Sports
Sports Minister charges Scrabble Federation on Grassroot Development
Joel Ajayi
The Honourable Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has charged the Scrabble Federation of Nigeria to hunt for talents at the grassroots with a view to retaining their present status at global competitions.
The Minister gave the charge today in his Office in Abuja when he received a delegation from the Federation who came to present the PAN African Scrabble Championship Trophy on Maiden Tour of Africa, to him.
He stated that Nigeria was proud of the Federation for standing out as the Number one Scrabble-playing nation in the world and urged them to hold unto the position through the discovery and nurturing of players from the grassroots.
“I am glad to receive the trophy, and as the trophy makes its tour, I know that it will come back to Nigeria after the Tournament”, Dare said.
The Minister who commended the 8-year-old Master Saviour Onazi, National Junior Scrabble Champion, for the feat he had achieved for the country, assured that the Ministry will support his education and tournaments as part of its Talent Hunt Programme.
Dare stated further that the future of sports in Nigeria is bright with the passage of the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) which has reclassified Sports as Business and not Recreation, noting that it outlines an effective means of improving the funding of sports, obligations of the different tiers of government as well as participation of the private sector and other stakeholders in sports.
He therefore called on the Federation to create more awareness on the forthcoming competition as they prepare to host the first ever edition of the Pan-African Scrabble Championship that will be held in Nigeria in August 2023.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar thanked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration for its commitment to the development of sports in the country.
While calling on sports loving Nigerians and philanthropists to key into the NSIP for a more robust partnership in the sector, he assured that government will continue to create an enabling environment for both athletes and investors to thrive in the field of sports.
Also speaking, the President, PAN African Scrabble Association, Mr. Adekoyejo Adegbesan thanked the Ministry for its support to the Federation, stressing that they will deploy their technical expertise so as to solidify their dominance in the game.
Sports
Flamingos’ Historic World Cup Feat Draws Musawa’s Commendation
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has congratulated Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat to claim Nigeria’s first title in the competition and make history as the first African nation to win the tournament.
Awawu Bashiru gave Nigeria the lead in the 39th minute before Oluebube Umejiaku extended the advantage two minutes after the restart. Japan’s Fuki Ito reduced the deficit in the 80th minute, but the Nigerian girls held on to secure a memorable victory.
In a congratulatory message was signed by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister, Nneka Ikem Anibeze on Sunday in Abuja, Musawa described the achievement as a defining moment for Nigeria and a significant milestone for African women’s football, attributing the success to the team’s resilience, talent and determination.
“This is more than a trophy. It is a story of young Nigerian girls who refused to give up, who rose after defeat, and who carried the hopes of a continent to the top of the world,” she said.
The Minister noted that the Flamingos had broken new ground by becoming the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria also became the first African country to win both the men’s and women’s U-17 World Cup titles.
The team further achieved another remarkable feat by becoming the first side in the competition’s history to lose its opening match and eventually emerge champions.
Despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening group-stage encounter, the Flamingos recovered impressively, recording six consecutive victories to lift the trophy.
Musawa particularly praised Umejiaku, who claimed the tournament’s Golden Ball award as the best player, and Bashiru for their crucial contributions in the final.
She also commended the entire squad for their discipline, teamwork and determination throughout the competition.
According to her, the victory demonstrates the creativity, courage and excellence of Nigerian youths on the global stage.
The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to celebrating and promoting the achievements and inspiring stories of young Nigerians who continue to bring honour to the country.
“Our girls have shown the world what Nigeria is made of. We celebrate you today, and we will continue to stand with you,” she added.
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