Sports
Football Administrators Charged To Improve Local League
Odi Ikpeazu, the Chairman, Anambra United FC, Onitsha, has called on the country’s football administrators to make a concerted effort at developing the national league.
Reacting to Nigeria’s exit from the 2010 World Cup, Ikpeazu, in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday, said the solution lay in the improvement of the local league.
He said the failure of the Eagles at the World Cup called for an “inward search” for a solution through grass-roots football development.
“Forget about the Super Eagles or national team; what we need is to concentrate on our football development through grass-roots clubs and league development.
“I call on the Nigeria Football Federation, Nigeria Premier League and other football-related bodies to come home, inject money and commitment to our national league and other football developmental projects just as Argentina did some years back,” Ikpeazu said.
He expressed regret that a lot of money was spent on the country’s campaign to participate in the World Cup.
If part of the amount was made available for the local league, Nigeria’s football would be better for it, the chairman said.
Goddy Agbarakwe, a football administrator and ex-Green Eagles player, said the early exit of the Eagles was because of the shoddy preparation for the mundial.
Agbarakwe told newsmen in Owerri that the ouster of the Eagles should be a lesson to all, pointing out that without adequate preparation for such important competitions, the result could only be failure.
“We (Nigeria) got what we bargained for,” he said. “This should teach us a big lesson to always have long-term plans and prepare adequately for important events such as the mundial.”
According to him, “our characteristic fire brigade approach to sporting competitions should stop if we want the world to take us seriously as a sporting nation.”
Agbarakwe said Nigeria was billed to fail “when we hired a coach only five months to the kick-off of the tournament” and added that “Nigeria did not present a team in the World Cup.”
Another football enthusiast, Kingsley Eme, who spoke in the same vein, urged the country to put its acts together and return to the drawing board.
In Port Harcourt, Nigerians interviewed were in agreement that the Eagles’ lack of preparation was responsible for their early exit.
According to the fans, the team’s failure to beat the South Koreans in their last and decisive match showed that they depended on luck and not hard work.
The Eagles had earlier lost 0-1 to group leaders Argentina and
1-2 to Greece.
The fans said that instead of hoping to win through luck, the team’s handlers should return and begin work immediately for future competitions.
Chinwe Okparanma, a student, said the team had from their first match (against Argentina) failed to justify the confidence reposed in them.
Jane Williams, a civil servant, called on stakeholders in the sports industry to see the poor outing as a challenge to get things right.
“We still have time to get things right; now is the time. We do not have to go to bed and only begin to prepare a few months to the next competition,” she said.
The Nigerian, who arrived in China fresh from winning gold at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier on Wednesday, clocked a season’s best of 12.41s behind Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian star Devynne Charlton.
Russell produced a dominant display to win the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25s, improving on her previous world lead of 12.40s.
Charlton, the reigning world indoor champion, finished second in 12.38s in one of her strongest outdoor performances to date.
Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest time ever run in the event, improved significantly from her previous season’s best of 12.84s set during her victorious outing at the African Championships in Accra.
The 29-year-old was competing in a stacked field that included reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, Jamaican pair Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni and Americans Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.
Kambundji, who won the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss record 12.24s, finished fifth in 12.82s, while Jamaica’s Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s.
Marshall and Williams failed to finish the race.
Following Amusan’s victory in Accra, the three-time Diamond League final winner expressed gratitude to her supporters while insisting she remained determined to achieve more success this season.
“Beyond grateful to God, my team, supporters, and everyone who continues to believe in me through every season. Historic feeling. Still hungry for more. The mission continues,”
The 10-time African champions are scheduled to take on the Teranga Lionesses on June 5 and 8 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, in what will form a key part of their build-up to July’s continental tournament.
The fixtures were confirmed on social media platform X by Super Falcons Show, which announced the details of the encounter and venue.
“Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will take on Senegal Women’s National Team in a double-header international friendly scheduled for June 5 and 8,” the post read.
“Both matches will be played in Ikenne, Nigeria.”
The friendlies come after Nigeria’s proposed training tour of the United Kingdom, which included a planned match against Jamaica, was cancelled due to scheduling complications linked to FIFA’s official women’s international window. The timing meant clubs would not have been obliged to release players.
With that tour shelved, the Senegal fixtures now offer a timely opportunity for coach Justine Madugu and his technical team to assess squad options, test tactical systems and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the WAFCON campaign and longer-term qualification targets for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Senegal are expected to provide a competitive regional test, with their physical style and disciplined organisation likely to offer Nigeria a different tactical challenge across both matches.
The Super Falcons, who have dominated African women’s football for decades, will be aiming to use the double-header to fine-tune preparations as they pursue another continental title in Morocco next year.
Dr Bojuwoye, a seasoned medical professional with extensive experience in road running events across Nigeria, is expected to bring added value to the race through his expertise.
As medical director, his responsibilities will include overseeing emergency medical response, coordinating first aid stations along the course, ensuring athlete safety, and supervising medical volunteers and paramedics.
His role is critical in safeguarding the health of both elite and recreational runners, as well as spectators.
In addition to unveiling its new medical director, the organisers also announced five corporate partners for the 2026 edition.
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Petralon Energy, Razzl Drink, Dan Oil, and Carloha Motors have joined as sponsors, reflecting the race’s growing appeal across diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Okpekpe race, organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing Company, has steadily risen in prominence since becoming the first road race in Nigeria to earn World Athletics label status in 2015.
It has since advanced to Gold Label Race status, attracting elite athletes from around the world and cementing its reputation as one of Africa’s benchmark road-running competitions.
Edo State, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebolo, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the race, citing its role in promoting tourism, community pride, and international recognition for the region.
Race Director Zack Amodu noted that the new partnerships underscore the event’s stature and its impact beyond sport.
We are delighted to welcome DBN, Petralon, Razzl, and Carloha Motors as partners for the 11th edition. Their support, alongside the backing of Edo State, not only strengthens the race but also reinforces its role as a platform for promoting excellence, youth empowerment, and community development,’ Amodu said.
Beyond its sporting significance, the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race has become a catalyst for social, health, and economic benefits.
It encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles, fosters social cohesion by bringing communities together, and generates economic activity through tourism, hospitality, and local commerce.
The event also showcases Edo State’s cultural vibrancy while contributing to Nigeria’s growing reputation in global athletics.
The 11th edition is expected to draw elite athletes, local participants, and international attention, further consolidating Nigeria’s place on the global athletics calendar.