Sports

Abba Yola Bags PAN African ICON of Sports Award

Published

4 years ago

September 25, 2022

The Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Alh. Abba Yola has bagged the prestigious Thomas Sankara Leadership Prize for Pan – African Icon of Sports Renaissance Award in honour of his leadership ideology and high administrative prudence in the field of sports.

At the award ceremony which held in Abuja over the weekend, the President, Youth Partnership For Africa’s Development (YOUPAD), Hon. Coulibaly Hameed described him as a consumate Pan Africanist.

In a press statement issued by Director (Press & Public Relations) Mohammed Manga on Sunday said that the youth group commended him for his well articulated policies which has positively transformed sports development in , of,,various capacities of his services to Nigeria, as well as his leadership with zero tolerance for corruption, nepotism and favoritism.

Past illustrious recipients of the prize, he stated, include President Umar Al-Bashir of Sudan, IGP Ibrahim Idris and Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, amongst other distinguished Africans.

In his acceptance speech, the award recipent and Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Alh. Abba Yola attributed the recognition to the doggedness and pragmatic approach of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the doggedness of my boss, the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, with the full support of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, he said.
According to him, sports is a natural fit for him as he has been involved in different levels of its management and administration, from State to Federal capacities.

While commending the Youth Partnership for Africa’s Development for the honour, he said, “this award will no doubt encourage me to continue to do what I know best, contribute to the development of our youth through sports”.

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Sports

PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon Assures Runners Of Safety Ahead Of 14 November Race

Published

2 hours ago

October 29, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The organisers of the PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon have assured runners of a safe and well planned race, with special attention to the challenges of extreme heat.

Speaking in a video message, Emmanuel Odey, the Project Manager at Nilayo Sports Management Limited, the organisers of the race, warned athletes about the dangers of running in extreme heat and advised them to prepare properly.

“The world is bracing for a powerful El Niño, a climate phenomenon that can disrupt weather patterns worldwide and lead to extreme heat. Nigeria is a possible risk area, and runners must take the warning seriously.” Odey explained.

According to him, “Extreme heat is no joke. It can lead to dehydration and even life threatening heat stroke if runners are not careful.”

He urged runners to “hydrate well, pace themselves and listen to their bodies at all times, even while training.”

To support the athletes on race day, Odey revealed that the organisers will provide chilled water at every 2.5 kilometres along the route. At the finish area, there will also be a cold water bath to help cool down the body of runners after the race.

He added “We will provide chilled water at every 2.5 kilometres along the route, and at the finish area, there will be a cold water bath to help cool down the body after the race.”

The race is scheduled for 14 November 2026. The start point is the Old Parade Ground opposite the Fire Station, while the start time is 6:30am. The finish line is the Velodrome at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Odey concluded his message with a charge to all participants, “Respect the heat, run smart and finish strong. You are built for this.”

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