Author: Nurudeen Obalola
NOVA Bank, by sponsoring the 27th Nigeria Cup Golf Tournament, has reaffirmed its commitment to the well-being and interests of high-net-worth individuals. Hosted at the prestigious Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, the annual tournament took place from Saturday, September 21 to Saturday, September 28, 2024. The Nigeria Cup Golf Tournament, organised by the Ikoyi Golf Community Nigeria Association (IGCNA), showcased the remarkable talent of golfers and the sport’s capacity to foster connections across board. This year, Mr. Tayo Babalakin emerged as the Nigeria Cup 2024 Champion, clinching the title with a stunning 85 gross with Handicap (HCP) 19 = 66 net.…
Barcelona and Spain legend Andres Iniesta is reportedly set to announce his retirement from professional football at the age of 40. The iconic midfielder has most recently been plying his trade in the UAE with Emirates Club. He spent five years in Japan with Vissel Kobe prior to that, having walked away from a memorable spell at Camp Nou in 2018. Iniesta – who stepped out of Barca’s famed La Masia academy system alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Sergio Busquets – took in 674 appearances for the Blaugrana. He helped them to nine La Liga titles and…
By Kayode John Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has said he is worth more than €100 million. Osimhen joined Napoli in 2020 for a club-record fee of €80 million deal and his market value rose significantly as he impressed in Italy. According to Transfermarkt, it increased to a career-high €120m after he helped Napoli to the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years two seasons ago. He became the first African to win the Golden Boot in the history of the Italian top flight after netting 26 goals. The 25-year-old said he is convinced of what he…
African football legends Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Adebayor and Amanda Dlamini, among others, will be in the driving seats of #ProtectTheDream, an initiative by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to “protect” the “well-being and integrity of African football players.” In a publication on its website, CAF said the educational drive aims to raise awareness of the risks of player trafficking and stem the scourge of exploitation. It also said it is designed to build the confidence of young football players through communication, training, promoting the health and welfare of both male and female footballers, in addition to working towards creating…
By Kayode John Spartak Prague striker Victor Olatunji says he is anticipating an invitation to the Super Eagles. Olatunji, who joined Spartak Prague in 2023, grabbed the headlines recently when he became the first Nigerian and only third African to score and assist on his UEFA Champions League debut, in his side’s 3-0 win over FC Salzburg on September 18. “It is a big goal for any young player, especially for us Nigerians. We are proud to play for our country. Just wearing a green jersey and an eagle emblem will give a player motivation,” he said in an interview…
Nigerian football legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has picked himself as a better dribbler than former Barcelona superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar. Okocha, now 51, dazzled the footballing world with his dribbling skills and breathtaking performances. The former Super Eagles midfielder is widely considered as one of the best African players of all time, and was popular for his confidence, trickery with the ball, technique, creativity, flair, close control, and smooth dribbling skills. In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, he is asked by a content creator to speak until he hears a ‘better dribbler’ than him.…
Anthony Joshua now finds himself below the likes of Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel in the latest heavyweight rankings. Joshua was sat third in the Ring Magazine listings and was looking to cement his status as a top dog with a win over Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on September 21. But AJ was dropped four times en route to a devastating defeat, which sees him firmly out of the heavyweight elite for now. As a result, the former two-time world champion has now dropped significantly to seventh position, being leapfrogged by his recent conqueror. Dubois now sits in second position, only behind current…
Flamingos of Nigeria head coach Bankole Olowookere has named 21 players, with Taiwo Afolabi as captain, in his final squad for this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. The competition is scheduled for October 16 to November 3 in two cities: Santiago de los Caballeros and Santo Domingo. Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong are among the players in the Nigeria squad tipped to set the competition alight. Chidi scored 13 of the Flamingos’ record-setting 25 goals in the African qualifying series, as the 2022 bronze medallists breezed past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental…
By Nurudeen Obalola Nigerians and others across Sub-Saharan Africa will soon be able to watch CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup matches again on cable television following a new deal between the Confederation of African Football and SuperSport. The competitions used to be a regular feature on SuperSport, but they have not been available on the cable service for some time due to rights issues. CAF confirmed the new deal on Monday, which will apply to this season’s group phase and the knockout stages, with the Women’s Champions League included. “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) today announced new…
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, whose towering presence dominated basketball on and off the court, has died from brain cancer at the age of 58. “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement on Monday. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.” Helped by his 7ft 2in frame, Mutombo ended his career second on the NBA’s all-time list for blocked shots. He was also an eight-time All-Star and four-time…