Sports
Sports Administrator Wants Children To Start Soccer Early
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yagazie Foundation, an NGO, Chinedu Ezirim, has appealed to parents to allow their children to start football from the age of five.
Ezirim, who made the appeal in an interview with newsmen last Monday in Lagos, said that if children were allowed to start football early, they would get it right.
“Most of our players start at very late age but with early preparation, I think we will get it right,” he said.
The sports administrator told Tidesports source that the Yagazie Foundation was established on January, 1, this year to help the youth and coaches to fight poverty and eradicate juvenile delinquency.
He added that the management of the NGO had been going to schools to tell them about sports and also encouraged them to pursue their education.
Ezirim said that the NGO had been reaching out to parents at the level of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to seek parental consent, adding that it was an important factor in football business.
He added that the NGO would have to monitor the performances of the talents after spotting them.
Contributing, Chief Executive Officer, Dominion Hotspurs FC, Lagos and a partner in Yagazie Foundation, Emmanuel Udeogu, said that football had age bracket, saying that the club normally nurtured young players.
“You cannot just be 30 years and say you want to play football.
“We take time to tell the parents to allow their children to start football at an early age.
“Some children will first go to universities and come back to play football. In the course of returning to football, they falsify their age.
“Parents should allow their children to start football early,” Udeogu said.
The club’s proprietor explained that any child interested in football should start from a young team of a big club as done in Europe, adding that this would help to make such a child a star in the future.
Udeogu said that this would serve as a very good platform for the child to grow.
“In football circle, one year is very big. If a player does well, it will lift the player up like somebody who has been in the system for 15 years”, he noted.
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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