Sports

NFF Invites 36 Home Based Players To Camp Ahead 2011 CHAN

Published

17 years ago

July 17, 2009

In order to avoid the repeat of early elimination from the next edition of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has invited 36 players to the Home Based Eagles for early preparations.

The CHAN is for home based teams in Africa. In the first edition Nigeria was eliminated by Ghana in the second round. The final was played in Cote d’Ivoire and won by Congo DR.

According to the Assistant Chief Media Officer of NFF, Alhaji Abdubaki Ibrahim, the early call to camp is for early preparation pending when CAF will release the timetable for qualifiers for the 2011 championship.

He also said that five of the players that made up the list are from those that participated in the beach soccer held in Durban of South Africa.

The five of them are, Abdulah Isa of Akwa Utd, Okemmiri Ogbonna of Kwara Utd, Uga Okpara of Enyimba International, Isaka Olawale of Lobi Stars and Garba Baba Yahaya of Nassarawa Utd.

Two members of the Olympic team, Chibuzor Okonkwo of Bayelsa Utd and Ambrose Efe of Kaduna Utd were also invited.

Others are Bassey Akpan of Bayelsa Utd, John Gaady of Lobi Starts, Ndubuisi Okeke of Babanawa FC, Yinka Adedeji, Nnaemeka Anyanwu of Rangers FC, Promise Cletus of OUK FC, Marsha Johnson of Akwa Utd and Tony Abawula of Ocean Boys FC.

Also in the list are; Suleiman Ismaila of Lobi Stars, Ike ThankGod of Heartland FC, Victor Michael of Enyimba Int’l, Sunday Mba of Rangers Int’l, Chidozie Johnson of Enyimba Int’l, Itodo Cletus of Akwa Utd, David Tyakase of Lobi Stars, Gambo Mohammed, Kofarmata Bello and Uche Henry all of Kano Pillars FC, Gbenga Ajala of Nassarawa Utd, Uchebo Okey of Rangers Int’l, Chima Uloma of OUK FC, Sunday Emmanuel and Nasiru Usemi of Gombe Utd, Okoro Stanley of Heartland FC, Shehu Abdullahi of Niger Tornadoes, Sunday John Okoh of Zamfara Utd, Agboyi Ovokha of NFA FC, Segun Oluwaniyi of 3SC and Dele Iwuyemi of FC Abuja.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.