Sports
Finidi’s Appointment Gets More Backing
A football enthusiast and business mogul in Rivers State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has expressed happiness over the appointment of Finidi George as substantive Head Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, not minding the long time frame it had taken the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to arrive at the decision.
Speaking exclusively to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Okonkwo maintained that the choice of Finidi was okay since it is in tandem with the yearnings of many Nigerian fans in settling with an indigenous seasoned coach to lead the Eagles.
According to Okonkwo, Coach Emmanuel Amuneke was earlier favoured by opinion poll to grab the Eagles plum job based on his wealth of coaching experience before it finally landed on the table of Coach Finidi George as endorsed by NFF, however, I believe that the choice of Finidi is still good for the country since both Finidi and Amuneke were great players of old and seem to have the good technical knowledge of the game. Hence, I wish Coach Finidi George good luck in his new national assignment”.
“Interestingly, Coach Finidi looks very humble and I have no doubt that there will be mutual understanding and show of respect between him and the players so that there won’t be friction in the course of carrying out his new assignment of leading Super Eagles team to glory”.
Continuing, Okonkwo who is known for his outspokenness urged the NFF board not to hesitate in providing enabling environment and good welfare package for Coach Finidi as it was done for the foreign coaches, so that he will be in good frame of mind to do his job effectively.
“Besides, I will also plead with NFF, as a matter of fact to refrain from interfering in Coach Finidi’s job, instead, he should be given a free hand to select the best of players whom he trusts that can deliver and by so doing, would be liable to account for anything that will stop the Eagles from winning or qualifying for the World Cup”.
“I want to suggest to Coach Finidi that if he is convinced that eleven (11) players from the same family can represent Nigeria and give us the needed victory, let him go on, instead of this idea of agitation and pandering to quota system in selection of players from different to satisfy quota system, which does not produce the expected good result at the end of the day” he stated.
The National Division One and Division Two Volleyball Leagues organised by the Volleyball Federation of Nigeria and sponsored by Alex Otti has kicked off in Umuahia, Abia State.
The Championship features 34 teams from across the country, with about 22 States already participating in activities lined up for the ten-day event.
Addressing journalists at the Umuahia Stadium, the Referee Coach for the tournament and Vice Chairman Nigerian Volleyball Referees Association, Mohamed Mohamed, assured of fair officiating in the competition and advised the athletes to be more disciplined in the field of play, saying that volleyball is known to be a disciplined sport.
He also commended Governor Alex Otti for sponsoring the tournament for the second time.
“Last year, we were here, and we so appreciate the Abia State Government for sponsoring such a competition. The same thing happened this year too, we are here again.
The Coordinator, Lagos Women Run, Tayo Popoola, has stated that the All Women 10km Race aims to connect through their communities, while creating empowerment opportunities.
The 10th edition with the theme: “One Run, a thousand Opportunities,” will come up on the November 8th, 2025, with the start point at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and end at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena, Onikan.
This year’s edition of the Lagos Women Run marks a significant milestone, celebrating the program’s journey, the vibrant city of Lagos, and the incredible women who have been part of it since its inception.
It will focus more on empowering women, acknowledging their dedication, and ensuring the program’s sustainability by providing participants with opportunities they deserve.
Popoola added that the race has achieved remarkable success in making women happy and uncovering talents, serving as a platform for participants to train for bigger road races, which fosters a strong sense of community, allowing women of all ages to connect, network, and celebrate themselves.
The event’s non-discriminatory nature makes it a level playing ground, open to everyone regardless of social status, by promoting general well-being among women.
The Franco-Malian tactician made the bold declaration whilst speaking to Nigerian legend Segun Odegbami on 90 Minutes with Mathematical on Eagle7FM on Saturday, expressing gratitude to fans for their support.
“Thanks to the fans. Thanks to Nigeria. I am so happy that I have brought back the smiles on their faces,” Chelle said.
“We beat Benin because the fans pushed the players. I ask them this: They have to do this (for the playoffs)… I plan to do my best for Nigeria, and Inshallah, we will go to the FIFA World Cup.”
Chelle, who took charge of a struggling Nigerian side in January, has transformed the team’s fortunes after inheriting a squad on the brink of disaster. Nigeria were winless in their first four qualifiers, with three draws and one defeat threatening to derail another World Cup dream.
Under his leadership, the Super Eagles rallied to win four and draw two of their last six games, collecting 14 points from a possible 18. The highlight came earlier this month in Uyo, where Nigeria swept past Benin Republic 4-0 in a statement victory that reignited national belief.
However, the revival was not enough to seal automatic qualification. Nigeria finished among the four best runners-up in Africa and must now navigate a continental playoff in November for a spot in next March’s intercontinental tie.
The first challenge is a one-legged showdown with Gabon, with Cameroon or DR Congo potentially waiting beyond.
Chelle’s message to his players was uncompromising, saying, “Qualifying for the FIFA World Cup is not a war, but it is like a war… My players need to have a warrior state of mind… They have to be like sharks.”
