Sports

Nimrod renovates court where he began volleyball 50 years ago

Published

4 years ago

May 7, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Secretary General of Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3, Engineer Musa Nimrod has renovated the volleyball court where he started volleyball 50 years ago.

Nimrod began the game of volleyball at Ribadu Cantonment Sports Complex in Kaduna state in 1971.

In their bid to promote unity in the state, Kaduna State Volleyball Association is organising an U18 Girls and U19 Boys inter Barracks Volleyball Championship at the newly renovated court

In a statement made by Elishama Elam, head coach of COAS Spikers, 6 teams will battle for glory from 13th to 15th May, 2021.

Elam listed the teams as; Jaji Cantonment, Kalapanzin Barracks, Airforce Base, Dalet Barracks, Old Barracks and 44 Ref Hospital.

He said, “This court has a history, most of the serving One and Two Star Generals, Renounce Engineers both Civil and Military, Academicians, Business Moguls, today products of this court.

“I am proud to state categorically that my volleyball breakthrough started on this court way back 1984 as a vibrant young soldier. My immediate elder brother and the caretaker chairman of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod are great products of this court and I salute his courage for take us back to our root”.

He thanked Engineer Musa Nimrod for his contributions to the development of volleyball in Kaduna state, Nigeria, West Africa and Africa as a whole.

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Sports

“ This Award Gives Me Hope” Makanjuola Nureni Honoured for His Dedication to Nigerian Sports

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

The Gleamer

Abuja-based football administrator and philanthropist, Makanjuola Nureni, has been honoured with the Distinguished Service Award by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in recognition of his outstanding support to sports journalism and his immense contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The prestigious award was presented on Friday in Abuja during SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration held in Abuja, marking 60 years of promoting sports journalism and excellence across the nation.

Expressing his gratitude after receiving the honour, Makanjuola Nureni described the award as a source of inspiration and renewed motivation to continue his lifelong commitment to youth and grassroots sports.

“This award gives me hope and motivation to do more. It’s a source of inspiration to me and my supporters, and I believe it will encourage us to invest more in youth sports development in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the recognition serves as a morale booster after decades of hard work and silent impact in the sports community.

“I feel happy and fulfilled because we have been doing this for decades, and many times, our efforts went unnoticed. But I thank God that SWAN recognized people like us,” Nureni expressed.

Makanjuola Nureni is the founder and owner of Water FC Academy, a renowned football institution based in Abuja that focuses on discovering, nurturing, and empowering young Nigerian talents.

Through Water FC, he has developed and sponsored numerous players who have gone on to represent Nigeria’s national teams and play professionally in clubs across Africa, Europe, and beyond.

His consistency, passion, and investment in the development of young athletes have made him a key figure in Nigerian grassroots football.

In presenting the award, SWAN commended Nureni’s unwavering dedication to the growth of sports and his continuous support for sports journalism and youth empowerment.

The association highlighted his decades-long service to football development and described him as a true partner in the promotion of excellence within Nigerian sports.

The SWAN Diamond Jubilee Celebration brought together prominent figures from sports administration, the media, and government sectors to honour individuals and organizations whose contributions have advanced sports development and journalism in Nigeria.

Nureni’s recognition stands out as a testament to his vision, consistency, and commitment to creating opportunities for young athletes and strengthening the foundation of Nigerian football.

With this honour, Makanjuola Nureni further cements his legacy as one of the foremost private contributors to sports growth and youth development in Nigeria.

His story continues to inspire a new generation of sports administrators and philanthropists dedicated to transforming Nigerian sports from the grassroots up.

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