Ambode, Dalong Draw Curtains On 15th Governor’s Cup Tennis

After almost two weeks of top class action, the curtains will fall on the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship on Saturday with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Sports Minister; Solomon Dalong scheduled to lead a host of dignitaries to grace the Closing Ceremony at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

The finals of Futures 4 (men and women’s singles) will be played with the women’s final coming up by 1p.m, followed immediately with the men’s final.

Governor Ambode, who is the Chief Host and the Special Guest of Honour, will lead other members of Lagos State Executive Council to the closing ceremony and final matches of the Governor’s Cup Tennis, the first to be staged since he assumed office last May.

Honourable Minister For Youths and Sports Solomon Dalung

The Governor’s Cup, since inception during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been a tournament organised to celebrate the sitting governor of Lagos State.

Other guests expected at the final ceremony include the President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Engr. Sani Ndanusa and his board members, President of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Rotimi Edu and members of the club, officials of sponsor company, LASACO and others, school children and other tennis pundits.

The International Tennis Federation, ITF, pro circuit is played for two weeks with this year’s Futures 3 won by Aldin Setkic from Bosnia (Men’s Singles) and 17-year-old Tessah Andrianjafitrimo from France (Women).

Meanwhile, the battles for who become the men and women champions in Futures 4 got hotter and interesting in the matches of the quarter final played on Thursday.

A major upset was recorded in the women singles as, Andrianjafitrimo was stopped by Julia Terziyska of Bulgaria, number two seed 6-2,6-3 while Slovakia’s Tadeja Majeric, finalist in Futures 3, who won one of the legs in 2013 edition, won her game against Prarthana Thombare of India in straight set of 6-2,6-2.

Top seed Valeriya Strakhova from Russia beat Ulrikke Eikeri from Norway in straight set of 6-2,6-0, while Conny Perrin from Switzerland stopped the ambition of the Chinese Xiaoxi Zhao in 6-2,6-0 match.

In the men’s singles, top seed Bosnia’s Aldin Setkic looks good to clinch double haing won the First leg as he defeated Karim-Mohammed Maamoun of Egypt 6-2,7-6(5). Second seed South African, Harris Llyod also clinched a semifinal place by beating France’s Fabien Reboul 6-3,6-4.

Men singles final 2014
photo credit; governorscuplagostennis.com

Zimbabwe player, Takanyi Garanganga defeated Duncan Mugabe of Uganda 6-2, 6-1, while Antal Van Der Duim of the Netherlands defeated Sadio Dolumba of France 6-1,6-4.

In the semi final pairings, Setkic will play against Garanganga, while Van der Duim will slug it out against Harris in the men’s game. Strakhova and Majeric will play one of the semi final matches in the women’s singles, while Perrin and Terziyska will play the second semi final game.

Sports Minister Salutes Organizers of Nigerian Sports Award

Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalong has described the Nigerian Sports Award as the best way to reward sportsmen and women who have distinguished themselves in this country and make Nigeria proud.

Dalong made the statement at his first official outing since his appointment as minister during the award ceremony held on Friday at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Dalong who admitted that the reward system in this society of ours has been consigned to materialism, commended the vision of the organizers for their initiative to recognize talents, contributions, skills and performances of the distinguished sportsmen and women through the award.

The Jos-born administrator added that the establishment of the Nigerian Sports Award has developed a society where the reward system is functional.

“I am very elated from what I have seen here and we would improve on it. My passion as a person is that we should be able to develop a society where the reward system is functional. I believe a society without an effective reward system is a society destined to doom,” Dalong said.

“Of course, in this society of ours the reward system was consigned to materialism. You are not recognizing because of your consistent, you are not recognized because of your talent, you’re not recognize because of your skills but you’re recognize by the size of your pocket. Indeed, that has contributed immensely in destroying the progress of the country. And here stands the viability of the vision of organizers of this award, which we are all gathered here to recognize excellence.

“We are here to recognize the talents, the contribution, the skills and performances of our sportsmen and women who have distinguished themselves in this country and make Nigeria proud. This was made possible with the organizers of this award, which is commendable. Sports we all know is one of the basic instruments that can unify not only the country but also the whole world,” he stated.

The FIBA 2015 MVP Chamberlain Oguchi emerged Ball Sportsperson of the Year, for helping National Basketball team, D’ Tigers won the just concluded FIBA Africa tournament. He defeated Aruna Quadri and Olumide Oyedeji.

Are Feyisetan, Nigerian Powerlifting Coach, beat off a stiff competition from the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voight and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed to be crowned the Coach of the Year category.

Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline) was handed the Discovery of the Year award at the expense of Awoniyi Taiwo (Footballer) and Amusan Tobiloba.

In the football category, Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa was named the Footballer of the Year (Men) ahead of Odion Ighalo, and the Sunshine Stars striker, Tunji Adeniji while Ngozi Okobi dethrone Asisat Oshoala to emerge the Footballer of the Year (Women) category.

World record breakers at the just concluded All African Games, Yakubu Adesokan went home with double awards of the Special Sport Person of the Year and the Sports Man of the Year.Loveline Obiji humbles Balqis Otunla and Lovina Onyegbule to emerge the Sports Woman of the year.

The Director General (DG) of the National Sports Commission, Yakmut Al-Hassan was named the Sports Administrators of the Year category ahead of the President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali.

Sportsman of the Year, Yakubu Adesokan, Honourable Minister for Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalong, Sportswoman of the Year, Loveline Obiji , the Director General, National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut at the 2015 edition of the Nigerian Sports Award held yesterday in Lagos

For the School Sports Award, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo state emerged the winner while Nigerian Men Basketball Award team, D’Tigers, was named the Team of the Year category.

Tosin Oke (Triple Jump), a gold medalist at the just concluded All African Games overpower Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline) and Uke Claire (Discuss), for the Track and Field Star of the year while Balqis Otunla conquered Mariam Usman for the weightlifter of the Year award.

For the Sport Journalist of the Year (Print) category, Tana Aiyejina of The Punch Newspaper retained the award after he triumph over Oludare Shina of Goal.com, Johnny Edwards Complete Sports and Kayode Ogundare i-Soccer while Ganiyu Yusuf of the Complete Sport was named the Photo Journalist of the year ahead of Bola Omilabu of the Nation/ SportingLife Newspaper, John Ebota of The Nation, Segun Ogunfeyintimi and Akeem Salawu of The Vanguard Newspaper for.

The Radio Sport Journalist of the Year went to Chinasa Ibonye, City FM after a competition from last year winner Godwin Enakhena, Top Radio, Murphy Djemba of Brila FM, and Udeme George, Love FM, Abuja while Austin Okon-Akpan of Channels TV emerged Sport Journalist of the Year (Television) after surmounting pressure from Miyen Akiri of Galaxy TV, and Moses Praiz of Supersports.

The Special recognition award category goes to the President of the Nigerian Boxing Federation, Major General Kenneth Minimah and the 2015 World Scrabble Champion, Wellington Jighere.

Dalong, Yakmut, Others Confirms for 2015 Nigerian Sports Award…As Supersports Beams Event Live

The newly appointed Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalong and the Director General, National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut are among dignitaries that have confirmed to grace the 2015 edition of the Nigerian Sports Award slated for this Friday, November 20, 2015.

The spokesman for the award and the Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr. Kayode Idowu, disclosed this immediately after the final meeting of the panel held on Tuesday November 17, 2015 in Lagos.

Nigeria Sports Awards

“I am very proud to announce to you that the new Minister of Youth & Sports Barrister Solomon Dalong and the Director General of the National Sports Commission have confirmed to be at the event on Friday” he said.

Idowu noted that the organizers and the award panel are very excited that the Honourable Minister has chosen the 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event as his first major official event.

He also revealed that several other dignitaries including State Governors, Commissioners, Captains of Industries, past and present athletes as well as Nigerian top celebrities have confirmed to attend the event.

Director General of the NSC, Alhassan Yakmut

Meanwhile, Idowu also hinted that the leading Sports TV Channel- Supersport is set to cover and broadcast the event live for two hours on Supersports 9 with several repeat broadcast.

The 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event is schedule to hold on Friday, November 20, 2015 at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel, Lagos.

Sports Minister praises victorious Eaglets

Newly appointed Minister of Youth & Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalong on Wednesday night, in what was his first official assignment after taking the oath of office earlier in the day, gave kudos to the Golden Eaglets for winning a record fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup at Chile 2015.

Speaking at reception organized by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports led by DG Sports, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut for the Golden Eaglets and the Scrabble World Cup-winning team at the Transcorp Hiton Hotel in Abuja, Dalong said Nigerians were happy with the Eaglets for representing the country with pride in Chile. He equally challenged administrators to be alive to their responsibilities in order to change the face of the sport sector of the economy.

“The performance of the Golden Eaglets at the World Cup has shown that success has so many fathers,” said Dalong.” If they had lost, Nigerians would have not have welcomed with love. But their victory has once again shown that sport is a universal tool for our unity because the players were picked from different places but they were united as one in Chile.

“We want to thank them and their officials for making us proud with their performance,” he stated, advising administrators to find a lasting solution to all manner of malaise, including internal wrangling, which has endangered the growth of sports in the country over the years.

NFF 1st Vice President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, wished the new Minister a successful tenure in office even as he reiterated the federation’s commitment to a sustainable football culture with systematic approach towards its development.

“Though many people did not give these boys a chance when they were traveling out of the country, the NFF knew they have the capacity,” noted Akinwunmi. “In truth, the victory of the team is a continuation of Nigerian football’s rich culture at the U-17 level but we are developing a systematic approach so that we can nurture them for the future.”

He affirmed the desire of the NFF at ensuring transition of players from one level to the other hence it’s decision to re-confirm Coach Amuneke as Eaglets’ Head Coach with additional responsibility of assisting coach Manu Garba at the U-20 level.

Also in attendance at the event were a host of top administrators from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the NFF including 2nd Vice President Mallam Shehu Dikko; Alhaji Ahmad Kawu; Alhaji Ahmed Fresh; Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande; Chief Felix Anyansi and; General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

Coach Amuneke gave the vote of thanks, calling on both Muslim and Christian sports administrators in the country to embrace God in other to discharge their duties without fear or favour and to treat equally every Nigerian irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.

Heroic reception for Golden Eaglets

A reception worthy of heroes was accorded players and officials of the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, as they returned to the country on Wednesday following a successful campaign at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

The Coach Emmanuel Amuneke –led squad touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard Emirates Airline flight EK 785 from Dubai. The team had stayed the night in Dubai on Tuesday after flying from Santiago the previous day.

On hand to receive the victorious boys and their officials were DG, Sports of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mallam Alhassan Saleh Yakmut, NFF 1st Vice President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF 2nd Vice President, Mr. Shehu Dikko, directors of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, NFF Board members Otunba Sunday Dele-Ajayi, Alh. Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande and Alh. Ahmad Kawu, and NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

“The entire nation is proud of you. You have done a great thing to bring honour to this country, and Mr. President is very delighted. I also wish to convey to you the joy of the new Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports,” said Mallam Yakmut.

A cultural troupe entertained just outside the arrival hall and made it possible for several airport officials, travelers and fans to take photographs with the players and officials, as Captain Kelechi Nwakali held the glittering trophy aloft all the way.

Thereafter, players and officials were driven round some areas of the Federal Capital Territory in a motorcade before the convoy arrived at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The new Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalong, later had dinner with the players at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The Golden Eaglets will be decamped on Thursday, to reconvene for a presidential reception at a later date.