Sports
Reps intervene in rift over footballers’ unpaid bonuses
The House of Representatives Committee on Sports on Wednesday pledged to wade into the crisis over unpaid bonuses to national football teams players by the Nigeria Football Federation.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Ekene Abubakar, stated this in Abuja at a meeting with the NFF at the National Assembly Complex.
The committee and the federation agreed to work together to find lasting solutions to the recurring issue of unpaid bonuses of all national teams players.
When asked to explain the issues surrounding the non-payment of Super Falcons players in their recent World Cup outing, NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, said the money owed the players would be paid as soon as the federation received grants from FIFA.
Abubakar also charged the NFF to immediately resolve the issues regarding the two affected State FAs (Plateau and Nasarawa) where the Normalisation Committees have been set up.
To resolve the issues, the committee urged the NFF to abide by the statutes, saying, “What we are simply saying following petitions received from the two States Football Associations is that the federation should respect and go back to its statute to restore peace and order in Nigerian football.”
Gusau assured the committee that all pending issues, including elections into State FAs would be resolved within three weeks.
In a related development, the NFF informed the House Committee on Sports that it was still investigating Auwalu Jada, who was suspended from all football-related activities following an allegation of match-fixing, assuring the lawmakers that the Bauchi-born football administrator would be given a fair hearing before a final decision was taken.
In November 2022, Jada was seen on tape boasting of his ability to fix matches in the Nigerian Professional Football League.
The former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, has died after he collapsed during a fight in Ghana on Saturday.
Olanrewaju was competing against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena when he suddenly lost consciousness.
Reports indicate that he was ahead on points before the unfortunate incident occurred..
A widely circulated video on social media captures the moment he collapsed in the ring, further shocking fans and the boxing community.
Olanrewaju, a highly respected figure in Nigerian boxing, held both National and West African light-heavyweight titles during his career.
His contributions to the sport have been widely recognized, with tributes pouring in from colleagues, fans, and sports officials who remember him for his dedication and impact on boxing in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Nigeria boosted their 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes with a 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday night, marking a successful debut for new head coach, Eric Chelle.
Victor Osimhen, in fine form this season for Galatasaray, delivered a first-half brace to secure the victory.
The prolific striker opened the scoring with a side-footed finish from Ademola Lookman’s well-placed free-kick.
He then doubled Nigeria’s lead after winning the ball at the halfway line and chipping it over the goalkeeper.
The three-time African champions now move up to third place in Group C, following South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho.
Chelle’s men will face Zimbabwe on Monday as they continue their quest for World Cup qualification.
Sports
Nigeria Set To Host ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup Qualifiers in April
Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will join Nigeria to jostle for the continent’s sole ticket to the 2026 ICC Under 19 Men’s World Cup.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said it is ready to host five other nations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under 19 Men’s World Cup African Qualifier.
The tournament is billed for Lagos, with the matches to be held at the cricket ovals at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from March 26th – 6th April.
VON reported that the President of the federation, Uyi Akpata, said in a statement that the tournament is about celebrating the growth of the game on the continent. Nigeria is thrilled to welcome these talented young cricketers and their supporters to Lagos,” Akpata said.
“Our nation is known for its warm hospitality and fascinating cricketing potential and we are committed to making this qualifier a memorable experience for all.”
“This tournament is not just about competition; it’s about celebrating the growth of cricket in Africa and inspiring the next generation of players.”
Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will join Nigeria to jostle for the continent’s sole ticket to the 2026 ICC Under 19 Men’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will be hoping to secure the ticket, having achieved same feat in 2019 and competing at the World Cup in South Africa 2020.
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