The initiator and financier of the first-ever boxing league in Africa, Omolei Imadu, is happy that his noble efforts at reviving Nigerian boxing are getting the required attention.

Imadu, who was reacting to his nomination as the Sportsville Innovative Personality of The Year, said he cherishes recognition from reputable organisations like Sportsville.

“I want to thank Sportsville for this recognition. I never saw it coming. For a reputable organisation like Sportsville to recognise our efforts in less than two years of operations means a lot”.

“You can understand why I cherish this award. It’s a big motivation for me and my team”.

“I want to assure you that the best of the Yucateco Boxing League is yet to come.

“We are determined to bring the glory days to Nigerian boxing and appreciation like this will continue to motivate people like us,” says the President of the Boxing Promoters Association Of Nigeria (BPAN)”.

Yucateco Boxing Promotions under Imadu’s leadership started the first ever boxing league in Nigeria two years ago and today the country’s boxing ecosystem is agog.

Boxers and officials continue to heap praises on the outfits CEO Imadu for his innovation saying that Nigerian boxing will witness a new lease of life.

In the words of Babatunde Ajose, Commonwealth Boxing Champion.

“Yucateco has brought the vibes back to boxing and the boxing community is grateful to him.

“From what we have seen of the boxing league, very soon, it will compete with the football league in Nigeria.

“The followership has been massive, big kudos to the financier and initiator Imadu for doing this for our beloved nation”.

“If we have people like him at the helms of affairs of boxing, the sky will be our beginning,’” he added.

Imadu is the second Nigerian to win the Prestigious Sportsville Innovative Award, created to reward and appreciate excellence and creativity.

Jenkins Alumona, the Managing Director of Flykite Promotion won the award last year for coming up with the highly successful Super 8 League held in Lagos.

Meanwhile, the organisers have listed award-winning referee, Linus Mba, Marketing guru, Rotimi  Pedro, Sunny Osa Adun, the Founder of Nigeria’s first ever Sports TV Station and Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah to receive awards in the Icon Category.

This year’s ceremony comes up on Friday, the 21st of March, 2025 at the Eko Club, Surulere Lagos

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One of the football personalities nominated to receive the Prestigious Sportsville Special Recognition Award, Dr Terry Eguaoje, has shared his thoughts on a better tomorrow for Nigeria and Africa football.

An excited Eguaoje, the President of Football Coaches Association of African Nations (FCAAN), says he has a beautiful picture of how great Nigerian football will become in no distant future, just as he shared his excitement on the award nomination.

“Honestly, I can’t describe the feeling right now for this special recognition by Sportsville. I’m so excited to be among those who will receive an award this year.

“This recognition will further renew my commitment to the development of the game on the continent.

“FCAAN’s vision is very clear; to get the best results in football, you must work on the fundamentals of the game, one of which is the coaching aspect”.

“This is one important area we at FCAAN are committed to. We want to equip our coaches with the right knowledge to be the best. That is why we mostly focus on the fundamentals in our various trainings,” added the Pennsylvania University Women Football Coach”.

Other personalities to be honoured in the Special Recognition Category are: Coaches Fanny Amun, Emmanuel Osahon, the NAWIS President, Prof Mariam Suleiman, Kingsley James Awodi, Amb Sunny Osayande, among others. 

This year’s award ceremony comes up on Friday, March 21st at the Blessing Hall of Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos.

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Sports enthusiast and former Director General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Dr. Danladi Bako has sent congratulatory message to Paul Bassey, who earlier this week was appointed the Commissioner of Sports in Akwa Ibom State.

“It has been long in coming as your immeasurable contributions to sports in Nigeria and indeed Africa cannot be overemphasized as a member of various CAF sub-committees and the Nation’s Cup organizing Committee, Bako’s statement read in part.

“Without doubt you were well tutored and mentored by the late legendary Orok Oyo, Issa Hayatou and Patrick Okpomo – all great sports administrators of repute.

“We ran into each other in the mid-eighties within the sports ecosystem in Lagos and I have always since then,  found you to be diligent, trustworthy, reliable and professional both as a person and as a renowned sports journalist.

“Surely Akwa Abasi Ibom will gain from your extensive global network as well as your durability and indefatigable character – all of which make you a priceless asset and veritable strategist and meticulous organiser.

“Our days on NTA 2 “Mastersports” programme created and produced by my humble self was a huge success and trailblazer essentially because we had a pillar like you in terms of passion for the games and unalloyed commitment to the dream. Congratulations, Etubom Paul Bassey.”

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