Sports
2024 OLYMPIC GAMES: Enoh asks NOC to upscale preparation
The minister of Sports Development Senator John Owan Enoh has charged the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to upscale its preparations ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Paris, France.
He gave the charge on Tuesday in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja when the Executive Members of the Nigeria Olympic Committee led by its President Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel visited him.
The Director of Press and Public Relations
Mohammed Manga in a statement quoted
Senator Enoh to have stated that early preparations for the Games will not only provide the athletes ampled opportunities in their various sporting fields but will also enable the country to record podium finishes at the international competitions
The Minister explained further that the desire of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration is to ensure the development of sports not only as a mere recreation but as a business with a view to providing job opportunities for our teeming youth, alleviate poverty in the society as well as to enhance peace and unity in the country.
This, he added, was demonstrated through the creation of a Ministry of Sports Development and in his appointment as the Minister to drive this important policy thrust of government.
He explained that sports remained the most unifying factor in Nigeria and that the government was determined to develop the sector so as to strengthen the unity of this country for the betterment of all.
Senator Owan Enoh assured that under his watch, the Ministry of Sports Development will not only recognise key stakeholders in the industry but was ready to partner and collaborate with them for the development of the industry.
He informed that the renewed Hope Agenda of the Government also provides an opportunity for inclusiveness in sports by both male and females as well as for private sector participation. That was why he added that *the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) approved by the immediate past administration was recently endosed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration in its renewed Hope Agenda*
He advised the executive members of NOC to look into the document to see the areas that it can explore towards attracting private sector partnerships to help in the development of athletes so as to prepare them to compete favourably with their counterparts globally.
He said that time has now come for all stakeholders in the industry to join hands with the Federal Government to ensure the development of sports in the country, especially in the area of infrastructure upgrades, Grassroots Sports Development, training of our athletes, Scholarships as well as in the area of capacity building of the officials as government cannot do it alone.
In addition, the Minister reminded the Committee to ensure clean participation of the nation’s athletes during the competition, stating that the government will not condore any cases of doping during the competitions.
Speaking earlier, the President of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Engr Habu Ahmed Gumel said that their visit was to congratulate the Honourable Minister on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and subsequent confirmation as the Captain of Nigerian Sports as well as to brief him on the activities of the Committee.
Engr Gumel who commended the Honourable Minister on the proactive and progressive steps he had taken within the first month in office, which he said, are clear pointers that his tenure is poised to chart a new course for Nigerian Sports assured that the Nigeria Olympic Committee, as co-partner with the Ministry of Sports Development is committed to the delivery of values to the stakeholders, especially in the area of capacity building to support National Federation Administrative and Technical Structures with a view to ensuring that the country joins the Committee of Sporting Nations.
He stated that the committee’s core objective is providing international and local training scholarships for Nigerian elite and upcoming athletes as well as support grants to team sports. *This we do in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), so as to assist our athletes in preparation for qualification tournaments and participation in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth and African Games. By so doing, the NOC is able to augment what the Government is doing to prepare our athletes for these Games*’ he said.
The NOC President who enumerated other areas of the body’s contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh that the Committee will not only do everything humanly possible to ensure that the country qualify for participation clean in the forth coming Olympic Games, but also will bring in their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring that Nigeria records podium finishes at the international competitions.
Sports
TRS Promotions announces 2024 Ludo Competition with N1m Grand Prize
TRS Promotions has announced the 2024 edition of the ‘Ludo Competition For All’, billed to take place on Saturday, December 14th, 2024, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State.
A statement by the media handlers which was released on Monday indicated that the competition is bringing together Ludo enthusiasts from across the country in to compete for their share of the ₦2,250,000 prize pool.
The statement explajned that the competition’s grand prize has been fixed at ₦1,000,000, with ₦750,000 for the second-place winner, and ₦500,000 for third place.
Explaining further it stated that the Preliminary rounds will take place from November 1st to 30th across various Local Governments in Lagos, and registration is already open with a fee of ₦1,000.
The statement encouraged Players and supporters to register early and follow updates via the social media handle @WINDRAUGHTGAME.
TRS Promotions also called on corporate organizations, private individuals, and the government to support the event through sponsorship, ensuring the competition’s success.
For more details, participants can visit windraughtgame.com or contact info@windraughtgame.com.
Sports
DC Haniel Hadison emerges the winner of Veteran’s final in Squash Tourney at Lagos Country Club
The Squash Section, Lagos Country Club over the weekend, held its 18th Annual Merchant Express Global Cargo and Turkish Cargo Airlines Closed, Open Invitational and 4th PSA Squash Tournament where winners emerged in various categories.
The tournament, spreading accross a period of two weeks, saw players from over fourteen Squash playing Clubs accross the country competing in different categories; Men, Veteran and, for the first time, the Super-Veteran category for players above the age of 60.
In the Super-Veteran category, Telema Princewill of the Port Harcourt Squash Club won with Dr. Kayode Roberts of the Ikoyi Club, Squash Section became the runner-up.
The Veteran’s final, which became the most engaging game during the finals saw DC Haniel Hadison of Lagos Country Club defeating Clement Efakpokire of Ikoyi Club, while the Men’s final had Bunmi Apata retaining the cup as the winner both in the last year’s edition and the just concluded edition, defeating Shittu Adeola of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Squash Club.
The 4th PSA category which had over 80 professional Squash players from across the Country participating in the tournament both male and female had Nigeria’s current Number One Squash player, Gabriel Olufunmilayo winning the Trophy while former number one, Onaopemipo Adegoke was defeated. Busayo Olatunji won in the female category by defeating Nigeria’s number one, Rofiat Abdulazeez. Apart from the cash prizes won, the PSA Tournament also increases the global ratings of participating professional players.
In his remark, the Chairman/Managing Director of Merchant Express Cargo Services, Captain Shina Akinfenwa commended the high spirit of Sportsmanship amongst the playing members and noted improvement on the standard of the game over the years. He looks foward to raising the bar in subsequent tournaments.
Sir ‘Semoore Badejo, the Chairman of Squash Section, Lagos Country Club, expressed satisfaction on the massive turnout for the event and members’ obvious enthusiasm towards the game of Squash. He thanked the Sponsors, Merchant Express Global Cargo and Turkish Cargo Airlines for supporting the growth of the game of Squash being the 19th year the organization has been sponsoring this event. He noted the inclusion of the additional Category, expressly supported by the Sponsors; the Super-Veteran category, which encouraged more participation from the Squash community all over the country. He thanked the Sponsors and promised a better tournament next year.
Sports
Philip Shuaib to feature as “Guest Player’ for NUJ Team in football tournament
The Former Edo State Deputy Governor, comrade Philip Shuaibu has expressed his readiness to play as ‘Guest player” for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) football team (Team Correspondents) in the 2nd Edition of the NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel Football Tournament.
The 3-Day tournament with the theme: ‘Football for Friendship and Peace ‘ is scheduled to kick off on Thursday July 11th by 10:00am at Area10 football field by Old Parade Ground Abuja.
The NUJ team would be facing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the group and knockout stage while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) would engage the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
Also the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) would be taking on the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) while AIBEN would be slugging it out with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) would tackle Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) and Nigeria Police Force(NPF) will engage Federal High Court (FHC).
Shuaibu disclosed this on Wednesday when he received a delegation led by the Chairman of FCT Correspondents Chapel, Mr. Jide Oyekunle who paid him a visit to formally present him with his jersey and kits in Abuja ahead of the encounter.
He said God has used journalists to save his life and he is ready to sacrifice his last energy to support and identify with any programme organized by journalists in the country.
He described the football tournament
initiative by the Oyekunle’s led executive as laudable and outstanding just as he called on the government, organizations and well meaning Nigerians to support the initiative to achieve its purpose.
The tournament which is aimed at promoting and strengthening the relationships between the media and participating organizations would feature twelve (12) teams drawn from the government organizations, security agencies and professional bodies
The ex-Deputy Governor said he is battle ready for the game just as he promised to lead the NUJ team ’ to victory.
According to Shuaibu “For me, anything for journalists I am there even when I am weak. If I have small energy and journalists call and say we need you I can use that last energy to be part of their programme.
“As I always say, God use them to keep me alive and God is still using them. I see myself as one of you. I want to commend you for this noble idea and initiative and I call on well meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations to support gestures like this.
“Anywhere there are no journalists, that place is dead and would never be recognised. Journalism profession is life and anywhere there are no journalists there is no life.
“He also narrated how he helped the wife of the Governor, Besty Obaseki to organise pre- season football tournament tittled “Education For Girl Child ‘ using ‘Gloria’ one of Edo Queen as face and Ambassador of the tournament as role model for young ones.
He said his passion for football was borne out of the fact that it has the power to bond people together and unite the world irrespective of the religion, ethnic and political affiliation.
The NUJ Chairman, Jide Oyekunle on his part said the gesture by the Deputy Governor to participate in the tournament would be an icing on the cake, just as he conferred the captain title of the team on him.
He said, his presence would further boost the morale of the players and keep them in high spirits.
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