Sports
Coaches, Administrators Seek Aid For Football
Nigerian football administrators and coaches have urged corporate bodies and wealthy individuals to come to the aid of football clubs to ensure the development of the game.
In separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos, the administrators and coaches said that funding was a major challenge to the development of football.
Mutiu Adepoju, General Manager, Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, said that the management of most clubs lacked the finance to run football effectively.
“To own a football club is capital intensive and most clubs that we have in the national league have gone bankrupt because they could not cope,” Adepoju said.
He explained that the clubs were not revenue generating businesses but rather providing social services engaging the youths in meaningful activity, so that they do not constitute a nuisance in the society.
The general manager advised the managements of football clubs to develop their feeder teams to enhance the quality of players playing in the various leagues.
Similarly, Godfrey Esu, Coach of Crown FC, Ogbomoso, said that most clubs lacked the proper management to run football.
According to him, poor management is what has been hindering football clubs in Nigeria.
He also deplored the management of the national league, adding that the league needed to be better coordinated.
Esu noted that football could only develop in Nigeria if a well organised development programme, targeted at the grass roots, was initiated and implemented by committed football administrators.
Wole Ajaja, Coach of Fountain FC, Ado-Ekiti, however, identified poor welfare for athletes as a major challenge for the clubs.
“Most clubs have good intention of developing football but do not have the resources,” he said.
The coach said that without proper welfare, the players looked for better opportunities abroad, thereby under-developing football in the country.
“Due to non-payment of players entitlements, most of them run to foreign clubs and this is telling on the development of football in Nigeria” Ajaja said.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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