Sports

Gusau hails IMC after colourful NPFL draw in Abuja

Published

4 years ago

December 28, 2022

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has applauded the Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League for its efforts to reposition the Nigeria League, following the conduct of the Draw for the new Season in Abuja on Wednesday.

At the colourful ceremony held inside the press conference hall of the Sandralia Hotel, the 20 NPFL teams were calibrated into two different groups for the purpose of the abridged League season, already approved by the NFF.

“Let me state clearly that the NFF is satisfied with the efforts the IMC headed by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has been making to rebrand and reposition the NPFL since its inauguration. The NFF commends the IMC Chairman and all his members for the highly successful pre-season tournament held earlier in the month, and also for the actualisation of this Draw Ceremony.

“The commitment to engineer changes that will deliver a vibrant Nigeria League and a viable football economy in the country remains as firm as ever. The NFF will continue to provide the necessary support to the IMC to fulfill its terms of reference in flying colours,” Gusau said. He was represented at the event by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Mr. Ademola Olajire.

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Yola.

Chairman of the IMC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye revealed that the organizers have secured a sponsor to foot the indemnities of match officials for the next three years, with the payments to be done directly from the company to the appointed match officials.

“We are committed to eradicating the malaise of indebtedness to match officials, which compromises them and lowers their morale to do the right thing.

“The IMC has also increased the winner’s prize for the season to the sum of N 100 Million, which is a hundred percent increase on what was in place previously.”

The Draw Ceremony grouped the 20 teams into two pools of A and B, with Matchday 1 set for 8^th January 2023.

GROUP A

Kwara United

Nasarawa United

Plateau United

Gombe United

El-Kanemi Warriors

Enyimba FC

Akwa United

Bendel Insurance

Shooting Stars

Remo Stars

GROUP B

Niger Tornadoes

Doma United

Wikki Tourists

Lobi Stars

Rivers United

Abia Warriors

Dakkada FC

Rangers Int’l

Sunshine Stars

Bayelsa United

MATCHDAY 1 (A)

Nasarawa United Vs Enyimba FC

Akwa United Vs Bendel Insurance

Plateau United Vs Shooting Stars

Kwara United Vs Gombe United

Remo Stars Vs El-Kanemi Warriors

MATCHDAY 1 (B)

Bayelsa United Vs Dakkada FC

Wikki Tourists Vs Niger Tornadoes

Doma United Vs Sunshine Stars

Rivers United Vs Lobi Stars

Rangers Int’l Vs Abia Warriors

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Sports

AACT 2026: Girls in Golf initiatives kick Start week-long Activities.

Published

8 hours ago

November 2, 2026

The Gleamer

The week-long activities designed as part of 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy got underway Monday with Girls in Golf initiative.

The Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, LGAN says initiative will empower young girls and inspire the next generation of female golfers in Nigeria.

Dr Lami Ahmed, LGAN President and Chairperson, Local Organising Committee for the All Africa Challenge Trophy said this during a training programme for no fewer than 60 young girls at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Ahmed said the initiative was designed to extend golf’s impact beyond competition by investing in young people and creating opportunities for their development.

“We believe that charity calls on us to touch lives and invest in others. Golf is not just about playing the game; it is also about giving back to society,” she said.

She explained that the future of women’s golf depended on introducing girls to the sport early and providing them with the skills and opportunities to excel.

Dr Lami said the Girls in Golf initiative was designed to introduce young girls to the sport, ignite their interest and expose them to the opportunities available through golf.

According to her, the initiative will also help girls develop valuable skills, build confidence and make informed decisions about their future careers.

Ahmed said the association had observed an increase in the number of female caddies across the country, making it necessary to create structured pathways for girls interested in golf.

She added that the initiative would encourage girls to explore different opportunities within the sport, including playing professionally and pursuing other golf-related careers.

Ahmed expressed gratitude to Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the President and founder of the Renewed Hope Initiative, for supporting the programme and the 2026 AACT.

She said the first Lady had demonstrated a strong commitment to human capital development, particularly initiatives that empower women and the girl-child.

“Her Excellency readily embraced the project because she believes in giving back to society, especially by supporting children and creating opportunities for them to thrive,” Ahmed said.

She added that preparations for the championship were progressing well, with teams from various African countries already in Abuja.

The week-long continental women’s golf championship is expected to end on Friday, with teams from at least 20 African countries expected to compete for honours.

Ahmed said LGAN remained committed to using golf as a platform for youth development, empowerment and the promotion of greater participation by women and girls in sports.

She urged stakeholders to support initiatives that would make golf more accessible to young girls and create sustainable pathways for their participation in the sport.

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