Sports
Parents Hail Sports Summer Camp In Lagos
The third phase of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp ended yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with parents relishing the experience enjoyed by their wards during seven days camping, which afforded them prospects of learning sports and skills of their choice.
The camp is a centre for children between ages nine and 14 to learn sports and other skills during the long vacation while still facing their education. It is organised by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s office and facilitated by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).
Tidesports source gathered that at the third phase in Surulere, sports learnt included taekwondo, table tennis, basketball among others and the skills taught were art and craft, tie and makeup, hairdressing, hat making, how to make power bank and power bank battery among others.
A parent, Mr. Kasumu Isiaka Oladipo, who spoke on the camp, thanked the governor for the initiative.
“I monitored live all the activities that took place at the summer camp on the Lagos State government’s website.
“There I watched how the children were taught how to make power bank among others skills and also the basics of martial art and some other sporting activities. I want to say that I am impressed with what I saw.
“I think the state has done well for this noble idea and I want to say thank you to Governor Sanwo-Olu for approving it. Also, I want to thank the Lagos State Sports Commission for their effort in making sure that it was well organised,” he said.
To another parent, Mrs. Omolara Ogunowo, she said she knows that the lives of some of the children, including her child, would never be the same again.
“I am very happy that my child was among the campers at this year’s Lagos Sports Summer Camp. By taking part in this summer camp, I am sure my son is going back home a very different person after what learnt here. And I also know that many of the children here would have learnt how to be self independent without their parents being around them,” Ogunowo said.
Some of the children at the Surulerecentre also shared their experience with Newsmen during the week, while also expressing their delights over what they were taught and the impact it will have on them.
To Jimoh Esther from lkorodu, she said the seven days camping afforded her to learn how to be self-independent. “I want to say that I have learnt a skill that will make me a self independent child with less dependence on my parents. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be among the participants at this very educative and informative gathering”.
An excited Salami Halima Ayomide from Ketu-Epe spoke on how she will be going home a very different person because of the skills she was taught in hat making and power bank.
“I would have missed what I have learnt here if not that I was here at the camp. I was also exposed to taekwondo, which has boosted my interest in sport now. For all of these, I want to say thank you to the Lagos State government for this opportunity.
Also one of the campers, Abang Henry Odey from Ajegunle said he enjoyed all the activities such as live skills, movie night and dancing competitions he was exposed to during the camping, saying, “I want to say I enjoyed every bit of the activities offered us at the Surulerecentre of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp in Teslim Balogun”.
Meanwhile on her role, one of the facilitators, Johanna Adeyileka, who spoke with the children on etiquette and morals, said the summer camp initiative was a noble one that will help mold the character of the children.
“What I discussed with the children where morals and etiquette and how to respect each other; being responsible for their own action and to respect themselves which is a very important aspect for them being in the society.
“We spoke about what they should and shouldn’t do. What etiquette is and not and the children responded so well. I also spoke to them about respecting one another, not being rude, to be clean and tidy and observe hygiene at all times,” she stated.
It will be recalled that the second edition of the Lagos Sports Summer began with the first phase in Badagry, while the second phase was held in Ikorodu before the third phase, which ended yesterday in Surulere at the TeslimBalogun Stadium.
All the end of three-phase camping, children were kitted, given certificate of participation, souvenirs and some other gift items.
Sports
CAF Postpones CHAN To August
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled for February 1, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, to August 2025.
The decision followed recommendations from CAF’s technical and infrastructure experts, who reported that more time is needed to bring the facilities in the host nations up to the required standards for a successful tournament.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, in a statement on yesterday, January 14, 2025, expressed appreciation to the presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for their support.
He emphasised that the postponement is intended to ensure adequate planning and infrastructure readiness for the competition.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to President William Ruto of Kenya, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for their leadership, commitment and the good progress that has been made in building and upgrading the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for hosting a successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024.
“I am impressed with the ongoing construction and renovations of the football infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. I am confident that the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities will be at the requisite CAF standards for hosting, in August 2025, a very successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (“CHAN”) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024″, he said.
However, the exact date for the completion was not disclosed but the CHAN 2024 Draw is scheduled for Wednesday 15 January, 2025 at the iconic Kenyatta International Conventional Centre, Nairobi.
Sports
Chelle Sure To Qualify For 2026 W’Cup
New Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has expressed his desire to lead Nigeria to the ‘pinnacle of world football’ starting with the ticket to the 2026 World Cup as he takes the reign of the three-time African champions.
Chelle was unveiled on Monday at a brief ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja by the Nigeria Football Federation, one week after his announcement as the 37th coach of the Super Eagles.
He was handed a two-year deal with an option to extend if he gets the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket.
Since his appointment last week, the NFF has constantly hammered the coach’s task of leading Nigeria to the tournament which will be played in the USA, Canada and Mexico despite the precarious situation of the Eagles in the qualifying series.
After four rounds of matches in the series, Nigeria are fifth in Group C with just three points having only drawn three and lost one.
To avert the danger of missing out on a consecutive FIFA World Cup, the Eagles must win all their six remaining matches in the group or even hope for favourable results in other ties – a task Chelle fronted at his unveiling.
Asked if he would take responsibility at the end of the qualifying campaign, the ex-Mali coach said, “If you want to be a great coach, you need to take some risks, you need to make some sacrifices.
“I want to be in the history. The first thing, I need to talk to the players. I will be a big brother. It is my prayer that we are going to the World Cup.
“I want to thank my agent, the NFF, the NSC and indeed all Nigerians for this big opportunity. Coaching the Super Eagles of Nigeria is an amazing job; I do not take this appointment for granted. I am elated and will do my utmost best.”
For most of the reactions that have trailed his appointment, the rallying point was his enterprising and attacking style with the Mali national team at the AFCON, which he emphasised he would be bringing to Nigeria.
“Football is about scoring goals, so I favour an attacking style. I know the expectations of Nigerians and I will settle down and work diligently with assistants towards the goal of qualifying the Super Eagles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
The 47-year-old also relished his long-time dream of getting the Super Eagles job, having been a fan of the Nigerian national team in his boyhood.
“Nigeria’s team is more than a team. When I was young, this was my favourite team. I owned a shirt; I watched all the games at the World Cup in France. I was in Marseille and it was my team.
“From this very moment, I am already hard at work. My goal is clear: to restore the Super Eagles to the pinnacle of world football, where they truly belong. This will require hard work, discipline, and a strategy that is both ambitious and realistic. I will rely on the exceptional talent of our players, whether they play at home or abroad, and build a team that reflects the unity, strength, and excellence of Nigeria,” the coach added in a social media post.
Chelle, who took Mali’s Aiglons within breathing distance of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, left his job at top Algerian side MC Oran – 1989 African Champions’ Cup finalists – to team up with the Super Eagles.
Sports
Gokana Chairmanship Cup Symbol Of Unity Peace – Chairman
Gokana Local Government Council, Chairman Hon. Monday Dumiye has said that 2024 Gokana Chairmanship Cup symbolises unity, peace and love for Gokana people.
Hon. Dumiye said this during the grand finale of the 2024 Gokana Chairmanship cup titled “Unity Cup” as the fourth edition of the Chairmanship Cup ended last Saturday at Kpor, the council headquarters.
He expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara for his tremendous support, most especially the peace Rivers people are enjoying including Gokana LGA.
He also applauded members of the local organising committee of the tournament and all those that contributed towards the success of the championship.
He hinted the huge crowd witnessed during the tournament shows peace has come to stay in Gokana,saying that it has been his intention to ensure that there is peace ,unity and togetherness among the people.
” Without peace we all know that there will be no meaningful development. I want to say that it is the first of its kind in the annals of the people to use the instrumentality of sports to develop talented Gokana youths.
“The mamoth crowd you are seeing here today shows our people have embraced peace. This is exactly what we intend to achieve uniting our people through sports.
On his part, former Super Eagles player and current coach of Rivers United, Finidi George, commended the Gokana Chairman for organising such a wonderful tournament for the youth.
He advised the chairman to form a formidable team from the tournament, admitting the unprecedented crowd that witnessed the championship shows that the chairman is on the right direction.
The Leader of the Simplified in Gokana, Hon. Friday Beema thanked the Chairman for his zeal to develop Gokana.
He also commended the Rivers Governor forgiving them well focused Chairman who reason like him.
The leader called on the people of the area to support Governor Fubara for the development of Gokana.
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