Athletics
Kit problems not new with Nigerian teams at major events
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
On the day Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games began, it came to light that the Nigerian team had to make emergency arrangement of getting alternative kits including sewing of badges. It is not the first time the country have had to face such embarrassing situation. In fact the current one is barely a 31st anniversary of when the Super Eagles were nearly walkover at home for their inability to have jerseys to play an Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Burkina Faso in Lagos.
Sports Village Square recalls that it is like a recurring decimal for Nigerian teams which just days before had to cope with athletes having wrong spellings of the country’s name adorning their vests.
Here are some of the off the field controversies that Nigerian teams have raised bordering on issues like kits and means of identification.
- 1980 – The Nigerian representatives had lost 1-2 in Lubumbashi a fortnight earlier and only needed a goal to reach the semi final of the competition in Ibadan. The match was delayed for three hours following the inability of the home team to produce the CAF license of the players because the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) forgot the documents in Lagos. Each member of the Nigeria team had to be photographed with the centre referee. Shooting Stars lost the match on penalties after winning 2-1 score line to drag the game into shoot out.
- 1979 -The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) forgot to fill the entry form for the Nigerian team for the football tournament of the Olympic Games and thus missed out from the qualifying series. But fortuitously, Ghana who qualified withdrew following America’s campaign for African teams to boycott the Moscow Games. Nigeria’s Green Eagles as winners of the 1980 Afcon were invited as last minute replacements.
- 1984 – In the second leg of the final match of the then Africa Cup of Champions Club in which IICC Shooting Stars were to face Egypt’s Zamalek in Lagos, the Nigerian team was rendered impotent as it was on the morning of the match day at the pre-match meeting that they learnt that key player, Felix Owolabi was ineligible for the match having obtained a second yellow card in the first leg duel. Their initial playing plan was disrupted as half-fit Lookman Oshun had to take his place. Shooting Stars lost the match and the cup.
- 1989 – In December, FIFA banned Nigeria for two-years from age-related competitions as the NFA officials had earlier presented conflicting dates of births at the U-20 competitions for three players – Andrew Uwe, Samson Siasia and Dahiru Sadi at the 1988 Olympic Games.
- 1991 – on 27 July, Nigeria needed to defeat Burkina Faso to qualify for the AFCON edition to be hosted by Senegal the following year. The late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, as the then Chief of General Staff was the special guest of honour at the main bowl of the National Stadium in Lagos. After two hours of delay, Super Eagles appeared in a make-shift pants because the then NFA official in charge of kits left the jerseys at the team’s camp at Obasanjo Farm Otta. The players track down had to be cut with scissors for the match to go ahead. Although Nigeria won the tie 7-1 to reach the finals of the tournament, the then Sports Minister, Major General Yohanna Kure, came down hard on football federation with the dissolution of the board led by former Unipetrol Managing Director, Alhaji Yusuf Ali while Secretary General, Momodu Kadiri was relieved of his job.
- 1996 – The Nigeria U-17 team, Golden Eaglets were walked over on home soil in Ibadan in the return leg of their African qualifiers with Benin Republic. They played a goalless draw in the first leg match on 7 September in Cotonou and were to wrap it up in Ibadan. Alas! The NFA officials forgot their passports in Lagos and so the match could not hold. Nigeria were walked over on their home soil!
- 2005 – In November 16, a hurriedly assembled Super Eagles squad arrived Bucharest on match day for a friendly with Romania. Apart from having just 12 players, meaning they can make just one substitution, they were not with kits! Coaches had to roam the streets in search of green vests with which Nigeria eventually played the match that they expectedly lost 3-0.
- 2014 – A similar scenario of missing kits as experienced at Birmingham 2022 occurred eight years ago at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Even medal winners have to borrow tracksuits from their colleagues, usually in other sports disciplines, to make podium appearances. So some athletes are competing in the official team Nigeria kits Adidas while their compatriots are in Nike. Some weightlifters wore the recognisable green and white kits while some were in some strange blue, others were in some black and luminous green even red….
- 2019 – The Super Eagles arrived Dnipro without their kits as the Turkish Airline left them in transit at Istanbul along with players’ luggage as they prepared for a 10 September friendly match with Ukraine.
Athletics
Kenyans and Ethiopians dominate the half marathon at ECOWAS Marathon, Nigerians win 5 km race
Kenya Harrison Muchira Wanjiru won the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon half-marathon on Saturday in 1 hour 04.39; on his heels was another Kenyan, Adam Sulaiman Muhamad, who was second in 1.05.27, and a Nigerian Francis James Musa came third in 1.05.51.
If Kenyans dominated the men’s race, the women’s race was dominated by Ethiopians. Lydia Natiyaka Wamalawa of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 1 hour 15.3, Aberash Minsewo, another Ethiopian, was second in 1.17.14, and like in the men’s race, a Nigerian Patience Dalyop was third in 1.21.15.
Nigerian runners dominated the 5 km race, they also won most of the prizes reserved for ECOWAS citizens.
Each one for his reason, thousands of runners pounded the streets of Abuja on Saturday as the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon flags off at the ECOWAS Commission Yakubu Gowon Way, a little after 8.00 am, while the 5 km race started shortly after.
For the elite runners that participated in the 21-kilometer race of Africa’s most lucrative half-marathon, the focus was on the $ 10,000 prize money for the top finisher.
Ditto for the top runners in the 5km race whose sights were also fixed on the prize money for the top five finishers.
For former presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore, a constant face in marathons and road races in Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon was another medium to carry his message of justice for humanity to every part of the world.
Sowore did not run alone; he ran with the #Run with Sowore Group and other members of his Lazy Man Athletics Club.
However, the majority of runners like Blessing Mozie participated because running has become a way of life.
A staff member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, she ran on Saturday because running has become a part and parcel of Lagos-born Mozie’s life.
Before moving to Abuja, Mozie participated in several editions of the Lagos City Marathon, running the full marathon, but she ran the 5 km on Saturday because she is not used to the Abuja roads.
”I was born in Lagos, I grew up there, so I am familiar with the route, but I am not too familiar with the Abuja routes. Maybe in future, I will run the half marathon and the full marathon in Abuja.
“I think running is something everybody should do because of its immense health benefits.
“For me, running is not a fashion statement but a way of life because it is good for the body generally, and I am encouraging everybody to embrace the culture of running; the benefits are immeasurable.
An estimated 5,000 Nigerian and international runners battled for $71,000 prize money on Saturday.
The men’s and women’s winners of the 21 km half-marathon race won $10,000.
Also, all the first 200 runners to cross the line received bronze medals to show they had participated.
The Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani noted that the event was part of activities to commemorate ECOWAS at 50.
Njoaguani stated that the initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
He noted that the future goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
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Nigeria’s foremost marathon and road race club, the High Altitude Athletics Club of Jos, Plateau State, is sending a strong field of elite runners to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, which will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Stephen Nuhu, the club manager and coach, disclosed that over 30 runners have arrived in Abuja for Saturday’s race.
The runners who will compete in the half marathon include Sati Musa Bala, Mathias Nenfort Gofwen, Mandela Banki, Geofrey Koptin Gomam, John Dauda, Elisha Friday, Shaba Dare Eniola, Yohanna Friday, Gwet Tokbe Christopher, Shambor Blessing Solomon, Agofure Charity, Akusho Lydia Thomas, Danjuma Agnes, and Mathew Nancy.
Nuhu also disclosed that his club aim to win the men’s and women’s titles and also the 5km family race,
“We have some very good young runners who have what it takes to win the 5km, our challenge is the 21km race. We are determined to beat the teams from other ECOWAS nations, especially Ghana, Senegal and others who we are reliably informed are sending a strong team”
Nuhu commended the ECOWAS Commission for increasing the prize money and prompt payment,
“When it comes to prompt payment of prize money, ECOWAS Commission is number one, they will never tell you stories, you get your money once technical officials have certified you as the winner.”
Elsewhere, the Ghanaian Athletics Association and the Ghana Army are also sending strong teams to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The Ghana team expressed readiness to storm Abuja with 20 men and women runners with the sole aim of winning some prizes in the men’s and women’s categories.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Okon, the Race Director, has urged registered runners to collect the running number, vest, certificate, participants’ guide and others at the VIO Office, Federal Secretariat Car Park, Eagles Square, Abuja,
“We are there from 9 am to 5 pm daily, registered runners and those that intend to register are welcome, they can fill out the form free and collect their kits immediately”.
Okon warned that there won’t be registration and collection of kits on race day.
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Athletics
ECOWAS Marathon announces exclusive prize money for West African runners, targets World Athletics Gold Label status
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has unveiled an exclusive prize money incentive for West African runners participating in the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference by the ECOWAS Commission, the sponsor of the marathon.
According to ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, who also serves as the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, the first West African runner to cross the finish line will receive $1,000.
The second-place finisher will earn $500, while the third, fourth, and fifth-place runners will receive $400, $250, and $200, respectively.
This initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
Njoaguani emphasized ECOWAS’ long-term vision to elevate the marathon to international prominence.
He stated that the goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
Currently, the marathon stands as the most lucrative half marathon in Africa, offering an impressive prize structure for both men and women.
Winners of the 21km race will each take home $10,000, while second and third-place finishers will earn $5,000 and $4,000, respectively.
The fourth-place runner will receive $3,500, followed by $3,000 for the fifth, $2,500 for the sixth, $2,000 for the seventh, $1,500 for the eighth, $1,200 for the ninth, and $1,000 for the tenth-place finisher.
In the 5km category, the first-place winner will receive $1,000, the second-place finisher $300, the third-place $250, the fourth-place $150, and the fifth-place $100.
Njoaguani expressed his delight at the marathon’s rapid growth and increasing popularity. He recalled the challenges faced in its early years but noted that it has since evolved into a highly anticipated sporting event.
The 2025 edition, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, is expected to attract over 5000 runners from across the globe.
To mark this milestone, ECOWAS is fully sponsoring runners from all member states, both men and women, to participate.
Additionally, significant interest has been shown by runners from Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as from other regions beyond Africa, including the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Switzerland.
For this edition, some minor adjustments have been made to the race routes.
The 21km race will begin and end at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, ensuring a seamless and well-coordinated course for participants.
Meanwhile, the 5km race will start Independence Drive by Sahad Stores and CDB and conclude at the ECOWAS Commission.
Beyond its competitive aspect, the marathon serves as a unifying platform for West African nations. Njoaguani highlighted that the marathon is more than just a race, emphasizing that it is a means of fostering regional integration, bringing people together to interact, celebrate fitness, and strengthen the bonds within the community.
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