Sports
Boxing Needs More Corporate Support -WABU President
The President of the West African Boxing Union (WABU), Remi Aboderin, has called on corporate organisations in Nigeria to emulate pay television service provider, GOtv’s support for Nigerian boxing.
Aboderin, also the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), said that GOtv’s intervention had helped to revive boxing in Nigeria.
The WABU president addressed journalists in Lagos on Wednesday night to announce the 18th edition of the GOtv Boxing Night scheduled on Sunday in Ibadan.
He said that support from more organisations would strengthen boxing in the country.
“Nobody connected to Nigerian boxing will fail to see the strides being made by the sport since GOtv intervened in 2014.
“Its intervention, which has seen it invest huge sums, time, organisation, logistics, especially the live broadcast of the event by SuperSport, has rescued our beloved sport from irrelevance.
“I can tell you that we, at the NBB of C, are happy, boxers are happy, sub-regional and continental boxing bodies such as the African Boxing Union are also happy for GOtv’s support,’’ Abodrein said.
He urged other corporate organisations to emulate GOtv to ensure Nigerian boxing’s return to the top.
“With more corporate support, it will happen faster.
“Under five years of sponsoring GOtv Boxing Night and GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, Nigerian boxing has regained prominence on the African and Commonwealth scenes.
“Our boxers are sought after, as many champions have been made. We need to go a few notches higher, and that will happen if others show similar commitment,” he added.
Tidesports source reports that the 18th edition of the GOtv Boxing Night is scheduled to hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, on April 21.
The eight-fight show will feature two international duels, the ABU lightweight title clash between Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph of Nigeria and Ghana’s Success “Brave Warrior” Tetteh, and an international light middleweight clash between Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku of Nigeria and Ekpresso Djamihou of the Republic of Benin.
Also on the card is the national super featherweight title bout between Ridwan ‘Scorpion” Oyekola and the champion, Taofeek “Taozon” Bisuga.
Other boxers in action include Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, WABU welterweight champion, going against Ganiyu “Energy” Kolawole, while Tope “Esepo” Agbaje will battle Michael “Holy Mike” Jacobs.
Young, dynamic and fast puncher, Opeyemi “Sense” Adeyemi, has a chance to prove his qualities when he fights Isaac “I Star” Chukwudi in a national title challenge.
The organisers, as usual, has N1 million prize for the best boxer of the night which has given the event that edge over the years.
Sports
Naphtali Director Reiterates Commitment To Dev Chess
The Chief executive officer (CEO) of Naphtali Groups Dr Apollos Akomaka has reiterated his commitment to develop the game of Chess in Rivers State and beyond.
He stated his intention was to ensure that Chess is as popular as football and played by everybody in the State.
Dr. Akomaka said these shortly after he won the Naphtali Battle Of Two Generations Chess Competition, in Port Harcourt, sponsored by Naphtali physiotherapy and wellness Clinic, recently. at Twilight Lounge Total Gospel street, Odili road, Port Harcourt.
In the competition “The Battle of Two Generations came to a dramatic display with the Old Generation (Veterans) staging a comeback after Day 1 to thump the New Generation with a 7.5 vs 4.5 points on the final Day.
At the commencement of the day one tournament Martins Konju play the white pieces against tactical Dr Apollos Akomaka( veteran) who played the black pieces, Akomaka stretched the young Martins Konju’s resilience to hold on the game to a draw via continuous checks that eventually made Konju fell into a mating net and got mated.
Meanwhile, board two saw an Under 14 player John Nwachukwu with the white pieces,who delivered a strategic attacking onslaught on his opponents Stanley Egbujie, the highest Fide rated player of the event with 1940 rating. Stanley Egbujie could not hold on with Nwachukwu’s attack as he had to resign to avoid an embarrassing mate that was in the offing.
It a different ball game on board three where the highest rated new generation player Pamella Ezeh Souter with a 1904 rating against an unrated veteran Ipalibo George wasted no time in employing his tactical prowess to subdue the veteran who succumbed to pressure and resigned,giving the new generation the needed win after round one.
In the subsequent round Martin Konju secured a 3 fold repetition and earn a vital draw against Dr. Akomaka while Stanley Egbujie had it easy over John Nwachukwu as Pamela Ezeh took advantage of the rustiness of Ipalibo George to deliver another resounding victory to give the new generation an early advantage of 3.5: 2:5 after Day 1.
Tonye Orabere
Sports
Team Rivers Shine At South-East Chess Championship
The second edition of South East Zonal Chess Championship draw its curtain close at the weekend in Umuahia the capital city of Abia State.
The tournament saw Rivers Chess team which was represented by three players Stanley Egbujie, Eunice Ajawachukwu and veteran, Dr. Appollos Akomaka who captained the team excelled at championship.
Rivers players won all their games in the day one of the tournament, in the female category Ajawachukwu emerged champion and narrowly lost to highly rated player to win silver medal with a 4/7 points in the major championship
Stanley Egbujie of Rivers performed impressively which took him to the finals but also lost to the joint winner of the major championship as Egbujie dropped to fourth position by ranking with 5/7 points.
This year edition did not feature the veteran category; however the reigning veteran champion of the championship, Dr. Akomaka also garnered 3.5points out of 7 to still remain undisputed as the veteran champion of the zone.
Speaking shortly after the event, the acting chairman of the Rivers State Chess Association Dr Apollos Akomaka urged players to always put in their best, saying and that one day their efforts will be crowned with glory.
He stated that if they continue to perform impressively in competitions he believes government would support them.
Tonye Orabere
Sports
NDDC To Introduce Secondary Schools Football League
The Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr. Samuel Ogbuku has pledged to introduce Niger Delta Secondary Schools League (NDSSL) to promote and develop football in the region.
He stated that in the next edition of W.W White cup the best player would be sent to any football academy in Europe, instead of scouts to come.
Dr. Ogbuku said these shortly after the finals of the competition sponsored by NDDC, last Friday at the Stella Maris College, between Ennitonia High School and Nyemoni Anglican Grammar School in Port Harcourt,
According to him, the reason of sponsoring the tournament was to bring back Port Harcourt how it used to be, adding that the name was also maintained to immortalise the person who started the competition as a way of giving back to the society.
“We believe that we needed to go back how Port Harcourt used to be, the peaceful Port Harcourt as it used to be that glorified all of us. Besides, for a long time now we have not played inter secondary football competition in the State.
“Next year we will improve on it by sending the best player to any of the football academics in Europe. This competition would go round the nine States that NDDC covers but it will not bare W.W.White. We are going to look for other existing competition there and winners of each State will play Niger Delta Secondary School League”, he said.
The NDDC Managing Director , further revealed that the the commission would introduce football competition for female in the area hence it will not bare W.W. White. We all know that female football in Nigeria’ started from Rivers State.
“ The truth was that we are gender friendly, we will introduce another competition and not W.W. White Cup, if we do that then it will not bare W.W.White cup again”, he stated.
At the end of the game Enitonia High School beat 4-2 Nyemoni Anglican Grammar School on penalty after playing 1-1 at regulation time to emerge champions.
Consequently, Ennitonia High School go home with N1.5m while Nyemoni smile home with N1M.
Tonye Orabere
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