Sports

Edo To Support Education Of Insurance FC Feeder Team’s Players

Published

6 years ago

January 22, 2021

Edo State Government will always support the aspirations of young footballers in the state, especially in the area of their education, the state’s Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said yesterday in Benin.
Shaibu, who said this when he received the Bendel Insurance FC Feeder Team, said an example of this was the reward of scholarship awards to members of the state’s under-17 football team.
The Under-17 team had emerged winners of the 2020 Stephen Keshi National Under-17 Football Championship held in Benin.
Shaibu, who charged the Insurance FC Feeder Team players to remain focused and disciplined, said the state government would grant scholarship award to any of them ready to realise their academic dreams.
“The state under-17 players are worthy ambassadors who have brought honour to their parents and the state. So, the reward is rewarding, and we are ready to do this for others too,” he said.
The deputy governor expressed satisfaction that the Insurance FC project which started with the club’s rebranding by the present administration a few years ago, saying it had started yielding dividends.
“I am happy that we have started seeing results from the sports rebranding, including that of Insurance FC, which we embarked upon just a few years ago.
“I am confident that within four years from now, the main Insurance FC would be populated by home-grown football stars.
“I see this team as the real future of Bendel Insurance FC and I am proud of you.
“We will discuss how to assist you to combine education with football because we care about your future,” he said.
Head coach of the victorious team, Osazee Stanley, thanked Shaibu and the Insurance FC management for giving him the opportunity to serve.
“We give thanks to God for the victory and we remain grateful to the deputy governor and management of Bendel Insurance FC for giving me the opportunity to serve.
“I am happy we won the championship in our first appearance. The players we parade today are the same kids we took from the grassroots that made major impact at the 2019 NPFL/LaLigaUnder-15 Championship and they have now graduated to Under-17.
“It is important we say that we won all our games in the championship, including individual awards of best coach and best goalkeeper.
“The good thing is that the team is designed to feel the gap in the main team and we

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.