Sports
Wike Approves New Buses For Rivers United, Angels
In furtherance of his quest to provide comfortable, enabling environment and motivation for football teams in the state, Governor Nyesom Wike has approved the purchase of new buses for the two Rivers State Government-owned Football Clubs, Rivers United and Rivers Angels.
Rivers United is to get a 54-seater air-conditioned luxurious bus fitted with convenience and other accessories, while Rivers Angels will get a 25-seater air-conditioned coaster bus.
The move, which will certainly lift players and officials of the clubs, will also boost the teams’ morale, especially Rivers United that is involved in a CAF club competition and doing well in the domestic league.
Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye, who broke the news shortly before Rivers United’s encounter against Adamawa United in the ongoing NPFL League commended Governor Wike for his genuine interest in the development of sports
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sir Honour Sirawoo, Iyaye said the governor was passionate about the progress of Rivers United, Rivers Angels, and Rivers Hoopers, and is ready to do all within his powers to make the clubs even better.
The Commissioner said the gesture, coming few months after the governor reconstructed the dilapidated main football and training pitches of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, will no doubt, serve as a further tonic in the teams’ performance.
“Recall that it was Governor Wike that gave new buses some years ago, and cleared outstanding salaries, bonuses, and allowances of the clubs. He has just approved another set of brand new and sophisticated buses for them.
“We must commend him for this magnanimity and show of support. His timely interventions have been our propelling force and I am glad the teams are living up to expectations,” Iyaye stated.
He charged the clubs to reciprocate the kind gesture by giving their best and fighting for all available titles within and outside Nigeria.
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor