Sports
Plans in top gear for 2022 W/Africa Sitting Volleyball Championship
Plans are currently in top gear for the 2022 West Africa Sitting Volleyball Championship with teams expected to arrive in Nigeria on Saturday 10 December 2022.
The competition being organised by the West Africa ParaVolley will be hosted by the Nigeria ParaVolley Federation under the leadership of Kayode Ladele.
According to the schedule released by the federation, the Technical Meeting for participating teams will be held on Sunday 11 December while the Para Beach Volleyball will be launched in Nigeria on Monday 12 December.
Clubs have already been confirmed from the Republic of Benin, Ghana and awaiting confirmation from teams from Sierra Leone who will join teams from Nigeria to compete in the first-ever competition of the West Africa ParaVolley.
“We are excited to be hosting this first edition of the competition which is targeted at promoting health rivalry among countries in West Africa and developing the sport at the regional level. When this was being discussed, Nigeria jumped at the idea of hosting the competition because it is in line with our short, medium and long-term plans as a federation when we got elected a few months ago.”
Explaining the idea behind the competition, he said although the competition does not serve as a qualification for any international tournament, it is the first step of many federations within the West African sub-region to develop the sport within their countries.
“With constant competitions, we will not only expose our athletes to international competitions which will ultimately improve their games, but it will also show the world how amazing our players can be if given the right platform of expression and development.”
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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