Sports

Oliseh Leads Options To Succeed Keshi

Published

12 years ago

July 11, 2014

While Stephen
Keshi’s departure from the Nigeria hotseat is yet to be confirmed by all parties and Nigeria currently under FIFA ban discussion is already moving to the question of who will take over as Super Eagles coach.
It is a decision that carries a great deal of weight for the Nigeria Football Federation, even as there are indications that the presidency wants Keshi to remain on his job. The ‘Big Boss’ has set the groundwork in place for a sustained era of success for Nigeria.
Keshi has cultivated a talented young squad, afforded them the confidence that comes from winning the Cup of Nations and securing World Cup qualification and, with the right man in charge, the good times can continue.
However, get the decision wrong and things could unravel for the Super Eagles…it has happened before!
Below are five prominent possible options to replace Keshi should he move on eventually.
Sunday Oliseh

Oliseh is one of the frontrunners for the Nigeria job and would continue the country’s recent tradition of employing former players in key management positions.
Oliseh played alongside Keshi for the Super Eagles, while the likes of Daniel Amokachi and Samson Siasia have also been heavily involved in the administration of the national side.
The former defensive midfielder has limited managerial experience – nothing beyond short, forgettable stints in the Belgian lower leagues – but accrued 63 caps for Nigeria during his celebrated playing career. His time at Ajax, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund should ensure that he has the respect of the current generation.
Oliseh was, in fact, close to taking the Eagles job six years ago, but was overlooked due to his lack of coaching experience. Not much has changed in the intervening period, but if the noises coming out of the NFF are anything to go by, the 39-year-old remains the favourite for the top job.
Shaibu Amodu

While the appointment of Oliseh would largely be greeted with excitement by Nigeria fans, the other frontrunner for the position, Amodu, is a much less inspiring option.
The 56-year-old has already had four separate stints as Nigeria manager, first taking the job in 1994 and, most recently, being sacked in 2010 ahead of the World Cup.
Amodu oversaw two third-placed finishes at the Cup of Nations and also qualified Nigeria for two World Cups.
While the veteran coach knows Nigerian football inside out, and also has a valuable understanding of the grassroots game, he has previously been criticised for his tactical knowledge, his in-game approach and his decision-making.
He is unlikely to help Nigeria overcome the various gripes that affected Keshi’s reign.
Herve Renard

At first glace, Renard seems like an ideal compromise between an ‘impact manager’, i.e. someone who will come in and oversee an immediate improvement in results, and a long-term planner.
During his first spell at Zambia (between 2008 and 2010) he laid the groundwork for the Chipolopolo’s unforgettable 2012 Cup of Nations victory. Renard focused on a small, talented collective of players, gave responsibility to young and hungry characters and built a commendable team spirit.
The Super Eagles currently possess a number of talented youngsters who have already achieved a great deal and could be set to guide Nigeria into an era of unprecedented success. Renard already has a track record for developing this profile of player.
He also has extensive experience of African football; beyond Zambia he has also managed Angola and assisted Claude le Roy with the Ghana national side.
There is, however, a concern that Renard may not want to re-immerse himself within the African game as he seeks to establish a reputation in Europe. He was unable to prevent Sochaux’s relegation, however, and West Bromwich Albion overlooked him for their vacant post, so the Nigeria job might carry the kind of prestige that the Frenchman is looking for.
Vahid Halilhodzic

Fresh from guiding Algeria to the World Cup last 16 for the first time in their history, Halilhodzic’s stock couldn’t be higher. Could the Bosnian manager now be set to bring his magic touch to Calabar?
Having stepped down from his post following Les Fennecs’ elimination, the former Paris Saint-Germain coach is now a free agent and might be a tempting proposition for the NFF.
Halilhodzic, like Renard, has experience of West African football, having overseen the Golden Generation of the Cote d’Ivoire between 2008 and 2010.
He has also proved himself to be tactically astute. Few expected too much from Algeria in Brazil, but thanks to Halilhodzic’s strategic intuition, his ability to rotate and implement different approaches, and the side’s marvellous team spirit, the North Africans became one of the tournament’s success stories.
Carlos Queiroz

Nigeria fans have recent first-hand experience of Queiroz’s qualities, having encountered Iran in their opening World Cup contest. What they came up against was a well-organised, resilient bunch; very much typical of the qualities the Portuguese manager can offer to a team.
Iran also demonstrated excellent defensive organisation against Argentina, much like Queiroz’s Portugal side in 2010 who bowed out having conceded only one goal in the tournament (against Spain).
Beyond experience of managing across the world (as well as a two-year stint with South Africa in 2000-02), Queiroz has taken the helm at Real Madrid and worked under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Could his myriad qualities be exactly what the Super Eagles are looking for?
Dove writes for Kickoffnigeria.com

Ed Dove

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Director of Sports, Obia Inyingikabo has that the just concluded second edition of the Niger Delta Games, held in Benin, Edo State, was very impressive and well organised.

She commended both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dumamis Icon Limited for the sponsorship and organisation respectively.

According to her, the problem of the team was the epileptic situation of shuttle buses, which was not under the direct control of the sports council.

Inyingikabo said this in a telephone interview with Tidesports yesterday; she confirmed that apart from the poor transport system for athletes, every arrangement went successfully as planned.

The director praised her athletes for making the State proud by winning gold, silver, and bronze medals during the games. She assured the people of Rivers State that in the next edition they will perform better and also used the opportunity to commend Rivers State promoting sports in the State.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Treat Bees, Silkworms As Valuable Resources – Don

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Applied Entomology and Pest Management, at the Federal University of Technology Akure,(FUTA), Olufunmilayo Oladipo, has said insects such as bees ,houseflies silkworms and similar species should be seen and treated as valuable resources whose careful management could enhance food security, generate income, support industrial applications, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Prof. Oladipo made the remark while delivering the 193rd Inaugural Lecture of the institution on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Citing the honeybee as a prime example, Oladipo noted that beyond honey production, bees provide beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and venom used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while their pollination services significantly increase crop yields and biodiversity.

She also referenced silkworms, whose silk supports textile industries and export earnings, as well as black soldier flies and houseflies, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and crickets which are increasingly used in the production of high-protein livestock and aquaculture feeds, thereby reducing dependence on expensive imported feed ingredients.

Speaking on the topic, “Six-Legged Arthropods: Food Security, Health and National Economic Development,” Professor Oladipo highlighted the multiple contributions of insects to national development in a monolithic economy like Nigeria, where over-dependence on crude oil has limited diversification.

She pointed out that insects serve as food for humans and feed for livestock, provide income for households through apiculture, sericulture, and insect-based enterprises, and supply raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Beneficial insects also enhance food security through nutrient recycling, biological control of harmful species and weeds, and pollination of crops and horticultural plants, resulting in bumper harvests and increased biodiversity.

Professor Oladipo further mentioned termites and dung beetles for their role in nutrient recycling and soil aeration, improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps, she explained, serve as natural biological control agents, reducing populations of destructive pests without harming the environment.

In the area of public health, Oladipo declared that though “the economic toll of insect vectors is staggering, stretching from the household to national economy, thereby undermining productivity, draining family resources, and constraining national growth, certain insects negatively affect agriculture, public health, and livelihoods”.

The professor pointed to the importance of understanding mosquitoes and other disease vectors such as tsetse flies, whose management is critical in combating malaria, yellow fever, dengue, sleeping sickness and other vector-borne diseases that weaken workforce productivity and strain national resources.

She cited data showing that malaria alone costs Africa over 12 billion dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and reduced investment. Beyond mortality, she emphasized, insect-borne diseases also contribute to morbidity, chronic disability, and reduced workforce efficiency, imposing heavy burdens on families, health systems, and national economies.

She referenced maggot therapy, currently practiced in teaching hospitals in Kano, as a safe and effective treatment for chronic diabetic wounds adding that bioactive compounds from fungus-insect complexes such as Bombyx batryticatus and Beauveria bassiana, which have been developed into medicines with anticonvulsant, anticancer, antifungal, anticoagulant, and hypolipidemic properties.

Weaver ants, bee venom, and cantharidin from blister beetles, she stated, also possess therapeutic value, including immune-boosting, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritic, and antiviral applications. She maintained that strategic government investment in entomotherapy could strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce pharmaceutical import dependence, save lives, and support national economic diversification.

According to her, these examples demonstrate that insects are not merely pests to be eradicated but strategic biological assets that, if properly managed, can enhance food security, strengthen public health systems, generate employment, and support Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The Agric expert noted however, that certain pest species continue to pose threats to agriculture and public health, thereby negatively affecting economic growth. She stressed that proper management, rather than indiscriminate eradication, is key to maximizing the benefits of these six-legged resources.

Professor Oladipo advocated integrated pest management strategies that prioritize environmentally friendly approaches, including botanicals, pheromones, biological control agents, growth regulators, and semiochemicals, while minimizing the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides.

She warned that excessive reliance on chemicals has resulted in resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. She also called for stricter regulation of pesticide importation and usage under professional supervision, and for stronger surveillance by regulatory authorities to prevent the introduction of exotic pest species.

To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in entomology, she urged the government to support insect rearing and the conservation of beneficial species and to establish more Departments of Entomology in universities.

On the benefits of insects, she stressed the need for shifting societal perceptions and promoting sustainable practices, calling for stronger linkages between universities and industries to translate research findings into practical applications and commercial opportunities.

Professor Oladipo further appealed for increased funding for research and for targeted support for brilliant but indigent students in science-based disciplines, emphasizing that nurturing the next generation of entomologists and agricultural scientists is critical for national development.

Presenting the inaugural lecturer, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, described Professor Oladipo as a distinguished scholar whose research has significantly advanced the field of entomology and strengthened FUTA’s academic and research profile.

The Vice Chancellor who described the lecture as ‘timely’, given Nigeria’s challenges in food security, public health, and economic diversification, commended the inaugural lecturer’s scholarly depth, resilience, and dedication to mentoring students, reaffirming FUTA’s commitment to research that addresses pressing national development priorities.