Sports
Abba Bichi Unity Cup Set For July 26
About 96 players grouped in 8 teams will lock horns for the 2021 edition of the Abba Bichi Football Unity Cup title.
The 2nd edition of the Abba Bichi Unity Cup will come under spotlight from Monday 26th to Tuesday 27th July 2021 at the Ahmed Musa Sports Centre in Kano State.
According to the former Nigerian Golden Eaglets Star, Abba Bichi, said the tournament is aimed at building peace, supporting and grooming talents to become football professionals in the country.
“The whole tournament is about building up a friendly and peaceful place in the society. To groom talents and support them financially, also providing them with the professional football experience.
“This is to show the whole country that a young person like me is taking these steps so why are others lacking behind, I mean other billionaire Nigerian professionals’’.
He also revealed that the first edition of the Unity Cup was a huge success as participated players had moved to the next level in their footballing career.
“The first edition was a huge success, so many players used the tournament as a springboard in moving their professional football career forward. Hopefully, we should unearth more young stars who would surpass the last edition achievement and seal huge contracts at the end of the second edition”.
Meanwhile, Abba Bichi has become the first youngest Nigerian footballer to be verified on Twitter and TikTok with thousands of followers, following his outstanding personality which serves as an inspiration to other younger generation all over the world.
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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