FWA charges NFF, LMC on Super Eagles, League

Amaju Pinnick

The Football Writers Association has urged the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF led by Amaju Pinnick to intensify efforts towards preparation for the forthcoming World Cup qualifier match against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state.

In a communiqué which took place at the Package B of the Abuja National Stadium on Friday has Ben Nwachukwu, Mike Oboh and Chris Onokpegu as the Drafting Committee Members.

The communiqué also call on the Shehu Dikko-led League Management Company (LMC) to have a closer watch on the league to avoid match fixing.

The meeting agreed that the name should be FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION (FWA), modeled after FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION of ENGLAND and other countries; and its main reason for its formation is to specialize in football reportage.

Shehu Dikko

FWA urged the Coordinator to mobilise and fast-track the registration of more members into the Association.

The congress resolved that FWA remains the affiliate member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

The meeting also constituted a three-man committee to meet with the NUJ towards formalizing its registration.

According to the release, 19 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were represented at the meeting. The states in attendance include: Oyo, Yobe, Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Benue, Plateau, Abia, Bauchi and the host, FCT.

The congress is the first since the formation of FWA.

FWAN holds Maiden Congress next Wednesday

The first congress of the Football Writers Association of Nigeria, FWAN will hold in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Wednesday, August 16, 2017.

Members including new ones are expected to assembly at the Wuse Zone 6 Orange Indoor Hall. State chapters are expected to send a representative to attend the congress.

We are all expected to attend this 'August meeting' as important issues will be deliberated on the way forward while portfolio will also be shared to members.

Don’t be left behind as important decisions affecting our future will be taken especially in the area of reportage, elections into offices, seminars, welfare for members amongst others.

For more information, please contact 08165273757

Signed:

Chris Onokpegu

Coordinator

NBBF warns clubs about participation in unapproved league

Kida

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has warned all clubs invited for the final 6 play-off of the Kwese Premier Basketball League slated to hold between 14th and 19th August, 2017 to disregard any invitation from anybody or group of people parading as the NBBF members.

According to the NBBF led by Engr. Musa Kida, the warning became necessary after its attention was drawn to a press release by a body purporting to be Nigeria Basketball Federation inviting the top 6 clubs in both Atlantic and Savannah conferences for conference finals in Lagos and Kaduna respectively.

“While the NBBF had resolved to allow the Kwese Premier league to conclude its regular season during which the out gone board was expected to have briefed the NBBF board on the position and status of the competition, this has not been done. It is imperative to put the records straight that there is only one NBBF which is in charge of administration of Basketball in Nigeria.”

The new NBBF board described as “Unbecoming of the outgone board of NBBF to continue to abuse the privileges extended to them for the Kwese Premier League regular season.”

In a communiqué sent to the invited clubs and the Basketball Associations of the 36 states and FCT, signed by the Secretary General of the NBBF, Chimezie Asiegbu, it read;

“Due to the evident disregard and disrespect being occasioned by the outgone NBBF board with respect to the Kwese league, it has become imperative to withdraw the privilege and put a halt to Kwese Premier League until the outgone board provides adequate brief about the League to the board.”

Meanwhile, all teams invited to participate in the final 6 have been directed to disregard the invitation that is without clearance from the Secretary General of NBBF as failure to abide by the directives will be met with appropriate sanctions.

El Hadji Diouf: Steven Gerrard never did anything for England

Senegalese legend, El Hadji Diouf who has always had a drawn-out row with former Liverpool team-mates such as Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard said Gerrard was a very good player but never did anything for his country.

According to him, “I have no problem with him. He [Gerrard] is a strong character and I am a strong character. Steve’ G’ was a very good player but never did anything for his country. I am Mr El Hadji Diouf, Mr Senegal but he is Mr Liverpool and Senegal is bigger than Liverpool and he has to know that."

El-Hadji Diouf

Diouf presently works in Senegal as a government goodwill ambassador. He is President Macky Sall's adviser on sport as well as running his own sports newspaper business in Dakar - and is often mobbed by young people when he visits his gym in the city.

"My life is about sport but the government cannot do everything alone, they need help from people like me," Diouf said.

Meanwhile, Diouf, who is a hero in Senegal said he is being mobbed by fans both young and old everywhere he goes.

His countrymen are still grateful for the stellar role he played during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. But in England, he is remembered more for his controversial antics than for his football talent.

It is a trait that followed him in the English league clubs he played for - from Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers to Bolton Wanderers, with a spell for Rangers in Scotland as well.

Diouf was aggressive, spat at opponents and confronted match officials as well as opponents.

But now in his retirement, he is telling his story.

"I am a lion, I am a bad loser and it's not wrong to be a bad loser," said Diouf of his often combative mood during his playing days. "I have got character and I want people to respect me."

Diouf, who has moved back to the Senegalese capital Dakar, says he was often misunderstood during his playing days in England.

He said: "I am an easy target. It's easy to talk about El Hadji Diouf and I let them talk but I know in my heart I am a good guy. My family knows, my population knows, my continent knows I am a good guy and that's the best thing. The rest is not my problem."

When asked why, for example, he used to spit at opponents, he said: "Maybe they used to tell me something I didn't want to hear. I did that, I paid and now it's finished."

Courtesy: BBC sports

Nwankwo Kanu: Tiote's death a wake-up call

Kanu Nwankwo

Former Nigeria captain Nwankwo Kanu says the recent death of Ivory Coast's Cheick Tiote should be a wake-up call to act over heart problems in Africa.

Tiote, who was 30, died earlier this month after collapsing as he trained with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises.

Kanu, who battled heart problems during his career, says it is time to address heart-related problems. “I'm talking to friends so we can do something to create awareness to try to help children in Africa," Kanu said.

"Tiote's death was not good news. It's not the first time it is happening. We lost Marc-Vivien Foe. He died and nothing was done. Tiote is gone and nothing is being done."

Kanu was sidelined for nine months just after winning Olympic gold in 1996 when doctors at his Italian club Inter Milan found a heart defect. He was allowed to resume his career after a successful operation in Ohio in the United States. The former Arsenal striker had further heart surgery in 2014.

The 40-year-old, who also played for Ajax Amsterdam and Portsmouth, is planning to build a $17 million dollar cardiac hospital in Abuja, Nigeria. He also wants to build similar hospitals in east, north and southern Africa.

"One man can not do everything. What happened to Tiote is a lesson to us all. We can't let it go on like this," Kanu said.

"We should talk more about it, information needs to get out there because the problem is huge. Our dream is to build a hospital in Nigeria and four other countries in Africa. The funds have been the issue but if we can make it happen it's going to help a lot because right now we are taking the kids to India and it cost a lot."

So far the Kanu Heart Foundation has facilitated 538 successful operations in England, India, Nigeria and Israel.  The foundation office in Lagos, Nigeria, receives eight to ten calls everyday from people seeking help to treat heart-related problems.

Lagos University student, Enitan Adesola is one of the very first beneficiaries of the help offered by Kanu. "I have to thank him very much for taking a big decision to help me because you can't just not know someone and try to help that person," she said.

"He's been like a father to me, like a mother, he's just been great to me. I am really grateful."

To raise the funds for the hospital project Kanu is bringing together his team-mates at Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Portsmouth for two charity matches to be played in Lagos and Johannesburg later this year.

Courtesy: BBC Sports