Sports
Ede 2011: NIPOGA Warns Against Use Of Mercenaries
The Local Organising Committee of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) has warned against the use of mercenary at the 17th edition of the games scheduled for December at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Joseph Oke, made the stand of the LOC known in an interview with newsmen in Ede shortly after unveiling the Mascot for the games last week.
“We will not tolerate the use of mercenaries for the games. We will seriously clamp down on any institution that use or attempt to use mercenaries,’’ Oke said.
The rector said the LOC had adequate data to detect any mercenary, adding that such mercenaries would not only be expelled from the games but also prosecuted.
He said that for the first time, an electronically powered mascot would be used for the games.
Oke said the mascot illustrated the traditional and cultural background of Osun.
The rector also disclosed that the games for the first time, had a website: www.nipoga.org.ng.
He said that the website was meant to inform sponsors, stakeholders athletes, journalists and other interested bodies about what NIPOGA stood for.
Oke said that 3,000 athletes and 500 officials 60 polytechnics and colleges of technology
across the nation were expected to participate in the games.
He said the games would feature 14 events — athletics, handball, squash racket, tennis, badminton, hockey, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, football, judo, chess, scrabble and taekwondo.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.