both Djibouti and Ethiopia,” Mr Dangote said.

He said Djibouti would benefit from increased port activity, revenues and employment, while Ethiopia would gain improved energy security and reduced logistics constraints.

Mr Dangote noted that the Djibouti corridor is a major route for Ethiopia’s imports and exports, including petroleum products.

According to him, the pipeline would reduce dependence on long-distance tanker movements, ease congestion and lower operational risks associated with transporting petroleum products by road.

READ ALSO: Dangote refinery drove Nigeria’s petrol supply in August as NNPC refineries remain shut — Report

The project is also expected to create jobs during construction and operation and provide opportunities for local contractors, suppliers, transport operators and communities.

The Damarjog-Dewele project is part of Dangote Group’s Vision 2030 strategy, under which the conglomerate plans to invest $50 billion across Africa in industrial and energy infrastructure.

Mr Dangote said the group’s objective was to support African countries in reducing dependence on imports and increasing local production.

“Our vision is to support African countries in becoming self-sufficient in products for which they possess the raw materials, market demand, and strategic necessity,” he said.

The project further expands Dangote Group’s investments in Africa’s energy and industrial sectors, following the development of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria and other investments across the continent.


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