Sports
Crown FC Sure To Gain Promotion
The Media Officer of Ogbomosho-based Crown FC, at the weekend, Tunji Alabi, said the club has set its sight on gaining promotion to the elite division in its 2018/2019 Nigeria National League (NNL) campaign.
Alabi made the disclosure to the Tidesports source in Lagos on the heels of the clubs away point gain at the Matchday 3 of the NNL against Word of Life FC in Warri.
He said that it was an indication of club’s target of gaining promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this season.
“We are able to hold Word of Life FC to a one goal apiece in the Matchday 3 Group B4 fixtures of the NNL in the Southern Conference.
“The dramatic encounter that was played at the Oghara Township Stadium in Delta saw the “Ajilete Warriors” display good and matured game.
“Our players, Chibuike Nwankwo and Adeyemi Adeyeye, were always posing a serious threat to the defence line of the Bible Believers Side from the start of the game to the end.
“Adeyemi Adeyeye’s early goal in the 9th minute from the host stopper, Rhiogbere Tejiri’s blunder was denied by the centre referee.
“The Bible Believers Side as well got chances and attempts at goal in the early minutes into the game but goalkeeper and Captain for the Ajilete Warriors, Adeniyi Adejare, were up to the task,’’ he said.
Alabi said that the Ajilete Warriors continued to pressurise the homers until the goals came at the 48th minute.
“The players not minding the heavy wind that was returning balls to their half, continued with touch pattern of play until Adeyeye shot the ball into the net with an assist from Christopher Nwaeze.
“The host team, however, levelled up in the 59th minute when Anyanwu Ugo’s shot from Ogah Collin’s cross found the back of the net,’’ he said.
The Crown FC’s gaffer, Oladunni Oyekale, said he appreciated God for the success, adding that the boys gave a good fight.
“I appreciate God for the outcome of the game. I thank my boys for putting up a good fight though I expected a win. Very painful, we will go home and re-strategise ahead of our next home game,’’ he said.
The Tidesports source reports that Crown FC will play their next Group B4 Match day game yesterday, May 5, at the Soun Township Stadium in Ogbomoso.
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.