Sports
Preparation Begins For 2019 Nigeria Ladies Golf Open
Organisers of the 2019 Nigeria Ladies Golf Open Championship, scheduled for the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja, have began activities aimed at a successful hosting of the event.
Kayode Adeniyi, Chairman of the event’s Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja disclosed that preparations have began with visits to and interactions with key stakeholders.
“The President, Ladies Golf Association Of Nigeria (LGAN), Ekanem Ekwueme, led some members of the committee on a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba, as part of the awareness campaign to herald the annual event.
“Ekwueme told the Minister that players from more than 10 African countries have indicated their interest to participate in the championship which was won last year by Eva Magala of Uganda at the Ibom Resort Golf Club in Uyo, Akwa Ibom,” he said.
Tidesports source reports that the tournament is scheduled to hold next month in Abuja.
Adeniyi quoted Ekwueme as saying the tournament was important to lady golfers because it has the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), “being an event where any lady golfer who participated and earned a good score will be ranked internationally”.
Ekwueme had said members of the IBB International Golf and Country Club were not only prepared to host but to take the competition’s main trophy from the Ugandan.
“They want to dethrone Eva Magala. Some of the best Nigerian Ladies will equally take part in the three-day event, and I am sure they will also want to make Nigeria proud,” she was quoted as saying.
The LGAN President solicited Agba’s support in making the event a memorable one for foreign players, “so that they will attend and return home with so many good things about Nigeria”.
She however urged the minister to begin to play golf, pointing out that the game is for both the young and elderly.
While responding, Agba had thanked the LGAN members for their efforts in promoting the game of golf among Nigerian women.
He urged them to always think of their country Nigeria first in whatever activities they are doing.
“The present government’s commitment to the development of the Nigerian people in every capacity is unparallel.
“In that regard, your country should always come first in all you do, as a way of giving back to your country too.”
The minister then promised to support the LGAN towards achieving its members’ desire before, during and after the tournament.
Heartland Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke has praised his players for not losing focus at the crucial moment in Sunday’s 2-1 home win over Shooting Stars in a NPFL Matchday 24 fixture in Owerri.
The Naze Millionaires defeated the Oluyole Warriors through Chukwuma Agor and John Bassey goals in the 31st and 88th minutes with Mustapha Adam’s 80th minute spot kick a mere consolation for the visitors.
Amuneke while speaking to journalists shortly after the encounter, said his boys showed the zeal and determination to seal the three points and that despite the shenanigans of the centre referee, Kolawole Emmanuel, the boys were never troubled.l
“We were eager to get the three points and we were aware Shooting Stars are a good side and won’t allow us to have our way easily,” Amuneke told journalists in Owerri.
“We planned for them and almost throughout the entire game, they were never a threat to our team. We were able to control the game from the beginning. It was unfortunate how the game ended. We were just focussed on the three points and we are thrilled we got it. It was a very good game from both sides but we subjected them to constant pressure almost throughout the game.”
While he was asked if he believed his boys could finish the season impressively, Amuneke was evasive but noted that he and his players would continue to work harder.
“Everything in line is possible but we know that nothing happens without hard work. We will continue to work harder and continue to see how we can grow as a team. We have a lot of young players in the team. Some of them just got their topflight breakthrough.
“We didn’t lose focus at the time of the controversies. We continued to do the same thing we have been doing and taking the game to them.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, turned the sod of the new Olympic-standard 25,000-capacity Bayelsa Stadium project at Igbogene, Yenagoa, as part of the activities marking the fifth anniversary of the Senator Douye Diri administration.
The former Nigerian leader performed the ground-breaking ceremony as Governor Diri restated his appeal to the federal government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), oil firms operating in the state and the private sector to join hands with his administration to develop sporting talents.
The Federal Government through the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) equally thumped up Governor Diri for initiating the project.
Dr. Jonathan expressed delight over the project, saying as a Bayelsan, he was duty bound to celebrate with the state government for the progress so far achieved.
He lauded Diri’s developmental strides, urging him not to rest on his laurels and that the contractor and the state government should ensure the project met the highest standards.
Jonathan also called on the state and federal governments to set up a sports fund to cater for sportsmen after their active days and encourage younger ones to be involved in sports.
He said: “This is my state and I have to celebrate with the government for the progress so far made. This is an iconic project that will develop the state. Please do not rest on your laurels as we want this stadium to meet the best standards.
“I am happy with the presence of relevant federal government officials. I hope they will guide the state well and support where necessary.
“As a country, we must have a fund to care for sportsmen. The federal and state government can think about it so that the younger generation will be interested in sports.
“I am happy that you gave a target of 24 months and I hope that by that time I will escort President Tinubu to Bayelsa to inaugurate it.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has condoled the family of former Nigeria international midfielder, Ayo Ogunlana, who died in Kaduna on Friday after observing his early-morning walk.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, showered tributes on the departed midfield pearl, who was a star attraction during a number of important Nigeria FA Cup battles in the 1980s and held sway in the middle for the Super Eagles in the late 1980s, and at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria.
“We are very sad to learn of the sudden passing of Ayo Ogunlana, only a couple of weeks after the demise of another former Eagle, Moses Effiong (a member of the 1980 AFCON-winning Green Eagles squad, in far-away USA). Ogunlana was a great midfielder who made playing football look so easy with his majestic touches and turns, and his magnificent free-kicks.
“We pray that the Almighty will grant both of them eternal rest and grant the families they have left behind the fortitude to bear the losses.”
Ogunlana was magisterial in the midfield as Nigeria overhauled Guinea and Zimbabwe to qualify for the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, and was imperial against Cameroon in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan that the Super Eagles won with an emphatic 2-0. He also played in the 1990 ECOWAS Cup competition that Nigeria hosted in Kaduna.