Sports
Stakeholders Excited As Wike Unveils PH Real Madrid Academy, ’Morrow
Port Harcourt Real Madrid Football Academy will officially be the commissioned tomorrow, by Honourable minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare.
The academy was initiated and completed by the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, in partnership with Real Madrid Football Club, in Spain, with the view to develop and promote grassroots football in Nigeria.
It is worthy to note that academy will run normal the school calendar, vacation and other sporting activities, apart from football.
Speaking to some stake holders, the President of Mauythai Federation of Nigeria (MFN), Comrade Paul Egonu, rated the academy high, saying that the project is laudable.
He noted that the facilities being used for the project were world class standard, both the hostels and classrooms were real conducive learning environment.
According to him, for the academy to be sustained after this administration, the state House of Assembly should pass into law for its funding and maintenance.
“I want to advise Rivers people not to see this project as Wike project; they should rather see it as Rivers State Government project.
Board constituted to run the affairs of the academy, there should be yearly budget for it, so that issue of funds will not crumble the academy, after this government,” Egonu said.
The proprietor of Blessed Soccer Football Academy, Blessed Ogbonda, also commended the state governor, Nyesom Wike, for the vision to promote grassroots football.
He noted the academy was first of its kind in this part of the world, saying that what interests him more is the combination of football and academics.
“Honestly, I must say that the project is one of the best in the world. It has given hope to the grassroots coaches,” Ogbonda said.
Before now, the Technical Adviser of Super Eagles, Gernort Rohr, had also scored the infrastructure of Real Madrid Academy in Port Harcourt high.
He stated that what captured his interest most was the combination of normal school curriculum and football.
He further stated that what he saw could be compared to the best football academies in Europe.
“The infrastructure are very high, they are like the best ones in Europe, like Spain, Barcelona and Valencia football academies. In Germany, we have Bayern Munich football academy. We also have in France,” Rohr said.
The technical adviser explained that football academies has produced some prominent players like Paul Pogba and the rest.
He commended Rivers State governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike for doing a great job.
Also, Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on the Academy, Barrister Christopher Green, said, that he was not in doubt that the institution would produce the best next generation of athletes in the country.
“At the moment, even before the formal invitation for application, the academy has received over 6,000 applications and still counting. This goes to show the quality of the facility the state government has put on ground and how the people have perceived it”, said Barr Green.
The academy project was conceived by Governor Nyesom Wike a little over a year ago and has been built with the technical partnership of Real Madrid Football Club, Spain, with a view to developing football talents and the youths in the state and Nigeria at large.
According to Green, the management of the academy has got one of the best recruitment agents in the world and the teaching model would be different from the usual.
“The Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has passion for football and we are going to combine the game and academics.
It is not our doing, but the Almighty God led Governor Wike to give this to Rivers people and Nigeria in general.
Wike is a miracle worker, not everybody gave him or us a chance, but today we are all living witnesses to what is happening.
I also believe that the next generation of very good athletes would come out of here.
We have gotten one of the best recruitment agents, the teachers and instructors would use different model from others to teach, so that it will be easier to understand,” Barrister Green said.
He explained that the academy will run normal school calendar for six years’ programme, adding that the important aspect of the academy is that, if anyone could not cope in the sporting area, the person can have vocation training in other areas like, electrical, automobile, Telecom and other departments.
Stories by: Tonye Orabere
In a bid to make the Pillar of Associations Rivers state football tournament to become a permanent annual feature in Rivers state football calendar and a veritable platform for alternative career opportunity for Pillar members and members of Rivers football community, the Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee, Comrade Franklin Obute has stated that they were open to welcoming sponsorships from corporate entities and well meaning individuals.
Comrade Obute in an interview with news men on a match day at the ongoing competition at the Rivers State University’s ground said that the Pillar of Associations were ready to partner interested parties, who would be willing to invest in the competition through sponsorship towards elevating the quality and standard of the tournament.
According to him, “The Pillar of Associations tournament, due to the opportunities available, owing to the sheer number of businesses and members obtainable in the Pillar, would be a very attractive opportunity to exploit through sponsorship”.
He stated that there would be a conscious efforts toward sensitising the corporate and private environments to buy into the vision and objectives of the tournament. He explained that due to the open nature of the competition, whereby members of the association are allowed to engage any footballer from across the country, whether a business man or not, any sponsor would be able to enjoy unimaginable mileage.
“Every multinational company, private businesses should aspire to be part of the sponsorship of this tournament because there are so much benefits derivable therein, the coverage is very wide. You know that organising a football tournament of this nature is capital intensive, so, any sponsorship to add more value is welcomed”, he said.
The 2025 edition is currently ongoing and has reached the second round stage where matches are now being played on knockout basis, beginning from Friday.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
Some of the best golfers across Africa are expected to converge on the Ikoyi Club 1938 Golf Section for the three-day Ikoyi Ladies Golf Tournament holding from November 11 to 13.
The star-studded amateur open tournament is part of the activities lined up by the leadership of the club to celebrate the ladies’ tournament’s 50th anniversary.
Speaking at a world press conference at the Club’s headquarters in Ikoyi, the Ladies Club Captain, Mrs Peggy Onwu, explained that the tournament will offer opportunity for leading amateur golfers across 11 countries of the world to showcase their skills on the green lawn.
According to her, over 150 golfers have already registered for the open tournament, which will attract mouth-watering prizes, including a trophy, a premium ticket to the United States of America, among others.
The event will be preceded by ‘Twilight evening,’ which will see the participants play the golf game towards dawn, in a relaxed atmosphere with cocktails, networking and good music.
She thanked the various sponsors of tournament, including PWC, Delta Airline, Western Star, First EGP, among others, for identifying and keying into the Club’s goals and aspirations as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
Mrs. Onwu added that the event was not only a celebration of resilience, commitment, dedication and sacrifice, but a rare display of exemplary team spirit by all members of the Ladies Golf Section.
Thrilled by the presence of a Nigerian-born Italy- based golfer and fashion icon, Bali Lawal, as well as other professionals expected to grace the tournament, she promised that the tournament will be a memorable outing aimed at mentoring ladies keen on honing their golfing skills.
Speaking in the same vein, Vice Lady Captain, Annie Eimiakhena, explained that the tournament will entail three days of competitive outing showing skills, professional dexterity.
She added that participants and golfers will use the opportunity of the event to network among themselves, while a Masterclass will be held to educate would-be golfers on the dynamics of the game.
The Technical Manager of Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Finidi George has praised his boys (players) as they ran away with a point in the rescheduled match day nine of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) against Bendel Insurance.
According to him, before the game, he told his boys that they have to put up a good fighting spirit in the game, knowing that it will not be easy at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Finidi said this last Thursday in his post match interview with sports journalists and made available to Tidesports after they secured a goalless draw against Insurance.
He explained that in the first half, the game was 50-50 but in the second half after 15 to 20 minutes, my players pushed them back, looking for goal but they were able to hold them and got the draw.
“ From onset, I knew it was going to be a difficult game. Yes, we have to defend deep and get something. Kudos to my boys, they put up a good fighting spirit.
“ Despite the host creating good number of chances even hitting the crossbar but I must say that the draw is not a bad result.
“ Wasiu Falolu came closer in the second half but his long ranged shot just went over the bar.
“It was not a bad result but we have to move on and see how we can get good results from other matches” Finidi said.
By: Kiadum Edookor