The Nation Newspaper

Tag: footballer

  • Nigerian teenage footballer Nelson Ashinze set to shine in Spain

    Nigerian teenage footballer Nelson Ashinze set to shine in Spain

    Nelson Chidi Ashinze, a talented Nigerian teenage footballer, is making significant strides toward securing a professional football career in Spain.

    The 5-foot 54kg forward, known for his right-footed strikes and agility, has been turning heads with his performances in high-profile training sessions and trials across Spain.

    Ashinze’s journey began in August 2024 when he joined the Youth Arise Football Academy in Nigeria, where he honed his technical skills, focusing on fitness, attacking play, and tactical awareness.

    Between September and October 2024, he trained with two notable Spanish clubs, CF Pozuelo de Alarcón and Las Rozas CF. Ashinze played as a winger and striker, impressing coaches with his ball control, positioning, and finishing ability.

    Read Also: Footballer Moses Simon, wife welcome third child

    Ashinze’s improvement earned him an invitation to the Spain Football Academy in Madrid for a one-month trial in September 2024, where he performed exceptionally, competing alongside talented prospects from Kenya, Russia, Iran, and Peru.

    As a result, he was one of the select few offered a place in the Academy’s six-month elite football development program, a pathway to earning a Professional Football License.

    Upon his arrival for the program, CF Pozuelo de Alarcón, a Madrid-based club that partners with the Academy, recognized Ashinze’s potential and provisionally signed him as a player.

    Ashinze, according to Entertainment Digest, will continue training with the club until the completion of the program in July 2025, when discussions for a formal contract will take place.

    From his early days in Nigeria to his current progress in Spain, Nelson Ashinze’s journey is a testament to his dedication and passion for the game.

    The young sensation is edging closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional footballer and could soon join the ranks of Nigerian stars making an impact on the global stage.

  • Footballer slams pastor with N1b lawsuit

    Footballer slams pastor with N1b lawsuit

    • Seeks divorce

    A footballer, Kayode Olanrewaju, has sought N1 billion in damages against a United Kingdom-based Pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, accusing him of causing trauma, finance, and goodwill losses, following the cleric’s alleged affair with his wife, Dora.

     Olanrewaju is also requesting for divorce.

     The cross-petition, marked Suit Number PET/304/2024, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territor. It includes several allegations of infidelity, financial misconduct, and a dramatic family fallout.

    Read Also: Samoa agreement: Tinubu govt won’t endorse sodomy -Fani-Kayode

     Olanrewaju claims that since their marriage in 2013, Dora has repeatedly committed adultery, including an ongoing affair with Adegboyega.

     He alleges that the relationship has not been discreet, with the pair openly attending parties and sharing intimate moments in public.

     Olanrewaju asserts that Dora has had similar relations with other men, making it intolerable for him to continue living with her as her husband.

  • Footballer slumps, dies during Oke-Ogun competition

    Footballer slumps, dies during Oke-Ogun competition

    Tragedy struck on the field of play when a young footballer, identified as Oyekunle Baaki, known to fans and teammates as Smart, on Wednesday night collapsed and died during a local tournament.

    Baaki, 27, was playing for United FC Okeho in the Eleniyan football competition against Accurate FC, Iganna in Okeho, Kajola local government Area, Oyo State, when the tragic incident happened.

    The incident was said to have occurred during extra time of the match after the initial 90 minutes ended goalless without any winner.

    It was gathered that the young footballer was pronounced dead shortly after efforts to revive him proved abortive.

    Read Also: Soccer Siblings: Footballers you don’t know have footballing brothers

    According to one of the fans who witnessed the sad incident, the player showed no sign of ill health before the incident happened.

     “Before the match commenced, he snapped with some of the players and uploaded them on his Snap chat.

    “He was alone, nobody was with him, he just slumped, and people rushed to help him, but he died before they got to the hospital”, the fan said. 

    A community youth leader in Okeho, Mufideen Dallax said, “his death was shocking, I knew him to be a kind and resourceful person.”

  • RIP SALA: Body of missing footballer identified

    Authorities have identified the body inside the plane wreckage found in the English Channel as that of Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala.

    Sala’s plane, which carried him and the pilot, David Ibbotson, crashed more than two weeks ago during a trip from the French city of Nantes to the Welsh city of Cardiff.

    The wreckage of the plane was discovered earlier this week by a privately funded recovery crew hired by Sala’s family after the official operation had been called off.

    British police said that the body retrieved from the wreckage had been formally identified as Sala.

    “The families of Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers,” a police statement said.

    “Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”

    Search teams are yet to find pilot David Ibbotson, the only other person on board the plane which lost contact with air traffic control near Guernsey on January 21.

    David Mearns, whose team located Sala’s plane, posted a message on Twitter following the identification commemorating the football player.

    Sala, 28, had recently signed a contract with the English Premier League club Cardiff City for a club record fee of about 17 million euros ($19m), after scoring 12 goals while playing for the French club Nantes. He had been flying from Nantes to join his new Premier League team when the single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft disappeared over the sea.

    “We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano,” Cardiff City said in a statement on Thursday. “He and David will forever remain in our thoughts.”

    Argentine newspaper Clarin last month published a voice message that Sala apparently sent to friends while in the air.

    “We’re up in the plane and it seems it’s about to crash,” said the message, which Clarin said was verified by Sala’s father, Horacio Sala.

  • 2017 CAF Footballer of the Year: Who will be king?

    2017 CAF Footballer of the Year: Who will be king?

    Who would be the next African football king? In the race are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon, Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Sadio Mane (Senegal).
    Olalekan Okusan writes that lovers of the round-leather game will today know who wears the crown among them. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Award for footballer of the year comes up in Accra, Ghana

    This year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Footballer of the Year award will keep football buffs on their toes. The three final nominees for today’s gong are all capable of going home with the laurel. But, one of them will smile home with the coveted laurel.

    The nominees are strikers for their teams, with eyes for goals. Two of them contributed to the qualification of their country’s national teams for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    CAF had pruned the long  list of players earlier listed to three and the race for the award will see 2015 winner – Gabon’s ‘talisman’ Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – going up against Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane. The duo of Salah and Mane are aiming for the title for the first time.

    There is no doubt that the three players have made impact, both at club and national team levels, and they have shown that they are the best on the continent with their eyes for goals and their leadership qualities in their national teams.

    Aubameyang has been an inspiration to the Gabonese national team. His presence often gives the team the needed impetus against opponents. Also at his Borussia Dortmund German club, the Gabonese international has cut a cult-like posture for himself and has continually shone like a star, netting in all directions.

    His contribution to the team cannot be underestimated and his choice of selection for this year’s award cannot be questioned based on present form at the club level.

    Like Aubameyang, Salah and Mane have shown the stuff they are made of. Apart from inspiring their national team to qualify for the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup, they have displayed exceptionally with their English Premier League club – Liverpool.

    Football buffs, however, believe that the battle for the award is between Salah and Mane, whose performances at national team and club level have been outstanding in the last one year. Though Aubameyang has been in superb form for Borussia Dortmund, his display for the Gabonese national team has not been exceptional in competitive tournaments.

    One unique thing that has been introduced to this year’s award was opportunity given to football fans and the general public to have, for the first time, a say in the selection process for the African Player of the Year and the Africa’s Finest XI.

    Public voting opened for the two categories on December 24, 2017. The details of the exercise will be made public today at the CAF Awards Gala 2017at the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana.

     

    Aubameyang

     

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 28, is a French-born Gabonese footballer, plying his trade in the German Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Gabon’s national team. He is known for his speed, having clocked 30 metres in 3.7 seconds, and his capability of playing as a forward or a winger.

    He began his career at Milan, who loaned him to four French clubs before he joined Saint-Étienne permanently in 2011. After winning the 2013 Coupe de la Ligue final, he joined Dortmund, where he has twice won the DFL-Supercup in 2013 and 2014. Despite playing once for France Under-21, Aubameyang made his senior international debut for Gabon in 2009, and has represented them at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2012 Olympics.

    Aubameyang won the CAF’s African Footballer of the Year award in 2015, becoming the first Gabonese player to win the award. In December 2016, he was named by The Guardian as the eighth-best footballer in the world. He is the son of former Gabonese international Pierre Aubameyang and younger half-brother of Catilina and Willy, who have both played for Milan youth teams. His mother is French from Spanish descent. He is Gabon’s highest goal scorer.

    On March 4, last year, Aubameyang scored more than 20 Bundesliga goals for the second consecutive season, with two of the goals recorded in a 6–2 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen. Four days later, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 win over S.L. Benfica to put BVB into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

     

    Salah

    Twenty-five-year-old Mohamed Salah is an Egyptian footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. He has been representing the Egyptian national team since 2011. He also featured in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2012 Summer Olympics. He won the Swiss Super League in his first season with Basel, and was awarded the CAF Most Promising African Talent of the Year in 2012. The following year, he was awarded the SAFP Golden Player award for being the best player in the Swiss Super League. Salah played for Chelsea, Fiorentina (on loan) and for Roma before transferring to Liverpool last year.

    He is a quick, mobile, hard-working and tactical player, with good technique and an eye for goal. What stands him out are: his speed, dribbling skills, first touch and ball control, as well as his ability to use both his pace and flair on the ball in order to beat opponents, and create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. As a versatile forward, he primarily plays as a winger on the right flank, a position which allows him to cut into the centre onto his stronger left foot, and either shoot on goal or play quick exchanges with other players. He can also play in the centre behind the main striker as either an attacking midfielder or second striker. His technical skills, pace, position and direct playing style have led him to be nicknamed the “Egyptian Messi”, in the Italian media.

    Salah made 11 appearances for the Egypt U-20 team and Egypt U-23 team, representing Egypt in both 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2012 Summer Olympics, scoring in all three of the team’s group matches in the latter tournament, helping them to the quarter-finals.

    On September 3, 2011, Salah made his debut for his country’s national football team in the 2–1 away defeat by Sierra Leone. He scored his first goal for Egypt’s first team in the 3–0 win against Niger one month later. He later scored a goal in the 93rd minute in stoppage time against Guinea to give Egypt an important 3–2 away victory in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.

    Salah was a member of the Pharaohs’ squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations held in Gabon. On January 25, last year, he scored in Egypt’s 1–0 win over Ghana to secure first place in Group D. He went with the Egyptians all the way to the final, scoring twice and assisting two times in 6 games, earning him a place in the CAF Team of the tournament.

    Salah was the top scorer for Egypt with five goals during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, including both goals in the decisive 2–1 victory over Congo DRC, one of which was a penalty in the last minute to make the Pharaohs reach their first World Cup finals since 1990.

    Salah has scored 17 Premier League goals this season since his summer arrival from Roma

     

    Mane

    Senegal’s 25-year-old Sadio Mané is a footballer who plays for Liverpool. Mane began his career with Metz in France, he moved to Red Bull Salzburg in 2012. After winning the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup in 2014, he was signed by Southampton. In 2015, Mané set a new Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick when he scored three times in 176 seconds during a 6–1 win over Aston Villa. He joined Liverpool in 2016 for a fee of £34 million, making him the most expensive African player in history at that time.

    Mané has earned over 40 caps for Senegal since his debut in 2012, and represented his country at the 2012 Olympics, 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

    In his first season with Liverpool, Mané got the Liverpool Player of the Season award on May 9, 2017.

    In the first match of the new season, on August 12, last year, away to Watford, Mané scored Liverpool’s first goal of the season in a 3–3 draw. He was named Premier League Player of the Month after scoring a goal in each of the Reds’ three matches in August.

    Mané was part of the Senegalese team at the 2012 Olympic tournament, and started every match as they advanced through Group A as runners-up to Great Britain before losing 4–2 after extra time in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Mexico.

    He was ruled out of the Senegalese squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a calf injury in Southampton’s 2–0 win against Arsenal on January 1, 2015. Mane later returned to the squad, and started in their final two group matches against South Africa and Algeria in a group stage exit.

    Mane represented Senegal at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and scored a goal in each of the nation’s opening two games, 2–0 wins against Tunisia and Zimbabwe.  After a goalless draw in the quarter-final clash against Cameroon, he missed in the penalty shootout as his country was eliminated.

    He was an important player in the second qualification of Senegal for the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup.

    Besides the prestigious African Player of the Year, the trio of Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa) and Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon) will also battle for the Women’s Player of the Year.

    According to CAF, the Awards Gala that will see the decoration of players, officials and administrators for their achievement in 2017, while football stakeholders are looking forward to the event as nominees and legends flock the Ghanaian capital for the much awaited event.

    From Abedi Pele, winner of the maiden edition in 1992, to Riyad Mahrez, crowned in 2016, the winners who represent various generations, will be given prominence at the ceremony designed to celebrate the key players of African football.

    Others are Nigerian trio, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, Cameroonian and four-time winner, Samuel Eto’o Fils and compatriot Patrick Mboma, Ivorian Yaya Toure, a four-time winner and countryman Didier Drogba and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal.

    The rest are: Mustapha Hadji of Morocco, Malian Frederic Kanoute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor.

    Also, the women are not left out as previous Queens of African football have been listed for the biggest assemblage of football stakeholders.

    The list of invitees is not only limited to previous winners. It has been extended to other players and officials, whose contribution towards the progress of African football cannot be overlooked.

  • NANI BOI: My dream was to be a footballer

    NANI BOI: My dream was to be a footballer

    Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Nnaemeka Charles Eze, better known as, Nani Boi has become a man of many parts, he is also an OAP and author of many books, some of which are being studied in schools. The Enugu State born graduate of Geology from University of Nigeria, Nsukka speaks with OVWE MEDEME about some of his adaptations, the journey to stardom and a host of other issues.

    HOW long have you been writing and doing movies?

    It’s been long. I’ve been doing this since the year 2001. Then I and my friend, William Charles Agbo used to write and produce movies for marketers. Together we produced movies like Take My Life, Final Goodbye, Waiting for Death, Shadows of The Enemy and so many others.

    What movie would you say brought you to limelight?

    I’ve featured in a couple of them but the one that quickly comes to mind is Mummy Why which is an adaptation of one of my books. I receive calls every day from people, even from outside of Nigeria, commending me for the work. It’s a family movie with a difference. I wrote it, produced and sponsored it. Ernest Obi directed it and it featured Pete Edochie, Tony Oneweek, Uche Ogbodo, Ernest Obi, Evi Obi, Harry B, Uncle Jude, Chinwe Owoh, Uloma Eze and so many others. It’s actually a star-studded movie.

    Where do you draw your inspiration from?

    I draw inspiration from what our people are going through. Also, children inspire me. I also observe them closely and I am always thinking of what to do to help groom our young ones accordingly. That is why my motto is ‘Inspired by Kids’.

    Is it that you turn most of your novels into movies?

    Yes. Mummy Why opened my eyes. It made me realise that parents want movies that they can proudly watch with their kids without skipping any scene. I would be shooting the sequel next month. I write my movies by myself and I am happy many good people believe in the dream. Thanks to Pete Edochie, Ernest Obi, Uncle Jude, Saint Do, Nnamdi Mezue and all the others.

    You have worked with several movie stars. Who would you say is your favourite?

    They are all my favourites. But I have so much love and respect for Ernest Obi and Pete Edochie.

    Have you ever had a crush on any female celebrity?

    Yes. I crushed on Chidimma after watching the video of her hit track, Kedike. She looked so innocent and harmless. Then, I have always admired Genevieve Nnaji too. But now, I’m married and my wife acts.

    How has it been married to an actress?

    Actresses are good people. They make good families and of course have their own family issues like every other family.

    That is a contrary view, especially as marriages seem to be crashing these days…

    It’s not only celebrity marriages that are crashing o. That is where we get it all wrong. But generally, marriages crash because the people involved allow it to crash instead of putting their heads together to make it work. Na Internet dey help crash celebrity marriages more.

    What has been your most fulfilling moment as filmmaker and author?

    The calls I get from people pressurising me to shoot more movies for them. As an author, I think my books are among the most read books by primary and secondary school students in Nigeria; Stories like Take Me Home, Daughters of Zion, Know What to Be, Son of Thunder, Face To Face and so many others.

    How accessible are your books?

    They are very accessible and are all written in simple language and style with good moral lessons for our feature leaders.

    A lot of people are of the opinion that movies these days lack depth. What’s your take on that?

    We are trying, but we still have a long way to go. We need good stories, we need sponsors, we need to put an end to piracy, we need to spend more time shooting our movies. We need to work with cast and crew that are good for the job and not with sentiment.

    And above all, the government should come in at this point in time.

    Tell us one thing about Nani Boy that people don’t really know…

    Where I am today is not where I thought I would ever be. As a very good footballer, my dream was to become a professional footballer but knee injury killed that dream. Everything that gives me money has nothing to do with what I studied in the university. But my course of study, Geology, made me strong and resilient. I believe I can do anything through God who created and strengthens me

    Are you working on anything at the moment?

    Yes I am. It’s an action movie that will open the eyes of our youths on the reality of cultism. It’s called ‘Wrong Initiation’. It’s a big project that I had wanted to partner with my state government but it didn’t pull through. But it’s coming out very well though. My Cast and crew are doing a wonderful job.

    A number of your colleagues are going into politics. Do you intend to toe that line soon?

    I’m ready to work for my people if they need me. If my governor, His Excellency Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the good people of Enugu state want me to work for them, I am ready to help build Enugu of our dream. But I can never be a do-or-die politician. I want to serve and not the other way round because Enugu state is truly in the hands of God.

    Who is Nani Boi?

    Nani Boi is Nnaemeka Charles Eze. He’s a native of Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu state. I’m a graduate of Geology from University Of Nigeria, Nsukka. A writer and publisher of over 50 story books and novels for children and young adults. I’m also a movie writer and producer. I do music for fun and as an artiste, I have worked with the likes of Mr. Raw, Kcee, Storm Rex, Zoro, Dekumzy, Splash, Slow Dog and a host of others.

    I’m also an On Air Personality with Dream 92.5fm Enugu. I own and anchor a local program, Ogabuagaa. It’s an indigenous program that I use to reach out to people of all classes.

  • Footballer thanks “wife and girlfriend” after scoring twice

    A Ghanaian footballer playing for a South African team accidentally thanked both his wife and his girlfriend after scoring two goals, on a video posted on YouTube.

    Free State Stars striker Mohammed Anas gave an interview after a 2-2 match against Ajax Cape Town, saying he thanked God for his performance.

    “I appreciate my fans also, my wife and my girlfriend,” the 22-year-old added.

    He then tried to correct his mistake: “I mean my wife, sorry.”

    The video posted over the weekend sparked amused comments, with one of them simply saying: “Too late…

  • Footballer, trader bag three years for weapons possession

    •Duo freed as sentence is slashed from 5-yr detention

    After five years in prison custody, a returnee-footballer from Poland, Moses Oluwajuyigbe, and a trader, Ifeanyi Okoronkwo, were yesterday sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for being in possession of weapons and housebreaking tools.

    Justice OlabisiAkinlade of the Lagos High Court found them guilty of unlawful possession of housebreaking instruments at night.

    The convicts returned home yesterday as their sentence was deducted from their five years detention.

    Oluwajuyigbe, son of a senior pastor, and Okoronkwo were first arraigned in 2008, on a two-count charge of armed robbery and possession of house breaking instruments preferred against them.

    They and two others, who are at large, were alleged to have robbed Chichi Okonjo and her family of four Mac Book Pro laptops, jewellery and other valuables, while armed with guns and dangerous weapons.

    According to a state counsel, Mrs RotimiOduntola, the incident took place on June 28, 2008, around 2am on 2, Adejonwo Street in Maryland, Lagos.

    In her judgment, Justice Akinlade discharged and acquitted Oluwajuyigbe and Okoronkwo of the first count of armed robbery but found them guilty of the second count of unlawful possession of housebreaking instruments.

    The prosecution, the court held, did not prove the first count beyond reasonable doubt.

    The judge held that the convicts’ three years’ imprisonment would start from June 1, 2011, when the court remanded them in prison custody. Earlier, Oluwajuyigbe’scounsel Mr O. A. Omodele prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as his clientis a first offender and had spent close to eight years in custody. Okonkwo’s counsel Mr E. Ukam aligned himself with Omodele’s submission.

    Justice Akinlade advised Oluwajuyigbe to turn a new leaf, as he could easily have been sentenced to death.

    She said: “Count yourself very lucky because if Chichi Okonjo had testified against you in this case, this court could have imposed the death penalty on you. You should be ashamed of yourself. You have brought disgrace on your family and you know your father is a senior pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. God has given you a second chance. I hope you don’t misuse it.”

  • Aubameyang dethrones Toure as Glo African Footballer of the Year

    Aubameyang dethrones Toure as Glo African Footballer of the Year

    Panthers of Gabon Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last night dethroned Manchester City midfield maestro Yaya Toure to emerge as the 2015 Glo Africa Footballer of The Year.
    At a glamorous ceremony at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja , the Gabonese striker was picked based n his exploits in the German Bundesliga where he plays.
    Apart from his outing for his club, the light skinned striker was also instrumental in Gabon’s qualification for the last round of qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup.
    Nigerian players won awards in other categories at the impressive ceremony co-hosted by  broadcaster Robert Marawa and top Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim.
    Teenage sensation Victor Osimhen won the award for the Youth Player ahead of his compatriot and captain in the Golden Eaglets squad, Kelechi Nwakali and Mali’s duo of Adama Traore and Samuel Diarra, Mali.
    Another Nigerian, Etebo Oghenekaro emerged the Most Promising Talent of the Year after his five goals at the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations helped Nigeria’s Dream Team VI to win the tournament which served as qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
    Golden Eaglets coach Emmanuel Amuneke lost out to Herve Renard in the Coach of the Year category. Renard led the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire to win the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
    Cote d’Ivoire emerged the National Team of the Year having won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 23 years and already in the final round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
    Tanzanian striker Mbwana Samatta was adjudged the Africa Player of the Year based in Africa. The forward scored seven goals for his club TP Mazembe of Congo DR as they lifted the CAF Champions League for a record fifth time.
    The Women National Team of the Year went to the Lionesses of Cameroon for getting to the knock out stages of the last edition of the Women’s World Cup held in Canada last year in their their debut appearance.
    The Woman Player of the Year also went to Lionesses of Cameroon forward,Gaelle Enganamouit for her exploits at the Women’s World Cup in Canada which assisted the Lionesses to get to the knock out stages of the tournament.
    TP Mazembe of DR Congo were named the Club of the Year after winning their fifth CAF Champions League title,beating USM Algiers 4-1 on aggregat in the final.
    The Referee of the Year went to Gambia’s Bakary Papa Gassama while Allez Casa,the Supporters’ club of the Senegalese National team got the CAF Fair Play Award.
    Charles Kumi Gyamfi of Ghana and Cameroon’s Samuel Mbappé Léppé grabbed the African Legend award.

  • I’ll have been a footballer if I were a boy—May7ven

    I’ll have been a footballer if I were a boy—May7ven

    BEING the daughter of one of Nigeria’s football greats, Chief Segun Odegbami doesn’t seem to have placed any serious burden on the shoulders of Yemisi Odegbami a.k.a May7ven as she has scored so many first in her burgeoning music career.

    But the multi talented artiste who has been captivating audiences with her music and her acrobatic dance displays for years has given a hint as to what she would have become were she to be a boy.

    The daughter of former Super Eagles captain told BBC Africa’s Sophie Ikenye in a recent interview that had she been a boy she would have ended up as a football player.

    The energetic performer who is also an actress, a model, an entrepreneur, a song writer and a producer also taught the BBC presenter some of her latest dance moves while the interview lasted.