Sports
Edo FA Holds Elective Congress
As the political storm and related hullabaloo that have since crippled the electoral process in the Edo State Football Association have already been laid to rest by the fact-finding mission of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), it is now certain that the political process will surely run to its conclusion and enthrone new leadership for the heartbeat FA board.
The long-awaited Edo FA Elective Congress has been scheduled for Friday, November 17,2023 in accordance with the decisions and agreement reached during the conflict resolution meeting with the NFf delegates on Monday.
In the notice for the election signed by the new Edo FA, secretary Andrew Ohwifo on Wednesday November 15,2023, the election is scheduled to hold at the Nigeria Air Force Base, Airport Road, Benin City.Time is 11AM.
Participants expected in the process include delegates elected from the (18) Local Goverment Football Councils, and the Statutory delegates from the Referee Association ( Edo Referee council) , Nigeria coaches Association ( Edo state chapter), Premier League representatives ( Bendel Insurance Fc), Nigeria Women Football League ( Edo Queens Fc), Nigeria Women Amateur League ( Fortress Ladies FC), Nation-wide League NLO( Rolly FC). The aforementioned delegates are to decide who leads the new Executive Board of the Edo State Football Association on Friday in Benin City.
The five candidates duly screened and cleared for the chairmanship position are Fred Newton Erhunmwunse, Engr Emmanuel Edekin Imiere, Johnbull Edosomwan, Egbon Victor and Benjamin Owerei.
Kindness Ohiowele,a serving member of the EFA board is the only candidate for the position of the vice chairman and will be returned unopposed.
Seven candidates are contesting for membership positions, which include three current board members. They are Amadin Stephen, Charles Olubayo, Faith Ojeaga. Others are Mike Uhuanmwangho, Mikhail Osakpomwan Igbinovia, Kennedy Ugbodaga, and former board member Paul Ojeisekhoba.
Recall that a high powered three man delegation was sent to Benin City on Monday by the NFF to look into the issues in the Edo FA Elections process.
The NFF fact finding team led by the Vice-President of the Federation Felix Anyansi Agwu, with Alhaji Babagana Kali and Ali Abubakar as members did justice to the issues after a peaceful deliberation with the outgoing Edo FA Board Dr Moses Aghedo in attendance with some other stakeholders of the game in the state, including four championship candidates, local FA chairmen and statutory delegates.
The Anyansi led NFf delegation after their findings, affirmed the major decisions so far taken by the outgoing board,paving the way for the continuation of the electoral process that has suffered several postponements.
Meanwhile,the outgoing Edo FA chairman Dr Aghedo Moses has expressed gratitude to Edo state Government, the Nigeria Football Federation( NFF)and all Edo Football lovers
for their intervention in ensuring restoration of normalcy and peace to the Edo state football family.
“I can’t wait to handover to the new Board of the Edo FA.” Dr Aghedo reacted why speaking with the Observer sports.
While assuring all the contestants of a level playing ground and a hitch free exercise, Dr Aghedo urged all the candidates and other stakeholders to cooperate with the Electoral and Appeal committees headed by SP Saturday Okao (rtd) and Mr Osamudiamen Osagiede respectively to enable them complete the process on Friday.
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.