Sports
Adefemi Joins Boulogne In France
Nigeria defender, Olubayo Adefemi has teamed up with Ligue 1 outfit US Boulogne after a rather traumatic time in Europe over the past six months.
“This is a very good move for ‘Bayo [Adefemi] as he is guaranteed regular playing time. It is his chance to finally establish himself in Europe,” said a source close to the player.
Last season, Boulogne finished third in the French second division to book their place to the top league.
Adefemi has already played in Israel and Romania. It needed the intervention of FIFA to release him from his contract with Rapid Bucharest after the club’s failure to pay him regularly.
However, a move to Austria never got off the ground, as his clearance papers arrived too late for him to beat registration deadline. Rheindorf Altach, the club he was to sign for, would later be relegated from the top tier.
A handful of solid outings with Nigeria this month are believed to have convinced Boulogne to sign him as they feature in the French top-flight for the very first time in their history.
It is believed that 23-year-old Adefemi also interested Saint-Etienne, as well as Belgian champions Standard Liege.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”