Sports
Intl Friendly: Eagles Still Stranded In Nigeria
Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, has bemoaned the failure of the Belgian embassy in Nigeria to issue entry visas into that country for players and officials of the Senior National Football Team of Nigeria for two friendlies this week.
International passports of some Super Eagles players and officials are still at the Belgian embassy, less than 48 hours before a high –profile international friendly against the Demnocratic Republic of Congo, which has been approved by world body, FIFA. The Eagles are also to play against bitter rivals Cameroon on Sunday in Dendermonde.
“We are shocked beyond words at the attitude of the Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria. This action is a strange one in international sports. Football preaches and spreads peace and love, but we are taken aback at the attitude of the Belgian embassy in Nigeria.”
Anyansi-Agwu, who as chairman of Enyimba FC has traveled the world in the course of football in the past 15 years, lamented the action that threatens Nigeria’s preparation for the two matches.
“This attitude of the Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria is not known to international sports. Our team’s preparedness for the only preparatory games ahead of the beginning of FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been unduly hampered. The team’s medical crew and other critical backroom staff are held back in Nigeria.
“This action is not just against a Football Federation; it is against an entire nation.”
Meanwhile, the two camps of the Senior National Team, Super Eagles, preparing for different engagements in Belgium and Port Harcourt bubbled somewhat with 17 players training on Tuesday evening in Belgium and all 19 invited players turning out in Port Harcourt same day.
Defender Abdullahi Shehu from Uniao da Madeira in Portugal arrived in camp on Monday night, while goalkeeper and skipper Vincent Enyeama joined the group on Tuesday afternoon before training session at the R. Battice ground.
Officials were expecting Turkey –based defender Godfrey Oboabona and six home –based players (held up in Abuja alongside other officials due to non-issuance of visa by the Embassy of Belgium).
Eagles’ administrator, Enebi Achor, said the group is hopeful that Oboabona (also having visa issues in Turkey) would arrive on Wednesday, while also believing the Belgian embassy would issue visas to home –based professionals and other officials by Wednesday.
Achor said from Belgium: “The atmosphere here is very conducive for the players. The city is so quiet and serene, the hotel is marvelous and the training ground has been commended by all the players.”
In Port Harcourt, where the home boys are preparing for a 2016 African Nations Championship final qualifying fixture against Burkina Faso, all 19 players turned up in camp by Tuesday afternoon and had a first training session on Tuesday evening, with Eagles’ assistant coach Salisu Yusuf taking charge.
Team Coordinator Pascal Patrick informed thenff.com that the spirit is quite high in camp as the boys look to win shirts for the first leg encounter against the Etalons at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium on Sunday, 18th October.
Thenff.com also learnt that Abia Warriors’ forward Chisom Chikatara (who hit a hat-trick against Enugu Rangers in a Week 32 NPFL game on Sunday) was called in place of Wikki Tourists’ striker Godwin Obaje, who is said to have traveled outside the country.
The Super Eagles full squad tackles the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo in Vise on Thursday before another mouth –watering clash with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Dendermonde on Sunday.
The last time Nigeria faced Cameroon at full international level was on February 8, 2004, when the Super Eagles came from behind to win 2-1 and eliminate Cup holders Cameroon at the quarter final stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in Monastir, Tunisia. A Samuel Eto’o goal was cancelled by a magnificent Jay –Jay Okocha free –kick just before half –time, and a sublime Nwankwo Kanu pass was converted by John Utaka for the winner mid –way into the second half.
PLAYERS IN BELGIUM: Vincent Enyeama, Carl Ikeme, Leon Balogun, Abdullahi Shehu, Elderson Echiejile, William Troost Ekong, Efe Ambrose, Ogenyi Onazi, Obiora Nwankwo, John Mikel Obi, Rabiu Ibrahim, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Sylvester Igbonu, Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi. EXPECTED: Godfrey Oboabona, alongside six home –based professionals still yet to be issued visas in Abuja.
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.