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Suleiman Shaibu:The Goalkeeper Coach With Panacea

Published

3 years ago

May 12, 2022

At a time that Nigeria is facing an assumed crisis in the areas of goalkeeping especially in the senior national, Coach Suleiman Shaibu is emerging to support in bringing solutions to that critical area in the senior national team.

Shaibu who was recently appointed as the second assistant goalkeeper coach with the U.23 National team and the home based Super Eagles team, is not new in the National teams nor Nigeria football. He still hold the record of the oldest goalkeeper that had ever played in the Nigeria League. He kept for various clubs from 1981 to 2007.

Young Suleiman Shaibu started his journey as a goalkeeper with a non League club in Kano Fagge Pele Football Club of Kano in 1981. He spent only one season in the club before he was scouted by the handlers of Raccah Rovers of Kano, where he played until 1986, before the then city rivals Wreca FC signed him. In 1987 he went to the then Nasco jets before returning to Bank of North FC of Kano until 1991 when he teamed up with ITF of Jos. He played only one season with the Training Fund team before Dantata United came for his signatures in 1994

Katsina United was his next stop in 1995. Wikki Tourists came calling in 1996, a club he played with till 2003 when he moved over to Jigawa Golden stars and retired as a Coach player in 2007. Same year he was honoured by the Nigeria Professional League as the oldest goalkeeper that played in the league.

Goalkeeper Suleiman Shaibu who was born on 1 July 1967, won various honors with teams he played for. He was a member of the Kano state Academical team that won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the Manuwa Adebanjo cup in 1985, 1984, and 1983 respectively. He was a member of the all the conquering National U.20 team (Flying Eagles)that won the African Youth Championship in 1985. He helped in promoting Katsina United in 1995, Wikki Tourists in 1997, and Jigawa Golden stars in 2007. He also have several medals from the Federation cup for the clubs he kept for.

After 27 years between the sticks in the league, Suleiman Shaibu who hails from Kwara state, but born and bred in Kano state, attended the National Institute For Sports in 2005, where he obtained the Basic Certificate in Football Coaching, he is CAF C and B licensed coach. He has also attended the FIFA MA goalkeeping course among others.

He was a goalkeeper trainer of the National U-17 team (2008-2009), National U-20 team(2010-2012; 2018-2022). He has just been appointed into the U.23 National team and CHAN Eagles.

Shaibu worked with various Premiership clubs like Jigawa Golden star of Dutse (2006-2010); Enyimba International of Aba (2010-2014); Rangers International of Enugu(2015-2017); El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri (2017-2018) and presently Abia Warriors of Umuahia (2020- Date).

No doubt, with the coming of Suleiman Shaibu to the senior cadre of the national team, the dreams of having great goalkeepers for the senior national National team may now be a reality.

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UniAbuja Awards PhD To Former Lawmaker, 3 Others

Published

4 hours ago

November 6, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

Former Akwa Ibom State lawmaker Hon. Patrick Nathan Ifon, alongside three others, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Governance and Leadership on Tuesday at the Abuja Leadership Centre (ALC) at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.

According to the external examiner, Professor Chika Oguonu from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, the academic achievements were conferred after the candidates successfully fulfilled all requirements, including defending their theses on November 4, 2025, and pending approval of the University’s Senate.

Other recipients of the Doctoral degrees in Public Governance and Leadership include Obichi Godwin Obiajunwa, Ibiam Okechukwu Owora and Mohammed Hadi.

After the event, the Centre’s Director, Professor Philip Dahida, commended the external examiner for her professionalism, knowledge transfer, and commitment to evaluating the candidates’ work.

He charged all graduates to heed the advice of both external and internal examiners, while emphasising the need for them to put what they have learnt into practice in the wider society.

In his remarks, Hon. Patrick Ifon, who hitherto represented Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, lauded the institution for enhancing his capacity and vowed to impact his environment positively with the acquired knowledge.

Speaking on his thesis, which dwelt on the media in Nigeria and issues around agenda setting, the former lawmaker decried the challenges affecting media personnel from delivering on their mandate as watchdogs of the government.

He called on the government to collaborate with the Nigerian media and see them as partners rather than enemies. Adding that the government must invest in training and retraining of media persons to encourage balanced reportage. While urging members of the Nigerian media industry to maintain high ethical standards.

“The media is supposed to be like the gatekeepers in society, and is supposed to be keeping the government on its toes, but if the problems that militate against the media for a long time remain, then certainly it will not be able to function.

“The military must be transparent with the media and vice versa. they must relate in a way that makes them better professionals.

“My advice will be that the government should see the media as partners in progress, and once that is done, then it will be easier for them to deal with the media in a very transparent way and give them information,” Ifon stated.

The Abuja Leadership Centre is a TETFUND Centre of Excellence for Public Governance and Leadership, dedicated to enhancing public governance and leadership in Nigeria and beyond.

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