Sports

Japan Pledges Support for Anti Doping Campaign

Published

5 years ago

February 8, 2022

… Offers Scholarship Opportunities to Nigerian Youth

Nigeria and Japan are set to deepen their bilateral relations with stronger and deeper collaborations in Sports and Youth Development.

The Japanese Government is offering scholarship opportunities to Nigerian youth and pledging support for the country’s anti doping campaign.

Both countries are also seeking to promote cooperation in information technology that will be mutually beneficial to their youth and sports development.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Monday, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Matsunaga Kazuoshi said both countries have a lot to benefit by working together.

According to him, hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic games has given his country a better perspective about the value of sports.

“We appreciate your presence in Tokyo for the Olympics and Paralympic games,” Mr Kazuoshi told the Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare.

“And we want to build on the benefits of hosting these games to promote cooperation between Japan and Nigeria.
“We have sports equipment donated by Kizarazu City and some sports federations for the sports federations in Nigeria,” he added.

The Ambassador also stated that the Japanese Anti Doping Agency(JADA) is willing to provide online education that will help Nigeria deal with the doping issues in her sports.

In the area of youth development, Mr Kazuoshi said the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan runs a scholarship programme that has over 230 Nigerians among its beneficiaries, while another initiative, the Abe initiative, founded by Shinzo Abe, their former Prime Minister, provided internship opportunities for students in the private sector, stressing that Nigerian students could benefit from both programmes.

In his response, the Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare said seeking to strengthen diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Japan using sports and youth development would turn out as the best decision by both countries.

The Minister said Nigeria is working hard to improve her anti doping status and so would take advantage of the online education to be provided by JADA to create more awareness as well as provide more information about doping issues to her athletes.

Dare further stated that the Federal Government, through the Ministry will ensure that only qualified and genuine students are recommended for the scholarship programmes in Japan.
“Tokyo 2020, both the Olympics and the Paralympics, have had positive impact on our athletes. Since participating in the Tokyo Games, most of them have become better.
“In the last two weeks, a lot of our student athletes who were in Japan have improved on their personal best records. Our Table Tennis Champion has moved up to 13th from 15th in the world rankings. All these are the Tokyo Olympics impact.
“On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, we want to thank Japan for hosting us and the rest of the world,” Dare added.
The Japanese Ambassador was accompanied on the visit by the Head of Culture and Information in the Embassy of Japan, Ms Nami Nakayoshi and the Ambassador’s Special Assistant, Mr John Nwankwo, a Nigerian.
Present at the meeting for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development were the Director of Sports Medicine, Dr Paul Onyeudo, the Deputy Director, Anti Doping, Mrs Fadeke Adebola and the Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister on Policy, Mr Olumide Bamiduro.

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Sports

Drogba, Amuneke, Eguavoen Lead African Legends’ Arrival in Lagos

Published

13 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

With just one day to the much-anticipated Legends of Africa Football Game, Ivorian football icon Didier Drogba has arrived in Lagos, joining an impressive assembly of former African internationals already in the city ahead of Sunday’s star-studded encounter.

Drogba’s arrival further heightens anticipation for the game, which will bring together some of the continent’s most celebrated football figures at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

Also in Lagos are Nigerian football greats Mobi Oparaku, Emmanuel Amuneke, Emmanuel Babayaro, Garba Lawal, Austin Eguavoen and Mutiu Adepoju, alongside other members of the legendary Super Eagles generations of 1994 and 1996.

The African contingent also features distinguished names including Togo’s Emmanuel Adebayor, Senegal’s El-Hadji Diouf, Ghana’s Stephen Appiah and Cameroon’s Rigobert Song, among other former international stars.

The excitement will extend beyond the legends’ reunion, with popular Nigerian entertainers and celebrities preparing for a special Celebrity Match as part of the event. Yhemolee, Sheggz, Jeriq, Teddy A and Charles Okocha are among the personalities set to feature in the celebrity fixture, scheduled to begin at 1:30pm.

The Celebrity Match will form part of a wider programme of activities designed to give fans a full day of football, entertainment and celebration before the main legends’ fixture, which kicks off at 5pm. Gates open at 1:30pm.

Organized by Toptier Sports Management in collaboration with Afreximbank and CANEX as part of CANEX WKND 2026, the game will feature 15 Nigerian legends taking on 13 African icons in a celebration of the players whose achievements helped shape the history of football on the continent.

Beyond the match, the programme includes a football clinic involving 500 young players, entertainment and special recognition for the heroes of African football.

The Legends of Africa Football Game promises a memorable gathering of football royalty, bringing together generations of fans to celebrate the enduring legacy of the continent’s finest players.

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