Nigerian Football
SWAN Set Up Platform on World Press Freedom Day
The sports journalism in Nigeria was not left out on Wednesday as the globe marked the World Press Freedom Day.
The umbrella body had its full council meeting slated for that day and Thursday at the Yankari Games Reserve in Bauchi where advancement of sports journalism and general sports development in Nigeria were the themes of action and pronouncements.
The national president of the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Honour Sirawoo used the occasion to inaugurate a platform for to engage sports stakeholders to speak on burning national issues.
Ahead of the Thursday’s full council meeting, the AIPS Africa president, Mitchell Obi sent goodwill message, but reportedly could not attend as he had to travel to Seoul, South Korea for the world sports journalists’ 80th congress.
The SWAN Platform Committee is headed by Tunde Orebiyi. Those named as members are: Sina Abimbola, the vice chairman; Abdulrahman Ibn Mohammed, Jide Alabi, Toyin Ibitoye, Tony Ubani, Mike Mbonye, Nobert Okoli, while Malam Abdul Raheem Aodu will serve as secretary.
Inaugurating the SWAN Platform Committee, Honour Sirawoo tasked it to come up with issues and generate ideas that will deepen the relevance of the association in national sports development.
He has also tasked the committee to use the Platform to work in synergy with sports administrators, promoters and operators in the discharge of the association’s responsibility as watchdog of the sports industry.
“The terms of reference of the SWAN National Platform include generating interview and news for our members, the platform should bring us closer to stakeholders at the grassroots level, and the SWAN Platform should create ways to generate revenues for the association.
“There should be a marketing committee in the platform to market the association, we want to use what we have to generate revenue for the association,” Honour Sirawoo added.
He also charged them to bring the association closer to stakeholders at the grassroots, urging them to use the Platform to further build on the achievements of SWAN.
In his message to the SWAN Full Council meeting, AIPS Africa president, Mitchell Obi remarked the as Africa’s largest assembly of sports journalists “I am delighted to identify with your unique gathering which importantly coincides with the celebration of the week of press freedom across the globe and fittingly comes one week before the start of the AIPS 80th congress in Seoul South Korea.
With the changing phase of the sports media it is hoped that deliberations and resolutions of your meeting will focus and find solutions to the varied challenges of the sports journalists today in his workplace and even at home as it concerns the welfare and professional upgrade necessary to remain relevant”
Continuing, Obi said: “I want to assure the entire family of SWAN of my willingness and readiness to continue the projection and promotion of our collective concerns and interests.
“Be assured always of my good thoughts of a progressive and united SWAN, one which will uphold the standards of excellence we strive to forge beyond our borders.”
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!