Sports
NFF Board Member Sees PTF AS Distraction
An executive member of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Alili Galadima has described the Presidential Task Force (PTF) set up by Federal Government to facilitate the Super Eagles qualification for the World Cup in South Africa as a huge distraction. Galadima made the assertion in a Radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt, yesterday. He said that before the inception of the PTF, the NFF had supervised the Super Eagles to six straight victories and one draw in the qualifiers, saying that the PTF would be useful after the qualification and not now that the Eagles are yet to know their fate. “I must be Frank, we were doing very well before they came up with PTF and this has put so much pressure on the NFF board, coaches and players. Aside the fact that they have been able to generate money to motivate the team, I do not really see the PTF as being necessary now,” he said. The NFF member, explained that the road results were good, we won six straight matches, because we drew against Mozambique in Maputo, the Taskforce suddenly came up. “It is like it was premeditated and we had to work in harmony for the good of the country but I think the emergence of the PTF put pressure on us and the players, and we were made to look as if we are not capable,” he stated. In the same vein, a sports analyst in Rivers State, Amadi John, observed that setting up of the PTF was a duplication of functions and there would be clash of interests, which is not good for our football. According to John, the PTF set-up by the Federal Government is indirectly telling NFF that they are not capable or that they have failed. “In my own understanding, as soon as a committee is set up against an existing body, for the same purpose, it means that the initial body has invariably failed in its task,” he said.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.
-
News18 hours agoIN RIVERS, GOD REMAINS OUR ULTIMATE LIBERATOR – FUBARA
-
News18 hours agoCHRISTMAS: FUBARA, WIFE HOST RIVERS CHILDREN, TASK THEM ON EXEMPLARY CONDUCT
-
Nation3 days agoBodo-Bonny Road: Julius Berger Workforce Maintains Steady Work to ensure timely delivery
-
News18 hours agoFUBARA MOURNS FORMER RIVERS GOV
-
Transport1 day ago‘Poor State Of Road Affecting Onne Port’s Operations’
-
News18 hours agoMayor Of Housing Wins Man Of The Year Award
-
News18 hours agoArmy Destroys 20 Illegal Refineries, Arrests Eight In N’Delta
-
City Crime18 hours agoFUBARA PRESENTS N1.188TRN AS 2025 BUDGET TO RSHA