Sports
CRS Lauds Sports Commission, Pledges Support
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has lauded the efforts of the State’s Sports Commission to develop sports in the state.
Ayade said the state government would appreciate this wonderful gesture.
The governor gave the assurance in Calabar on Sunday at the finals of the male Under 15 football tournament for schools across the state organised in his honour by the commission at the U.J. Esuene Stadium.
Ayade, said his administration was excited by the injection of fresh approach to sports promotion and development by the commission.
Represented by his Special Adviser, Public Affairs, Tony Undiandeye, the governor commended the Orok Duke-led Commission for “using soccer to identify and groom talents at the grassroots through schools’’.
He said: “Efforts of the Sports Commission has been appreciated. The commission is doing a lot to uplift sports in Cross River.
“There are projects they (Sports Commission) are undertaking and I am excited about what they are doing right now.
“Overall, you see that there is an injection of new approach to sports promotion and development, using sports, soccer to identify and groom talents at the grassroots through schools at that level.
“We believe that when these children get back, having been here to see the facilities, a greater zeal in them to prevail will endure.
“We hope that the state government will continue to encourage what they are doing within available resources. The commission is doing well, they should be encouraged and supported,’’ the governor said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Commission, Duke, said the commission was poised to leave a legacy during his tenure.
Duke said that the tournament was organised across the three senatorial districts of the state in honour of Ayade for reactivating the commission with a mandate to re-position sports in the state.
“This tournament is a grassroots programme to encourage him to do more. We intend to capture these athletes and talents across the state and harness their immense potentials at different levels.
“We are hoping and praying that in spite of the limited resources and facilities at our disposal, we will recreate a lot in sports across the state. There is going to be no dull moments here,’’ Duke said.
He also appealed to the state government to set aside a percentage of the sports levies paid directly by students in public schools to be retained by those schools for the development of facilities.
“The commission has sports officers in all the local government areas of the state. The idea is to take sports to these people.’’ Duke said.
According to the chairman, the commission has since December 2016 incorporated the Ben Ayade United Football club, Calabar and the Canaan City Table Tennis Club.
“The Canaan City Table Tennis Club will be participating in an international tournament starting from May this year.
“We are planning a female football competition for secondary schools. We currently encourage the Pelican Stars FC to mentor female footballers by training with lots of female students,’’ he said.
Secondary School Igbeku, Yala won the first position in the maiden edition of the tournament by defeating Akim Secondary School, Calabar 2-0.
The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.
Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.
According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.
In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.
The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.
Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.
It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.
However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.
“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.
“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”
He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.
“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.
He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..
Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.
“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.
“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”
The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.
But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.
“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.
The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tagged “Boxing Jams Music,” the year-end edition will once again blend elite professional boxing with live musical performances. Fans can look forward to thrilling bouts across weight divisions and electrifying performances by some of Nigeria’s top entertainers.
Flykite Productions’ Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Johnson, said the forthcoming edition will build on the event’s tradition of combining sport and music in a festival-like atmosphere. He assured fans of an unforgettable Boxing Day experience, with added entertainment elements planned.
“GOtv Boxing Night 34 will once again deliver the best of both worlds of top-class boxing and live music. We are committed to giving fans a truly memorable Boxing Day experience at Tafawa Balewa Square,” he said.
Over the years, Boxing Jams Music has grown into the country’s biggest sport-entertainment spectacle, hosting title bouts sanctioned by continental and global bodies alongside live performances by top acts such as Burna Boy, Teni, Mayorkun, Zlatan and Wande Coal.
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