Featured

Africa Cup Track Cycling Light-Up FCT, Raises Hope For Nigerians

Published

6 years ago

July 29, 2019

…as Team Nigeria top medal table with 41 medals

Joel Ajayi

It was three days of excitement, delight, enjoyment inside the World-class Velodrome complex inside the Mohsood Abiola National Stadium in the Nigeria’s Capital City when for the first time in history for an unrelentingly Cycling first ever competition took place courtesy of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria having staged the maiden edition of the Africa Cup Track Cycling where athletes from 9 countries in the continent competed for honour.

Cycling lovers were treated to the stupor inside the Velodrome Complex for the first time since its construction 16 years ago, at the Africa Track Cycling Championship.

The arena was another serene and different experience to the sports lovers compare to what they use to in football, volleyball basketball amongst others when Cyclists from African countries through ride displayed their skills of distinction, value, and excellence to treat crowd comprises of diplomatic in an unforgettable experience.

Indeed, the 3-day power-packed action competition showed that Nigeria has the men and women that can launch her in the global arena.

With little or no financial support coming from the government, the Cycling federation under the leadership of Engr. Giandomenico Massari has demonstrated that the games of Cycling have a lot of opportunity for Athletes, Nigerians and Africa, at large.

Meanwhile, the Cycling ring in FCT came alive with the arrival of eight Africa countries for the event which also serves as preparation for the forthcoming All Africa Games in Morocco.

The countries were the Host Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Burundi.

After familiarization with facilities in at the Velodrome for some days hostilities eventually on Friday’s 26^th of July 2019 started with needed eagerness.

On the first day, team Nigeria on Friday top the medal table with six gold, five silver and a bronze medal in the eight events that took place to mark the commencement of the championship.

Egypt followed with two gold medals, two silver, and three bronze in the championship.

However, on the last day of the event, the Team Nigeria topped the medals table with total 41 medals comprising 21 gold, 18 silver and 12 bronze medals in the overall result of the medals table.

Team Egypt won a total of four gold, six silver, and five bronze, while Burkina Faso won three silver, five bronze. Morocco won a total of four gold three silver.

Burundi won a total of two bronze medals and Ghana also won two bronze medals.

Speaking after three days of the event an ecstatic The President of Cycling Federation of Nigeria, Massari hailed the Nigerian athletes for putting up a superlative performance while commending his Board for ensuring a hitch-free organization of the event.

“My athletes have performed beyond expectation. Winning 21 gold medals with a short period of preparation is no little achievement by all standards. I am very happy and I am using this opportunity to thank Team Nigeria and my Board members for this great achievement. I am also grateful to the African body for having confidence in us to host this Championship.”

“It’s three days of excitement, of interesting and showcases the abundant talent Nigeria did very well in fact, beyond any expectations, I remembered many people were asking before the competition that what will be the expectations. I told them to wait and watch, I was hopeful of the event and today we thank God we had a wonderful competition

“This event will no doubt give the opportunity to many Nigeria, we have many talents in Nigeria particularly for cycling, and we have more potential to achieve success. Winning 20 gold medals it’s not an easy task.”

As for Nigeria Cyclist Abaka Kurotimi, said he was excited to see Nigeria hosting this championship, it will be a big slap on us to see other countries coming to pick medals in our territory.

“My target is to go for the Olympic and world championship and if I can get something better I will be grateful to God. The Africa Cup is just a starting point.”

Speaking also Clementine A young from Ghana who won bronze for her country, while speaking on the championship, said she had never dreamt of winning a medal in the championship.

‘’I am very happy with this success it is like a dream come true. I’m sure that my country and the Cycling Federation of Ghana will be proud of me.”

Meanwhile, the competition may have come and gone but the euphoria of the competition remains in the memories lane of all stakeholders in the continent of Africa as Cycling promises to raise Nigerian hope.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

Share on Facebook