Sports

We Are Ready To Host Women T20i Cricket-Akpata

Published

4 years ago

March 20, 2022

The President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata has said that all is now set to host the maiden Women’s Invitational T20I Tournament at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos form Monday March 28, 2022.

According to Uyi, “We have just few days to the official opening event and we have most of our boxes ticked. The ground is taking very good shape and necessary accessories needed for the full running of an event of this magnitude are almost fully in place. I can say we are very ready.”

The event, when it gets off next Monday, will become one of the biggest Women’s Cricket events on the continent, given the pool of participating countries it parades.

“We are expecting the five other countries joining Nigeria to start arriving on Saturday and we have a number of pre-event formalities that has been scheduled to go on from there until the first ball on next Monday” he added.

Uyi also said the event has also enjoyed a huge support from corporate Nigeria, especially those with some measure of interest in the gender perspectives that this event addresses.

“We would be making a show of our sponsors and partners sometimes during the week and I believe their support at this time has been a huge plus for this event taking off in the first place.”

The international Cricket Council, Africa, who also has sanctioned the event will also be monitoring proceedings form the start to finish, including making each match count for each nation’s ranking.

Four foreign umpires would be officiating at the event, of which, two of the participating countries will provide one each, Rwanda and Sierra Leon; while the other two would come from neutral non-participating countries, Kenya and Uganda. These would be joined by four home-based umpires in officiating at all the 12 matches of the tournament.

Akpata said the Women’s Invitational T20i Tournament is part of the developmental plan of the Nigeria Cricket Federation and will be upheld as a yearly event to sustain the growing interest and extraordinary achievements that the Federation has attained with Women’s enrollment into the game in the past few years.

This year, more than 125, 000 female cricketers are projected to be recruited into the game, through a nationwide grassroots programme of the Federation.

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

14 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

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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