Sports
CAFCC: Obaseki Salutes Ambassador Over Support For Bendel Insurance
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has commended the Nigerian Ambassador to Algeria, Ambassador Aisha M. Garba for the warm reception and support she accorded Bendel Insurance Football Club during their stay in the North African country for the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup competition fixture against ASO Chlef.
The governor expressed his appreciation through the Consultant to Edo State Government on Sports, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, during the team’s appreciation visit to the Nigerian Embassy in Hidra, Sidi Yahia, Algeria, on Sunday.
Obaseki thanked the Ambassador for her kind gestures and for being a caring host to the team in Algeria.
Bendel Insurance arrived in the Algerian capital, Algiers, on Friday afternoon to the warm embrace of Ambassador Aisha Garba at the International Airport.
The Nigerian Ambassador and her entourage later led the Benin Arsenals to their hotel. The Ambassador again visited the team on Saturday afternoon before the match when she assured them of support throughout their stay and during their match against ASO Chlef in Algiers.
She also mobilised a good number of Nigerians residing in Algeria to support Bendel Insurance during their CAF Confederation Cup match against ASO Chlef of Algeria which Bendel Insurance won 4-3 on penalties to advance to the second round of the competition.
Aisha Garba, on Sunday afternoon also played host to the victorious Bendel Insurance FC at the Nigeria Embassy.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ambassador Aisha Gabar commended Governor Obaseki for matching words with action in making Bendel Insurance great again.
She said that Bendel Insurance FC made her proud during the match with their show of resilience and determination that eventually gave them victory over a highly experienced ASO Chlef who enjoyed massive support from Algiers football fans.
“I was on top of the world yesterday when we won the game. The mood was like when your child is selected for an international award. I returned home happy and was excited for the success of the team,” she noted.
According to her, the success of Bendel Insurance since the past four years is a testament to the commitment and pragmatism of Governor Godwin Obaseki, adding that Bendel Insurance FC is a national asset that must be preserved, thanking the Edo State Governor for his visionary leadership and conscious investment in the club.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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