Sports
Imo Wins Zonal Badminton Tournament
Imo has won the maiden edition of the Open Badminton Tournament, organised by zone six of the National Sports Commission (NSC), comprising Imo and Abia.
The tournament, known as “Dr. Patrick Ekeji Open Badminton Tournament”, took place at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, over the weekend.
Imo won 14 medals, consisting of eight gold and six bronze, while Abia won 12 medals, consisting of eight silver and four bronze.
Imo received the overall best male cup and the overall best female cup.
In a speech, the Director-General of NSC, who was represented by the Imo Director of Sports, Chief Goddy Agbarakwe, promised that the Commission would include other sporting events in future tournaments.
He explained that the creation of new zones of the Commission was to enable the Commission to catch sportsmen and women young.
”We have about 36 sports and the Commission has started the tournament with badminton for the South-East zone six, other sports will later take their turns,” the director general said.
He urged the athletes “to be good ambassadors of the zone,” pointing out that some of them would represent the zone in the forthcoming national sports festival in Port Harcourt.
The Imo Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Chief Tony Uzoukwu, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mrs. Claribel Nwaiwu, described the tournament as “apt and timely”.
According to him, the competition will give an opportunity to the zone to choose potential athletes to represent it at Rivers 2010.
The NSC zonal coordinator, Mrs. Jane Owoh, said that five new discoveries were made at the end of the competition, comprising three from Imo and two from Abia.
Owoh expressed satisfaction with the standard the athletes displayed during the tournament, adding that they showed great prospects for an impressive outing in Rivers 2010.
The captains of Imo and Abia teams, Hope Ndukwu and Emmanuel Igwe, commended the Commission for organising the competition, saying that it helped them to know their strengths and weaknesses.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.