Sports
Player, Proprietor Solicit For Grassroots Sports Dev
A player with a grassroots football club, Saga FC, Abuja, Joshua Ibrahim, has urged the federal and state governments to provide the infrastructure needed to develop sports at the grassroots.
Ibrahim made the plea while speaking with the Tidesports yesterday in Lagos on the just-concluded football trials organised by U.K.-based Diamond Academy to scout for talents.
The one week trials conducted in partnership with Ezeani Football Academy, Nneni, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra ended on Friday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Ibrahim, who participated in the trials, expressed dissatisfaction with the poor development of grassroots football in the country, saying that the country needed to do more to get the best out of players at that level.
“The poor facilities on ground, especially in the rural communities, poverty and poor funding has not really helped the growth of local players at the grassroots level.
“As a player who has been to countries like Sweden, Italy and others, the standard over there is quite different from what is obtainable here in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is far behind but could do a lot more than we are doing now in terms of facilities and how the players are treated because football is psychological.
“If your players are not being treated the way they should, it will definitely affect their performances.
“In terms of facilities, the situation on ground in Abuja, and I believe in other parts of the country, is that where the Academy trains in Lugbe.
“The pitch is sandy and as a result we have to come to Lagos a week ahead of the trials in order to get used to the synthetic pitch,” he told Tidesports source.
Tidesports reports that Charles Ezeani, a lawmaker in the Anambra State House of Assembly and the Proprietor, Ezeani FC of Nnneni, Anambra, also told Tidesports source that he was disappointed with the poor treatment given to grassroots football.
“Grassroots football development in the country is very poor. Ordinarily, one should have expected that government should assist by putting up infrastructure that will guarantee these players proper training.
“In my own case in Anambra’s Anaocha Constituency II that I represent, to be precise, where we play this football, if you come there of course you will shed tears because there’s no infrastructure at all.
“The field is so poor with stones everywhere and the rest of them, but if government as expected, puts up a lot of structures and sports infrastructure, it will encourage those who want to sponsor this kind of programme to come on board.
“Sometimes, we train in my own compound as a result of the bad pitch and it is very bad. Government should appropriate funds to empower youths,” Ezeani said.
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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