Sports
Hostilities Begin As 2nd Edition Of National Beach Volleyball Kick-Start In Abuja
…..Expect More Improvement-DCP Hasso
Joel Ajayi
It was full of excitement at the Jabi Lake in the federal capital Territory FCT as the first phase of the 2023 National Beach Volleyball/Star Tour season kicked start in grand style.
A total of 36 teams comprised of male and female teams are squaring each other at the most popular and fascinating Jabi Lake in Abuja.
Speaking after the technical meeting for the event, the Board member of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, DCP Stephen Hasso (rtd) assured Nigerians to expect more improvement in that will bring more growth to the game of volleyball in Nigeria and beyond.
He said the objective of the tournament is to raise players that will represent the country in African beach volleyball and international beach volleyball
According to him, we expect improvement from the 1st edition, because the team has been seeded, last year was an open tour, but this year team has been seeded into the open tour and star tour and we have 10 teams in the star tour as 10 teams will equally slug it out in the open tour.
In the first game of the tourney for the Open Tour, Owena Spikers of Akure defeated Jabi Lakers 2-0 as 1st set ended 21-8 while 2nd set ended 21-10 in favor of the Akure team.
Also, Nyanya Spikers, beat the Pro Spikers (2-0) with (21-18), (21-18) in the first and second sets.
The 36 participating teams include, Men team in (Star Tour) include; Games Village, Kada Kings, Kada Stars
Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Services, Equity Spikers, LifeCamp VC, G-Ranks Spikers, Samba Boys and Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto
As for Men (Open Tour), the team includes, Jabi Lakers, Pro Spikers, Owena Spikers, Nyanya Spikers, UCEM of Enugu, Kada Prince I, Kada Prince II, Young Stars of Asaba, Star Spikers, Legend Spikers, Rhino Spikers I, Rhino Spikers II, Sword VC, Osun Spikers, Plateau Rocks and BC Spikers
In women’s games, Kada Emeralds, Nigeria Customs Service, Taraba Spikers
Niger Brass, Adamawa Spikers, Owena Spikers, Legend Spikers, Garden City, Sword VC, and Osun Spikers.
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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