ubamobile

27
Tue, Oct

President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) has approved the concession of the National Stadium in Lagos.

According to Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to Honourable Minister for Sports, Julius Ogunro, the approval was granted last week.

With the approval, the Honourable Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi will constitute the Project Steering Committee and the Project Delivery Committee, which will liaise with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to draw up modalities for the concessioning.

The Federal Executive Council set up a committee in September 2012 to look into the mode of maintenance of federal stadia and to develop a sustainable funding framework for sports in general.

That committee in turn set up a technical sub-committee, which would in collaboration with the Bureau of Public and Enterprise (BPE) and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), recommend the most viable option for the maintenance of the six federal stadia.

The Technical Sub-Committee recommended the involvement of private sector participation in the management and operations of the stadia with concessioning as the preferred and most sustainable approach. It also recommended that the concession of the federal stadia should start with Nation al Stadium, Lagos.

Ogunro also confirmed that further announcements concerning the commencement of the process would be made soon.

Legendary Former AC Milan midfielder, Clarence Seedorf has announced his retirement from his lengthy playing career in order to assume the vacant coaching role at the San Siro side he served for a decade.

The Dutch veteran made more than 400 appearances over an impressive10 years with Milan, winning two Serie A and two UEFA Champions League titles. The 37-teay-old is expected to be named the new coach any moment, following Sunday’s sack of Massimiliano Allegri in the wake of a humbling 4-3 defeat to lowly Sassuolo.

 “I am here to announce that I will retire from playing after 22 years”, said Seedorf, who has been playing for Botafogo since 2012.

“I leave an improved club, especially in terms of their mentality and team spirit. Milan? We will meet again. This experience of the last year and a half has made me grow up a lot and will help me in my next step as coach of Milan, who have hired me in both an elegant and correct manner.

“I like challenges and coaching Milan will be another challenge in my career. I couldn't say no to Milan after having spent 10 years there”.

Seedorf also spoke on the difficulty of reaching the decision, as well as Brazil’s chances at summer’s World Cup.

“The sacking of Allegri was crucial to my decision. The call from [Adriano] Galliani only came yesterday. I want to travel to Milan today. If I don't make it, then I will travel tomorrow”, he said.

“I made the decision to join Milan today, but last night was a difficult night for me. But I made the right choice. I'm very happy about the opportunity Milan have given me and I'm very motivated”.

 On Brazil, he said: “I hope that Brazil can have a memorable World Cup and the national team can honour its colours. Thank you”.

Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire midfielder Yaya Toure has been named the 2013 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) African Footballer of the Year.

After being nominated for the fifth straight year but only winning it for the very first time, Yaya could not hide his delight at fending off competition from Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Burkinabe Jonathan Pitroipa, and the Nigerian due of John obi Mikel and Victor Moses.

 “Thank you to all the fans around the world who continue to support me and who love me a lot”, BBC quoted Yaya as saying.

“I’m very proud; I’m very happ; this award is amazing. It’s the fifth time in a row and this time is very special”.

After Toure received the award at Manchester City’s Carrington training ground on Monday, Current Affairs Editor of BBC Africa, Vera Kwakofi spoke highly of the Ivoirian.

“We are pleased for Yaya Toure that he has finally won the BBC African Footballer of the Year on his fifth nomination for the award”, Vera said. “This shows the high esteem in which he is held by lovers of African football and the respect the fans have for his exploits for club and country”.

Toure is also in the running for the 2013 Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Footballer of the Year, an award he has won in the last two years. And should he win this time, he would have equalled Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o’s feat of winning in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria on their 2-0 victory over Ethiopia on Saturday in Calabar, which booked the country’s qualification at the Brazil 2014 World Cup finals.

 A first half goal off a coolly converted penalty by Liverpool forward Victor Moses and a fiercely driven free kick in the second half by substitute Obinna Nsofor with his first touch of the game were all the Eagles needed to secure their tickets to Brazil, notwithstanding that their overall performance on the day was generally lacklustre.

 “President Jonathan joins other proud and happy Nigerians in applauding the Super Eagles' dogged and determined performance against the Ethiopians over the two legs of the final qualifying round, which ensured away and home victories, and also ensured that Nigeria will be at the World Cup Finals for the fifth time”, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati wrote in a statement.

 “The president also commends the team’s performance in all the preceding qualifying matches and the consistent commitment and dedication of the players to building on their victory at this year’s African Nations Cup by qualifying for the World Cup Finals and bringing further glory to their fatherland”.

 He added that as the team and its handlers bask in the glory of being the first African country to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, they should rededicate themselves to excelling on the global stage and reaching for heights never previously attained by the country at the World Cup finals.

 “The president believes that with the enormous pool of footballing talent available to the country, the Super Eagles can, with more hard work, dedication, resilience and further honing of their skills and tactics, fulfil the national dream of being the first African Nation to win the world cup”, Abati’s statement went on.

 “He assures the NFF and the team, of the fullest possible support of the Federal Government and all Nigerians in their quest to win even greater glory for Nigeria at the world cup finals in Brazil”.

Once upon a time, life was very valuable and cherished with minimalist tendencies, if any. Humans, animals, birds and other visible creatures roam free except for occasional predatory snipers. Yes, life was good back then because now predators are not snipers in hideout rather are in your face with knowledge that your family is watching their atrocities. Bondage I say, but God will help us out.

Case for Special Sports

The above is simply a graphic metaphor to drive home the plight of an ordinary athlete facing the continual degradation, assaults, threats and all other unbecoming conducts of so-called officials. Of course the National Sports Commission (NSC) in its (constant) sleep maintains a nonchalant attitude or ignorance towards any of such behaviors even in the event that well-meaning individuals confront it with mountainous evidences. This writer fears for the life of average special sports athlete because they keep the country image alive in all sports than our able-bodied at least for the time being.

The key point to note is that an able-bodied can seek and obtains necessary support even though may not be adequate or enough, but special sports’ athletes usually got nothing! A noted circumstance in the media recently concern an individual named Shehu Isa, who is a physically challenged individual who peddles some legitimate products at the Airport in Lagos just as other individuals. They were all driven out due to reconstruction without compensation. On the surface of this, average Nigerian will not have a problem with this scenario but a learned person will see a big discrimination written all over it for adverse effect on the physically challenged retailers. Mr. Isa cannot find alternative means of earning elsewhere and significant level owners of shops do discriminate against anyone without their physical character including physically challenged.

At no time has NSC ever declared publicly its intention to fund any special sports athlete welfare as opposed to other athletes. Furthermore, the rate of accolades given to the Sydney Olympics medalist, Blessing Okagbare and many individuals that have nothing to do with her, Coaches and other entourages though as pointed out by the majority of Nigerians as well deserved but can anyone articulate whether such praises ever gone to the families and so-called entourages of our London Olympics Paralympics GOLD MEDALISTS. To this writer, the policy of unequal treatment of the effect of a decision is discriminatory and in fact legally unsound.

The country is endowed with highly skilled legal advisers to His Excellency Mr. Goodluck Jonathan that this writer is in pain to understand how the country cannot see this adverse treatment. Good intention but bad delivery, justifying a need to slap someone silly.

The country special sports’ athletes need the nation right now before next Olympics and in some quarters some of them are already contemplating dumping the country just as other individuals.

 

New Year, New Beginning

When the media shout brain drain as reasons for the shortage of doctors but the NSC or sports officials cannot comprehend that such acknowledged phenomenon cut across all professions including sports. Again, certain states are doing their part to keep Nigerian athletes at home which is commendable and of course it is necessary to name such states, they are Delta, Lagos, Kano, Cross Rivers, Imo, Abia and a few others not in the media like Jigawa, Zamfara, Plateau. Some states strategically never announced publicly what they are doing, so it’s very difficult to suggest they are not doing anything because the results of the performances of their athletes in junior competitions were commendable. Good journalists are aware of what many states doing and that some are doing all they can for the athletes while mediocre writers are focused on propaganda for just one state simply because that state funds some of their travels and extends some monetary gains to them. This writer knows them well (however these words are interpreted).

The country must now focus on the athletes, key suggestions include:

1. Funding identified elite athletes directly from the Finance Ministry;

2. Funding local community area sports facilities directly from Finance Ministry / Public works;

3. Funding School sports program (PE aspects of the school curriculum) directly from the Education Ministry;

4. NIS must be merged with the Education Ministry;

5. The Federal Sports Facilities upgrade must be downloaded from the NSC responsibility to the Public Works mandate;

6. If the NSC is to remain a commission then at least SIX COMMISSIONERS MUST BE APPOINTED.

Political Calculation and Speculations

A news report that is essentially a propaganda tool by NSC advocating for the wreckers of sports in Nigeria to retain their political appointments as Minister, Director-General, etc. by some individuals calling themselves stakeholders headed by an individual from National Schools federations who said in advance of the President dumping Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi as Sports Minister, claimed the country needs continuity of ‘mediocrity’ where a small country like Kenya has more relevance internationally than Nigeria. To that, Mr. Mohammed (the writer believes) you are dead wrong, the country needs a rebirth in Sports where the focus is athletes not perambulators, incompetence, archaic equipment, foolish spending, duplicate agenda, weak leadership, a commission without commissioners and illegal operations.

Sani Ndanusa, the former Sports Minister and Tennis federation imposed leader also entered the propaganda bandwagon without shame. Tennis is the worst sport in Nigeria in terms of all categories of quantification whether equipment, facilities, athletes’ performance or relevance in discussion in Nigeria and Mr. Ndanusa has led this sports federation for almost 30years but yet no one is saying that his time is up not even the successive sports Ministers including the incumbent. This is really sad, where are the former ace Sadiq Abdullahi, Nduka Odizor, etc.? Those former stars ought to be ashamed of themselves for not intervening as handballers and footballers are doing just as this writer. These guys are PhD holders and some of them are respected lawyers and this writer simply can’t understand why the silence or support of sports Minister not even showing any bit of concern for Tennis.

To add further insults to Nigerians, Mr. Elegbeleye, the so-called Director-General also threw accolades to his Excellency for a job well done and this writer can then ask if Mr. President is the one doing the job, then why is the country paying Mr. Elegbeleye?

Clearly, these individuals are simply licking you know what and cannot be taken seriously. As usual, Mr. Abdullahi is AWOL in this propaganda campaign because he is now in the precarious situation of political loyalty logjam and that’s the reason of having others do the bidding for him. The writer believes the balcony closed long time ago but the replacement is another conundrum.

The Main Atrocities of NSC in 2013

NSC seized the athletics federation (AFN) control with imposing its leaders by fraudulent election process, hiring its’ coach and technical director, although it’s a welcome development for NSC to handle athlete's development but the commission cannot do that within AFN rather publicly remove all federations from sharing its own responsibility. Again good intention bad delivery, someone got to be slapped silly.

AFN lacked authority to meddle with athlete development according to the IAAF rules but in Nigeria NSC transferred such to AFN in violation IAAF standard of independence from the athletes or national government in return NSC determines AFN leadership by favoring people lacking any skill in such sport.

But the granddaddy of all NSC atrocities is the public advertorial, trips and announcement of the National Youth Games. Imagine, the sports Minister sought under-15 UK citizens by hosting a party in London at significant costs of his entourage including Mary Onyali, Elegbeleye and others rather than going to the thick forest of Abia, Enugu, Osun, Sokoto, Kano, Edo, etc. to seek under 15 talents at no cost (these states would have incurred the costs). And of course it was not reported that anyone of those UK Citizens showed up at the Youth Games and this writer is among those that demands the return of money wasted on estacode, accommodations, airline tickets (some first class), hall rental, food, drinks, etc.

Many more atrocities were chronicled by this writer throughout 2013 and in summary, Mr. Abdullahi tenure serves no purpose and a total waste of funds, therefore, he must go.

I rest for now.

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

 

 

Friday Njengo, a member of the Golden Eaglets team that played the qualifiers for the 2013 CAF African Youth Championship, has died.

Njengo died on Sunday night at the National Hospital, Abuja. He had been in intensive care unit of the hospital for almost a year, since he sustained fatal injuries in a car crash.

Confirming the death, Nigeria Football Federation expressed sadness, especially as there was a glimmer of hope that Njengo would recover.

“This is very sad news”, General Secretary of NFF, Musa Amadu said. “We had looked forward to the boy eventually recovering to be part of the team again as the squad progresses to the next level. It is a thing of sorrow to lose such a huge talent this way”.

 

Nigeria and Chelsea FC of England footballers, John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses (albeit on a brief loan deal at Liverpool) have been named in the five-man shortlist for the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

Also listed for the award, which was revealed on the BBC’s Newsday programme, are current African Footballer of the Year award holder Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon.

The list was drawn up by 44 journalists across Africa and the winner, to be determined by a vote by African football fans until 18:00 GMT on 25th November 2013, will be announced on Monday, 2nd December 2013 at 17:35 GMT on the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio and television programmes.

While Obi and Moses shone in the Chelsea team that won the Europa League last season as well as the Nigerian team that won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in February, 24-year-old Aubameyang finished the 2012-13 season with 19 goals for St-Etienne and the second highest goal scorer in France only behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic. These goals helped the club win the French Cup, and they have also been flowing at his new Bundesliga club, Borrusia Dortmund, where he has scored seven goals in 11 games.

Twenty-seven-year-old Pitroipa was named AFCON player of the tournament as Burkina Faso reached the final, while Toure is an ever-present rock in the midfields of both the Ivoirian national team and dethroned English Premier League winners Manchester City.

More Articles ...

  1. Eaglets Get N2m Gift from Jonathan, Garba N3m
  2. Garba Dedicates U-17 World Cup Trophy to Jonathan
  3. All-Conquering Eaglets Win U-17 World Cup
Page 10 of 17
Today301
Yesterday296
This week597
This month17960
Total1451736

Visitor Info

  • IP: 216.73.217.112
  • Browser: Unknown
  • Browser Version:
  • Operating System: Unknown

Who Is Online

4
Online
2026-10-27

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries