The Victor Ikpeba 5-A-Side Football Challenge kicked off as scheduled in Warri on Thursday, December 18.
The start came with a bang as the total prize money increased from N1m to N1.5m just as the first shot was being taken.
The organizer of the competition, and former Super Eagles attacker Victor Ikpeba, said he was able to increase the prize money because of the support he received from High Chief Peter Esievo, the Managing Director of Global Services Limited.
Ikpeba said, “I say thank you to Chief Esievo from the depths of my heart. His support that has come through Global Services Limited has made a lot of difference for us in the pursuit of better organization and results for this community-based competition.
The mini-football tournament being held at 3 Battalion Army Barracks, Effurun, got into the quarter-final stage on Thursday following a knockout play that saw 24 teams battle fiercely for a place closer to the trophy.
The next edition of the Victor Ikpeba 5-a-Side Football Challenge has been confirmed to hold in Warri, Delta State, between December 18 and 20.
This event has been designed to be a refreshing addition to the Christmas/end-of-the-year festivities for the community and the Bet9ja patrons in the area. This 5th edition has also been refined with a bonus for the teams and players, with the cash pool increased to N1m (one million naira). It is increased with a smaller number of teams this year for proper coordination and extra entertainment value.
The football practical will involve eight teams built around the Bet9ja vendors in that area. Bet9ja is a partner of this laudable community sports and entertainment initiative.
Day One of the competition will produce the semi-finalists, and it continues the following day to the third-place game before the grand finale on Saturday, the 20th.
Victor Nosa Ikpeba, the African Footballer of the Year (1997), held the first edition in 2021 after the very first was organised in Surulere, Lagos. Since then, it has continued to be an event to look forward to for these communities. He spoke about this forthcoming event.
Ikpeba said, “I don’t know if we would have come this far if Bet9ja did not see that it is helping the youths and decided to partner. So, it’s a thank you to Bet9ja.
“This year’s edition is wonderful as it ushers in the 2025 AFCON (African Nations Cup), so it will simply be a build-up to the African event. I am happy when I see these young people sweat out for the trophy. We were like these decades back, and my prayer always is that the very gifted ones find a higher ground to fulfil their dreams.”
There is a trophy for the winners, the individual awardees and cash for all.
Former international, Victor Ikpeba, has praised the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 on his deliberative drive to use football to unite his community.
King Atuwatse marked his 4th coronation during the week in the presence of top Nigerian football legends.
Some of those in attendance are Nwankwo Kanu; Emmanuel Amuneke; Mutiu Adepoju; Austin Eguavoen; Finidi George; Garba Lawal; Ifeanyi Udeze; Taribo West; Peterside Idah; Ifeanyi Ekwueme; Victor Ezeji and Kennedy Boboye.
A friendly match was organized as part of the celebration of the King as Chevron All Stars faced the Nigerian football legends.
Ikpeba said it was a good reunion for the football legends who had huge fun in Warri all through the festivities.
The former African Footballer of the Year said: “It was nice to see a young King so passionate about the game. He made it clear that he has been using football to keep some of the youths busy in the community. He also told all of us that it has been good for him to engage people through various aspects of the game and some community events just to unite his people.
“Our invitation was also deliberate just to make his people see some of their stars in the game. For example, the King himself was a fan of Amuneke and he stated that clearly at the event.
“He appreciates the power of football and he is using it to his advantage in his community. I salute his vision.”
In the novelty match, the Nigerian legends defeated Chevron All Stars 4-0.
The organisers of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge have confirmed that the final match for the ongoing 2025 edition will be played tomorrow, June 12th.
This football competition is held annually to commemorate the birthday of the former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba.
The kick-off of the competition took place on 31st May at the Obele Odan Community Centre, Fujah Street, Surulere, Lagos. This 2025 edition is special as it is being held in honour of late Dapo Sotuminu, who served as the director and coordinator of the competition for the first edition five years ago. The journalist was also the CDA chairman.
Ikpeba, a former Monaco of France attacker and now a global football ambassador, said: “I thank God that we have been able to sort out the final schedule so quickly. My other prayer is that the local government and the representatives of the area will repair this community ground permanently going forward or we have to find another community that can host the event.”
Bet9ja Foundation has taken up a partnership with the event.
“Bet9ja Foundation is unique in its collaboration with Nigerian communities. They are in every part of the country supporting events and programmes that touch the lives of the people directly, and this is very commendable,” Ikpeba said.
There will be prize money and medals for the first to fourth positions.
The fight for a spot in the final match of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge continues this weekend, with eight teams set for the quarterfinals match tomorrow.
Defending champions Gantos will take on seven other ambitious teams including Odogwu FC, LB United FC, Rocksteady FC, Indomitable Lions FC, Achievers FC, Big John FC and Abe Igi FC for a place at the next level.
The final of the 2025 edition, which is the fifth in the series, is tentatively billed for June 12.
This football competition is held annually to commemorate the birthday of the former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba.
The kick-off of the competition took place on 31st May at the Obele Odan Community Centre, Fujah Street, Surulere, Lagos. This 2025 edition is special as it is being held in honour of late Dapo Sotuminu, who served as the director and coordinator of the competition from the first edition five years ago. The journalist was also the CDA chairman.
Ikpeba, a former Super Eagles attacker and now a global football ambassador, said on Thursday in Lagos, “I thank God for how far we have been able to go despite the hitches with the state of the pitch. Hopefully, the local government and the representatives of the area will sort things out permanently going forward.”
He had special words for Bet9ja Foundation, which has taken up a partnership with the event.
“Bet9ja Foundation is unique in its collaboration with Nigerian communities. They are in every part of the country supporting events and programmes that touch the lives of the people directly, and this is very commendable.”
There will be prize money and medals for the first to fourth positions.
The coordinators of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge have confirmed that the final of the 2025 edition which is the fifth in the series, will hold on the usual June 12 date.
This football competition is held to commemorate the birthday of the former the African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba.
The kick-off of the competition, though, will take place tomorrow, 31st May, at the Obele Odan Community Centre, Fujah Street, Surulere, Lagos. It was also announced in Lagos that the 2025 edition is special as it is being held in honour of late Dapo Sotuminu who served as the director and coordinator of the competition. The journalist was also the CDA chairman.
Ikpeba had told close associates he would not continue with the event in 2025 if the pitch at the community centre was not upgraded. The ground is still in very poor condition despite several reach out efforts to the elected politicians representing the area.
The former Super Eagles attacker said : “Truly, I had taken the painful decision to stop the competition until we lost our friend, Dapo Sotuminu. It is for that reason that I decided to hold this 2025 and hoping that the venue be fixed before the end of this year.”
Eight teams will vie for the coveted trophy reserved for the best within the community. The qualifiers and knockout stages will be concluded on June 7th .There will be prize money for first to fourth positions.
Nigeria’s football greats, Kanu Nwankwo and Victor Ikpeba, have thrown their weight behind the on-going transformation of the Nigerian National League (NNL), praising the quality of play and leadership at the second-tier level of Nigerian football.
Ikpeba was present at the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Stadium in Onikan, Lagos, on Sunday to witness a thrilling Match Day 15 encounter between Smart City FC and Warri Wolves, which ended in a 1–1 draw. The result brightened the chances of Warri Wolves’ qualification for the NNL Super Eight, the final playoff round of the league.
Kanu, the Chairman of Enyimba International FC, Nigeria’s most decorated football club, on his part expressed his excitement at the level of competition and performance of teams in NNL.
“There is great hope for Nigerian football from what I am seeing in the NNL. I have seen some of the games of the on-going season. What I have seen is encouraging. These players are hungry, talented, and just need the right platform,” Kanu said.
Victor Ikpeba, 1997 CAF African Footballer of the Year, also commended the league’s progress under its current leadership.
“The standard of play is good and the league is very competitive. I look forward to attending the NNL Super Eight.”
Kanu and Ikpeba—winners of the CAF African Footballer of the Year in 1996 & 1999 and 1997 respectively—are among a growing list of ex-professionals lending support to Nigeria’s domestic football ecosystem.
Their presence and endorsements are expected to boost the league’s visibility and attract further attention to grassroots and developmental football across the country.
Former Nigeria International striker Victor Ikpeba has heaped plaudits on the organisers of the Annual Sportsville Special Recognition Awards , even as he singled out the Chief Executive Officer of Sportsville, Honourable Frank Ilaboya for praises over a tête-à-tête.
The 1997 African Footballer of the Year made the commendation during an encounter with Ilaboya on the margins of the unveiling of the Niger Delta Sports Festival mascot in Owerri, Imo State on Friday.
“Frank, I must commend you and your team for the organisation of the annual Sportsville Award. I have been following the progress since you guys started five years ago and I must say you are doing a great job,” Ikpeba, fondly called the Prince of Monaco, reportedly said. “Last year, I missed the opportunity to be part of the ceremony due to another pressing engagement but count on me to be there live this year.”
In a related development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the popular Enugu-based Afia TV, Emeka Mba, has also applauded the organisers of the award when Ilaboya visited him in Enugu on Saturday.
“This is a great innovation in the sports industry and I am excited that people like you are in the forefront of the wonderful work.
“I have always held the view that appreciating people who have contributed in one way or the other in any endeavour is a big motivation to do more. Kudos Frank, for leading in this direction,”
MBA also spoke glowingly of Ezeaku Amobi, the Sportsville’s nominee for the Football Administrator of the Year Award.
“The young man is a big asset not only to Rangers International Football Club but to Nigeria as whole,” the one-time Director General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) , noted.
“We are so proud of what he’s doing with Rangers and I am very happy to hear he is among those to be honoured by your organisation. Big congratulations to Amobi for this well-deserved recognition,” he added
This year’s ceremony comes up at Eko Club, off Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos with the Arise TV anchor, Oseni Rufai, as the Chairman of the day.
If the purpose for bidding for the FIFA under -20 Women’s World Cup by 2020, was not for the overall development of the Nigerian Female Football, hosting the tournament would definitely be a share waste of resources for the country, ex-international Victor Ikpeba has said.
The former Nigeria international on Monday Night Football on Super Sport Live broadcast made this known stating that the Nigeria Football Federation needs to be sincere and be objective by focusing on revamping the comatose state of the female league than the glamour of hosting world youth age tournament.
He lamented that women’s football teams in Nigeria have gone years without getting their bonuses, allowances and salaries if it is available at-all.
The former African footballer of the year was also worried about the timing of the hosting bid stating that NFF had kept it away from the public domain until recently.
He said, “I think am worried about the timing, and please not that there is nothing wrong to bid for any competition, be it world cup or Olympic. Nigeria is a big nation in the world of sport, but the country is riddled with avalanche of infrastructure deficit and that is very terrible.
“I wondered why is it that the Nigeria Football Federation are just coming open with the bid for the female world cup? I understand that countries bid for major fifa tournament in not less than four years to indicate intention as part of their standard.
“If the NFF had done this, but why is it that they are just coming open about it? I heard about it just after the Africa Nations Cup… that simply suggest a lot of things begging for questioning?
“Besides, I was at the national stadium recently and what I saw was just not too befitting for our dear country. And I understand that it is the same dilapidated situation we have also at the Abuja national stadium, now Moshood Kasimawo Abiola stadium.
“And also, we have also heard stories about the Falconets not being paid their bonuses, allowances and salaries for the past three years, if we don’t have the funds to offset all these bills where is the money going to come from to host such a major event?”
“In all I want the motive for this to be to revamped the comatose state of the women’s league, players poor welfares and the poor state of sport facilities across the country.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation *NFF), Amamu Pinnick has said the proposed tournament would allow Nigeria to fast-track the emergence of new football stars in the country.
He said, ‘Events like these show the other side of Nigeria to a lot of foreigners who do not see in their news cycles so it is usually a chance to tell our stories to the world, as opposed to the world telling our stories to us.
‘’Then the most important aspect of these competitions, in my point of view, is the emergence of new football stars. ‘’Tournaments like these are fast-track stages for the new Mercy Akide-Udoh, Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala to announce themselves to the world.’’
Nigeria has hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup and its U-17 equivalent in 1999 and 2009 respectively, this present bid represents the third time Nigeria is foraging into the hosting of age-grade competition at the global level.
1997 African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba has described Group B where Nigeria has been paired against Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi for the 2019 AFCON as easy.
However, Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Gernot Rohr has revealed that Nigeria would play the Black Stars of Ghana and the Teranga Lions of Senegal in an international friendly as part of preparations for 2019 AFCON.
According to Rohr, the game against Ghana will hold in Asaba, while the second friendly with Senegal is slated for Egypt.
Sylla
The opening match of the 2019 AFCON, which will feature the Pharaohs versus the Warriors of Zimbabwe, is scheduled to take place at the 74,100-seat Cairo Stadium on June 21.
The 2019 AFCON draw was held at the magnificent Giza Pyramids and Sphinx last night but before the event, Ikpeba who was an analyst on a cable television picked Burundi, Namibia and Madagascar as the countries he wanted in the Eagles’ group.
Ikpeba whose prediction was almost accurate apart from Namibia whom he got wrong, opined that the Super Eagles were lucky to be handed easy opponents in the group stages.
Nigeria could not make it to the last two editions of the AFCON and incidentally, it was the Syli Nationale of Guinea that stopped the Eagles from qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after ending the qualifiers with a 2–2 draw, with goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Victor Obinna.
Nigeria coached by the late Stephen Keshi, came back in the 2013 edition hosted in South Africa; after playing through the tournament with an unbeaten run, defeated Burkina Faso in the finals to lift the Cup for the third time. However, they did not qualify for the next two tournaments.
In Group B are two countries; Burundi and Madagascar that are making their debuts at Africa’s flagship tournament with Burundi coming very close to qualifying for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, losing only on penalties to Guinea in a playoff.
On paper, The Swallows of Burundi looks like the weakest team in the group but the fact that they booked a ticket ahead of Gabon that parades Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, one of the deadliest strikers in Europe, says a lot about how they have improved.
On 16 October 2018, Madagascar became the first country to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history, after they won 1–0 against Equatorial Guinea.
They qualified from a group that had the Teranga Lions of Senegal with all their superstars including Liverpool’s maverick, Sadio Mane.
Ikpeba
The Syli Nationale of Guinea will undoubtedly pose the toughest challenge to the Super Eagles from the way they qualified ahead of the Elephants of Ivory Coast in the qualifiers.
On June 10, 2017, Guinea humiliated Ivory Coast 3-2 in Abidjan and though they were held to a 1-1 draw by the Elephants in the reverse game in Conakry, they still went ahead to qualify as group winners.
Their best finish in the Africa Cup of Nations was second in 1976. The team reached the quarter-finals in four recent tournaments (2004, 2006, 2008, and 2015).
Last night’s draw was historic in its own right, being the first time that twenty-four teams will compete and in a competition taking place mid-year, away from the traditional January – February.
Yaya Touré, the Ivorian champion and four-time winner of the CAF African Player of the Year award, was on stage alongside Ahmed Hassan, record-holder of the number of caps with Egypt (184) and Former African Player of the Year, El Hadji Diouf as well CAF Deputy General Secretary, Anthony Baffoe.
Other CAF legends also in the Egyptian capital are Joseph Antoine Bell and Rigobert Song.
