Sports
Sports Minister Sunday Dare Endorses ‘The Jagaban of Nigeria Football’, Aminu Kurfi
In just under two weeks, the Jagaban of Nigeria football, Aminu Kurfi has dolled out over 40,000USD to players and officials of the Nigeria National football teams that have done the Nation proud at continental and global level.
The chairman of Katsina FA who was appointed chairman of the football task force by NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, has continued to flourish in his new role, visiting the players before key assignments, encouraging them to excel and splashing the dollars after another brilliant outing.
This philanthropic gesture has not gone unnoticed especially among key stakeholders and lovers of Nigeria Sports.
Kurfi first stole the show when the executive governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde hosted the U-23 boys to a dinner at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan where he pledged to give the team 25,000 dollars if they defeat their counterparts from Tanzania in the second leg of the Olympics Qualifier.
At that same ocassion, Balele dazzled the guests present by first fulfilling his pledge of 10,000 dollars for the lone goal scored in Dar es Salaam before making a fresh promise of 20,000 dollars to the boys ahead of the return leg which has since been redeemed.
On Tuesday, Dan Arewa or Balele as he is fondly called by his admirers was again the cynosure of all eyes, as the sports ministry hosted the Bronze winning National Under-17 female team of Nigeria in the federal capital territory, Abuja.
After all the long speeches from top dignitaries, the Nigeria sports minister Sunday Dare invited the Jagaban of Nigeria football to the podium and for the umpteenth time, he dazzled the crowd.
At the mention of a 10,000USD largesse for the team, players and officials of the Flamingos rose to salute the man many love to call ‘Mr talk and do’
He is not one who promises and fail. Over the years, he has kept to his promises and has won more admirers to himself for always showing love, in cash and kind to Nigeria footballers wherever and whenever the need arises.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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