Sports

Excitement As NCF/PWC U17 Cricket Tournament Kick-Off Wednesday

Published

3 years ago

February 15, 2022

By Joel Ajayi

It’s going to be the battle to finish at the 3rd Edition of the Nigeria Cricket Federation in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC National U-17 Cricket Championship finals as representatives of six geo-political zones will slug it out in a fierce competition.

The final round of the U-17 tourney for boys and girls cricket championship kicks off today Wednesday to Sunday in Abuja.

The games will be played inside the newly built cricket Ovats inside Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

It will be recalled that the preliminary round at the zonal level has been concluded and the selected players from the zones are coming to represent their zones in the final round in Abuja.

Briefing newsmen ahead of the event tagged ‘NCF/PwC Championship’ the Secretary General of Nigeria Cricket Federation, NCF, Mr Taiwo Oris said the championship is targeted at getting more children into the game of cricket and also open up opportunities for more participation.

He commended PricewaterhouseCoopers ,PwC, for bankrolling the Championship, saying the event will serve as gateway into international cricket podium for young talents.

In his address, the representative of PwC, Mr Tolu Adeleke, said the sponsorship is part of their corporate responsibility in empowering youths and taking them off the street.

He said the positive impact and the result of their sponsorship or contribution which is enormous is spurring them to extend the gesture.

While giving an overview of the tournament, the NCF Tournament Manager Bode Musa Ehizoje enumerated positive impacts of the tournament in the last three years as the number of participating states keep increasing.

He expressed that despite the challenges, progress has been made compared to previous editions where limited states participated.

According to him, this year, 31 states for the boys and 25 for the girls participated at the preliminary stage.

Ehizoje assured that the positive impact of the competition promises a better hope for Nigeria’s present and future.

Speaking on the technical aspect of the event, the NCF Technical Director Mr Joseph Eshua said that NCF/PWC U17 Cricket Tournament remains the most junior tournament in the country in the history of cricket.

He said the tournament will equally go a long way to improve the players, coaches and referees.

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Sports

No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday

Published

6 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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