From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Governor’s Cup in Bayelsa was initiated and managed by Mr. Onoriode Kelvin Akpe  since the time of former governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

He started the tournament with the titled “Restoration Cup” which produced young bayelsans football athletes and since then, the governor’s Cup has come to stay in Bayelsa and has been acknowledged by government across the federation.

Ono as is fondly called was the former Director General on New Media to former governor Dickson.

Not relenting in it efforts continued from where he stopped after Dickson left office with the current administration of governor Douye Diri  but this time termed “Prosperity Cup”.

In May, the Prosperity Cup Season 6 was kicked Off by the state deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewrhudjakpo at the  main bowl of the Samson Siasia stadium in Yenagoa the state capital.

Ono Akpe who is the Director General of Prosperity Cup was not only interested in recruiting young talented footballers  that will represent the state and by extension Nigeria as a country and also play in an international clubs but also interested in equipping Bayelsa Referees by training them to understand new techniques in carrying out there job and acquire knowledge that will help them Excel in order to be at par with their counterparts in other states and across the world.

Seeing and knowing the importance of training decided to collaborate with the Bayelsa state Football Association  to organised a One Day Training for all of them with the mindset of equipping them with required knowledge by an erudite, a scholar and thorough bread professional with several years of experience in the field to come and refresh the Bayelsa state Referees for them to perform maximally and effectively without biased and good sense of judgement especially in the ongoing Prosperity Cup.

It’s with this love and passion that the Referees Refreshers Course was organised for the Referees at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.Participants who participated in the training  not only commended the Organisers of the Bayelsa State Governor’s Football Tournament Season 6, (Prosperity Cup 2024) for  putting together a one-day refresher course for the national referees’ council, Bayelsa chapter,but implored other states to emulate it, as the importance of training and retraining for any professional body cannot be over emphasized. While talking to the participants, the man who initiated and bring to birth the Governor’s Cup, Mr Ono Akpe, said the refresher course which was in partnership with the Bayelsa State Football Association, was aimed at enhancing officiating skills of the referees and equip them with updated information of the game, inline with best global practices.
Speaking to journalists in their various interviews after the refresher training for referees,  a resource person Mr Chukwudi Chukwujekwu (FIFA RTD) and Deputy President of  Nigeria Football Referees Association, Mr Kelechi  Mejuobi believed that the initiative  of refreshers course for training of referees was not only worthy of emulation by other states, but timely in view of the on going prosperity Cup ,a grass root tournament targeted at  hunting  professional youth  footballers.

The duo described the collaboration as fantastic and promised that the young referees will be invited to Abuja soon.According to them , they are happy with Bayelsa state government’s target at young referees,other states needs to emulate this initiative.Also speaking , Mrs Felicia Okugbawa Okonji ( FIFA RTD ) reiterated the essence of refreshers course for referees and the training will go along way for the improvement on officiating of matches in line with global practices. On his part, the Tournament Director of the Prosperity Cup season 6, Perela Aboro , host of the event, averred  that the training will enhance the participants confidence on modern techniques in Nigerian referees in their officiating of matches.

The Chairman of Bayelsa state Nigeria Football Referees Association, Ebi Nwankwe applauded the organizers of the training and with  rich contents from distinguished resource persons, the members have been massively impacted  and that will bring about  improvement on their officiating henceforth,while soliciting for more regular programmes for the improvement on the skills and performance of it’s members.” We look forward to more of such collaborations in future and to our members to whom much  is given,much is expected ” he said.

The one day event had the Director General of the Prosperity Cup season 6 ,Mr Ono Kelvin Akpe  as it’s chief host and was graced by Chief Patimidi Tukuru, permanent secretary, Ministry of special projects, as special guest 

Rave-of-the-moment Ademola Lookman, and African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, are among the 23 Super Eagles players invited for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches by Coach, Finidi George.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will tackle South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in the qualifiers.

George, also selected goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, England-based defenders Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Alhassan Yusuf.

Forwards Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface and Terem Moffi are also invited for the qualifiers.

Similarly, Remo Stars’ hard-as-nails defender, Sadiq Ismael, is called for the first time, with Turkey-based midfielder Fisayo Bashiru, Bayer Leverkusen of Germany’s Nathan Tella and lanky forward Paul Onuachu also called.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria will clash with South Africa on June 7 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, starting from 8.00 p.m.

The team will then fly to Abidjan to tackle Benin Republic at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on June 10 by 5.00 p.m. (Nigerian time).

Super Eagles full team list

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC).

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Sadiq Ismael (Remo Stars FC); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Benjamin Tanimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey).

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France). (NAN)

The duo of Mariam Eniola Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie have qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games coming up from 28th August to 8th September.

According to the Badminton World Federation, Multiple African Champion, Mariam Bolaji will represent Nigeria in the Women’s Singles Standing Lower 3 (SL3) while Jeremiah Chigozie represents Nigeria in the Men’s Singles Standing Lower 4 (SL4).

An elated Francis Orbih, President of Badminton Federation of Nigeria said the qualification of Mariam Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie is a testimony of hard work, consistency and perseverance.

Orbih who was full of joy revealed that Nigeria stands a good chance to make history by winning medals in para badminton in her debut appearance.

He said, “Today, history has been made as two players for the first time will be representing Nigeria in the para badminton event at the Paralympic Games. I am full of joy because the sacrifices of the players and the Federation were not in vain.

“Mariam Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie have consistently attended the African Championship winning gold medals in the singles and doubles events. Last month, Mariam Bolaji won two gold medals at the Spanish Internationals in Victoria and Toledo putting her in a better position to make it to the Paralympics; which has become a reality.

“With adequate camping, foreign tours and proper funding, I believe Nigeria will win a medal in the Para Badminton event when we make our debut this year”.

Orbih once again, called on well meaning individuals to support the Badminton Federation of Nigeria in ensuring the athletes get maximum support ahead of the Olympic/Paralympic Games in Paris next August.

He said, “I will not get tired of calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the private sector to key into our brand and give more support to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. We have athletes who are marketable and will sell their brands to the world with their sterling performances”.

Mariam Eniola Bolaji shocked the world by winning her first gold medal at the Spanish Para badminton International 2021 beating Oksana Kozyna from Ukraine.

Bolaji won the women’s singles SL3 at the Uganda Para Badminton International 2023, All African Para Badminton Championship 2023 (Doubles and Mixed Doubles).

She won gold medals at the 5th Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International 2023, Egypt Para Badminton International 2024, World Para Badminton Championship 2024 in Thailand and Spanish Para Badminton International 2024.

Bolaji is also the first African player to be ranked among the top 10 in the BWF world rankings as she is currently ranked number 5 in the world.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah Chigozie won bronze medal at the Uganda Para Badminton International 2023 and three gold medals at African Para Badminton Championship 2023

He played a lesser number of championships compared to Eniola; playing in Egypt, Dubai, and World Championship in Thailand.

Chigozie got to the quarter finals in the men’s singles SL4 category in Thailand and currently ranked number 16 in the recent BWF para Badminton ranking.