naptu2: The Super Falcons also staged a sit-in protest after the African Women's Championship in South Africa in 2004. They refused to leave their hotel until they were paid.
Consequently they missed their flight to Nigeria and became stranded. President Olusegun Obasanjo had to send the presidential jet to pick them up.
Agony of ex-Super Falcons coach, Godwin Izilien 12 years after Nations Cup triumph in South Africa
By Gowon Akpodonor | 30 December 2016 | 2:04 am
In 2004, Coach Godwin Izilein led the Super Falcons to win the African Nations Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was the fourth AWC title for Nigeria.
Twelve years down the line, the coach, now 74 years old, and the rest of his coaching crew are still being owed salary arrears of over $28,750, out of which, $12,000 of the amount belongs to Izilien.
As in the case of the Coach Florence Omagbemi-led Super Falcons squad that won the recently concluded 2016 African Women’s Nations cup in Cameroun, the team to the 2004 AWC in Jo’burg was not given any chance by the then NFA board led by Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima before their departure for that championship.
With determination, however, Izilien and his players fought and won the battle, beating the Lionesses of Cameroun 5-0 in the final with Perpetua Nkwocha (now an assistant coach of the team) accounting for four goals plus a late strike from pocket dynamite, Vera Okolo.
Millions of football-loving Nigerians back home celebrated the victory late into the night, but unknown to them, Coach Izilien, members of his coaching crew and the players were being subjected to derision in far away Johannesburg.
Sensing another round foul play when the Galadima-led NFA defaulted in paying all entitlements after the competition, the girls protested by refusing to leave their hotel rooms the next morning for the airport, insisting on getting their camp allowances and winning bonuses.
“The team was abandoned by the Federal Government delegation, but as a coach and father to the players at that point in time, I had to stay back with them until the Nigeria Consulate intervened by paying the players’ entitlements,” Izilien recalled in a chat with The Guardian yesterday. “I took the pain to stay back with them because abandoning the girls at that point would be seen as unprofessional. But I was pleading with them to end the protest since we were in another country, but they refused.
“So many Nigerians who did not even know what transpired between me and the players in Johannesburg started to spread rumour back home that I instigated the players to embark on the protest. Some ‘bad belle’ people even went as far as saying that they saw us displaying Biafran flag while protesting on the streets of Johannesburg. I am an Edo man, and I have not seen a Biafran flag in my entire life. All the rumour were meant to spoil the mind of then President Olusegun Obasanjo and members of the Federal Executive Council,” he said.
Speaking further, Izilien, who also led the National U-17 team, Golden Eagles, to the African Championship in The Gambia in 1995 said: “Some of the Super Falcons players I took to South Africa in 2004 were relatively young. I discovered them during school competitions, and it is only fair that government should have appreciated my efforts. I am only using this medium to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President, Prof. Yomi Osibanjo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, members of the Senate Committee on Sports, House of Representatives and indeed all well meaning Nigerians to come to my rescue. It hurts me on daily basis whenever I remember the sacrifices I made for the country, and how I have been neglected in return. The players got their money, so why should I continue to suffer? Many governments have come and gone, but I will be very grateful to the Buhari administration if he could pay us the equivalent of that money. It is a way of rewarding excellence and fulfilling Federal Government’s promises.
“I have written several letters to concerned authorities without a single reply; I am suffering after being neglected by the football authority. To think that I agreed to handle the female national team at a time of crisis without asking for extra remuneration, and to be treated in this manner is not encouraging for the growth of the game. I did it out of patriotism for fatherland.
“We were promised payments on arrival in Nigeria after the championship, but till date nobody has said anything about that money,” Coach Izilien added.
As Nigeria gear up for their first game of the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament against Senegal on Thursday (today), D’Tigress forward Lauren Ebo is confident that the team’s preparation would be enough to lead them to success, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The FIBA Olympics qualifying tournament holds from today to February 11 in Antwerp, Belgium with 16 teams competing for 12 places at this summer’s Paris Olympics.
D’Tigress qualified automatically for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament as winners of the 2023 Women’s Afrobasket in Rwanda.
The draws, which took place October 5, 2023 in Hungary, had the African champions drawn in Tournament 2 in the four-tournament qualifiers in Belgium.
D’Tigress are seeded in Pot 3 due to their 11th ranked position in the world and would hope to join the United States, who have already qualified, as the World Cup winners.
Speaking ahead of today’s game against fellow Africans Senegal, Ebo is hopeful of D’Tigress qualification for the Games.
“We are facing some formidable opponents on our journey to the Olympics, I am confident that our dedicated preparation will lead us to success, allowing us to once again make our country proud,” the 23-year-old said
Ahead of the Olympic Games Qualifying tournament, FIBA on Wednesday unveiled the final list of D’Tigress with Nkem Akaraiwe rom Customs and Donanu Regina of MFM, both from the Nigerian Women’s Basketball League, and Abiola Olatoyosi (Ex Arkansas, USA) the three missing from the original 15-woman list.
After their first game against Senegal, Rena Wakama’s women will then face the United States the following day. Their last group game is against Belgium on Sunday.
The race will begin outside the National Stadium, Surulere.
From there runners will go down Western Avenue ➡️ Ikorodu Road to Ojota ➡️ Lagos-Ibadan Expressway ➡️ Third Mainland Bridge ➡️ Osborne Road ➡️ Bourdillon Road ➡️ Alexander Avenue ➡️ Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge ➡️ Admiralty Way ➡️ Freedom Way ➡️ Lekki-Epe Expressway ➡️ Ozumba Mbadiwe Road ➡️ Ahmadu Bello Way.
In another story: Nasara James Dabo, a 14-year-old student of SS1, holds the record for memorizing 673 Binary Digits in eight minutes and has a Mensa High IQ of 15. She has been awarded a scholarship by the administration ambition of becoming a medical doctor.
Kaduna Update: Nasara James Dabo, a 14-year-old SS1 student, has set a remarkable achievement by memorizing 673 Binary Digits in eight minutes. With a Mensa High IQ of 15, she has been granted a scholarship by Governor Uba Sani's administration to pursue a career as a medical doctor.
Gov. @UbaSaniUS’s decision to award a scholarship to Abuhurairah Mahadi, the celebrated best-graduating student from Ahmadu Bello University, for further studies at Harvard University will inspire and motivate others to strive for excellence, knowing that their efforts will be recognized and rewarded.
Today, I received our son and daughter, Abu-Hurairah Mahadi and Nasara James Dabo who excelled in their academics. Abu-Hurairah Mahadi emerged best graduating student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with a CGPA of 4.95 and Nasara James Dabo, a 14-year old student who holds the record for memorizing 673 Binary Digits in 8 minutes.
I commended the two brilliant students for their exceptional performances and urged them not to rest on their oars in order to serve as role models to other students in Kaduna State, Nigeria and the world at large. To encourage them and inspire other students to strive towards excellence, the Kaduna State Government has awarded a full scholarship to Abu-Hurairah Mahadi to go for his Master’s Degree in one of the best universities in the world, after which he will be appointed as a Special Assistant in my office. Nasara James Dabo will also be awarded a scholarship to realize her ambition of becoming a medical doctor like our Deputy Governor, Her Excellency, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.
Senator Uba Sani, Governor, Kaduna State. February 5th, 2024.
LAGOS TASKFORCE APPREHENDS NOTORIOUS HIGHWAY GANG TARGETING TRUCK DRIVERS
The Lagos State Taskforce today in a significant operation led by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, successfully apprehended 51 notorious members of a highway gang known for harassing truck drivers along the Apapa/ Oshodi and Lagos/Badagry Expressway.
This set of individuals have been identified for their brazen tactics, coercing truck drivers to part with money under the pretext of working for the defunct Lagos State Parks and Garages Agency.
Operating with impunity, the gang has subjected many drivers to physical harm and acts of bestiality when they resist extortion attempts. “We have been on the trail of this gang for a while after receiving several complaints from road users who ply this corridor. We even heard of Instances of drivers who refused to comply and later faced violent threats, including the removal of essential truck components such as batteries and mirrors right on the expressway”. Jejeloye stated.
The Chairman expressed disgust at the manner in which these set of miscreants wreak unnecessary havoc on the Highways in the name of Parks and Garages despite the official pronouncement on the ban on the activities of the Agency late last year.
“The guts to perform these acts are quite baffling. They threaten their victims at day time and night with no regard for existing law and order in the State. Unfortunately we have come to put an end to this jungle justice and they will no longer be allowed to operate anywhere in the State.”
One of the victims, Victor Aiyegbosi, a truck driver with one of the transport companies who was at their mercy recently described them as inhumane in their dealings. He disclosed that they damage their trucks by ripping off cables and shattering the windows and mirrors just to have their way. “The Taskforce assisting us here is the best thing that has happened to us this year so far” he stated.
Jejeloye revealed that the 51 apprehended suspects have been charged to court where 8 out of them pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 7 months imprisonment with an option of 65,000 Naira fine. The remaining 43 pleaded not guilty and their hearing adjourned till the 1st of March 2024.
CSP Jejeloye issues a stern warning to others engaged in acts of impersonation and extortion, urging them to desist forthwith or risk being prosecuted. The Lagos State Government remains committed to ensuring the safety and efficiency of transportation networks within the State as enshrined in the THEMES PLUS agenda of the present administration.
Gbadeyan Abdulraheem Director, Press & Public Affairs Lagos State Taskforce
Sports › Re: Nigeria Female National Teams' Thread by naptu2: 9:01am On Feb 08, 2024
