Sports
PCN President Sunday Odebode commends NSC for improved funding of Nigeria Para-Sports
…As Nigeria Para- contingents smash 19 medals at African Grand Prix in Tunis
Joel Ajayi
The Para-Olympics Committee of Nigeria, PCN, has ascribed the recent success of Team Nigeria at the Para Grand Prix in Tunisia to the intentional support the National Sports Commission, NSC, is giving to the country’s Para-Sports.
These were the remarks of the PCN President, Sunday Odebode, as he revelled in the performance of the country’s Para-athletes in Tunisia, where Nigeria finished second overall out of 42 countries that featured at the competition.
” The NSC under the leadership of the Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon Bukola Olopade, has taken the support given to people living with disabilities to another level”.
” We have never had it this good in the past where the Commission is not only supporting us financially but also assisting us in every technical way to succeed both with our international competitions and domestic ones”.
” This is why to whom much is given, much is expected and the athletes did not disappoint in Tunisia and made the country proud with their performance. It will also interest us to know that because of their outing in Tunisia, Nigeria was able to secure qualification for the World Championship in India later this year and also booked various Spots to the Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles Olympic Games”.
Odebode also salutes the Commission for the smooth funding of its program and camping which are all geared towards podium finish in both next year’s Commonwealth Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics games.
” The Commission has also made our various programs very easy to execute because of the attention and funding we are currently getting from them.If you observe, the Para-lifters just concluded their trials.We discovered 10 new athletes there and they will now be going to Santiago, Chile for the World tournament”.
” And the Para- athletes will open their camp this month also.We also have Wheelchair basketball also preparing for the Commonwealth Games and our Para-Swimmers are also opening camp this month. All of these wouldn’t have been possible if not for the new funding approach of the NSC”.
Team Nigeria finished the championship with an impressive medal haul of 19, out of which 10 are Gold , 6 are silver and 3 are bronze medals.
Sports
“ This Award Gives Me Hope” Makanjuola Nureni Honoured for His Dedication to Nigerian Sports
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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