Sports

Osimhen’s Absence: Five Quality Alternatives To Transform Rohr’s S’Eagles

Published

4 years ago

November 26, 2021

It is no longer news that the Super Eagles’ biggest star at the moment, Victor Osimhen, is out of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in January.
The Napoli striker suffered a terrible injury last weekend that damaged his face and required surgery.
Even though the complicated surgical operation was a success, the surgeon who worked on the 22-year-old has confirmed that the youngster is not expected to take to a football pitch for another two months.
That dashes any hope any Super Eagles fan has of the Napoli lad miraculously making a quick recovery and being a part of the party to Cameroon less than six weeks from today.
Needless to say, Osimhen is a massive loss for the Nigerian national team. The former Lille star has shouldered the Super Eagles’ goalscoring burden almost effortlessly since Odion Ighalo first announced his retirement from the team.
Osimhen scored five goals in six games to help the Gernot Rohr-led side qualify for the AFCON with a game to spare. And he delivered four more goals during the World Cup qualifying campaign to power the Eagles to the playoff round.
His ten goals and six assists in his last 16 appearances across two years paint the picture of a striker who thrives, not only at club level but also in the green-and-white colours.
Rohr will struggle to replace Osimhen’s energy, industry, and quality in attack, especially with little time available for the Super Eagles to adapt to playing with a new number nine.
Nigerian attackers have hit a purple patch in Europe at the moment, and it appears every major club already has one or is targeting to sign one.
At a point in the summer, Genk had four Nigerian forwards on their payroll, while Watford had two. From Union Berlin in the German Bundesliga to Slovan Bratislava in the Slovakian Fortuna Liga, there is at least one Nigerian forward delivering the goods regularly.
There is, therefore, a long list of strikers, head coach Gernot Rohr can choose from to improve the Super Eagles’ forward line.
Bar any major surprises, Genk’s Paul Onuachu, Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, and Al Shabab’s Odion Ighalo already make up the bulk of the attackers Rohr will take to Cameroon in January.
But Onuachu is not fast enough for the kind of football Rohr wants his team to play. The German gaffer does not trust Iheanacho to lead the attack all on his own, and it is evident that age and the Saudi Arabian Pro League have slowed down Ighalo more than a bit.
Rohr and his assistants, therefore, need to look further than their noses and give a chance to one or two of the strikers who are painting Europe red with goals.
One of which is Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi. It is so difficult to look past a striker who has been tested in the Belgian and Dutch leagues and is presently flourishing in the German top-flight.
The 24-year-old is not Osimhen, but he is also strong, fast, and troubles defenders with his tireless pressing and endless running. The former Liverpool signing recently became Union Berlin’s record goalscorer in the Bundesliga, and it still beggars belief that he has only one Super Eagles cap to his name.
Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis is another name that should catch Rohr’s attention. The 24-year-old has not played more than 11 minutes in each of the three times he has featured for the Super Eagles, but his talent is undeniable.
And he is currently displaying it on the most glamorous stage of all, the English Premier League. The former Club Brugge star has four goals and five assists in nine league games for the Hornets and was the architect of Manchester United’s 4-1 thrashing at the Vicarage Road last weekend.
He can play anywhere in the front three, but through the centre is where he could be most devastating for the Eagles.
There is also Umar Sadiq. The former U-23 star has been Nigeria’s brightest shining star in the Spanish second division, and there is a reason why he is linked to Barcelona, Newcastle, Sevilla, and some other notable clubs on the continent.
Sadiq has pace, holds the ball well, and scores goals for fun. His commitment to Almeria has made him snub a couple of Rohr’s invitations before, but who can say no to a chance to be at Africa’s biggest football festival?
And there is Cyriel Dessers. The Feyenoord man is an old-fashioned fox-in-the-box type of striker who is blessed with two good feet.
The Genk-owned forward is building a reputation in the Netherlands as a supersub, but he can certainly get the job done from kick-off, as he showed many times at Heracles.
And it is almost unforgivable that he has made just one appearance for the Super Eagles after committing to Nigeria ahead of Belgium.
Another forward whose form could pave the way for a maiden call-up is Slovan Bratislava’s Ezekiel Henty.
A powerful presence in the box and adept at sticking the ball in the back of the net, Henty is Nigeria’s most prolific striker in Europe at this point, with 14 goals across all competitions.
The 28-year-old attacker looks like a fine blend of a right-footed Iheanacho and a faster Ighalo. He may, however, not have the international experience required to keep Onuachu and Ighalo on the Eagles bench at a major tournament.
Other notable mentions include Venezia’s David Okereke, Randers’ Stephen Odey, Lorient’s Terem Moffi, Trabzonspor’s Anthony Nwakaeme, Slavia Prague’s Peter Olayinka, and, Sivasspor’s Olanrewaju Kayode. They have all shown their quality in recent times and should at least get a look-in from Rohr.
The Super Eagles and their fans should not give up the hopes of a fourth continental title charge because of Osimhen’s injury and expected absence. It is not over yet.
The introduction of a reliable striking replacement and adequate technical input from the coaching crew can make the 2013 Afcon champions the team to beat in Cameroon.

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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.