Sports
Ekeji Promises Credibility In Sports Administration
Patrick Ekeji, Director-General, National Sports Commission (NSC), says the commission will pursue the restoration of credibility to sports administration in the country.
Ekeji made the pledge in Abuja at the weekend while receiving handover notes from Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, the former Sports Minister and Chairman of the NSC.
All ministers, including Ndanusa, were affected by the dissolution of the Federal Executive Council last Wednesday by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ekeji said the case of the missing 236,000 dollars at the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation was a matter the commission would tackle soon.
“The matter is not closed yet and the recommendations of the White Paper on the issue will be revisited and we will act accordingly,” he said.
The money was reportedly missing from the safe of the NFF on March 19 and five suspects arrested in connection with it have been arraigned.
The director-general said part of the credibility restoration was the issue of litigation regarding elections into the Board of the Nigeria Premier League.
“We have already looked into that matter and we are stepping in to ensure that we do not have a series of conflicts disrupting the smooth running of sports in our land,” he said.
Ekeji assured Ndanusa that the NSC would continue with the policies and ideas he put in place during his 14-month tenure.
“We will ensure that those policies you enunciated are continued during your short break because we know that they have helped to uplift sports in Nigeria,” he said.
The NSC director-general lauded Ndanusa for bringing about what he described as positive changes in the administration of sports.
“There are so many legacies you left behind such as the tax rebate and community sports centres.
“What you did in a short period is more than what was achieved by three past sports ministers put together,” he said.
Ndanusa, before handing over, had asked for forgiveness from all NSC staff as well as from other members of the sports family.
“Not all drivers are good but it is important that all passengers agree with him. This you did and I thank you all for bearing with me and supporting me.
“However, I apologise if there were mistakes on my part. They were not intentional but necessary in my quest to re-engineer Nigerian sports,” he said.
The former minister expressed satisfaction that he had brought about a change in sports administration during the period he was in charge.
Sports
African Games: Umoafia Claims Three Gold In Weightlifting
Weightlifter Edidiong Umoafia was the cynosure of all eyes at the 13th on-going African Games in Accra after he won three gold medals in weightlifting event to boost Team Nigeria’s medal haul.
He lifted a 135kg in snatch and 165kg in clean and jerk to record a total of 300kg which secured the three gold medals for team Nigeria.
His feat scaled Nigeria’s Weightlifting medal haul to eight after King Kalu (two bronze medal and Favour (two silver and a bronze medals) set the ball rolling on Sunday.
Meanwhile, President of Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), Dr Olakunle Musa Oshodi, has expressed optimism about the chances of Team Nigeria judokas to win medals at the African Games.
He disclosed in Accra that Team Nigeria’s judokas are in good shape and ready to go for gold in both male and female categories.
“We are in Ghana to compete with the favourites but I must tell Nigerians that we are not only in Ghana to compete but to go for gold in all categories. Our coaches and judokas are ready, and I believe that they would make the country proud at the end of the Games,” he said.
Oshodi also explained that the spirit in camp was high and urged the judokas, coaches to remain focused throughout their fights.
“What I saw among our athletes and coaches show that they are fully ready to win medals for Nigeria. It was unfortunate that we did not win medals in the last African Games although I was not in charge then but this time around, we want to surpass out last performance by reaching the medal zone and win it,” he said.
Nigerian judokas would begin their quest for medals today at the Africa’s flagship multi sports event as
10 judokas are billed to represent the country in the various categories.
Sports
Nigeria Wins More Medals In Men’s Freestyle Wrestling
Though not as dominant as their women’s counterparts that made a clean sweep of the six available gold medal in wrestling on Sunday, Team Nigeria’s men wrestlers yesterday secured six more medals including three silvers and one bronze.
Ashton Mutuwa lost 12-0 superiority to Youssif Hemida of Egypt in the 125kg final to settle for silver medal while Simeon Enozumini also clinched silver medal after suffering defeat in the final to Egyptian Gamal Mohammed in the 57kg.Ditto for Izolo Stephen in the 65kg who got silver following 10-0 superiority loss to Mourad O. of Egypt.
In the 86kg Harrison Onovwiomogbohwo settled for bronze after a walkover against Egypt Ahmed Khaled while Braveman Oyeinkeperemo lost his 74kg bronze match to Mukendi A. of Congo.
It would be recalled that Team Nigeria’s women wrestlers produced incredible display by winning the available six gold in as many as events at the African Games.
Yesterday’s result means that Team Nigeria won six gold medal, three silver and two bronze in total through wrestling.
Sports
Igali Urges Fed Govt To Review Reward System For Athletes
The President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) President, Daniel Igali, has urged the Federal Government to review the reward system of other sports athletes and make it at par with footballers or even more.
He said the sportsmen and women representing Nigeria at the ongoing African Games in Ghana, have excelled in their various events consequently should be recognised just like the Super Eagles were adequately rewarded despite only finishing second at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote ‘d’Ivoire.
The former Olympic champions noted that other sports athletes deserved to be treated better as he called on the Federal Government to reward them fittingly once the African Games is over .
“Let’s treat everybody equally. We cannot treat super millionaires differently from our athletes,” Igali stated matter-of-factly in an interview with Brila FM. “We had footballers that went to the AFCON and won a silver medal and we gave them houses, plots of lands and national honours.
“Replicate the same favour to these athletes too. They didn’t win silver, they won gold medals,” he added.
Speaking after Team Nigeria women’s wrestlers won the six available gold medals on Sunday, Igali called on the sports ministry and well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid as unavailability of funds may scuttle their desire to participate at this weekend African Championships and the Olympic Games Qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt.
“I want to appreciate the girls. They were fantastic. I hope they are able to replicate it at the Olympic qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt,” he continued. “But as I am speaking to you, we don’t know if we are going to be there because we do not have funds yet. We are expected to leave on the 15th of March because we have to attend the African Championships which is the criterion to feature at the Olympics trials. ”
He added: “We are 12th times African Champions in the female wrestling. We lost that briefly three years ago when we only went with six women to the African Championships and Tunisia came with all theirs.
“We will like to go with a full team of our female wrestlers so that we can become 13th time African Champions and then give of the female wrestlers have the chance to qualify for the Olympics.
“We are to leave on the 15th March, the competition starts on the 17th March and the Olympic qualifiers is from the 23rd to the 26th in Alexandria, Egypt. “
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