Nigerian Football
CAN WARRI WOLVES GET ROUND THE RIVERS IN AITEO CUP ROUND OF 16 INTO QUARTER FINALS?
BY SAMMY WEJINYA
Rivers
United return to AITEO Cup duty on Sunday when they face Warri Wolves in the
round of 16 of the competition.
The Wolves reached this stage by devouring unfancied Kaduna club, Ambassador
FC, 1-0 in the round of 32 at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja and have now set
their sights on a place in the last eight.
Doma United were Wolves’ opponents in the round of 64 so Sunday’s game against
Rivers United at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa will represent the Warri
club’s first real test of the competition this year.
Can the sleeping giants stir from hibernation?
Warri Wolves currently ply their trade in the second tier of Nigerian football
but the institution has a fairly healthy history steeped in tradition.
Wolves represented Nigeria in the CAF Champions League in 2016 but were knocked
out in the first round.
Four years later, the club returned to the continent where they reached the
round of 16 of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Two second round finishes in the same competition followed in 2012 and 2014 as
the Wolves unsuccessfully tried to smash the glass ceiling under former coach,
Paul Aigbogun.
As NPA, Wolves had played in the first round of the now defunct CAF Champions
League.
Success in this year’s AITEP Cup will see Wolves return to familiar terrain –
their old stomping ground, the continent.
Stellar names like Ike Thankgod, Ambrose Uanzekin, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Sunday
Mba and Ogenekaro Etebo have previously pulled the storied strips of Wolves but
these days, the defenders of the badge are a little less stellar.
Head coach, Kester Ojo-Osagie will be relying on his trusted charges, Onome
Onotafe, Igho Akporiri Walter, Samson Gift, Orukpe Innocent and Ibo Uro.
Other Wolves stars who will be looking to set the Cat amongst the Pigeons in
the United camp include Onyebuchi Ogwu, Amadi Samuel, Nwafor Ikechukwu,
Atshimene Charles, Ebuka Nnebuo and Ebule Jonathan.
Nnebuo was a former United midfielder and the playmaker will be extremely
important for the Wolves if they are to upset the applecart and reach the
quarter finals.
Chief Executive Officer of Warri Wolves, Moses Etu is upbeat about Sunday’s
game and predicts a difficult time for the ‘Pride of Rivers’.
“We got to this stage against all odds. Rivers United is a big team so if they
beat us, it is not going to be news, but if we beat them, it will be headline
news,” Etu said.
“We respect them because they have star players and a great manager, Stanley
Eguma.
“Hopefully, we will give them a good run for their money. If they win, they
will suffer for the victory,” Etu promised.
United poised and focused
Rivers United have been quietly, steadily and consistently going about their
business in this year’s AITEO Cup.
Performances have been solid and the team spirit has never been better with the
ranks of the ‘Pride of Rivers’.
A 4-0 win over FC Timberloader in the round of 64 in Lafia was followed by a
classy 3-0 win over tournament favourites, Akwa United.
Rivers United look a frightening proposition and Stanley Eguma’s men have not
conceded a single goal in the tournament.
“Winning against Akwa United has built so much confidence and now, our target
is to go as far as we can in this competition,” Eguma, the technical manager of
United told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Peter Ubakanma who has scored twice in the competition already, was also upbeat
when he shared his pre-match thoughts.
“Wolves are an experienced side but we are in very good form at the moment and
I think that will be the crucial factor,” he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will on Thursday, April 2, 2026 inaugurate its Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee, marking a key step in preparations for the federation’s next executive elections.
The inauguration ceremony will take place at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja and will be presided over by NFF President and WAFU B Zone President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
The two committees were constituted during last week’s Extraordinary General Assembly held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of the roadmap towards the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for September 26 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
A total of 12 members have been appointed across both bodies. The Electoral Committee will comprise seven members, including a chairperson, vice chairperson and three other full members, alongside two alternates. The Electoral Appeals Committee will have five members, made up of three full members and two alternates.
According to the NFF, the Electoral Committee will oversee the entire electoral process in line with the provisions of the federation’s Statutes (March 2026 edition) and Electoral Code (March 2026). Its responsibilities include organizing, conducting and supervising elections into the NFF Executive Committee.
Those appointed into the two committees include Matthew Burkala (SAN), Hon. Justice C.J. Aneke, Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, Babagoni Grema, Benjamin Sak, Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal. Others are Arinze Azubuike Anughere, Dr Akogun Olugbenga Omole, Abayomi Akin Omoyimi, Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam.
Thursday’s inauguration is expected to formally set the committees in motion, with their immediate mandate being to lay the groundwork for a transparent and credible electoral process leading to the September congress.
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Nigerian Football
NSC, Edo FA Back Ikhana Football Academy, Set to Adopt Model for Youth Development
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the Edo State Football Association have pledged strong institutional support for the newly launched Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy (KIFA), describing it as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during the official unveiling of the academy in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday, where stakeholders praised the initiative of former Nigerian international, Kadiri Ikhana.
Represented at the event by his aide, Ebidowei Oweife, Olopade commended Ikhana for establishing an academy that integrates football training with formal education, noting that the Commission intends to nurture and replicate the model across the country.
“We are happy that a person of the calibre of Coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken this initiative. He is not only a member of the historic 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations but also the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba,” Olopade said.
Declaring the project a priority, the NSC boss added, “The academy is our baby, and we shall adopt it. We are particularly impressed that it combines football with schooling. We want the students to take their education seriously alongside their football careers. The NSC will definitely support this project.”
Also throwing its weight behind the initiative, the Edo State Football Association described the academy as a significant step toward youth empowerment and football development in the state.
Chairman of the association, Fred Newton, who was represented at the ceremony, praised Ikhana for investing his experience and knowledge in grooming the next generation of players.
“We are delighted that you have chosen to give back by shaping young talents in Edo State. This initiative will have a lasting impact not only in Edo North but across the entire state. We are fully behind you and will support you in achieving your goals,” Newton stated.
The Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy is expected to serve as a hub for nurturing young football talents while ensuring their academic growth, aligning with broader efforts to create a more structured and sustainable pathway for sports development in Nigeria.
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By Kunle Solaja.
For the fourth time, the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will be held in September. It is a pattern that evolved in Warri in 2014 when Amaju Pinnick was elected on 30 September.
Four years later in Katsina, another elective congress was held in Katsina on September 20. Four years ago in Benin, the 30 September election brought in Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Another September fever is in the offing as the NFF will hold its next Elective Congress on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State.
The decision was ratified by the NFF Extraordinary General Assembly at its meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of resolutions aimed at setting the stage for the federation’s next leadership cycle.
The Elective Congress will determine the composition of the NFF Executive Committee, including the election of a president and other key officials to steer the affairs of Nigerian football for the next term.
By fixing both the date and venue several months in advance, the federation is expected to provide ample time for electoral preparations, including the nomination of candidates, screening processes and compliance with provisions of the NFF Statutes and Electoral Code.
The choice of Lafia underscores the NFF’s continued rotation of major football events across different parts of the country, while also aligning with efforts to ensure a transparent and orderly electoral process.
Further details regarding the election timetable and guidelines are expected to be released by the NFF Electoral Committee in the coming months.
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