Sports

MASAA Volleyball Competition Thrills Maj Gen Gagariga

Published

4 years ago

March 20, 2022

……. Volleyball enthusiasts hails organizer

Matching Academics and Sports for All Athletes (MASAA) volleyball programme, primarily driven by Major General Taritimiye Gagariga, received a huge boost following the participation of three states of Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau which ends on Saturday in Bauchi State.

Rhino Spikers of Jos emerged champions in the men and women category of the MASAA volleyball programme while

The round robin match talent hunt tournament in Bauchi State, Major General Gagariga explained the essence of staging this talent hunt exercise adding that the project kick starts with three state with the aim of discovering players with talent.

Speaking at the closing ceremony at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium volleyball court venue of the event, Gagariga said the project is part of an aggressive and ambitious youth volleyball talent hunt in the North Eastern part of the country.

He said his vision is to utilise volleyball competitions among the youths in the North Eastern States as hunting grounds to discover hidden volleyball talents thereby arresting the depleting ranks of volleyball players in the country.

According to him, “The talent hunt is targeted at bringing back the lost glory of national grassroots sports development using Bauchi State as a case study and launch pad.”

He explained further that the programme is also designed to cover the remaining North Eastern states of Adamawa, Taraba, Borno and Yobe.

He further promised to organize disabled volleyball competition in two months time.

Speaking to one of the sports enthusiast, Garba Shatta, Major General TA Gagariga spent his wealth like manure to promote volleyball in the country.

He said, “He has undiluted passion for the sports. I have great respect for him. He is an extra- ordinary enthusiast when it comes to volleyball sports. He is loved and appreciated by all which I believe helped him to the position he is presently occupying in the Nigerian Army.

Shatta further described Major General TA Gagariga as an unselfish human who did not just live for sports but for humanity.

“If you limit Major General TA Gagariga’s impact to just volleyball, you are doing great injustice to him and what he lives for. General TA Gagariga didn’t live for volleyball, he lives for sports, he lives for humanity, we must not forget this”.

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

16 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

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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