Sports
‘Lack Of Tournaments, Good Administrators, Affecting Boxing’
Boxing used to be the most popular sport in Nigeria in the 1980s but completely disappeared from view until the beginning of the 2000s.
At the Africa Youth Games (AYG) in Algeria during the year under review, the boxers won six medals for the country.
However, at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, a team made up of five male and four female boxers only managed to win two bronze medals – Yetunde Odunuga in the 60kg category and Millicent Agboegbulem in the 75kg category.
Sports loving Nigerians, especially boxing followers had predicted two gold medals but we got two bronze medals.
What this shows is that things can be done better to prepare our athletes for these games.
These results also highlight that Nigeria is gradually losing its prominence in short sprints.
Meanwhile at the local level, the monthly GOtv Boxing Night continues to bring joy and happiness to the lovers of the game with regular boxing bouts, which has helped, in discovering some hidden talents.
Former Africa champion, and ex-Olympian, Jeremiah Okorodudu heaped the blame of the ‘not-too-impressive’ outing of the sport to the attitude of our administrators at the Sports Ministry and called for better organization in terms of appointment of the right administrators in running the affairs of the sport in the country.
“The problem facing our boxers will continue until we do the right thing which is putting the right pegs in the right holes.
“The boxers are there for us to develop but if the people at the helms of affairs are not interested in the sport, there is little or nothing we can do for its development,” Okorodudu said.
Okorodudu, however, praised the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) under the leadership of Dr. Raifu Ladipo and secretary, Remi Aboderin for their efforts in developing the sport.
“They should not rest on their oars, though, they have done so well but they should keep up the good work and take the sport to greater heights.
“Boxing should be returned to the good old days where our boxers rule the continent and a force to reckon with in the world.
“I have said it severally that with good administrators, our boxers would be world beaters”, added Okorodudu.
In an effort to make progress in the sport, the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF) have begun plans to introduce a National Boxing League (NBL) with priority given to female boxers
The pledge was made during the full council of the NBF in the year under review with stakeholders in attendance who reviewed the previous year, the challenges, plans and aspirations of the federation.
The meeting, which was presided by the President, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, praised the special contribution of female boxers.
These earned a special commendation and plan to consolidate the feats in international championships. The commendation also reached the coaches and athletes who represented Nigeria at the AYG in Algeria.
The structure of the NBL shows that the male league would be the test case whereby the female sector of the league would be introduced later.
The full council thereby appealed to corporate Nigeria and the Federal Government to re-intensify their funding to the sport stating that the NBF is in a better shape to bring bigger and better honours to the nation in international sport considering the quality of young talents spotted during the National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Abuja.
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”.
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.
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”.
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