Nigerian Football
National Stadium Lagos: Ambode Promises Legacy For Next Generation
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has promised to bequeath a legacy for the next generation.
He made the promise when he visited the National Stadium Surulere in company of the Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung on Wednesday.
According to a press statement issued by the special adviser to the sports minister, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the governor said that his government will create an all inclusive infrastructure that will not only provide facilities for sports men and women to train but will also allow families to bond.
“We promised during our campaign to use tourism, entertainment, arts and sports to drive youth employment and excellence. This is just one chapter in that road map to growing the GDP of Lagos. We cannot fold our arms and leave this monument to waste away. The last match that was played here was almost fifteen years ago. The truth is that the inner key to youth empowerment and youth employment is in re-establishing this edifice to its real world class standard, and then you earn layers of employment for our younger ones and even create family bonding”
Earlier, the minister thanked Governor Ambode and the people of Lagos State for stepping in to restore national pride to the stadium.
Barrister Dalung noted that the country’s sports history remains inconclusive if nothing is done to address the level of deterioration at the National Stadium.
“This edifice is a monument of national pride. Our visit is very important because it has provided us with the information on how we got to where we are today and what steps can be taken to forestall this in future. We have gone round and seen that this edifice is in a sorry state. The level of dilapidation is embarrassing. It can never be equated with our civilization as a people.”
Barrister Dalung urged the governor to establish a state infrastructural development agency when negotiations on the stadium are concluded, to help in the sustenance and development of the structure. He also promised continued partnership with Lagos state in other sports and youth empowerment related projects.
The Governor and the Minister visited the two training pitches, the indoor halls, the main bowl, switch room, the dilapidated boardroom as well as the players’ changing rooms.
Talks on a possible handover of the National Stadium to Lagos state will continue after a technical team carries out an evaluation of the level of decadence at the stadium.
Enugu Rangers on Sunday beat Plateau United 2-0 to hold on at the top of the Nigeria Premier League. They extended their point haul to 57, two points ahead of their Oriental brothers, Enyimba who also beat Katsina United 1-0 to keep the chase for the title very hot.
Initial second placed team, Remo Stars dropped to the third position but still in contention for either the title, but at worse a continental ticket for next season.
Following Shooting Stars 2-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars in a South West derby, the top four positions of the are now held by the South East and South West as the league gets into its closing stage.
While Rangers and Enyimba are first and second at the moment, Remo Stars, though with an outstanding home game are third while their fellow westerners, Shooting Stars are fourth.
The weekend’s results:
Rivers United 2-0 Katsina United
Remo Stars 3-0 Niger Tornadoes
Doma United 0-0 Kwara United
Bendel Insurance 1-0 Heartland
Enugu Rangers 2-0 Plateau United
Shooting Stars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Akwa United 3-0 Kano Pillars
Enyimba 1-0 Katsina United
Gombe United 3-2 Lobi Stars
Sporting Lagos 4-2 Abia Warriors
Remo Stars on Friday inch closer to achieving their first ever title in the Nigeria elite division league after beating visiting Niger Tornadoes 3-0 to move second on the log and just a point behind league leaders, Enugu Rangers.
Remo Stars are now with 53 points and still have an outstanding home game to play.
Friday’s win which comes on the eve of the proprietor’s birthday has put the team back into contention for the title.
They have progressively become prominent in the Nigerian premier league having placed third two seasons ago and second last season.
Top finish this season will confirm their progression and also a third consecutive continental outing.
Top scorer, Sikiru Alimi launched them of victory path as his 28th minute penalty kick heralded their return to high scoring ways.
It has been a while since they scored high in the league. Barely three minutes later, Sikiru, a contender for the top scorer award increased the tally to two.
Ahmed Akinyele completed the route in the 75th minute.
Nigerian Football
Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers
Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.
The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.
Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.
The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.
Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.
However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.
Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.
Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.
The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Groups:
Group A: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin
Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.
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