Sports
Uzoenyi’s Performance At CHAN Excites Rangers, Others
Rangers International FC of
Enugu and other soccer pundits have expressed joy over home-based Super Eagles Ejike Uzoenyi’s professional soccer deal with the Orlando Pirates of South Africa.
The move followed Uzoenyi’s brilliant performance at the just-ended third African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.
The Eagles were three goals down against Morocco in the quarter-finals of the competition at Cape Town Stadium when Uzoenyi scored the equalizer in the 90th minute.
Uzoenyi, a player with Rangers was voted CHAN Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the championship.
Rangers’ spokesperson, Forster Chime, said that the club would never cease producing players for the national team.
Chime added that Rangers would not stop its players from honouring national team call up at any time, since national assignment was paramount than club assignment.
“We have three other players at the tournament, Ugonna Uzochukwu, Chigozie Agbim, and Christian Obiozor, who did not only participate but were useful throughout the tournament.
“Uzoenyi won the best player at the tournament while Obiozor won the bronze for the country with his only debut goal of the tournament.
“As it stands, the four players are being circled by foreign clubs, while the Eagles team B Captain, Agbim’s contract with us has been terminated,” he said.
Also speaking, Chinaedu Efugh, the Captain, Heartland FC of Owerri said that Uzoenyi’s 90th minute equalizer deserved him the deal.
“I am happy for him; his rise is a beckon of hope for us in the national league, his progress will have a ripple effect on our league.
“I doff my hat for him; it is a welcome development for the home-based Eagles,” Efugh said.
Isah Akor also of Heartland said that the player’s ascendancy to higher grounds in his career depicted resilience and better reward for a player who had been consistent.
“Uzoenyi is one Nigeria player that should be emulated by upcoming players if they wish to make an appreciable mark in the round-leather sport,” the striker said.
The Coordinator, Enugu Pepsi Football Academy and Director of Information, Enugu Sports Ministry, Edwin Eze, said that Uzoenyi deserved all the accolades.
“We have yet to see the best of him, he is somebody I know from the beginning, with good mentoring, the player will hit stardom soon,” he 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.