Sports
Stakeholders Laud GTI On NPFL Partnership
The 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) came to an end last Sunday with excitement, drama, and intrigue like never before, as the winner and clubs going for relegation were not sure until the last game.
Rangers International football club,of Enugu is the champion 2025/2026 of NPFL as they narrowly beat hard fighting Ikorodu FC of Lagos 1-2, in Lagos. It was a high profile game and tense, hence both teams have something at stake.
Before the encounter, if Rangers lose or draw, the title will elude them, and, on the other hand, if Ikorodu wins, they will secure a ticket to play in the continent.
However, stakeholders in the football environment have lauded GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, one of the major sponsors of NPFL, for keeping its partnership deal to the end.
They said GTI partnering with the NPFL was the catalyst for the successful story and smooth running of the league.
A member of the Katsina United supporters club, Ahmed Garuba, said the just-concluded league was one of the best in history in terms of officiating, even though there were pockets of errors.
“Allah, I must say that this is one of the best seasons so far; nobody heard referees were owned, besides the officiating was relatively better than the previous seasons.
“Honestly GTI tried; they kept their own part of the sponsorship and I’m sure it was the success story of the league,” Garuba said.
In an early statement issued by GTI Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, heartily congratulated all the 20 clubs that participated in the just-concluded season, including those that secured continental tickets and those unfortunately relegated.
The statement further said that GTI will continue to partner with the NPFL as Nigerian football steadily progresses toward greater continental and global relevance, judging by the quality and excitement witnessed throughout the 2025/2026 season.
“The just-concluded NPFL season will go down in history as one of the most competitive and exciting campaigns ever witnessed in Nigerian football, with the title race extending to the final day before a winner eventually emerged,” he said.
By: Tonye Orabere
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A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.
Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.
The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.
After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.
He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.
The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.
His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.
Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.
Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.
The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.
Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.
Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.
He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.
Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.
He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.
The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,
Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category
Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor
Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.
The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.
Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.
In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.
The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.
Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.
The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.
In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.
World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.
The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.
But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.
Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.