Sports
Our Aims Is For Athletics To Retain Its Lost Glory-Onikeku
Joel Ajayi
The newly elected representative of Military and Para-military (institutional sports) into the board of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Samuel Onikeku, expressed that the Board’s desire is to help the country’s Athletics retain its lost glory. The elated Nigeria Customs Service sports secretary gave this on Monday, shortly after he was elected into the AFN Board in Abuja.
According to him, we have a President, and as a Board member representing Military and Para-military, we shall work with President to see that the objectives of the Board is put in place, as an ex-international, we shall make sure that the welfare of athletes and coaches are put first because without the Athletes and Coaches, there will be no Board or Board members.
“So, the first thing to do is to help the President to make sure that the objective of athletic track and field is achieved.
“I am the sports Secretary for NCS, that deals with all sports so, and you know, when I was competing, I competed in Athletics even though I played volleyball at low level but as a sports administrator, you should be able to function at any sports that will bring excellence. So, being elected into the Board today is another opportunity to serve and ensure Athletics retain its lost glory as it was in the 1990s and early 2000.”
Speaking on the verge of progress made in the club championship recently, the Secretary General, Nigeria Customs Service sports unit, Samuel Onikeku, vowed to do everything humanly possible to ensure the team win the next year’s club championship: “Every year we improve, we will use the league to start preparing for the next year club championship, because we are among the top 4 in Africa but what we’re aiming for is to get to the final and win the club championship, and I’m using this opportunity to thank our Controller General of Custom (CGC) for all the motivation and supports he has been giving to us. So, next year we are going to win the club championship.”
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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