SPORTS
“83 Flying Eagles Beg Buhari to Redeem FG Promise to them
By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
The first set of Nigeria National football team to qualify for FIFA competition, the 1983 set of Flying Eagles have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari extends the same gestures he did to 1994 Super Eagles and 1985 Golden Eaglets to them.
Buhari recently fulfilled the Federal Government promises and gave houses to the players of Super Eagles who conquered Africa in the 1994 African Nations in Tunisia.
He also did same to the 1985 set of Golden Eaglets.After several failed attempts, Nigeria qualified for the first FIFA organised competition in 1983 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament.
The players were promised scholarships by the then President Shehu Shagari but he was overthrown from office through coup by President Muhammadu Buhari, rendering the promise unfulfilled.
The players are now pleading to the APC-led government to extend the same gestures extended to Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets to them.
Speaking on behalf of the team in Abuja, Tajudeen Disu, said, “It was in 1983 when we were invited to Flying Eagles camp that was to qualify Nigeria for the elusive World Cup tournament that we’ve never been. I remember the likes of Segun Odegbami and Christian Chukwu, they could not do it. We were all dedicated to the reasons we were in camp and at the end of the day . They promised us, remember vividly it was semi-final match against Guinea. A must-win game which we won on home soil and qualified Nigeria for the world cup.
“The president of Nigeria then, Alhaji Shehu Shagari who we visited in Lagos, said, “Go there and qualify Nigeria for the World Cup, we will give all of you scholarships because we heard all of you are still in Secondary School, we won’t give you guys money but scholarships to further your education.”
“The then, sports minister then and secretary general of Nigeria Football Association, Patrick Okpomo read the statements of the President to all Nigerians on National TV.
“We have done a lot to make sure that the promised are fulfilled but till date we’re still pushing for it. We graduated to the senior national team, upto now, Nigeria never fulfil their promise, if Shagari was not overthrown then, probably he would have done it. Fortunately, it was this present goverment that took over, he too promised the ’85 set before he was removed but now he redeemed that, he has given the ’85 set their dues, now he just did one for the 94 set why not ’83 set, because government is continuous.
Ghadafi as he’s fondly called still believes that all hopes are not lost, he added that most of them are now grandfathers while some are dead and that the scholarship could be monetised or be replaced with house gifts.
“I think he is still owing us, first time Nigeria flag was raised in any FIFA tournament. They owed us, so I’m appealing on behalf of the team that we still believe they will call us to redeem that pledge definitely nobody want scholarship anymore, we want monetary or they should give us houses just as he gave the nations cup team. I want to use this opportunity to thank the government did well for the fact that they remembered that set and what we did in 37 years ago and now some of us are no more alive but their families are there. We are still hoping, we believe they will do it,” he concluded.
The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.
Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.
7 and Aug. 10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.
Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.
He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.
Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.
“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy, the Ballon d’Or award for the best female goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old recently joined Brighton Women FC from Paris FC after helping the French side win their first major title in nearly two decades.
Nnadozie delivered a heroic performance in the final of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine, where Paris FC edged Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.She was also instrumental in Nigeria’s success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th continental crown against host nation, Morocco.
Her standout displays earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Other nominees for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women) and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
Nigeria’s Super Falcons maintained 36th position in the latest FIFA women’s world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on FIFA’s official website yesterday.
While the Super Falcons remain the number one team in Africa, WAFCON 2024 runners-up Morocco are third on the continent and dropped to 64th spot in the world.
Former WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained 54th place in the world and second in Africa.
Ghana’s Black Queens who claimed third place at the WAFCON dropped to 67th position in the global ranking.
The Super Falcons recently won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after coming from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.
Second half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround.
Okoronkwo, scored a goal and provided two assists against the Moroccans was Named Player of the Match.
Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament while Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024.
The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024.
However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the USA in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind Spain.
The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them.
France completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The next edition of the Women’s World Ranking will be published on 11 December 2025.
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