By Kuti Dare

Congratulations to the good people of Kaduna state especially the ‘working’ Governor, Mallam Nasiru El Rufai as Kaduna won two gold medals in the volleyball and beach volleyball (men) events at the just concluded 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State.

Not only did Kaduna state win two gold medals in the volleyball and beach volleyball (men), the state finished second in the women’s beach volleyball event behind Edo state.

Kaduna state would have lost out if they did not participate in these events as the quick intervention of the State Government led by Mallam Nasiru El Rufai ensured the state featured in the 21st National Sports Festival.

The success story of the volleyball and beach volleyball teams will not be complete without mentioning the name of Engineer Musa Nimrod who doubles as the Chairman of Kaduna State Volleyball Association. 14 years after winning Gold meda (in the men’s volleyball event) at the 2008 National Sports Festival tagged ‘Kada Games’, Engineer Musa Nimrod through his selfless service puts the map of the state on the world again as Kaduna state struck twice again.

Engineer Musa Nimrod has invested huge resources in the development of players in the state, took children off the streets and made them National and African Champions. It is on record that 10 out of the 12 players that featured in the men’s volleyball event made their debut at the 21st National Sports Festival while the gold medallist in the men’s beach volleyball event are making their second appearance in the beach volleyball event at the National Sports Festival.

Before the commencement of the men’s volleyball event, Ogun state and Delta state were fanced to win the volleyball event due to the highly experienced players paraded by both teams but Kaduna stole the show with younger players that started their career in beach volleyball. These winnings at the National Sports Festival is a manifestation of Engineer Musa Nimrod belief in giving the younger generation the platform and opportunity to showcase their God given talents.

Kaduna State Governor, His Excellency Mallam Nasiru El Rufai should use the Chairman of Kaduna State Volleyball Association, Engineer Musa Nimrod as a role model for others to emulate. Nimrod should be seen as an ambassador of sports in Kaduna state who has used sports to alleviate, librate as well as take youths off the street of Kaduna.

It might interest His Excellency that Kaduna state youths have attended various African and World Volleyball Championship through sports. Currently, the Zone 3 U17 Beach Volleyball Boy’s and Girl’s Champion are Nigerians from Kaduna state

Your Excellency sir, the time is overdue for Engineer Musa Nimrod to receive an award, commendation as well as recognition for his investment in sports. Kaduna state is blessed to have such a reputable sports administrator in the state.

God bless Mallam Nasiru El Rufai,
God bless Kaduna state and
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Kaduna state beat Ogun state 3-2 (25-21, 24-26, 25-23, 17-25, 15-13) to win gold in the men’s volleyball event at the 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta State on Friday.

Kaduna state produced an outstanding performance against Ogun state who were unbeaten till the final match.

Kaduna surprisingly took the first set by 25 to 21 points in a set that saw the Ogun players struggle to get their rhythm. The second set produced a spectacular display from both sides as Ogun won by 26 to 24 points.

The young Kaduna players held Ogun state ransom in the third set 25 to 23 points before Ogun came back from behind to win the fourth set by 25-17. Kaduna finally cruised to victory in the fifth set winning by 15 to 13 points.

The Coach of Kaduna men’s team, Adamu Nitte expressed delight over the win against highly rated Ogun state.

Nitte revealed that most pundits did not give Kaduna state the chance of winning the finals adding that the Ogun team crushed all their opponents before entering into the finals.

He said 10 players out of the squad are making their debut at the National Sports Festival.

He said, “I am overwhelmed and cannot express myself because I am overfilled with joy. Kaduna was not the favourite to win the National Sports Festival but God is our strength and fortress.

“Ogun state is a very good side looking at their statistics but my boys did not respect them. 10 of my players are playing the National Sports Festival for the first time and this win will further boost their profile”.

He commended the Chairman of Kaduna State Volleyball Association, Engineer Musa Nimrod for believing in the team.

Meanwhile, Rivers State beat Kano state to win the men’s bronze at the 2022 National Sports Festival.

By Dare Kuti

The gods of the foreigners by now will be laughing at the gods of our land (Nigeria); Sango, Obatala, Oya, Amadioha, Ikuku etc while the dead Baloguns must be weeping profusely in their graves.

How can sports of foreigners be made compulsory at our own indigenous sports festival while our own Tiwan Tiwan sports relegated, i mean totally removed. I always tell people close to me that I am an African man (FIRST) before chosing the white man religion; an Asian, American or European will never chose an African sport over theirs. My Late extended Uncle, Fela ANIKULAPO Kuti sang a song titled: “Kolomentality”, I’ll suggest you listen to it during your spare time.

Kung Fu, Taekwondo, Judo, Kickboxing, Tai Chi are all traditional sports of Asians, how on earth can we choose them over ours. When you visit most states in the North, Dambe is watched more than football; spectators leave their various houses, shops and work to watch Dambe because it reminds them of their origin. In fact, Dambe is our MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) due to its brutality.

In the Southern part of Nigeria, Kokowa is practically their way of life. Kokowa is fought at every traditional occasion including New Yam Festival. It is also on record that most of Nigeria wrestlers that hails from Bayelsa were once Kokowa wrestlers while others are very much active. I’m sure some of us know the slogan of the Offa people in Kwara; it states “Ijakadi loro offa”.

Back to our National Council on Sports that decided not to leave the Traditional Sports as option but sanctioned the removal. They are indirectly disrespecting the gods of the land, all the traditional rulers, all the chieftaincy holders in the land and all the masquerades (awon Ara orun).

Traditional Sports reminds us about our history, how wars were won and lost; reminding us of who we truly are. Nigeria has always dominated West Africa whenever we participate in the events. Traditional Sports is not expensive to organise and not time consuming like other sports listed at the forthcoming National Sports Festival.

I don’t know if the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Akin Dare who doubles as the Chairman of the National Council on Sports has forgotten in a hurry that he is a titled Chief (the highest in Ogbomosho) bestowed by the Late Soun of Ogbomosho.

If other members of the National Council on Sports and host of the National Sports Festival (Delta State) are using their left hand to point at the Traditional Sports, the representative of all the Chiefs (Sunday Dare) should be the one to uphold our tradition. Dear Chief Sunday Dare, you are not only the Agba Akin of Ogbomosho but the Agba Akin of all the Traditional Sports in Nigeria.

I am using this medium to call on all the Kings (1st, 2nd and 3rd class), Queens (Oloris), Traditional Rulers, Chiefs (including Chief priests) in the North, East, West and South in Nigeria, market women, lovers of traditional sports, Director of Sports, Commissioner of Sports, House of Representatives and Senate Members on Sports and ultimately the Federal Government of Nigeria to help appeal to the National Council on Sports to include Traditional Sports.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has always lay emphasis on patronizing home made products and Trado Sports is our own.

God bless you all

Sporting greetings to the sports community, families, athletes and the para- athletes who have been agitating over the removal of their sport at the forthcoming National Sports festival. I had wanted to keep mute over the issue of the removal of the Para Sports ahead of the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta but my phone had not stopped buzzing since Monday (17th October, 2022).

Some agitated para athletes staged a peaceful protest at the National Stadium in Surulere last Monday to express their displeasure over the removal of most of the para events while leaving three events. The National Council on Sports broke the camel back on Wednesday by announcing that no para sports will feature at the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta later this year.

Well, it is a good thing that the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development ably led by chief Sunday Akin Dare have decided to create a National Para Sports Festival but the timing for the non inclusion of the para sports is wrong.

Fortunately, the first edition of the National Para Sports Festival was held in Abuja last April and some states could not participate because they did not have budget. Those that made it to the festival had to stage some demonstration before the state governments decided to squeeze out money from their respective sport council and sport commission to attend the maiden edition.

If you paid attention, you will notice that the power house of Sports in Nigeria like Delta, Lagos, Edo, Osun States and few other could not send their representation. This led to some athletes disguising under the umbrella of clubs.

Fast forward to this time around, news filtering around is that of the National Council of Sports in Nigeria met and decide to remove three sport- the para sport that are making Nigeria proud and will continue to make Nigeria proud at future competitions. This implies that athletes like Bose Omolayo, Oluwafeimayo Alice, Innocent Nnamdi, Precious Orji, Latifat Tijani and many others will not be partaking in any national festival this year

If you notice the para- power lifters always come to our rescue when Nigeria is in need of medals. We have World Record holders, Commonwealth Games record holders Paralympic Games record holders who are making the country proud. It is the same thing with Para Table- Tennis and Para Athletes; they made Nigeria proud in this year commonwealth games.

So, it would be a disservice to treat them less human. We know the Minister of Youth and Sports have good intentions but the intentions are coming at the wrong time.

We should use the first edition of para- festival as a test- run and we should not disengage those that did not participate in April because many people are keen on attending the festival in Asaba.

We know the winners of the festival in some States gets as much as one million naira. And we all know what this one million can do in the lives of some of them. Some of them use it to pay their house rents and feed their families. You would also be surprised that if they don’t go to the national sport Festival in Dellta state the rate of unemployment in the country will increase.

It will be an eyesore to see Commonwealth Games champions and Paralympians going to streets to beg when they have other source of livelihood which includes the National Sports Festival

We are appealing to Directors of Sports in Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports to reconcile. It isnot yet late to include the para sport, the various sports Council and commission already have this para athlete included in their budget. So it is not going to be extra expenses. Their money is already there. So, I am appealing to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as well as the National Council on Sports to include the para sports into the National Sports Festival. If we don’t, they will think you are doing them a great harm.

We are calling on well meaning Nigerians, traditional rulers, religious rulers and Ex International to appeal to the sport authority to consider bringing back the paradigm and include the para sports into the National Sports Festival.

Partisan politics took the back seat as sports once again proved to be the unifier of Nigerians when the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare and a host of other important dignitaries on Wednesday night in Asaba, Delta State unveiled the mascot for the 2022 National Sports Festival in an elaborate and colourful ceremony.

The chief host, Dr Okowa promised that Asaba will put up a show that the whole of the country will be proud of when the National Sports Festival begins later in the year.

According to him, “The National Sports Festival is Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games and Delta will make it an unforgettable experience for everyone.”

In his own remarks, Sports Minister Sunday Dare said the National Sports Festival is no longer an event that would go unnoticed in the country.

His words: “The National Sports Festival must come with pomp, pageantry and colourful ceremonies. It is no longer a corridor event. It is a classy event reminiscent of the Olympic Games.

“Asaba is really ready with the unveiling of the Games Mascot. These are some of the little details obtainable at the Olympics and it is on display here in Delta State.”

Dare further charged the various committees to ensure that 2022 National Sports Festival delivers a world class competition that sets a standard for the future through its planning and execution.

The unveiling of the mascot officially flags off the marketing activities of the Games scheduled to hold in November 2022.

The Main organizing committee of the National Sports Festival in Edo State has disqualified Dino Ebarakumo, thereby stripping him off the medals he has won so far.

Ebarakumo according to reports registered for team Rivers heading into the festival, but eventually, fraudulently turned up for team Bayelsa without a proper clearance by the MOC.

With the development, the organizers say the four gold and two silver medals he has so far won have been cancelled.

Meanwhile, there are insinuations from different quarters that team Bayelsa has other athletes it poached right at the venue without proper documentation.

It remains to be seen if more of Team Bayelsa athletes will suffer the same fate in the next couple of days

Grace Ayemoba showed class this Friday evening while competing in the 100 meters female event at the ongoing 2020 National Sports Festival in Edo State.

Participating in her fifth National Sports Festival, Ayemoba edged athletes from other states to emerge victorious.

Prior to the Festival, she had won two gold and three silver medals in past events and she promised to ink Rivers state’s name in Gold at this edition.

She won gold in the 2011 event in hurdles and heptathlon, and after winning gold today, she said her plan is to catapult herself to the top an become one of the best athletes in Nigeria.

Ayemoba appreciated the Rivers state government for the unwavering support she and other Athletes are getting to have a good outing at the National Sports Festival.

Event will continue on Saturday and team Rivers will hope to continue having a fine run.

Nsikak Etim Solomon added to the medal haul of team Rivers today at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Edo State after winning a gold in scrabble.

Nsikak Etim Solomon defeated favourite and first African to be crowned World scrabble champion Jighere Wellington to the top podium prize in the Masters singles event.

Wellington who is representing team Delta settled for Silver, while George Ezinore of Edo State won bronze.

In the female singles, team Delta’s Tuoyo Mayuku won the gold, while Sule Success and Bukunmi Afolayan of Edo and Ogun State in that order won Silver and bronze.

Delta also dominated the open singles category with Godsfavour Whiskey beating Sunday Ituah (Lagos) and Itiemo Brigeni (Bayelsa) to the Gold medal.

Events continue at the multi sports festival after the Edo State government and the Federal ministry of sports reached an agreement to continue with the event.

There were initial plans to bring the festival to an end by the Local organizing committe after the federal government was not forthcoming with the funds it promised to support the event.

14 states will be competing for the ultimate title of being crowned winner of the National sports Festival when the basketball event starts on the 7th of April. 

Seven teams each in the men and women’s categories will be doing battles at the Emotan College, Wire Road, Benin City 

In the men’s category, host- Edo will be banking on home support to upset their fellow South-South rivals, Rivers State, Yobe (North East), Kano (North West), Kwara (North Central), Lagos (South West) and Imo (South East). 

In the absence of the Federal Capital Territory team who won the last edition they hosted after beating Gombe Bulls in the finals, a new national champion will definitely emerge with Rivers state being the favorites.

It will be a battle between Borno (North East), Kano (North West), Bayelsa (South South) Nassarawa (North Central), Lagos (South West), Imo (South East) and host- Edo in the women’s category. 

According to basketball tradition, fixtures will be drawn up at the Technical/Pre Match meeting which will take place on Tuesday, 6th April 

In line with its capacity building drive, the Nigeria Basketball Federation will also be organizing a Clinic and Training for the Referees and Table/Technical officials who will be on duty. 

The training will be conducted by Kingsley Ojeaburu, Opeyemi Ogunleye and other FIBA referees present at the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium, Tennis Boardroom by 10.00am on Tuesday

Officials are treated like prisoners. When a state arrives, they are subjected to different series of frustration. Despite the tiredness due to long journey, the hungry and tired-looking team faces stress of queuing to be tested for Covid-19. And after successful results, states’ contingents slept either in the parked bus filled with mosquitoes while some slept in the open space near dirty gutter.

As if that’s is enough, despite payment of Fifteen thousand naira (N15,000) per day for each athlete, eight persons are given one unkept room without a fan as accommodation for 12 days they’re to spend during the tournament.

The powerlifters which consists of some medallists in the just-concluded Parapowerlifting World Cup in Manchester slept in the open dirty environment where mosquitoes came visiting every minute to suck discharge and come back for more.

In the daytime, their hopes of getting accommodation were dashed when they were given the eight-man to a room 4th floor in the University of Benin campus. This made them to settle down in a reading room which has no door and nets on the windows. They struggled to remove chairs and tables to create space for themselves.

The organizers also failed to orchestrate plan to save the lives of athletes at the Meal Center. At the center, it is survival of the fittest as they were seen scrambling and fighting to have food for himself. Unlike what I witnessed in Ilorin during the National Youth Games where each state is given a particular cook to serve them throughout the competition period.