Sports

1961 Istra of Croatia club signs Nigeria’s wonder-kid

Published

4 months ago

February 16, 2025

European club, 1961 Istra of Croatia has beaten other top clubs in Europe to sign Nigeria’s wonder- kid, Charles Agada.

Agada, former Golden Eaglets attacker, who clocked 18 years in September last year, signed a 4 – year deal with the Croatian top side and he is the third Nigerian player to pitch his tent with the club in the last two years.

Agada was highly sought after by some European clubs. Just few months ago, TOTORI NEWS reported that QPR of England had given him a pre- contract deal, but the real deal did not eventually materialise due to some circumstances that prevented all the interested parties from going ahead with the contract.

Interestingly, Istra are of the firm opinion that Agada will thrive at the club and the club will be a perfect place to launch his European club career.
Salim Fago Lawal and Israel Isaac Ayuma are the other two Nigerian players on the payrol of Istra and incidentally the three players are Nigerian junior internationals and also products of Mavlon FC of Lagos.

In 2023, Agada was the top scorer of the famous tournament in Viareggio, Italy with ten goals, and he featured for the Golden Eaglets at the AFCON U-17 tournament in Algeria same year where he scored against South Africa in one pf the group games that ended 3-2 in favour of Nigeria.

He has since been promoted to the Flying Eagles, but injury prevented him from participating at the WAFU B U20 regional qualifying tournament, where Aliyu Zubairu- led Flying Eagles team won the tournament in 2024.

www.totorinews.com

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Sports

No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday

Published

5 hours ago

June 8, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS), known for its orderliness since its establishment in 1990, continues to uphold its standards ahead of the upcoming Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.

With members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, NAWIS has consistently operated without external interference.

Over the years, its members have been nominated to various boards of national sports federations after meeting established criteria, including the payment of annual dues.

The association has attracted a strong base of respected sportswomen who have served the country with distinction, both during and after their active careers.

In preparation for the AFN elections, zonal elections were conducted on June 2 and 3, producing representatives for the national exercise.

While NAWIS initially planned to hold its election in Zaria, Kaduna State, the association’s headquarters, it was later rescheduled for Abuja on Monday, June 9, following directives from higher authorities.

Importantly, NAWIS has a set of strict guidelines that govern its electoral process, particularly the requirement for timely payment of annual dues. Failure to meet this condition results in automatic disqualification.

This guideline was the basis for the disqualification of Maria Wophil, who has reportedly not paid her annual dues since 2017. Her attempt to hurriedly settle outstanding debts just before the election was deemed non-compliant with NAWIS regulations.

Who is Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju?

Commonwealth gold medallist Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju is one of the leading contenders for the NAWIS representative position in the AFN.

She made history as the first African woman to run the 400m in under 50 seconds and brought glory to Nigeria by winning a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Yusuf-Olukoju also claimed gold in the 400m at the 1991 All-Africa Games and silver in the 200m.

Based on nominations and her track record, Yusuf-Olukoju is considered the most qualified candidate. However, three other contenders have also shown interest, and the final decision will be made in the election slated for Monday, June 9, in Abuja.

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