Sports
The Nigeria Team Boycott Everything You Need To Know So Far
2020 has been a strange year for everyone as a majority of our lives have been put on hold as a result of the pandemic. However, with the return of sport well and truly underway across the globe, it is the Nigerian team that has been in the news regarding their frustrations with the NFF and the government. In this article, we will be providing you with insight into the Nigerian Team and the potential Boycott of their upcoming games.
A Proposed Boycott From The Nationals Team Before Away Fixture
The country of Africa has seen a huge amount of disruption within their government as well as several other pressing issues such as the ending Sars movement and the dealing of the Covid-19 pandemic this has led to a vast amount of disruption at this time. The first boycott that we have seen with the Nigerian football team is the African Nations Cup Finals in 2011. This was one of the many events at this time that kickstarted the beginning of change and conversation surrounding the current government in South Africa at the time.
The reason for pulling out of the competition at that time was down the level of security that they would be met with. Not only were the team concerned, but the nigeran ruler Sani Abacha was one of the many people that said Nigeria was not allowed to take part in the sporting event. This caused an issue for the popularity of the Nigerian team at this time as the Confederation of African Football threatened the Nigerian National team with a six-month ban from the championships as a result of pulling out of the major sporting competition.
The Argument Over 18 Months Of Bonuses And Allowances
Since then, there have been some changes to the way that the Nigerian nationals’ team have been treated, however, there are still substantial changes that need to be made for them to feel appreciated and continue to play without a national boycott. One of the sticking points is of course the issue of pay. With a total of 18-months’ worth of allowances, pay and bonuses still yet to be paid, this has been a huge sticking point for the team. With a national boycott looming there are many wondering how much disruption this will cause to the cup as the Nigerian team are one of the most popular set to compete. Without them participating, this can have a significant impact on sports betting in the country as this is an industry that is already suffering losses as a result of the Pandemic with many betting websites concerned about whether or not they will be able to take bets for the national team moving forward. Which is another area of concern for the government that adds up to the taxation issues that SBO mentions for example. And, finally, this has also left the Nigerian Football Federation scrambling to make sure that all of these issues are ironed out so that the team can get back on track to play in their upcoming tournaments.
Tensions Between The Government And The NFF
With a long-standing history of corruption within the government of large parts of Africa, there have always been tensions when it comes to finances. With funding coming directly from the government there have been issues surrounding the payment of not only the players but the staff themselves. However, with the pandemic still sweeping across the world, there are many wondering whether the league may be in trouble as the government continues to have their own financial issues during this time of ongoing uncertainty.
In addition to this, the ongoing issue surrounding the ending of Sars in Africa has been another huge issue for those living there. With the issue reaching ahead this year, many superstar athletes from across the globe have called out Sars for their treatment of the Nigerian people and have called for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to be disbanded due to the gross misconduct in the country. One of the superstars that have been the most outspoken at this time is John Ogu who has called on the Nigerian team to boycott the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations away fixtures.
The Future Of Football In Nigeria
Though there have been several steps in the right direction when it comes to the future of Football in Africa and their own leagues, there is still a long way to go when it comes to the payment of players and the treatment of staff in order for it to be as successful as major sporting leagues from the UK and other parts of the world.
Whether you have been following the league for a long time now and placed your bets on it or you are new to the world of Football, there is plenty to look forward to with the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.