Sports
Ote4Wealth’ National football Tournament Kick Off Nov 15 in FCT
Joel Ajayi
All roads will lead to the Stadium of Light, popularly known as Water FC Stadium at Apo Lokogoma in the Nigeria Capital City where teams from 36 states and FCT will be competing at the 2022 “Ote4wealth” National Championship.
The 6-day National tournament slated for 15th to 16th of November 2022 will see the winner smile home with 1 million naira.
Speaking at the unveiling of the ‘Ote4Wealth’ National championship, on Thursday, in Abuja, the founder of the MK Sports Water FC Nureni Makanjuola said he is using the tournament to appreciate the goodness of God in the life Business Mogul Femi Otedola whom God has giving grace to clock 60 years in the land of the living.
According to him, we are here because of a great man, a brother, an uncle, Chief Femi Otedola that I cherished.
“It has been my longtime dream and I have been putting him in my prayers that Almighty God should give him long life, prosperity and more wealth.
“I promised myself that if God can grant my request to him, clocking 60 years, I will celebrate him.
“He is a man I have never met in my life, but he is one of my idols, that I cherish and that gave birth to the “Ote4wealth” National Championship in Abuja.
“I want to use what I know best to celebrate whom I cherish so much and what I know and love to do is football business.
That is why, we are organizing this National tournament where 36 teams and FCT will compete in the tournament.
While giving a hint on the price, he revealed: MK Sports Water FC Mr. Makanjuola said: “we have a lot of fantastic prizes for the winner, the winner will smile home with 1million naira to send a signal that we are celebrating him.
“Also there will be individual prices for the highest goal scorer, most valuable player, best goalkeeper amongst others.
He urged the sports loving Nigerians to join him in celebrating Otedola.
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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