Sports

Ekiti Athletes Lament N15,600 NSF Allowance

Published

6 years ago

January 7, 2019

Ekiti State athletes have expressed their unhappiness with the Ekiti State Sports Council over the N15,600 allowance paid to them by the council for their participation in last month’s Abuja 2018 National Sports Festival.
The state finished 31st at the festival with two silver and four bronze medals. National junior table tennis champion Esther Oribamise led the state to win bronze in the women’s team and women’s doubles events in Abuja.
Oribamise said she rejected the N15,600 because the council agreed to pay her N100,000 for the competition.
The Ekiti State University student lamented that the state failed in their promise to her despite not giving her and her teammates the best preparations for the Games.
She said the state’s athletes were paid N15,600 each after their arrival in Ekiti from the festival, which she rejected.
Other athletes, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were unhappy with the way they were treated by the state but only collected the money because they had no option. Oribamise said, “Before the festival, I was approached by Rivers State to compete for them and we agreed that I would be paid N80,000 monthly for a year. Unfortunately, some officials of the Ekiti State Sports Council learnt of the proposal and urged me to drop the idea and stay with the state at the festival.
“I refused because since I first represented Ekiti in the festival at Eko 2012, I had been neglected by the state. Medal winners at the Eko festival were promised employment by the state government. Fortunately for me, I won bronze in the team event but while the other medallists were employed, I was told after Eko 2012 that I could not be given employment because I was too young – I was 12 years at the time.
“I pleaded with them to convert the employment to scholarship but no one listened to me and I was left alone until I secured admission into the Ekiti State University and the Vice-Chancellor gave me a scholarship.”
The former African junior champion added, “So when they came this year, I refused to represent Ekiti but the officials threatened me, my coach and my parents that my scholarship at the university would be withdrawn if I went to another state. After much plea and threats, I agreed to play for Ekiti but I told them that I would be paid N100,000 for participating and the officials agreed.
“What we went through before and during the festival are indescribable but we came back with some medals. When we reached Ekiti, each athlete was given N15,600, which I refused. I have told them to pay me the agreed N100,000 but no one is attending to me again. “Ekiti has been unfair to athletes and they want us to remain faithful to the state after neglecting us.” Another athlete, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “What we experienced at the festival was not encouraging. Although we weren’t camped while preparing for the event, which was why we didn’t get any allowance, we still prepared, spent our money and time. All we got for being among the few that participated in the festival was N15,600.
“Nobody was happy with it, but we collected it due to our economic situation. The poor treatment was the reason for the dismal performance of Ekiti State in the competition. We could have won at least six gold medals. I do not blame those who did not win. How could anyone have won under that condition?
“Many of us trained, but only a few were selected to participate. Some went to the event on their own, some coaches volunteered their allowances, some athletes, who sponsored themselves, were told not to expect any allowance”.

City Crime

‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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”.

Sports

Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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.

Sports

Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

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”.