Nigerian Football
PAUL BASSEY CONGRATULATES “MIGHTY” GEORGE, TASK AKWA IBOM SPORT JOURNALISTS ON COMMITMENT
BY MFON PATRICK.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Sports and Chairman of Akwa United Football Club, Elder Paul Bassey has congratulated the winner of the 2018 Nigeria Radio Sports Journalist of the Year Award, George Essien of Comfort FM on his achievement.
Elder Bassey heaped praises on Essien who is known by the professional name “Mighty George”, and congratulated him when he presented the award he won to him in his office in Uyo.
Essien who described Elder Paul Bassey as the Father of Sports journalism in Akwa Ibom State said he was humbled to have been voted the Best Radio Sports Journalist in the country and revealed that such an honour could not have been possible without the tutelage of the veteran journalist.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor said he was proud that another son of Akwa Ibom was honoured for professionalism by the organisers of the Nigerian Sports Award after His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel was honoured last year by the same body as the Best Sports Governor.
“Let me begin by saying congratulations to you for bringing honour and respect not just to your station Comfort FM but to the entire Akwa Ibom State through this award. I am glad and proud of you for all your contributions to sports reportage and presentation in Akwa Ibom State and in Nigeria. We are honored that you have come to share your award with us here at Akwa United.
“Last year, the Nigerian Sports Award honoured His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel with the Best Sports Governor Award and this year you have been voted the Best Radio Sports Journalist, this honour has gone a long way to demonstrate that Akwa Ibom is the centre of sports in Nigeria and you deserve to be celebrated.
“Your good works and dedication has distinguished your station and made it a must listen to station in this state. You have brought honour to this state and this is just the beginning of many honours to come your way, once again I say congratulations” Elder Bassey concluded.
The veteran journalist turned administrator however called on sports journalists in Akwa Ibom State to be more committed and dedicated to their work, stressing that there is always reward for hard work.
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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