Sports
Hon. Dauda Named Ambassador for Kingdom Unity Games Abuja KUGA 2025
By Joel Ajayi
In a significant move to boost awareness and participation in the forthcoming Kingdom Unity Games (KUG) Abuja 2025, organizers have officially named Hon. Ephraim Dauda as the Games’ Ambassador.
The Kingdom Unity Games, scheduled to hold in Abuja in 2025, is a faith-based sporting event designed to bring together youths from across the FCT and its environs to compete in various sports, while promoting peace, discipline, and spiritual growth.
The announcement was made during a brief unveiling ceremony where Hon. Dauda was recognized for his unwavering commitment to grassroots development, youth empowerment, and national unity through sports.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Dauda expressed appreciation to the organizers for selecting him as the face of the 2025 edition.
He described sports as a vital tool for building unity and improving health.
“Sports enhance our health and serve as a unique unifying force. Where there is sport, there is no barrier, no tribe, no ethnicity,” he said.
Hon. Dauda pledged his full support for the event and assured that he would play an active role in achieving its core objectives, including talent discovery and youth development.
He also urged young people, especially boys, to seize the opportunity and participate in KUG 2025.
“It’s going to bring you out and put you in the spotlight — KUG 2025 is going to be the bomb!” he declared.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Convener of KUG 2025, Ambassador Solomon Omonokhua, emphasized that the Kingdom Unity Games Abuja (KUGA) is an initiative of the Kingdom Star Sports International Foundation in collaboration with Celebrity Sports Magazine.
He described the 2025 edition as a major step toward discovering talented youths, particularly within churches in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and surrounding areas.
“Our goal is to identify gifted young individuals with athletic potential who may otherwise remain undiscovered,” Omonokhua said. “Through this initiative, we aim to help them showcase their abilities, with opportunities to be scouted by talent agents from both Africa and Europe.”
According to him, KUGA is not only focused on talent discovery but also on building a sustainable platform that connects young athletes to professional opportunities both locally and internationally.
Another key objective of the Games, he noted, is to foster unity among churches, residents of the FCT, and Nigerians at large. He emphasized the importance of national cohesion, noting that the event welcomes people from different religious backgrounds Christians, Muslims, and others in the spirit of collaboration and peace.
“Most importantly,” he added, “KUGA seeks to promote unity within the Christian community by bringing various denominations together in support of youth empowerment through sports.”
On the format of the 2025 edition, Ambassador Omonokhua revealed that three major sports will feature: football, basketball, and volleyball.
“For football, 24 male teams will be drawn from churches across five major Christian blocs,” he explained. “Basketball will feature 16 teams both male and female while volleyball will also include 16 teams across both genders.”
The opening ceremony is scheduled for September 6 at the Main Bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. Basketball and volleyball matches will take place at Package B of the stadium, specifically at the basketball and volleyball courts.
With preparations well underway and Hon. Dauda now at the forefront as Ambassador, KUG 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking edition that will not only spotlight emerging talents but also promote peace, unity, and national pride through sports.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
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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