Nigerian Football
West African Students Honour Pinnick, Sanusi, Ogunnowo
Members of the executive body of the West African Students Union Parliament on Wednesday in Abuja presented awards of excellence to NFF President Amaju Pinnick, the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and the chief operating officer of Nation-Wide League One, Shola Ogunnowo.
The three administrators were honoured in recognition of “immense contributions to nation building, human capital development, meritorious services to the Nigeria Football Federation, millennium development goals, youth empowerment in Nigeria and outstanding services to God Almighty, humanity and Africa.”
Speaking during the brief ceremony at the Glass House, WASUP’s country representative, Comrade Austin Matthew situated the significance of football development in Nigeria’s socio-economic life, and praised the honourees for their doggedness, valour, dedication and painstaking attributes.
Particular mentions were made of the NFF’s recent 5-Year partnership with Nigeria’s foremost energy solutions company, Aiteo Group and the 5-Year agreement between the nation’s third tier league, NLO and Pipul TV, as well as other groundbreaking feats of the Amaju Pinnick –led NFF.
In his response, Sanusi expressed sincere appreciation for the honour done the three men, and noted that though West Africa was hitherto in the back seat of African football politics, the emergence of Kwesi Nyantakyi (CAF 1st Vice President), Pinnick (Member, CAF Exco) and Musa Bility (Member, Exco) has not only catapulted the region to high relevance in the continent, but also in the global arena.
“These awards are not just for ourselves, but for the entire Nigerian Football family, including the energetic and ever –dedicated NFF Staff. I want to say that the NFF leadership has never had reason to regret appointing Mr. Ogunnowo as COO of the Nation-Wide League. He has been very innovative and done everything to reposition that League, and he has been above board.”
Also present at the occasion were NFF Director of Technical, Bitrus Bewarang (who was presented with a medal and thus inducted into the WASUP), Ademola Olajire (NFF’s Director of Media and Communications), Abdulrafiu Yusuf (Assistant Director, Technical) and Tunde Aderibigbe (Head of Protocol).
There were also Saint Solomon (Rt. Hon. Speaker of WASUP), Francisca Totti (Deputy Majority Leader), Hamman Cumeji (Coordinator, Senegal), Sadiq Abdulkareem (Director of Programme), Jude Emmagwe (South Coordinator), Ariyo Kayode (Delegate) and Samson Joseph (representative of National Youth Council).
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
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