Nigerian Sports Award: Uduaghan, Imoke, Fashola battle for honours

From left: Uduaghan, Imoke and Fashola

All roads lead to the Muson Centre Onikan, Lagos as the long-awaited day for the emergence of winners in the various categories of the 2013 Nigerian Sports Award is here.

Prominent sports men and women who have excelled in different aspects of sports will be honoured today in a grand presentation ceremony billed for the Muson Centre.

Except there is a sudden twist in the voting pattern, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi is in strong contention for the coach of the year award.

Keshi is nominated for the revered award alongside Coach Manu Garba who led the Golden Eaglets to the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup triumph in UAE recently. Similarly, Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel is in a pole position to bag the Footballer of the Year Award. On loan Chelsea striker, Victor Moses and Sunday Mba are the other nominees for the footballer of the year category. Perpetual Nkwocha, Stella Mbachu and Ebere Orji are contenders for the female category

The biggest battle, however is the Sports Governor of the Year category where Governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta and Liyel Imoke of CrossRiverState are contenders. It was hard to pick who the likely winner will be as the three governors were running neck-to-neck in the race for the award. Imoke has a strong youth athletics programme in his state aside hosting Eagles and Golden Eaglets matches.

Fashola has embarked on development at youth and community levels. Uduaghan was the pillar to Delta’s victory at the last Sports Festival and he has started a special track and field programme in DeltaState after he revived football in secondary schools. He supports Nigerian athletes who compete internationally and sponsored the training of Blessing Okagbare to the last World Championships in Moscow where she won two medals. He has also taken care of her training for the next Olympics and enlisted other athletes for similar sponsorship.

Delta’s Ogedegbe, a primary school in warri axis won the national U 13 Soccer Championship sponsored by Channels Television. Blessing Okagbare is favourite for the Track and Field Star of the year award just as she is also in the running for the Sports Woman of the Year award.

Other categories include Ball Sports Personality of the year, Sports administrator of the year where NFF President, Aminu Maigari, AFN President Solomon Ogba and Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Pinnick Amaju are in contention. In total, there are 14 categories to be won. “We are set for the event,” Kayode Idowu, General Manager, Unmissable Incentives Limited, organisers of the award assured yesterday.

Nigerian leaders celebrate the Golden Eaglets

Nigerian leaders have expressed joy over the victory of the Golden Eaglets in the FIFA Under 17 World Cup, showering the young stars with amiable congratulatory messages.
 
The Nigerian team defeated the defending champions, Mexico, 3-0 to lift the trophy in the tournament held in the United Arab Emirates. The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, congratulated the Golden Eaglets and described their display as “phenomenal, entertaining, and near perfect.”

He said that the trophy was a centenary gift Nigerians would never forget in a hurry. “I am indeed proud of these boys for this superlative and emphatic victory. But beyond the euphoria that comes with it, I believe that this is God reminding us through these young men that “a united and one-minded Nigeria, where everyone is given the opportunity to do what he or she knows best to do without recourse to nepotism, ethno-religious discrimination, and political manipulations, is simply unstoppable.

“It has been quite long we saw a thing like this and for me it is a centenary gift that calls for sober reflections on what and where we ought to be as a nation.” Senator Ekweremadu urged all Nigerians to roll out the drum to celebrate the boys and fatherland.

Commenting on the Eaglets’ performance, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said that the young boys had taught the world the real essence of team work.

“With all hands working together, all challenges would be surmounted,” he emphasised. He congratulated the players and their handlers, led by coach Garba Manu, for a job well done. Tambuwal said that the House of Representatives would continue to play a leading role in efforts to take sports to greater heights.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State said that the Eaglets displayed the ‘can-do’ spirit of the Nigerian and the will to excel even in the face of excruciating challenges. “The Boys represent a new generation of Nigerians whose faith in the country remain unwavering as they forged a formidable team to win the coveted trophy despite coming from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“I urge the authorities of the Nigerian Football Federation to keep this talented team together as the boys have the potential of even bringing greater honour to the country. “The government and good people of Edo State give kudos to the Golden Eaglets for this great feat,” he said.

In Imo State, Governor Rochas Okorocha stressed that the victory was a pointer to the fact that with unity of purpose, Nigeria could rule the world in every facet of life. Okorocha, however, called on all stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to encourage the team with commensurate reward on their arrival to Nigeria.
Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!

The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, watched the final match in the company of some members of the State Executive Council. He said he had always had absolute confidence that the Eaglets would bring home the Cup.

“The Golden Eaglets have done it again. They have lifted the World Cup for the fourth time,” he said.
He urged the Eaglets not to rest on their oars, but see the victory as a stepping stone to greater heights.
The famous Golden Eaglets are known for their unique celebration of raised hands and a; Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! shout of victory.

Nigeria wins the world again!

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets became the first country to win the FIFA Under-17 World Cup for the fourth time on Friday after handing a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to their Mexican counterparts, El Tri, at the  El Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Despite the stiff opposition and the early attacking play of the Mexicans, who had suffered a 6-1 defeat in the hands of the Nigerians in their opening group  match, the Golden Eaglets got the first goal when Mexico’s Eric Aguirre, who was under pressure from Eaglets Musa Yahaya in the ninth minute, tap the ball into his own net.

Dele Alampasu, who was in goal for the Nigerians, ensured that the Mexicans were kept at bay with brilliant saves while Captain Musa Mohammed directed the Eaglets attacks from his right full back position.

With full determination, the Mexicans approached the second half, seeking an equalizer, but the Eaglets ensured that the plan was a mirage as the El Tri’s goal tender, R. Gugilo, parried a ferocious shot from Mohammed to the feet of an onrushing Kelechi Iheanacho to score with a brilliant left tap-in from the rebound.

The Golden Eaglets, despite their brilliance hardly scores from set pieces, but Mohammed ensured that spectators had a moment to remember as he scored Nigeria’s third goal from a free kick to the top right corner of the Mexican net, a goal that will long be remembered in the history of the cadet World Cup.

Apart from winning the cup, Nigeria also won the FIFA Fair Play Award while Iheanacho won the Golden Ball (for the Best Player) and the Silver Boot for emerging the second highest goal scorer with six goals behind Bolden Berisha of Sweden, who won the Golden Boot with seven goals.

Alampasu won the Golden Glove having emerged he best goal keeper in the tournament.