Sports

Stakeholders’ Responsibility, Key To Sports Transformation -NCC

Published

7 years ago

October 29, 2018

The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has identified stakeholders’ collective responsibility as the critical key toward achieving the desired transformation in the nation’s sports sector.
Mr Oluwatoyin Asaju, Deputy Director with NCC, said this while interacting with newsmen on the sideline of the ongoing NCC Lawn tennis Nationwide League taking place at the Kwara Stadium Sports Complex, Ilorin.
Tidesports source reports that the group stage preliminaries of the 4th edition of the league is taking place in eleven other venues simultaneously across the country.
The 2017 edition of the league which attracted a cash prize of N7 million was won by the Civil Defence team.
Asaju, the Team Leader for the event in Kwara, said the nation could only be ranked among the top contenders in international sporting event if the sector was fully developed.
He said the commission also had the desire to promote the nation’s sports, adding that the public and private sectors must leverage on the army of talents in the country.
He said that the commission’s participation in sports development, especially as regard lawn tennis, was an integral part of its corporate social responsibility.
According to him, the NCC’s involvement is informed by the need to discover new and younger talents that could fly the nation’s flag in both national and international sports meets.
He said the overall essence and desire was to assist and support government in its sports developmental drive.
Asaju said the choice of lawn tennis was to ensure that the game was fully developed and monitored by the commission.
He, therefore, urged other corporate organisations and individuals to key into promoting different sports to achieve the desired results of the country competing in variety of sports at global level.
“All of us have to come together, the public and private sector, to contribute our quota to the development of sports.
“On our own, we have chosen lawn tennis, other corporate bodies or individuals can pick other sports apart from football whether in partnership to grow promote and develop them to full capacity.
“So, that at the end of the day, the entire sport sector will be generally developed,” he said.
Asaju, who expressed delight at the commission’s involvement in sports development, however, urged the government to further boost the sector’s financial and infrastructure capabilities.
“With more enlightenment being fostered through the games, I think the objective of our participation is being achieved,” he said.
He expressed the commission’s readiness to expand the scope of its sponsorship of the game if more funds were available.
Mr Bola Amurawaye, the Team Manager for Team Goshen, praised the NCC management for its foresight in organising the tennis tournament for talents hunt.
“This is our third year of participating in the league and as more awareness and talents are being discovered there is the need for more corporate sponsorship,” he said.
Tidesports source also reports that the league has attracted scores of lawn tennis armatures and raw talents from all the centers.

Sports

NDG: Committee Disqualifies Five Athletes Over Age Discrepancies, Others

Published

3 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Five athletes have been disqualified from the ongoing Niger Delta Games following investigations into eligibility concerns ranging from age discrepancies to state-of-origin violations.

According to findings contained in the official protest report, Otunla Kolade Israel (Edo State) was disqualified and stripped of his medals in swimming after his National Identification Number (NIN) indicated he is from Ikorodu, Lagos State. The athlete had won five gold medals and one silver, all of which have now been withdrawn.

In handball, John Vera and Ayimba Maria (Bayelsa State) were both disqualified on grounds of age declaration, with documentation reportedly showing they were overage for their category.

Goodness Ekunke (Chess) was also disqualified after inconsistencies were discovered in submitted eligibility documents.

Meanwhile, Okafor Adolphus (Ondo State, Athletics) was removed from the competition following investigations that revealed issues relating to state of origin and age declaration. Investigations reveal he is from Anambra State.

However, not all protested cases resulted in sanctions. Bright Joel Udoh (Edo State, Table Tennis) and Wisdom Chibueze Nweke (Abia State, Tennis) were cleared after reviews found insufficient grounds for disqualification.

In athletics, Ngozi Okereke Treasure (Delta State) was deemed eligible to compete despite an age discrepancy flagged by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, as no legal documentation was provided to substantiate the claim.

The disciplinary decisions underscore the Games’ commitment to upholding eligibility rules and maintaining competitive integrity across all participating states.

Sports

D’Tigress Unveils W’Cup Provisional Squad

Published

3 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria’s seven-time African champions, D’Tigress, have announced a provisional squad ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament, set to take place from 11–17 March 2026 in Lyon, France, Tidesports source reports.

Head coach Rena Wakama has selected a blend of seasoned campaigners and emerging talent as the side prepares to face France, Germany, South Korea, Colombia and the Philippines in the qualifying event.

Leading the squad are established stars Amy Okonkwo, Sarah Ogoke, Promise Amukamara and Ezinne Kalu, alongside young prospects Pius Idubano, Adenike Olawuyi, Grace Efosa, Rita Igbokwe, Wandoo Hemba and Tewogbade Mololuwa.

The full provisional roster includes Ezinne Kalu, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Pius Beggi Idubano, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpannah, Grace Efosa, Amy Okonkwo, Ayomide Tewogbade, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro, Wandoo Hemba, Adenike Olawuyi, Sarah Ogoke, and Blessing Ejiofor.

Nigeria will open their qualifying campaign against Colombia on March 11, followed by games against South Korea on March 12, the Philippines on March 14, France on March 15, and Germany on March 17.

The top three teams from the group will advance to the next stage. Having secured automatic qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin by winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket, the D’Tigress will use the Lyon tournament to sharpen strategies and build team cohesion ahead of the global event.

Alongside host Germany, Australia, Belgium and the USA have already qualified.

Nigeria have appeared at the Women’s Basketball World Cup on two previous occasions, in Brazil in 2006 and Spain in 2018, and will aim to build on that experience as they prepare for Berlin in September 2026.

Sports

NSSF Holds Seminar For Game Masters, Others

Published

3 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) has held its yearly administrative seminar, bringing together state coordinators from across the country for a one-day workshop in Lagos at the weekend.

Designed to build capacity and align with global best practices, the seminar empowered sports handlers with tools for effective management of events, programmes, and activities.

Themed, “Enhancing Capacity for Effective School Sports Leadership,” the highly interactive session featured lectures, knowledge sharing, and practical experiences from resource persons, reinforcing NSSF’s commitment to maintaining high standards in school sports administration.

Delivering a paper titled, “Effective Organisation of Sports Programmes for Talent Identification and Maximisation in Nigerian Schools,” Professor Macpherson Akindele Ogunsemore of the University of Lagos highlighted the critical role of coordinators in harnessing grassroots talent.

He urged participants to collaborate with coaches and physical education teachers to channel their expertise toward nurturing athletes from the grassroots to elite levels.

In another lecture, “Effective Writing of School Sport Reports: A Guide for Administrators,” the director of School Sports at the Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr Oluyomi Oluwasanmi, emphasised the importance of documentation.
She noted that concise and structured reporting helps in planning, identifying successes and shortcomings, and ensuring continuous improvement in future events.

Also among the topics was the media visibility for school sports. NSSF President, Olabisi Joseph, reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to empowering coordinators and keeping them updated with evolving practices in school sports management.

“Sports keep evolving, and we must ensure our coordinators are equipped with the latest tools for organising competitions and writing reports. This seminar, which has been held consistently for seven years, has brought significant improvement and development to our officers,” she said.

Participants commended the initiative, acknowledging NSSF’s efforts to elevate school sports development and ensure Nigeria continues to reap meaningful rewards with support from government and stakeholders.