Sports
Kumaga, The Hero As Lobi Stars Pip Tornadoes In Lafia
Lobi Stars dig deep to maintain the unbeaten home record in the north-central derby clash as Suur Kumaga’s long-range strike was all the Pride of Benue needed to pick a maximum of three points against a hard-fighting Niger Tornadoes.
Coach Eugene Agagbe welcomed Samuel Tiza back into the team, and drafted Francis Odinaka to pair with Moses Tsehuan at the heart of the defense while Sunday Chinedu started on the bench as the gaffer retained Suur Kumaga to the right back as the match gets underway.
Tornadoes had less possession in the game as the home team dominated proceedings from the beginning of the game to the 90th minute.
Stanley Oganbor almost broke the deadlock in the 3rd minute of play when he released a long-range strike that failed to hit the desired target.
Lobi Stars goalkeeper Lucky Adullahi was in the right spot to save Clinton Japthet’s close-range header when the Tornadoes winger noded on target.
Goalkeeper Enaholo had to go the extra mile to deny Tiza from his well-taken freekick as the first half ended 0-0.
Both teams returned for the final minutes of the game as Coach Agagbe replaced Samuel Tiza, and Stephen Eneji, with Suleiman Mojereola and Sunday Chinedu for more tactical play.
As the minutes ticked down, the Ikon Allah boys defended resolutely while the Yes Father boys kept faith in their philosophy of pressing forward knocking on the visitors to exploit.
However, The Shoe Get Size Boys finally made the breakthrough in the 75th minute when Suur Kumaga surged forward from the right back and converted a half-chance into a full chance when he released a long-range bullet with his left foot to beat Enaholo in goal to change the scoreline to 1-0 in favour of Lobi Stars.
The Minna-based side came all out in search of an equalizer, but Japhet’s effort was denied by the crossbar as the Shoe Gets Size boys emerged victorious in the North Central Derby upon full time to end the year on a brighter note.
With the 1-0 victory, the Food Basket Team has gathered 29 points to go joint top on the league table with Remo Stars.
Speaking after the match, Coach Eugene Agagbe thanked his side for the wonderful performance
“I thanked my boys for playing under instruction in the second half of the game, the boys played with character and it showed that they are equal to the task and are ready to get what they are looking for in the 23/24 season and our most target is to be among the first three” Agagbe maintained.
Up next, Lobi Stars will be traveling to Ilorin, to face Kwara United for another North Central derby on Matchday 17.
Sports
No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday
Joel Ajayi
The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS), known for its orderliness since its establishment in 1990, continues to uphold its standards ahead of the upcoming Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.
With members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, NAWIS has consistently operated without external interference.
Over the years, its members have been nominated to various boards of national sports federations after meeting established criteria, including the payment of annual dues.
The association has attracted a strong base of respected sportswomen who have served the country with distinction, both during and after their active careers.
In preparation for the AFN elections, zonal elections were conducted on June 2 and 3, producing representatives for the national exercise.
While NAWIS initially planned to hold its election in Zaria, Kaduna State, the association’s headquarters, it was later rescheduled for Abuja on Monday, June 9, following directives from higher authorities.
Importantly, NAWIS has a set of strict guidelines that govern its electoral process, particularly the requirement for timely payment of annual dues. Failure to meet this condition results in automatic disqualification.
This guideline was the basis for the disqualification of Maria Wophil, who has reportedly not paid her annual dues since 2017. Her attempt to hurriedly settle outstanding debts just before the election was deemed non-compliant with NAWIS regulations.
Who is Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju?
Commonwealth gold medallist Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju is one of the leading contenders for the NAWIS representative position in the AFN.
She made history as the first African woman to run the 400m in under 50 seconds and brought glory to Nigeria by winning a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
Yusuf-Olukoju also claimed gold in the 400m at the 1991 All-Africa Games and silver in the 200m.
Based on nominations and her track record, Yusuf-Olukoju is considered the most qualified candidate. However, three other contenders have also shown interest, and the final decision will be made in the election slated for Monday, June 9, in Abuja.
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