Ekiti FA Launches Website Today

 

Ekiti State Football Association has scored another major point in its unflinching quests to develop football in the state, as it launch its official football portal, Sunday, November, 1st, 2020.

The official website domain which is www.ekitifootball.org,  is expected to be a channel for the public to get relevant information including news releases, competition schedules and related news from the State FA. 

Speaking with journalists on the epochal event, the obviously elated Chairman of the Ekiti State Football Association, Bayo Olanlege, explained that the website is one of the several projects of the state FA, aimed at further developing football in the state. He enthused that it would also provide better exposure to activities at the grassroots, especially from the football councils in each local government area.

Olanlege stressed that the website will, among other things, help the association with improved visibility on the domestic and international front as well as open up new vitsa for the marketing and  promotion of football activities in the State. He added that this development would further improve the credibility, efficiency and coverage of the association's activities. 

Olanlege renowned for his astuteness and resourcefulness, reiterated that football players are the primary assets of football institutions, would be forward, registered with the FA at various levels for adequate monitoring in real-time.

The Biodata of all members of the affiliates of the state FA, would also be collated and kept using this digital medium. Much more,

information about football coaches, referees, as well as staff of affiliated football outfits shall be included in this new development, he revealed.

LMC Certifies 13 Stadia for 2020/21 NPFL Season Games

 

* Lists 11 others for upgrade/repairs

Ahead the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, and as part of the broader club licensing regime, 13 stadiums across the country have been certified by the League Management Company (LMC) to have met minimum requirements to host games. Another 11 were recommended for varying degrees of upgrade and repair works before they can be certified.

This was communicated to the clubs in a memo which the LMC sent out on Friday, October 30.

The memo read in part, "in line with the CAF Circular of July 26, 2020 on stadium infrastructure among others, which was forwarded to you and the need to meet up with the requirements of high quality television production by our new partners, the LMC has reviewed various reports submitted on the state of our stadia across the country".

It explained that the inspected stadiums have been categorised into two- A and B with Category A representing those that have been approved to host NPFL matches for the season having met the minimum requirements while Category B includes those requiring upgrades. "We have made notes on the areas/repairs needed to be done before recertification", the memo stated.

The 13 approved grounds include Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba and Okigwe Township Stadium.

Others that met the requirements are Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, Gombe Township Stadium, Pantami, Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina and Ilorin Township Stadium.

Listed for upgrade and repair works are 11 stadiums but with Umuahia Township Stadium and Dutse Township Stadium recommended for complete remodeling and reconstruction.

The rest were listed as requiring repairs varying from relaying of new synthetic grass, regressing, provision of floodlights, television camera platforms and upgrade of changing rooms as well as provision of additional exit and entry gates among others basic requirements.

They are Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, Agege Stadium, Akure Township Stadium, Warri Township Stadium, New Jos Township Stadium and Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The rest are Lafia Township Stadium, IfeanyiUbah Stadium, Nnewi and Fufure Stadium, Yola which will be inspected for certification after construction work has been completed.

Clubs whose preferred grounds have been recommended for upgrade would have to choose from any of the certified grounds should they be unable to complete the upgrade before the start of the season.

Gov Makinde Committed to Your Cause Fakorede Tells 3SC Players

 

The Engineer Seyi Makinde led Oyo State Government will not relent in ensuring that the players and officials of Shooting States Sports Club (3SC) lack nothing in terms of welfare packages.

Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in the pacesetter state, Asiwaju Seun Fakorede, disclosed, while addressing the team after Thursday's training.

The youthful commissioner, who made a surprise visit to the team's training ground, to ascertain the level of preparedness and ultimately to lift the spirit of the boys ahead of the commencement of the season, assured them of improved welfare packages.

In his address, Asiwaju Fakorede, recalled the unfortunate cancelation of last season, in which the Coast was becoming clearer for the Oluyole Warriors to gain promotion to the elite league, until the stoppage and eventually cancelation of the league, no thanks to the outbreak of Covic-19 pandemic.

"We are all sad with what happened last season. If not for what happened, we will not be where we are, by now we would have been in the elite league.

"Be that as it may, I am happy to see that we have all put that at the back of our minds and we are now focused towards achieving that goal in the incoming season.

"I want to assure you that His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde is still hundred percent behind you and he is not leaving anything unturned to give you everything you need to get the desired promotion ticket," 

"We are putting up goodies that will make this set of players the most catered for in the history of the club and I am very glad you are among," the commissioner stated.

The commissioner also welcome the eight newly recruited players who were introduced to him by the General Manager of the club Rasheed Balogun, into the 3SC fold.

While praising the management and the technical crew for their commitment, Asiwaju Fakorede urged the players and the entire team to remain resolute in their resolve to grab promotion ticket to the NPFL at the end of the season.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, , the skipper of the Ibadan soccer lords, Omololu Waheed, appreciated the commissioner for taking time out of his tight schedule, to visit the team, just as he expressed appreciation to governor Makinde for his commitment to the wellbeing of the players.

"Please help us to deliver this message to His Excellency, that he should put his mind his mind at rest, we are going to deliver the promotion ticket to him at the end of this season," said the 3SC captain.

3SC Media

Okanlawon, Tembe, Orelope Rejoin 3SC As Warriors Drop Uweru, Six Others

 

Former Nigeria U-17 World Cup winning goalkeper Laide Okanlawon (MON), the duo of goalkeeper Charles Tembe and midfielder Tope Orelope, have rejoined Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.

The trio tops the list of eight players recruited by the Ibadan soccer lords to bolster their squad ahead of the 2020/21 season of the Nigeria National League (NNL).

The three players are making a return to the Oluyole Warriors, having previously featured for the team some seasons ago.

Other newly signed players are Ferinyaro Lanre, a defender, Hyacinth Nwankegwu (striker),  Stanley Worlu (midfielder),Taofeek Malomo (midfielder) and Adeyemi Abubakre,  a striker.

Meanwhile, the club has dropped seven players from the squad that prosecuted last season's hostilities.

The players dropped are goalkeepers Michael Uweru and Timilehin Adeyoriju, defenders Taiwo Shittu, Adeleke Kazeem and Amana Emmanuel as well as forwards Sanni Nurudeen and Rasheed Kolawole Olaniran.

The newly recruited players, according to the club's management, would be officially unveilled before the commencement of the season.

3SC Media 

Ogunjobi Gold Cup Gets New Kick Off Date, November 11

Organizers of the Ogunjobi Gold Cup have informed that it's pre-season tourney will now kick off on Wednesday November 11 through Friday November 20, 2020 after the Kwara State Government relaxed the 24-hours curfew declared in Ilorin Metropolis.

The nation's prestigious tourney which was scheduled to kick off on Thursday October 29, at the Kwara State Sports Complex, Ilorin was moved owing to the spate of violence and criminality which trailed the End SARS protests in the state capital.

Last Friday, some public facilities were looted by hoodlums and residents of Ilorin, carting away foodstuffs and other essential materials meant for distribution to victims of the recent flood and rainstorm disasters in the State.

General Coordinator of the Ogunjobi Gold Cup, Tunde Shamsudeen made the new date known on Monday.

"We are glad the Ilorin Metropolis is now calm, as we thank the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for relaxing the 24 hours curfew after he held a security council meeting with heads of the security agencies in the state.

"The November 11 new kickoff date was chosen after due consultations with the Executive Board of Kwara State Football Association led by Malam Idris Musa Abdullahi (Thuraya), Secretary Club Owners Association of Nigeria, Secretary, Alloy Chukwuemeka and other football stakeholders in the state.

"Though movement within the metropolis by residents is from between 8 a.m. and 6p.m. daily, which means we can hold all our matches.

"A correspondence have also been sent to the participating teams on the new developments and their response has been overwhelming, so we're good to go.

"We also want to remind Ilorin fans that the protocols set by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to curb the spread of the novel virus pandemic, COVID-19 is still much in place, so no fan would be allowed into the Kwara State Sports Complex Main Bowl during the 10-day football fiesta.

"We also appeal to adherent followers of the Ogunjobi Gold Cup both in Ilorin and outside the shores of Nigeria to remain calm as all matches on the pre-season tournament will be streamed live. Listeners can also follow live analyses and comments by login on to SportsFlames Radio online."

CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup sides, Enyimba and Kano Pillars with defending champions, Niger Tornadoes, Lobi Stars, Kwara United, Remo Stars, ABS FC, FC Ebedei, debutants Ekiti United and Sokoto United will be using the 10-day football showpiece to prepare their players for the new Nigeria football season.