Sports

Okowa emerges AFN President

Published

4 years ago

June 15, 2021

Joel Ajayi

Chief Tonobok Okowa Of Delta State has emerged the new President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) at the authentic Elective Congress of the Federation that took place at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja on Monday.

The congress was attended by 35 chairmen of state AFN, who converged in Abuja since Saturday for the congress and elections.

The election was held following the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development invocation of section 10.4 of the 2017 AFN Constitution which led to the dissolution of Board citing the expiration of its term.

The Congress which was presided over by Ambassador Haruna Manta, Chairman of Niger state athletics association, also elected the federation’s First Vice-President and Second Vice-President.

The election was conducted by a team led by Elias Gora, a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

Gadzama Tafida-Wadzani who represents the North-East zone was elected unopposed First Vice-President, with 43 of the 44 votes.

Rosa Collins-Okah who represents NAWIS was elected Second Vice-President with 42 of the 44 votes.

The three of them are joined on the new AFN board by Manta, representing the North-Central zone, Yusuf Liman (North-West), Victor Okorie (South-East) and Solomon Alao (South-West).

The rest are Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme (NAPHER-SD), Maria Wophill (international sports bodies), Samuel Onikeku (institutional sports representative) and Henry Okorie (athletes’ representatives).

Representatives of the technical bodies/coaches association, as well as the philanthropists/sponsors/ex-officio, will join the board alongside the Federation’s Secretary-General for a 14-man board.

Okowa, who is Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission and represents the South-South zone on the board, while thanking the delegates for electing him pledged to reach out for unity.

“We have had free and fair elections here today, and I thank you all for this. I will not disappoint you.

“First of all, my mandate is all about the Athletes and Coaches, we’ll make sure we give them an enabling environment to succeed, we will give priority to welfare package. We have to draw up our programs and ensure we do proper budget especially the one that will favour the Athletes and Coaches and ensure they excel”

The newly elected executive assured that they will work in unison with all zones to fulfill their mandate.

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Sports

“ This Award Gives Me Hope” Makanjuola Nureni Honoured for His Dedication to Nigerian Sports

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

The Gleamer

Abuja-based football administrator and philanthropist, Makanjuola Nureni, has been honoured with the Distinguished Service Award by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in recognition of his outstanding support to sports journalism and his immense contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The prestigious award was presented on Friday in Abuja during SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration held in Abuja, marking 60 years of promoting sports journalism and excellence across the nation.

Expressing his gratitude after receiving the honour, Makanjuola Nureni described the award as a source of inspiration and renewed motivation to continue his lifelong commitment to youth and grassroots sports.

“This award gives me hope and motivation to do more. It’s a source of inspiration to me and my supporters, and I believe it will encourage us to invest more in youth sports development in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the recognition serves as a morale booster after decades of hard work and silent impact in the sports community.

“I feel happy and fulfilled because we have been doing this for decades, and many times, our efforts went unnoticed. But I thank God that SWAN recognized people like us,” Nureni expressed.

Makanjuola Nureni is the founder and owner of Water FC Academy, a renowned football institution based in Abuja that focuses on discovering, nurturing, and empowering young Nigerian talents.

Through Water FC, he has developed and sponsored numerous players who have gone on to represent Nigeria’s national teams and play professionally in clubs across Africa, Europe, and beyond.

His consistency, passion, and investment in the development of young athletes have made him a key figure in Nigerian grassroots football.

In presenting the award, SWAN commended Nureni’s unwavering dedication to the growth of sports and his continuous support for sports journalism and youth empowerment.

The association highlighted his decades-long service to football development and described him as a true partner in the promotion of excellence within Nigerian sports.

The SWAN Diamond Jubilee Celebration brought together prominent figures from sports administration, the media, and government sectors to honour individuals and organizations whose contributions have advanced sports development and journalism in Nigeria.

Nureni’s recognition stands out as a testament to his vision, consistency, and commitment to creating opportunities for young athletes and strengthening the foundation of Nigerian football.

With this honour, Makanjuola Nureni further cements his legacy as one of the foremost private contributors to sports growth and youth development in Nigeria.

His story continues to inspire a new generation of sports administrators and philanthropists dedicated to transforming Nigerian sports from the grassroots up.

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