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Friday, 9 October, 2015 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060
Kwara Utd calls off strike KWARA United has agreed to resume training after a meeting with the permanent Secretary of the Kwara State sports ministry, Rhoda Ajiboye, and the club’s general manager Haruna Ilerika. ‘The Afonja Warriors’ commenced a pay strike on Wednesday evening as they boycotted a friendly match
Baptist Church holds tennis tourney in Lagos ARRANGEMENTS have been concluded by members of the Men Missionary Union (MMU) of the First Baptist Church (Miracle Centre), Abule-Egba to organise a table tennis championship to mark the 2015 Royal Ambassadors’ Week of the church. According to a statement by the organisers, the competition which holds from Saturday October 10 to 11 will be in four categories namely; 10-14 years, 15-20, 20-40 years and 41 years and above will be competed for among members of the group, youths and adults of the church. It stated that prizes will be given to the first, second and joint third winners in the tournament. The Church Pastor, Reverend Paul Kayode Abodunde described the competition as the first of its kind in the history of Baptist Church in Nigeria.
against Moonluck Academy. An influential player of the team told AfricanFootball.com that they agreed to suspend the strike after a meeting with the club’s GM and permanent secretary in the sports ministry on Wednesday evening where the top government official promised they will be paid on Friday (today). “We have suspended our strike and have resumed training after we had a meeting on Wednesday night with the GM and Perm Sec and she promised we will get three months’ salary on Friday,” the player informed. “It’s just 10 players who attended the meeting, we actually commenced the strike because we did not go to play a friendly match against Moonluck Academy, that was when we were called to the meeting.
Kelechi Nwakali (left) with another member of the Golden Eaglets which won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
2013 Eaglets beg Cross River to redeem house gifts
F
ORMER coach of Nigeria’s U-17 team, Manu Garba has again pleaded with the Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, to redeem the houses promised the team after they won the 2013 FIFA World Cup. Manu said it was about time
Cross River State fulfilled the pledge made to the players and officials by the immediate past governor of the state, Liyel Imoke, after they won a historic fourth U-17 World Cup title for Nigeria in the UAE. “It is two years since we won the World Cup in the UAE, but unfor-
Nwabuoku upset by Barca draw SUPER Falcons captain, Evelyn Nwabuoku is upset with KII Kazygurt draw against FC Barcelona in Wednesday’s first leg, round of 32 UEFA Women’s Champions’ League game at BIIK Stadium, Shymkent. Barca defender, Ruth Garcia scored first for the Cules in the 52nd minute, but the Kazakhs roared back and levelled matters through a smart finish by Norwegian midfielder, LisaMarie Woods. Nwabuoku is however adamant that Barca were there for the taking and blames “fear” for Kazygurt’s failure to emerge victorious from the contest. “I am not happy because this is a game we would have won easily. We played with too much fear especially in the first half. “Maybe most of my teammates felt they were playing against Lionel Messi and it affected our game,” a flustered Nwabuoku told supersport. com. The second leg holds at Mini Estadi, Barcelona on October 14 and Nwabuoku reckons it will be a game on completely different terms. “We know them better now and I am sure our girls will no longer be intimidated because
they are a side we can beat. “It’s still a tie that can see any of the two sides progress, but we will go there with the aim of beating them in their own stadium,” she said.
Evelyn Nwabuoku (right) takes on a Swedish opponent at the recently-held FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
The former Rivers Angels star disclosed that she received assistance from her teammate and compatriot, Charity Adule who was also in action for Kazygurt on Wednesday.
tunately we are yet to get the house gifts promised to all the players and officials by the Cross River State government,” said Garba. “All the 21 players and 10 officials who won the FIFA U17 World Cup in UAE have been calling me frequently asking questions on when we are going to get the houses promised us by our amiable Senator Imoke especially after the Super Eagles have got their landed property in Calabar from the former governor.” Garba stated that Nigerians and
indeed the Golden Eaglets class of 2013 were very grateful to Senator Imoke and all the good people of Cross River for their unalloyed support towards the success of the team two years ago and therefore begged the incumbent Governor Ayade to complete the task. “I want to use this opportunity to beg current Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, to ensure that we get our houses because Senator Imoke who was instrumental in our victory in 2013 gave us the gift in good faith,” he added.
World Armwrestling event good for Nigeria —Jackson THE president of the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation (NAWF), Engineer Samuel Jackson, has said that the just-ended 37th World Armwrestling Championships in Malaysia which Team Nigeria participated in prominently gave the country’s athletes and officials the needed exposure to do well in future international competitions. The biggest armwrestling championship in the world took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 30 to October 4. The NAWF presi- dent noted that the armwrestlers and their officials gained valuable exposure good enough to prepare them for
bigger challenges across the world. He said: “Despite the fact that the five athletes who represented Nigeria did not win any medals, they competed favourably with other top athletes from all over the world and now the Nigeria Arm Wrestling Federation broke the jinx and no longer a novice to the secrets of winning at international competitions. “This is our first time of participating in international competition and exposed to how competitions are being conducted at international level. I was impressed by the armwrestlers even though they were unable to clinch any medal. They put up good performances with impressive skills even as first timers. “I must, however, acknowledge that the board and technical crew of the federation still have a lot to do for the sport in the country. We need to further improve on our skills to make the armwrestlers better and world beaters,’’ he said.