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Enyimba Hold Remo Stars In Sagamu To Keep Playoff Hope Alive

Published

6 years ago

May 17, 2019

Enyimba Hold Remo Stars In Sagamu To Keep Playoff Hope Alive

Enyimba Football Club kept their Nigeria Professional Football League playoff hopes on solid track with a goalless draw against ten-man Remo Stars at the Gateway International Stadium on Thursday evening.

Both sides came into the fixture in dire need of points to drive their respective ambitions as Enyimba aimed at avoiding a slip from group A’s top three while Remo were already in a race against time to salvage their top-flight status.

Things started out in awry fashion for the relegation bedevilled hosts, however, as Kenney Boboye was forced into an early change when right back Abiodun Awoyemi was stretchered out after four minutes.

The remainder of the early exchanges barely went beyond being topsy-turvy, with the players struggling to come to terms with the bumpy playing surface.

The first real chance of the game eventually came in the eighteenth minute when a long throw into the Enyimba box left Victor Mbaoma with the easy task of tapping in, but the Remo captain failed to sort his feet and the visitors quickly cleared their lines.

At the other end, Chinedu Udechukwu, minutes after getting into the referee’s book for a challenge in midfield, got to the end of Stanley Okorom’s telling cross but managed to miss from eight yards.

Enyimba, from that point, asserted themselves heavily on the hosts, but were almost punished on the break with a swift passing move that ended at the feet of an offside-positioned Mustapha Gbolahan.

Udechukwu came close again for the visitors with a free kick from thirty yards that was fumbled over the top by Emmanuel Fabiyi.

With halftime beckoning, Reuben Bala who had proved to be a handful for Remo all the while, setup Udechukwu once more, and this time the striker’s effort from outside the box rattled off the base of the upright.

The hosts looked better organised at the restart and consistently pushed into Enyimba’s territory, but the half’s first real action came at the other end as Olisa Ndah cleared off the line after Thomas Zenke’s low drive from Okorom’s free kick had beaten the keeper.

Remo were made to play the last half hour with a man down when Victor Chidume was given the marching order for dissent. Boboye’s men were, however, irrepressible and continued to push forward with Gbolahan central to their forrays.

With time running against the search for a winner, Boboye sent on Oshobe Shuji but Enyimba held on to what was clearly a favourable scoreline.

In the end, the barren outcome confirmed Remo’s return to the Nigeria National League, while Enyimba remain in the group’s final playoff position, one point ahead of fourth placed MFM.

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Featured

Childhood Cancer on the Rise

Published

5 days ago

February 18, 2025

The Gleamer

* Affects 40,000 children aged 0-19 annually* Their journey can be made easier – Survivor* Genetic issues exposure to harmful chemicals play significant roles – Prof Amodu* Increased diagnostic, treatment capabilities a plus for Nigeria – Prof

While cancer is not only debilitating but life threatening, sufferers also have to contend with stigma and emotional distress. However, this becomes more disheartening when children become involved, JULIET IBIMINA writes.

At just eight years old, Adekemi Oyewusi was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, a disease she and her family had never even heard of.

The next two years of her life were marked by pain, isolation and an uphill battle against a disease that stole her childhood. “I longed to play with my siblings and peers, but my world was confined to the four walls of a hospital, where pain and solitude became my constant companions,” Oyewusi reminisced.

The chemotherapy treatments, administered through her spinal cord, were excruciating, causing nausea, fatigue and the devastating sight of her hair falling out which all left her feeling like a shadow of her former self; but against all odds, she survived.

Now, 25 years later, Oyewusi is not just a survivor, she is an advocate, amplifying the voices of children battling cancer and pushing for equitable healthcare policies, believing that while Nigerian children with cancer demonstrate incredible resilience, their journey could be made easier with more support.

“It is crucial for the government, healthcare providers, philanthropists, NGOs and society at large to recognise and address the unique needs of survivors. Comprehensive insurance plans, increased awareness of late effects, educational support and psychological counseling are all necessary,” she said.

She called for more pediatric oncology centres across the country, greater financial support for affected families and public awareness campaigns to educate communities on early detection.Ike Oyewusi, Shittu Adewumi also had an unsavoury experience, also echoing the struggles of many children fighting cancer in Nigeria.Diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia at just six years old, his family believed they were witnessing the end of his young life.

“It was harrowing; he suffered immensely and the cost of treatment was unbearable,”his mother, Titilayo Adewumi recounted.”The government should support children fighting cancer because this is not something one family can handle alone; it is a huge financial burden.

“When you visit Federal Government hospitals, you see so many children battling cancer; they need urgent help,” Mrs Adewumi pleaded.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 400,000 children and adolescents aged zero to 19 years develop cancer globally each year.

The organisation also said that unlike many adult cancers, most childhood cancers have no known cause and are not linked to lifestyle or environmental factors.In Nigeria, the exact prevalence of childhood cancer remains unclear due to poor data collection.

However, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Cancer Center houses the country’s first Childhood Population-Based Cancer Registry, which has recorded 237 cases in just over a year.Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, the President, Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS) and founder of the registry, warns that childhood cancer is indeed on the rise and needs urgent attention.

“For too long, the focus has been on breast, cervical and prostate cancers, while childhood cancer has been neglected,” he said.Dr Timipah West, a pediatric oncologist at Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, identifies some of the most prevalent childhood cancers in Nigeria to be Lymphomas such as Burkitt’s lymphoma, Neuroblastoma a cancer of the adrenal glands and Nephroblastoma known as kidney cancer.Others are Retinoblastoma (eye cancer affecting the retina), Rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer of the muscle tissue) and acute leukemias (blood cancer affecting white blood cells).West said that while the causes remained largely unknown, potential risk factors of childhood cancer included genetic predispositions, exposure to chemicals, certain infections and environmental changes.

Speaking to reasons why childhood cancer was now on the increase in Nigeria, she said it was due to a lot of factors.She identified an increase in diagnostic capabilities and availability of more treatment facilities and more awareness among the populace about childhood cancers based on increased advocacy as some of the reasons.The oncologist also added that environmental factors including climate change that lead to genetic changes as also a contributing factor.

“The Nigerian Society of Pediatric Oncology (NISPO) working with NCS and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare play huge roles in creating awareness on childhood cancer.

“This advocacy is very important because some people in the general public think that only adults can have cancers.

”She noted that preventive measures could be employed before the cancer develops, listing early detection and commencement of treatment to prevent complications and death.According to her, genetic studies can be done for those at risk of developing certain cancers so they are identified at the very early stages.

She added that those with conditions that predisposes them to certain cancers such as down syndrome and leukaemias should be followed up closely and treatment commenced as soon as possible.

“Also, adequate diet, environmental protection against climate change and chemicals and drug exposure are very important.”The introduction of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination that can prevent future development of cervical cancer is also very important.

“Treatment options available include chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The most commonly available in Nigeria are chemotherapy and surgery.

”West emphasised that childhood cancer was treatable when detected early with available treatment options in Nigeria including chemotherapy, surgery for tumor removal, radiotherapy and immunotherapy which was still emerging.

On his part, Benjamin Amodu, a professor of phytomedicine from the Triune Biblical University, USA, said parents have a great role to play in both prevention and management of childhood cancers.

“You see, because many of these children do not yet know what is actually happening and can’t take care of themselves, the parents must be very observant to detect it early since early detection increases the chances of survival.

“Also, pregnant mothers must be very careful of what they consume, be they medications, hard drugs and even cosmetics, as the exposure to harmful chemicals either as a fetus or early childhood have been found to increase the risk factors for cancer, chronic kidney disease, and other chronic diseases in children.

“Annually, on February 15, the International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is commemorated as a global campaign to create awareness about childhood cancer and support for the patients, survivors and their families.

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