F5WC National Qualifiers Kicks Off In Kaduna This Weekend

The National qualifiers for the Football Fives World Championship(F5WC) kicks off this weekend In Kaduna at the Hockey Pitch, Murtala Square, Kaduna. Matches will kick off at 10:00am prompt with over 100 registered teams set to battle it out for the two slots allocated to the Kaduna Centre of the National Qualifiers for the 2016 Football Fives World Championship.

This Tournament which is endorsed by the Nigeria Football Tournament Is Proudly Sponsored by Olympic Milk and it promises to be the biggest ever Five-A-Side Tournament ever witnessed In Nigeria.

Olympic Milk will Be taking One Lucky Fan to The Etihad Stadium In Manchester to watch Barclays Premier League Table Toppers Manchester City play an home game before the end of the 2015-2016 season, and this is just One of the Mouth watering packages to be unveiled by the sponsors and the organisers of the F5WC Qualifiers in Nigeria.

Nigeria Futsal team to Dubai 2015

Qualifiers Will be held in six different Cities across Nigeria kicking off in Kaduna this Saturday the 21st-22nd of November, Next Stop will be Popular Sunny Abacha Stadium In Kano on the 25th-26th of November.

The Olympic Milk Powered Tournament Will Continue at the Astro-Turf, Maitama Gardens, Abuja from the 28th-29th of November then berth at the Rivers State University Sports Centre in the beautiful city of Port Harcourt on the 5th and 6th of December.

Abeokuta will get a chance to host the National Qualifiers on the 11th and 12th of December at the Popular MKO Abiola Stadium before the Final National Qualifiers moves to the Sport City in Lagos, were the Largest number of registered teams will converge at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on the weekend of the 18th and 19th of December 2015.

Chairman Of the LOC Fred Agbi While Speaking to the media yesterday in Lagos, promised to bring to Nigerians a well packaged National Qualifiers but better still a glamorous and fun-filled Grand Finale In Lagos.

Agbi while Thanking the Sponsors Olympic Milk Also Used the opportunity to thank other partners, like The Nigeria Football Federation, and all the partner state FA’s like Lagos FA, Ogun FA, Kano FA, Kaduna FA, And The Rivers FA. The F5WC Nigeria Qualifiers is also proudly Supported by Brila Fm, Complete Sports And Sports Day Newspapers.

The Nigerian Representatives in action At This Year’s Edition in Dubai

C.E.O Of 5Sports Limited organiser of the F5WC In Nigeria Mr Adebayo Akande also mentioned that the eventual winners of the tournament will get a whooping 1.5 million Naira, a giant trophy, Olympic milk products and branded items and an all expenses paid trip to represent Nigeria at the Football Fives World Championship(F5WC) Holding in Bangkok, Thailand.

Akande also mentioned that the Grand Finale tagged #RoadToThailand Will be between the 2 top teams from the various national qualifying centres mentioned Earlier with Lagos Providing 6 teams due to the high number of registered teams, all these also teams battle it out at the Campos Mini Stadium on Lagos Island on January the 15th and 16th.

The winner at the National finals in Lagos will represent Nigeria at F5WC World finals in Bangkok, Thailand from 2nd-6th March 2016.

GOtv Boxing Night: Stakeholders, Fans Hail Organisers

Stakeholders and fans of boxing in the country have lauded GOtv, headline sponsors of GOtv Boxing Night, for the successful organisation of the fourth edition of the six-bout professional boxing event and contributions to the revival of the sport.
The event, which held on Sunday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, left stakeholders and the audience in raptures.

Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Mr. Remi Aboderin described GOtv Boxing Night as the lifeline that has saved the sport from going into extinction.

“Everybody associated with boxing must be grateful to GOtv for rescuing the sport from the doldrums. Without funding and high quality organisation by GOtv and Flykite Productions, the promoters, I shudder to think what could have happened to boxing,” he said.

Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, President-General of the Nigerian Supporters Club and member of the NBB of C, shares similar sentiments. ” GOtv has offered boxers the opportunity of fighting more regularly, something that was not happening before, and the sport is back on a sound footing. If we keep this up, the sport will fully recover in no time,” he said.

Fans at the event were effusive in their commendations for the sponsors, with many of them hoping that the event grows and for the country to produce a world champion soon.

Ottoh “Joe Boy” Joseph was the revelation of the fourth edition of the GOtv Boxing Night, as he was named the best boxer of the event. He defeated Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai in a National Lightweight challenge contest to win the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and the cash prize of N1m.

Boxing Fans at the 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Another winner on the night was Waidi “Skoro” Usman, the West African Featherweight champion, who knocked out Taofik “Taozon” Bisuga in the fourth round of their eight-round contest. Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, first winner of the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and the N1m cash prize, also came out triumphant when he defeated Saheed “Happy Boy” Olayiwola by a fifth round knockout of Light Welterweight challenge contest. Isiaka “Easy Lion” Yusuf was knocked out by Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo in the third round of their National Featherweight challenge bout.

The night’s major bout saw Nigeria’s Isaac Ekpo, a former Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion, accounting for Burkina Faso’s Jules Kabore, who was knocked out in the fifth round of the scheduled 10-round bout. The first fight of the night featured Jamiu “Naval Man” Olabode against Pelumi “Haggler” Sodubi, who was knocked in the second round.
The tournament is supported by other corporate bodies like MultiChocie, SuperSport, KSquare Security, Custodian Assurance Limited, Complete Sports, Brilla FM, Bond FM and Newsbreak.ng.

GOtv Boxing Night: Boxers Talk Tough

Ahead of the GOtv Boxing Night holding on Sunday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, opponents have been swapping boasts of decimating each other. Nigeria’s Isaac “Grenade” Ekpo, a former Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion, has vowed to stop his opponent Jules “Tyson” Kabore of Burkina Faso in the fourth of their 10-round contest when they meet in the event’s headline bout. “Kabore is taller than I am, but that will have no bearing on the fight. I will be celebrating my birthday on Sunday and I have to give myself a birthday present. Stopping Kabore in the fourth round is the present that I want and deserve. He is not going beyond that and he knows,” raved Ekpo.

Kabore is also talking up his own chances against an accomplished opponent.

Responding to Ekpo’s claim that he cannot be defeated in Nigeria, Kabore said: “I won four of my seven fights via TKO. I am undefeated since turning pro. I am taller and better than Ekpo. Tell him that. He will fall. That is not a subject for debate.”
Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, the National Lightweight champion billed to fight Joe “Otto Boy” Joseph in a challenge contest, has dismissed his opponent’s chances of defeating him as non-existent. “I have been a champion for ten years. It takes something to be a champion, which Ottoh does not have. Many have tried and failed. Ottoh will fail,” he said waspishly. Ottoh’s response was similarly threat-filled. “Tell him that he has spent his time. This is my time. I will beat him and tell him that his time has gone. No story,” he bragged.

Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, who won the one million cash prize for the best boxer at the last edition of the GOtv Boxing Night, is convinced that he will repeat the trick when he takes on Saheed “Happy Boy” Olayiwola in a National Light Welterweight challenge duel. Fijabi said his opponent will transmute into a sad boy from “Happy Boy”.

“He calls himself Happy Boy, but when I finish with him, he will be the saddest boy in the whole of Nigeria. Just wait and see,” he boasted. Happy Boy, however, is convinced that he will be the happier guy at the end of the fight.

“Fijabi is a small boy. I will teach him boxing and he will go home crying like a baby,” he retorted.

Olaide Fijaborn Fijabi,

GOtv Boxing Night, an initiative to revive boxing in Nigeria, will feature six professional fights. The others aresix-round duels which will see Jamiu “Naval Man” Olabode, take on Pelumi “Haggler” Sodubi in a Welterweight challenge, while Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo will duel with Isiaka “Easy Lion” Yusuf. Waidi “Skoro” Usman will take on Taofik “Taozon” Bisuga in a Featherweight challenge contest.

The event, which starts at 4pm, will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Sponsored by pay-TV company, GOtv, the tournament which started last November, also held in March and July. GOtv Boxing Night is supported by other corporate bodies like MultiChocie, SuperSport, KSquare Security, Custodian Assurance Limited, Complete Sports, Brilla FM, Bond FM and Newsbreak.ng.

GOtv Boxing Night: Fijabi Wins N1m Cash Prize

Boxing Fans at the 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, the star Light Welterweight boxer, won the biggest ever pay-out in the history of Nigerian boxing, as he was voted best boxer at the GOtv Boxing Night on Sunday.

Fijabi also went home with the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and plenty of adulation, following his defeat of Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo, by unanimous decision, in an eight-round contest.

From the first round, Fijabi, the clear crowd favourite, punished his opponent with deft combinations that left the huge crowd screaming his name.

Ariyo, a decent boxer in his own right, however, found Fijabi too hot to handle.

Sule “Tyson” Olagbade, National Light Middleweight champion, retained his belt, following his defeat of challenger, Rasheed “Afonja Warrior” Abolaji

In another big fight on the night, Sule “Tyson” Olagbade, National Light Middleweight champion, retained his belt, following his defeat of challenger, Rasheed “Afonja Warrior” Abolaji in their closely-contested 12-round bout.

All the judges called the fight in Olagbade’s favour. Both boxers fought with gusto, drawing unrestrained applause from the crowd.

Onoriode “Onos” Ehwarieme knocked out Adewale “22Masevex” Masebinu in the second round.

In the Lightweight category, the challenge bout between Prince Nurudeen Fatai and Chibuzor “T-Boy” Obi ended in the latter’s favour by unanimous decision.

Sunday “Golden Child” Ajuwa also defeated Femi “Easywhite” Ajayi in an eight-round Cruiserweight challenge.

Onoriode “Onos” Ehwarieme knocked out Adewale “Masevex” Masebinu in the second

In the Heavyweight division, Onoriode “Onos” Ehwarieme knocked out Adewale “Masevex” Masebinu in the second of their six-round challenge bout.

The international female bout between Nigerian boxer, Helen “Iron Lady” Johnson and Ghana’s Gifty “Tiger” Ankrah was won by unanimous decision by the Nigerian.

L-R: Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman MultiChoice Nigeria; Olaide Fijabi, winner of a trophy and One Million Naira; Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director, Flykite Productions; John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria and Felix Awogu, General Manager, SuperSport during 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos Sunday 26th of July, 2015

Sponsored by GOtv, the event is supported by MultiChoice, SuperSport, KSquare Security, Newsbreak.ng, Complete Sports, Brilla FM and Paragonis Multimedia Limited.

Lagos SWAN unveils sponsor, partners for SWAN Cup 2014

The Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Lagos Chapter yesterday at its secretariat at the National Stadium Lagos, unveiled Winners Golden Bet.com as the major sponsor for this year’s Lagos SWAN Cup billed to kick off next week Thursday, April 24 at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The body also unveiled some of its other partners for the event which include Nigeria Sports Award; Owu Sports wears outfit among others.

Deji Beecroft Assistant General Manager of WinnersGoldenBet.com in his comment said that the company decided to support the SWAN because of the role of the sporting media in Nation building.

“Sports reporting is a very complicated job that needs lots of courage and sense of timing and Lagos SWAN members have done well in reporting events both locally and internationally thereby making it easy for Nigerians to follow happenings in this various competitions across the world, hence our resolve to support this event”. He informed.

Chairman of the body, Fred Edoreh said at the unveiling ceremony which also had in attendance ex-international, Paul Okoku as well as Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) Alhaji Tade Azeez and former Head of Communications, Multichoice, Segun Fayose

“Our new sponsor, Winners Golden Bet.com is a reputable sports business organisation which has shown tremendous capacity and commitment to sports development and provision of added value for sports fans and enthusiasts and we are very happy and extremely grateful to associate with them for the SWAN Cup,” said Edoreh.

Ex-international Paul Okoku

The SWAN Cup designed to promote healthy living and friendship among journalists on the sports desks of the various media houses is the major feature of the Lagos SWAN Week. The week shall also feature a seminar on “Sports journalism and nation building”, a topic which the SWAN chairman says “is most imperative at this point in the development of our nation.”

Meanwhile, the 16 teams participating in this year’s edition of the SWAN Cup have been drawn into four groups of four teams each. Defending champions, Complete Sports; TVC; LTV/Eko FM and Radio Nigeria are in Group A while last edition’s runners up, NTA leads Group B. Others in the group include City FM; Cool FM and Sportsville.

In Group C are former champions, SportsDay; SuperSports; Brila FM and Top Radio while Silverbird; Mastersports; Sky Sports and The Sun Newspapers are in Group D.
Edoreh announced that Team Lagos SWAN will take on Team Nollywood in a novelty match which will herald the opening ceremony of the championship.

Kunle Adeyeye of FRCN Conducting the Draws

Group A
Complete Sports
TVC/Radio Continental
LTV/Eko FM
Radio Nigeria

Group B
NTA
City FM
CoolWazobiaInfo
Sportsville

Group C
SportsDay
SuperSports
Brila FM
Top Radio

Group D
Silverbird
Mastersports
Sky Sports
The Sun Newspapers