Nigerian Football
Dikko commends GTI’s strategic efforts at repositioning Nigerian football
The chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko has poured encomiums on strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited for their effort at repositioning Nigerian football.
He made the remark during the presentation of Newstap/SWAN 5-star award to the GMD of GTI Group, Abubakar Lawal, alongside four other recipients in Lagos.
The well-attended event, which attracted a lot of stakeholders of the Nigerian football family, was jointly organised by Newstap Communications Limited and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
In his opening speech, Dikko revealed how he and other football administrators ensured GTI’s remarkable entry into the Nigerian sports ecosystem, and since then, our country’s football has witnessed a positive trajectory.
“I appreciate the organisers of Newstap/SWAN award for a successful execution of the maiden edition of this award and thank GTI Group for their effort so far in repositioning our beautiful game,” Dikko began.
“I made serious effort to ensure that I’m present at this event today and I thank God that I succeeded. When I eventually came here and saw the team from GTI, I was overwhelmed with joy, such that I didn’t know how to start thanking them for their accomplishments with the NPFL and President Federation Cup.
“I want to commend GTI for taking a big risk in trying to reposition our elite league and today the result speaks for itself.
“I and Seyi Akinwumi were part of the team that started the process of bringing GTI into our football ecosystem and we are glad with their achievements so far with our football. Frankly, GTI has surpassed our expectations and I pray they recoup all their investments at the end of the day.”
The other four recipients of the Newstap/SWAN Awards include Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia; Benue State FA Chairman, Paul Edeh; Chairman of Valuejet Airlines, Kunle Soname and Founder Monimichelle Construction Limited, Ebi Egbe.
In his final remark at the occasion, National President of SWAN, Isaiah Benjamin urged the five awardees never to rest on their oars in contributing their quota to the development of sports generally in the country.
He further revealed that preparations are in top gear for the 60th Diamond Jubilee celebration of SWAN and affirmed that the event will be held later this year.
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Just as Nigeria’s manager, Eric Chelle has named Kayode Bankole of Remo Stars in his 39-man provisional squad, his Benin Republic counterpart, Gernot Rohr has also named Remo Stars goalkeeper, Adebiyi Serges Obassa in his 25-man squad ahead of the Matchday 5 of the World Cup qualifiers in Africa.
If Bankole makes the final Super Eagles’ squad, Remo Stars may be without a goalkeeper in their Match Day 30 duel away to Lobi Stars.
League front-runners Remo Stars will face Lobi Stars on 23 March, the same period as the World Cup qualifiers, in which both Nigeria and Benin have two matches.
While Nigeria will be away to Rwanda on March 21, Benin will be away to Zimbabwe in South Africa.
Two days later, Nigeria will be hosting Zimbabwe while Benin Republic, with Remo Stars’ first choice goalkeeper, will be at home in Cote d’Ivoire to South Africa.
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Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) leaders, Remo Stars had their two-digit lead of 11 points cut to eight after suffering a 2-1 loss to Bendel Insurance while their closest rivals, Rivers United won 1-0 against Niger Tornadoes.
Their match with Bendel Insurance was hardly two minutes old when Meyinwa Oritseweyinmi put the home side ahead.
He doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half to set dreadful problems for the league leaders. But eight minutes to the end of regulation time, Arinze Anakwe reduced the tally for Remo Stars.
Thus, Remo Stars, which had nearly a seven-match unbeaten run, now have just two wins in their last five matches, alternating wins and losses.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers United laboured to a 1-0 win over Niger Tornados. Great thanks to the 83rd minute goal by Samson Bossa Obi.
The goal not only enables Rivers United to retain the second position, it increased gulf with continental aspirants, Shooting Stars who lost their away match 1-0 to Katsina United on Friday.
Following Ikorodu City’s away win at Lobi Stars, Shooting Stars have been pushed to the fourth position by an emerging continental aspirant, Ikorodu City who are now third.
RESULTS
Friday
- Katsina United 1-0 Shooting Stars
Saturday
- Lobi Stars 0-1 Ikorodu City
- Bendel Insurance 2-1 Remo Stars
- Rivers United 1-0 Niger Tornadoes
Sunday Fixtures
- Plateau United v Abia Warriors
- Enugu Rangers v Akwa United
- Enyimba v El Kanemi
- Kwara United v Kano Pillars
- Nasarawa v Sunshine Stars
- Heartland v Bayelsa United
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Summary
- 4 April: Rivers United v Remo Stars
- 20 April: Shooting Stars v Remo Stars
- The trio of Remo Stars, Shooting Stars and Rivers United will shape the final placing on the NPFL
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Shooting Stars and Rivers United in their Monday’s goalless outing in Ibadan failed to break the tie that binds both at the runners-up positions as the Nigeria Premier Football League approaches the home stretch.
Both are with 43 points, 11 clear points behind dashing away Remo Stars. But Rivers have a slight edge on goal difference.
The scenario now is that both have potentially explosive home games with Remo Stars, which could impact on the final placing of the three front runners – Remo Stars, Rivers United and Shooting Stars.
However, while Remo Stars are almost assured of a top-three finish in the league, as there are just 11 games to go, Rivers United and Shooting Stars are conscious that the top-three finish that guarantees a continental outing is still wide and swinging.
Only a narrow gap of three points exists between the duo and even the eighth-placed El Kanemi Warriors.
In essence, every match matters to both Rivers United and Shooting Stars. Losing a match can see any of them tumbling down to as far as the eighth position of the league.
While Remo Stars face a possible difficult away match with their age-long rivals, Bendel Insurance in Benin this weekend, Rivers will be at home to 10th placed Niger Tornadoes.
Shooting Stars will be away to Katsina United in a ‘must-win’ duel if they are to keep alive their hopes of going continental for the first time in 26 years.
For Remo Stars, the title is still not certain as they have some possible difficult matches ahead. The first of such is the confrontation with Bendel Insurance, who have been their age-long rivals since the time both teams were struggling in the lower tier, the Nigeria National League (NNL).
Other likely encounters that Remo Stars will have include those of Enyimba at home, Rivers United and Shooting Stars away from home and a dicey home game with unpredictable Heartland FC.
But they could calculate their way into glory if they take the maximum 15 points available in their remaining home matches and scrape at least three points from the obtainable 18 in their remaining six away matches.
That will push their total haul to about 70 points. No team ever obtained the 70-point mark and failed to win the league in the era of 20-team format.
LATEST RESULTS
- Shooting Stars 0-0 Rivers Utd
- El Kanemi 1-0 Lobi Stars
- Akwa Utd 1-0 Katsina Utd
- Remo Stars 1-0 Plateau Utd
- Abia Warriors 1-1 Nasarawa Utd
- Bayelsa Utd 2-1 Insurance
- Kano Pillars 2-1 Rangers
- Ikorodu City 2-0 Heartland
- Tornadoes 0-1 Enyimba
NEXT FIXTURES
- Kwara United v Kano Pillars
- Nasarawa United v Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United v Abia Warriors
- Bendel Insurance v Remo Stars
- Heartland v Bayelsa United
- Lobi Stars v Ikorodu City
- Enyimba v El Kanemi Warriors
- Rivers United Niger Tornadoes
- Katsina United v Shooting Stars
- Enugu Rangers v Akwa United
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Dikko commends GTI’s strategic efforts at repositioning Nigerian football
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