Sports
Aisha Buhari Cup: Lagos Pledges To Showcase Football Fiesta
The sports-loving Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reinstated that no stone will be left unturned to ensure the Centre of Excellence goes down in history as the best ever host of football events in modern day with the upcoming maiden Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament.
The Nigerian sports city was handed the task of hosting the first-ever Aisha Buhari Cup competition that will see the continent’s powerhouses in women’s football Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana, South Africa, Mali, and Morocco test their strength in a celebratory and convivial atmosphere.
The images of what the State can do as host featured prominently when the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament paid a courtesy visit on Governor Sanwo-Olu to brief him on the football fiesta.
The Governor reinstated his undying love for the women’s game, an overwhelming joy to host the football showpiece, and readiness to unlock the beauties and hospitality of the State to participants.
“Football is one of the leading factors that bridge the gap and bring communities closer and is enabling a more exciting world.
“The women’s game has continued to pull its weight and can be said to be presently at par with the men’s game in the euphoria that it generates, and the sheer class, stamina, excellence and expertise that the players put on display.”
“Lagos State, the State of aquatic splendour, is delighted to be named as host of this very important invitational tournament. We will aim to not only host a tournament befitting of the name and positive values that Her Excellency projects and promotes but also want to showcase our State and the country at large through an efficient and effective Organisation that will be talked about for a long time,” Sanwu-Olu said.
“The opportunities available in football are boundless, so we will commit to delivering a successful and model event that will spur us to encourage and support women’s football in our institutions of learning in Lagos State,” the Governor added.
Yellow Greens stalwart Isaac Danladi and Female Yellow Greens’ Kehinde Amusa have been named the best male and female cricket players in Nigeria in the year 2025 by Africa’s premier cricket recognition platform, The Middle Stump, Tidesports source reports.
Danladi was the leading dangerman for Nigeria in the year under review, cementing his status as one of Africa’s most consistent all-rounders.
The 23-year-old left-handed batter and orthodox spinner has amassed 23 T20 International appearances, scoring 348 runs at an average of 19.33 with a strike rate exceeding 105.
His bowling economy of 4.89 across 16 wickets demonstrates control and efficiency in the shorter format. Danladi’s recent performances, including a Player of the Match award for a 64-run, 35-ball contribution, underscore his emergence as a cornerstone player for Nigeria’s competitive ambitions.
For Amusa, the 19-year-old also won the Young Player of the Year award, reflecting her smooth transition from the U-19 team to the senior side.
Amusa featured for Nigeria at the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia, playing a crucial role in the Junior Female Yellow Greens’ historic upset victory against reigning senior Women’s World Cup champions New Zealand.
The girls finished the tournament in sixth place and qualified for the 2027 edition.
At 19, she has already established herself as a versatile all-rounder for Nigeria’s senior women’s team.
During her debut at the 2025 Kwibuka T20i tournament in Rwanda, she showcased technical maturity with 23 runs off 28 deliveries while capturing two wickets for seven runs against Sierra Leone.
In other award categories, the Junior Female Yellow Greens also earned the award for Best Cricketing Moment of the Year for their victory against New Zealand. In a rain-reduced 13-over contest in Kuching, Malaysia, Nigeria posted 65 for six, which proved decisive when New Zealand managed only 63 for six in response.
Former junior international and the Nigeria Cricket Federation’s Development Officer in Lagos, Friday Udoh, earned Coach of the Year honours for his contribution to Nigeria’s coaching pipeline.
The award for Innovative Approach to Investing in Cricket honoured The Cricket Lab — a modern indoor facility that launched at Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval on Lagos Island in March 2024. The facility addresses a fundamental constraint limiting Nigerian cricket development: weather dependency and inconsistent training venues.
Enabulele led some members of the commission’s management team on the tour that saw them visiting the tennis courts, swimming pool and indoor sports hall at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and the basketball and volleyball courts at Wire Road Sports Centre.
The chairman expressed satisfaction with the level of renovation work already completed by the organisers of the Niger Delta Games, Dunamis Icon Ltd.
“The facility upgrade is 90 percent ready and we are very happy with what is on ground. The upgrade counts as one of numerous benefits of the Games being hosted by our state. The tennis court at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium and the indoor halls are fully ready. Work on the swimming pool is ongoing and at an advanced stage. We are ready,” Enabulele declared.
The Edo State Sports Commission boss also paid a visit to the state contingent for the Games and urged them to return an improved performance to their outing in Uyo. He counselled them to be disciplined and to focus on their training in order to achieve the target set for themselves.
“We are ready for the 2026 Niger Delta Games. Congratulations to you all here. Remember we have a lot of intelligent and brilliant people in our state. So for you to be selected for the task,you are already a winner. From now on you should know you are now state Ambassadors because you are representing Edo state.
“As we are in this camp, discipline must be our watchword. We have set target for ourselves and to achieve the goals,you must be disciplined. Without discipline and commitment it is difficult to achieve much as sports men and women.
“In this particular edition of the Niger Delta Games,we are not just participating or adding to the number of teams, but we are working towards hosting to win. We can do it if we are disciplined as host state.” Enabulele said.
Ajibade returned to first-team action three weeks ago after being sidelined with injury since November.
Since joining the club in the summer, the Super Falcons star has made nine league appearances, providing one assist, but she is yet to open her goal-scoring account.
However, her influence on the pitch is undeniable. She recently led other Super Falcons players in the International Federation of Football History and Statistics Women’s Africa XI.
On Sunday, Super Falcons goalkeeper Nnadozie made four saves from seven shots faced, but it was not enough to prevent Brighton from losing 3-2 to West Ham United in the Women’s Super League.
It marked a second consecutive league defeat for Brighton Women, leaving them with just one win in their last five games. The goalkeeper has kept four clean sheets in 13 games since arriving in England in the summer.
Like Ajibade, Nnadozie was also named in the IFFHS CAF Women’s XI, reflecting her reputation as one of Africa’s leading goalkeepers through her performances for Nigeria, former club Paris FC, and current side Brighton & Hove Albion, where she has combined consistent shot-stopping with leadership responsibilities in 2025.
Defenders Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre were also named in the IFFHS Africa XI defence.
Alozie, who recently switched from Houston Dash to Chicago Stars FC, is still warming up for the new season in the United States, as is the star of the 2024 WAFCON, Esther Okoronkwo, who is based in Canada.
Falcons’ build-up tournament
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will begin their build-up to the 2026 tournament by competing in a four-nation West African tournament scheduled to take place in Abidjan later this month.
The team has confirmed participation in the invitational competition, organised by the West African Football Union (WAFU) B, which will run from February 27 to March 7, 2026, in Ivory Coast.
The tournament will feature four teams that have all qualified for WAFCON 2026, with hosts Ivory Coast joined by Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.
The mini-tournament is expected to serve as a final competitive test for the teams, ending just 10 days before the start of the WAFCON finals in Morocco.
Although there are still some uncertainties surrounding the tournament — following the hosts’ reported request for postponement — the 2026 WAFCON is scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
Defending champions Nigeria have been drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and debutants Malawi.
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