Sports
Tinubu’s aide Zulu, NIS DG, others to grace inaugural Phygital Championship in Lagos
*Tinubu’s aide Zulu, NIS DG, others to grace inaugural Phygital Championship in Lagos *
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye, National Institute for Sports Director General, Professor Olawale Moronkola and Lagos State Football Association Vice Chairman, Dotun Coker are among dignitaries that that will grace the inaugural Phygital Championship scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the NIS Indoor Sports Hall, National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.
The groundbreaking event will feature 16 teams competing in the unique football discipline, featuring a hybrid of physical sports and the digital world known as ‘Phygital’, with the aim to represent Nigeria at the esteemed Games of the Future 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates later in the year. The milestone achievement marks a significant step forward in the integration of physical and digital sports in Nigeria.
The Phygital Nigeria Championship, overseen by World Phygital Community (WPC), will center on the sports discipline of phygital football, hosting 16 carefully selected teams.
Phygital football combines a 5 vs 5 soccer match with a PlayStation 5 football simulation, a thrilling two-stage soccer competition that will test the players skills on and off the pitch, creating a dynamic and engaging experience for participants and spectators alike.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Infinity Citizens Ltd, Jeremiah Adeniran, during a courtesy visit to the SSA, expressed his admiration for the innovative idea of phygital sports and encourage gamers, sports enthusiasts and stakeholders to embrace the revolutionary fusion of physical and digital sports.
“Imagine a world where boundaries between reality and virtual realms blur, where people from all walks of life come together to compete and thrive in the esports industry.
We’re talking about a fusion of innovative skills, both in real life and in the virtual world for a unique phygital experience,” Adeniran said.
While assuring Adeniran of support, the SSA said the Federal Government is happy with his (Adeniran’s) initiatives. He added that the Championship will not showcase the skills and innovation of the youths but will elevate Nigeria’s presence on the global phygital stage.
“The Federal Government is happy with what you have brought on board. This is the way to and we are going to support you all through. Our youths will be able to display their digital skills and put Nigeria on the global map. You have really done well and we commend you for this laudable effort,” Adeyinka said.
The upcoming Phygital Nigeria Championship promises to attract a diverse audience of gamers, sports enthusiasts and fans from across the nation, reinforcing the integration of traditional sports with digital gaming.
The winners of the Championship will earn the esteemed privilege of representing Nigeria on the global platform in Dubai showcasing the country’s exceptional talent within the realm of phygital football.
Sports
NLO’s Shola Ogunowo Earns Praise for Driving Grassroots Football and Exemplifying Integrity
Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian football community has lauded Mr. Shola Ogunowo, Chief Operating Officer of the Nationwide League One (NLO), for his unwavering commitment to integrity and the development of grassroots football, earning him widespread respect and admiration across the sporting landscape.
In a statement released in Abuja and signed by Okechukwu Okebugwu, Mr. Ogunowo was praised as a transformative leader who has redefined the ethics and standards of football administration at the grassroots level. According to the release, Ogunowo has emerged as a “leading figure in the fight against match-fixing, bribery, and all forms of corruption” that have plagued the lower tiers of Nigerian football for decades.
Through consistent enforcement of transparency, fairness, and accountability, Mr. Ogunowo is steering the NLO toward becoming a credible platform where talent can be discovered and nurtured based on merit, rather than manipulation or favoritism.
“In an environment where shortcuts and compromises are all too common, Shola Ogunowo has remained a pillar of integrity,” Okebugwu stated. “He is restoring credibility to grassroots football by ensuring that fair play, discipline, and professionalism are non-negotiable.”
Since taking over as COO, Ogunowo has spearheaded a number of structural reforms aimed at instilling discipline and operational excellence among participating clubs. These include stricter licensing requirements, performance audits, and compliance monitoring to ensure clubs uphold the league’s code of conduct. His administration has also emphasized youth development, with a renewed focus on coaching education and player welfare.
The result is a reinvigorated Nationwide League One that is beginning to attract renewed attention from fans, corporate sponsors, and local communities. Observers say Ogunowo’s leadership is helping reshape perceptions of grassroots football—not just as a stepping stone to the elite leagues, but as a vital foundation for the future of Nigerian football.
“His leadership is not only impacting the pitch—it’s rebuilding trust, creating real value, and setting a good standard for sports administration in Nigeria,” Okebugwu concluded.
As the NLO season progresses, many stakeholders believe that with figures like Shola Ogunowo at the helm, the future of grassroots football in Nigeria is not only secure, but promising.
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