Sports

Fans Call For Okwaraji’s Immortalisation

Published

9 years ago

August 14, 2015

Twenty six years after the
sudden death of ex-international, Samuel Okwaraji, sport enthusiasts this week urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to institute an annual programme in his remembrance.
They said in separate interviews that the late player should be properly immortalised.
Okwaraji slumped in the 77th minute during a World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Angola played at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State, on August 12, 1989 and was later pronounced dead.
The result of an autopsy carried out on his corpse revealed that the 25-year-old player had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure that resulted to congestive heart failure.
A former Super Eagles player, Bright Omokaro, said that it was unfortunate that the memory of the player was fading away from the heart of Nigerians.
Omokaro noted that a sports’ facility should be named after Okwaraji in order to give the present crop of footballers the push to want to represent the country well.
“It is very unfortunate that we lost Okwaraji, 26 years ago and don’t get to hear anything about his contribution to football when he was alive.
“This was a man that played professionally outside the country but travelled to Nigeria at his personal expense to represent the country during which he met his untimely death.
“Twenty six years gone and no single stadium or sporting event was named after him, and we expect the present footballers to be committed when playing for Nigeria,’’ he said.
Another ex-international, Etim Esin, said it was pathetic that nothing had been done to appreciate the family of Okwaraji since his untimely demise.
Esin noted that Okwaraji death was a peculiar case because he died while representing the nation, compared to other ex-football or sports men who have passed on due to old age.
“Rashidi Yekini was celebrated in far-away Portugal when he died but we cannot celebrate a man that died on active duty and 26 years after his death, there is nothing to show for it.
“Many of our colleagues have passed on over the years without anybody knowing about it, I hope things will change for the better,’’ he said.
Also, a former Super Eagles player, Friday Ekpo, told newsmen that a charity match should be played annually in Okwaraji’s honour.
He said that such honour should cut across all sports to remember past heroes who had contributed to the development of football and sports generally in the country.
“A competition or match should be organised in his memory so that generations yet unborn will know that there was once a football legend by the name Sam Okwaraji who played passionately for Nigeria,’’ he said.
The only significant thing in memory of Okwaraji was a bust erected in his honour at the National Stadium, Lagos.
The late midfielder, who had eight appearances for the national side, also played professional football for Dinamo Zagreb FC of old Yugoslavia, VfB Stuttgart FC of Germany and SSV Ulm FC of Germany.

Sports

Expert Wants Parents To Enroll Children In Vector Programme

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

In a bid to have more young talented Nigerians to play professional football abroad, Johnny Ogbah, a sports lawyer and football intermediary, has called on parents to enroll their children in Vector Programme.
He stated that the programme is in conjunction with Conventry Football Club in United Kingdom (UK), saying that the programme includes academics where a child can acquire a degree.
Ogbah, made the call while addressing sports journalists recently in Port Harcourt, as the programme will admit students into Brooke College between the age of 11 and 18 Football Academy.
The major objective of Vector Programme is to give the young ones a career through sports and good education. The programme does not train people on football only but also other things that is related to sporting environment, he said.
According to him, more than 20 Nigerians have benefited from the programme on scholarship and most of them are now playing football in top clubs in Europe.
“Vector programme was poised to create an avenue to give people to play football to the highest level.
Apart from football the child can also have quality education. It will interest you to know that those in Vector programme play friendly games that attracts scouts from different countries and football clubs.
The programme doesn’t train you on only football but also train people on everything that is associated to sports”, Ogbah said.
The former Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) player further disclosed Vector programme pathways provides the practice opportunities that players need if they are to successfully graduate as a professional player.

By: Tonye Orabere

Sports

NLO: Khana FC Coach Blames Players For Missing Chances

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

The Head Coach of Khana FC in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Sam Ledor, has blamed his players as they were unable to convert scoring chances.
According to him, if those chances created in their opening match against Jet Bomber FC at the ongoing Nation wide League One (NLO), in Omoku centre were converted, it would have given them victory.
Ledor, said this on Saturday in a chat with Tidesports shortly after they played goalless draw against Jet Bomber FC in their opening match in 2024 NLO Division in Omoku, Rivers State.
“ We created a lot of scoring chances but could not find the net”, he said.
He explained that playing goalless draw is not a bad result in football but in a competition like this, they need to score goals and win matches.
“ My brother, we missed a lot of scoring chances which is not good. I trainned my players on how to create chances and to convert them.
“ What is important in a competition is winning but as we did not lose the game, we will look forward for our next game.
“We will go back to the drawing board and correct the grey areas in our game and ensure we get better results in our next outing.
“Today’s game is gone, what we need to do is to make sure we win our next game,” he stated.
He pointed out that no game comes easy but the effort you put in will give good result. They tried their best today and the result was good for both teams but we need to win our next game.
“My opponents were also a good side; they tried all what they could but didn’t score also. It was a good game but my team needs to win games,” he added.

By: Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Wilkins Backs Rivers Hoopers To Spring Surprises At 2024 BAL

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

A French-American, John Walter Wilkins is confident Rivers Hoopers can make it to the playoff round of the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Wilkins, who is the son of former NBA player Jeff Wilkins, linked up with his Hoopers teammates at the team’s training camp in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ahead of the 2024 BAL Savannah Conference games, which tip off on Saturday, 4th May, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal.
Wilkins is no stranger to African basketball, having played for Moroccan sides AS Salé (2015-2016) and Ittihad Tanger (2017-2019), before leading Stade Malien to a third-place finish at BAL 2023.
Looking ahead to the 2024 BAL, Wilkins says the quality of basketball across Africa has improved, with the BAL requiring a high level of competitiveness, but backed Rivers Hoopers to spring a surprise at the tournament.
“It’s a really high level, a great competition; [it’s] one of the best I’ve played in since I’ve been in Africa. But we don’t need to be scared. We need to just attack the moment, be there, be present, and I think if we are confident in our abilities, we can surprise people,” he said.
Since its inaugural season in 2021, Nigerian teams have appeared twice at the BAL, with Rivers Hoopers playing in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2021 and Kwara Falcons featuring at BAL 2023.
Despite failing to reach the playoffs on both previous occasions, Wilkins is optimistic that with the quality of players in the Hoopers squad as well as the recruitment done ahead of the BAL, Rivers Hoopers will be more competitive in this season’s BAL.
“I’m really optimistic. I know that those past years the teams from Nigeria didn’t do well, but I think with me, Kelvin [Amayo], Will [Perry], and the other guys, I think we can show the way, have some wins, and be more competitive,” he stated.
The Nigerian Champions were drawn in the Savannah Conference alongside former BAL Champions US Monastir (Tunisia), last year’s runners-up AS Douanes (Senegal), and APR (Rwanda).