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The Nigeria Basketball Federation has invited 20 players for the first phase of camping ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In a memo signed by the Secretary General of the NBBF, Chimezie Asiegbu and sent to the respective clubs, the camping exercise  which will be supervised by the duo of D’Tigers assistant coaches, Abdulrahman Mohammed of Gombe Bulls and Aderemi Adewunmi of Kwara Falcons will open in Lagos on the 5th of January, 2017. The 20 man list is dominated by 7 players from Kano Pillars while Gombe Bulls who recently made their continental debut have 4 players in the provisional list. Mark Mentors of Abuja have 2 players while ASPAC basketball club of Benin, Rivers Hoopers, Bauchi Nets, Kwara Falcons, Niger Potters and Civil Defenders of Abuja all have 1 player each on the list. Also on the list is Bulls inspirational captain, Yakubu Abdulwahab, Mark Mentors reliable leader, Usman Musa and Kano Pillars 3points legend, Usman Abubakar. A member of the 2017 Afrobaske

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has expressed the satisfaction of the Federation with on-field and off-field results for Nigerian Football in the outgoing year, while expressing conviction that the year 2018 will bring forth more honours and even greater global recognition for the Nigerian game. In the year 2017, the Super Eagles qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals with a match to spare from a so –called ‘Group of Death’; the Eagles B qualified for the African Nations Championship starting in Morocco in a forthnight and; the U20 and U17 girls swept aside opposition to reach the final round of qualification for their respective FIFA Women’s World Cup finals taking place in 2018. Off the field, a string of victories in the boardroom has given Nigerian Football a louder voice in international football politics and; a number of worthwhile sponsorship deals with corporate organizations has greatly reduced the financial burden on the

As the year 2017 rolls out into 2018, it is pertinent to have a flashback at some of the achievements recorded by the Indefatigable  Honourable Commissioner of the Gombe State Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Malam Farouk Yarma. The hard-working and action oriented Commissioner, in his usual uncompromising stand on inactivity has been working round the clock entrenching innovations and new ideas at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment. Innovations that have changed the lives of the teeming large army youth in Gombe State from restiveness and indolence to responsiveness and productivity. All this is done with the strong and solid support he received from His Excellency Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, OON (Talban Gombe), the Executive Governor coupled with the high sense of confidence repost on him by His Excellency, the Executive Governor. The Honourable Commissioner has been able to record the following accomplishments in 2017: 1. He initiated and ensure to the recruitment and trainin

The Lagos state Government has assured fans of MFM FC and football stakeholders that the Agege stadium will be ready on time for the CAF inspection team who are expected to visit the ground ahead of the 2018 football season. The Special Adviser to the Lagos state Governor on Sports, Mr Deji Tinubu gave this assurance on Tuesday during a scheduled visit to the on-going reconstruction project going on at the stadium popularly known as The Soccer Temple. He allayed fears in the public space on the possibility of the construction work not completed before the arrival of the inspection team in Nigeria by January for their final inspection and approval. Speaking while going round the project to upgrade the stadium in line with continental standards after MFM qualified to represent Nigeria in the 2018 CAF Champions League, Tinubu expressed optimism that the project will be ready on time. “After going round to have a first-hand evaluation of the work being carrie

Maxi Sports and Entertainment International has felicitated with two newly appointed football administrator, Adepoju Tobi Samuel and Suleiman Ahmed Usara into the Standing Committees of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The Nigeria Football Federation has made known the membership of its body's standing and Adhoc committees that ceased to function on Monday October 30, 2017. In a press statement made available to the media from the Communication department of the NFF on Wednesday December 20, 2017, the released revealed that the duo of Adepoju and Suleiman have been  appointed into the Players Status ComCommitteemitee and Protocol and Ceremonial Committee of the NFF respectively. Adepoju Tobi Samuel will serve as a member of the Players Status Committee that has Barrister Chris Green as its Chairman while Suleiman Ahmed Usara is in the Protocol and Ceremonial Committee that is headed by Musa Duru. Reacting to the inclusion of the young Sport stakeh

The Nigeria Football Federation has now fully composed the membership of all its standing committees, dissolved on Monday, 30 th  October 2017. The Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the committees were named a few days after the dissolution, but the members and secretaries have now been unveiled. Finance Committee : Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande (Chairman); Ibrahim Musa Gusau (Vice Chairman); Babagana Kalli (Member); Bello Seidu (Member); Auwalu Musa Umar (Member); Garba Mohammed (Member); Mohammed Nasir Saidu (Member); Nse Ubeh (Member); Christopher Iyere (Member); Victor Nwangwu (Member); David Atabo (Secretary) Internal Audit Committee:  Sunday Dele-Ajayi (Chairman); Mohammed Alkali (Vice Chairman); Shariff Abdullahi (Member); Abubakar Ladan (Member); Yahuza Adamu (Member); Ayodeji Alabi (Member); Ezra Godit (Member); Ogheneochuko Ambakederemo (Member); Imama Tukur (Member); Isa Matori (Member); Suleiman Tegina (Secretary) Organizing Committee:  Seyi Akinwunmi (Chairman)

The Lagos State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria has congratulated one of its members, Mitchell Obi who was re-elected unopposed as the AIPS Africa President for another four years. The Lagos SWAN executive said the return of Mitchell at the Africa Congress in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday, December 18, 2018 was a testimony to his achievements and status as a global icon in the industry. In a statement signed by the Lagos SWAN Chairman, Debo Oshundun on Thursday, he praised the CEO of Mastersports International for his contribution to the development of sports as critical stakeholder. “We are so elated about this latest development. “Here in Lagos, he is one of our revered leaders who have continued to provide the needed direction for us as individuals and association. “Even as a cub reporter, he distinguished himself as one destined for bigger things. “Presently, when it comes to global reckoning, he is the number 1 sports journalist in Africa by virtue

NFF 1 st  Vice President and Chairman of the NFF Youth Football Committee, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi was full of elan and elocution on Tuesday, after another successful and highly inspiring conclusion to the NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles Championship. This year’s event was concluded at the Agege Stadium. Five days of exciting youth football in Kano came to an exciting finale in Lagos with South East U15 boys emerging champions after a 5-2 spanking of their North West counterparts. Yet, there were so many talents on display on both sides that Akinwunmi, who is also Chairman of the NFF Football Committee, was much delighted: “I am very happy at what I am seeing here. We can safely say the future is here. I had no doubt when we started this programme that we were on to a great thing. “Indeed, in the next two years or thereabout, we would have no reason to go outside this competition to pick our U17 National Team. We are also emphasizing the importance of combining academ

It was an epoch-making event at the Tennis section of the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, as the Group Managing Director of Rain Oil Limited, Gabriel Ogbechie, announced N3.1m prize money for the inaugural Rain Oil Tennis Open which serves off on Friday (today) with the qualifiers. The winner of the competition in the men’s category will smile home with N500,000 while the women winner will be N300,000 richer at the end of hostilities at the LCC on Sunday December 17. Speaking during the press conference to announce the competition, Ogbechie said his passion for the game necessitated his company’s decision to invest in the Open. “We need to encourage our young ones to take on the game of tennis,” he said. “Not only will they earn a decent income for themselves, they will also be able to come back and invest such income into the game of tennis and sports in the country in the future. “We hope to make it an annual event, a tournament that the country’s boys and girls will be looking forwa

The organisers of the forthcoming Copa Lagos Beach Football Competition, Kinetic Sports, have showered praises on Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, over his support for the sport. This year’s Copa Lagos takes place between December 8 and 10 at the Eko Atlantic. Managing Director of Kinetic Sports, Samson Adamu, told journalists on Wednesday that Governor Ambode had been a firm pillar behind the development of beach football in the country. Adamu, who was speaking at the joint-press conference organised by the Lagos State Government and Kinetic Sports at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere stressed that Ambode’s efforts were already yielding fruits for beach football. Adamu said: “The Governor has never said no to us. He gave us so much encouragement and that is why we are having a better event with every edition. Apart from the enabling environment created by the Governor and people of the state, we have enjoyed his backing in all ways. “We are happy with

Sports Company, Maxi Sports International has congratulate Abubakar Bukola Saraki Football Club (ABS) General Manager, Alloy Chukwuemeka, foremost Sports Journalist, Tobi Adepoju and Media Officer of Osun United FC Tunde Shamsudeen after they were awarded by the Sports Media Ambassador Award. ABS GM Alloy was honoured with a special prestigious Merit  award on sports Management and  Development, Lagos based Sports Journalist Tobi Adepoju bagged his first Merit Award for his contribution toward Sports development in Nigeria as Tunde Shamsudeen was also awarded for his humugous contribution to Sports Advancement in the country. Maxi CEO, Olaoluwa Aro while reacting to this recognitions in South Africa on behalf of the organization hipped praise and best wishes to the duo shortly after the event. "We in Maxi Sports are happy for the awardees, it's reward for hard work and its good when persons that have stood out in his or her engagements is recognized and honoured"

Opening ceremony of the inaugural Sharif Rabi'u Inuwa preseason tournament tagged Ahlan Cup 2017 was lit with the presence of the crème de la crème in Northern Nigeria football administration. The Ahlan Cup 2017 match day 1 delivered amazing football to the admiration of the fans, with 14 goals scored from the three games played on the opening day. Kwara United and Plateau United played the first as early as 8:am Nigerian time, while El-Kanemi Warriors put Kano Selected IX to sword in the second game. The last match of the day marked the formal opening of the Ahlan Cup 2017 which wasn't witnessed by a mammoth crowd. Former NFA Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima was present, as well Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, Mohammed Alkali and Babagan Kali, all of whom are executive board members of the Nigeria football federation. Host Chairman Sharif Rabi'u Inuwa 'Ahlan' was filled with joy unspeakable as Kano football crowd evidently approved the preseason tournament idea. Alhaj

President of world football –ruling body, FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino has congratulated NFF President Amaju Pinnick on his birthday, as the latter added another year on Friday, 1stDecember. In his short letter dated ‘Happy Birthday,’ the world’s number football administrator wrote: “On this very special day, let me extend my sincerest wishes to you for lots of luck, happiness, good health and success. “I sincerely hope that you will find time to spend a wonderful day with your family and your friends. Many happy returns of the day and kind personal regards.” Incidentally, both Infantino and Pinnick are in Moscow, Russia for Friday’s Final Draw for the 21st FIFA World Cup finals. *Also, Super Eagles’ defender Abdullahi Shehu, on his twitter handle, gave big kudos to Pinnick for Nigeria’s qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.* *“I’m using this opportunity to appreciate your good work and the Federation’s support. We made it successfully to Russia because