FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Falconets Depart For Poland, Promise To Make Nigeria Proud

 

Nigeria’s U20 Women’s National Team, the Falconets, have concluded their final camping and preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, with the team scheduled to depart Nigeria for Poland on the night of Monday, 24th August 2026.

The two-time World Cup silver medallists secured their place at the global tournament following a successful qualifying campaign against Rwanda, Senegal and Malawi. They defeated Rwanda 5–0 on aggregate, overcame Senegal 3–1 on aggregate, and sealed their World Cup ticket against Malawi with a 3–2 aggregate victory.

Following their qualification, the team embarked on an intensive final phase of preparation in Abuja, with emphasis on physical fitness, tactical discipline, teamwork and mental readiness.

Head Coach Moses Aduku expressed confidence in the squad, saying the players have been adequately prepared both physically and mentally and are ready to compete at the highest level. He added that the Falconets are heading to Poland with a strong winning mentality and the ambition of challenging for the trophy.

Captain Joy Igbokwe also assured Nigerians of the team’s determination to make the country proud. She appealed to Nigerians to continue believing in, praying for and supporting the team, saying the Falconets are determined to bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians.

The Falconets will compete in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia at the tournament.

Nigeria, runners-up of the 2010 and 2014 editions of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, will be seeking to go a step further in Poland and win the country’s first title in the competition.

The team will stay at the Hotel Trzebnica in the city of Trzebnica from their arrival on Tuesday, 25th August until Thursday, 3rd September, when they will move into the FIFA hotel. While at the Hotel Trzebnica, the Falconets will perfect their tactical and technical readiness for the championship, and also acclimatize ahead of their Group F games against Spain (7th September), China (10th September) and New Caledonia (13th September).

A total of 21 players will fly Nigeria’s flag at the competition, with Nigeria the only African country to have appeared at every edition of the competition since it was launched as an U19 tournament in Canada 24 years ago.

FALCONETS FOR FIFA U20 WORLD CUP POLAND 2026

Christiana Uzoma, Jane Ijirigho, Ramotalahi Kareem, Queen Joseph, Favour Nkwocha, Rebecca Adegbemile, Joy Igbokwe, Faridat Abdulwahab, Precious Oscar, Tumininu Adeshina, Bright Etim, Onyedikachi Ekezie, Victory Lucky, Mary Mamudu, Hannah Ibrahm, Tosin Rafiu, Janet Akekoromowei, Amber Ogbolu, Winner David, Chisom Nwachukwu, Jumai Adebayo

Osun Govt Names Egbedun, Yemi Lawal, Akinleye In 10-Member Committee To Administer ₦500m Victims Fund

 

Governor Ademola Adeleke has constituted a Committee on Election Violence Victims to verify claims of persons affected by election-related violence and oversee the disbursement of the ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Relief Endowment Fund provided by the State Government.

The committee, which is chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, is expected to undertake a transparent and credible verification process to establish genuine claims and ensure that relief reaches deserving victims.

The membership of the committee is as follows:

1. Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun — Chairman

2. Mrs Eniola Omotoso — Member

3. Mr Emmanuel Ologun — Representative of Civil Society Organisations, Member

4. Alhaja Balkiss Akinleye — Member

5. Nominee of the Nigeria Police Force — Member

6. Alhaji Moshood Suleiman (Ministry of Information) — Member

7. Moses Faremi Esq (Ministry of Justice) - Member

8. . Nominee of the Department of State Services (DSS) — Member

9. Hon. Yemi Lawal — Member

10. Mr Sola Sonibare, Executive Secretary, Osun Investment Promotion Agency — Secretary

The committee is mandated to receive and verify petitions, claims and supporting evidence submitted by victims; determine the eligibility of claimants; and recommend appropriate relief to verified victims in accordance with the guidelines approved by the State Government.

The State Government said the initiative underscores Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke's commitment to supporting citizens who suffered losses, injuries, displacement or other forms of hardship as a result of election-related violence.

The Government therefore enjoined all affected persons with genuine claims to cooperate with the committee by providing accurate information and relevant evidence necessary for the verification process.

The committee is expected to ensure that the ₦500 million relief fund is administered transparently, fairly and strictly for the benefit of verified victims.

Osun SWAN To Dokkal Khairu: Stakeholders Must Rally Team For Promotion Push In Conference B

 

Osun SWAN To Dokkal Khairu: Stakeholders Must Rally Team For Promotion Push In Conference B

The Osun State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, under the chairmanship of Com. Timothy Agbor, has urged newly promoted _Dokkal Khairu FC_ to brace up for the challenges ahead in the 2026/2027 Nigeria National League season. The association said the club must match its ambition with proper preparation.

The Nigeria National League, NNL, has released the proposed groupings for the 2026/2027 league season ahead of kickoff. 34 clubs have been divided into four conferences. Conferences A and B will have nine clubs each, while Conferences C and D will feature eight clubs each.

Osun State will be represented in Conference B by _Dokkal Khairu FC_, and SWAN says the club must justify the huge investment of its owner, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed. In a statement signed by Chairman Com. Timothy Agbor, Osun SWAN urged the management to recruit quality players that can compete with established sides in the group.

“We are not in doubt of the owner’s commitment, but spending alone is not enough. Dokkal Khairu FC must assemble a squad with the right blend of youth and experience to justify the owner’s investment and make Osun proud,” Agbor stated. He added that the team should avoid being mere participants and instead target promotion.

Speaking after the NNL AGM in Owerri, the President of Dokkal Khairu FC, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, said the team is fully prepared. “We are not in the NNL to make up the numbers. Dokkal Khairu FC will represent Osun State with pride and we are ready to compete for promotion to the NPFL,” Alhaji Mohammed stated.

Osun SWAN further called on stakeholders, government, fans and corporate bodies in the state to rally round Dokkal Khairu FC in its debut season. With powerhouses like Akwa United FC, Bayelsa United FC and Beyond Limits FA also in Conference B, the association noted that unity and support will be key if the Osun flagbearers are to secure a playoff spot and push for promotion.

NSC Celebrates Historic Olympic Qualification of Nigeria Women’s Beach Volleyball Team

 

NSC Celebrates Historic Olympic Qualification of Nigeria Women’s Beach Volleyball Team

_Nigeria secures Africa’s sole ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games_

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has announced that Nigeria’s Women’s Beach Volleyball team will be immediately integrated into the training grant programme of the Elite and Podium Board following their historic qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Hon. Olopade made this known while congratulating the team for securing Africa’s sole qualification ticket to the 2028 Olympic Games after a dominant performance at the African Beach Volleyball Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.

Esther Onyinye Mbah and Pamela Miyoum Bawa made history by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the final to claim the continental title and book Nigeria’s place at the Olympic Games.

The qualification represents another major milestone for Nigerian sports and, according to Hon. Olopade, further demonstrates the impact of the country’s growing sports ecosystem and the ongoing reforms aimed at ensuring that every sport has the opportunity to thrive and compete at the highest level.

“On behalf of the Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, I want to commend the progressive impact the board of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation has been making, both with the domestic league and the national teams,” Hon. Olopade said.

“The Nigeria Women’s Beach Volleyball team has been making giant strides in recent times, and the NSC is determined to ensure the team receives the highest level of high-performance preparation ahead of the Olympic Games.”

“This is why we are immediately integrating the team into our Elite and Podium Board programme so that the players can begin to benefit from the athletes’ training grants that we instituted last year.”

The Nigerian pair produced an impressive run through the championship, overcoming host Egypt in the Round of 16 before defeating Morocco twice, first in the quarterfinals and again in the final, to emerge African champions.

The achievement marks Nigeria’s return to the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition and provides the team with a significant runway to prepare for Los Angeles 2028 under the support structure of the National Sports Commission’s high-performance programme.

The NSC said the immediate integration of the athletes into the Elite and Podium Board training grant programme is part of its commitment to identifying, supporting and rewarding athletes and teams demonstrating the potential to deliver success for Nigeria on the global stage.

K-RAD DAZZLES UNILORIN WITH ‘FROM BENEFICIARIES TO BENEFACTORS’ LECTURE, OUTLINES 10-LGA AGENDA FOR OSUN CENTRAL

 

Legal luminary and APC Senatorial Candidate for Osun Central, Kunle Adegoke SAN, popularly known as K-Rad, dazzled a packed auditorium at the University of Ilorin on Monday with a thought-provoking lecture titled ‘From Beneficiaries to Benefactors: Gratitude, Stewardship, and the Legacy of Impact’. The event, held in honour of Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, brought together academics, students, legal practitioners and political stakeholders to reflect on leadership, service and nation building.

Delivering the lecture, Adegoke challenged Nigerians to move beyond a culture of entitlement and consumption. Drawing from personal experience and public service history, he defined a beneficiary as one who receives help, opportunity or grace, while a benefactor is one who turns those benefits into institutions, opportunities and legacies for others. “The world doesn’t need more beneficiaries. Those are in surplus. The world is waiting on you to become a benefactor,” he told the audience, citing scriptural, economic and legacy reasons for giving back.

The Senior Advocate hinged his philosophy on good leadership structures built on three pillars: institutional discipline, accountability, and human capital development. Using the examples of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Professor Oloyede, K-Rad argued that true leaders build systems that outlive them. He noted that his own political journey was made possible by free education structures of the past, and that the same mindset must now drive public office holders to invest in structures rather than handouts.

Adegoke outlined the three stages of transformation every leader and citizen must pass through: The Beneficiary Season, where gratitude and learning dominate; The Transition Season, tested by forgetfulness and scarcity; and The Benefactor Season, where one begins to create tables for others to eat. He urged youths, professionals and political actors in Osun to embrace mentorship, opportunity sharing and structured philanthropy as tools for development.

Speaking directly to his senatorial ambition, K-Rad said the 10 local governments that make up Osun Central will be the primary beneficiaries of his structured representation if voted to power. He promised that his approach would be driven by data, partnerships and legislation focused on SME growth, education, agriculture and youth enterprise across all 10 councils.

According to him, each LGA carries unique potential that must be harnessed through deliberate policy. Osogbo and Olorunda will be positioned as hubs for commerce and digital skills; Irepodun, Ifedayo, Orolu and Ifelodun for agro-processing; while Boripe, Boluwaduro, Ila and Odootin will be developed around tourism, solid minerals and grassroots entrepreneurship. “We will move from erratic handouts to structured empowerment, from consuming to creating,” he said, adding that constituency projects under his watch would be tracked and aligned with community needs.

The lecture ended with a standing ovation as students and dignitaries commended K-Rad for offering both intellectual depth and a practical roadmap. He closed by charging the Unilorin community to answer three questions: Who are you a beneficiary to? Who will you be a benefactor to in the next 30 days? What skill or resource can you give? “When we move from beneficiaries to benefactors, Osun Central will not just survive. It will lead,” Adegoke concluded.