Sports
Jonathan Charges Eagles On World Cup Challenge
President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday in Abuja charged the Super Eagles to lead a successful African onslaught on the World Cup trophy at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
Jonathan who gave the charge at a sendforth dinner tagged “Super Eagles Celebration Night’’, said African leaders were hopeful that one of their six teams in the competition would win the trophy which no African country has ever won.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup finals are scheduled for June 11 to July 11 in South Africa.
Hosts South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Cameroon are participating in the 32-team event that is being hosted on the African continent for the first time.
“African leaders are hopeful that one of us will win the competition, and therefore I enjoin you to go there and do it because my government will reward you adequately and your names will be written in the annals of history,’’ Jonathan said.
He said the team should go on to give the country a surprise birthday gift as it clocks 50 years after independence.
This, he said, would motivate him to give the players a surprise package.
“There will be no promise for you of what I will do, but when you give the nation that surprise gift, nothing will be too much then for us to give you.
“You have every reason to do well at the World Cup in this year of our 50th Independence Anniversary. So, bring the golden trophy for us as a golden birthday gift,’’ he said.
President Jonathan promised to be in South Africa for the June 11 opening ceremony and the team’s opening Group B game against Argentina on June 12 as the team’s number one fan.
“I will be there and I am expecting you to make me and other Nigerians happy,’’ he said, while advising the team to display the highest sense of discipline and teamwork at the event.
He said he was counting on the team’s Technical Adviser Lars Lagerback to properly guide the team to victory at the competition.
“I and all Nigerians count on the experience of Lagerback and his team to guide the players to success, and I believe he will train the team adequately to bring success to Nigeria,’’ the President said.
Jonathan praised the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for his contributions in ensuring the team earned the ticket to be part of the historic competition which would be the first time six African countries would take part in its 80-year history.
“I say congratulations to all who contributed to the qualification of the team. But this history cannot be completely recorded without mentioning the contributions of our late President Yar’Adua.
“His foresight in setting up the Presidential Task Force (PTF) to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is what we are seeing today,’’ he said.
In a bid to make the Pillar of Associations Rivers state football tournament to become a permanent annual feature in Rivers state football calendar and a veritable platform for alternative career opportunity for Pillar members and members of Rivers football community, the Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee, Comrade Franklin Obute has stated that they were open to welcoming sponsorships from corporate entities and well meaning individuals.
Comrade Obute in an interview with news men on a match day at the ongoing competition at the Rivers State University’s ground said that the Pillar of Associations were ready to partner interested parties, who would be willing to invest in the competition through sponsorship towards elevating the quality and standard of the tournament.
According to him, “The Pillar of Associations tournament, due to the opportunities available, owing to the sheer number of businesses and members obtainable in the Pillar, would be a very attractive opportunity to exploit through sponsorship”.
He stated that there would be a conscious efforts toward sensitising the corporate and private environments to buy into the vision and objectives of the tournament. He explained that due to the open nature of the competition, whereby members of the association are allowed to engage any footballer from across the country, whether a business man or not, any sponsor would be able to enjoy unimaginable mileage.
“Every multinational company, private businesses should aspire to be part of the sponsorship of this tournament because there are so much benefits derivable therein, the coverage is very wide. You know that organising a football tournament of this nature is capital intensive, so, any sponsorship to add more value is welcomed”, he said.
The 2025 edition is currently ongoing and has reached the second round stage where matches are now being played on knockout basis, beginning from Friday.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
Some of the best golfers across Africa are expected to converge on the Ikoyi Club 1938 Golf Section for the three-day Ikoyi Ladies Golf Tournament holding from November 11 to 13.
The star-studded amateur open tournament is part of the activities lined up by the leadership of the club to celebrate the ladies’ tournament’s 50th anniversary.
Speaking at a world press conference at the Club’s headquarters in Ikoyi, the Ladies Club Captain, Mrs Peggy Onwu, explained that the tournament will offer opportunity for leading amateur golfers across 11 countries of the world to showcase their skills on the green lawn.
According to her, over 150 golfers have already registered for the open tournament, which will attract mouth-watering prizes, including a trophy, a premium ticket to the United States of America, among others.
The event will be preceded by ‘Twilight evening,’ which will see the participants play the golf game towards dawn, in a relaxed atmosphere with cocktails, networking and good music.
She thanked the various sponsors of tournament, including PWC, Delta Airline, Western Star, First EGP, among others, for identifying and keying into the Club’s goals and aspirations as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
Mrs. Onwu added that the event was not only a celebration of resilience, commitment, dedication and sacrifice, but a rare display of exemplary team spirit by all members of the Ladies Golf Section.
Thrilled by the presence of a Nigerian-born Italy- based golfer and fashion icon, Bali Lawal, as well as other professionals expected to grace the tournament, she promised that the tournament will be a memorable outing aimed at mentoring ladies keen on honing their golfing skills.
Speaking in the same vein, Vice Lady Captain, Annie Eimiakhena, explained that the tournament will entail three days of competitive outing showing skills, professional dexterity.
She added that participants and golfers will use the opportunity of the event to network among themselves, while a Masterclass will be held to educate would-be golfers on the dynamics of the game.
The Technical Manager of Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Finidi George has praised his boys (players) as they ran away with a point in the rescheduled match day nine of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) against Bendel Insurance.
According to him, before the game, he told his boys that they have to put up a good fighting spirit in the game, knowing that it will not be easy at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Finidi said this last Thursday in his post match interview with sports journalists and made available to Tidesports after they secured a goalless draw against Insurance.
He explained that in the first half, the game was 50-50 but in the second half after 15 to 20 minutes, my players pushed them back, looking for goal but they were able to hold them and got the draw.
“ From onset, I knew it was going to be a difficult game. Yes, we have to defend deep and get something. Kudos to my boys, they put up a good fighting spirit.
“ Despite the host creating good number of chances even hitting the crossbar but I must say that the draw is not a bad result.
“ Wasiu Falolu came closer in the second half but his long ranged shot just went over the bar.
“It was not a bad result but we have to move on and see how we can get good results from other matches” Finidi said.
By: Kiadum Edookor