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Senator Lalong Honoured with Golf Kitty as Plateau Golfers Celebrate His 62nd Birthday

Published

9 months ago

July 15, 2025

vicky

Senator Simon Bako Lalong, representing Plateau South Senatorial District and former Governor of Plateau State, was over the weekend honoured with a ceremonial golf kitty in celebration of his 62nd birthday. The event, held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the Lamingo Golf Club in Jos, was organized by the Plateau chapter of the Inside Life Golf Kitty Group.

Dignitaries, golf enthusiasts, and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the senator, describing him as a statesman, a promoter of peace, and a passionate advocate for the development of golf in Plateau State.

Although Senator Lalong’s birthday fell on May 5, he explained that festivities were postponed in respect of the passing of his former deputy governor. “I had no plans to celebrate this year, but Inside Life planned a surprise to honour me. I couldn’t say no,” Lalong said during the celebration, expressing gratitude to the organisers and the golfing community.

The senator described the occasion as one of personal reflection and appreciation, especially in light of recent losses. He praised the unifying nature of golf and recounted memorable experiences from his time as governor and a travelling golfer. One such anecdote was a humorous exchange with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who once proposed a friendly match at the White House after discovering their mutual interest in the sport.

“Golf is a unique game that unites people—even rivals. You can play with someone you disagreed with and later share a drink together,” Lalong said. He urged Plateau residents to embrace peace, stating, “When there’s peace, we can build more golf courses and create a thriving sporting culture that benefits all.”

As part of his remarks, the senator proposed the establishment of a special tournament trophy to honour veteran golfer Dara Sam Gyang, the oldest golfer in attendance, acknowledging his longstanding contributions to the sport.

Major General Oluwaseun Olayinka Oshinowo (rtd), Coordinator of the Inside Life Golf Group, described Senator Lalong as “not just a leader, but a legend of the game in Plateau,” commending his dedication to promoting golf and fostering unity.

Similarly, Sailas Vem, Captain of the Lamingo Golf Club, praised the former governor for his unwavering support and infrastructural contributions. “We are seated under this roof today because of your generosity and commitment to the game,” he said, noting that Lalong remains a life patron and a role model for younger players.

Other dignitaries in attendance included Chief Latep Dabang, Chairman of the Plateau Amateur Golfers Association (PAGA); Engr. Murphy Dogun, patron of the Lamingo Golf Club; and Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd), Vice Chairman of PAGA. They all applauded Senator Lalong’s impact in public service and sports development.

The celebration concluded with the presentation of trophies to outstanding performers during the kitty, as well as special recognitions for notable figures in the Plateau golfing community.

Senator Lalong, a lawyer by profession and advocate of sports diplomacy, served as Governor of Plateau State from 2015 to 2023 and was appointed Minister of Labour and Employment in 2023. He currently represents Plateau South in the Nigerian Senate.

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Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Sunday morning

Published

2 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Preport

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers;

1. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced the arrest of two candidates and a parent for falsifying 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results using Artificial Intelligence and other electronic tools. The disclosure came on Friday as the board released scores for 632,788 candidates who sat the examination on Thursday, April 16.

2. Katsina State Police Command has arrested 26 suspected social miscreants in a major overnight operation aimed at restoring order in the state capital. The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Katsina on Friday.

3. The Federal Road Safety Corps, Kano Sector Command, has confirmed the death of four persons and 53 others injured in separate road crashes in Kano. The Public Relations Officer of the Sector Command, Abdullahi Labaran, confirmed the figures in a statement on Saturday.

4. Anambra State Police Command has arrested one male suspect, identified as Eric Nwombu, for alleged criminal impersonation and unlawful possession of JAMB examination materials. In a press statement on Saturday, the Spokesman for the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the operatives arrested the suspect under the IGP’s “Safe School Initiative”.

5. Plateau State Police Command has confirmed that two persons died and three others sustained injuries following an explosion at a filling station in Daffo District, Bokkos Local Government Area of the state. In a statement on Saturday signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, the command said the incident was mistakenly circulated online as a bomb blast, but was in fact an industrial accident.

6. The planned defection of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress has collapsed following disagreements over a proposed power-sharing formula. The consultations between the governor, his Turaki-led PDP faction, and the APC leadership ended in a deadlock after the ruling party reportedly rejected a 60–40 formula for the control of party structure in Bauchi State.

7. The All Progressives Congress, Kano State Chapter, has firmly debunked a statement allegedly issued by a group known as Arewa APC Forum, Kano State Chapter, claiming withdrawal of support for the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu. In a statement on Saturday by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Auwalu Abdullahi, the APC described the claim as false, misleading, and a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the party.

8. Suspected bandits have abducted a traditional ruler, his wife and another resident in a brazen midnight attack on the Olayinka community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The monarch is said to be among those recently elevated by the state government.

9. Tensions have sharply escalated in the Middle East as Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the United States of violating prior understandings amid an ongoing naval blockade. In a statement on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that control of the strategic waterway had “returned to its previous state,” citing continued US restrictions on Iranian ports as justification for the move.

10. The father of two victims abducted on Wednesday from a Benue Links bus en route to Otukpo has cried out over ransom demands by their captors, who he said are insisting on N9 million for each of his kidnapped children. The victims were among those seized when armed men intercepted the bus and forced passengers into nearby bush paths.

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Tesla brings its robotaxi service to Dallas and Houston

Published

9 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Preport

Tesla is expanding its robotaxi service to Dallas and Houston, according to a social media post from the company.

The post says simply that “Robotaxi is now rolling out in Dallas & Houston 🤠” and includes a 14-second video showing Tesla vehicles driving without human monitors or drivers in the front seat.

The company now offers robotaxi service in three cities, all of them in Texas, after launching in Austin last year and starting to offer rides without safety drivers in January 2026. In a February filing, Tesla said that its Austin robotaxis have been involved in 14 crashes since launch.

It also offers a more limited ride service with human drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tesla may not be running many vehicles in either of these new markets yet, with crowdsourced data on the Robotaxi Tracker website only registering a single vehicle in each city (compared to 46 active vehicles logged in Austin).