Governing Bodies
Chinese community reward Edo 2020 Kung-Fu medallists
In fulfilment of the promise it made before the National Sports Festival in Benin, the Chinese Community in Nigeria last weekend rewarded all the medalists in the Kung Fu event.
They were entertained, offered motivational talks from Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa and also given monetary incentives.
At a colorful ceremony held in Surulere area of Lagos and jointly organised by the Nigeria Huaxing Art Troupe and the Wushu Development Association of Nigeria, the Chairman of Chinese Industrial and Commercial Entrepreneur Association, Dr Eric Ni, said the reward to the athletes is the confirmation of good relationship that has been existing between China and Nigeria.
Although Kung Fu was a non-scoring event and made its debut at the national multi-sport event last March, the monetary reward to the six best performers at the Festival was a consolation to them considering the fact that their respective states did not reward them because of the present status of the sport.
Among the recipient of the special cash award were Oluremi Phillip Adedokun, Austin Esther Douye, Shittu Modinat, Iyanu Okiki Oladele, Eweje Yusuf Leye, Nwobilor Francis Tochukwu.
Gold medallist won N200,000 while silver medal winners were each given N150,000 just as the winners of bronze medal was rewarded with N100,000 each.
During the presentation ceremony, Dr. Ni, a holder of chieftancy title in Nigeria, explained that it is the wish of the Chinese Community to continue to reward Nigerian youths in talent development and groom them to be among the best in the world.
“We have been in Nigeria for almost 60 years and meaning we are together in nation’s building program for such a long time. We want to help build youths of the nation both in sports and cultural development.
“The Chinese community want to continue to build seamless relationship and because of this we want to expand and help in local football and boxing development and for your information, we have been part of your national public holiday in the past and will want to expend to other sports where Nigerians have great advantage and popularity among their peers.
“Nigeria is part of our system and the hope for the future lies in the children and in fulfilment of our promise we want to reward the athletes at the last sports festival.
“We are into community development through education and culture and recently we visited the Makoko community and we are into social development just like we visited orphanage homes and make meaningful donations,” he remarked.
Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa who incidentally was a member of the Nigerian football team at the inaugural Women’s World Cup that took place in China in 1991, urged the youths to take the advantage giving to them by the Chinese Community to development themselves and achieve greater goals both in sports and education.
“Dr Hi is not a Nigerian but he has planted seeds among us and with the hope that it will geminate within a sporting time frame and help in the development of sports in Nigeria.
“It’s a good development if the youths of today can take the advantage of this unique platform to excel both in their academic calling and at the same time nurture themselves be among the best in their sport in the world,” she added.
Aside the monetary reward, the Chinese Community also donated sporting equipment to the Kung Fu Federation.
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
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.
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.
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.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
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.
“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.
“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
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
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.
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