The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • 2025 AFCON: CAF appoints 73 match officials without Nigerians

    2025 AFCON: CAF appoints 73 match officials without Nigerians

    Nigeria will have no representation among match officials at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) released its approved list for the tournament in Morocco.

    The announcement confirms growing concerns within Nigerian football circles over the country’s declining influence in continental refereeing, despite remaining one of Africa’s dominant forces on the pitch.

    CAF on Wednesday unveiled 73 officials made up of 28 referees, 31 assistant referees and 14 video assistant referees (VAR).

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    The selections were drawn from across the continent, including Benin, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Senegal. Notably, Nigeria a three-time African champion, is the only former AFCON-winning nation in West Africa without a named referee.

    AFCON 2025 will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the second consecutive edition to take place in the winter calendar. All selected officials are expected to arrive in Morocco on 15 December for an intensive preparatory camp covering physical drills, technical sessions and theoretical assessments led by CAF’s Referees Department.

    CAF noted that  the appointments reflect the governing body’s commitment to ‘refereeing excellence’ and the continuous improvement of African match officiating standards. Several of the chosen officials have overseen major CAF competitions in recent years, reinforcing a strategy that prioritises consistency, technical upgrades and tournament integrity.

  • AfroSport secures free-to-air rights for AFCON 2025

    AfroSport secures free-to-air rights for AFCON 2025

    Nigerians can look forward to a truly unifying football experience this December as the

    Super Eagles prepare for the 35th  Edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco. The Confederation of African Football (CAF), as event owner, together with New World Televisions (NWTV), the exclusive Pay-Per-View and Free-to-Air rights holder, has confirmed that the tournament will be fully accessible to Nigerians courtesy of AfroSport and its nationwide FTA broadcast network.

    As the backbone of broadcasting in Nigeria, Free-to-Air television remains the single most powerful distribution platform in the country—reaching more than 33 million TV homes across every nook and cranny of Nigeria. With this unparalleled reach, AfroSport once again guarantees that AFCON will remain a truly national event, accessible to all Nigerians regardless of geography, income, or technology.

    Having successfully delivered the 2022 and 2024 editions of AFCON, the 2025 tournament marks a historic hat-trick for AfroSport—Nigeria’s undisputed FTA sports champion. The matches will be presented and distributed nationwide through the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as the national broadcaster, and AfroSport’s growing network of FTA affiliate partners.

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    Chief Consultant Akintunde-Johnson Bada, announcing the partnership, stated: “We are proud to once again receive CAF’s trust and to deliver this most important event to every Nigerian home. AFCON 2025 arrives at a critical moment for Nigerian football, and we all hope our boys can go one better than they did in Ivory Coast two years ago. FTA television remains the people’s platform, and AfroSport is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian can be part of this journey.”

    NWTV’s Managing Director, Mr. Nimonka Kolani, added:  “By securing the AFCON 2025 Free-to-Air rights, AfroSport guarantees that all Nigerians will be able to follow their heroes in Morocco.”

    “CAF, under the leadership of Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has enabled this partnership with AfroSport, and it continues to bring joy to millions of football fans across Nigeria.”

    AFCON 2025 is highly anticipated as one of the most exciting editions yet—a rare Christmas football spectacle, running from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, with Morocco continuing its rise as a powerhouse in African and world football. The opening match will feature Morocco vs. Comoros on 21 December.

    Nigeria will begin its Group C campaign on 23 December against Tanzania, followed by fixtures against Tunisia (27 December) and Uganda (30 December)—all of which will be available nationwide free-to-air.

    With AfroSport’s leadership and the unmatched distribution power of FTA broadcasting, AFCON 2025 promises to unite the nation once again—live, free, and everywhere.

  • Organisers  excited as Obasa Games enter knockouts

    Organisers  excited as Obasa Games enter knockouts

    The Chairman Local Organising Committee, Obasa Games 2025, Moshood Ajibola,  has hailed the athletes’ remarkable performance at the ongoing 3rd edition of the grassroots sporting event as the games enter knockout stage.

    Champions from the six educational districts in Lagos State from various sporting activities have begun battle for the final round of the event at the Agege Stadium.

    At the Agege Stadium, young athletes within the age bracket of 15-18 have continued to showcase talents and determination after securing places in the knockout round of the event aimed to discover new talents in Football, Boxing, Athletics, Scrabble, Table Tennis, Chess and Ayo Olopon.

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    About 12,000 students were drawn from the various secondary schools from the six educational districts in the State to participate in this year’s Sport Fiesta tagged from the street to stardom.

    Speaking on the athlete’s showing so far, Ajibola expressed his excitement with the level of the display from the participants in all Sports, claiming they beat his imagination with their performances.

    “I’m so impressed with what I have seen so far from the kids from Football, Boxing, Table Tennis, Scrabble, Athletics, Chess and Ayo Olopon.

    “The Obasa Games is a platform to discover the emerging talents from grassroots and our joy as organisers is to see these young lads move on from here to either represent Lagos State at Sports Festivals or Nigeria at various international competitions,” he said.

    The Obasa Games is a multi-sports fiesta event put together by Kings Sports International annually to honour the Speaker, of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

    The 2025 edition of Obasa games which is expected to come to an end on Saturday, December 13, will see the winners from the seven sports including football sharing the N12M prize money.

  • Slot vows to ‘keep fighting’ as Liverpool’s crisis deepens

    Slot vows to ‘keep fighting’ as Liverpool’s crisis deepens

    Arne Slot has vowed to “keep fighting”, saying his conversations with Liverpool’s owners have not changed despite his team’s deep slump.

    The Premier League champions were hammered 4-1 at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday – their ninth defeat in their past 12 matches in all competitions.

    The stands emptied as frustrated fans quit the ground in droves in the latter stages of the match.

    It is the worst run of form for the 20-time English champions in more than 70 years.

    Now Liverpool face a trip to rejuvenated West Ham on Sunday, desperate to improve on their position of 12thc place in the Premier League table.

    Slot, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season in his first campaign in charge, said in the aftermath of Wednesday’s defeat he was confident his job was safe.

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    He held a press conference yesterday, previewing Sunday’s game at West Ham, who look a different side under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

    The Liverpool boss was asked at the start of the press conference whether he has spoken to the club’s owners since the PSV game.

    “We’ve had the same conversations since I’ve been here,” he said. “We fight on. And we try to improve, that’s what we all try. But the conversations have been the same as they’ve been for the past one and a half years.”

    The Dutchman admitted Liverpool’s standards had slipped but insisted he did not feel let down by his players.

    “We think we can play better than we do,” he said.

    “But last season, when we did really well, there was a lot of focus on certain individuals and I always said it should be about the team, and the team makes the individuals look very good.

    “And if the opposite is happening, we should also look at the team and not at the individuals.”

    Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard added to the pressure on Slot with a damning verdict on their plight following the PSV loss – their second in five Champions league matches.

     “With each defeat it gets closer to being a crisis,” Gerrard told TNT Sports. “There is no excuses for a performance like that at this football club. You cannot deny the team is struggling massively.”

    But Slot said it was not easy to come up with answers, admitting that his sleep was “not the best” after Wednesday’s damaging defeat.

    He said his team were failing to make the most of their chances while their mistakes were routinely being punished.

     “We get knock after knock after knock, which is hard,” he said. “That’s why I keep saying that, especially when that happens, we have to keep fighting.

    “And that’s what we’ve done so well last season, what this club is about for so many years. And that’s what we expect.”

    Slot said he expected Alisson Becker to be available to face West Ham after the goalkeeper missed the PSV match with illness and that Florian Wirtz could be back in training on Saturday.

  • Captured Kenyan runner says he was tricked into Russian army

    Captured Kenyan runner says he was tricked into Russian army

    Kenyan long-distance runner Evans Kibet said he came to Russia for a sporting event but was instead spirited away to a military training camp and sent to fight in Ukraine.

    Now in a Ukrainian prison after being captured on the front line, he told AFP he was tricked into signing a Russian military contract that he could not read or understand and would never have come to Russia had he known the truth.

    Kibet’s testimony highlights the growing number of Africans who say they were duped into joining the Russian military, some by recruitment agencies promising high salaries, others through brazen scams.

     “The trap is that you sign this contract without knowing,” he told AFP in his jail cell, his eyes bloodshot and face drawn. “They don’t force you.”

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    Kyiv facilitated access for journalists, including AFP, to Kibet, who is detained in a facility in western Ukraine.

    More than 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries are believed to be fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s estimates.

     “Some are offered money, while others are duped and do not realise what they are signing up for or are forced to do so under duress,” Ukrainian foreign minister Andriy Sybiga said earlier in November.

    Kibet, who was captured near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Vovchansk after being lost in the woods for three days, said that after arriving in Russia he was presented with a job contract working as a security guard.

     “It was written in Russian,” he told AFP. “And I could not read it.”

    He only realised that it was a military contract when they brought him to a training camp, he said.

    He said his bank account was frozen and his documents confiscated, so there was no way of escaping.

    “I didn’t plan for this, for going to Russia,” he told AFP.

    The long-distance athlete, who began running aged 14 and is now in his mid-30s, said he did not want to discuss his time on the front line – an experience that he said gave him nightmares.

    But he recalls the moment he was captured after spending three days in the wilderness.

    “God saved my life,” he told AFP. “I heard someone shooting from somewhere and I went there,” not knowing whether the shooting was Russian or Ukrainian, he told AFP.

    “I don’t want to know who, as long as I can get someone to help me,” he said.

    He was doubtful he would be released soon.

     “For Russians, it is easy for them because they do exchange. But for us, foreigners, it’s not easy,” he said.

    Ukraine and Russia have exchanged thousands of prisoners of war each since the invasion began in February 2022. It is not clear how many have been foreign nationals.

    Ukraine has urged foreign troops fighting for Russia to surrender, telling them captivity provides a “ticket to life” and the chance to return home.

    Kyiv has not said when Kibet, who it is making available for media interviews, would be released.

    Those captured can be held “for years or months”, said Petro Yatsenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian POW coordination centre.

    In the same prison, AFP met detainees from Togo, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

    In April, Togo warned its citizens against accepting scholarships in Russia after one of its nationals was captured on the front lines.

    Families in Cameroon have also told AFP of relatives lured to Russia with $4,000 bonuses and Russian citizenship.

    In addition to men sent to the front lines, there have been reports of women enticed into going to Russia with the promise of lucrative contracts, only to find themselves working in drone factories.

    In the same prison, AFP met with detainees from Togo, Cameroon, and Nigeria

    Contacted by AFP, Kibet’s relatives described him as a well-meaning man from a “humble” background who thought he was travelling to Moscow for a race.

     “For the past five to six years, he was training every day, hoping he would go and race abroad,” his brother, 32-year-old Isaac Kipyego Masai, told AFP.

    Kibet was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted murder in Kenya but a March 2019 ruling ruled his trial was unfair.

    From his prison cell in western Ukraine, he told AFP he hoped to get back to training but could not erase the memories he had seen.

    “This, I can’t forget,” he said.

  • Barca’s Fermin Lopez out for two weeks with calf injury

    Barca’s Fermin Lopez out for two weeks with calf injury

     Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Fermin Lopez has been ruled out for the next two weeks with a calf injury, the club has  announced.

    “Fermin has a small injury to the soleus muscle in his right leg, and his estimated recovery time is around two weeks,” the team said.

    The 22-year-old will miss three La Liga games against Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Real Betis and is also in doubt for the Champions League clash at home against Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9.

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    The midfielder had been establishing himself as a regular starter under Hansi Flick, even though outside of Spain he is not yet a household name.

    Lopez also played 46 times for Flick last season as Barcelona won a domestic treble, although often featuring as a substitute.

    Injured in late September he had returned to the team and scored five goals and set up four others in six matches.

    Second in the La Liga table, Barcelona lost 3-0 at Chelsea in the Champions League this week.

  • AFCON 2025: Fresh Challenge for Chelle’s Super Eagles

    AFCON 2025: Fresh Challenge for Chelle’s Super Eagles

    The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations arrives at a defining moment for Nigerian football. In the wake of a painful World Cup failure and lingering questions about structure, leadership and identity, the Super Eagles enter Morocco carrying both the weight of expectation and the fire of redemption. Under Eric Chelle, a coach whose brief tenure has already restored belief and clarity, Nigeria confronts a fresh challenge: to transform frustration into fuel and reclaim its place among Africa’s elite. According to  some, the  Super Eagles is  a team standing at the crossroads between lingering doubt and the promise of a new beginning, writes TUNDE LIADI

    By December 21, when the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco, the Super Eagles will arrive as a wounded giant—dangerous, unpredictable, and desperate for redemption. Nigeria, one of Africa’s proudest football nations, has stumbled through a chaotic 18 months: four coaching changes, internal squabbles, unpaid bonuses, a training boycott, and a dramatic collapse in the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

     Yet, at the heart of the turbulence stands Eric Sekou Chelle, a calm figure thrust into a storm he didn’t create—but must now navigate hence AFCON 2025 is not merely a tournament for the Franco Malian tactician.

     “Of course we want to win it AFCON 2025),”  Chelle  recently  said in an interview with CAFOnline before the  World Cup Play-Offs setback. “Personally, I want to win AFCON.

     “ My last — and first — AFCON was a fantastic experience. I think Morocco will be a great tournament, too. The players feel the same. Since March we’ve played every match under pressure. When we set foot in Morocco, that pressure will be familiar.

     “ We’ll be ready mentally and in our collective mind-set. If we arrive on the back of play-off success, stopping us will be difficult. But there are big teams: Morocco are favourites, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire… nations in top form.

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     “Our strength is that the players have suffered, then found a way through. That can really hurt opponents,” he added.

    In February 2024, Nigeria came heartbreakingly close to their fourth continental crown, losing 2–1 to hosts Côte d’Ivoire in Abidjan. That runner-up finish was supposed to be the foundation for a renewed World Cup bid. Instead, the team spiralled: home draws to Lesotho and South Africa, a disastrous defeat to Benin, locker-room tensions, the Victor Osimhen dispute, and eventually, a playoff heartbreak against DR Congo.

    Former winger Tijani Babangida called the World Cup miss “self-inflicted,” condemning the inability of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to resolve tensions before they wrecked results. “We lost two matches because of that issue alone,” he said. “By the time the team settled, it was too late.”

    Former defender Sam Sodje was more scathing: “Nigeria keeps repeating the same mistakes yet expects different results. The cycle is unacceptable.”

    From the fans’ perspective, the failure highlighted deeper institutional rot—poor planning, chaotic leadership, and short-lived coaching tenures. One viral lament summed up the mood: “The way Nigeria runs football reflects Nigeria itself.”

    Now, all roads point to AFCON for Chelle as he rejigs the team  for  this continental assignment.

    Appointed in January 2025 as the first non-Nigerian African coach in Super Eagles history, Chelle arrived with little fanfare but immediate pressure. Expectations skyrocketed when he revived the team’s performances, collecting 14 points from 18 in World Cup qualifiers and beating Benin Republic 4–0 in Uyo to sneak into the playoff mini-tournament.

    The momentum continued in Morocco. A 4–1 semifinal hammering of Gabon—fuelled by Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, and Victor Osimhen—raised hope. But penalties against DR Congo proved a familiar curse: missed spot-kicks, frustration, and Chelle’s controversial accusation of “voodoo” interference.

    Still, the coach insists he is undeterred.

    “We’re going to Morocco to win. That’s the objective,” he told CAFOnline.com. “Coaching Nigeria is a source of immense pride. I may be French-Malian, but now I am fully Nigerian in spirit and commitment.”

    His belief is unwavering—but so is the scrutiny.

    Former captain Joseph Yobo, one of the architects of the 2013 triumph, exudes optimism.

    “This young crop has been together for a long time. Understanding is not their problem,” Yobo said after the AFCON draw. “Getting out of the group is never an issue for the Super Eagles. It’s about momentum—and taking it all the way to the final.”

    Captain William Troost-Ekong whose availability  for the AFCON is still under speculations,   was  more cautious, respecting Nigeria’s Group C opponents—Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania.

     “There is no cruise at AFCON. Nobody here thinks it’ll be simple,” he said recently.

    Ekong knows what many fans do: Tunisia eliminated Nigeria at AFCON 2021, Uganda and Tanzania have frustrated them repeatedly in qualifying.

    Yet former striker John Utaka, urging stability, believes continuity is Nigeria’s greatest chance.

    “No, you don’t need to bring new players. This team understands each other. New players now will destabilize things.”

    But not everyone sees  the Super Eagles as a  contender for the continental  silverware in Morocco .

    Former winger Dimeji Lawal is among those ringing alarm bells.

    “Nigeria is not positioned to win AFCON. Other nations have progressed. We cannot keep relying on fire-brigade preparation,” he thundered.

    Lawal warns that structures—not talent—win tournaments. Identify a core, rebuild properly, eliminate interference, and allow coaches autonomy. The pattern is familiar: excitement before tournaments, chaos during qualifying, finger-pointing afterward. At what point does Nigeria break the cycle?

    If the Super Eagles lack anything, it is not incentive and former International  striker Peter Ijeh believes missing the World Cup can ignite something powerful.

    He said:  “What has gone is gone. They must channel that anger. These boys have the mentality to win AFCON.”

    Mobi Oparaku, 1996 Olympic soccer  gold medallist agreed: “They don’t need extra motivation. Missing the World Cup is enough. They must make Nigerians happy again.”

    But former defender Ifeanyi Udeze offers a counterpoint: the fans are emotionally checked out.

     “Many Nigerians don’t care about AFCON right now. They expected the World Cup. Their minds are elsewhere.”

    Chelle must not only win matches—he must win back a nation’s trust in  a tricky Group C that houses  Nigeria, Tunisia , Uganda and  Tanzania.

    Nigeria’s pedigree—16 medals in 20 tournaments—means expectations never dip, even when logic says they should. But this time, Group C is not a formality; it is a measuring stick.

    The big questions ahead of Morocco 2025:can Chelle master Nigeria’s dressing room?

    Considering  the  fact that the  Finidi George’s tenure collapsed partly because of player-coach tension. Chelle must command respect, balance egos and set clear standards.

    Secondly, will NFF governance fail the team again? Issues such as unpaid bonuses, disorganized camps and unstable leadership, always befuddle the Super Eagles campaign .

    On the pitch, can  Chelle’s Super Eagles function without Osimhen at his peak? The World Cup qualifiers showed a brutal reality: without Osimhen, Nigeria collected only 4 of 15 available points.

    But  veteran coach Bitrus Bewarang offers the most balanced perspective: “Be patient. Let this man work. How many coaches will Nigeria employ in a year? He must be allowed to handle the players like professionals.”

    Patience is a luxury Nigerian football rarely affords—but perhaps desperately needs.

    Chelle walks a tightrope into Morocco. His team is good enough to win—but unstable enough to fall early. Critics say they cannot win in their current state. Optimists believe their AFCON 2023 run and their reaction under Chelle show a team ready to explode.

    But as one commentator noted :“History tells us Nigeria thrives in chaos but logic says the cracks are too wide to paper over. The truth lies somewhere in between.”

    All said and done, AFCON 2025 is no ordinary challenge for Eric Chelle.

    Super Eagles: Group C schedule

    23 December 2025

    Nigeria  vs. Tanzania-Fez Stadium, Fez

    27 December 2025

    Nigeria vs. Tunisia-Fez Stadium, Fez

    30 December 2025

    Uganda  vs. Nigeria-Fez Stadium, Fez

  • Coronavirus pandemic provoked my love for golf, Says CIO

    Coronavirus pandemic provoked my love for golf, Says CIO

    Chief Ikenna Okafor (CIO), Managing Director and CEO of Keves Global Leasing Limited, is a passionate sports enthusiast with special focus on golf, tennis, football, swimming and table tennis.

    But his love for golf began somewhat unexpectedly during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020  when most sports were shut down but golf remained accessible due to its non-contact nature.

    Initially reluctant, Okafor started playing golf in May 2020 after a friend persuaded him. He quickly realized golf’s physical and mental challenge and took it up seriously.

    “I would say I’m a victim of Covid-19 as far as  playing golf is concerned ,” CIO who doubles as the chairman of the Rivers State Tennis Association, confessed during  an interview in Lagos recently. “ Covid-19 happened in 2020  and everywhere was shut down but golf  was  one of the  few sports that one can  play.

    “Aside, we  have a tennis courts inside the  Army Barracks and  was bringing my friend to play with me. It was him that suggested  golf  but I declined initially and told him ‘I will come to golf when I get to 70’.

    “ But he insisted and I followed him to the golf course and he went on playing  for almost four and a half hours; when I checked my pedometer, I had  done over 70,000 steps,  sweating  and  tired. I said “this game was not  as simple as I thought.”

    Soon after, he established the  annual CIO Golf Classic  tournament during his birthday in 2020, starting with ₦20 million prize money. The tournament has grown significantly with players from over 14 countries and prize money now set to rise to $70,000 (or ₦100 million) in November 2026. His long-term goal is to elevate the prize purse to $1 million within 10 years.

    “Our goal is to reach a prize purse  of one million dollars within the next  ten years,” he stated.

    Speaking on  the logistics  of organising the annual CIO Golf Classic, Okafor said  aside the impressive prize purse, each additional player in the tournament gets about  ₦200,000; covering entertainment, accommodation, feeding and sundry stuffs

     He emphasized that the intention is to ensure that professional players earn money while amateurs enjoy the experience and have fun.

     “Golf is one of the sports that  you can start playing  when you are out of the  diapers till  when you are  even 100 years old,” he said with an excitement of a child with a chocolate bar. “Your skill level takes you as far as you can go. “If you are very strong, you hit well and maybe you score well ; and If you are very old, you walk slowly  and hit  accurate shots.

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     “ The game of golf is an employer of labour  especially if you start playing early enough  as a professional  and you can’t have a loss with   well-run golf course.

    “ Unlike other sports  that you’re already talking about  retirement between the ages of  35-40, you can carry on playing as long as you want with golf. “

    Okafor’s company supports five sports with golf currently the main focus. They sponsor tennis, swimming (notably the only swimming competitions in Rivers State for the past eight to nine years), table tennis, football, and occasionally polo.

    He envisions developing multiple golf courses across Nigeria, modelling after countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, where golf significantly boosts tourism and the economy. He emphasizes long-term investment, infrastructure development, and government support as vital to unlocking golf’s potential in Nigeria.

    “The industry of golf is amazing but golf is still underdeveloped  in Nigeria,” he noted.“ Nigerians are yet to  know that you have to invest a lot of money to get  the best  out of golf and  I’m talking about the economic potentialities.

    “If we  develop good  golf courses  in every state in the country and across all zones, it will be amazing  the volume of business  and sports economy that can be made. “

    He pointed  out that golf is a lifelong sport and a self-sustaining business* with opportunities to generate revenue beyond greens, including restaurants and event centers. Okafor notes that golf can create jobs and improve the sports economy if nurtured correctly.

    “ Of course, I agreed that golf can be expensive in terms of the equipment and gadgets but the inherent economic benefits are bigger and we should follow the steps of countries like Kenya and South Africa  who have taken golf and tourism seriously.

    “Within  a good golf course , there would be  probably be a  restaurant and  event centre  where you can generate   more income aside  from what you get from the greens.

     “One of the key business  focus of President Donald Trump is golf because  as I said, good golf courses are self-sustaining. “

    Apart from sports, Okafor is deeply committed to philanthropy, funding education, supporting widows and vulnerable communities, and practicing his Catholic faith actively. He was awarded the Papal Knighthood of Saint Sylvester in 2017 for his contributions.

    “My joy comes from giving and  as a staunch Catholic, I believe  if I have two caps, I should give one to another person since I can’t wear  two caps at the  same time,”  he offered. “What’s the essence of living  for 100 years  and   you left behind say for instance N500 million which  would become useless?

    “ Bearing that in mind, we tried as much as possible to give especially to people in our host communities in Rivers State  and we did so well  at this level during the Covid-19  pandemic.

    Okafor believes in giving back continuously rather than accumulating wealth without sharing, considering himself a custodian of resources meant to help others.

    “Personally, I don’t want to be like Bill Gates when after making so much money, he now set up a foundation to start  giving out to the society. I believe as  we make money, we set aside  as much as we can to give to the people who need it most

    “ My cardinal principle is that whatever we have, we are only custodians  and not the  owners. I always pray to God to let me be a helping hand to somebody new  every day,” he added.

    He praises the Rivers State government under Governor Siminalayi Fubara for creating a safe environment conducive to attracting international players and promises ongoing support.

    “I want to thank the River State government, headed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for identifying with our tournament ,” he said.

    “I told   Governor Fubar that if  Rivers  State was not safe, we won’t be able to attract players from  outside Nigeria to play at the CIO Golf Classic  for instance. “Governor Fubara has even promised  to support us from next year  and has  promised he’ll start playing golf which is a very good news.”

    Okafor sees the CIO Golf Classic continuing for at least 30 more years with proper planning and support, contributing to Nigeria’s growth in sports and socio-economic development.

    “ Through the CIO Golf Classic, we’re changing the narrative and we have already made sports sponsorship a cardinal item in our company,” he said.“ The only thing that can stop us is if the company goes bankrupt tomorrow, which is not foreseeable  because  we have  a solid foundation and with the guidance of God, we shall continue to wax stronger.”

  • Abuja  gear up for 2025 Carnival Polo Fiesta

    Abuja  gear up for 2025 Carnival Polo Fiesta

    Fresh from the historic maiden edition of the just concluded African Chovken Championship, the Federal Capital City (FCT), Abuja, is buzzing ahead of the eagerly awaited 2025 Abuja Carnival International Polo Festival scheduled to gallop off amid pomp and ceremony from December 1, at the serene Guards Polo Resort in Asokoro.

    Acting Captain of Guard Polo Club, Abba Kangiwa who confirmed that preparations for the prestigious event is at advance stages with the tournament committee, team patrons and players perfecting strategies ahead of the December date, pointed out the event will thrill till December 14, 2025 in Asokoro, Abuja.

    Noted for its cutting-edge competition, excitement and grandeur, this polo tournament is one of the major additions to the annual Abuja City Carnival that remains the biggest sporting-cum tourism attraction to the FCT and its environs.

    Already, there is an upscale of activities at the resort with the turf, the clubhouse, the stables and the general surroundings receiving attention just as the players and the horses are getting ready with practice sessions ahead of the week-long fiesta.

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    The Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament has long been recognized as a premier event, blending the elegance of polo with Nigeria’s vibrant cultural heritage this 2025 edition of the tournament is expected to reach new heights, offering an enhanced experience for players, guests, and the broader community.

    Started  in 2009 to complement the Abuja City Carnival, a month-long festival featuring sporting events, cultural displays and parades from major ethnic groups across the country and around the capital city in celebration of the unity of Nigeria.

    Major prizes to be won include the President Cup that tops the pack as the event’s biggest trophy. Others are the FCT Minister’s Cup, the Legislative Shield, and the crowded Guards Brigade Trophy as well as a handful of subsidiary cups and awards.

    The prestigious 2025 Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament is expected to climax with fanfare at the serene Guards Polo Resort with regular teams like the Nigerian Police team, Army team, Rubicon, Jos Malcomines and others carting home top laurels from grandiose fiesta that celebrates the noble game of kings with the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria.

    Last year, Seyi Tinubu-powered STL polo team was one of the biggest winners of the carnival, carting home the Moniepoint Cup, delivering a sterling performance to the admiration of polo enthusiasts that witnessed the pulsating final.

    STL Polo locked in an intense battle with Rubicon in a titanic match that epitomized the raw passion and technical excellence of high-goal polo. With a final score of 81/2-5, STL clinched the prize and demonstrated why they are considered an emerging force in the Nigerian polo landscape.

    Max Air team won their first ever Legislative Shield in the event’s grand finale, just as FK3 warriors powered past their Musaco opponents to emerge winners of the FCT Minister’s Cup

    The prestigious Abuja carnival polo debuted in 2009 to complement the Abuja City Carnival, a month-long festival featuring sporting events, cultural displays and parades from major ethnic groups across the country and around the capital city in celebration of the unity of Nigeria.

    Defending champions and past winners like Jos Malcomines, Nigerian Army, Police, Rubicon and Max Air, top the list of teams expected to jostle for laurels as the tournament blasts off at the foremost Guards Polo Ranch in the Federal Capital City.

    Already, over twenty teams from across the country are amassing in Abuja ahead of what promises to be one of the most contested editions in the history of the fiesta that remains the biggest tourism cum polo event to the Center of Unity.

    Checks also revealed that a long-list of top dignitaries including top government officials, state governors, first class Emirs, Royals Fathers, politicians, top business tycoons, and diplomats are expected at the grand polo fiesta.

  • Adegbesan charts  bold  future for African scrabble after WESPAC 2025

    Adegbesan charts  bold  future for African scrabble after WESPAC 2025

    Fresh from the electrifying World English-Language Scrabble Players Championship (WESPAC) in Accra, Ghana, President of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), Adekoyejo Adegbesan, is already sketching a future bursting with possibility for the ‘words game’ in Africa.

    With two major regional championships, two senior competitions, and a growing biannual Youth Scrabble Championship already on the continent’s calendar, Africa has never been more active on the global Scrabble map. But Adegbesan believes this is only the beginning.

    “We’ve tasted what is possible,” he declared, outlining how the momentum from WESPAC 2025 can transform Scrabble into a continental powerhouse.

    At the heart of his vision is education. Adegbesan wants scrabble embedded in school curricular across Africa, describing it as a proven tool for building vocabulary, sharpening critical thinking, and enhancing strategic problem-solving in young learners.

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    He is, therefore,  calling for sustained investment in mind-sport infrastructure, using the visibility and excitement generated by WESPAC to build training programs, competitive pathways, and learning hubs that will elevate the intellectual sport across Africa.

    Adegbesan believes  the time is ripe for more regional and national tournaments, capitalizing on the wave of media attention  scrabble has enjoyed in recent months. More events, he believes, will unearth new talent and expand participation at grassroots level.

    Beyond competition, Adegbesan highlighted  scrabble’s potential as an economic and developmental tool, stressing that the sport can attract investment, boost tourism, and create jobs for teachers, coaches, and trainers across the continent.

    He also urged stronger government involvement, insisting that policy backing and national recognition are essential for sustained growth.

    And on the international front, he wants Africa to tighten its partnership with WESPA, using the global body’s resources and expertise to fuel the continent’s rise.

    With Kenya set to host the World Youth Scrabble Championships in 2026, and Liberia awarded the African Scrabble Championship in the same year, the stage is already set for Africa’s next leap.

     “We need more schools, more investment, and more government support,” he said. “If we build on the foundation 2025 WESPAC has given us, Africa will become the constant heartbeat of world Scrabble.”

    Team Nigeria won the Best Country title at the 2025 WESPA Championship  that had 28 countries in attendance ahead of Ghana and Kenya.

    Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, South Africa, Mauritius, Zambia, Tanzania and Togo were also in attendance at the World Championship in Accra, Ghana.