Sports
Uka-Egbu emerges men’s champion at GHEII Open Darts Championship
ChampionNnamdi Uka-Egbu from Abia on Saturday in Abuja emerged champion of the maiden edition of the Global Harmony Envoy International Initiatives (GHEII) Open Darts Championships.
Uka-Egbu defeated Amandon Dewefa of Bayelsa 4-0 in the final of the 501 darts men’s singles event.
In the final game at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Uka-Egbu
defeated Dewefa who at 14 years was the youngest player at the championships.
Uka-Egbu later said he was happy that he won the championship in spite of the opposition.
“This is not the first time I’m winning a national championship. I expected to win the tournament because that was my aim, which was to come and win the tournament.
“But the reason of my success today is continuous training.
“However, I’m happy that the Darts Federation organised this championship and we want them to do more,” he said.
On his part, Dewefa said he was happy that he played in the competition’s final, as it was his first appearance in a national competition.
“I’ m still in the learning process of the sport and I ‘m not ashamed that I lost in the final match.
“I lost narrowly. But I will still ensure that at my next tournament I improved on my performance, better than what I did here,” he said.
NAN reports that Uka-Egbu received a prize money of N90,000, while Dewefa received N70,000.
Pius Famakin from Lagos and Oladore Olatunji from NPF, who both finished in the third position, received N50,000 each.
Oduwole Olatunji from Ogun who came fifth received N20,000
In the female category, Patricia John from Delta came first to receive N70,000 as prize money, while Queeneth Nwachukwu from NPF came second to receive N50,000.
Borokini Kehinde from Lagos and Oluchi John from Rivers came joint third to receive N30,000 each, while Comfort Haruna from Kaduna State received N15,000.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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