Sports

‘Football Organisers Do Not Have Powers To Sanction Clubs’

Published

4 years ago

June 10, 2022

The League Management Company, (LMC), organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL; the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL); the Nigeria National League, (NNL), and the Nationwide League One, (NLO), does not have powers to sanction, punish or reprimand clubs participating in their leagues.
Former Nigeria Premier League, NPL and second Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Chief Ramson Baribote, stated this recently.
In an exclusive interview, the chairman of Nembe City Football Club opined that the league organisers lack the statutory powers to sanction, punish or reprimand clubs playing in the various leagues in the country.
Chief Baribote, a legal practitioner, stated this in the wake of a two million naira fine imposed on Naija Ratels Football Club by the Nigeria Women’s Football League NWFL board last week, which has generated wide views on its desirability.
In announcing the heavy sanction, the NWFL board said “In case of Naija Ratels, the letter addressed to the club Chairman, Barrister Edeh, and signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the NWFL, Modupe Shabi, the Women’s league board, stated that: “We kindly refer you to the Match No. 2 between Nasarawa Amazons FC and Naija Ratels FC, scheduled for the 16th May, 2022 in Benin City, Edo State. You will recall that your club failed to wear the Tulcan Energy branded jerseys even though the other participating teams agreed to wear the sponsor’s jersey. This single action by Naija Ratels FC almost brought the game to disrepute and the credibility of the league into question.”
“In view of the above, Naija Ratels FC contravened the NWFL Statutes on Sponsorship, in Articles 7.8, 7.9, 7.10.
And consequent upon these, Article 23.2.2 says:” Any club owner/official that brings the game into disrepute or ridicule the NWFL in public through utterances, misconduct, communication or any form of communication will be sanctioned with the payment of the sum of (N2,000,000) Two million naira, and three months suspension.”
However, Chief Baribote countered the decision of the NWFL board, stating that no league organisers or boards have the right to interpret its own laws, adding that such power is domiciled with the Nigeria Football Federation Disciplinary Committee.
“If I comment on this, they will rain insults on me. Where is our football really heading to? I don’t understand. The League Board is likened to that of the police who prepares the case file and take to court for interpretation. They (Police) cannot sentence or impose punishment on anyone based on alleged breaches. Such powers reside with the judiciary in the instant case with the judicial body of the Nigeria Football Federation as clearly stated in Article 64 of the NFF Statutes, The Judicial Bodies;
1.The Disciplinary Committee
2. The Appeals Committee
“So if one is dissatisfied with the verdict of the Disciplinary Committee you can then appeal the verdict/ decision of the Disciplinary Committee to the Appeals Committee,” he said.
When asked about the fact that the LMC has been sanctioning clubs from time immemorial, Chief Baribote said that the fact that the league organisers are flagrantly arrogating to themselves powers they do not have does not make the situation right.
“The law is settled that one cannot be a judge in his own case. The League Board cannot interpret and enforce their Rules/Laws. I stand to be corrected. I once headed the Premier League Board and again these Club Chairmen do they (League Board) accord them the opportunity to appear and defend themselves?
“If the League Board imposes such fines and suspension, what will the Disciplinary Committee do? With what is stated above, it amounts to usurpation of the powers of the judicial bodies of the NFF by the League Boards and such decision cannot stand in the face of this.
“There is separation of powers, the judicial bodies of the NFF cannot organise League Football/ Games and the League Board likewise cannot function as the judicial organ of the NFF. But wetin I sabi sef …” he concluded in pidgin English.

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.