Sports

Mixed Reactions Trail Rohr’s Provisional 30-Man List

Published

8 years ago

May 18, 2018

Mixed reactions on Monday trailed Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr’s 30-man provisional list for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.
The Tidesports source reports that Coach Rohr’s 30-man Provisional squad was released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday.
Rohr named Captain Mikel Obi, goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Abdullahi Shehu, Elderson Echiejile and Leon Balogun in Nigeria’s 30-man provisional list.
Others were midfielders Ogenyi Onazi, Oghenekaro Etebo, including forwards Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses.
The list also includes Spain-based goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defenders William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo and Olaoluwa Aina, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Joel Obi and John Ogu as well as forwards Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi.
Chelsea wingback Moses was Nigeria’s top scorer in the qualifying campaign with three goals, while Captain Mikel, Iwobi, Simon and Iheanacho weighed in with two goals each.
A cross section of football enthusiasts who spoke to Tidesports source noted that there was nothing really new about the list, while others expressed doubts about the goalkeeping and defence departments.
Nduka Ugbade, an ex-international and former assistant coach of the Nigeria under-17 national football team said he was satisfied with Coach Rohr’s selection.
“I think the list is made up of the usual suspects and these are the players that we should indeed be taking to the World Cup.
“Looking at our options upfront, I think the likes of Ighalo, Moses and Iheanacho should be able to keep their jerseys barring any injury worries.
“I am also so thrilled to see Lokosa’s name on that 30-man provisional list. He truly deserves it especially having scored 18 goals in 20 games for Kano Pillars in the NPFL so far this season.
“I think he needs to be encouraged and let’s see how far he can go in competing for a shirt and it will be a major surprise if the young man makes it to the World Cup.
“However, even if he does not make it to Russia, the experience in the Super Eagles camp and training will be very good for his growth and development,” he said.
Emmanuel Babayaro, former Super Eagles goalkeeper and Atlanta ’96 Olympic gold medalist, also noted that the names were purely based on merit, adding that Junior Lokosa’s call up was the biggest surprise in the list.
“I think the list is okay. Seriously looking forward to see if we can finally break that last 16 hurdle and get to the quarters for the very first time.
“I think this is long over due and hopefully Russia is where history will be made.
“I am delighted that at least three home-based players namely; Dele Ajiboye, Junior Lokosa and Ikechukwu Ezenwa made the provisional list and my guts tells me Lokosa will make the 23-man final list.
“He is the surprise package for me.
“The goalkeepers however need to train thrice harder and work more on their confidence. I tip Uzoho for first choice,” he said.
Godwin Bamigboye, the Chairman, FCT Football Coaches Association said the inclusion of the country’s biggest goal contributors in the list was a welcome development.
“There were really no major surprises in the list as the country’s biggest goal contributors namely; Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho are destined for Russia.
“Also, the partnership of the China-based players namely; Odion Ighalo and Mikel Obi will yield a lot of goals for the Super Eagles. I can’t wait for the tournament to start already.
“My advice however to those whose names were missing is that they must dig their heels in, do better than their previous best and make it impossible for the Coach to overlook them for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2019,” he said.
Emmanuel Amakiri, the proprietor of Amakson Football Academy said he wasn’t completely satisfied with the list, adding that the goalkeeping and defence departments still looked weak.
“For me, the list is not bad, but I feel our goalkeeping and defence department are weak and how Rohr sets up the midfield will be crucial.
“I still don’t know what Ezenwa and Echiejile are doing in that squad? They better not make the final list.
“Ezenwa isn’t the best goalkeeper in the NPFL so I am wondering what informed his selection.
“So sad for the likes of Brown Ideye and Henry Onyekuru whose names were omitted from the list as they have both struggled in their efforts to get back to fitness ahead of the World Cup.
“Some however discovered their form when it mattered most, such as Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa who had to go back to Russia to begin to command attention once again,” he said.
The Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup finals is scheduled to kickoff from June 14 to July 15.

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Director of Sports, Obia Inyingikabo has that the just concluded second edition of the Niger Delta Games, held in Benin, Edo State, was very impressive and well organised.

She commended both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dumamis Icon Limited for the sponsorship and organisation respectively.

According to her, the problem of the team was the epileptic situation of shuttle buses, which was not under the direct control of the sports council.

Inyingikabo said this in a telephone interview with Tidesports yesterday; she confirmed that apart from the poor transport system for athletes, every arrangement went successfully as planned.

The director praised her athletes for making the State proud by winning gold, silver, and bronze medals during the games. She assured the people of Rivers State that in the next edition they will perform better and also used the opportunity to commend Rivers State promoting sports in the State.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Treat Bees, Silkworms As Valuable Resources – Don

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Applied Entomology and Pest Management, at the Federal University of Technology Akure,(FUTA), Olufunmilayo Oladipo, has said insects such as bees ,houseflies silkworms and similar species should be seen and treated as valuable resources whose careful management could enhance food security, generate income, support industrial applications, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Prof. Oladipo made the remark while delivering the 193rd Inaugural Lecture of the institution on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Citing the honeybee as a prime example, Oladipo noted that beyond honey production, bees provide beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and venom used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while their pollination services significantly increase crop yields and biodiversity.

She also referenced silkworms, whose silk supports textile industries and export earnings, as well as black soldier flies and houseflies, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and crickets which are increasingly used in the production of high-protein livestock and aquaculture feeds, thereby reducing dependence on expensive imported feed ingredients.

Speaking on the topic, “Six-Legged Arthropods: Food Security, Health and National Economic Development,” Professor Oladipo highlighted the multiple contributions of insects to national development in a monolithic economy like Nigeria, where over-dependence on crude oil has limited diversification.

She pointed out that insects serve as food for humans and feed for livestock, provide income for households through apiculture, sericulture, and insect-based enterprises, and supply raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Beneficial insects also enhance food security through nutrient recycling, biological control of harmful species and weeds, and pollination of crops and horticultural plants, resulting in bumper harvests and increased biodiversity.

Professor Oladipo further mentioned termites and dung beetles for their role in nutrient recycling and soil aeration, improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps, she explained, serve as natural biological control agents, reducing populations of destructive pests without harming the environment.

In the area of public health, Oladipo declared that though “the economic toll of insect vectors is staggering, stretching from the household to national economy, thereby undermining productivity, draining family resources, and constraining national growth, certain insects negatively affect agriculture, public health, and livelihoods”.

The professor pointed to the importance of understanding mosquitoes and other disease vectors such as tsetse flies, whose management is critical in combating malaria, yellow fever, dengue, sleeping sickness and other vector-borne diseases that weaken workforce productivity and strain national resources.

She cited data showing that malaria alone costs Africa over 12 billion dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and reduced investment. Beyond mortality, she emphasized, insect-borne diseases also contribute to morbidity, chronic disability, and reduced workforce efficiency, imposing heavy burdens on families, health systems, and national economies.

She referenced maggot therapy, currently practiced in teaching hospitals in Kano, as a safe and effective treatment for chronic diabetic wounds adding that bioactive compounds from fungus-insect complexes such as Bombyx batryticatus and Beauveria bassiana, which have been developed into medicines with anticonvulsant, anticancer, antifungal, anticoagulant, and hypolipidemic properties.

Weaver ants, bee venom, and cantharidin from blister beetles, she stated, also possess therapeutic value, including immune-boosting, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritic, and antiviral applications. She maintained that strategic government investment in entomotherapy could strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce pharmaceutical import dependence, save lives, and support national economic diversification.

According to her, these examples demonstrate that insects are not merely pests to be eradicated but strategic biological assets that, if properly managed, can enhance food security, strengthen public health systems, generate employment, and support Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The Agric expert noted however, that certain pest species continue to pose threats to agriculture and public health, thereby negatively affecting economic growth. She stressed that proper management, rather than indiscriminate eradication, is key to maximizing the benefits of these six-legged resources.

Professor Oladipo advocated integrated pest management strategies that prioritize environmentally friendly approaches, including botanicals, pheromones, biological control agents, growth regulators, and semiochemicals, while minimizing the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides.

She warned that excessive reliance on chemicals has resulted in resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. She also called for stricter regulation of pesticide importation and usage under professional supervision, and for stronger surveillance by regulatory authorities to prevent the introduction of exotic pest species.

To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in entomology, she urged the government to support insect rearing and the conservation of beneficial species and to establish more Departments of Entomology in universities.

On the benefits of insects, she stressed the need for shifting societal perceptions and promoting sustainable practices, calling for stronger linkages between universities and industries to translate research findings into practical applications and commercial opportunities.

Professor Oladipo further appealed for increased funding for research and for targeted support for brilliant but indigent students in science-based disciplines, emphasizing that nurturing the next generation of entomologists and agricultural scientists is critical for national development.

Presenting the inaugural lecturer, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, described Professor Oladipo as a distinguished scholar whose research has significantly advanced the field of entomology and strengthened FUTA’s academic and research profile.

The Vice Chancellor who described the lecture as ‘timely’, given Nigeria’s challenges in food security, public health, and economic diversification, commended the inaugural lecturer’s scholarly depth, resilience, and dedication to mentoring students, reaffirming FUTA’s commitment to research that addresses pressing national development priorities.