Nigerian Football
Winners emerge at Sports Journalists Forum
Respected Sports platform, Sports Journalists Forum (SJF), has once again conducted its annual awards for sports practitioners based in Nigeria and abroad.
The 2021 edition featured a new category for the various sports media officers.
With SJF Administrators adopting the open ballot model, which allowed for an open and transparent process, SJF members voted in a peaceful atmosphere.
Veteran Journalist Bode Oguntuyi got voted into the SJF Hall of Fame with 10 out of 26 votes cast.
Also, former Super Eagles media officer Colin Udoh got a deserving award as the Most Resourceful Member of the Year.
It was a brace of awards for Kotangora based sports Journalist and media officer of the national U-20 team, Andrew Randa.
Randa won the SJF peacemaker and member of the year(male) categories.
Newly minted Chief of Udu Kingdom in Urhobo Delta state, Olorogun Tracy Chapele, emerged as the Female Member of the year.
Port Harcourt based journalist, Fisayo Dairo won SJF Administrator of the Year award.
Expectedly, Kingsley Koyero ran away with SJF Most Active member award.
Foremost Women Football Reporter, Samuel Ahmadu won the SJF Reporter of the Year.
Elsewhere, Sarafina Napoleon could not retain her SJF After Dark title as group admin Godwin Enakhena won in a landslide vote.
Furthermore, Nasarawa United media officer Eche Amos emerged as the maiden SJF media officer of the year winner in a close contest.
Each winner received a certificate, recharge cards, and a branded Nigerian league club jersey of their choice.
SJF Group Admin, Mr Enakhena led winners and other members to Sinatra Lounge in the Adeniji Jones area of Lagos state where they were treated to a big bash which also served as the end of year party for all SJF members on Tuesday 28th December, 2021.
2021 SJF Awards categories
1) SJF Member of the Year (Male)- Andrew Randa
2) SJF Member of the Year (Female)- Chief Tracy Chapele
3) SJF Admin of the Year – Fisayo Dairo
4) SJF Reporter of the Year – Samuel Ahmadu
5) SJF Afterdark Member of the Year – Godwin Enakhena
6) SJF Hall of Fame award – Akinbode Oguntuyi
7) SJF Most Resourceful member – Colin Udoh
8) SJF Most Active Member- Kingsley Oyero
9) SJF Peacemaker of the Year- Andy Randa
10) SJF Media Officer of the Year- Amos Eche
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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