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.

By Thompson Jacob

I don’t know if this publication would soil my relationship with renowned prophet, Primate Elijah Ayodele, or he may decide not to welcome me in his Lagos office again but I find it difficult to hold this feeling of shock I have based on my conversation with him on Sunday, 3^rd of November 2024.

I have always wanted to have a tete-a-tete with the prophet for interview purposes, I know how controversial his prophecies are and their economic impact on any news platform that is able to secure an exclusive interview with him; He is a very marketable individual and his prophecies are always relevant no matter how much they are.

After some time, I finally met him in Lagos on this fateful day, and among the things we discussed was the qualifier match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Benin Republic which held yesterday in Ivory Coast.

Primate Ayodele has several sports prophecies that have come to pass and sincerely, he is very popular in the sports sector. I will not forget so soon how he got global attention due to his prophetic advice to Nigeria’s forward, Victor Osimhen not to go to Chelsea FC during the transfer window when the player was on the verge of signing for the English side.

Primate Ayodele in a video that went viral globally warned that the player would not have a successful career if he signed for Chelsea. He advised him to go elsewhere apart from Chelsea FC.

During our discussion, I asked him about what he thinks about the match which was weeks away as at then and his response was direct and precise. He said “Nigeria must handle Benin Republic well, they want to push the match to a draw, Nigeria must be very careful with them”

I further inquired because I know Nigerian players are in form and won’t hesitate to defeat Benin Republic by a landslide, I asked if he was sure and he simply asked me to keep my fingers crossed.

However, yesterday was shocking to me as the Super Eagles of Nigeria struggled to even keep the match at a draw. If not for Osimhen’s header, Nigeria would have lost to Benin Republic.

I have been wondering since yesterday, how did Primate Ayodele see this coming? Even the players cannot say they envisaged such a tough time with Benin Republic, I’m still surprised at how he was able to accurately tell the outcome of the football match.

I am aware that Primate Ayodele isn’t one who loves to sing his praises and I sincerely apologize if this would be seen as an offence but man of God, I just couldn’t hold it.

Eagles battle Benin Republic for 2025 AFCON ticket

For the third time in six months, Nigeria and the Benin Republic will do battle on Thursday (today) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as they seek to seal their automatic spots for the 2025 AFCON, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

After beating the Cheetahs 3-0 during the first leg at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, in September, the Super Eagles are visiting the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast—the Benin Republic’s adopted home ground—for the umpteenth time this year, needing a win to cement their automatic spot in Morocco 2025.

Ultimately, a draw is the bare minimum needed for Nigeria to advance, and the Super Eagles will also be playing to avoid a repeat of their 2-1 defeat to the Cheetahs at the same ground in June during the ill-fated 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The Eagles are currently top of the qualifying Group D with 10 points, but their opponents and second-placed Benin Republic, who are four points behind them, need a win to remain in contention for the second automatic spot.

This knowledge will inform a feisty approach in the encounter that will be officiated by Senegalese referee Issa Sy.

Austin Eguavoen’s men have been almost perfect, winning three out of four matches without conceding a goal, but the Benin Republic, led by former Nigeria coach Genort Rohr, cannot afford any more slip-ups following the tumble in Kigali, as they could still be tossed if they lose their last two games, and Rwanda, on five points, earn a minimum of two points in their own final two. Even Libya, with only one point, can still leapfrog Benin if they beat Rwanda in Kigali, the Cheetahs are bumped by the Eagles, and the Knights rout the Cheetahs in North Africa on Monday.

Super Eagles defender and 2023 AFCON MVP, William Troost-Ekong, who missed the 2-1 defeat in June, said the Super Eagles are going above the bare minimum.

“The stadium is familiar territory,” Troost-Ekong said. “We’ve had good results here before, but we’re focused on avenging our last loss to Benin and securing the win.”

Rohr is probably aware of Nigeria’s recovery since the defeat in June, and he is wary of the Eagles’ threat.

“Repeating the feat of June is going to be complicated because Nigeria is now at full strength, but we believe in ourselves.

“While we would have preferred to have Cedric and Olivier with us, we are prepared to move forward without them,” the German gaffer told Foot Africa in an interview.

Unlike Rohr, coach Austin Eguavoen has the full complement of his squad to select from and qualify with a game to spare.

The gaffer is most likely to start with the team that squared up against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Uyo last month, meaning Captain William Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre-back, with wing-backs Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi just as Bright Osayi-Samuel has returned into that backline.

Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and a couple of defensive midfielders, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, are available for the spaces in the middle, while Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Victor Boniface, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, and Kelechi Iheanacho are in the selection pool for the fore.

The match will start at 8:00 pm Nigerian time.