Sports

Santana Question Bothers S/African Football

Published

16 years ago

September 29, 2009

It seems the phrase that pays in South African football at the moment is ‘Fire Joel Santana’.

The media, fans, ex-players and even some managers have jumped on the bandwagon and called on Safa to replace the Brazilian before the World Cup to give the national team some chance at the finals. I see even the Dutchman Leo Beenhakker has now been mentioned as a possible replacement.

Well, that may not be the way to go. Why should we fire Santana now?

We are all in agreement that he did an outstanding job during the FIFA Confederations Cup. Bafana came within three minutes of holding Brazil and Spain and generally we played some attractive football.

Yes, the loss against the second-string Republic of Ireland side was not great, and neither was the performance against a very young Madagascar side. But I believe the question we have to ask is where do we want Santana to succeed?

Do we want him to do well in friendlies? No, we wanted him to do well in the Confederations Cup and we want him to do well at the World Cup.

He achieved the first objective, to reach the semifinals at the Confederations Cup. So let’s give him a chance and see what he can do at the World Cup.

It’s important to understand what Santana’s brief is. He must succeed at the big tournaments, not the other matches along the way. Do you think Alex Ferguson is upset when they lose pre-season matches? No, he has his eye on the bigger prizes and that, I believe, is the case with Santana as well.

The other big talking point also regards the national team, what should we do with Benni McCarthy?

Look, we need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis and Benni certainly knows how to do that.

Benni must have realised that, after missing the Confederations Cup, he would not want to miss the World Cup as well. Every player dreams of playing at such a tournament and, with his career slowly winding down, it is something he would want to have to look back on. He must now say ‘whatever has annoyed me, I have made my point’, and move on.

Similarly, Safa must realise that Benni is our best striker and the most likely source of goals, so do we swallow our pride and invite him back? Both parties need to come to the table and find a solution, and quickly too.

Looking at the World Cup itself, quite a few of the favourites have already made it through. Obviously Brazil will always be up there for the title contenders, while the Dutch are master-class with their ‘Total Football’, always a joy to watch.

But this time England have as good a chance as ever. They have a good squad, they are great going forward and solid at the back, although they must still decide on a goalkeeper.

They have star players like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, who is in top form right now. A look at the Castrol Index shows he is the top player in the World Cup qualifiers at the moment with a rating of 9.61 out of 10, and he has taken 28 shots at goal with 14 on target, the highest in the competition. He will be key to their chances.

Above all, they have a very good manager in Fabio Capello. He is low profile compared to someone like Diego Maradona, but he is the ultimate professional and someone that can help England to World Cup glory.

On that note, I have always said that great players do not necessarily make great players, and Maradona has certainly proven that. They have an incredibly talented squad, but just can’t translate that into results. I really hope they can pull it together and qualify for the World Cup – it will be a shame for South Africans to be deprived of seeing Leo Messi in action.

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Director of Sports, Obia Inyingikabo has that the just concluded second edition of the Niger Delta Games, held in Benin, Edo State, was very impressive and well organised.

She commended both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dumamis Icon Limited for the sponsorship and organisation respectively.

According to her, the problem of the team was the epileptic situation of shuttle buses, which was not under the direct control of the sports council.

Inyingikabo said this in a telephone interview with Tidesports yesterday; she confirmed that apart from the poor transport system for athletes, every arrangement went successfully as planned.

The director praised her athletes for making the State proud by winning gold, silver, and bronze medals during the games. She assured the people of Rivers State that in the next edition they will perform better and also used the opportunity to commend Rivers State promoting sports in the State.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Treat Bees, Silkworms As Valuable Resources – Don

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Applied Entomology and Pest Management, at the Federal University of Technology Akure,(FUTA), Olufunmilayo Oladipo, has said insects such as bees ,houseflies silkworms and similar species should be seen and treated as valuable resources whose careful management could enhance food security, generate income, support industrial applications, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Prof. Oladipo made the remark while delivering the 193rd Inaugural Lecture of the institution on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Citing the honeybee as a prime example, Oladipo noted that beyond honey production, bees provide beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and venom used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while their pollination services significantly increase crop yields and biodiversity.

She also referenced silkworms, whose silk supports textile industries and export earnings, as well as black soldier flies and houseflies, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and crickets which are increasingly used in the production of high-protein livestock and aquaculture feeds, thereby reducing dependence on expensive imported feed ingredients.

Speaking on the topic, “Six-Legged Arthropods: Food Security, Health and National Economic Development,” Professor Oladipo highlighted the multiple contributions of insects to national development in a monolithic economy like Nigeria, where over-dependence on crude oil has limited diversification.

She pointed out that insects serve as food for humans and feed for livestock, provide income for households through apiculture, sericulture, and insect-based enterprises, and supply raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Beneficial insects also enhance food security through nutrient recycling, biological control of harmful species and weeds, and pollination of crops and horticultural plants, resulting in bumper harvests and increased biodiversity.

Professor Oladipo further mentioned termites and dung beetles for their role in nutrient recycling and soil aeration, improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps, she explained, serve as natural biological control agents, reducing populations of destructive pests without harming the environment.

In the area of public health, Oladipo declared that though “the economic toll of insect vectors is staggering, stretching from the household to national economy, thereby undermining productivity, draining family resources, and constraining national growth, certain insects negatively affect agriculture, public health, and livelihoods”.

The professor pointed to the importance of understanding mosquitoes and other disease vectors such as tsetse flies, whose management is critical in combating malaria, yellow fever, dengue, sleeping sickness and other vector-borne diseases that weaken workforce productivity and strain national resources.

She cited data showing that malaria alone costs Africa over 12 billion dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and reduced investment. Beyond mortality, she emphasized, insect-borne diseases also contribute to morbidity, chronic disability, and reduced workforce efficiency, imposing heavy burdens on families, health systems, and national economies.

She referenced maggot therapy, currently practiced in teaching hospitals in Kano, as a safe and effective treatment for chronic diabetic wounds adding that bioactive compounds from fungus-insect complexes such as Bombyx batryticatus and Beauveria bassiana, which have been developed into medicines with anticonvulsant, anticancer, antifungal, anticoagulant, and hypolipidemic properties.

Weaver ants, bee venom, and cantharidin from blister beetles, she stated, also possess therapeutic value, including immune-boosting, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritic, and antiviral applications. She maintained that strategic government investment in entomotherapy could strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce pharmaceutical import dependence, save lives, and support national economic diversification.

According to her, these examples demonstrate that insects are not merely pests to be eradicated but strategic biological assets that, if properly managed, can enhance food security, strengthen public health systems, generate employment, and support Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The Agric expert noted however, that certain pest species continue to pose threats to agriculture and public health, thereby negatively affecting economic growth. She stressed that proper management, rather than indiscriminate eradication, is key to maximizing the benefits of these six-legged resources.

Professor Oladipo advocated integrated pest management strategies that prioritize environmentally friendly approaches, including botanicals, pheromones, biological control agents, growth regulators, and semiochemicals, while minimizing the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides.

She warned that excessive reliance on chemicals has resulted in resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. She also called for stricter regulation of pesticide importation and usage under professional supervision, and for stronger surveillance by regulatory authorities to prevent the introduction of exotic pest species.

To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in entomology, she urged the government to support insect rearing and the conservation of beneficial species and to establish more Departments of Entomology in universities.

On the benefits of insects, she stressed the need for shifting societal perceptions and promoting sustainable practices, calling for stronger linkages between universities and industries to translate research findings into practical applications and commercial opportunities.

Professor Oladipo further appealed for increased funding for research and for targeted support for brilliant but indigent students in science-based disciplines, emphasizing that nurturing the next generation of entomologists and agricultural scientists is critical for national development.

Presenting the inaugural lecturer, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, described Professor Oladipo as a distinguished scholar whose research has significantly advanced the field of entomology and strengthened FUTA’s academic and research profile.

The Vice Chancellor who described the lecture as ‘timely’, given Nigeria’s challenges in food security, public health, and economic diversification, commended the inaugural lecturer’s scholarly depth, resilience, and dedication to mentoring students, reaffirming FUTA’s commitment to research that addresses pressing national development priorities.