Sports
From Academia to the Frontlines of Journalism: Kola Daniel’s Inspiring Journey
Joel Ajayi
Kola Daniel, Special Assistant on Media to the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade, has revealed why he resigned from his lecturing position at the University of Abuja to pursue a career in journalism.
In an exclusive interview with Sports247, Daniel admitted he made the bold move despite uncertainty about what lay ahead. His passion for writing and broadcasting, he said, was the driving force behind the decision—even though it meant taking a significant pay cut.
“Before my story began as a journalist, I was a lecturer at the University of Abuja, but I left lecturing because of my love for media activities,” he recalled.“I left my job as a lecturer, where I was earning N126,000 a month, to join Frank Ilaboya as a freelance journalist with a slashed salary.”
Despite the financial sacrifice, Daniel said he had a strong conviction that he would succeed in media.
“I just had a strong conviction that I was going to make it big with journalism. I knew that I had the right voice quality for broadcasting on radio, which I held onto strongly. My writing skills then came into play when I was working with Samm Audu as a foremost online journalist in Nigeria,” he added.
The astute journalist expressed gratitude to God for how far he’s come, noting that it was only a few years after launching his own online platform that former Sports Minister, Chief Sunday Dare, offered him his first civil service appointment as a media aide.
“When I became the head of sports at ITV, I opened my own outfit, which I called CKD Media.
That was what I was doing until that fateful day on August 6th, 2019, when Chief Sunday Dare called me. I was surprised that the Minister of Sports was calling me, and he shocked me further by revealing that he had appointed me as his Special Assistant on Media.”
Daniel went on to work with subsequent sports ministers, including Senator John Owan Enoh and current NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, before being redeployed to Honourable Olopade’s office.
Sports
Montage Community Football Tourney Registration Ends October 30
Cyril Ogar
Registration for the 2026 edition of the Montage Community Football Tournament will close on Friday, October 30, organisers have announced.
The tournament coordinator, Mr Raphael Ekpang, disclosed this on Thursday, urging interested teams across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to take advantage of the remaining days to register.
Ekpang said registration had been ongoing since Monday, encouraging eligible teams to complete the process before the deadline.
The tournament, themed “Montage FM 99.7: Empowering Youth, Uniting Communities Through Football,” is scheduled to kick off on November 3, 2026, with playoffs across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
The grand finale will hold on December 5, 2026, at the Old Parade Ground, Garki Area 10, Abuja, where the top four teams will compete for first-, second- and third-place honours.
A total of 48 teams will participate in the competition, with eight teams representing each of the six Area Councils.
The participating teams will compete for cash prizes worth over ₦2 million and other valuable rewards.
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