Simon Karshe Cletus will captain Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in the West African Football Union WAFU Zone B Under 17 championship.
The Senior Secondary School SS1 student had made progress in his career, playing in various age grade grassroots football competitions before attaining national recognition.
Cetus’ seemingly fragile frame will be tested as he shoulders the weight of spearheading Nigeria’s quest to defend her regional under 17 title in Ghana.
Nigeria’s opening group B game is against Burkina Faso on Thursday 16 May 2024 while the championship kicks off later today between hosts Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
Tag: Nigerian Sports
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The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) will run live commentaries of upcoming Super 8 playoffs of the Nigeria National League NNL.
This was after FRCN entered into partnership with the NNL board to broadcast live the final phase of the country’s second tier competition slated for Enugu from 7 to 14 June 2024.
According to the NNL chairman Mr. George Aluo, the arrangement will offer Nigerians opportunity of following the games from the kick off to the finals even as he commended the largest Radio network in Africa for the deal.
Head of Sports and Outside Broadcast, FRCN, Mrs Grace Iliya and her team visited the NNL office to consummate the deal in the presence of Mr. Emmanuel Attah and Dr.Ayo Abdulrahaman, respectively the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officers of the League.
The Super 8 playoff is organised annually at the end of the regular season to determine the overall champions of tournament as well as produce teams that will gain promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football league(NPFL.)
The eight teams that qualified for the NNL promotional Playoff are Nasarawa United, Sporting Supreme of Abuja, Sokoto United and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.
Others are Beyond Limits FC of Ikenne , Madiba FC Lagos, Inter Lagos and Ikorodu City also of Lagos. -
Head Coach of Flamingoes Bankole Olowokere has called for massive home support this Saturday at the MKO Abiola National stadium Abuja as his girls aim to stroll past their Burkinabe opponents into the final qualifying round of FIFA U17 World Cup.
Coach Olowokere made the call in Abuja after the Nigerian team arrived from Mali where they played out a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso in the 1st leg of the African qualifying.
He said support of Nigerians based in Bamako helped put the Flamingos in the right spirit during the first leg.
“We appreciate the support of Nigerians for the Flamingos over the years, but we are calling specially for their support this weekend when we take on the Burkina Faso girls in the return leg of our qualifying fixture. The Flamingos will be ready to do the nation proud by winning to reach the last round of the qualification series,” Bankole appealed.
“I have the players to do the job. All we are asking for is support from the stands. Our objective is to not only win the ticket, but to go to the World Cup and surpass our last outing of third-place finish in India in 2022.”
Chidi Harmony scored for Nigeria in the 55th minute of the 1st leg but poor communication in the defence led to Burkina Faso equalizing with six minutes left through Rainata Oubda.
Victory over the Burkinabes will set the Flamingos up for the final qualifying fixture against the winner of the Senegal/Liberia fixture.
The Senegalese lead 3-1 going into the second leg in Monrovia this weekend.
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The Confederation of African Football CAF has confirmed there is no age falsification in the Nigeria team to the WAFU B U17 Championship starting in Accra, Ghana today.
This is after all 20 players of the Golden Eaglets passed the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI examination conducted by the continent’s apex football governing body yesterday.
The declaration of eligibility of all the players validates tests conducted on the Eaglets by the Nigeria Football Federation before the team’s departure.
This sets the tone for the country to have a full squad to defend the title she won last year, also in Ghana.
An ecstatic Head Coach Manu Garba said: “We are happy about the results. Having the whole squad to prosecute the tournament somewhat puts our minds at rest.
“The players have been responding to training. The weather is similar to what we experienced in Abuja before our departure. Our primary objective is to get one of the two tickets from here to the Africa U17 Cup of Nations. We will focus on the matches one at a time. For now, we are focused on our opening game against Burkina Faso on Thursday.”
The Eaglets begin their defence of the title when they confront their counterparts from Burkina Faso at the University Stadium on Thursday, 16th May with kickoff set for 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on Sunday, 19th May (6pm Ghana, 7pm Nigeria) and Togo on Wednesday, 22nd May (4pm Ghana, 5pm Nigeria).
The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium. -
Aruna Quadri has reclaimed the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF Africa Cup title after losing three previous consecutive finals.
The Nigerian ping ponger outclassed Egypt’s Mohamed EL Beiali 4-0 in the final of 2024 edition today in Kigali, Rwanda.
Speaking after his triumph, Quadri referenced his humble begining which he said fired him up in the Kigali event.
“I never gave up on my dream, it doesn’t matter where you come from, I came from a small place in Oyo state in Nigeria, and it was really difficult growing up, I just want to tell them that something great is very possible to happen in every individual,” Aruna explained.
This is Quadri’s first Africa Cup title since 2017 having lost in 3 consecutive finals, while Mohamed EL Beiali vied for his maiden singles crown.
ITTF Africa Cup is one of the continent’s most prestigious table tennis competitions, second only to the African Championships. -
Eighteen teams from the Savannah and Atlantic conferences will contest this year’s Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF Premier League for men.
In a release today the NBBF said the league will run in three stages, starting with the Conference Play-Off, then the Second Round Play-Off, with the Final Four concluding the competition.
In the Playoffs, which is the first phase, the teams within each conference shall play each other home and away (16 games per
team in the regular season).
Each team will have 2 specific venues designated for home and away matches.
And to give the players ample time to rest and restrategize, matches shall be scheduled in such a way that when one conference is playing, the other is resting, and vice versa.
This ensures efficient use of facilities, optimal game scheduling, and nationwide follow-up of the league.
The Top 4 clubs from each conference shall advance to the Second Round playoffs while the bottom 4 sides from each conference shall play each other to determine which team will be relegated to the TotalEnergies Division 1.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), says the League’s format is one of the numerous efforts to improve the standard of the game in Nigeria and develope a structure aimed at improving competitiveness.
“This format has clear pathways for teams to advance, while maintaining excitement and interest throughout the League Season. It will also provide a comprehensive framework for the entire competition and a structured format that further enhances security by minimizing travel between venues, thus ensuring the safety of players, and reducing logistical challenges,” NBBF scribe Peter Njoku.
The NBBF scribe went on to state that, “This approach will also promote cost-effectiveness for teams, optimizing resources and creating a more sustainable league environment.”
The Nigeria Basketball governing body has equally initiated as well as introduced other requirements that will enable all Premier League Clubs establish a solid foundation for success both on and off the court, while also enhancing their professionalism and appeal within the league and the wider community.Date for the start of the 2024 Premier League as well as the venues to be used during the season shall be made public by the NBBF very soon.
Rivers Hoopers of Port Harcourt are the defending champions of the NBBF Premier League.
Final Four Structure:
The Top 2 teams from the Second-Round Play-Off shall advance to the National Final Four.
The Final Four shall be played on a league basis where each team plays against the other.
The League Winner:
The team that finished top during the Final Four standings is declared the league winner and will represent Nigeria in the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Clubs in the Premier League:
SAVANNAH CONFERENCE
1. Nigeria Customs Basketball of Abuja
2. Nile University Basketball Club of Abuja
3. Kano Pillars Basketball Club of Kano
4. Bauchi Nets Basketball of Bauchi
5. Plateau Peaks Basketball Club of Jos
6. Gboko City Chiefs’ Basketball Club of Gboko
7. Gombe Bulls Basketball Club of Gombe
8. Correctional Basketball Club of Abuja
ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
1. Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club of Port-harcourt
2. Lagos Legends Basketball Club of Lagos
3. Police Batons Basketball Club of Lagos
4. Delta Force Basketball Club of Asaba
5. Kwara Falcons Basketball Club of Ilorin
6. Comets Basketball Club of Lagos
7. Hoops & Reads Basketball Club of Lagos
8. Oluyole Warriors Basketball Club of Ibadan -
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are making sure no stone is left unturned in their quest to retain their West Africa Football Union WAFU Zone B Under 17 crown.
To keep abreast of the game’s rules and regulations, the Eaglets attended a lecture on the laws of football in Ghana.
Confederation of African Football CAF instructor and NFF member Dr Mohammed Ameenu lectured the players and officials on key aspects of the law.
After the class, the Eaglets took to the pitch for training, where the players put in a lot of hard work for possible staring slots on the Nigerian team.
The session attracted the presence of former Ghana international John Paintsil whose academy trains on the same pitch.
Paintsil commended the Nigerian squad for their professionalism, wishing them the best of outing in the youth football tournament.
The Eaglets will train again today at 4pm.
With qualification for next year’s Africa Under 17 Cup of Nations at stake, the Golden Eaglets will begin the defence of their title against a Burkinabe opposition at the University Stadium on Thursday, 16th May with kickoff set for 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on Sunday, 19th May (6pm Ghana, 7pm Nigeria) and Togo on Wednesday, 22nd May (4pm Ghana, 5pm Nigeria).
The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium. -
The awards are coming thick and fast for Africa’s safest pair of hands and Super Falcons’ undisputed number one goalie Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The 23 year old keeper was recognised yesterday for her sterling qualities in goal for French side Paris FC after she scooped THE NATIONAL UNION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS keeper of the year 2024 award.
Nnadozie also made the All Star team for 2024 in the D1 Arkema – France’s elite women football league.
The 2024 Olympic bound keeper took to her X account to express joy at the turn of events in her career.https://twitter.com/Nadoziechiamaka/status/1790339410677927993?s=19
“l’m incredibly grateful and humbled by this award. @tropheesunfp thank you for recognizing my efforts @paristc_feminines, the president, the entire team staff, the fans and my wonderful teammates.Your belief in me and my work is a tremendous source of motivation,” she penned.
A recent highlight video where Nnadozie showed excellent reflex saves against PSG Women has been trending online with a deluge of comments heaping praises on the current Africa Goalkeeper of The Year.
She won the player of the game in the PSG game despite her team losing the playoffs 4-5 via penalties after 2-2 in normal time.
Paris will be in action next Friday for a chance to secure a slot in next season’s European football.
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Seun Ogunsakin’s impressive outing in J30 tennis championship in Tunisia has continued to bode well for the Nigerian prodigy.
His championship winning effort in Tunisia at the weekend has translated into a 100 spot climb in the latest Junior ITF rankings released yesterday.
The former African no. 1 U-14 player won the J30 tournament in Tunisia without dropping a set, adding it to the two he previously won in Abuja early this year.
According to the latest ranking, the 15 year old Ogunsakin is now 510th in the world, moving astronomically from the 611th spot he occupied prior to the commencement of the Tunisian tournament.
This new ranking is also the highest the Tunisia-based youngster has ever attained since he started playing ITF competitions a few years ago.
He now occupies 24th in the log of African players in the ITF rankings and is closing the gap on Daniel Adeleye, Nigeria’s highest ranked junior tennis player, who is currently ranked 332nd in the world.
Meanwhile, Ohunene Yakubu dropped 7 spots in the recent rankings after failing to reach the final of the J30 event recently held in Tunisia.
She currently sits as the 581st ranked junior player in the world and among the top 30 on the African continent as she continues with her tennis development at the ITF High Performance Centre in Tunisia. -
Giants of Africa, GOA, the non-profit organization co-founded by NBA side Toronto Raptors’ president, Masai Ujiri, returned to Lagos, Nigeria to host a youth basketball clinic at Ilupeju Grammar School where they unveiled a basketball court in 2021.
The clinic welcomed Prince Harry and Meghan, respectively The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who shared remarks with the youth and participated in on-court activities.
Through their their non-profit organization, the Archewell Foundation, the British Royal Family made a commitment to donate to GOA by supporting the construction of a new basketball court in Abuja, Nigeria.
This contribution bolsters GOA’s ambitious initiative, ‘Built Within,’ a multi-year, 100-court investment in sports infrastructure across Africa.
“We are grateful to be joined by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at this basketball clinic here in Lagos,” said Masai Ujiri.
“Basketball has the power to unite communities and inspire young people to reach their full potential. Teaming up with the Archewell Foundation, we look forward to creating experiences for young people, empowering them to become leaders, while also fostering pathways to opportunity and hope.”
The basketball clinic participants included boys and girls from Ilupeju Grammar school, along with wheelchair basketball athletes from the Spinabifida and Hydrocephalus Association in Nigeria.
Indigenous Giants of Africa coaches, and Team Nigeria Paralympian and GOA board member, Dennis Ogbe, led the young athletes through activities that not only focused on athletic skill development but also emphasized the importance of inclusivity, teamwork, perseverance, and community engagement.
Prince Harry said “What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing. The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together and creates community.”
Megan, The Duchess of Sussex added, “We are thrilled to be here. I lived in Toronto for seven years and that was the first time I’d heard of Giants of Africa – talk about full circle– never did I think we would be able to be here all those years later supporting the expansion of this incredible organization, through our foundation, the Archewell Foundation. We’re so grateful and proud of all the work that you’re doing.”
The Giants of Africa basketball court in Nigeria, sponsored by the Archewell Foundation and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will serve as a testament to the power of sports in transforming lives and communities.
woramangra 