Sports

Abuja Hosts African Karate Championship as 31 Nations Battle for Glory

Published

3 months ago

July 21, 2025

….Karate Federation President Agara Pledges Impactful Championship

Joel Ajayi

No fewer than 1,000 athletes have arrived in Abuja for the 2025 African Karate Championship, scheduled to hold from July 21 to July 28.

, President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Silas Agara stated this in Press Conference on Abuja on Sunday that 31 countries, alongside host nation Nigeria, will compete across four categories of the sport.

Agara explained that the categories include:Cadet (ages 14–15), Junior (ages 16–17),Senior, and Para-karate (for athletes aged 18 and above).

According to him, Today, we are happy to announce that most of the countries that indicated interest in participating in the African Championship are already on ground,” Agara stated.

“We also have international officials present to provide technical support throughout the event. As a federation, we have been working tirelessly over the past week to ensure all logistics are in place, including accommodation for the visiting countries.”

He noted that as of Wednesday night—the official deadline for registration—31 countries had confirmed participation, with over 1,000 athletes and officials expected in total.

“Coordinating logistics for these athletes and officials has been quite demanding, especially regarding accommodation, transportation, and immigration matters, such as visa-on-arrival processing. However, I’m happy to say that we are on course,” he added.

Agara further disclosed that the General Assembly of the African Karate Federation will also take place in Abuja during the championship.

In his remarks, Dave Jegede, Technical Director of the KFN, said Nigeria would present 60 athletes for the championship, all of whom are in high spirits ahead of the competition.

“In anticipation of this event, we have been preparing extensively. As the host nation, we organized several national and regional championships to keep our athletes sharp and competition-ready,” Jegede said.

“We’ve held four national and two regional tournaments leading up to this championship. Our 60-athlete team includes African and Commonwealth medalists—gold, silver, and bronze winners—so we are confident in their ability to make Nigeria proud,” he added.

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

12 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

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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