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MBADUKU DAY 2020: VL GFC Boss receives Award of Honour

Published

5 years ago

January 2, 2021

The Chairman, Vandeikya Local Government Football Council, Mr Robert Terlumun Akpenpuun was presented with a prestigious Award of Honour on Thursday, 31 December 2020 by the Mbaduku Development Association (MDA) at the Mbaduku Day Celebrations held at Community Secondary School, Tsar.

The Special Award of Honour to the football administrator is in recognition of his sterling qualities that have come to bear on the development of football in not only Mbaduku community, but also in the entire Kunavland and beyond. His efforts at maintaining peace between the two hitherto warring border communities of Obudu and Tsar through football was specially mentioned and commended by the MDA as deserving of honour as peace was cardinal to development.

Responding, the VLGFC Boss, who is also a bonafide son of Mbaduku thanked the MDA, the organizers of the 2020 Mbaduku Day celebrations for the honour done him and promised to get as many football talents of Mbaduku extraction out of obscurity and into sporting limelight by the help of God. He also brought up the idea of a Mbaduku United Football Club that will nurture these youngsters and sell them to more established professional clubs.

” I’ll like to first and foremost thank God Almighty and Mbaduku Development Association for finding me worthy of a special award. This honour will propel me to do more in helping talented and disciplined footballers of Mbaduku extraction further their careers in more established clubs at home and abroad. But this can only be possible with the formation of Mbaduku United Football Club from where these boys can be trained and exported out to the Big Leagues” he said.

Mr Akpenpuun also commended Mbaduku leaders and elites for identifying with football as a tool for ensuring peace and development and sued for sustainable peace, cooperation and support in order to move the community to greater heights through football.

The Day witnessed the presence of great Mbaduku sons and daughters, specially invited guests including traditional rulers led by Ter U Kunav, HRH Chief. Nyiyongo Achiaku, community leaders, youth groups, cultural groups, women groups etc. Chairmen of Football Councils from Gwer – West, Gboko, Konshisha and members from Vandeikya were also in Tsar to celebrate with their colleague.

Mbaduku Day is celebrated every last day of the year to thank God for His mercies and to do stocktaking as well as render account to the people as to the progress made in the course of the year and prospects for the coming year. This year’s edition also featured a peace match between Obudu and Mbaduku, cultural dances, climaxing with a grand finale that featured award presentation to deserving sons and daughters and an appeal fund launch to complete developmental projects already underway.

From all of us at Vandeikya Local Government Football Council as well as the entire Football family in Vandeikya, this is saying a Big CONGRATULATIONS to our Chairman, Mr Robert Akpenpuun for this very special award. We wish you good health, wealth, length of days and a new year full of sporting achievements for the benefit of Kunavland and beyond.

Kuda Hot! Football Doo!!

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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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