Sports
NPL Need New Lease Of Life
As the 2011/2012 Nigerian Premier League season wobbles to an end this weekend and bogged down by poor funding, absence of sponsors and poor spectators, some stakeholders have called on the managers to ensure new lease of life for the league next season.
In spite the plethora of problems, however, the Nigeria Premier League board is managing to run the season to conclusion, the situation which robbed the league of some glamour.
The vice chairman of Mastersports International, Mitchell Obi, yesterday said, “ the league could have a better lease of life.”
“We shall need a brand new league that should be able to have all the excitements, raise funds and rally spectators back to the stadiums,’’ he said.
However, a top official of the Board, noted that if all litigants currently in court over the title sponsorship of the league could withdraw such cases,it would pave way for an amicable settlement of the issue.
The board’s acting Executive Secretary, Tunji Babalola, who made the appeal during an interview with newsmen, noted; “The only way forward for all of us is for the litigants to withdraw the matter from the courts.
“We are appealing that to them to see the success of the league as uppermost in their minds.
“If the cases are withdrawn, we can sit down and resolve the issues amicably, without much ado, before the commencement of the 2012/2013 league season,’’ Babalola said.
Another administrator, Musa Amadu, the secretary, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), also urged the NPL to seek a peaceful resolution of the matter.
Amadu also commended the efforts of the NPL board in coordinating the league, in spite of the challenges of funding.
“This has been the most challenging season for the NPL and they have remained steadfast in their quest to ensure that the league becomes a success.
“In spite of this, the NPL has been rated as the best in Africa, but there is still room for improvements.
“There are more away victories, which is a new thing in the league; the quality of play has improved too, which is highly commendable; we hope next season will be better,’’ he said.
The General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Mutiu Adepoju however, urged the NPL to put its house in order. He called for cohesion in the body.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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