Sports
Ogun State renames road after Amusan
Diya announced while hosting a delegation from the Ikoto Community, led by elders and stakeholders, during a courtesy visit to his office.
He described Amusan as “a shining symbol of Yoruba resilience, discipline, and global excellence,” adding that her achievements embody the values of hard work, courage and honour that continue to make the nation proud.
He stressed that the renaming of the road was not only to celebrate her success but also to immortalise her as a source of inspiration.
The decision to rename Old Benin Road after Tobi Amusan is to immortalise her as a beacon of hope for the younger generation of Yoruba sons and daughters,” Diya said.
The delegation had earlier commended the Chairman for his people-focused leadership and highlighted three key requests: rehabilitation of Old Benin Road, recognition of Amusan as a proud daughter of Ikoto, and the resolution of boundary disputes with neighbouring Ijebu North East LGA.
In his response, Diya assured the delegation that notifications would be sent to the Ogun State Government on the road rehabilitation request, stressing the route’s importance as a link to other communities and an alternative access to the Ijebu Ode–Mojoda–Epe Expressway.
Diya added that his administration had created new offices, including Arts, Culture and Tourism; Lands and Boundaries Matters; and Public-Private Partnerships, to drive development across the council.
Amusan, who is currently preparing to headline Team Nigeria’s contingent at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, is the reigning world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 12.12s set in 2022.
She remains the first Nigerian athlete to win a world title and set a world record in athletics.
The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.
Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.
According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.
In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.
The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.
Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.
It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.
However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.
“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.
“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”
He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.
“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.
He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..
Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.
“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.
“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”
The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.
But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.
“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.
The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tagged “Boxing Jams Music,” the year-end edition will once again blend elite professional boxing with live musical performances. Fans can look forward to thrilling bouts across weight divisions and electrifying performances by some of Nigeria’s top entertainers.
Flykite Productions’ Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Johnson, said the forthcoming edition will build on the event’s tradition of combining sport and music in a festival-like atmosphere. He assured fans of an unforgettable Boxing Day experience, with added entertainment elements planned.
“GOtv Boxing Night 34 will once again deliver the best of both worlds of top-class boxing and live music. We are committed to giving fans a truly memorable Boxing Day experience at Tafawa Balewa Square,” he said.
Over the years, Boxing Jams Music has grown into the country’s biggest sport-entertainment spectacle, hosting title bouts sanctioned by continental and global bodies alongside live performances by top acts such as Burna Boy, Teni, Mayorkun, Zlatan and Wande Coal.
-
Politics4 days agoRhodes-Vivour Joins ADC, Says APC Jittery
-
Maritime4 days agoShippers Partner NAPTIP, MMS Against Human Trafficking
-
Maritime4 days agoFG Pledges Strengthened Trade Integration … To Expand Industrial Capacity
-
Maritime4 days agoNSC Seeks Stakeholders’ Engagement Against Nigeria Export Rejection
-
Sports4 days agoRemo Stars’ Ismail joins Austrian team
-
Maritime4 days agoCustoms Records N3.68tn Revenue In First Half, 2025
-
Maritime4 days agoNSEMA Blames Boat Mishap On Overloading
-
Politics4 days agoJibrin Accepts Expulsion From NNPP, Set To Join New Platform