Sports
Nigeria Boxing Federation Boss Resigns Minimah Steps In
The crisis in the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) came to a head on Saturday, when the President, Rotimi George-Taylor, resigned, claiming that he had achieved his objective of being the NBF chief.
Tidesports source reports that Brig.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, took over as the new NBF President.
Although no reason was given for George-Taylor’s resignation, it might, however, not be unconnected with the dismal performance of Nigerian boxers at the just-conlcuded 19th Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
At the head of the crisis was the decision not to take boxers from the middleweight to the heavyweight class to the Games as well as alleged favouritism in the selection of the team, which was blamed on the former president.
The former president incurred the wrath of the Sports Minister/Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Ibrahim Bio, during the Games when he was seeking the Minister’s blessing to contest for membership of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA).
The heated board meeting held at the National Stadium, Lagos, was specifically convened to effect the change in the federation’s leadership.
Emerging from the meeting in full army gear, Minimah told anxious newsmen that boxing was in a deplorable state and promised the new NBF leadership would do everything within its power to reverse the situation.
“Boxing is in a serious state of decline and it needs to be urgently revived and restored to its former pride of place.
“I promise to do my very best to ensure that the process is revived in all its ramifications,’’ he said.
George-Taylor said he stepped down voluntarily, claiming that the decisions he took while in office were in the best interest of boxing.
The former president said he still remained a member of the board and expressed confidence that the new NBF chief would succeed.
In another development, estranged boxing Chief Coach, Obisia Nwankpa, has been restored to his position, while Idika Nsofor remained as the Technical Adviser.
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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