Sports
Enthusiast Calls For Increased Private Sponsorship Of Football
A Lagos-based football enthusiast, Segun Amosu, on Wednesday called on individuals and corporate organisations to support the development of sports in Nigeria.
Amosu, also the owner of Sinatra Sports Bar and Lounge, situated in Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos, expressed his determination to give Futsa Football a lift in the country.
He told newsmen that the Futsa Tournament (a five aside football competition) had been holding in the Sinatra Sports arena, and had benefited the Futsa Association in Lagos.
According to him, the association has been able to develop young players and also identify new talents through competitions.
He said that the Sinatra Sports Bar and Lounge had partnered with the Futsa Federation and had equally hosted many Futsa Tournaments in which participants benefited immensely from the prize money attached.
“My passion for owning a sports arena is to give youths the chance to live their dreams and showcase their talents in the areas they love,’’ Amosu said.
The sports enthusiast said he also used the sports arena to host Play Station I Competitions, where no fewer than 600 participants had come to compete for the overall prize money.
Amosu said that sports enthusiasts had also come in to compete favourably in other games like darts, scrabble, chess, snooker/pool, and Ayo Olopon (a local game) for noteworthy prize money.
“I am proud of what I have achieved through the Sinatra Sports Bar/Lounge because youths are benefiting from it, and I hope other private individuals can learn from me,’’ he said.
Amosu, who is also President, Marraccana FC of Abuja, said that he had been actively involved in the development of football and other sports since 1995 in Abuja.
“I have been actively involved in football since 1995, and in 2001, I became the President of Marraccana FC in Abuja, where we went ahead to play in many FA Cup competitions.
“Nigeria, as a country, is a sports-loving country, and in Marraccana FC, we have top military, police and top businessmen as members of our club”.
“Recently, I met with the representatives of Chelsea FC of England, where we became accredited partners and are eager to use the sports bar as a fan base in Nigeria.
“It is part of his social responsibility to the community to create an atmosphere where people can come together to interact,’’ Amosu said.
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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