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Author: Kazeem Akande

  • Olympic Day celebrations to hold June 29 – NOC scribe

    Olympic

    By Kazeem Akande

    Lagos, June 9, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) on Sunday said the annual Olympic Day celebration would hold on June 29 across the country.

    The Olympic Day is a global event that commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Movement, founded by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894.

    According to Babatunde Popoola, the Secretary-General of the NOC, this year’s celebration holds special significance as it precedes the highly anticipated Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

    ”It’s where Nigerian athletes will compete and inspire the world with their achievements.

    ”Olympic Day is a chance for people of all ages and abilities to experience the magic of the Olympic Games in their own communities.

    ”It’s an ideal platform to highlight the benefits of physical activity and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect,” Popoola said.

    He said that NOC has received positive responses from various states and stakeholders, and preparations were well underway for the nationwide celebration.

    He said that no fewer than 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory have indicated their plans to organise activities for the event.

    The states are: Abia; Anambra; Bayelsa; Delta; Edo; Enugu; Ebonyi; Lagos; Kogi; Gombe; Jigawa; Kebbi; Kano; Kwara; Taraba; Imo; Ondo; Plateau; Rivers; Nasarawa; and Osun

    Abdul Ibrahim, the Chairman of the NOC Sport For All Commission, said that Olympic Day was a special day to come together, move together, and learn about the Olympic values.

    ”We encourage everyone to participate and experience the joy that only sport can bring,” he said.

    According to him, a series of activities have been lined up in Lagos with fitness clubs at the National Stadium Complex and the general public gearing up to take part in the global event.

    ”The celebration will conclude with the presentation of diplomas signed by the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach.

    ”The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel and other dignitaries will officially flag off the event in Abuja,” he added.

    Ibrahim said that the NOC also encouraged corporate and philanthropic individuals to support the celebration through financial or product donations, as it would provide valuable exposure for their companies.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    AKA/DOE

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    Edited by Dianabasi Effiong

  • World Cup: What Super Eagles need to qualify —- Omokaro

    World Cup: What Super Eagles need to qualify —- Omokaro

    Eagles

    By Kazeem Akande

    Lagos, June 8, 2024 (NAN) Bright Omokaro, Ex-Super Eagles International says player in the  national team need to have more rigorous training together, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

    He spoke against the backdrop of the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against  Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo, on Friday.

    The Nigerian team came from behind to struggle to get the draw at home, in the group stage of world cup qualifiers.

    Omokaro said that the super eagles needed more time to play and train together, for better performance.
    .

    According to him, the last match was not too bad, but the team could display more skills and adopt an effective pattern to defeat their opponents.

    “Though the players played very well individually, they need more collective responsibility to get the expected goals.

    “The boys never had time to play together, that’s what happened to them during the match, but they need more togetherness and rigorous training to qualify for the world cup,” he said.

    The ex-international also advised the super eagles coach, Finidi George, to look inward for local players that are zealous and thirsty for goals.

    “There shouldn’t be automatic shirt for any player for now.

    “Their performance should be the determinant to feature in a match, as there must be competition in the camp to allow the best players perform,” Omokaro said.

    He, however, appealed to the national team to defeat Benin Republic in the next match, to have meaningful points on the qualifiers table, to make it to the 2026 world cup.

    NAN reports that pressure has mounted on the Super Eagles after the draw against Bafana Bafana.

    Nigeria, with its third draw, has three points in Group C, while Rwanda, Benin, and South Africa all have four points.

    Lesotho leads the group with five points, while Zimbabwe is at the bottom with two points.

    This puts Nigeria presently in the fifth position on the table, of the six teams.

    The Super Eagles will travel to Abidjan to face Benin Republic in their next 2026 World Cup qualifier.

    They will be hoping to get their first win in the match against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.

    The game is scheduled for Monday, with the kick-off fixed at 5.00 p.m. Nigerian time. (NAN)

    AKA/SOA

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    Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

  • Amputee football: Special Eagles call for establishment of amputee league

     

    Amputee football: Special Eagles call for establishment of amputee league

    Sponsorship

    By Kazeem Akande

    Lagos, June 5, 2024 (NAN) Nigeria’s men’s amputee football team, the Special Eagles have called for the establishment of an amputee football league in the country to discover new talents and boost performance at the international level.

    Olalekan Samsudeen, the Captain of the team made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

    “We urge the government to establish an amputee local league to discover more talents that will represent the country and to enhance the players’ performance.

    “The league will enhance our performance and promote the country and our world ranking,“he said.

    Samsudeen called for more sponsorship from government and corporate organisations for better performance of the players.

    The captain, who commended the government for its  support so far,  urged individuals and corporate  organisations to assist the team  in the sponsorship of sporting events.

    “We want the government to link us up with organisations that will sponsor our training and our tournaments as the government cannot do it alone.

    “We still need more funding and support to carry out our training as we prepare for the next World Cup in France,“he said.

    NAN reports that the team just returned to the African Amputee Football Cup of Nations (AAFCON) in Egypt where they came 4th.

    The position has qualified them to participate in the next 2026 Amputee World Cup in France.

    “We also need access to training facilities as we prepare for the coming World Cup. This will enable us train well ahead of the world cup,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    AKA/JPE

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    Edited by Joseph Edeh

  • Teledalase, a Lagos community cut off from the city

    Teledalase, a Lagos community cut off from the city

    Bridge

    By Kazeem Akande

    Lagos, June 2, 2024 (NAN) Teledalase community in Maidan Orile, Ikosi-Isheri Local Government Area, Lagos State, has been cut-off from the city for two years, with no hope of reconnection, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    According to residents of the community, the big carnal, which passes through the community needs to be dredged to ensure free flow of water when it rains.

    They said the Maidan Footbridge, which was used by residents to cross to the other side of the LGA, collapsed two years.

    The residents also alleged that they had experienced different environmental challenges in the last two years and had written and consulted some government representatives.

    They say situation is worse because their children cannot go to school during the  rainy season, for fear of being drowned in the carnal, they also revealed that many had become homeless in the community due to flooding.

    NAN observed that due to the collapse of the footbridge, residents of the community had to pay to be taken by canoe, whenever they needed to go to the city for school, hospital, market or even business.

    The Community Leaders and Residents of Teledalase, told NAN that they had been appealing to government to come to their aid, by fixing the collapsed bridge, which disconnected them from the larger society.

    Mr Alepro Ehijapor, the Chairman Community Development Committee (CDC) in Araromi Community of the area, told NAN that the stress of commuting from the area was stressful as well as painful especially for the elders in the community.

    “We have been abandoned by the government and that’s why we are appealing for quick resolution before the situation becomes worse,” he said.

    The community leader, also added that it was an enormous risk to transport pupils by canoe to school daily, and appealed to the government to rescue the community.

    Ehijapor also urged government to build a big embarkment, to prevent the flood from over flowing it’s banks into the community.

    “We want government to build an embarkment to prevent the flood from over flowing it’s banks into the community during heavy rains, as majority of the houses are already affected.

    “Our school children are also at risk of not getting education, because most of them do not bother going to school when the carnal overflows, during rainy seasons,” he said.

    Mr Adebayo Kareem, a Former Community Development Council (CDC) Chairman of Araromi Weigh Bridge in the community, also said that the environmental challenges was beyond the Community Development Associations (CDAs) and CDC.

    “It’s beyond our capacity, the collapsed bridge and flooding are major challenges that are threatening the existence of the community.

    “These problems have rendered many homeless because when there is rainfall, many residents leave their houses and seek shelter elsewhere.

    “At the same time the bridge, which is the major entrance to the community has collapsed since 2022 without repair.

    “Many of the residents have resorted to going out by canoe, they pay N50 per head, to enable them cross to the other side of the community.

    “This is what we do to get to our places of work, this puts our lives at risk on daily basis,” he said.

    Mr Dennis Olakitan, also a resident of the community, told NAN that he could not go out for the fear of canoe rides.

    According to him, he has phobia for water transport, so, I find it difficult to leave my home all my legs have swollen because am indoors for months.

    “We are living in isolation and fear in this community, majority of the elders cannot go out because of the collapsed footbridge.

    “We beg the government to come to our rescue and save us from the life of isolation we are leaving.

    Mr Abayomi Oguntimehin, also a resident, said that residents were tired of using canoe before they can connect with the outside world.

    “The collapsed footbridge has disconnected us from the major road.

    “We are calling and begging the government, to rescue us from this environmental hazard and find a lasting solution to our problems in this community.

    “This is rainy season, some of our school children are at home for fear of the carnal, we really need urgent attention to these issues,” he said.

    NAN reports that the Maidan footbridge, which sits between Oniyanrin Street and Maidan Orile, enroute Agility Bus -stop in the Mile 12 area, collapsed on July 8, 2022, after a downpour and has not been repaired till date. (NAN)

    AKA/IFY

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    Edited by Ifeyinwa Omowole