Nigerian Football
IGHALO BECOMES CULT HERO AT MANCHESTER UNITED!
According to the Daily Mail of UK, Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo was meant to be a temporary fix, but he is quickly becoming a cult hero at Manchester United and could extend his stay beyond the current season.
ODION IGHALO AT MANCHESTER UNITED
Games: 6
Starts: 2
Shots: 14
Shots on target: 8
Goals: 3
The deadline day signing has already scored three goals in two starts and is making a mockery of those who doubted him.
The
Nigerian is grasping his dream with both hands and giving United a decision to
make as to whether they give their boyhood fan an extended stay at Old
Trafford.
The 30-year-old joined in January on a loan deal until the end of the season after the club failed to land Josh King from Bournemouth.
Ighalo
was seen a rushed, panic signing as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer desperately looked to
add another attacking option to his squad.
The former Watford man was hardly on the radar of other Premier League clubs, plying his trade for Shanghai Shenhua in China, and few expected he would be the answer to United’s problems.
Speaking to The Guardian at the start of February, Rio Ferdinand questioned whether the forward could live up to Old Trafford expectations.
‘Ighalo has played in the English Premier League before, but one thing I am concerned about is that he is coming from China… they are trying to build a league there, but the standard is not up to the Premier League.’
Paul Scholes was another former United player to suggest Ighalo would struggle to meet the level expected of him.
‘I don’t think he’s a signing for the long term,’ he told Robbie Savage’s Premier League Breakfast on BBC Radio 5 Live.
‘I think his scoring record in China is very good but is it that credible? I don’t know.’
But a goal in his first start in the Europa League against Club Brugge and two more in the FA Cup against Derby has forced both to make a u-turn.
Scholes admitted the striker looked sharp against the Belgian side and predicted him to get more chances while Ferdinand said the forward offers the team a reference point and gives other players opportunities to run off him with his hold-up play.
What United have been lacking this season is a box striker, someone who can play with his back to goal but also get himself in the right position to finish off chances.
All three of the striker’s goals have been scored inside the penalty area with two being one-touch finishes.
As well as his two starts in cup matches he has also had three brief cameo appearances off the bench in the Premier League and his manager praised his shooting accuracy.
‘He had chances against Watford, he had a very good save against Everton – there have been good saves, he doesn’t miss the target very often.’
Four of Ighalo’s five shots against Derby hit the target and his record in China was also good with a shooting accuracy of 57.3 per cent in 2018. In comparison, Marcus Rashford’s was 48.2 and 31.7 in previous campaigns.
But it’s not just what he brings to the team on the pitch that United fans appreciate.
The forward’s love for the club and willingness to give everything is something that has been lacking in recent squads.
His signing even sparked street parties in his homeland as he became the first Nigerian to pull on the famous shirt.
After scoring his first United goal Ighalo told the club’s website he would ‘give his blood’ to get more opportunities.
‘This is what I dream of and what I dreamt of when I was a kid. Now it is in my hands so I have to fight for it. I will give my blood to get it.
The striker is also not afraid of wearing his heart on his sleeve and has promised to dedicate every goal he scores to his late sister who was also a United fan.
There are still question marks over whether Rashord and Anthony Martial are strikers or wingers but there’s no uncertainty with Ighalo.
The loan deal for the striker does not include an option to buy but Solskjaer has already admitted he could extend his stay beyond the summer.
And with all domestic fixtures in China currently postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, a permanent move away from the Super League could suit Ighalo.
The Nigerian was meant to be a temporary fix but it looks like he could have a big role to play for the remainder of this season and beyond.
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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Nigerian Football
NFF Congress Approves Statutes Amendments, Electoral Committees Ahead of 2026 Elections
The Extraordinary General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved sweeping reforms to its governing framework, including amendments to its statutes and electoral processes, as preparations intensify for the federation’s 2026 elections.
At the meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Congress unanimously endorsed proposals from the NFF Executive Committee to amend the NFF Statutes (March 2026 Edition), the Electoral Code and the Standing Orders of the General Assembly.
In a major step toward the next electoral cycle, Congress also ratified the composition of both the NFF Electoral Committee and the Electoral Appeals Committee. The decision followed nominations by leaders of the country’s six geopolitical zones, with 12 individuals selected to serve across the two bodies.
Those appointed include Matthew Burkala (SAN) and Emmanuel Dada Obafemi (North Central); Alhaji Babagoni Grema and Barrister Benjamin Sak (North East); Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal (North West); Justice C.J. Aneke and Arinze Azubuike Anughere (South East); Akogun Olugbenga Omole and Abayomi Akin Omoyimi (South West); as well as Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie (Esq.) and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam (South South).
The members are scheduled to be inaugurated in Abuja on March 25, 2026, where they will constitute the two committees and elect their respective chairmen. In line with the Electoral Code, the Electoral Committee will comprise five full members and two alternates, while the Appeals Committee will have three full members and two alternates.
Congress further approved the appointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the new independent auditor of the federation for an initial four-year term, following what was described as a rigorous selection process involving seven firms. The Assembly commended outgoing auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for their nine years of service.
Looking ahead, the Congress fixed September 26, 2026, for the NFF Elective Congress, which will take place in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
In addition, members passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the NFF Executive Committee led by President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, praising its efforts in promoting and developing football across Nigeria.
The communiqué was drafted by a committee chaired by Mohammed Nasir Saidu, with Hajji Gafaar Liameed, Davidson Owumi, Yakubu Salma, Coach Ladan Bosso and Dr Ademola Olajire serving as members.
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