Sports

Onikeku rates 2022 AFN C/wealth Games, World Championship trials high

Published

3 years ago

June 27, 2022

Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN, Technical Director of Samuel Onikeku has expressed delight over the performances of Nigerian athletes at the just concluded 2022 AFN Commonwealth Games and World Championship trials in Benin, Edo State on Sunday.

The 100m men and women events produced new champions as Favour Ashe ran 9.99s in the men’s race while Grace Nwokocha clocked 11.03s in the women’s event.

The Ex Athlete said the standard of athletics in Nigeria is drastically improving and the high spirit of competitiveness is returning to the second most popular sport in Nigeria.

While speaking on the general success of the trials, Onikeku said, “The Commonwealth Games and World Championship trials have ended well and the world has seen some superlative performances, especially in the 100m Women with the time of 11.03s while in the 100m men had a time of 9.99s.

“The last time an athlete ran a sub nine in the country was in 2003 by former National Champion, Deji Aliu; so these have made the competition go well. The Federation is excited with the performance of the 4x100m men and hopefully that they participate in the World Championship in Oregon next July.”

Onikeku revealed that plans are underway for Team Nigeria to begin camping exercises in the United States of America (USA).

“Nigeria is ready for the World Championship and plans are in progress to ensure the athletes camp in US before the World Championship begins.

“If you are observant, you will notice that our relay team has not been together for a long time; in fact they practiced just two days before the trials. Once the Federation is able to finalize plans, the relay team will spend more time together to practice and run a better time. Our target is to get to the finals first and possibly shock the world by picking a medal.”

He expressed optimism that Nigeria can win more medals at the forthcoming World Championship in Oregon.

He said, “For the World Athletics Championship, the Federation believes that the athletes will still continue to make that podium performance.

“Remember Ese Brume has been performing well in all International Championships she has been participating in, also believe that Tobi Amusan will come through because of her excellent performances in the last six months.”

“National Champion, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi in the shot can scale through with his current form and the present 4x100m men have a brighter prospect. The country has a very good team even with our 4x100m relay for Women and if Favour Ofili comes into the team, we will see that we have a very strong team”, he added.

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Sports

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

Published

17 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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