The President of the Nigeria Olympian Association Olumide Oyedeji has thrown his weight behind the Lagos Media Marathon. Oyedeji while speaking in Lagos noted that the fact that journalists are interested in organizing a marathon of their own is a welcomed development. According to the basketball legend, the move by the journalists will further enrich […]
via Olympian President Olumide Oyedeji Backs Lagos Media Marathon — finixsportsblog
A special visitor came calling at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Office, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Tuesday; it was the nation’s basketball legend, Olumide Oyedeji. The former NBA star came to thank the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, for supporting road races and marathons instead of football. The towering star was received […]
via Olumide Oyedeji Praises Ambode For Backing Athletics Over Football — newfanzoneblog
Nigeria’s senior men’s National Basketball team D’Tigers’ Captain Olumide Oyedeji has denied making comments comments attributed to him in a Nigerian National Daily yesterday. Oyedeji who is currently based in the UK today issued a Press Statement to clear the air on the alleged comments he made concerning the Nigerian Minister for Youth And Sports […]
via I Did Not Speak Against The Minister Of Sports – Olumide Oyedeji — newfanzoneblog
Having been nominated in two categories of this year’s prestigious Nigerian Sports Award, 2015 Afrobasket Most Valuable Player (MVP), Chamberlain Oguchi believes his consideration for the award has indeed humbled him.
Oguchi, who plies his trade with Anwil Basketball Club in the Tauron Basketball League of Poland, said his nomination showed that Nigerians really appreciate D’Tiger’s efforts to bring honours to Nigeria at the 2015 Afrobasket Championship.
“I am honoured and humbled to be nominated for Ball Sportsman of the Year and Sportsman of the Year. It would mean the world to win these awards. I want to thank the Nigerian public for recognizing me, and I hope to wear these awards proudly in representation of the 170 million plus Nigerian inhabitants as well as Nigerians across the world,” he said.
He also lauded the organizers of the Nigerian Sports Award for the initiative to recognize and reward athletes that have done Nigeria proud across the globe.
Oguchi and 2014 ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri are both nominated for the Ball Sports Award and the Sportsman of the Year award while Oguchi will also be competing against his teammate, Olumide Oyedeji in the Ball Sports category alongside Quadri.
The Coach of the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voight will be competing with Are Feyisetan, Nigerian Powerlifting Coach and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed for the Coach of the Year category.
Nigerian Wrestler, Boltic Sinivie, tackles Efe Ajagba (Boxer) and Henry Hendrix (Kungfu) are the top three nominees for the Combat Sports Person of the Year while Awoniyi Taiwo (Footballer),Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Amusan Tobiloba (Hurdles) top nominations for the Discovery of the Year category.
In the Football category, Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Ngozi Okobiare contesting for the Footballer of the Year (Women) category while Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and the top scorer, in the ongoing 2015 GLO Nigeria professional football league, Tunji Adeniji are the top nominees for the Footballer of the Year (Men).
World record breakers at the just concluded African Games, Yakubu Adesokan, Loveline Obiji, will slug it out with Lovina Onyegbule for the Special Sports Person of the Year while the President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali battles Director General of the National Sports Commission, Yakmut Alhassan for the Sports Administrators of the Year category.
Weightlifter, Balqis Otunla tackles Loveline Obiji and Lovina Onyegbule for the Sports Woman of the Year award while Yakubu Adesokan, Chamberlain Oguchi and Aruna Quadri are the top three nominees for the Sports Man of the Year.
For the School Sports Award, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo state, winners of the Channels kid cup award, 2015, Rochas Okorocha Foundation College, winners of Shell cup 2015 battles the former winner of the category, Greensprings College for the award.
The Nigerian Men Basketball Award team, D’Tigers, the Women Cycling Team and Beach Volleyball team are the three top nominees for the Team of the Year category.
Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Uke Claire (Discuss),Tosin Oke (Triple Jump) a gold medalist at the just concluded All African Games are the top three contenders for the Track and Field Star of the year whileMariam Usman battles Balqis Otunla for the weightlifter of the Year award.
The public voting for Sportsman and Sportswoman which commenced on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 and will close on Sunday 15th November 2015. Members of the public are expected tosend SMS SMOTY for Sportsman of the Year or SWOTY for Sportswoman of the Year and the name of the athlete to 33140 or nominate through twitter using the hashtag #SWOTY or #SMOTY and the name of choice winner to @ngrsportsaward.
The 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event is schedule to hold on Friday, November 20, 2015 at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel , Lagos.
As the 2015 edition of the prestigious Nigerian Sports Award enters its voting phase, the organisers of the award, Unmissable Incentives Limited has unveiled the list of the top three nominees in each category of the award.
The top nominees were unveiled at a press conference held in Lagos today, October 7th, 2015
Speaking at the press conference, the Chairman of the Award Panel, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo explained that the top nominees emerged having recorded highest frequency of nominations by the members of the public for their outstanding performances in their respective sports.
“The shortlisted nominees for the 2015 edition of the award is a true reflection of the majority wish of the Nigerians as expressed through nominations for the different categories during the nomination phase’’ he said.
Isiguzo reiterated that an athlete is only eligible to win the Nigerian Sports Award if members of the public nominate him or her during the nomination phase for the award during the year of the award.
Speaking shortly before announcing the top nominees, the Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr. Kayode Idowu noted that the long list of nominations was painstakingly scrutinized by the panel to shortlist the top nominees.
Unveiling the nominees, Kayode Idowu noted that two times winner of the Ball Sports Person of the Year, Aruna Quadri was re-nominated for the category alongside the duo of Chamberlain Oguchi and Olumide Oyedeji who are members of the victorious National Basketball team, D’ Tigers that won the just concluded FIBA Africa tournament.
Idowu announced that the Coach of the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voight will be competing with Are Feyisetan, Nigerian Powerlifting Coach and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed for the Coach of the Year category.
Nigerian Wrestler, Boltic Sinivie, tackles Efe Ajagba (Boxing) and Henry Hendrix (Kungfu) are the top three nominees for the Combat Sport Person of the Year while Awoniyi Taiwo (Football), Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Amusan Tobiloba (Hurdles) top nominations for the Discovery of the Year category.
In the football category, Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Ngozi Okobi are contesting for the Footballer of the Year (Women) category while Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and the top scorer, in the ongoing 2015 professional football league, Tunji Adeniji are the top nominees for the Footballer of the Year (Men).
Idowu also revealed that World record breakers at the just concluded All African Games, Yakubu Adesokan, Loveline Obiji, will slog it out with Lovina Onyegbule for the Special Sport Person of the Year while the President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali battles Director General of the National Sports Commission, Yakmut Alhassan for the Sports Administrators of the Year category.
Weightlifter, Balqis Otunla tackles Loveline Obiji and Lovina Onyegbule for the Sports Woman of the Year award while Yakubu Adesokan, Chamberlain Oguchi and Aruna Quadri are the top three nominees for the Sports Man of the Year.
For the School Sports Award, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo state, winners of the Channels kid cup 2015, Rochas Okorocha Foundation College, winners of Shell cup 2015 battles the former winner of the category, Greensprings College for the award.
The Nigerian Men Basketball Award team, D’Tigers, the Women Cycling Team and Beach Volleyball team are the three top nominees for the Team of the Year category.
Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Uke Claire (Discuss), Tosin Oke (Triple Jump) a gold medalist at the just concluded All African Games are the top three contenders for the Track and Field Star of the year while Mariam Usman battles Balqis Otunla for the weightlifter of the Year award.
The public voting for Sportsman and Sportswoman commences on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 and will end on Sunday 15th November 2015. Members of the public are expected to send SMS SMOTY for Sportsman of the Year or SWOTY for Sportswoman of the Year and the name of the athlete to 33140 or nominate through twitter using the hashtag #SWOTY or #SMOTY and the name of choice winner to @ngrsportsaward.
The 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event is scheduled to hold on Friday, November 20, 2015 at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel, Lagos.
YABATECH continued their fine form on Day 2 of the Olumide Oyedeji Intercollegiate Basketball Championship as they pipped Lagos State Polythenic 70-69 in the Lagos Derby to win their 2nd game and cruise to the Top of group A at the tournament holding at the Molade Okoya Thomas, hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Reigning Nigerian University Games champions, Ahmadu Bello University rebounded back to winning ways after an opening day loss to YABATECH, with a 106-55 points win over Federal Polythenic, Ede.
Solomon Ajegbeyi led the Yaba Boys, with 15points and a tournament high 22 rebounds, while Chukwuma and Kayode combined for 24 points to add up to the tally.
While DStv Premier league Allstar event, 3 points contest champion, Timothy Kwaor and Okonkwo both dropped 28 points while Ojobo added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Zaria boys.
In other results of the day UNILAG lost to Federal University of Technology Minna, 58-54. While Niger State College of Education, Minna, Niger State beat Federal College of Education Akoka 62-33.
Today will see the last preliminary games as, Federal Polythenic, Ede tackle YABATECH, while UNILAG tackle N.S.C.E Minna in a must win game in group B, while ABU Zaria also lock horns in a winner takes all clash against LASPOTECH and FUTMinna face off with F.C.E Akoka in the last game of the day at 6 pm
Adefeso Oluwafemi
The Olumide Oyedeji Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament which was earlier scheduled for September was postponed due to the sallah break. It was agreed that it was better for the student and coaching staff to spend both the sallah and Independence Day holidays with their families.
The tournament will tip of today Monday 5th October 2015 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere. The confirmed participating schools are;
Group A
Ahmadu Bello University
Federal Polytechnic, Ede
Yaba College of Technology
Lagos State Polytechnic
Group B
Federal University of Technology, Minna
University of Lagos
Niger State College of Education
Federal College of Education, Akoka
Arrival of participating schools, accreditation and technical committee meeting were held yesterday. Below is the schedule for the rest of the tournament;
Monday 5 Oct – Wednesday 7 Oct – Group Games
Thursday 8 Oct – Rest day
Friday 9 Oct – Semi Finals and Classification Games
Saturday 10 Oct- Third place games, 3 point shootout and Finals
Sunday 11 Oct – Departure.
Day 1 Fixtures:
Federal Polytechnic Ede – LASPOTECH
Univ of Lagos – FCE, Akoka
Yaba College of Tech – ABU, Zaria
FUT Minna – Niger State College of Edu
Nigeria will be going to Tunisia in search for her first ever Afrobasket crown having suffered a disappointing outing in times past and most recently in the quarterfinal to Senegal in Abidjan 2013.
Under the tutelage of new coach, American, William Voigt, the D’Tigers will be hoping to put off the tag of nearly men and rule Africa for the first time in Tunisia come August 19th-30th.
The team will be headlined by NBA Stars Al Farouq Aminu and Ekpe Udoh who will be making his first appearance for Nigeria while the likes of Alfarouq’s older brother Alade, Ike Diogu, Benjamin Uzoh, Stanley Okoye, Andy Ogide, Jamal Olasewere, Stanley Gumut and veteran Olumide Oyedeji makes a return from Afrobasket 2013 in Abidjan.
Also making a return is Chamberlain Oguchi and Derrick Obasohan who were part of the London 2012 Olympics, and home based stars Abubakar Usman and Yahaya Abdul.
Others are Deji Akindele, Micheal Umeh, Eric Oluwaseun, Obekpa Chris and Ofoegbu Ikechukwu with the likes of Edo Karachi, Akinlolu Akingbala, Ebie Jason, Elonu Chinemelu, Gbinije Micheal, Olaseni Lawal and Talib Zanna get their first taste of the national team.
The team leaves Abuja tonight for Paris, France to participate in an invitational tournament from July 22-27. They continue their preparation in Paris and leave for Tunis on August 15 for Afrobasket which begins on August 19 – 30, 2015.
Long time captain of the Nigeria national team, Olumide Oyedeji is set to launch the Olumide Oyedeji Intercollegiate Basketball championship as part of his advocacy for sport men to get sound education along with playing professional sports. The initiative adds to the D’Tigers’ captains annual give back programme the Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp.
The veteran Nigeria captain disclosed that the motivation behind this “Stay in School” campaign is to stress the need for education among sport men particularly basketball players and to revive the culture of School sports programme at the tertiary level which helped him on his way to becoming a Pro athlete.
“It’s worrying to know that a lot of professional sport men in Nigeria today have little or no tertiary education. Sports only lasts for a short period of time and when it’s gone what do you fall back on”
“We need to create a scenario where going to school and playing sports is attractive that’s why I have decided to start from my constituency which is Basketball by creating a competition amongst the best tertiary institutions in Nigeria be it University, College of Education or Polytechnic”.
“I remember those years when I played in the Nigerian league, a bulk of us usually met at the NUGA games and that’s why even those who are retired now are all doing good wherever they are in the world”.
The Intercollegiate basketball championship is said to feature top tertiary institutions representing the Nigeria University Games (NUGA), Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) and the Nigeria College of Education Games (NACEGA), come September and in addition to the Annual Olumide Oyedeji Basketball camp for kids which also comes up in September. Details about both developmental projects will be released in due course.
Nigeria sealed qualification to the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia and the All African Games in Congo with a 63-50 victory over Burkina Faso in the 2nd Leg of the qualifiers at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
The D’Tigers who won the 1st leg by 23 points in Ouagadougou jumped off the starting block in style, in front of the ecstatic Lagos crowd with an 8 points lead in the 1st quarter with the score line at 18-10 points.
Though missing a couple of free throws in the 2nd quarter, the D’Tigers extended their lead 32-17 to go on the half time break with a 15 points lead thanks to good offensive display.
It was a tougher game for the host after the break as the Burkinabes’ gave a tough fight in the 2nd half winning both the 3rd and 4th quarters 15-14 and 18-17 points respectively. However, a relentless Nigerian side held on for the much needed victory to keep the 2016 Rio Olympics dream alive, which the 2015 Afrobasket will act as qualifiers.
Burkina Faso’s Moussa Ouattara lead the floor on the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort with no Nigerian player recording double digits.
However, Azuoma Dike, Abdulwahab Yakubu and Abdulwahab Yahaya all finished with 9points apiece with Azuoma adding 6 rebounds to his tally. And Nigeria’s only home based player at the 2013 FIBA Africa Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) in Abidjan , Stanley Gumut giving a performance reminiscent of the performance that got him a national call up putting up 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists and captain Olumide Oyedeji adding 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
Nigeria is now joins 13 other qualified countries – Angola, Egypt, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Morocco, Uganda, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gabon, Congo and host Tunisia- for her 17th appearance at FIBA Africa Championship built for the cities of Nabuel and Hammamet, Tunisia from the 20th-30th August 2015 vis-a-vis the 11th All African Games scheduled for September 4-19th in Congo Brazzaville.
Nigeria senior men basketball team D’Tigers will travel to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on Friday for the first leg tie against the Burkinabe in group-E double qualifiers for the 29th Afrobasket and the 11th All Africa Games.
The Nigerian side is made up of an 18-man list led by the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Tijjani Umar will take on the Burkinabe on Monday March 16 with the return leg slated for March 25 in Nigeria.
The squad is made up of twelve players with ten of them drawn from the Nigerian DStv Premier Basketball League and two foreign based players.
Nigeria hope of qualifying for her 17th outing at Africa biggest basketball showpiece rest on coaches Sani Ahmed and Ayinla Johnson and twelve players which includes Olumide Oyedeji (centre); Ejike Ugboaja (forward); Stanley gumut (forward); Abubakar Usman (guard); Matthew Onmonya (forward); and Ibrahim Yusuf (guard/forward).
Other players in the squad are Adeolu Olaiya Ojo (guard); Abdulwahab Yakubu (guard); Abdulwahab Yahaya (forward); Azuoma Dike (guard); Dele Ademola (forward) and Abayomi Oyeniyi (forward). The delegation also has Muktar Khaleh, Patrick Okeke (S.G, NBBF); Patrick Omorodion (media); Dr. Ohida Suleiman (team doctor) and Dayo Ogunkunle (physio).
According to the team head Coach Sani Ahmed that the team will not disappoint Nigerians as the players and its handlers has its mind set for picking the sole slot in the group.
“We respect our opponent (Burkina Faso) but they are not capable of stopping from qualifying for both the Afrobasket and All Africa Games as we looking forward to challenging for the Afrobasket title and also defending our All Africa Games gold medal won four years ago in Mozambique.
“The players are ready to prove that they are worthy ambassadors of Nigeria basketball and mentally, physically and psychological prepared for the two-leg qualifier, Coach Ahmed concluded.
The team will fly to Lagos from their Abuja camp from where they expected to connect an afternoon flight aboard ASky airline.
Nigeria can now boast of 2 members on the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Central Board, following the appointment of Nigeria Basketball Federation board member and D’Tigers captain Olumide Oyedeji on the FIBA Player’s commission for the 2014-2019 term of office.
Oyedeji’s appointment comes, following his nomination by the Nigerian Basketball Federation in line with the criteria provided by the World governing body of Basketball vis his achievement on the court as well as his tireless work ethic in developing the game not only in his home country and Africa but across the globe. He will serve in the newly inaugurated FIBA Player’s commission under the chairmanship of former Serbian International and NBA great Vlade Divac.
The former Nigerian NBA star now joins Nigerian Doctor Dr. Abdullahi Mu’azu, a Director of Sports Medicine, in the National Sports Commission (NSC) who is a member of the FIBA Medical commission, on the FIBA Board.
Oluwafemi Adefeso
NBBF Media Committee
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