Sports
We Must Restart Positively – Wikki Tourists’
Idris Sabo says it will be vital for Wikki Tourists to start the second half of the 2016/17 Nigerian topflight on a positive note.
The Bauchi Elephants will look to improve on their form when they lock horns with Abia Warriors in their first fixture after the league’s restarts.
“Going into the Abia Warriors’ game, we know very well that we are indebted to our supporters who want nothing but a win after enduring a below average form in the first round,” Sabo told newsmen.
“But we know we will be faced with a tough battle against Abia Warriors, because they have proven to be a competitive side in this season so far.
“And there is no doubt they go to the match with more determination, as they also look to fight for vital points to finish the season on a good position on the log.
“The first game of the second round is very important considering our current position in the table. Three points will put us in the groove.”
Ovoke Targets CAF Cup
Bernard Ovoke says that Rivers United are targeting
CAF Confederation Cup success.
The Pride of Rivers have endured an uninspiring start to the season both domestically and on the continent.
But were given a second chance in Africa’s second-tier club competition after being ousted from the CAF Champions League. And Ovoke says that they are going for glory.
“First, I will like to thank God for making it possible for us as a team to make it this far. It has not been considering the expectations and fixtures but like I said, it has been God,” Ovoke told newsmen.
“On the continent, we have made the group stage and now the only target before us is to win the trophy.
“The first round of the league and the battle to stay up on the continent was challenging. It became really tough after that loss in Sudan but we picked up the pieces and so far, we have kept our heads up high.
“My expectations in the second round is to leave where we are at the moment and move to the top because that’s where we belong,” he concluded.
Kano Pillars Will Fight
To End-Isa
Danladi Isa strongly believes that Kano Pillars will
fight till the end as their aspiration is to lift the Nigeria Professional Football League title.
Pillars find themselves in 13th spot in the NPFL standings and sit 10 points behind leaders Plateau United.
“One thing that is certain is; Kano Pillars are champions, the fans and everyone at the club believe so and it is one major component that has kept us going on,” Danladi told newsmen.
“We won the league title thrice in a row, that’s exceptional. It doesn’t just happens, the belief system at Kano Pillars propels us to fight till the end and we shall do that to lift the league trophy this season.
“The fans will see more of that from the team when the second round of the league resumes,” he added.
On his injury, the shot-stopper said, “As for me, I am back, fully fit and I’ve been in action in the Kano State FA Cup. I was in goal in the semi final where we won the match via penalties
“We shall play in the final on Sunday and I hope to be called upon as I will always give my best at all times.”
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.