Sports
Nigerian Sports Will Witness Tremendous Progress In 2025 – FG
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to see that sports in Nigeria witness a turnaround in 2025 and beyond.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Zulu, stated this at the final of the maiden FCT Area Council Cup which was held on Sunday at the Apo Football Pitch, Abuja.
Zulu said all necessary plans have been put in place to make sure that youths are positively and productively engaged from the elementary school to higher institutions to participate in sports and chart a career that will benefit them on the long run.
He also assured that the 10-year Sports Master Plan will see the light of the day through the National Sports Commission under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade, the chairman and the Director General respectively.
“My major plan (in 2025) is for us to get it right with grassroots, to understand, to orientate and to lecture them (the youths) on why they have to participate in sports in their various local government to the states.
“And what I mean is that it is high time for us to make sure that our young and talented youths have something doing for themselves, their states and the country. But I’m assuring you that our own plan is to engage the youths from the primary school to tertiary institutions and see that they really particle in sports.
“I want to assure you that the 10-year Master Plan on Sports is surely going to see the light of the day. You have a respected, a reliable and a tested chairman of the National Sports Commission.
“We also have a Director General who has been in sports for the past 30 years and I want to assure you that working together with these two people, our sports will witness a lot of improvement when you talk of grassroots sports rise to the highest level to the elite sports in this country.
“What you see today is the younger generation coming out enmasse to support Mr President. It shows that the President is a grassroots man, it shows that Bitrus is a man of the people, it shows the love he has for Abuja. And very soon, we will see our youths representing the country in international competitions,” the SSA said.
Bitrus Lawrence Garki, the Mandate Secretary, FCT Area Council Services Secretariat, , who is the organizer of the competition, said it was about giving platform to youths in the FCT to showcase their talents to the world adding that it was a celebratory tournament “to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this landmark achievement which is the local government autonomy and appreciate him for looking at the grassroots and for making a decision that will ensure that development comes to the grassroots directly.”
At the end of hostilities which was competed for by 12 teams, Strikers FC emerged as champions beating Emirates FC by 3 goals to 2 through penalties.
While Strikers FC FC smiled out with N1 million, Emirates FC got N500,000 for their efforts.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
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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