Sports

Cricket is the Best Run Sport in Nigeria-Akpata

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2023

Joel Ajayi

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata says his sport is the best-run sport in the country.

He made this claim while pitching his Cricket to the private sector at an event in Lagos tagged ‘Cricket meet Corporates’.
“I’d like to say the Nigeria Cricket Federation structure is the best I have seen around, and it is modeled from my experience in the private sector.” The career accountant said.

The meeting was meant for accountability to stakeholders, and to pitch the future of the game to new and potential sponsors. Uyi, told Cricket stakeholders that the three international awards won by the Federation, and a recent visit by the International Cricket Council’s Development Manager, William Glenwright, to understudy Nigeria’s growth plan was no fluke.

“We have some of the most dedicated workforce in sports development and some of the state posts a whooping 25, 000 kids’ in-take into the game annually. We currently do 250, 000 and we have raised the stake to 500, 000 for the coming season”

The PwC National Under-17 Championship has been one of the key events that has driven the grassroots effort of late; as most of the field officers see the platform as a place to showcase their regional engagement efforts.

Akpata said, “In 2023, we had uLesson come on board our youth project, and many more corporates like Accessbank joined our Women’s T20i Invitational that had five countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone). Eko Disco, Intercontinental Hotel, Sparkle, and Alaro City have also seen value in our projects.”

“In 2024, we are raising the stakes, and as the ICC has also beamed the searchlight on our activities, the 2.5 billion audience of Cricket is ours and our partners to leverage.”

Akpata added that the Nigeria Women’s team, presently ranked 30th in the world, and Men’s 38th standing on the World T20i table respectively adds to Nigeria’s enviable profile as the new year beckons.

“Our male team is presently in Zimbabwe, heading to Namibia next week to begin a historic chase for the 2024 World Cup ticket, and the ladies will do the same in a few weeks in December.”

He said the West Africa Under 15 Championship, The 2024 Women’s T20i Invitational in March, Men’s T20i Invitational, The Nigeria Super League, National championships, Secondary School Challenge Cup, and The Nigeria Universities Cricket League are some of the projects that the Federation will onboard next year.

Among notable corporate bodies that attended the function are UPDC, Olam, Card Center, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Infinity Snacks and Chams, to mention a few.

“We are very focused and value-driven and will be looking forward to working with several brands on these.” He concluded.

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Sports

No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday

Published

12 hours ago

June 8, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS), known for its orderliness since its establishment in 1990, continues to uphold its standards ahead of the upcoming Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.

With members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, NAWIS has consistently operated without external interference.

Over the years, its members have been nominated to various boards of national sports federations after meeting established criteria, including the payment of annual dues.

The association has attracted a strong base of respected sportswomen who have served the country with distinction, both during and after their active careers.

In preparation for the AFN elections, zonal elections were conducted on June 2 and 3, producing representatives for the national exercise.

While NAWIS initially planned to hold its election in Zaria, Kaduna State, the association’s headquarters, it was later rescheduled for Abuja on Monday, June 9, following directives from higher authorities.

Importantly, NAWIS has a set of strict guidelines that govern its electoral process, particularly the requirement for timely payment of annual dues. Failure to meet this condition results in automatic disqualification.

This guideline was the basis for the disqualification of Maria Wophil, who has reportedly not paid her annual dues since 2017. Her attempt to hurriedly settle outstanding debts just before the election was deemed non-compliant with NAWIS regulations.

Who is Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju?

Commonwealth gold medallist Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju is one of the leading contenders for the NAWIS representative position in the AFN.

She made history as the first African woman to run the 400m in under 50 seconds and brought glory to Nigeria by winning a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Yusuf-Olukoju also claimed gold in the 400m at the 1991 All-Africa Games and silver in the 200m.

Based on nominations and her track record, Yusuf-Olukoju is considered the most qualified candidate. However, three other contenders have also shown interest, and the final decision will be made in the election slated for Monday, June 9, in Abuja.

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