Africa's Media Giant
By Olayinka Owolewa
Nigeria scored twice in the 1st half to beat the Black Stars of Ghana on Wednesday in London in an international friendly match tagged Unity Cup.
The Super Eagles will on Saturday play the Jamaican national team in the final of the tournament.
Cyril Dessers put the Super Eagles ahead in the 14th minute in a spectacular display sending the Nigerian fans at the GTech Community Stadium, venue of the match into frenzy.
Razak Simpson scored an own goal from a Semilore Ajayi’s effort in the 19th minute of play to double Nigeria’s advantage.
Brandon Thomas-Asante reduced the deficit for the Black Stars in the 70th minute in a half Ghanaians dominated. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Team Delta’s star swimmer, Dorcas Oka, has broken a 33-year-old national record in the women’s 100m freestyle event.
The previous record of 1:00.72 was set in 1992 by Ikaghoemi Joshua and had remained untouched until now.
Oka clocked a new time of 59.59 seconds at the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta.
The event took place at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena swimming pool during the ongoing NSF.
She also shattered the NSF record of 1:01.54 set by Bayelsa’s Ifiezibe Gabgbe in 2021.
Speaking on the sidelines, an elated Oka expressed her joy at achieving the feat.
“I’m very happy to break this long-standing record and contribute another gold medal to Team Delta,” she said.
Taiwo Oriss, Secretary General of the Nigeria Aquatic Federation (NAqF), hailed the performance and shared insights into recent progress.
He attributed swimming’s resurgence to a strategic plan developed by the federation and now yielding results.
“We approached things differently this time. That’s why swimming is getting more attention.
“We came in with a clear strategy, analysing our current state and goals for the sport.
“This is a key moment in our mission to revive swimming in Nigeria,” Oriss added.
He revealed that 2024 began with a plan to identify young swimming talents nationwide.
The NAqF launched a programme called ‘Swim for Life’, with participation from four northern states.
Later in the year, a national coaching course was held to address knowledge gaps among local coaches.
“We discovered many coaches lacked awareness of new rules and techniques.
“In some cases, coaching methods did not align with international best practices,” he said.
The federation then retrained over 40 coaches, equipping them with up-to-date knowledge.
Oriss also highlighted the impact of a recent tournament in unearthing new swimming talent.
The federation organised a National Junior Championship for swimmers aged eight to fourteen.
The event saw participation from over 14 states and attracted a large crowd.
“It helped us identify fresh talent and served as a national team selection platform.
“Some young swimmers even flew in from abroad and joined our development programme,” Oriss noted.
Reflecting on the 2024 NSF swimming event, he praised the rise of a new generation of athletes.
“This year’s festival is clearly different – fresh faces are now winning medals.
“The pendulum has swung toward new discoveries like Abduljabar Adama, Oka, and others,” he said.
Ahead of the Junior Championships in Egypt, a month-long training camp was organised.
“Swimmers said it was their first experience of a proper pre-competition camp,” Oriss noted.
Training camps were held in Lagos and London after school hours, accommodating secondary school swimmers.
“We have more development programmes planned and we won’t relent,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
By Peter Amine
Team Delta is cruising to overall victory on the official medals table of the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ogun with 226 medals.
Delta, which is in a clear lead of 33 other states on the medals, has won 92 gold, 59 silver and 75 bronze, bringing the state’s total medals to 226.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bayelsa continues the chase with 64 gold, 42 silver and 49 bronze medals, totalling 155.
Ogun, the host state, remains third with 53 gold, 44 silver and 52 bronze, with a total of 149 medals.
Meanwhile, Rivers returns to fourth position with 49 gold, 40 silver and 48 bronze, totalling 137 medals to displace Edo.
The table indicated that Edo is now fifth with 46 gold, 80 silver and 77 bronze, bringing the total number of medals to 203.
The table at the time of filing this report showed that a total of 1,438 medals have so far been won.
The NSF is a biennial multi-sport event organised by the Federal Government.
It brings together athletes from the 36 states and the FCT to compete in various sports, promoting national unity, sportsmanship, and excellence across Nigeria.
STATE TEAM GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
1. Delta 92 59 75 226
2. Bayelsa 64 42 49 155
3.Ogun 53 44 52 149
4.Rivers 49 40 48 137
5. Edo 46 80 77 203
6. Oyo 30 28 37 95
7. Lagos 22 27 56 105
8. Osun 13 2 6 21
9. Abia 10 10 27 47
10. FCT 9 8 13 30
11.Akwa Ibom 9 7 14 30
12.Plateau 8 9 19 36
13. Cross River 5 2 5 12
14.Kano 4 9 8 21
15. Kwara. 4 7 4 15
16. Imo 3 5 16 24
17.Kaduna 3 2 3 8
18.Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) 2 8 7 17
19.Ekiti 2 2 11 15
20.Katsina 2 1 1 4
21.Anambra 1 6 8 15
22.Ondo 1 4 6 11
23.Niger 1 4 2 7
24. Bauchi 1 2 1 4
25. Nasarawa 1 1 9 11
26. Enugu 0 7 5 12
27. Benue 0 4 9 13
28. Borno 0 3 1
29.Yobe 0 1 1 2
30. Taraba 0 1 0 1
31. Jigawa 0 0 4 4
32. Adamawa 0 0 1 1
33. Ebonyi. 0 0 1 1
34. Kebbi. 0 0 1 1
TOTAL 436 425 577 1,438 (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, has urged the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) to intensify efforts in fostering sports development in the country.
Olopade gave the charge on Tuesday in Abeokuta after a novelty match organised by SWAN for media professionals at the ongoing 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Gateway Games.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highly entertaining game at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena pitched the Northern sports journalists against their Southern counterparts.
The well attended symbolic football game was put together to promote unity and celebrate the vital role of sports journalism in national development.
Olopade who played the first half for the Southern team, switched to play for the Northern team in the second half in a show of unity and camaraderie.
The northern team eventually edged the tight contest 1-0, sealing the win with a slick team goal after the break.
The NSC DG, whose presence added colour and glamour to the game, said he was delighted to take part in what he described as a ‘very competitive’ novelty match.
“I had fun. Of all the novelty matches I’ve attended, this has been the most exciting. I witnessed a strong spirit of unity and togetherness among members,” he said.
Olopade used the occasion to rally sports journalists’ on the need to keep the spotlight on tournaments like the NSF and drive the narrative around sports development in Nigeria.
”Sports is life. It should not be relegated to the back pages or the end of news bulletins.
”Sports journalism is a vital pillar for the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry, and we will continue to partner with SWAN to harness the power of sports for national unity and development,” he said.
The DG in his usual supportive style gave match bonuses to the two teams, stressing the importance of physical fitness to productivity.
The SWAN President, Isaiah Benjamin, in his remarks, thanked the DG for the support and bringing innovation to the sports industry.
He assured that sports writers would continue to maintain professionalism and play vital roles in driving the growth of the sports industry.
NAN reports that the NSF, which started on May 16 will wrap up on Thursday with a highly anticipated closing and final medal presentation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Esenvosa Izah/Deborah Coker
By Peter Amine
Team Delta has extended its lead on the official medals table of the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ogun to 188 medals.
Delta, with a clear lead of the 29 other states on the medals, has so far won 78 gold, 46 silver and 64 bronze, bringing the state’s total medals to 188.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bayelsa continues the chase with 50 gold, 35 silver and 39 bronze medals, totalling 124.
Ogun, the host state, remains third with 42 gold, 29 silver and 41 bronze, with a total of 112 medals.
Meanwhile, Edo has amassed 40 gold, 72 silver and 64 bronze, totalling 176 medals to displace Rivers from the fourth position.
The table indicated that Rivers is now fifth with 40 gold, 34 silver and 38 bronze, bringing the number of medals to 112.
The table at the time of filing this report showed that a total of 1,191 medals have so far been won.
The NSF is a biennial multi-sport event organised by the Federal Government.
It brings together athletes from all 36 states and the FCT to compete in various sports, promoting national unity, sportsmanship, and excellence across Nigeria.
STATE TEAM GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
1. Delta 78 46 64 188
2. Bayelsa 50 35 39 124
3.Ogun 42 29 41 112
4.Edo 40 72 64 176
5.Rivers 40 34 38 112
6. Oyo 29 27 34 90
7. Lagos 18 24 44 86
8. Osun 13 2 5 20
9. Abia 10 9 25 44
10. FCT 9 7 10 26
11.Akwa Ibom 7 6 12 25
12.Plateau 6 6 18 30
13. Cross River 4 2 4 10
14.Imo. 3 5 13 21
15. Kwara. 3 5. 3. 11
16. Invited Junior Atheletes (IJA) 2 6 4 1217.Kaduna. 2 2 2 6
18.Ekiti 2 1 9 12
19.Kano 1 7 7 15
20.Anambra 1 6 8 15
21.Niger 1 4 2 7
22.Nasarawa 1 1 9 11
23.Bauchi 1 1 1 3
24. Enugu 0 7 3 10
25. Benue 0 3 9 12
26. Borno 0 3 1 4
27. Ondo 0 1 4 5
28. Taraba 0 1 0 1
29.Jigawa. 0 0 2 2
30. Kebbi. 0 0 1 1
TOTAL 363 352 476 1,191(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Multiple gold medallist at the National Sports Festival (NSF), Deborah Okpochini, has admitted to feeling nervous and doubtful before winning gold in the 1,500m swimming event.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okpochini, who set a 100m freestyle record of 1:03.05 at the 2018 NSF, added another gold to her haul.
She broke a 27-year-old record previously held by Ikaghoemi Joshua during that 2018 outing in Asaba.
In spite of the recent gold medal, Okpochini confessed to NAN that she doubted her ability before the race began.
“I never believed I could win the 1,500m swimming event. I was jittery, having placed third in my first two races.
“To the glory of God, I won. I was overwhelmed and asked myself, ‘Have you really won the gold medal?’
“I give all glory to God. I was nervous knowing swimmers from Ogun and Edo States came with foreign athletes, but it didn’t affect me eventually.
“Overall, it wasn’t a bad performance. I retained my top position in the 1,500m, which I’ve consistently won,” Okpochini added.
The national record holder admitted she was not fully prepared for the festival but had done some training.
“My preparation wasn’t enough, though I did train. Still, I’ve now been invited to the 10km Open Water Tournament.
“It’s a big challenge. The Technical Director has asked me to prepare my mind ahead of the event in Kenya later this year.
“I’ll return to training with greater intensity. I’m determined to make Nigeria proud,” she stated.
NAN reports that Okpochini also won silver in the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay, alongside Forcados Jonah, Clinton Opute, and Akiayefa Timipame-Ere. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Chairman of FCT Badminton Association, Mohammed Bappa has pledged to fast-track the growth of the sport in FCT through robust grassroots development tournaments.
He made the pledge on Saturday during the medals presentation at the ongoing 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ogun, where FCT won medals in Badminton and para badminton.
“I want to commend the FCT badminton players for their resilience, we have so far won gold in the para event and bronze in mixed double.
“We are still expecting more medals in different categories,” he said.
Bappa said that the FCT has been able to discover more talents that will be nurtured to stardom going forward.
“In this Games, we have discovered more talents and even in the FCT we have organised many programmes where all these young boys and girls will taken out of the streets to play badminton,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that plans has been concluded to begin the Area Councils Badminton Championship to consolidate on the achievements of the NSF and discover more budding talents.
“We have started preparations for the championship before the NSF, it was only the festival that slowed us down.
“After the NSF we are going to finalise plans for the area council game,” he added.
Bappa said that the association has written to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on the need to support sports, especially badminton, and was confident of getting favourable response. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
