The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Paul Bassey

  • No issues in Team Akwa Ibom’s Camp – Paul Bassey

    Reports of non-payment of camp allowances by Team Akwa Ibom athletes at the ongoing National Sports Festival surfaced Wednesday morning.

    Some athletes who spoke exclusively to Comfort FM, Uyo last week, complained of poor feeding, accommodation and transportation logistics.

    Furthermore, some athletes (speaking condition of anonymity) on Wednesday morning, raised the alarm over non-payment of their camp allowances.

    “We’ve been told that 4500 naira is what have been budgeted to pay the athletes, out of which 2500 naira is the camping fee in Uyo (at the rate of 500 naira daily) which we are yet to receive. We’ve also been told that our daily camp allowance is 1,000 naira which we are yet to receive”, the athlete lamented.

    “We have revolted that if we compete here to the end, we won’t get anything since nothing have been said from the onset. We are protesting now so that these things will be revisited by the commissioner or ministry or even the governor himself”, he further added.

    “Now we seek our rights that proper remuneration should be made so that we know where our stand is”.

    Reacting to the report, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on sports Elder Paul Bassey expressed displeasure at the report.

    “Nobody promised the athletes 4500 naira daily camp allowance. What I’m aware of is a 1,000 naira daily camp allowance for every athlete. I came back from Abuja yesterday to ensure that monies are sent to them today which have been done”.

    As regards feeding and accommodation, Paul Bassey attributed the challenges faced by the athletes as a general problem.

    “We paid for feeding and accommodation. So the athletes are living on the central feeding and accommodation as provided by the organisers which have been paid for by the state government.

    So there’s no issue of any sort. Any athlete who says 4500 naira daily camp allowance was promised him or her should go and meet whoever made such promise”.

  • Dana Air extends Akwa United sponsorship deal

    A Nigerian carrier, Dana Air, has extended its multi-million naira sponsorship deal with the Uyo based Akwa United FC of Akwa Ibom for the 2018/19 Nigeria Premier League season.

    The airline’s Media and Communications Manager, Kingsley Ezenwa, confirmed the development on Friday in Lagos.

    Ezenwa said that the deal was inked recently during a brief ceremony at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

    He said: “We are back again to extend what we started last year. We believe in Akwa United and the club actually did well last season and looks good for the next season.

    ”We are also committed to developing sports, particularly football in Nigeria.

    “We are the first airline to have taken this step toward making our league glamorous, and we hope other credible organisations will follow because we believe that our league can actually get to that level.”

    According to him, Dana Air is not just about flying to Akwa Ibom, but contributing positively to the growth and development of the state.

    Read Also: Dana Air partners group for Nigerian economic summit

    He also congratulated Nigerians and the Super Eagles on their qualification for AFCON 2019 in Cameroon.

    “We are proud of the Super Eagles of Nigeria for bringing glory to our country and for encouraging us to continue to believe in our greatness,” Ezenwa said.

    Also, the Chairman of Akwa United, Paul Bassey, described Dana Air as worthy partners and expressed delight that the contract had been extended for another year.

    “We are particularly grateful to Dana Air for this amazing partnership with our club.

    “This partnership has relieved us of the stress of tedious road travels to league matches, especially the Northern and Western parts of this country.

    “The success story of Dana Air in the Nigerian air space in the last 10 years is a clear testimony of your commitment to Nigerians.

    “We are proud to be associated with Dana Airlines through this sponsorship agreement.

    “We will be going into a new NPFL season confident that we will do well to bring glory to all our fans, supporters as well as Dana Air for identifying with and staying by us,” Bassey said.

  • CAF Confed Cup: Akwa United chief urges players to defeat Gambian side

    CAF Confed Cup: Akwa United chief urges players to defeat Gambian side

    Mr Paul Bassey, Chairman, Akwa United FC of Uyo, has urged the players to sustain the club’s winning tempo against their Gambian opponents in the CAF Confederation Cup encounter in Uyo.

    Bassey made the appeal in an interview with the News men on Friday in Uyo.

    The News men reports that Akwa United will host Banjul Hawks FC in the first leg fixtures of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Sunday.

    Akwa United are currently on top of the league table with 16 points after seven games.

    The club won the AITEO Cup, formerly called the Federation Cup by defeating Niger Tornadoes 3-2 on penalties at the Agege Stadium in October, 2017.

    Bassey said the club should ensure it was not only known in the country but also on the continent by defeating the visiting Gambian side.

    “This year is good because the season started early enough. This has given us good match practice ahead of our CAF Confederations Cup game against our Gambian counterpart.

    Read Also: Akwa United   to reverse Nigeria’s failure in CAF Confederation Cup – Coach

    “We are not worried about playing the first leg at home; the most important thing is to be able to showcase ourselves whether at home or away.

    “We just need to play well and score some goals before going to Banjul for the second leg,’’ he said.

    Bassey said that though the club had little information about the Gambian side, the players should defeat them.

    “The truth is, we have little information about our opponents as we had difficulties in laying our hands on any of their videos either in training or competitive matches.

    “However, from the little scouting we have done, we know that they are a formidable side and always try to slow the momentum when in possession.

    “But they often look vulnerable at the back against more young and energetic teams like ours who play quick attacking football.

    “We are not intimidated by their style of football as our boys have been equipped by the matches they have played in the league and we will be ready to crush the Gambians’ defensive tactics and formation,’’ he said.

    “It was also very important that we won our last game at home against Wikki Tourists by a convincing 4-0 margin last Sunday as it was our final preparatory game before the continental tie.

    “I was impressed by the way the players and technical crew responded and I am confident that the goals we recorded will give us the necessary confidence and boost ahead of Sunday’s continental tie.’’

    The Hawks, who arrived in Uyo from Banjul on Wednesday will host Akwa United in the return leg scheduled for Feb. 21 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, Gambia.

    NAN

     

  • PRE-SEASON CAMPING: Akwa United hit Calabar on Sunday

    PRE-SEASON CAMPING: Akwa United hit Calabar on Sunday

    Players and officials of Akwa United are expected to move to Calabar on Sunday for their two weeks pre-season camping.

    The club’s technical adviser, Abdul Maikaba informed SportingLife that the team would travel to Calabar with 35 players which include old and new players.

    Maikaba said the team’s programme was going on as planned as he expected a good outing in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    The former Wikki Tourists gaffer said the Promise Keepers have been training hard and will soon starting playing quality friendly matches to shape the team ahead of the new season.

    “We are to move to Calabar on Sunday for two weeks with 35 players. I have finished screening and I have submitted the names of the final 35 players that will play for the club next season to the management.  We  are  training  very  hard,  but  we  will  start  playing  friendly  matches  in  the  following  order;  Grade  C , Grade  B  and  then  A matches,”  Maikaba disclosed to SportingLife.

  • Udom dissolves Akwa United board

    Udom dissolves Akwa United board

    Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, on Tuesday dissolved the interim board and management of Akwa United Football Club of Uyo.

    The board’s dissolution was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Aniekan Umanah, and made available to The Nation via email.

    The governor also announced the appointment of Mr. Paul Bassey as new Chairman of the board and management of the Uyo- based side.

    Bassey’s appointment, according to the statement, takes immediate effect and would last for three months.

     

     

  • Paul Bassey: Eagles won’t have beaten Egypt with Oliseh

    Paul Bassey: Eagles won’t have beaten Egypt with Oliseh

    CAF Technical Committee member, Paul Bassey has revealed that ex-Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh took the right decision to resign because the process that led to his emergence was faulty and that the team won’t have been able to beat the Pharaohs of Egypt with him in charge during the 2017 AFCON qualifier in Kaduna next month.

    Bassey told SportingLife that Oliseh’s appointment didn’t go through due process in the appointment of coaches for the national team as big as Nigeria and that it was bound to fail.

    He said even though Oliseh was a good pundit but that it wasn’t sufficient for him to be handpicked the way it was done to come and manage the Eagles without adequate experience in coaching and that it was a welcome relief that he had to go, to save the country from another AFCON tournament shut out had he stayed.

    “I don’t have any reaction. It was a faulty appointment right from the start. Some of us may be good journalists but not experts in football. Oliseh is a very intelligent young man ;he knew when to take a dive because there was no how, with due respect though, that we could have beaten Egypt with Oliseh in charge,” Bassey told SportingLife.

  • Two men nabbed for ‘robbing’ pastor in Lagos

    The police in Lagos at the weekend arrested two suspected armed robbers identified as Danteni Abubakar (24), and Paul Bassey (25).

    The suspects were arrested around Victoria Garden City (VGC) on the Lekki-Epe expressway by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives.

    They were said to have met their waterloo around 6:00am on Saturday, after Bassey held one Pastor David Oriaki hostage in his car.

    The Nation gathered that Bassey had pleaded with the cleric to give him a ride, but after entering the car, he pointed a gun at him, commanding him on the routes to pass.

    But Oriaki told The Nation that upon sighting the policemen after he had passed the toll gate, he slammed the brake, diverted his vehicle and shouted for help.

    “It was around 6:00am on Saturday. The young man entered my car around VGC round about and the next thing, he pointed a gun at me. He asked me to drive towards a particular direction.

    “But by that time I have put my car on the E-tag at the toll gate. I was hoping I will see these policemen that are usually not far from there. The barricade was not opening and so, he told me to reverse my car. As I was about to reverse, the barricade opened and he told me to drive straight.

    “I was just praying and trying to buy time. I was driving fast too and he told me to make a U-turn but I told him I cannot just be turning like that especially on the speed I was driving.

    “At this point, he has searched me, collected my phone and money and was still pointing his gun at me.

    “Eventually along the road, I sighted some RRS operatives from a distance. I just slammed my brakes and diverted towards them. I hurriedly ran out of the car and screamed for help.

    “He did not see them initially. When I ran out, he wanted to pursue me. Then, he saw them and escaped but they immediately chased him.

    “Two RRS vehicles pursued him. One of them was marked 187, I do not know the number on the other one. He crossed the road and they chased him and caught him.

    “I am really impressed by the actions of the policemen. They were very responsive and saved me from the criminal,” he said.

  • Decision to retain Keshi unacceptable – Bassey

    Decision to retain Keshi unacceptable – Bassey

    With the Nigeria Football Federation confirming that out-of-contract Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi will stay on as coach of the team, the Confederation of African Football media committee member, Paul Bassey has disagreed with the federation’s decision to continue with the former national team captain.

    He argued that for the Super Eagles to move on, Keshi must also move on, insisting “several things are fundamentally wrong” with the team.

    “With due respect to him, you cannot take anything away from him but a coach is as good as his last match,” sl10.ng quoted the NFF technical committee member as saying on Brila FM.

    “Coaches are hired and fired and if Nigeria dispenses with Keshi today, it’s not because he’s not a good coach.

    “It’s because a lot of things are fundamentally wrong with the team, the chemistry of the team and the quality of the players he put together and everything.

    “Football has to move on. Keshi is my old boy, Keshi is my friend but in this case, we need a change. We need a change.

    “The way we have gone on for the past five months, we need a change to have a turnaround. If you put Keshi there, we may not have the needed change and we need a change now,” Bassey added.

    The “Big Boss” is yet to officially vacate the position – despite not having a running contract – and the NFF is yet to declare the position vacant.

  • Phillips pushes for next level

    Phillips pushes for next level

    WITH the success of the inaugural edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards well tucked away following Monday’s handing over of plaques to the last three recipients namely: Super Eagles coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi (Coach of the Year 2013), foremost and celebrated sports writer Paul Bassey (Special Recognition Award) and Nigerian FIFA-badged referee Jelili Ogunmuyiwa (Referee of the Year 2013), the brain behind the celebration of football excellence, Shina Phillips, has been talking about his dream for the awards.

    The CEO of Matchmakers Consult International says he dreams of an award that would be sustained years after him and would stand shoulder to shoulder with the famous Oscars in the future.

    “My dream is that there would be a sustained award that would be a replica of what it stands for in every ramification you can think of it, so that long after we are gone it just continues to shine. If there is an Oscar, Nigeria Pitch Award would be there too.”

    According to the Nollywood actor turned football agent, his in-born love for football made him shun his first love, Nollywood, as Nigeria movie world is called, to do things around the round leather game.

    He adds: “I love football and will do anything for the game. I am a showbiz person. A trained journalist and a theatre arts practitioner. I am one of the people you can refer to as pioneer of the Nollywood industry in Nigeria, and for me showbiz is it. My interest in football is natural because I played football and my younger brother is playing at a professional level. I am also a FIFA-licensed agent. Overall, I just have passion for the game. In the past, I have worked with the likes of John Utaka, Kanu Nwankwo, Simon Zenke and a couple of others. I realised that there was a vacuum and beyond the glamour, we can have transparency and that these people ought to be honoured in a unique way and I had the formula. As you can see, the plaque is unique and is done in Spain and that is just it. I filled the vacuum and I am fulfilled the way it has turned out. And we are not stopping here.”

    Promising that the next edition of the awards would even be bigger, Phillips says that their strongest weapon is the assurance of transparency in the process. “We are happy that the process that we put in place to ensuring transparency worked. We bought in a reputable accounting firm, the fifth largest in the world, DBO, and they ensured that the voting process was intact and forms were sent across the country, to all 36 states of the federations and also ensured it was collated. So what we have done in conjunction with NFF is to midwife a clean process and we left it in the hands of the media and some technical people and DBO to ensure that this process was done and we are happy that it came out credible and fantastic and that gave birth to what we have today as the Nigeria Pitch Awards.

    “And being an annual event, we want to ensure that we deliver the award to every recipient directly and in keeping to the uniqueness of it we did not leave recipients who did not make it to the November event, for some of them wherever they were we found them out and presented their awards to them in person. And so we are happy today that Coach Stephen Keshi and Paul Bassey agreed to get theirs personally today.” The same for our sterling referee, Jelili Ogunmuyiwa.

    “The process was keenly contested, even for Keshi, because at the end of voting, the coach of Kano Pillars, Mohammed Baba Ganaru, came real close to him. It is just that with Keshi’s obvious victory at the Nations Cup and qualification for the World Cup, he is just the best.”

    The Nigeria Pitch Awards is an initiative of Matchmakers Consult in partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). According to Phillips, “It is a unique way to honour not just our players, our coaches, our administrators, but also those who are off the pitch. To honour them in such a way that it would be competitive, transparent and glamorous.”

    It kicked off last November, the 16th in Calabar, where the Cross River Governor, Liyel Imoke, was adjudged the best Football-Loving Governor and Lagos State also won the Best Grassroots Development State Award. Other award winners are Ade Ojeikere, Group Sports Editor of The Nation newspapers, who won the Football Journalist (Print) Award and Mitchel Obi, King of the Pitch, among others.

    “Every other person that won has proved over time that they are indeed winners and champions.” Shina points out, before adding, “this official Football Awards of the Nigeria Football Federation is named the Pitch Awards to reflect its scope and quality. It represents a true football awards for all playing positions on the football pitch. It recognises the individual players and playing wings which make any football match a memorable excitement. The Awards also represents a unique recognition of the contributions of off-the-pitch contributors such as Referees, Clubs, Players’ Agents, Coaches, Managers, Sports Journalists and States with well-defined, well-thought out and systematically implemented grassroots football development programme.”

  • Keshi, NFF disagree on Eagles’ team list

    Keshi, NFF disagree on Eagles’ team list

    • Coach submits 38 names to Technical Committee

    There seems to be sharp disagreement between the Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi and the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over the release of the Eagles’ team list for the 2014 World Cup holding in Brazil.

    The Eagles coach came out after over three hours of deliberations with the Committee which started after Keshi stormed the Glass House at exactly 3pm and spoke briefly with the anxious sports reporters that besieged the NFF secretariat.

    Keshi started by saying, “Mr Paul Bassey will address you guys, but I can tell you that everything went well at the meeting”.

    He, however, confirmed that he has submitted a team list of 37 to 38 to the NFF Technical Committee from where 30 players would be picked for submission to FIFA on May 10th, 2014.

    “I have about 37 to 38 players on my list from there I will select about 30 players because that is what FIFA needs (as provisional list) on May 10th, 2014”.

    Keshi also lamented the team list released by the media and disowned it. “I am worried about the list I have been reading on the pages of newspapers. I did not make that list and I am not happy that you guys are reporting this to mislead people,” he blasted.

    But the spokesperson of the NFF Technical Committee, Paul Bassey came out to tell the reporters that the release of the list has been postponed for a week.

    “We have decided to shelve the release of the list to give him (Keshi) some time for more consultations. First of all we are not in a hurry (to release) the list. No country going to the World Cup has released their team list. We have given him one week or two make consultations.

    “But we took the opportunity to discuss the World Cup programme that was presented by the Technical Department. We discussed camp site, personnel, we also looked at the media most especially the confusing list published and we are using this opportunity to plead to the media to wait for the authentic list of the players to be released by the Football Federation before it is published,” Bassey cautioned.

    He also cited the injured Austin Ejide as a case. Bassey said that Keshi needs to verify the injury to know if he would be ready for the World Cup. The NFF Technical Committee spokesman asked for patience to be able to deliver the best list for the World Cup.

    Keshi also spoke on the friendly against Scotland and disclosed that all players are expected at Craven Cottage England on May 27 so that they could have at least a day training before the friendly match.