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
Nigeria has won the bid to host the next edition of the prestigious All Africa Challenge Trophy in 2026.
The AACT is a biennial continental ladies’ golf championship in Africa that had its inaugural edition in May 1992 in Zimbabwe.
Nigeria hosted the AACT in 1996 at the Ikoyi Club 1938, while in 2010, the AACT was played at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, in Abuja.
This would be the third time Nigeria will be hosting the championship.
Interestingly, the West and Central Africa Challenge Trophy (a regional version of the championship) was held for the first time in Nigeria at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estates and Resort, Lagos, in 2023.
Evelyn Oyome, the President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, who was the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the championship’s 16th edition in Morocco, said Nigeria emerged winner amongst the 20 countries that took part in the bidding process.
“Nigeria had earlier hosted the West, Central Africa Challenge Trophy in October last year at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate and Resort in Lagos, showcasing its outstanding golfing facilities, with no fewer than 10 countries participating.
“So, hosting that championship successfully last year gave us the edge amongst so many other countries that also bidded and winning was a huge victory for Nigeria,” she said.
Oyome revealed that the Federal Capital Territory would be the host city for the AACT 2026 edition, with no fewer than 30 countries expected to participate in the championship.
Super Eagles B co-handler Fidelis Ilechukwu has revealed that Kano Pillars duo Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi were initially listed in the 30-man squad for the 2024 CHAN qualifiers double header clash against Ghana, but were dropped over their ineligibility.
Musa and Shehu, who made sensational returns to Kano Pillars this season, were conspicuously missing when the Nigeria Football Federation revealed the names of 30 Nigeria Premier Football League stars for the assignment.
The CHAN Eagles are currently camping in Ikenne, Ogun State. They will play the first leg of their encounter in Accra on Sunday, December 22 before returning to Uyo for the return leg on Saturday, December 28.
“I was told he (Musa) didn’t meet up with the conditions of playing in the CHAN tournament or qualifiers,” Ilechukwu told our correspondent.
“Ahmed Musa was on our list, there is no way we wouldn’t have included him in the list with his performances in the league but they told us to replace him due to eligibility.
When asked if the same applied to Shehu, the coach replied in the affirmative.
According to CAF regulations, only footballers playing in their country of birth are eligible.
While the above rule favours both Musa and Shehu, their participation was perhaps made difficult by another CAF regulation which says, “Only players with a permanent contract registered in a local club affiliated to their national association are eligible to participate in the African Nations Championship” – as both players are in the NPFL under the Elite Player Scheme.
According to section 9.91 of the NPFL Framework and Rules, “There shall be an Elite Player Scheme wherein each Club shall be allowed to register a maximum of two players who in the opinion of the NPFL will add value to the league.”
The Federal Capital Territory is set to host the 2024 Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
In a statement released yesterday, the Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, confirmed that all arrangements have been finalised for the AGA, which will take place at Fabino by Toprank Hotels, Abuja.
The AGA meeting promises to be a significant gathering in charting a way forward for the women’s football rising agenda and the women’s football leagues in Nigeria.
Key stakeholders, including board members and representatives of Premiership and Championship clubs, will review the successes and challenges of the outgone 2023/2024 season.
Notably, Edo Queens emerged champions of the NWFL Premiership for the first time, while Honey Badgers and Ibom Angels secured promotion to the Premiership from the NWFL Championship.
The AGM will also focus on sustaining the league’s growing credibility and improving operations while setting the calendar and start date for the 2024/2025 NWFL Premiership and Championship campaigns.
This pivotal meeting aims to further strengthen women’s football in Nigeria and lay the groundwork for the league’s continued growth.
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