Sports

Sen. Enoh Relentless in Pursuit to Rejuvenate Sports

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2024

Joel Ajayi

Says Team Nigeria Will be Ready for Paris 2024 Olympic Games

In a resolute declaration, the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to rejuvenate and reposition Nigerian sports. Under the guiding principles of the Renewed Hope mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Enoh emphasized the ministry’s determination to propel sports in Nigeria to new heights of excellence and glory.

Highlighting the significant strides made thus far during a chat with his media team, Senator Enoh underscored the ministry’s dedication to building upon past successes to drive transformative change within the sports sector. Despite facing challenges, the ministry remains steadfast in its mission to catalyze the advancement of sports across the nation.

“Sports in Nigeria is undergoing a significant transformation, and we are fully committed to leveraging this momentum to drive positive change and achieve unprecedented success,” stated Senator Enoh.

Following the Confederation of African Football’s exclusion of Nigerian match officials from its 2023 AFCON list, Senator Enoh took decisive action by convening stakeholders and declaring a state of emergency on officiating. Through collaborative efforts, a roadmap to rejuvenate officiating in Nigeria was established, leading to the inclusion of Nigerian match officials in the pool for international competitions by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) for the year 2024.

Senator Enoh’s proactive leadership was instrumental in ensuring a successful and controversy-free African Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, culminating in the team’s historic final appearance after 11 years. Additionally, Nigerian footballer Victor Osimhen’s crowning as the African Player of the Year marked a significant milestone, ending a 24-year drought.

Further accolades were bestowed upon the Senior Women’s National Team of Nigeria, the Super Falcons, who were honored as the Team of the Year in Africa at the 2023 CAF Awards. Their impressive performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand secured a top 10 global ranking for the team.

Nigeria’s dominance extended beyond football, with notable achievements at the African Games in Ghana, particularly in sports such as wrestling, boxing, and weightlifting, surpassing previous records and setting new benchmarks for excellence at the Games.

“Through collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future for Nigerian sports. Our goal is not only to excel on the international stage but also to nurture a culture of sports excellence at all levels,” Senator Enoh remarked.

Enoh stated that the Ministry will continue to work hard to bring more private investors into sports, as this period represents the best time for injecting a new life into sports.

Looking ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Senator Enoh expressed confidence in Team Nigeria’s readiness, with athletes securing qualifications across various sports and events. Notably, Nigeria secured four additional Olympic tickets in athletics following a successful outing at the World Relays Championships in the Bahamas.

“For Team Nigeria, the journey to Paris 2024 represents an opportunity to shine and make our nation proud. We are fully committed to supporting our athletes and ensuring that they have everything they need to excel on the world stage,” Senator Enoh concluded.

Senator Enoh assured that Nigeria will showcase its prowess on the global stage, leaving no stone unturned to ensure the success and welfare of its athletes.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

3 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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