Sports
Buhari Receives FIFA World Cup Trophy, Super Eagles
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja received the FIFA World Cup Trophy ahead of the FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia in June.
Speaking at the event, President Buhari noted with delight that the Super Eagles were the first African team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Buhari also received the CHAN Super Eagles team and Nigeria’s Bobsleigh Winter Olympic team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The president pledged his administration’s support for the team towards winning the trophy in June.
According to him, football has been a great unifying factor among the ethnic groups in the country.
He lauded the world football ruling body for allowing the trophy to tour two cities in Nigeria, Abuja and Lagos.
“I wish to thank FIFA for deeming it fit to include two cities in Nigeria, Abuja and Lagos, in the FIFA World Cup Trophy tour by Coca Cola.
“Football has a cult followership in Nigeria. Our passion for football cut across all ethnic groups and also plays a key role in unifying our peoples from various backgrounds,’’ he said.
President Buhari commended Coca Cola for investing part of its resources in the development of football in Nigeria and urged other organisations to emulate the company.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the CHAN Eagles that won silver in Morocco as well as the 2018 Nigeria’s Bobsleigh Winter Olympics in South Korea.
“We are proud of you and the team to the Bobsleigh Winter Olympics in South Korea,’’ he said.
The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, appreciated the efforts of President Buhari for his continued support for the Super Eagles and other sport activities in the country.
He disclosed that the two ladies that brought honours to Nigeria at the Bobsleigh Winter Olympics in South Korea deserved commendation.
He said that the duo, who were based in the United States, sponsored their training and participation at the competition.
In his remarks, the FIFA representative, Mr Christian Karembeu, who presented the FIFA World Cup trophy to President Buhari, urged the Super Eagles to believe in themselves in order to go far in the competition.
The President of Coca Cola West Africa, Peter Njonjo, revealed that the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour was launched in 2006 as an exclusive partnership by FIFA and Coca Cola.
He expressed the hope that the ceremony on Wednesday would turn out to be “a dress rehearsal for the return of the trophy in July if the Super Eagles win the competition.’’
In a bid to make the Pillar of Associations Rivers state football tournament to become a permanent annual feature in Rivers state football calendar and a veritable platform for alternative career opportunity for Pillar members and members of Rivers football community, the Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee, Comrade Franklin Obute has stated that they were open to welcoming sponsorships from corporate entities and well meaning individuals.
Comrade Obute in an interview with news men on a match day at the ongoing competition at the Rivers State University’s ground said that the Pillar of Associations were ready to partner interested parties, who would be willing to invest in the competition through sponsorship towards elevating the quality and standard of the tournament.
According to him, “The Pillar of Associations tournament, due to the opportunities available, owing to the sheer number of businesses and members obtainable in the Pillar, would be a very attractive opportunity to exploit through sponsorship”.
He stated that there would be a conscious efforts toward sensitising the corporate and private environments to buy into the vision and objectives of the tournament. He explained that due to the open nature of the competition, whereby members of the association are allowed to engage any footballer from across the country, whether a business man or not, any sponsor would be able to enjoy unimaginable mileage.
“Every multinational company, private businesses should aspire to be part of the sponsorship of this tournament because there are so much benefits derivable therein, the coverage is very wide. You know that organising a football tournament of this nature is capital intensive, so, any sponsorship to add more value is welcomed”, he said.
The 2025 edition is currently ongoing and has reached the second round stage where matches are now being played on knockout basis, beginning from Friday.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
The Technical Manager of Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Finidi George has praised his boys (players) as they ran away with a point in the rescheduled match day nine of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) against Bendel Insurance.
According to him, before the game, he told his boys that they have to put up a good fighting spirit in the game, knowing that it will not be easy at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Finidi said this last Thursday in his post match interview with sports journalists and made available to Tidesports after they secured a goalless draw against Insurance.
He explained that in the first half, the game was 50-50 but in the second half after 15 to 20 minutes, my players pushed them back, looking for goal but they were able to hold them and got the draw.
“ From onset, I knew it was going to be a difficult game. Yes, we have to defend deep and get something. Kudos to my boys, they put up a good fighting spirit.
“ Despite the host creating good number of chances even hitting the crossbar but I must say that the draw is not a bad result.
“ Wasiu Falolu came closer in the second half but his long ranged shot just went over the bar.
“It was not a bad result but we have to move on and see how we can get good results from other matches” Finidi said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
The 2025 edition of OML 58 football tournament kicked off last weekend with plans to develop more talents.
According to the Executive Director JV Asset of Total Energies, Mr. Obi Imemba, the tournament has improved in the past 13 years and has discovered several football talents, three of whom are currently undergoing training at a football academy outside the country.
Speaking through the General Manager Community Affairs Dornu Kogam, the JV Asset director said that this year’s theme is geared towards promoting peace and harmony among the selected communities, adding that two teams that defaulted were dropped from the competition.
He urged the 18 teams participating in this year’s competition to focus on the theme of the event by displaying camaraderie and love among themselves.
Imemba said that,” my advice to the participating teams is that you should not be preoccupied with winning, rather focus on the theme of the event”.
Earlier, Chairman of the Organising Committee, Saheed Ogunsanya stated that the competition had evolved over the years and has become an under 18 competition, witnessing total elimination of over aged players.
“With this, he said, ‘talent hunt and development of youngsters have become a major goal of the competition, which goes beyond sowing peace and harmony to improving and providing career platforms for youths for the future”.
Meanwhile, at the opening match last weekend at Obite Civic Centre in Ogba/ Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area defending champions, Odiemerenye FC and Abarikpo FC locked horns to kickstart this year’s edition. The match was scoreless as at half time.
Recall that Odiemerenye FC were 2024 champions, and they were the first Ekpeye community to lift the OML 58 trophy since the inaugural edition in 2002.
By: Kevin Nengia