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How the Madness for Born-Abroad players finally kills Nigeria World Cup Hopes

Published

3 years ago

March 30, 2022

Nigeria will officially not be at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after crashing out infront of her home fans at the Abuja National Stadium to the Black Stars of Ghana.

But the reason for this shocking ouster might not be far from a trend under the leadership of Amanju Pinnick where the NFF is so crazy about invitation of foreign born Nigeria players, the ones i fondly called BORN-ABROAD players to the Super Eagles team.

Before getting the trust of this piece twisted, I want to state it very clear that there is nothing wrong with inviting Nigeria players born abroad to come play for their fatherland, absolutely nothing wrong and i am not saying such players don’t deserve callups.

However it has become a crazy pattern for the NFF boss that it looked as though that is the only thing that mattered to him when it comes to selection of players for the Eagles. He goes personally to talk to these players in London , convinced them to come play for Nigeria even when some of them are just average and maybe just above average players. Some of these players ordinarily should be playing for the country’s junior teams like the Flying Eagles but we just land them in the Super Eagles just like that.

Many of them don’t even understand the importance and gravity of playing for the Super Eagles because they dont know the country’s football history even if they know by what they were told by their folks abroad ,they dont understand the practicality of it first hand.

Against Ghana in Abuja on Tuesday, Nigeria started the game with SIX BORN-ABROAD players who collapsed on the day of ultimate battle, not because they are not just good players, but because they could not cope with the humidity of such a game on the African soil.

Many of them from the 55th minute were struggling to cope with the Abuja hot weather and practical example was what we saw with Ola Aina and Leon Balogun from the 75th minute.

Right back Aina was practically begging to be sub from the 75th minute because he was totally tired ,holding is waist through, failing to go for any ball and could barely move his legs. Similar situation happened with Balogun which the coaching crew noticed from half time and signalled Kenneth Omeruo to go warm up.

These are players who are not use to all the challenges an average Nigerian player has been through, from playing inside hot sun on the streets to playing with torn toes and even playing with broken arms.

It is those kind of players that you need in such a crucial game against Ghana and not all these Ajebo- Black and White Oyinbo players for God sake.

Victor Osimhen’s performance on Tuesday epitomised the typical Nigeria born player spirit but unfortunately a tree can make a forest. The boy was all over the place ,running,gingering and chasing for the entire ninety minutes.

Nigeria as a big footballing country has never relied on Born-Abroad players for footballing success.From our success at the Under 17 level to our Olympic Games triumph ,to our Nations Cup victories. Infact the late Stephen Keshi won Nigeria’s last Nations Cup with Eight Home based players in his squad in 2013 in South Africa.

The plight of the Super Eagles has now pummelled that home based players cant even see them playing for thr team, but once you have a Nigerian name and you are born in East London, West london, Queens Park, Watford, Eastford, Croyford and all the Fords you will be pursued to come play for Nigeria.

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NSF: Oparaoji, Ekpeyong, Quadri Gear Up for Tough Quarterfinal Clashes in Abeokuta

Published

2 weeks ago

May 23, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The tennis courts at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abeokuta are buzzing with intensity as the competition hits the quarterfinal stage in both the men’s and women’s singles events, following a gripping round of 16.

Men’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Abubakar Yusuf of FCT will square off against Rivers State’s Abua Canice. Yusuf booked his spot with a 4-0, 4-2 win over Ehigiamusoe Endurance of Edo, while Canice cruised past Azi David 4-1, 4-0.

Bayelsa’s Uche Oparaoji faces Adeleye Daniel of Ekiti in a clash of skill and strategy. Oparaoji outclassed Urenyang Nuhu of Taraba 4-1, 4-2, just as Adeleye powered past Kaduna’s Ibrahim Sulaiman with the same scoreline.

In one of the most anticipated ties, Danjuma Lucky (FCT) will lock horns with Bayelsa’s top seed David Ekpeyong. Danjuma came through a thrilling contest against Ekiti’s Abamu Matthew, rallying to win 1-4, 4-2, 10-5, while Ekpeyong dominated Taraba’s Rubi Toba 4-0, 4-2.

Home favourite Christopher Bulus of Ogun will battle Edo’s Michael Chima for a semifinal ticket. Bulus swept past Rivers’ Timibra Godsgift 4-1, 4-0, while Chima triumphed over Delta’s Iloputa Ikechukwu in a straight-set win.

Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Delta’s Barakat Quadri, fresh off a 4-1, 4-0 win over Rebecca Ekpeyong of Bayelsa, will face rising star Emmanuel Bright of the IJA (Invited Junior Athletes), who overcame Rivers’ Maxwell Timipre 4-2, 5-3.

Edo’s Omotayo Blessing will battle Akwa Ibom’s Udoffa Mary in what promises to be a fiery encounter. Omotayo brushed aside Ekiti’s Adeusi Jesutoyosi 4-0, 4-1, while Udoffa outplayed Moses Favour of Kaduna 5-3, 4-0.

Elsewhere, Ogunjobi Success of Ekiti will test her mettle against Aina Goodnews of IJA, and Akwa Ibom’s Etoro Bassey faces Ogun’s Yakubu Ohunene in a South-South vs South-West showdown.

With the quarterfinals locked in, tennis fans are in for a thrilling ride as the battle for medals intensifies under the Abeokuta sun.

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