Tag: Waka Football

Former Nigerian International, Amaechi Nwanze, has urged  colleagues to embrace waka football to sustain their spirit with the game  in order to  stay  healthy.

Nwanze, who featured  for top domestic  clubs  including Stationery Stores, Kano Pillars, Julius Berger, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Sharks in the past, said  that every  former international passionately loves the beautiful game hence they played the game to the top levels.

 “Many still desires the game but cannot play because of old age,” he said.

“But the introduction of waka football has provided former footballers and lovers of the game the opportunity to enjoy the game, playing.”

The former player of Mauritius league champions, Cuprit Starlight FC, who emerged  as the top scorer and MVP of the Waka Football League Season 2, said, walking Football has made the game enjoyable and easier for players from  50 years and above.

“It is fun. You play your normal game as you walk with the ball.”

Meanwhile, defending champions, First Waka FC retained the league title with 22 points after beating arch rivals, First Waka B team, in an entertaining final match at the Eagle Club pitch in Lagos last  weekend.

Read Also: Waka Football League final holds October 19

Managers FC came second with 15 points, while First Waka B finished third. FFC and Apapa Ajegunle SA ended the season with four points each.

The Fair play trophy was won by Apapa Ajegunle SA. The award is the night point of rewards for a key tenet of Walking Football which emphasises discipline and sportsmanship.

Captain of First Waka B, Michael Fidelis, who commended his teammates for working hard to retain the trophy, said that though his team won the title without losing a game, it was a tougher season in comparison to the previous year.

” We won because of the experience of our team members. It was not on a platter because we played tougher games than last season. The season was tough as every team have improved,” he said.

A former member of Nigeria Football Federation, Emmanuel Ibru, commended the improved quality of the games during the season, saying, Waka football is very safe and entertaining.

“At this age, it is not good to sustain injury. Walking football is non- contact variant of the game. You are allowed to play the ball above the shoulders, head the ball,  kick from behind or sides. The rules make it safe to play. Because of that, we encourage people who are still a give to join waka football, ”  said Ibru, whose team, First Waka A won the league title.

The Lagos Waka Football League (LWFL) tournament ended last weekend  amid pomp and ceremony  at the Eagles Club football pitch in Surulere, Lagos.

In the milieu  at the event was Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola  who thrilled the  fans that thronged the venue of  the event. Decked  in  all-white attire  of his  First Waka Football Club B, the former Governor of Lagos State , gave the fans some exciting moments on the field with deft touches and dribbles despite some close marking from  the opposing Apapa Ajegunle defenders.

First Waka team A were officially   declared winners of the maiden edition of the LWFL tournament after securing a 1-1 draw against The Managers team side who incidentally, finished as  runners up.

The Fair Play trophy is a highly priced award for team discipline as the novel game places emphasis on strict adherence to the rules with zero tolerance for unsporting play, including running (with or without the ball), heading the ball, ball above shoulders heights and tackles from the sides.

Captain of the Waka A team, Mr. Emmanuel Ibru, who described walking football as a healthy innovation in the beautiful game, expressed delight at making history as the captain of the first team to win the inaugural Walking Football League trophy in the country.

 ‘’Walking Football is healthy and safe for the oldies. It promotes wellbeing and enhances fitness of the older players of the game,’’ he said.

Chairman of Lagos Waka Football Association, Godson Uti , is delighted  with  in the growth of Waka Football in Lagos and in Nigeria at large, saying in few years to come, walking football will become a common  pastime  on the Nigerian sporting landscape  as it is in other countries abroad.

 “ I see walking football going viral in the next ten years  because as you grow old, you must exercise your body and as you can see, you play without injuries,” Uti told NationSport.

 “ This is the first edition in Nigeria and it’s happening in Lagos here and this year 2024 we would improve the league to accommodate  two categories of people  above 50s and above 60s in Lagos.

“ If we can have ten teams playing , we are catching up and other states including the FCT will emulate us and in ten years from now , you will be hearing about national league for walking football, it will happen like the Premier League where we would travel round to play against each other.

In England they have about 624 teams in eight years, but this is our first year but we are getting there, we have four teams now in Lagos “

Meanwhile, Uti has stressed that  featuring for any of the clubs is not restricted  to only former Nigeria international footballers  or top high ranking members of the society.

 “ If you are above 50, it doesn’t matter whether you played football professionally or not, as you can see former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Raji Fashola was here,” he explained.  “ He  didn’t play for Nigeria national team but he is here, so anyone who loves football, and can walk and is above 50years should not hesitate to join.”

Read Also: Waka Flavour Football League ends In Lagos

Nigeria was represented last year at the World Cup of Nations for the Walking Football in London and came ninth out of 24 countries who participated.

Vice Chairman Mojeed Adegbindin spoke extensively on the importance of the newly introduced tournament and how it helps men who are football enthusiasts who didn’t have the opportunity to take  football professionally play on a smaller scale

“ This game is very good for ex-players and gentlemen that wants to play soccer but because of the injury, the contact a lot of people tend to shy away and do other sports but walking soccer gives the avenue to come back to football where you can move, play football without the risk of injury,” he said.

He  highlighted that the body was  looking forward to introducing a women league for gender inclusiveness but would need the mother body in England to take the first step

He said: “At the World Cup we saw women who came to play, but it was more of exhibition and not competitive football, so we would take hill from the governing body all over the world FIWC , once they start a competition for women we will and we might as well take the bull by the horn “

The Winner of the tournament went home with a cash prize of Four Hundred Thousand Naira while were second runners up, Manager  Team  went home with Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira.

The  Waka team B came third and were awarded One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira while the Apapa / Ajegunle team won One Hundred  Thousand Naira.