Connect with us

Governing Bodies

Edo Deputy Governor, Shaibu is Sun Newspapers Sports Man of the Year

Published

on

Rt. Hon.Comrade Philip Shaibu, Deputy Governor of Edo State

Pillar behind Insurance FC, Comrade Philip Shaibu who is also the Deputy Governor of Edo State has been named the Sports Personality of the Year.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Ebomhiana Musa quoted The Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of Daily Sun, Saturday Sun, Sunday Sun as well as the Sporting Sun as saying that the Award being bestowed on the Deputy Governor “is in line with the newspaper’s vision of recognizing men and women who have distinguished themselves in their respective endeavours and contributed immensely to the development of the country”.                                   

The statement further pointed out that since Shaibu emerged the Deputy Governor of Edo State in 2016, under the Obaseki-led administration, he has been saddled with the onerous responsibility of reviving sports and restoring the lost glory of Edo State among the comity of states in Nigeria.

 It is to the credit of the Deputy Governor that he led the State’s football club, Bendel Insurance back to the Nigerian Professional Football League in 2018, after being in the second tier Nigeria National League for over a decade on account of many years of neglect by successive administrations.  

It is on record that Shaibu is the only sitting Deputy Governor in Nigeria, dead or alive, to have registered and played for a professional football club.  

 He has been a vocal voice against the maladministration and sharp practices being perpetrated by some officials and administrators of the Nigerian Football League.

Advertisement

 In a recent press interview, the Deputy Governor  vowed to continue to be at the vanguard of exposing corrupt officials in the football circle who have brought the round leather game to disrepute.

“It is a shame that the Nigerian league is being run by gamblers and some dubious club owners who have compromised the standard of the game.

“I will continue to speak against the people who do not mean well for our football until the right thing is done and a level playing field is provided for clubs to showcase their prowess”, he said.  

The formal bestowal of the Sports Personality of the Year Award on the Deputy Governor comes up on Saturday, October 16, 2020 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Advertisement

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Governing Bodies

Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba

Published

on

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.

Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.  

 The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.

It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May  1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.

Advertisement

 Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.  It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.

The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.

In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.

This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.

 They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.

Advertisement

The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).

The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open. 

Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.

Continue Reading

Governing Bodies

Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports

Published

on

Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.

  The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”

  He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered  a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that  participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.

 According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.

Advertisement

“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.

“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.

“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”

Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.

 The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as  the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.

Advertisement

  “The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.” 

RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul

Continue Reading

Governing Bodies

CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of  ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball

Published

on

The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.

According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.

The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA” 

The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed