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Profiles Of The Glory-Chasing Golden Eaglets

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John Obuh has chosen 21 players to attempt to retain the Fifa Under-17 World Cup trophy for Nigeria, starting today in Abuja.

Here is a pen pix of all 21 glory hunters for the Golden Eaglets.

 

PLAYER PROFILES

NAME: Dami Danjuma PAUL

DATE OF BIRTH: 18/12/1992

CLUB: OUSFORD ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

First choice goalkeeper who showed great poise and agility all through the preparation period.

 

NAME: Aigbe OLIHA

DATE OF BIRTH: 11/02/1993

CLUB: IGBINO BABES FC (NIGERIA)

Defender with great concentration and ability.

 

NAME: Mohammed Goyi ALIYU

DATE OF BIRTH: 12/02/1993

CLUB: NIGER TORNADOES FC (NIGERIA)

Lanky defender who has flair for joining the attack.

 

NAME: Ogenyi Eddy ONAZI

DATE OF BIRTH: 25/12/1992

CLUB: MY PEOPLE FC (NIGERIA)

Talented midfielder who hails from Benue State in the North Central region. Attended Township Primary School, Jos.

 

NAME: Fortune CHUKWUDI

DATE OF BIRTH: 18/11/1992

CLUB: A & B ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

Team captain who defends with resolution. From Mbatoli Local Council of Imo State.

 

NAME: Kenneth Josiah OMERUO

DATE OF BIRTH: 17/10/1993

CLUB: HARD FOUNDATION (NIGERIA)

Lion –hearted defender who attended LEA Primary School, Jabi and hails from Ikwuano Local Council of Abia State.

 

NAME: White George AGWUOCHA

DATE OF BIRTH: 13/01/1993

CLUB: KWARA UNITED FC (NIGERIA)

One of few players in the Nigeria team who has experience from playing in the top division. Midfielder with vision and plenty of action.

 

NAME: Stanley Osaretin OKORO

DATE OF BIRTH: 08/12/1992

CLUB: HEARTLAND FC (NIGERIA)

Nicknamed ‘Little Messi’, another highly –experienced performer, who at his young age was instrumental to Heartland FC of Owerri’s qualification for the prestigious CAF Champions League final.

 

NAME: Abdul Jeleel AJAGUN

DATE OF BIRTH: 10/02/1993

CLUB: DOLPHIN FC (NIGERIA)

Discovered during the annual Shell Cup competition, Ajagun is on the books of Premier League returnees Dolphin FC of Port Harcourt. Visionary midfielder with a good shot.

 

NAME: Olanrewaju Ayobami KAYODE

DATE OF BIRTH: 08/05/1993

CLUB: MARVELLOUS FC (NIGERIA)

Bustling striker who hails from Odo-Owa Local Council of Ekiti State. A fighter in the attack

 

NAME: Terry ENVOH

DATE OF BIRTH: 12/12/1992

CLUB: MIGHTY JETS FC (NIGERIA)

Has useful experience from playing for the crowd –pulling Jos team, which used to be in the top division. Envoh is one of the players being looked upon to deliver this championship to Nigeria.

 

NAME: Chukwujike MGBAM

DATE OF BIRTH: 22/04/1992

CLUB: STANDARD FC ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

Another lion –hearted defender who attended God’s Favour International School and is from Abia State

 

NAME: Omoh OJABU

DATE OF BIRTH: 14/12/1992

CLUB: DOLPHIN FC (NIGERIA)

Ajagun’s team –mate at Dolphin FC. Powerful shooter who scored five in the 14-1 demolition of Qatari Sports Club in a friendly in Doha.

 

NAME: Sani Shehu EMMANUEL

DATE OF BIRTH: 23/12/1992

CLUB: MY PEOPLE FC (NIGERIA)

Attacking midfielder who also loves to defend. Like Ojabu, hails from Etsako Local Council of Edo State

 

NAME: Yusuf Olaitan OTUBANJO

DATE OF BIRTH: 12/09/1992

CLUB: EMMANUEL AMUNIKE ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

Supporting striker who attended Solan Primary School and is from Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State.

 

NAME: Amos Ossai IZUCHUKWU

DATE OF BIRTH: 09/12/1993

CLUB: TEAM LAGOS (NIGERIA)

One of the goalkeepers, who also showed great agility during preparation.

 

NAME: Obinna Emmanuel OKORO

DATE OF BIRTH: 30/12/1992

CLUB: YOUNG STARS FC (NIGERIA)

Defensive midfielder with great skill and audacity. He hails from Onicha Local Council of Ebonyi State, and attended Town School, Emene.

NAME: Edafe EGBEDI

DATE OF BIRTH: 05/08/1993

CLUB: BISALLO FC (NIGERIA)

Fast–paced winger who is one of Coach Obuh’s aces.

 

NAME: Deji Mayowa JOEL

DATE OF BIRTH: 23/11/1992

CLUB: ECO ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

Good midfielder who distributes well. From Ifelodun Local Council of Kwara State.

 

NAME: Ramon Olamilekan AZEEZ

DATE OF BIRTH: 12/12/1992

CLUB: FUTURE PRO ACADEMY (NIGERIA)

Another talented midfielder, from Iwajowa Local Council of Oyo State.

 

NAME: John FELAGHA

DATE OF BIRTH: 27/07/1994

CLUB: ASPIRE ACADEMY (QATAR)

Young John Felagha attended Kpansia Secondary School, Yenagoa and was discovered by Moses Aduku, then made the cut to be taken to the world–renowned Aspire Academy, Doha after the Nigeria finals in 2007. He joined the Nigeria team when they went for their final preparation camp at Aspire in October.

 

THE TECHNICAL CREW

HEAD COACH: Sam John OBUH

 

ASSISTANT COACH 1: Monday ODIGIE

 

ASSISTANT COACH 2: Abimbola SAMUEL

 

GOALKEEPERS’ TRAINER: Suleiman SHUAIBU

 

TEAM DOCTOR: Charles AGADU

 

TEAM PHYSIOTHERAPIST: Ejike Victor ONYEMEANU

 

TEAM COORDINATOR: Garba LAWAL

 

TEAM SECRETARY: Sirajo HASSAN

 

EQUIPMENT MANAGER: Shehu ADO

 

CAMP COMMANDANT: Oriola MICHAEL

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NYG:154  Nasarawa Contingent Storms Kwara For Zonal Eliminations

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It’s no retreat, no surrender for Team Nasarawa as a 154-man contingent has landed in Ilorin, Kwara State, for the North Central Zonal Eliminations of the 9th National Youth Games.

The delegation, made up of athletes, coaches, sports secretaries, medical and media crew, security operatives, and top officials, left Lafia on Saturday and touched down in Ilorin with high hopes of conquering their zone.

Team Nasarawa will slug it out in five major sports—football, basketball, handball, volleyball, and hockey—against rivals from Kwara, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, and the FCT. The qualifiers are held from August 16 to 18, 2025, at the Kwara State Stadium, with the team departing on the 19th.

Director of Sports Organising, Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mallam Ubah Musa, who is leading the delegation, said the team is fired up to make the state proud.

“Our boys and girls are ready. They know what is at stake, and they will give everything to qualify for Asaba. The expectations are high from our governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, and from the good people of Nasarawa State. We won’t disappoint,” Musa assured.

Winners from the zonal eliminations will fly the North Central flag at the National Youth Games proper, scheduled for August 26 to September 6 in Asaba, Delta State. All 36 states and the FCT will compete.

Since its inception in 2013, Team Nasarawa has never missed an edition of the Games, and this year, they say it’s “all or nothing.”

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Nigeria delegation Visits London over 2030 Commonwealth bid

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Nigeria has stepped up its push to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games with a high-level meeting in London between officials of the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, and the Commonwealth Games Federation.

According to a press statement made available to Sunday PUNCH, the delegation, led by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, met CGF executives to discuss Nigeria’s expression of interest, submitted earlier this year, and to review the next stage of the bidding process.

The team also included NSC Director-General Bukola Olapade, NOC President and International Olympic Committee executive member Habu Gumel, NOC Vice-President Solomon Ogba, and Secretary-General Tunde Popola, alongside technical experts and advisors.

Talks in London centred on the country’s objectives for staging the Games, as well as requirements for the final bid.

According to the NSC, issues discussed included the Code of Conduct for candidate cities, communication protocols, timelines, and the expectations of the federation.

The CGF has recently introduced new measures aimed at making the event more sustainable and affordable for hosts. Nigerian officials said the meeting was an opportunity to align the country’s vision with those reforms.

Highlighting the domestic context, the NSC said the delegation presented the reforms underway in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu, which places hosting major sporting events at the centre of national economic and cultural development.

“The NSC believes hosting the Commonwealth Games will deliver immense value to Nigeria,” the commission said, stressing that the event would contribute to wealth creation “across sports, diplomacy, economy, culture, and social development.”

Nigeria is now expected to prepare its final submission before the August 31 deadline.

Officials said the document would be forwarded subject to presidential approval, with the CGF scheduled to announce its decision before the end of the year.

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D’Tigers flawless finish against Lions in AfroBasket

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Nigeria’s D’Tigers will look to seal a perfect group-stage record when they face Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in their final Group B clash at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket on Sunday in Luanda, The Tidesports source reports.

The game at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda tips off at 5:30pm Nigerian time, with victory guaranteeing Nigeria top spot and direct passage to the quarter-finals on August 20 and defeat leaving them vulnerable to dropping into the qualification placement round a day earlier.

The D’Tigers have opened their campaign in style, brushing aside hosts Angola before overpowering reigning champions Tunisia 87-66 on Friday.

Josh Okogie was the star against Tunisia, pouring in 33 points to continue his standout tournament form.

Coach Abdulrahman Mohamed’s side have executed defensive intensity and offensive fluidity, averaging 82 points per game while shooting over 63 per cent inside the arc. Nigeria’s bench has also provided consistent contributions, helping maintain dominance across four quarters.

Nigeria and Cameroon have faced off three times in AfroBasket competition since 2009, with the D’Tigers leading the head-to-head 2-1.

Their most recent meeting came in the 2017 quarter-finals, when Nigeria triumphed 106-91.

Cameroon, however, arrive in Luanda with their own ambitions. The Lions have averaged 83 points per game at the tournament so far and lead Nigeria in both rebounds (46 to 42.5) and assists (18 to 15), which underlines their capacity to test the West Africans.

A win would hand Nigeria valuable rest days before the quarter-finals, while also reinforcing their credentials as title contenders in Angola. For Cameroon, toppling the D’Tigers would not only earn first place in Group B but also provide a psychological boost ahead of the knockout stages.

Nigeria forward Devine Eke expressed delight after the team’s latest victory, but maintained that the players are keeping their focus on the bigger prize. He stressed that while the result was important, the ultimate goal is to win the championship.

Eke highlighted how the D’Tigers stuck to instructions and worked as a unit, crediting the collective effort for the team’s strong display. He pointed out that every player embraced their responsibility, which made the difference in securing the win.

“We feel good about the win. The job is not done, but I feel we can win this whole thing. We feel really good. We executed well. We followed our coach’s game plan. Everyone played their role, and if everyone continues to do that, anything is possible,” Eke said.

The 31st edition of AfroBasket, hosted by Angola for the fourth time, runs until August 24. Nigeria last won the competition in 2015, and after a strong start, belief is growing that they can mount another championship run.

 

 

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