SPORTS
Benue FA Boss Canvasses Equal Pay for Eagles, Falcons Players
Paul Edeh , President of Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) and Chairman, Benue State Football Association (BSFA) has called for equal pay for Nigeria’s men and women national football teams.
Edeh said this in Abuja on Sunday that this was expedient to ensure equality and fast track the development of women football in Nigeria.
“I want to urge this country (NFF) that whatever we pay the men’s team, whatever we pay the Super Eagles players, we should also pay the Super Falcons players.
“Whatever we pay the U17 (Golden Eaglets), U20 (Flying Eagles), we should also pay the women U17 (Falmingos), U20 (Falconets) because the women need to do twice as what a man can do once to achieve their goal.
“So if they put in twice to represent the country, it is also necessary that we double whatever we pay them, in fact we should pay them more than the men,” he said.
Edeh spoke after the unveiling of Super Falcons Captain Onome Ebi as a player of Naija Ratels FC of Abuja.
He said that there was a need to pay more attention to the welfare of women players, while celebrating the legends who gave their all for the country.
“We live in a country where we don’t celebrate our women football legends.
“We live in a country where women who have done so much for the nation are allowed to float without a proper plan to recognise, celebrate and put their efforts in history books,” he said.
The football administrator canvassed that major stadiums in the country should be named after women football legends, just as we have for men.
“Today we have the Stephen Keshi stadium in Asaba, we have several other stadiums named after men, no single stadium has been named after any woman.
” So I think part of the ways to celebrate our women football legends is to name stadiums after them,” he said.
Edeh called for all chairmen of Women football leagues to have reprensentatives on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board.
“As chairman of BSFA, I want to call on the NFF congress which I belong to see how we can have equal representation in the NFF congress.
“Today we have the chairman of of the NPFL as NFF board member, chairman NNL, Chairman NLO, but how come it is only one woman (NWFL) that is on the board, we also have three tiers of the league.
“I want to call on my colleagues that we should ensure that three women are also represented on the board of NFF for parity and equality sake,” he said.
He described the Super Falcons, nine-time AWCON champions as the most successful football team in the history of the country.
NAN reports that the pay disparity between men and women footballers has been a knotty issue in international football.
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer team (USWNT) even filled a gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. (NAN)
Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Saturday defeated Lobi Stars of Makurdi 1-0 in a pulsating North Central derby.
The matchday 16 fixture of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiere Football League (NPFL) was played at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State capital.
The Makurdi side had adopted the Lafia Township Stadium as their home ground for the 2024/2025 NPFL season.
The only goal of the match was scored by Qamar Adegoke in the 12th minute of the match to give all three points to the Lafia side.
Adegoke’s goal, who joined the Lafia team recently, was his second in four matches.
The Nasarawa attacker capitalised on a defensive error by the opponent’s backline and hit the back of the net to give Nasarawa United the advantage.
In a post-match interview, Kabir Dogo, Technical Adviser of Nasarawa United, hailed his players for taking all three points.
He explained that his team had improved by scoring five goals in their last three matches and expressed optimism that they would do better in subsequent games.
“We had a problem in the area of goal scoring in the past, but this has changed in our last three games,” he said.
With the win, Nasarawa United climbed to 14th on the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars remain on 17th position. (NAN)
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organising a two-day National Coaching Seminar, with the theme: “Leadership and Management Skills”.
The event will take place from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18, at the Additional Sports and Entertainment (ASEP) Pro Limited, in Mowe, Ogun State.
The seminar will enhance the capabilities of Nigerian table tennis coaches, with a particular emphasis on female coaches, aligning with the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Initiative.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, on Tuesday, said that the seminar was part of the one-week sports and leadership boot camp titled “Awaken the Giant, She Can 4.
0,” proudly supported by NTTF.“This seminar will also represent the third stage of the 2024 “My Gender, My Strength” programme, which has table tennis star Abosede Akinsete, as a beneficiary.
“NTTF President,Tikon Ishaku, Vice President, Adesoji Tayo, and other board members are dedicated to initiatives that support the development of coaches.
“Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, ITTF Executive Vice President, and President of ITTF-Africa, reaffirms his commitment to empowering women in sports, in line with the GEDI Initiative.
He explained that the seminar would feature people, who would speak on leadership and management skills, to enhance the abilities of coaches to identify and develop talents, as well as encourage the development of high-performance table tennis players capable of competing globally. (NAN)
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday returned to the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) summit as strong rivals Remo Stars FC faltered on Match Day 13.
Report says that Rivers United beat visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia 1-0 after an Ndifreke Effiong 58th minute goal from the penalty kick spot.
Effiong’s goal in the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium helped them to move to 25 points from 13 matches, after seven wins, four draws and two losses.
Former leaders Remo Stars dropped to second with 23 points from 13 matches after seven wins, two draws and four losses, following a 0-2 loss to hosts Katsina United.
Plateau United of Jos beat visiting Nasarawa United of Lafia 2-0 to bolster their position.
Shooting Stars Sports Club also struggled to a 1-0 win over visiting Bayelsa United of Yenago.
A 15th minute goal by Anthony Okachi at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan gave them the win.
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri had on Saturday beaten Akwa United of Uyo 1-0 to move into third place on the table with 22 points from 13 games.
Enyimba International of Aba remained in fourth place with 20 points from 12 matches, with their week 13 game against Sunshine Stars of Akure on hold.
Rangers International of Enugu are in fifth place with 20 points also, after a goalless draw with hosts Heartland FC ain Owerri on Saturday.
Bendel Insurance of Benin had also beaten Kwara United of Ilorin 3-1, while Lobi Stars of Makurdi drew 2-2 with visiting Kano Pillars in Lafia.
NAN reports that the league will enter Match Day 14 on Wednesday.(NAN)
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