Sports

Go and Produce More Players Nimrod Tasks New FIVB Certified Nigerian Coaches

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation NVF Engr. Musa Nimrod has charged all the newly Federation of International Volleyball federation certified coaches to go to the nook and cranny of the nation and produce more players in the country.

It will be recalled that 45 Nigerians coaches’ underwent 5-day FIVB training courses inside Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja Package B after 16 years of such courses in the country.

Speaking shortly after the training in Abuja, Engr. Nimrod tells the coaches that Nigerian wants to see the impact of the training soon.

According to him, I am a professional engineer. I don’t believe a certificate is the major thing, we can earn a certificate, but are you putting it in practice? It’s not just to get the certificate, it’s now left for them to go back and be producing players. I will not be happy with them if they fail to produce players.

“We want to see the impact of this certificate. That is why we selected them from premier league to division 1, division 2 and even the state sports council. This is the time to produce more athletes.

“I want Nigerians to understand that this level 1 course took place 16 years ago, that is why we try our best to bring the coaching course and it was massive, the number of coaches coming for the course shows that we are on the right track.

“It’s our desire to hold a level 2 training course in August that is our agreement between the international coach and FIVB.

On his own, the FIVB instructor coach Emmanuel Esayas from Ethopia lauded Nigerian coaches saying that FIVB desire is to boost their effort toward the growth of the game.

“I think most of the coaches in Nigeria are talented because they play volleyball and if you play volleyball it is not difficult for them to understand the training, they know rules, skills, they know everything.

“We came here just to boost them to some level. I am here because of volleyball, and I saw many good coaches so I need Nigerian people to support them.”

One of the participant’s coaches who is head coach of Offa Volleyball club Suleiman Ajaegbe said that training will go a long way to help the coaches in the country.

“I think everyone here is really fulfilled, this is a course that was held 16 years ago for the federation to bring it, and it’s a big thing in our life.

“This training will go a long way in helping us, we shall work on what we have learnt here for a better future of volleyball in the country.”

Like Oliva Twist, he however, asked federation not let it take longer period of time before bringing the course back to the Nigeria

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

20 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

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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