Sports

NCF Releases List For Africa U-19 Championship

Published

11 years ago

January 28, 2015

The Nigeria Cricket Fed
eration (NCF) has released a 16-man list for next month’s Africa Male Under-19 Cricket Championship.
About 21 players reported to camp last week in preparation for the championship, scheduled to take place from February 13 to February 20 in Tanzania.
The list given to newsmen by the NCF in Abuja at the weekend includes Okpe Sylvester who will serve as the team’s captain and Adiamo Mojeed the cricket keeper.
Others are Akachukwu Moses, Tay Abiodun, Ahamefule Sunday, Okhide Eboehi, Igbineweka Olaye, Yussuff Mustapha and Ajekun Daniel.
Also in the list are are Olaleye Olayinka, Joseph Tabat, Onwuliri Chukwudi, Simon Samson and Ayinde Babatunde,
Doumotimi Franklin and Adewoye Dimeji.
Five players, including Obesesan Afiz (Ogun), Mgbojikwe Chukwudi (Anambra), Daniel Gim (Kaduna), Onosetale Ofenmu (Edo) and Sadiku Shakiru (Lagos) did not make the final list.
Uthe Ogbimi, Senior National Team Coach of the NCF told newsmen that the players failed to make the list not because of performance but due to their date of “birth matrix.
“Due to the late circular from the ICC concerning age matrix, we find out that out of the 21 players originally invited to camp, five of them have to go.
“Though, the players are U-19 years of age and duly qualified to play in the Africa championship.
“The new rules from ICC means that you will not just be U-19 for this tournament, you have to be U-19 by the time the U-19 World Cup takes place.
“In effect, they are asking countries to go further down the line to get probably 17-year-old players to play u-19 tournaments, this brought the screening out of five of our players.’’
According to Ogbimi who is one of the team’s selectors, Obesesan Afiz, Mgbojikwe Chukwudi and Daniel Gim will be greatly missed at the championship.
Harry Tamuno, the U-19 Head Coach and his assistant Onoja Oche as well as Obalola Tajudeen, the Team Manager will also join the train to Tanzania.
The team was expected to have departed for Kenya on Monday on a pre-tournament tour, from where it will proceed to Tanzania for the championship.

Sports

Iwobi Optimistic On S’Eagles Qualification

Published

11 hours ago

November 3, 2025

The Tide

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi says the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, declaring that Nigeria have the players and abilities to compete against any country in the world.

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.

Sports

ATLANTICBELL CEO ADVICE SPORTS WRITERS ON SPECIALIZATION

Published

11 hours ago

November 3, 2025

The Tide

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.

He stated that in spite the fact that sports journalists are doing greatly in the country but hardly find any sports journalist that specializes on a particular sport reporting and become an authority, as it obtainable in advance countries.

Mr. Ogolo , who was the former Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Rivers State Chapter, said this after he received the Veteran Sports Journalist Award, during the SWAN @60 Diamond jubilee award night, in Abuja on Friday.

According to him, sports journalists have done tremendously well in sports development through effective and efficient reportage.

“SWAN has done greatly to develop sports in Nigeria, so they should be given its rightful place.

“Members should continue to do what they are doing, Nigerians are sports loving people when you give them facts and accurate reporting they will be happy, besides, sports writers have a big role to play in advancement of sports in Nigeria”, Mr. Ogolo said.

The former General Manager of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of The TIDE Newspapers, used the opportunity to express his profound gratitude to the National Executive Council (NEC) of SWAN for the award.

He explained that the award is one of the most important and special awards he has received, hence it came from his primary constituency as a journalist.

” I am not just happy but overwhelmed. This award will spur me to contribute more in development of sports and I we equally support SWAN Rivers State Chapter in my little way” he stated.

By: Tonye Orabere

Sports

DEPUTY PRESIDENT EXPRESSES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT SPORTS DEV, SWAN

Published

11 hours ago

November 3, 2025

The Tide

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.

He stated that the sports writing fraternity is where he cannot forget as a sports journalist that starts from the grassroots.

Mr. Nyong said this while presiding over South South SWAN zonal meeting of Chairmen and Secretaries, including some elders in the zone, on Friday, in Abuja.

He explained what led to his suspension and sue unity and peace amongst members, saying that what happened should be a thing of the past, as he was actually misled and deceived.

The Deputy National President reiterated his commitment to work with Cyril Dum Wite led administration in Rivers State Chapter of SWAN, saying that SWAN is one and there should be no division of any such.

He reels out ideas that can make SWAN viable and enviable in the zone.

“I want peace and unity amongst members of the association in the zone, we are one family, let us work as family. Thank God I am back fully, members of the zone will enjoy the association”, Mr. Nyong said.

Also speaking the Vice President of SWAN south south zone, Azuka Chiemeka, thanked members that attended the meeting and also advised members to work in peace, unity and love with others members to achieve positive result.

It will be recalled Bonny Nyong was suspended in Full council meeting held in Kano following what can be described as misconduct, but was forgiven and his suspension was lifted after he apologised to Full council members in a meeting, held in Abuja, during SWAN@60 celebrations.

By: Tonye Orabere