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Post COVID-19: I Foresees Brighter Future For Football-Abia Warriors Sporting Director

Published

5 years ago

May 20, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The Sporting Director of one of the Nigeria Premier football League NPFL giants, Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia Mr. Patrick Ngwaogu has opined that the post pandemic COVID-19 period will augur well for football in Nigeria and the world in general.

Ngwaogu who was a Guest in an NTA network sports program on Tuesday said that the world has come to appreciate the important role Football plays in the society.

He said that he is for seeing a situation where the corporate bodies will embrace the sponsorship of football activities to launch themselves back to reckoning in global economy immediately after the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Ngwaogu who is also a Journalist, advised the organizers of the game to fully prepare themselves to embrace the boost that will follow the pandemic.

The former FCT FA Vice Chairman said he is yet to come to terms on how some of the new guidelines FIFA released recently will work effectively in our local leagues “increasing the team to 23 players per match is extra logistics on the clubs, quarantining the players before match, and traveling with two buses amounts to extra cost on the teams. Teams that are not financially buoyant will find it difficult to cope. Unless, FIFA would have to review some of the rules before the game will restart here”.

He insisted that his team Abia Warriors is ever ready to resume immediately the game of football returns to Nigeria “we are very much in touch with our players.

“The technical crew prepares weekly training programs for the players, and we monitor them to ensure that they follow it to the latter, so that they will be fit whenever the league will resume.

“Not only that, we advised them to keep to all the precautionary measures outlined by the Federal Government to ensure that they are healthy and safe, because Football is only for the healthy” he concluded.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

7 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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