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Poland 2019: Flying Eagles Go For Three Points Against Qatar

Published

7 years ago

May 23, 2019

Poland 2019: Flying Eagles Go For Three Points Against Qatar

The Nigeria Flying Eagles captain Ikouwem Udoh Utin has assured that the two –time runners up Nigeria will go all out for the three points when they take to the pitch of the 15,300 –capacity Tychy Stadium against Qatar in the opening match of Group D of the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup finals on Friday (Friday) evening.

Utin said at the team’s Vienna House Hotel in Katowice on Thursday. The team will leave their hotel in Katowice for the short drive to Tychy on Friday.

Friday’s game kicks off at 5pm Nigeria time. The second match of Group D, between Ukraine and USA, will begin at 7.30pm Nigeria time.

According to him, it is a big match for us, as every other match in this competition. We know the importance of picking up the three points in our first match, which is why we are determined to go all out.

“Taking the first three points will help us plan our approach better for the remaining matches in the group phase, and also boost our confidence,”

Coach Paul Aigbogun and his assistants have somewhat calibrated a new ensemble, leaving out half of the squad members from the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Niger Republic in February, where the team earned the ticket to Poland, and infusing a number of exciting talent in midfield and attacking realms.

While the choice for the number one shirt is between Detan Ogundare and Olawale Oremade (who was custodian in Niger), Valentine Ozornwafor and Igoh Ogbu are likely to keep their spots in central defence. Captain Ikouwem Utin would be at left back while Jamil Muhammad could be at right back.

In the midfield, much attention will be on the England –based duo Nnamdi Ofoborh and Ayotomiwa Dele-Bashiru, as well as AC Perugia of Italy’s former junior international Kingsley Michael. In this sector also are home –based professionals Effiom Maxwell and Aniekeme Okon, who are rapid raiders on their day.

Dele-Bashiru, of England champions Manchester City has already been tipped by world football –ruling body, FIFA, as one of the players from whom much is expected in Poland.

At the fore, Nigeria has a cosmopolitan flavour with England –based Chinonso Emeka, Norway –based Jerome Adams, Czech Republic –based Tijani Muhammed, Sweden –based Henry Offia and home –based Success Makanjuola vying for available spots.

Aigbogun told thenff.com on Thursday that the group is aware of the pedigree of Nigeria at the FIFA U20 World Cup and cannot afford to under-perform.

“We have a tough history to match. Silver medals on two occasions and bronze medals once, and a number of quarter final appearances. That’s why we must start very well, by taking the points against Qatar and then march on with confidence and self assurance.

“We are flying the flag of nearly 200 million Nigerians, as well as that of the African continent. We have put a lot of work into building a squad that will make Nigeria and Africa proud.”

Nigeria has a number of exciting moments at the FIFA U20 World Cup to her name.

The old Soviet Union won the first edition of the FIFA U20 World Cup (then known as FIFA World Youth Championship) in Tunisia in 1977. Six years later, Tarila Okoronwanta’s first half goal condemned old Soviet Union to defeat in Monterrey, Mexico in Nigeria’s first –ever match at the competition.

In 1985, Monday Odiaka scored after only 14 seconds against Canada in a group phase match, which remains a record. At the same tournament, reserve goalkeeper Christian Obi thwarted host nation Soviet Union in the penalty shoot-out of the third place match to hand the bronze medals to Nigeria.

Four years later, Christopher Ohenhen’s bullet-like free kick that gave Nigeria a 2-1 win over host nation Saudi Arabia was the competition’s 500^th goal. Few days later, midfielder Christopher Nwosu’s blistering run and shot in the last minute earned a 1-1 draw with old Czechoslovakia in the final group phase match and took Nigeria to the knock –out stage.

In the quarter finals, the Flying Eagles came back from 0-4 down to defeat the same old Soviet Union after penalty shoot-out.

In 2005, in The Netherlands, Chinedu Obasi’s television goal unsettled Argentina in the final in Utrecht, but two penalty kicks by Lionel Messi gave the South Americans victory.

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NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC

As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.

Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.

Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.

But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.

As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.

Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.

Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.

Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.

As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.

Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.

Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.

As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.

We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”

To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.

To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.

And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.

Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.

The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.

Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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