Sports
Fans Seek Consolidation Of Nation’s Triumph
Football fans in Ebonyi State have urged the relevant authorities to use the country’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in South Africa to redress issues militating against football’s growth.
The Super Eagles on Sunday beat the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1-0 to clinch victory after 19 years of trophy drought.
Sparks of celebrations were recorded throughout Abakaliki as fans, both young and old moved into the streets to celebrate all through the night.
Director of Sports in Ebonyi, Dr Emmanuel Utobo, commended the Eagles for the victory, noting that it showed the country was on the right path to reclaim its football glory.
“The victory though surprising, is a soothing balm to the long years of agony of soccer fans in the country as result of declining state of its football.
“We should, however, know that the revamping process of our football is not yet over as more work needs to be done,” he said.
A Football Administrator, Chief Jude Anigbo, attributed the success in South Africa to the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in football administration in the country.
“Since all warring parties in the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) leadership debacle sheathed their swords, the Aminu Maigari-led board has concentrated on discharging its duties.
“This victory should be used as a springboard to take necessary actions to ensure the country returns fully to its football glory days,” he said.
A Footballer, Chima Nwali, called on Coach Stephen Keshi to jettison all plans of quitting his job but conclude his rebuilding process.
“Keshi has succeeded at an early stage of this process and should not listen to any advice to quit when the ovation is loudest.
“Abandoning the team at this tender stage will allow another coach to reap the fruits of his labour, he should cooperate with the NFA to solve problems bedeviling our football,” he said.
Chief Ifeanyi Ikpa, a Timber Merchant, called for a stop on experimentation as the country has got the nucleus of a strong national team.
“This team is an embodiment of character, commitment and tenacity as only areas of noticeable defect should be corrected.
“Attention must shift immediately to the World Cup qualifiers as over stretching the celebrations might prove costly,” he said.
Mrs Grace Udo, a civil servant, called on the nation’s leaders not to politicise the victory but evolve policies that would enhance the development of football and other sports.
“Many problems are still bedeviling sports in the country such as poor funding, maladministration, poor coaching techniques, lack of basic facilities and others.
“Efforts should be intensified to solve these problems and make sports to attract the much needed private sector investment,” she said.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor
The President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, has decried the state of playing pitches in Nigeria yesterday saying only one stadium can host grade A matches in the country.
The NFF President, who spoke yesterday shortly after accompanying Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to inspect ongoing total rehabilitation work at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi, expressed delight over the standard of work being done by the contractor.
He commended Governor Alia for undertaking the total rehabilitation of the stadium noting “I am very impressed with what am seeing on ground.
“You all know that for now, you can play grade A match, which is Super Eagles matches in Nigeria only in Uyo stadium. It is becoming a major source of worry for me and other Nigerians that in a country like Nigeria, we have only one stadium where we can play grade A matches.
“So when I heard that the Governor has awarded contract for the upgrade of facilities at the Aper Aku Stadium, I hurriedly came to talk to him to see the extent to which we can come in to assist and I must confirm that I am really happy with what I have seen on ground.
“We have our Technical Director here who will be working hand in hand with the contractors to ensure that everything is done correctly so that in the nearest future, we can have an alternative stadium for Super Eagles matches and that alternative should be Makurdi.
“With the commitment of the governor I know it is going to be possible and by the grace of God, we will do everything to support him to achieve the dream.
On his drive to resusitate grassroot football development, the NFF President said, “part of my campaign promises was to see how we can develop football at the grassroots and part of the process to develop grassroots football is to organise under 15 and the under 17 Governors Cup Competitions and it is not only in Benue State.
