Wealthy Entrepreneur 'Reversed' His Biological Age with a $2 Million Treatment Program - Ethical concerns here?

CC™ NewsMax

By Alexa Mikhail 

"Bryan Johnson, 45, has a team of more than 30 physicians working to keep him young by trying out the latest treatments Wealthy software entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, 45, has one goal: To have the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, tendons, teeth, skin, hair, bladder, penis and rectum of an 18 year old...."

Bryan Johnson, a wealthy entrepreneur based in Venice California, who is 45 going on 18—is enamored with the idea of being biologically young again. So much so that he is on the path to spending over $2 million this year alone on a host of medical interventions and tests aimed at helping him be younger. They range from electromagnetic pulses to improve the muscles in his pelvic floor to a device calculating the number of erections he has per night, according to a recent profile of the software businessman in Bloomberg. Johnson also routinely has MRIs, and has his body fat, heart rate variability, and blood and stool samples examined. 

Johnson sees a team of 30 doctors for regular, and sometimes invasive, tests for what they have named Project Blueprint, according to Bloomberg. 

The 29-year-old lead doctor and “regenerative medicine physician” on the project Oliver Zolman is dedicated “to help reverse the aging process in every one of Johnson’s organs” and charges up to $1,000 an hour for patients interested in the vast testing that Johnson participates in, Bloomberg reports. 

While the data is preliminary, Johnson has the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old, according to tests his doctors performed. His overall biological age is at least five years younger, per the report. 

“We have not achieved any remarkable results,” Zolman tells Bloomberg. “In Bryan, we have achieved small, reasonable results, and it’s to be expected.”

Johnson, who has a medical facility in his own home, also adheres to a hyper-strict exercise and eating ritual, taking two dozen supplements/other medicines at 5 a.m. each day, consuming 1,977 “vegan calories a day,” exercising for an hour, and hitting the hay at the same time after using blue light evasive glasses. 

“What I do may sound extreme, but I’m trying to prove that self-harm and decay are not inevitable,” he told Bloomberg. Since beginning to see results, he’s continued the project, despite criticism that it’s all a step too far in a way that impedes on the spontaneity that can define living a happy life. 

When Bloomberg reporter Ashlee Vance visited Johnson’s home, he writes, “He could have been mistaken for a big, swollen porcelain doll.” (He had recently undergone a fat injecting face procedure, which he says will help him accumulate more youthful cells, though it produced an allergic reaction.) 

Johnson has made it clear—whether due to a dream of staying fit and young, outliving his own generation, or to simply explore the untapped potential of emerging longevity technology—he is not stopping anytime soon. 

“The whole longevity field is transitioning into a much more rigorous, clinical place,” George Church, a geneticist at Harvard University, tells Bloomberg.

For the majority of people who don’t have the resources to have a medical facility in their home or access a team of doctors and regularly undergo medical tests, there are a myriad of questions—namely, what will this mean for the rest of us? What is the result of this kind of healthcare that allows the ultra-rich to literally descend in age?

For Johnson, though, it’s all fun for now. “If you say that you want to live forever or defeat aging, that’s bad—it’s a rich person thing,” Johnson says to Bloomberg. “If it’s more akin to a professional sport, it’s entertainment. It has the virtues of establishing standards and protocols. It benefits everyone in a systemic way.”

Source: Fortune Well

China’s Military Has Surpassed the U.S. in Ships, Missiles and Air Defense, Department of Defense report finds......

CC™ Defense Watch - By Richard Sisk

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has already surpassed the U.S. in missile development and its number of warships and air defense systems under the Chinese Communist Party’s plan to achieve dominance by 2049, the Defense Department said in a sobering report.

The ultimate goal of the People’s Republic of China, or PRC, is to “develop a military by mid-Century that is equal to — or in some cases superior to — the U.S. military, or that of any other great power that the PRC views as a threat,” the DoD’s annual report to Congress said.

To that end, the PRC has “marshalled the resources, technology, and political will over the past two decades to strengthen and modernize the PLA in nearly every respect,” the report said.

Under the national strategy pressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the result has been that “China is already ahead of the United States in certain areas” essential to its overall aim of progressing from homeland and periphery defense to global power projection, the report said.

“The PRC has the largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines, including over 130 major surface combatants,” the report said.

That’s compared to the U.S. Navy’s current battle force of 295 ships.

In addition, “the PRC has more than 1,250 ground-launched ballistic missiles (GLBMs) and ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCMs) with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers,” while the U.S. currently fields one type of conventional GLBM with a range of 70 to 300 kilometers and no GLCMs, the report said.

In some respects, China is also ahead on integrated air defense systems with a mix of Russian-built and homegrown systems, the report said.

“The PRC has one of the world’s largest forces of advanced long-range surface-to-air systems” — including Russian-built S-400, S-300, and domestically-produced anti-air systems — making up “part of its robust and redundant integrated air defense system,” the report said.

Despite the advances, the PLA “remains in a position of inferiority” to the U.S. in overall military strength, said Chad Sbragia, the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for China.

The 173-page DoD report “does not claim that China’s military is 10 feet tall,” but the Chinese Communist Party wants it to be, and has the plan and resources to reach that goal, Sbragia, a retired Marine officer, said at an American Enterprise Institute forum on China’s military.

At an earlier Pentagon briefing on the report, Sbragia said Beijing’s military strategy was driven by the view that the U.S. has decided upon a long period of confrontation to counter the global spread of China’s influence.

He said that China “increasingly views the United States as more willing to confront Beijing on matters where the U.S. and PRC interests are inimical.”

“The CCP leaders view the United States’ security alliances and partnerships — especially those in the Indo-Pacific region — as destabilizing and irreconcilable with China’s interests,” Sbragia said.

The DoD report, titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China” comes on the heels of China's increasing political and military influence in the world and the South China sea respectively.

The 23rd annual report on China by DoD noted the “staggering” improvements in China’s ability to build, coordinate and project power since the first report was issued.

“DoD’s first annual report to Congress in 2000 assessed the PRC’s armed forces at that time to be a sizable but mostly archaic military that was poorly suited to the CCP’s long-term ambitions,” the report said.

In 2000, “the PLA lacked the capabilities, organization, and readiness for modern warfare,” the report said. But the CCP, it added, recognized the shortcomings and set about with determination to “strengthen and transform its armed forces in a manner commensurate with its aspirations to strengthen and transform China.”

“More striking than the PLA’s staggering amounts of new military hardware are the recent sweeping efforts taken by CCP leaders that include completely restructuring the PLA into a force better suited for joint operations” and for “expanding the PRC’s overseas military footprint.”

The PLA has already established its first overseas military base in Djibouti, about a mile from U.S. Africa Command’s main base on the Horn of Africa.

In its commentary on the DoD assessment, the American Enterprise Institute noted that the report also stressed that “The PRC has likely considered locations for PLA military logistics facilities in Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Angola, and Tajikistan.”

Despite the progress made by China’s military over the past two decades, “major gaps and shortcomings remain” in readiness and operational capability, the report said, but China’s leaders are acutely aware of the problems and have detailed plans to overcome them.

“Of course, the CCP does not intend for the PLA to be merely a showpiece of China’s modernity or to keep it focused solely on regional threats,” the report said.

“As this report shows, the CCP desires the PLA to become a practical instrument of its statecraft with an active role in advancing the PRC’s foreign policy, particularly with respect to the PRC’s increasingly global interests and its aims to revise aspects of the international order,” it added.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Military.com

Crypto is the next step toward a cashless society

CC™ Financial News

Julian Hosp

It will take some time for consumers to warm up to crypto, but education is the key to its mass adoption. 

From QR code payments to mobile banking apps, consumers worldwide are increasingly reliant on digital payment solutions, especially as mobile technology becomes more ubiquitous. Government-led efforts in driving cashless economies have been a key factor, with countries such as Singapore or the Philippines seeing their central banks driving the adoption of contactless payments during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, usage rates for digital payments platforms have recorded promising growth, even as high as 5,000% in the Philippines alone.

This unprecedented rise in cashless payments is also paving the way for the broader adoption of crypto, with the number of crypto users worldwide hitting around 106 million in January. While this marks an impressive 15% month-on-month growth, it is still just a drop in the ocean when compared to the 4.7 billion people who have access to the internet.

But as crypto continues to command headlines, what will it take for mass adoption to happen?

A new model of financial accessibility

Today, billions of people worldwide are unable to access even the most basic financial services via traditional means, and thus are unable to save or manage their money securely. In times of economic devastation, such as this past year in which global economies have been staggered by the impact of COVID-19, the vast gap between rich and poor has become abundantly clear. The global pandemic has only perpetuated the absence of inclusive financial infrastructure, which has led to approximately one-third of the global population having no financial safety net to fall back on.

With crypto wallets, however, anyone can transfer their crypto internationally without needing to maintain a minimum balance in their account, as long as they have an internet connection. As crypto applications are built on decentralized blockchains, transactions are performed on a peer-to-peer basis in the absence of traditional intermediaries such as bankers or brokerage houses. This results in significant savings in transaction costs, as traditional cross-border remittance fees for small amounts can be as high as 7% after taking into account intermediaries’ fees on both the sender and recipient side. Meanwhile, the same fees for cryptocurrencies are often less than 1 percent — regardless of transaction amount.

Furthermore, highly decentralized platforms are permissionless, meaning that anyone with a crypto wallet and internet connection can lend, remit or trade their crypto without validation by a central authority or intermediary. Instead, transactions are executed by smart contracts, which automate them as long as pre-encoded conditions are met. Beyond the cost savings, consider the time savings as well. Remittance transactions can take several days to be processed, whereas cryptocurrencies can be transferred in mere minutes.

However, most crypto platforms still ask for some form of formal identification as part of their identity verification and Know Your Customer (KYC) process. This can range from a phone number to photo ID to proof of residential address. Some platforms adopt a multi-tier approach in which the more information that users provide, the more services they can access. While necessary for KYC and Anti-Money Laundering compliance, this poses barriers to users who do not own any formal identification documents.

Having said that, some decentralized exchanges, or DEXs, still honour the principles of anonymity and trustless working by not enforcing KYC on their users. The elimination of account verification and waiting time for approval has drawn many towards these types of DEXs — such as PancakeSwap, Uniswap and DeFiChain’s DEX — and has made finance truly accessible and inclusive for all.

Beyond simple transactions, recent innovations in the crypto space promise a much more equitable financial system where the unbanked and underbanked can access more means to build wealth. While DeFi products, such as token holding and staking on a DEX, might be a little too advanced for this group of users at the moment, simplified centralized decentralized finance (CeDeFi) services and improvements in financial literacy over time will help to open the door to these inclusive wealth creation opportunities.

Education is key to crypto adoption at scale

Widespread adoption of digital payment technologies, such as QR codes and biometrics, is definitely a promising sign that consumers have become more digitally savvy than ever before. In the Asia Pacific, more than 90% of surveyed respondents said they would consider at least one new payment method in the next year.

In addition to new payment technologies, the proliferation of retail investing has led to a paradigm shift in the investment landscape, with trading activities doubling over the past year. User-friendly platforms such as Robinhood and their well-known crypto counterparts — such as Coinbase — have made investing much more accessible to non-institutional investors.

This historic rise in cashless payments and retail investing saw the public gain more exposure to different asset types. However, in the United States, a staggering 84% of adults are either uninterested in cryptocurrencies or have never heard of them. While this could be attributable to the seemingly intimidating technicalities involved, we are now in a good place to gradually transition towards a more crypto-forward society.

For now, there’s much more to be done to help mainstream consumers gain a better understanding of crypto. Crypto projects, for one, would do well to invest more resources towards creating educational content to bridge the knowledge gap — whether through guides or detailed explainers. Meanwhile, taking on a more transparency-focused approach that looks to debunk misconceptions and ensure that users are aware of the risks associated with crypto, will enable those users to navigate their entry into the space with greater ease and confidence.

Crypto is the MVP in the cashless drive

As conversations on cryptocurrencies evolve, governments are taking note. While cash will not be eliminated any time soon, as many as 86% of central banks around the world are looking into central bank digital currencies in their quest to go cashless. The world’s first central bank digital currency (CBDC) — the Sand Dollar — was announced by the Central Bank of the Bahamas way back in 2018 and officially launched in October last year. The technology team behind this project was led by U-Zyn Chua, who went on to co-found DeFiChain.

Although CBDCs will be regulated by a central authority, their adoption will send a profound message to market participants on the legitimacy of digital currencies. The introduction of CBDCs is thus a much-needed springboard to catalyze large-scale crypto adoption.

In the short term, crypto is not going to replace the existing financial system, but will instead carve out its own ecosystem that is fit for a new generation of digital-first, financially savvy users. While it will take some time for consumers to warm up to crypto, the nascent technology will prove its worth in due time by offering cheaper, safer and more inclusive financial services for all.

Julian Hosp is the CEO and a co-founder of Cake DeFi, a platform dedicated to providing access to decentralized financial services and applications. He is also the chairman of DeFiChain, a DeFi platform built on the Bitcoin network. Julian is an active speaker for the Washington Speakers Bureau and an adviser for the EU’s blockchain groups. Julian graduated from Medizinische Universitat Innsbruck with a Doctor of Medicine in human medicine.

COINTELEGRAPH

Taribo West and the class of entitled footballers who think Nigeria owes them from cradle to grave

CC™ News

By Staff

Following the recent criticism former Super Eagles defender Taribo West leveled at the Federal Government over the neglect of retired footballers, his 1999 salary has resurfaced online, sparking buzz.

Taribo West, who played for AC Milan and Inter Milan, condemned authorities for abandoning ex-players during times of struggle, citing the recent deaths of Peter Rufai, Rasheed Yekini and Christian Chukwu as examples of the system’s failures.

Peter Rufai, a former national team goalkeeper, passed away in Lagos last month after battling a long-term illness, while Chukwu, another ex-Super Eagles captain and coach, had died shortly before.

The outspoken defender called out the lack of government support for football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Chukwu, and Rufai following their retirements.

Fellow former players, Augustine Eguavoen and Samson Siasia, also backed Taribo West’s claims, criticizing authorities for failing to assist with funeral arrangements and expenses.

Amid the debate, attention turned to Taribo West’s past earnings. Reports from All Africa and PM News revealed that he earned £1.24 million (?193 million) during his 1999 season at AC Milan, making him one of the world’s highest-paid players at the time.

Adjusted to today’s exchange rate, this amounts to about ?2.7 billion, sparking mixed reactions from the public.

Controversies surrounding Rufai’s funeral, held on August 22, 2025, further fueled the debate.

The outspoken defender called out the lack of government support for football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Chukwu, and Rufai following their retirements.

Fellow former players, Augustine Eguavoen and Samson Siasia, also backed Taribo West’s claims, criticizing authorities for failing to assist with funeral arrangements and expenses.

Amid the debate, attention turned to Taribo West’s past earnings. Reports from All Africa and PM News revealed that he earned £1.24 million (?193 million) during his 1999 season at AC Milan, making him one of the world’s highest-paid players at the time.

Adjusted to today’s exchange rate, this amounts to about ?2.7 billion, sparking mixed reactions among Nigerians. 

These athletes, football players especially, gained fame and wealth as a result of their exploits with the national team, which allowed them to secure lucrative contracts with European and other foreign clubs. 

While the nation is grateful for their exploits in the nation’s colors and has often rewarded them for such, the sense of entitlement has seemingly gone too far for most Nigerians, who feel that better money management, as well as smarter lifestyle choices, would have ensured a more stable and secure future for these athletes. 

The culture of indiscipline

CC™ Editor-in-Chief

--- Boyejo A. Coker

It is rather easy to lay the blame for Nigeria's lack of progress and development to as many factors as one can come up with...but the most obvious impediment to Nigeria's forward progression is the apparent culture of indiscipline that has become part and parcel of the society as a whole. We like to ascribe to ourselves the title "Giant of Africa" without realizing the attendant incumbencies that accompany such a position.

At 63 (this year), we seem more lost than ever. Take a look at the various sectors of Nigerian life and you will see a true representation of the present deplorable state of affairs, in a country that holds so much promise, but bears so much despair.

The history of Nigeria is replete with several notable accomplishments, more notably in the arena of international politics (with Africa as its frame of reference). Nigeria has been unflinching and resolved in our commitment to the total liberation of Africa from the clutches of imperialism and neo-colonialism. In as much as we have succeeded in this high-order endeavor, we have fallen short miserably in not realizing that true freedom in all its peculiarities must be absolute and comprehensive.

Freedom does not only entail "political emancipation" but more importantly must include economic, psychological, emotional, cultural and spiritual emancipation. Please note that when I say spiritual emancipation, I am not referring to religiosity, religiousness or religion for that matter, I am in fact referring to a thorough cleansing of the "impurities" that may serve to inhibit the process whereby potential is transformed into reality through self-actualization.

As several African countries such as Zimbabwe and Namibia, to name a few, have gained independence, so also have their African leaders become worse than their original European subjugators. Why you ask? Well, let's look at the "Big Brother" (Nigeria, that is). Is it unrealistic to expect the "Younger Siblings" to follow in the footsteps of the "Eldest Child?"

I mean, we are the "Giant of Africa" right? As such we expect the rest of Africa to follow our lead. But what example have we shown the rest of Africa so far...what, a culture of pernicious graft, moral decay, spiritual bankruptcy, political crookery, self-aggrandizement and an ominous lack of transparency and accountability in all tiers of government.

Worse still, in the West African sub-region that had until now been known for its relative calm and stability, chaos is now the order of the day. A careful examination of the events in several of these countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone will reveal that Nigeria (through its murderous dictators...Babangida and Abacha) in one way or the other, had a hand in the disintegration of civil society in these countries. The indiscipline that had become the order of the day under the regimes of both Babangida and Abacha permeated into the social and political fabric of these countries.

Now, more than ever, we as Nigerians must not only resolve to change our ways for the better, we must embrace the spirit of humility and a culture of personal discipline. For all that was wrong with the Idiagbon-Buhari administration, there was one thing they did right; they made Nigerians think before we talked, they made us reflect before we acted, they made us resolve to imbibe a sense of moderation and comportment in all facets of our lives. If only they hadn't arrogated so much power and knowledge to themselves, in addition to sectionalizing the execution of their agenda (the Yoruba and other non-Fulani ethnic nationalities bore the disproportionate majority of their wrath) we may well have turned the corner by now.

It is indeed time for a rebirth of a True War Against Indiscipline (TWAI), as no nation, no matter how blessed, can aspire to true greatness under false pretenses. True greatness has its rewards, but the sacrifices must be such that they are commensurate with the expected rewards.

The rest of Africa needs a truly strong and vibrant Nigeria, a Nigeria that represents the true values and ideals of accountability, transparency and human dignity. No nation, I reiterate once more, can aspire to true greatness without inculcating in its people, a strong sense of discipline...as this is the basic (but most important) foundation upon which a truly just, equitable and civil society is built.

God Bless Nigeria!

I regret ever supporting him – El-Rufai’s ex-aide, Ben Kure, says…..

CC™ Politico

By Staff

Ben Kure, a former political adviser to the erstwhile governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has described his ex-boss as a devilish manipulator, who can not be trusted. 

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, Kure stated that El-Rufai is a bad person whose time in power was marked by exclusion and manipulation.

Kure, now the managing director of Kaduna State Media Corporation, said he initially championed El-Rufai’s rise to power, only to later regret his role.

According to him, “I was Director-General of his campaigns in 2015 and 2019. In my life, I have never regretted an action as much as supporting Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

“He was presented to us as a nationalist. But what we saw was politics of exclusion, politics of discrimination, and divide-and-rule. He thrives in crisis by knocking people’s heads together.”

Kure recounted how he, alongside other APC pioneers, helped build the party structure in Kaduna and delivered the ticket to El-Rufai, who had little political base at the time. According to him, the image of El-Rufai as a unifying figure quickly unravelled once he assumed office.

“He used religion and ethnicity to achieve his goals. He pitted communities against each other so he could have his way. That is not leadership, that is manipulation,” Kure declared.

Pressed on why he continued to serve under El-Rufai despite these misgivings, Kure explained that his disillusionment grew gradually. He had served in multiple roles, including local government chairman, executive secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, and political adviser, but he said he eventually saw through what he called the governor’s divisive style.

“I did not know he was a bad person at first. The truth became clear during his leadership. The Bible says you can do nothing against the truth but for the truth. We endured him because of the party, but we always believed the future would bring someone to redeem the ills he inflicted on the people of Kaduna,” Kure said.

THE CITY BOY: A POLITICAL STRATEGIST AND CONSUMMATE POLITICIAN

CC™ PersPective

By Yahaya Balogun

Let us take a deep dive into the leadership and political strategy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In the grand tapestry of political discourse, I find myself captivated by the muse of creativity and inspiration. I am a fervent admirer of the political artistry exhibited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In a nation as complex and richly diverse as Nigeria, it is nothing short of a blessing to have such a strategic mind at the helm of leadership during these turbulent times.

The present administration, under the stewardship of PBAT, faces a myriad of challenges—obstacles that may appear mundane on the surface but are steeped in intricacies that demand astute political maneuvering. Despite these trials, the President's Bola Ahmed Tinubu remarkable ability to confront and navigate these difficulties is nothing short of praiseworthy.

In the intricate realm of political strategy, one often endeavors to create scenarios that yield win-win outcomes amidst a landscape filled with potential losers and winners. This delicate balancing act requires not only acute awareness but also profound understanding—a trait that President Tinubu has demonstrated time and again. His finesse in orchestrating the management of both scarce and abundant resources, whether they be human or material, has garnered admiration from both discerning intellectuals and pragmatic realists alike. It is a rare skill, particularly in a nation like Nigeria, where the echoes of a turbulent history reverberate through the political strata.

Since the dawn of independence, Nigeria has been embroiled in a political landscape where fairness and equity often seem like distant dreams. Yet, under PBAT's guidance, there emerges a flicker of hope—a vision of how to redefine the rules of engagement in a nation characterized by its political diversity. The President’s remarkable capacity to endure criticism and withstand the slings and arrows of public opinion goes beyond mere resilience; he possesses an uncanny ability to decipher the body language and psychological landscape of his people. This insight not only astounds his adversaries but also draws the admiration of those astute intellectuals who recognize the depth of his understanding.

In the colloquial parlance of Nigeria, it is often said that Omo Ologo—"the child of the illustrious"—is a soul destined for greatness. President Tinubu embodies this ethos, emerging as a beacon of hope amidst the shadows of political disillusionment. In the realm of business, corporate titans glide through the intricacies of national life, shaping the trajectory of both the private sector and public governance. A master strategist, then, is not merely someone who plots and schemes; rather, they are individuals adept at navigating the complexities of their environment to realize defined goals and objectives.

In the vibrant streets of Nigeria, there thrive individuals who are street-wise—a unique breed, well-groomed yet familiar with the harsh realities of life, who adeptly maneuver through the squalor and surmount the challenges that time presents. These are the good rogues—those who comprehend what it takes to engage in a gritty fight for the greater good of humanity, battling the unjust systems that entrench society's inequities. 

Moreover, PBAT can be likened to a political gymnast—an agile and astute figure who deftly maneuvers through the many hurdles of governance, mastering the art of politics to sail toward victory. His strategic prowess allows him not only to navigate rough waters but to come out stronger on the other side.

As I pen down these reflections from my vantage point in Arizona, United States of America, I cannot help but feel a deep connection to Nigeria's journey. It is a land rich in potential, poised for transformation, and bolstered by the dynamic leadership of individuals like Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Our collective fate depends on such strategists, whose vision can guide us through the labyrinth of challenges toward a brighter, more equitable future.

FIFA Council election: How Pinnick was schemed out

CC™ PersPective

By Jacob Ajom

At the 14th Confederation of African Football(CAF) Extraordinary General Assembly held on Wednesday in Cairo, Egypt, former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick failed in his bid to be re-elected into the FIFA council. Pinnick garnered 28 votes—just one vote short of Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya and Djibouti’s Souleiman Waberi, who secured the final two available slots.

Sports Vanguard gathered that the Nigerian candidate was coasting home as there were indications that he was the clear favorite until the eve of the election when a major conspiracy was hatched by his opponents.

Pinnick, we further gathered, was the favourite candidate of both CAF and FIFA Presidents Patrice Mosepe and Gianni Infantino respectively. His closeness to the two powerful figures in world football, his charisma and influence were perceived as major threats by the other contestants, most of whom are still serving FA Presidents of their various countries.

Our source put it more succinctly: “It was the power of incumbency against the helplessness of one being out of office that came to play in Cairo. Just like in Nigeria, where State FA Chairmen wield the big stick when it comes to NFF elections, in Cairo, the FA Presidents hold the ace.

“The other candidates who are FA chairmen and Presidents felt that since Pinnick was no longer President of Nigeria’s federation he could be sacrificed. They ganged up against him when they were deciding on who should be favoured” our source who was in Cairo said.

“Remember, most of them are serving FA Presidents in their respective countries and they felt that since Pinnick was no longer the head of his country’s football federation he could be dispensed with without much harm to their own political fortunes.”

He added, “Untill then, he was ahead with at about 40 votes. But overnight, everything changed and the battle assumed a new direction.”

Coming from an English-speaking country did not help his case one bit.

Our source said, “Pinnick fought a good fight.I’m surprised he got up to 28 votes. When the conspiracy plan was hatched, no one gave him any chance of getting even four votes. To have battled all the odds and got 28 votes overnight, he fought a good fight.”

A battle-weary Pinnick himself alluded to that when he said after the results were announced. “Football politics is fierce, but I am proud to have fought a good fight. I campaigned hard; travelled to more than 30 countries. Hours before the election, I was sure of close to 40 votes. But politics happened. I am not bitter about anything, just full of gratitude to everyone who supported my push.”

Pinnick made history as the third Nigerian to be elected into the FIFA Council, following Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu. He first secured his seat in March 2021 during the 43rd CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco.

Prior to his FIFA role, Pinnick served as the president of the NFF for two consecutive terms, from 2014 to 2022, before being succeeded by Ibrahim Gusau.

VANGUARD

The Yoruba Jews of Nigeria - Tribe of Ephraim (House of Joseph)

CC™ VideoSpective

Hutchins Center - The Africanity of Ancient Egypt (Kemet)

CC™ VideoSpective