Sports
A HISTORY OF PROPHET TB JOSHUA’S FOOTBALL PROPHECIES
With the revitalised news of Prophet TB Joshua’s influence in the victory of the Ghanaian team at the Under 20 World Cup in 2009, let us cast a glance on his previous prophetic involvement in football.
T.B. Joshua is no stranger when it comes to the fusion of spirituality and sports!
Nigeria’s triumph against Burkina Faso in the 2013 African Cup of Nations was predicted by Joshua and published in PM News prior to the final game and the late coach Stephen Keshi confirmed he was in regular contact with the cleric throughout the tournament.
When the Super Eagles drew their initial game against Burkina Faso in the qualifying stages, Joshua revealed he had specifically warned Keshi in a phone call against defensive lapses in the second half of the match, an example of the degree at which the cleric’s prophetic guidance was regarded in the dugout.
After Nigeria’s eventual victory, the Nigerian Football Federation publicly thanked the cleric for his prayers and spiritual support in the nation’s victory.
His declaration that Nigeria would miss out on AFCON qualification in the previous tournament proved equally controversial.
“What I saw was not favourable towards Nigeria,” the cleric told congregants on Sunday 2nd October 2011, six days before the Super Eagles crucial qualifying match between Guinea, adding that he saw celebrations amongst the opposition and the team to ‘score first’ would qualify.
“The prediction of Prophet TB Joshua really affected us,” the Super Eagle’s star striker Osaze Odemwengie admitted to reporters after Nigeria were ousted at the expense of Guinea in a thrilling 2-2 draw in which the Guineans indeed scored first.
In Nigeria’s absence, the ensuing competition was equally ‘foreseen’ as Joshua declared minutes before the final between Zambia and Ivory Coast that the Southern Africans would triumph.
“This victory is for a country you are not expecting,” he told congregants at The SCOAN on Sunday February 12th 2012, adding that an error in the 25th minute of the second half where a ball is hit over the bar would prove pivotal.
Didier Drogba’s missed penalty in the 70th minute of the closely contested match – where the ball ballooned wildly over the bar – was a decisive moment in the goalless draw, with Zambia eventually triumphing on penalties to claim a historic maiden victory.
Ghanaians will equally remember Joshua for his ‘spiritual support’ in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009, where the Black Satellites triumphed against the favourites Brazil to claim the title – a fact recently highlighted by midfielder Gladson Awako.
“During the U-20 World Cup in Egypt 2009, we normally gathered around the centre to pray. The coach usually made us speak to a man on phone. He will put the phone on loudspeaker so we could all hear and then pray and do what he said,” Awako said in an Instagram live chat with YAC Media.
“He predicted that we will get an early red card and also told us how we will arrange the penalty takers. All that came to pass. Honestly, I didn’t know who it was until we won the cup and they told us the man was TB Joshua,” he confirmed.
At that period, Coach Sellas Tetteh had established he was in regular communication with the Nigerian cleric during the final match, emphasising his prayers and spiritual guidance were instrumental to his team’s historic victory.
“He told me we would win the trophy before the tournament and on the day of the game, he again predicted it,” Tetteh told Ghanaian media afterwards, adding the cleric had mentioned specific details pertaining events that unfolded in the tense match.
When South Africa historically hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010, Joshua also prophesied the results of the opening and final match – in which Spain took the title – as well as Nigeria’s last-gasp qualification for the tournament.
On Sunday 11th October 2009, he stated Nigeria would emerge victorious in their qualifying match against Mozambique, specifying a ‘headed goal’ would earn them victory. The prediction materialised courtesy of an Obinna Nsofor header in the dying seconds of the match, securing the Super Eagle’s qualification.
After the match, then Super Eagles Coach Shaibu Amodu came publicly to The SCOAN to testify, admitting that Nigeria’s qualification was ‘miraculous’ and Joshua’s prophetic intervention had “saved his job”.
Joshua’s prediction that Chelsea would triumph over Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final also went viral.
Recently, Imama Amapakabo, coach of Nigeria’s U23 National Team, revealed that Joshua called him prior to Nigeria’s crucial semi-final clash with Algeria in the AFCON 2019 championship, stressing that the winner of that encounter would go on to win the biennial tournament.
Indeed, Algeria overcame the Super Eagles courtesy of a last-minute free kick from Riyad Mahrez and went on to lift the trophy.
The multiple examples above only serve to heighten the affirmation of the Biblical adage – a prophet is without honour in his hometown.
While an ‘octopus’ was globally eulogised and celebrated for his accurate predictions during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Joshua has remained a target of criticism and controversy, despite his remarkable track record of accurate predictions.
Police Beat Maureen Madu & Her Players: Anambra Police To Investigate Case
By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Anambra State police command, Wednesday, agreed to investigate alleged assault and humiliation meted on young players and ex-Super Falcons striker, Maureen Madu.
Police officers from Anti Cult Unit, Zone 13, Ukpo had on October 19th, 2024 invaded Madu’s Football Academy at Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, brutalised her and team players, who included young girls and boys.
Madu and other victims of the unfortunate incidents were at the Anambra Police command at Amawbia to incident the report and were assured of the police readiness to investigate and bring culprits to book.
The four world cup and two Olympics football Amazon was not only beaten together with her players but had their phones destroyed after which they were later bundled into the security vehicle in handcuffs to sleep and slept in the cel without investigating the petition nor making the man to substantiate his allegations against her.
Madu had called on the Police Inspector General, Kayode Egbetokun to investigate the case and bring the culprit to book.
She alleged that one Mr Uchenna Onyekwunife registered his daughter for summer football coaching in her Academy in June this year and abandoned her in the camp for four months without visiting or paying upkeep only to send an unknown cab man to come pick her up.
She said she refused to release the girl to the cab man because she said she did not know her.
“It was later they showed me a petition signed by one B.B.M. Maduekwe Esq dated Oct. 7, 2024 entitled a case of “Armed Gangsterism, Cultism. Attempt Murder Child Trafficking And Threat To Life” against Maureen Madu. How can a man who registered his daughter in my football academy on his own, gave me custody of the child and sent money for underwear and sanitary pads tell Police that his child has been kidnapped.
“The Police, without carrying out any investigation or asking for my response, just invaded my academy led by the man who is owing to beat up everybody on site, seized and smashed their phones and arrested me in handcuffs. I am demanding that Ayuba Ahmadu, the Officer in Charge of Anti Cult Unit Ukpo annex and the SP Sunday Aleke, be investigated for such abuse of power and unprofessional handling of a case.
“The sad thing is that the man goes about boasting that nothing will happen because he has the AIG Zone 13 in his pocket. I am calling on IGP Kayode Egbetokun to handle this matter, the Police should not be an institution for the oppression of Nigeria masses, not me who served this country with all my youthfulness and is currently supporting youth players,” she said.
Already, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has joined the call for the dispassionate investigation of the matter by IGP, insisting that on no account should security men invade or manhandle award winning sports icon of repute.
How Sports Can Help Boost Nigeria’s Greatness – Obasa
– commissioner says govt passionate about youth
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has reiterated the importance and benefits of sports to Nigeria.
According to Dr. Obasa, sports is an area that should not be downplayed as it has the capacity to make the country greater, enrich the youth and improve businesses across the country.
The Speaker made the remark on Friday evening at the opening of the second edition of the Obasa Games 2024, a platform through which the organisers seek to further unite the youth in Lagos.
Commending Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, chairman of Kings Sports International and organiser of the Obasa Games, the Speaker noted that emerging developments in sports prompted the Lagos Assembly’s amendment of the State’s Sports Commission Law to accommodate new areas that are beneficial to the youth.
“I am passionate about football and I have always been a sportsman myself. Sports is an advantage to us in this state and the nation and I am reiterating that it is the future of our youth. Go anywhere in the world; sports has become a huge business,” he said.
Obasa further stressed that sports can help combat crimes and increase youth engagement in activities that boost national growth and development.
“We have realised that government alone cannot provide employment. We have also realised that because of the peculiarities of our nation as well as our advantage in terms of population, we can generate businesses out of sports to move the youth away from crime,” he said adding that Obasa Games will remain sustained.
The Lagos Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Omobolaji Ogunlende, also commended the organisers of the games pledging the support of the government for such initiatives aimed at growing the youth. He charged the participants to be at their best.
In his address, Abdul-Ganiyu said the success of the first edition of the games gave the impetus to continue and expand the scope.
“This year’s event, featuring football, boxing, table tennis,
chess, and Scrabble, brings together talented athletes
and teams from across the 10 Local Government Areas
and 18 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) within the Lagos West Senatorial District.
He said the games were organised to honour the
remarkable contributions and vision of the Speaker for Lagos State.
“His commitment to the development of our state,
his unwavering support for our youth, and his passion for
fostering sports as a vehicle for positive change have
been our inspiration,” he said.
Chairman of the Agege Local Government Area, High Chief Ganiyu Egunjobi, said his council and the Orile-Agege Local Government Development Area decided to partner with the organisers to be a part of the passion that Obasa exhibits for sports.
“Sport has proven to be a cost-effective and flexible tool for promoting peace and development objectives. Sport is also an important enabler of sustainable development,” he said urging residents to always imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
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