Sports
AFCON 2023: Gusau allay fears following Ndidi’s withdrawal from Super Eagles’ camp
Ibrahim Gusau, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has allayed fears surrounding Wilfred Ndidi’s departure from the Super Eagles’ camp ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ndidi, a key player in Peseiro’s squad was replaced by Royal Antwerp player, Alhassan Yusuf after sustaining an injury ahead of the Super Eagles AFCON 2023 campaign.
Gusau said in an interview on the NFF’s website on Saturday, that there was no cause for alarm.
He said that the team had the ability to perform well even without the Leicester City midfielder.
“I don’t have any tension because I know we played a lot of matches without Ndidi and won a lot of matches without him.
“We also played a lot of matches with Ndidi and lost unexpectedly, so it’s not about Ndidi, it’s about the national team of Nigeria” he said.
NAN also reports that Ndidi’s replacement, Yusuf, currently making an impact for Antwerp, notably scored a vital goal in their UEFA Champions League match against Portuguese opposition.
He also provided an assist in his team’s victory against FC Barcelona.
Gusau, expressed confidence in Yusuf’s contributions to the AFCON campaign, citing his impressive performance against FC Barcelona as a positive indicator.
“The young boy that was brought in now, Yusuf is also doing wonderfully well with his team.
“When they played against Barcelona, you can see the performance he put on in the win against Barcelona in the Champions League,” the NFF president said.
Drawing parallels to Sunday Mba’s pivotal performance in AFCON 2013, Gusau hoped that the young Nigerian talent, Yusuf would replicate a similar impact.
“He’s also a young boy, maybe it’s an opportunity for him to do a miracle.
“Don’t forget everybody did not have confidence in Mba when we went to the AFCON in 2013 and at the end of the day Mba was part of the players that performed a miracle” he said.
“Nobody knows what Yusuf is going to be in the team so it’s not about Ndidi, it’s about the Super Eagles.”
NAN also reports that the Super Eagles are scheduled to face Guinea in an upcoming preparatory match before heading to Cote d’Ivoire for their AFCON campaign.
The 2023 AFCON which kicks off on Jan. 13 will end on Feb. 11.
Tragedy struck in Ilorin, Kwara state capital following a 30-minute rainstorm which occurred on Monday.
An Ilorin-born Taekwondo coach and champion, identified as Musa Ismail, has been killed in a rainstorm at a badminton court in the Lower Niger River Basin Authority, in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
According to eyewitness accounts, a section of the newly renovated Badminton court executed by the former administration collapsed and fell on the coach.
The badminton court was completely destroyed by the 30-minute rainstorm.
Ismail, who was described as an upcoming and amiable badminton coach by some of his trainees, was said to have been crowned as the 2025 MKA Taekwondo Championship held in Ede, Osun state.
He was said to have been married for more than a year and was survived by a child.
Our correspondent gathered that Ismail played and trained at the facility with friends before the incident occurred.
Findings at the agency in Ilorin on Tuesday showed that the court had been sealed with the collapsed section visible from outside the structure.
Employees of the agency were not forthcoming when approached on the development.
Efforts to reach the leadership of the agency on the incident also proved abortive as of press time.
A member of staff, who pleaded anonymity, said that the incident happened on Monday, though the victim was not an employee of the agency.
“The incident is very tragic, it happened unfortunately during the rain on Monday but no one can speak on it except the managing director who is not around now.
“The MD will be in the office tomorrow and if you come, you will be able to speak with him,” the employee said.
Former Super Eagles Striker and Coach, Samson Siasia is set to lead the fitness program, Walkers & Joggers Lifestyle Groove which is set to take center stage at the mainbowl of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja in May.
The event, aimed at promoting regular physical activity for participants to improve the overall well-being will have the Nigerian 1994 Nations cup winner, headlining the event. Alongside the football legend is Dr. Adeline Shuri, a renowned expert in mental health.
According to the organisers of the event, walking and jogging are two of the most accessible and effective ways to improve physical and mental health.
“One of the SYDA mandates is to promote sporting activities while assisting the government in maintaining and upgrading our sports facilities.
“The program is for every fitness enthusiast in the city of Abuja. We are looking to use this event to introduce a healthy lifestyle while making it entertaining for everyone.
This event will promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and community engagement,” said Segun Maku, the CEO of SYDA Lounge.
“While Mr. Siasia handles the physical aspect of things, Dr. Shuri will provide valuable insights and guidance on maintaining good mental health, which is essential for overall well-being,” he added.
The Walking and Jogging Initiative is an intiative of the Sports and Youth Development Academy (SYDA) to prioritise physical and mental health, towards creating a healthier, happier, and more productive society.
Nigerian Afrobeats singer Davido has claimed that he started his life in a one-room apartment in a public compound, known locally as a face-me-I-face-you.
The singer made the claim on a song titled CFMF, off his fifth studio album, 5ive, which was released on Friday.
He claimed that he is now living a flamboyant life due to Jesus’s divine intervention.
“Take a step and walk into my life…
Started all the way from face me I face you
Face me I face you
And now, I am living real large all thanks to Jesu
All thanks to Jesu oh,” he sings.
His claim has been met with a groundswell of doubts, especially on social media, as the singer is known to be the son of billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke.
This is not the first time Davido has attempted to paint a grass-to-grace story in his music.
On his debut 2011 single, Back When, Davido claimed many ladies rejected his advances when he had no money but began chasing him after he achieved fame and success.
The song didn’t achieve much commercial success, partly due to the doubts that greeted his claims of humble beginnings, as he was known to be from a wealthy background.
Davido finally gained widespread prominence after the release of his 2012 breakthrough single, Dami Duro, where he embraced his wealthy background and boasted that he was unstoppable as the son of a rich man.