Nigerian forward Sadiq Umar came off the bench to rescue a point for Valencia as they played out a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano in Saturday’s La Liga clash at the Estadio de Vallecas. Valencia found themselves trailing at the break after Cesar Tarrega’s unfortunate own goal just before half-time had given the hosts a slender advantage. Looking to inject more attacking threat into his side, Valencia manager Carlos Corberán introduced Umar in the 66th minute, replacing Andre Almeida. The tactical change paid immediate dividends for Los Che. The 28-year-old striker made his presence felt, netting a clinical finish 16 minutes from time to level the score. The goal marked Umar’s fifth in just 12 La Liga appearances for Valencia this season, reinforcing his reputation as an efficient finisher despite limited playing time. With the hard-fought draw, Corberán’s men extended their impressive unbeaten run to seven consecutive league games, matching their longest such streak since December 2021. Valencia entered the fixture in excellent form, having won their last three La Liga matches against Mallorca, Real Madrid and Sevilla. The result keeps Los Che in 13th position on 38 points, now just two points behind their 10th-placed opponents. For Rayo Vallecano, the draw represents another missed opportunity to secure maximum points at home. Inigo Perez’s side has not tasted victory in front of their home supporters since early February, continuing a disappointing run that has seen them win just once in their last eight league outings. The result will particularly please Valencia given their poor away record this season, having managed just one victory in their previous 15 league games on their travels. With seven matches remaining in the campaign, Valencia’s relegation fears have been significantly eased as they now sit eight points clear of the drop zone. Should their strong form continue, Los Che could potentially climb into the top half of the table—a remarkable achievement considering they were flirting with relegation earlier in the season.

A total of 1000 teachers are set to be recruited in Nasarawa State under the Adolescent Girls Initiative and Empowerment project. Technical Officer of the project, Jephtha Daleng made this known on Thursday at a meeting with Nasarawa State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Women and Youth and Sports. He said the project also earmarked 30 schools for upgrade in the state. The technical officer, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, also said the project is working on the expansion of some selected schools in the state. According to him,  15 primary schools are to be upgraded to Junior Secondary Schools, and 15 Junior Secondary Schools are to be upgraded to Senior Secondary Schools in the state. ”The project will equally recruit 1000 teachers to be spread across schools in the state,” he said. ” The main focus of the project is the girl child, physically challenged and less privileged among others,” he said. On his part, chairman of the joint house committee,  Abel Bala, said the Assembly would sponsor a bill to domesticate the National Policy on Gender Education and ensure its sustainability in the state. This, he said,  is to encourage girl-child education and improve the standard of living of the less privileged in the state. ”Without a law domesticating and sustaining this project,  it will not function well after its expiration in the state. ”We are going to put our heads together as lawmakers to come up with a bill to domesticate the National Policy on Gender Policy in Education and Sustainability. ”We will also ensure that there is  a budget line for the successful implementation of the project in the state ” If a girl child is educated,  a nation will achieve speedy development,” he said. Bala urged AGILE  management to involve all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state to ensure the successful implementation of the project. He assured of the lawmakers’ readiness to support the project to succeed.  Earlier, the deputy project coordinator, AGILE Lafia, Juliana Polycarp said the management was at the assembly to familiarise with members and seek for synergy for domestication of the National Policy on Gender Policy in Education and its sustainability.

Actress and filmmaker, Azeezat Shorunmu, has said that scriptwriting helped her escape advances and sexual harassment from male producers. In an interview with Sunday Scoop, Shorunmu stated that people fall victim to sexual harassment when they become desperate for fame and quick wealth. She said, “In the film industry, many fall victim to sexual harassment when they become desperate for fame, success, quick wealth; or when they fail to think creatively and positively about their careers. “I was fortunate enough to avoid that fate. I escaped the advances and bullying of male producers by staying true to myself and principles. It gave me a voice and a level of influence that allowed me to take more control over the roles I chose and the projects I worked on.” The light-complexioned entrepreneur added that she had a deep passion for writing action-packed stories. Examining her career, Shorunmu said, “Acting holds a special place in my creative journey. It has been a transformative experience that has allowed me to tap into my imagination in ways I never anticipated. Through acting, I’ve had the opportunity to challenge myself, push my creative boundaries, and connect with others on a much deeper and meaningful level. It has shaped my personal and professional life in profound ways, teaching me invaluable lessons along the way. “As both an actress and a filmmaker, I have worked on projects such as Etan, Omo Eleso, Pase, Bioreni, Abiwapele, 1990, Our Family, Korikosun Esu, Orisa Eniwumide, Ere Oran, Baoku, Eleni Ina, and many more. Each project has contributed to the diverse portfolio I’m proud to have built.”