Sports

Bwalya Pays Tribute To Keshi

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2016

African football legend
Kalusha Bwalya has paid homage to the late Stephen Keshi who suddenly passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The former Nigeria captain and coach passed away after suffering reported cardiac arrest in Benin City, he was 54-years-old at the time of his untimely death.
‘Big Boss’ as he was affectionately known, was a much-loved figure not only in Nigeria, but across the African continent.
Speaking in an interview with our South African source, Bwalya revealed that he was shocked by the sudden passing of his ‘good brother’.
“I’m very saddened and shocked at my good brother Stephen Keshi’s passing,” Bwalya told PowerSport on Wednesday morning.
“When the news came out this [Wednesday] morning, I couldn’t believe it and I had to confirm to make sure. It was something sudden and just a few days ago I was talking about Stephen Keshi. What a true gentleman he was for what he achieved as player and coach.
“He was a funny guy and a leader but didn’t impose himself on people but people who spoke to him walked away thinking ‘I have spoken to a real man’. Stephen was a big man of Africa and the world so my sincere condolences to his family.
“He was a family man and they moved to San Francisco I think in 1994 and in my time when I went to play in Mexico for Club America, often we would go play in the United States and Keshi would come to LA and visit me. He was a family man who was very proud of his [late] wife and kids,” Bwalya continued.
Both Bwalya and Keshi played their club football in Belgium in the mid to late 1980’s with the former Chipolopolo captain plying his trade at Cercle Brugge. Keshi played for Lokeren and Anderlecht in the Belgian Pro League. The duo played a major part in paving the way for future generations to follow in their footsteps from Africa to Europe.
“Stephen and I come from the same generation and we were pioneers of African players going to Belgium. When Keshi started in Lokeren I was at Brugge and that was in 1986 and there weren’t too many African players there,” Bwalya added.
“A lot of people know him as the coach of the Super Eagles and what he achieved in 1994 when Nigeria beat Zambia in Tunisia because he was the captain.
“He came back again to win the AFCON as a coach with the Super Eagles but Stephen Keshi was a great player and he played for their national team when he was young and went to Europe.”
‘King Kalu’ fondly recalled clashes between the two African greats on foreign soil.
“It was the clash of the titans, but he was an astute football player, solid as a rock and was an imposing figure on the pitch but very soft off it,” Bwalya added.
“On the pitch, he was something else and he didn’t make too many fouls, he was very clean. He used his strength well and was good in the air, he was quick, he could move the ball in what you call a build-up from the back and this is important to remember.”
Keshi is one of only two people to have won the African up of Nations as a player and as a coach. Having captained the Super Eagles to Afcon glory in 1994, Keshi led the country to the 2013 Afcon title in South Africa.

City Crime

‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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”.

Sports

Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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.

Sports

Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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”.