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Madagascar spank Eagles 2-0 to win Group B

Published

6 years ago

July 1, 2019

Madagascar spank Eagles 2-0 to win Group B

Lowly –rated Madagascar shocked Nigeria 2-0 as an awful performance by the Super Eagles handed the Indian Ocean islanders leadership of Group B and condemned the three –time champions to ignominious second place and a probable encounter with the Black Stars of Ghana in the Round of 16.

In what would forever remain a day to forget in Nigerian Football, the group leaders started on the wrong footing as Leon Balogun failed to deal with a routine back pass, leading to the ball being snatched by Lailana to score the first goal for the competition debutants after only 13 minutes.

The Eagles, who won each of their two previous matches by the odd goal, showed a palpable lack of mental power to respond, with Samuel Kalu fluffing a great pass by Ahmed Musa in the 19^th minute and Musa himself, left with the goalkeeper to beat as a pass found him in the eighteen-yard box, bungled with a poor first touch, and his subsequent attempt to dribble the goalkeeper failed.

In the second half, instead of working hard to get on level terms in no time, Nigeria quickly found themselves further behind when substitute Wilfred Ndidi deflected a free kick by Carolus Andrea past a wrong-footed goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

A deep soul –searching is imminent in the Nigeria camp after such a flat performance, against a team rated lower than 100^th in the world and making its first –ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.

First touches left the Eagles’ midfielders and forwards down, as they made heavy weather of simple passes and controls, and creativity was totally lacking in a team that earned a ticket to Egypt with a match to spare.

Skipper Mikel John Obi, making his 89^th appearance for the Eagles, was a shadow of himself, but Alex Iwobi was no magnificent difference when he came on, just as Moses Simon and Wilfred Ndidi brought no spark or innovation on board when they were introduced.

Such a sound beating by a team that had never scored against Nigeria in four pervious meetings was a dampener, and it would be interesting to see how the Eagles overcome this adversity and put up a show in their Round of 16 encounter at the same venue on Saturday.

While Madagascar finished the group stage unbeaten and scored two lovely goals from dead-ball situations, the Super Eagles have not been able to make hay from free kicks in decent memory, calling to question the continued delegation of the responsibility to one man who has refused to perfect his act. Three opportunities presented themselves from 20 yards and were all wasted in nonchalant manner.

Coach Gernot Rohr, who rang five changes to the team that defeated Guinea on Wednesday, must now come up with the formula to lift a dispirited dressing room before Saturday.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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