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Everyman has the right to decide his own destiny, and in this judgement there is no partiality. – Bob Marley, from lyrics of Zimbabwe, a song, and an album dedicated to Zimbabwe at independence in April 1980 THE crowd of over 100,000 that packed the Rufaro Stadium, Harare, on 18 April 1980, was full of expectations for the new country. When Bob Marley hit the song, Zimbabwe, tears rolled, the drums pelted to new rhythms, the guitars strummed, and the crowd went into frenzy. The lyrics could have been lost on everyone. President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari donated $15 million to Zimbabwe. Part of the money was used in training Zimbabwean students in Nigerian universities, their government workers in the Administrative Staff College Of Nigeria in Badagry, and their soldiers in the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna. The expectations evaporated quickly. Edgar Zivanai ‘Two Boy’ Tekere, the ZANU-PF Secretary General, largely seen as a major challenger to President Robert Mugabe, invited Bob ...

Abuja - Godfrey Gaiya, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports, on Friday in Abuja charged the Super Eagles to make history in their African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Cote d'Ivoire. Gaiya said this while addressing the players, after watching the team's friendly match against FC Abuja, in which the Eagles won 1-0. The match was played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch of the Abuja National Stadium. The Super Eagles had on July 16 resumed camping for the return leg of the CHAN qualifier against the Elephants of Cote d`Ivoire. The Eagles won the first leg 4-1 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, on July 6 and the return leg will hold on July 27 in Abidjan, Cote d`Ivoire. He said the players have the opportunity to be the first Super Eagles team to qualify for CHAN which has had two previous editions. ``You should forget what happened in Kaduna as if nothing happened; go there and play on a zero level. ``We will be there to cheer you up and enco...