Sports

TRADITIONAL SPORTS (KOKOWA, DAMBE, ABULA, LANGA AND AYO) NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SET TO KICK OFF IN ABUJA

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2023

The Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria says preparations are in top gear to stage a hitch free second edition of Traditional Sports National Open Championship.

The National Open Championship which will feature five African sports; Ayo, Dambe, Abula, Langa and Kokowa will take place from August 14-16, 2023 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja.

Speaking in an interview ahead of the national open championship, President of the Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria Honourable Olomo Agbadabina said the federation is working day and night to ensure a hitch free championship.

“We have the national championship for traditional sports featuring Langa, Dambe, Ayo, Kokowa and Abula starting on Monday. The federation is ready to stage a befitting championship”.

“We have set the stage and I can tell you that the security is on ground, the medical team is on ground and I can assure you that the championship will be successful”.

Honourable Agbadabina further stated that the objective of the championship is to promote the development of the game in Nigeria.

“Among other things, it expected that we create awareness for the developmental promotion of traditional sports at the grass-root level”.

“We are also using the championship to prepare our athletes for the upcoming ECOWAS Traditional Wresting” I sincerely believe that traditional sports will become a household name in Nigeria soon”.

Poor funding is the ultimate challenge militating against the development of sports in Nigeria.

However, President of the Traditional Sports Federation is seeking the supports of well meaning Nigerians to support traditional sports in the country.

“Our main challenge is funding and I am using the medium to appeal to government and corporate organizations to help fund some of our programs”.

It will be recalled that Nigeria came third in the last ECOWAS Traditional Wrestling Championship which took place in Niamey, Niger Republic.

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Sports

Analysis of the 2024/25 NPFL Table (Match Day 22)

Published

3 hours ago

February 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Patrick Ngwaogu (Odogwu)

The 2024/25 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table after Match Day 22 reveals a competitive title race, a congested mid-table, and an intense relegation battle. Below is a breakdown of the key trends from the standings.

🏆 Title Race: Remo Stars in Control

1.  Remo Stars FC lead the table with 45 points from 22 games, boasting 14 wins, the highest in the league.
2.  Shooting Stars SC sit second with 37 points from 21 games, meaning they have a game in hand that could close the gap.
3.  Rivers United FC (35 points) and Rangers International FC (34 points) remain in contention, but their inconsistent results (only 9 wins each) suggest they will need strong finishes.

🚀 Key Insight: Remo Stars’ defensive solidity (only 16 goals conceded) and best goal difference (+14) make them the current favorites for the title.

⚖️ Mid-Table Battle: Competitive and Unpredictable

•   Teams from 5th place (Abia Warriors, 33 points) to 14th place (Katsina United, 26 points) are separated by just 7 points.
•   Clubs like El-Kanemi Warriors (32 points) and Enyimba FC (31 points) could still push for continental spots if they gain momentum.
•   Kano Pillars and Bayelsa United (29 & 28 points respectively) are sitting in the middle of the pack but could easily be dragged into the relegation fight if results don’t improve.

⚠️ Key Concern: Mid-table teams must be wary of inconsistency, as a few bad results could put them in relegation danger.

🌍 Continental Qualification Spots

•   The top two teams qualify for the CAF Champions League (CAFCL), while the third-place team enters the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC).
•   Rivers United (3rd) and Rangers (4th) are currently in the best position to battle for continental spots.
•   Ikorodu City FC (7th, 31 points) and Niger Tornadoes (9th, 31 points) remain dark horses for a top-three finish.

🌟 Key Contenders: Rangers International and Rivers United must improve their consistency to ensure a top-three finish.

⚠️ Relegation Battle: 6 Teams in Trouble

The bottom of the table is highly competitive, with at least six teams in danger of relegation:

1.  Bendel Insurance (25 points)
2.  Plateau United (24 points)
3.  Sunshine Stars (24 points)
4.  Nasarawa United (22 points)
5.  Lobi Stars (21 points)
6.  Akwa United (20 points, bottom place)

📉 Key Observations:

•   Nasarawa United, Plateau United, and Bendel Insurance have had 3 points and 3 goals deducted due to league violations, which has severely impacted their standings.
•   Akwa United (20 points, -8 GD) has the worst goal difference and could face serious relegation trouble unless they turn things around.

🔥 Key Battle: Lobi Stars, Nasarawa United, and Akwa United must fight hard to escape the drop zone in the remaining matches.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✅ Remo Stars are strong favorites for the title.
✅ Shooting Stars have a game in hand, making the top-two battle interesting.
✅ Mid-table is highly competitive, with several teams still in contention for continental football.
✅ Relegation battle is wide open, with six teams fighting to survive.

🚨 What to Watch For Next: Will Shooting Stars close the gap? Can Rivers United push for a top-two finish? Who will survive the relegation scrap? The remaining fixtures will be crucial in shaping the NPFL season’s outcome.

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