Sports
Ladipo Urges Nigeria To Be Regular At AFCON
The President-General, Nigeria Football Supporters’ Club (NFSC), Dr Rafiu Ladipo, has urged Nigeria to ensure that it participated in every Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Oladipo told newsmen in Lagos that it was befitting for Nigeria to have qualified for the 2013 AFCON in South Africa. “It is a long time we last won the AFCON, precisely in 1994 in Tunisia.
“Since then, it has been from one calamity to the other and winning either silver or bronze and later we even stopped winning. “It was so bad that we failed to appear at the last edition of the competition jointly hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. “That was the height of the disappointment.
A nation like Nigeria should make it its birth right to feature in every Nations Cup,” he said.
Ladipo said that he thanked God that Nigeria had qualified to be part of the continental competition in South Africa from January 19 to February 10.
He advised the team’s technical crew not to allow sentiments in the selection of players for the competition.
“The Stephen Keshi-led technical crew of the Super Eagles should not allow sentiments to becloud their judgment in the selection of players. “The only qualification for any player to get selected should be readiness to put up 100 per cent of his very best, meaning absolute merit.
“They should be players who are ready to make good and big names for themselves and their country. The players themselves should seize the opportunity of being selected to write their names in the good books of our nation.
“So, they have to be committed, determined and patriotic enough to give their best. “The players at the competition should see their call up as an opportunity to further project themselves to the outside world,” he said.
Ladipo warned Nigeria not to be deceived because every country in Africa was a potential winner of AFCON because there were no minnows in football any longer. “Every country in Africa wants to qualify for the Nations Cup, do well and win,” he noted.
The president-general then called on the Nigeria Football Federation to encourage the team with generous allowances and bonuses which should be paid as and when due.
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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