Sports

Football Academies to be regulated- Minister

Published

4 years ago

June 30, 2021

Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr Sunday Dare has assured that a new Sports Industry Policy will soon be approved with Sports Academies playing key role in talent discovery.

The Minister made this assertion when he hosted winners of the maiden edition of the National Principal’s Cup Fosla Academy in Abuja.

The Minister congratulated the students, staff of FOSLA academy as well as their proprietor Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi for emerging champions of the revived competition.

According to him “I want to thank you for investing in these young ones and I also want to recommend upfront to other Nigerians be it individuals or organisations to see what you are doing now as a model because the future of our sports development will only be possible in a dynamic form with partnerships between government and private sector”

He reiterated that, the President Mohammadu Buhari has asked that the NFF under the supervision of the Ministry should produce a 10 year football master plan. “Perhaps the biggest thing we should expect is the Nigerian Sports Industry Policy that has business model embedded in it. Sport is now business in this country Academy like yours will get the opportunity to develop their infrastructure so that more talents can be discovered and nurtured.”

“Let me congratulate you very specially on your victory at the National Principal’s Cup. when I presented the cup to you I saw the excitement. I was amazed at some of the skills displayed on the pitch of play. Our work at the Ministry is to hunt for sporting talents and to also partner with institutions like FOSLA Academy who are in the same business of hunting for talents and developing them”

The Minister said because of the experience the Ministry had in bringing back the Principal’s Cup which is now renamed National Principal’s Cup, in another 45 days, the next edition of the competition will comnence on a much larger scale with more schools participating.

“The Power of sports like Mandela said is to Unite and promotes peace in the world. This cannot be understated. I’m glad that you are involved in sports and we hope some of the young players from the Academy will become the bright stars in Nigeria’s football family.”
In his response, the Proprietor of Fosla Academy Alhaji Sanni Lulu Abdullahi thanked the Honourable Minister for vision and hardwork that has helped revive the Principal’s Cup. “FOSLA Academy is a product of hardwork and consistency. The victory in the National Principal’s Cup is a dream come true and we are very grateful for the opportunity to expose our young talents. I’m personally grateful” Lulu concluded.

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Sports

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

Published

6 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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