Sports
Ex-boxing Scribe Laments Nigeria’s Poor Outing In India
Nigeria’s poor outing in boxing at the ongoing 29th Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is due to poor preparation by the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), a sports administrator said.
In an interview with Tidesports source in Lagos, Trigo Egbegi, a former Secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), said the NBF board appeared ignorant about how to develop amateur boxing.
Egbegi noted that the failure of any of the five boxers in the competition to advance to the crucial stages of the tournament in New Delhi confirmed the poor state of the sport in Nigeria.
He said the poor performance of the boxing team reflected the acrimony in the federation, which led to the dropping of the federation’s head coach, Obisia Nwakpa.
Nwakpa was neither involved in the boxers’ preparation nor accompanied the team to the games.
“Our preparation for the games was zero, the boxers we took to the games did not have the requisite experience for a competition of the magnitude of the Commonwealth Games,” Egbegi said.
“There was no activity lined up locally or internationally to fine-tune the boxers; if such had been done, the boxers would have gained the necessary experience and exposure,” he said.
Egbegi said if the boxers had taken part in international competitions prior to the games, they would have tested their abilities against foreign opponents.
He expressed concern over the decline of the sport in the country, noting that Nigeria recorded its best outing in boxing at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s Richard Igbinegbu and David Izonritei won silver medals in the heavyweight and super heavyweight categories respectively at the Barcelona Games.
Duncan Dokiwari won Nigeria’s last Olympics medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, where he clinched a bronze medal in the super heavyweight category.
“I wonder what the people at the NBF are doing about the declining state of boxing.
“It is either a case of lack of provision for training tours or somebody is sitting on funds meant for such purpose,” Egbegi added.
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”.