Sports

Nigeria Pitch Awards Gets New Date

Published

5 years ago

December 9, 2020

Organisers of Nigeria’s longest running football awards, The Pitch Awards, on Monday said that the much-awaited grand ceremony would now hold third week of this month.
President of the awards, Shina Phillips, in a statement in Lagos, stated that the 7th edition of the event would be held at Ibis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The 7th Award Ceremony, earlier scheduled for March, was postponed and rescheduled following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also led to the cancellation of major football events across the globe.
“It has been our tradition since 2013 to schedule our award ceremonies to coincide with major Super Eagles match engagements.
“The 7th award ceremony is to honour deserving award winners for the year, 2019. Unfortunately, the circumstances engineered by attempts to halt the spread of COVID-19 forced a major postponement of the event.
“This year’s event will have few guests and sports editors and journalists only in attendance. This year’s award ceremony will mark the first award ceremony which will be held in Lagos,” he said.
Phillips added: “As organisers and as a responsible corporate citizen, we are mindful of the need to observe all government laid down COVID-19 protocols in order to keep our guests safe.
“This is why physical attendance will be restricted as many nominees including members of the Super Eagles will follow the event online.
“Major highlights of the award ceremony will include the announcement of winner of the King of the Pitch Award which will be a keen contest.
“It is between Super Eagles and Leicester City F.C Midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, Manchester United Striker, Odion Ighalo and Super Eagles and Napoli FC sensation, Victor Osimhen.
“In the women’s category, the Queen of the Pitch Award will be a straight battle between Onome Ebi, Super Falcons and Henan Huishang FC player, Chiamaka Nnadozie of Rivers Angels and the Super Falcons and Barcelona Women sensa-tion, Asisat Oshoala,” he said.
Phillips said that Football fans should expect tough contests in the Striker of the Year, Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Coach of the Year and the Football Friendly Governor of the Year categories.
“Other categories to be decided at the Award Ceremony include the Sam Okwaraji Award for commitment to Nigerian Football, State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme.
“There is also the Football Journalist of the Year in the Print, Radio, TV and Online categories,” he said.

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

18 minutes 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

25 minutes 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.

Sports

NDG: Committee Disqualifies Five Athletes Over Age Discrepancies, Others

Published

30 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.