Sports
Aiyegbeni, Back To Our Consciousness
Like a recurring nightmare, Yakubu Aiyegbeni is back in our consciousness. How can we possibly ignore the powerful frontman, when our number one football addiction is the English Premiership? In the now famous game against Swansea City, Aiyegbeni put up a sensational one-man show, banging in all four goals to earn Blackburn Rovers a 4-2 home victory over Swansea. I watched with interest as people reacted to his exploits on social media and on the streets, hailing his exploits.
Our grievances with the Yak evaporated in an instant. It had taken a horrendous miss from three yards for us to send him into exile. A four goal show had suddenly bought redemption.
It is perhaps instructive we note that scoring goals has never been a problem for the Yak. It was the second time Yakubu has struck four goals in a League game. Seven years ago, he achieved the feat for Portsmouth against Middlesbrough at Fratton Park. From his time in the Nigerian League to Israel, to the highly competitive EPL, he has always scored. Aiyegbeni is regarded as one of the best African forwards to have graced the Premiership, second to the legendary Thierry Henry in the goal to game stats.
I could picture Stephen Keshi watching on, as the Yak covered himself in glory. When asked if he considered recalling the striker, he said: “Only the best players will make my team, no matter what anyone thinks. I will pick Yak on form to play for Nigeria if he keeps scoring in the English League. I want to win matches and only the fittest in Europe and Nigeria can deliver results for me.”
Irrespective of his scoring spree, opinion remains divided among fans. On one side is an army of supporters for the Yak. Their argument is simple: Yakubu’s experience and goal scoring prowess is needed in the Super Eagles.
“Keshi is the coach of the team. If he wants to call up Yakubu I don’t think that should generate any kind of debate because he feels Yakubu deserves to be part of the team to beef up his attack,” Christian Chukwu said.
“Apart from that, when you look at our players abroad Yakubu has done well this season and without sentiment any coach will give him the chance to play for the national team based on his current form. Right now he’s one of our best performing players.”
On the other side are those who feel the freshness and hunger of the likes of Ikechukwu Uche, Emmanuel Emenike, etc. is what we need. One of the prominent voices in this camp is that of Austin Okocha. Okocha insists Yakubu is past his sell-by date as a Super Eagles striker and should not return for the team he last played for at the 2010 World Cup.
“It is sad that at this time of our football, we are talking about bringing back Yakubu to the Super Eagles when we should be looking for fresh blood to take our game to the next level.
“I don’t know if it is a risk but the final decision rests with the coach of the team. No doubt, Yakubu is having a good time in the EPL now, scoring regularly for Blackburn. But if you ask my opinion on the matter, I will say that it is better for a coach to fail with fresh players that will ‘old’ ones. With new ones, everyone will know that the coach is rebuilding a new team and the blame will not be much even if such an experiment does not work out.”
Keshi has opened a training camp for his Team B, comprising of players from the local League. He confirmed in an interview that he was looking at picking at least ten players from the camp. The imminent recall of Aiyegbeni begs question of Keshi’s plan for Nigerian football – rebuilding or cycling? Is he seeking to build a new team that will play with passion and desire anytime they pull on the green jersey? Or are we still interested in rushing back to the same old players, whether in or out of form?
Right before Stephen Keshi is the choice of experience, form and hunger. And the jury is patiently waiting for him to pick his mix.
Hopefully, the results will be kind to him. And us.
Inyang wrote this piece for kickoffnigeria. Com
Ifreke Inyang
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”.