Sports

Rousing Reception As ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy touches down Abuja

Published

2 years ago

August 30, 2023

Joel Ajayi

It was a Celebration Galore, excitement to the core and fun as the original ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy made a second triumphant entry to Nigeria for the second time in four years.

The trophy which weighs about 11 kilograms and stands at 650mm-has a golden globe held by three silver columns and was displayed at the symbolic Zuma Rock of the Federal Capital Territory by ICC and Nigeria Cricket Federation officials.

The World Cup trophy arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, amidst celebration as the trophy made its way to popular Zuma Rock In Zuba before it was displayed inside the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Nigeria’s Capital city where fans, and stakeholders, had a glance of the most prestigious trophy in the game of cricket.

The trophy will leave for Lagos on Wednesday, August 30th, where a reception has been planned by the Lagos cricket community at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval.

The trophy which departs from Lagos on Wednesday will continue its tour of 18 countries with an imminent arrival in South Africa on Thursday. The silverware was launched into the stratosphere completing 120,000 feet above the earth before a groundbreaking landing at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Receiving the trophy on behalf of the Federal government inside Abuja National Stadium, Minister of Sports Senator John Enoh whose joy was visible commended ICC and Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) for steadily improving the game with regular activities.

Minister assured of the readiness of the current administration in developing sports in Nigeria. “My hope is that we are going to break new ground and make sports actually become what it should be in terms of job creation, security amongst others.

“The tour is very significant and Nigeria is privileged to be among the two countries in Africa to have the trophy. As Minister, I will give all the support to be part of the success and growth of all the sports federations.”

He congratulated Nigerians on the hostage.

Also speaking an excited President of Nigeria Cricket Federation NCF, Uyi Akpata said: Cricket has been making remarkable progress in the last five years saying that the federation will not relent in its effort to ensure more growth of the cricket in the country and beyond.

He attributed the second coming of the trophy to Nigeria’s rising profile in the game.

“Today, the Cricket trophy is here and we are happy and its an opportunity to show our culture and our strength as a nation.

“Certainly, Nigeria won’t take back foot again in cricket, rather we will continue to initiate developmental programs geared towards popularizing the game, and we have set another target of recruiting 500, 000 Nigerians into the game every year as of 2024.” He said.

However, NCF has introduced over one million entrants to cricket in the last four years.

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Sports

NLO’s Shola Ogunowo Earns Praise for Driving Grassroots Football and Exemplifying Integrity

Published

5 hours ago

June 7, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Nigerian football community has lauded Mr. Shola Ogunowo, Chief Operating Officer of the Nationwide League One (NLO), for his unwavering commitment to integrity and the development of grassroots football, earning him widespread respect and admiration across the sporting landscape.

In a statement released in Abuja and signed by Okechukwu Okebugwu, Mr. Ogunowo was praised as a transformative leader who has redefined the ethics and standards of football administration at the grassroots level. According to the release, Ogunowo has emerged as a “leading figure in the fight against match-fixing, bribery, and all forms of corruption” that have plagued the lower tiers of Nigerian football for decades.

Through consistent enforcement of transparency, fairness, and accountability, Mr. Ogunowo is steering the NLO toward becoming a credible platform where talent can be discovered and nurtured based on merit, rather than manipulation or favoritism.

“In an environment where shortcuts and compromises are all too common, Shola Ogunowo has remained a pillar of integrity,” Okebugwu stated. “He is restoring credibility to grassroots football by ensuring that fair play, discipline, and professionalism are non-negotiable.”

Since taking over as COO, Ogunowo has spearheaded a number of structural reforms aimed at instilling discipline and operational excellence among participating clubs. These include stricter licensing requirements, performance audits, and compliance monitoring to ensure clubs uphold the league’s code of conduct. His administration has also emphasized youth development, with a renewed focus on coaching education and player welfare.

The result is a reinvigorated Nationwide League One that is beginning to attract renewed attention from fans, corporate sponsors, and local communities. Observers say Ogunowo’s leadership is helping reshape perceptions of grassroots football—not just as a stepping stone to the elite leagues, but as a vital foundation for the future of Nigerian football.

“His leadership is not only impacting the pitch—it’s rebuilding trust, creating real value, and setting a good standard for sports administration in Nigeria,” Okebugwu concluded.

As the NLO season progresses, many stakeholders believe that with figures like Shola Ogunowo at the helm, the future of grassroots football in Nigeria is not only secure, but promising.

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