Sports

Team Nigeria Shifts Attention To Athletics, As Super Falcons, Quadri, others Exit Paris 2024 Empty Handed

Published

3 months ago

July 31, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The Super Falcons completed a hat trick of losses at the Paris 2024 Olympics after losing 3-1 to their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday to exit the game with no points.

Before Falcon’s exit , Aruna Quadri, Fatimah Bello, Olajide Omotayo, and Edem Offiong have all been eliminated from the Table Tennis event while Adam Olaore also suffered first-round elimination in the boxing event.

Also, the Nigeria’s captain and African Champion, Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori suffered a disappointing defeat in his second Group game against China’s Li Shi Feng in the Men’s Singles Badminton event at the Paris Olympics.

This loss marks Opeyori’s second defeat at Paris 2024, ending his Olympic journey in the first round.

He joins the Super Falcons, who lost 1-3 to Japan in the women’s football event earlier on Wednesday, as the 7th Nigerian athlete to be eliminated from the games

Football follows the exit route with no media to show, a path charted by Table Tennis and Boxing as none of the athletes made it past the first round.

All attention for medals will now shift to Athletics with the event starting on Thursday August 1st in Paris

A total of 35 Athletes will be competing for honours in their different track and field events.

Expectations are high with the exploits of Tobi Amusan; winning the Gold medal in the 110 meters hurdles at the last World Championship setting a world record in the event.

A podium finish is at least expected as Tobi Amusan is a hot prospect for the gold medal.

Ese Brumen is another athlete’s Nigerians will be backing her for a podium finish in the long jump, the event that gave Nigeria her first ever Gold medal at the Olympics courtesy of the Chioma Ajunwa effort at the Atlanta 96 Olympics.

Other events could spring surprises while Nigerians are anxious to see how the relays will go, though watchers are optimistic that Nigeria could win a medal in the relays.

Recall the 4×4 Relay gave Nigeria the second ever Gold medal in Athletics at the Sydney 2000 in which the American team were stripped off the gold for doping.

How many medals will Athletics return for Team Nigeria, the coming days will provide a definite answer

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Sports

Shehu Dikko: The Rejected Stone that Became a Cornerstone

Published

9 hours ago

October 30, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

The remarkable turnaround for Mallam Shehu Dikko serves as a powerful reminder that “one with God is more than the majority.”

The turbulent waters of sports politics almost swept him away. Bruised and battered by the machinations of his rivals, Dikko’s good name faced intense scrutiny. In 2016, on his way to Warri, Delta State, to contest for the position of President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), he was reportedly detained in Lokoja over an issue unrelated to sports. This attempt to block his ambitions was a testament to the lengths some would go to halt the Kaduna-born administrator.

In 2019, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) implicated Dikko in allegations of mismanaging $2.7 million from FIFA’s Financial Assistance Programme during his tenure at the NFF. The ICPC subsequently seized several of his properties. However, the Federal High Court dismissed the case after an order from the then Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, instructed a withdrawal of the charges. Through it all, Dikko remained focused on his mission to develop Nigerian football, contributing significantly to the league’s growth.

Though he contested the NFF presidency again in the 2023 Edo election, he lost due to unexpected opposition. Many assumed this would mark the end of Dikko’s influence in Nigerian sports. However, fate had different plans. Like Mordecai in the Bible, Dikko’s dedication and contributions were finally acknowledged, and he was appointed Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) by President Bola Tinubu. His new role marks a pivotal restructuring within Nigeria’s sports sector.

Dikko’s appointment signifies not only a redemption but a multiplication of honor. Initially aspiring to lead a single sports federation, he now oversees over 40 as head of the NSC. This unprecedented responsibility demonstrates the level of trust vested in him. Previously serving as Vice President of the NFF and Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Dikko brought strategic insight and growth to Nigerian football.

His track record as CEO of the LMC, where he notably enhanced the financial value of Nigeria’s football league, attests to his vision and commitment to both performance and commercial success. As a top sports administrator, Dikko’s expertise is expected to bring impactful changes to Nigeria’s sports landscape. However, the task ahead remains daunting. Revitalizing the nation’s sports sector will require collaboration across a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including sports federations, athletes, corporate bodies, and government agencies.

Dikko has set out ambitious goals, emphasizing that his role extends beyond sports competitions. He envisions the NSC as an institution that shapes lives, fosters economic growth, and builds community. “My aim is to see sports as an integral part of Nigeria’s development agenda, not as an afterthought,” he said recently.

Though challenges persist—such as funding constraints, inadequate facilities, and limited athlete support—many believe that Dikko’s leadership could usher in a transformation. His ambitious plans for the NSC have sparked cautious optimism that Nigeria’s sports sector can become a model for development across Africa.

As Dikko embarks on this new journey, Nigerians remain hopeful that under his leadership, sports can become a unifying force, a robust economic driver, and a source of national pride.

Joel Ajayi is a sports writer and analyst based in Abuja.

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