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Elegbeleye calls for best practices as NPFL hits last stretch

Published

1 year ago

May 24, 2024

Joel Ajayi

This Sunday, the first of the remaining six matchdays of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season will hold and Chairman of the league board, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye has called on the clubs and match Referees to stay true to the spirit and letters of football rules.

Elegbeleye, who commended the clubs for improved performances of their players as reflected in the quality of play and competitiveness of the matches, urged them to keep the league free of bad blood on and off the field.

“We have had a fairly great season with improvements in quality of play and standard of the teams. It is important that we complete the last six games devoid of controversy and unnecessary disputes capable of ridiculing the game in the eyes of the football World”, stated the NPFL Boss.

Turning to the Referees, Elegbeleye, who is also the 2nd Vice President of the NFF, warned against incompetence and bias in officiating matches.

“We witnessed overall fantastic officiating for most of the completed fixtures, and I want to commend the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) for the good job their members did so far,” remarked the League chief.

“The NPFL and the NFF have shown from the start of the season that there is no place for poor officiating in the league and we are not relenting as the monitoring will be intensified and any one found wanting will be delisted swiftly”, he warned.

“We are looking at ways to reward outstanding Referees as a way of motivating our crop of Match officials and at the appropriate time, this will be unveiled”, promised the former National Assembly Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.

The season was paused after Matchday 32 to allow Rivers United complete backlog of games that accumulated due to their involvement in the CAF Confederation Cup.

When the season resumes on Sunday, May 26, two of the fixtures in Umuahia and Jos would be broadcast live on Startimes while six in Umuahia, Kano, Katsina, Ilorin, Owerri and Jos will be on the NPFL_Live, the OTT live streaming platform powered by Propel Sports Africa.

Matchday 34 will hold on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday of June 1 & 2. Matchday 35 falls on June 8-9, while Matchday 36 is a midweek fixture of June 12. Matchday 37 will hold on June 16 while the NPFL will, in the days ahead, announce the date for the last matchday of the season.

Rangers International, Remo Stars, Enyimba International, and Shooting Stars Sports Club are the front-runners for the title.

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Riyadh 2025: Nigeria’s Boxing Contingent Departs for Saudi Arabia

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Team Nigeria’s boxing contingent has officially departs the shores of the country for Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ahead of the 6th edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games, taking place from November 7 to 21, 2025.

The team forms a vital part of Nigeria’s contingent at the multi-sport event, which gathers athletes from across over 55 nations globally. Nigeria’s participation reflects the nation’s commitment to expanding its global sporting profile and using sport as a tool for unity, national pride, and youth development.

Chief de Mission, Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, described the Riyadh Games as a “crucial aspect of Nigeria’s strategic sports development plan,” emphasizing that the event serves as both a test of preparation and a pathway toward greater international success, including at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

He reaffirmed the NSC’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerian athletes receive the necessary support to excel on global platforms.

“This is more than just another international competition; it is a vital stepping-stone for our athletes toward Olympian ambitions,” Hon. Bukola Olopade said ahead of the team’s departure.

“Our team is prepared, focused, and hungry for success. We carry the hopes of the nation with us to Riyadh,” Hon. Olopade added.
Nigeria has maintained a strong presence at the Games since the inaugural edition in 2005. Over the years, the country’s athletes have recorded success across various sporting categories.

The contingent is led by experienced coaches and supported by technical staff dedicated to achieving peak performance levels.

As the competition gets set to begin in Riyadh, all eyes will be on the Nigerian contingent to deliver a performance that reinforces the country’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading sporting nations.

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