Author: Christopher Emenyonu
“If you believe, you go defeat, stand up to your feet, and say no to your defeat. Cool temper!!” When this jam by J.Martins was released in 2008, it was a hit all around. Different age groups jammed to the song as it was relatable in every aspect of life. It was a song that gave motivation and confidence in every situation. It was a song that taught patience, perseverance, and determination. And truly the song is the definition of Onigbinde Akinade’s journey who is the current head coach of Gombe-based Nigeria Premier Football League side, Doma United – the…
As we approach the tenth week of the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League season, NPFL, the Oriental derby take center stage of the fixtures as a newly revamped Heartland welcomes Enyimba to Owerri while Abia Warriors play host to high-flying Antelopes from Enugu. The oriental derby is a fixture that dates back over 40 years from when present-day Heartland was still named Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Rangers were kings of NPFL as they both went loggerheads for titles and trophies in the land. Abia Warriors and Enyimba may be new boys in the Oriental derbies but they have grown to…
It is definitely time to do it again. Its match day 1 of the 10 games to be played as the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begin. Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Crocodiles of Lesotho at Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo – Akwa Ibom state capital. This is the stadium the Super Eagles last qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2017; a qualification to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Then it was Gernot Rohr. Now, It is Jose Peseiro and the mandate is clear enough – Let’s Do It Again. The Crocodiles are familiar foes after…
The journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins. Nigeria’s Super Eagles will begin their quest to reach the mundial against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. While the fans are hoping that Qatar 2022 heartbreak will not happen, Super Eagles’ gaffer Jose Peseiro has declared that qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is a must for his team. Peseiro made this declaration in the obligatory pre match press conference as the Super Eagles set up to face Lesotho. On the short period between the fixture and preparatory time, the Portuguese said it is a difficult thing to deal with. “We haven’t had…
The dejection on the faces of the sixty thousand people inside the Moshood Abiola stadium, Abuja after the full-time whistle. The anger, the frustration, and the reality check that Nigeria will not play at the Qatar 2022 World Cup. It was surreal. Ghana had picked the World Cup ticket right on our soil. A year and months after the game, the memory still haunts. A lot of football fans can still describe what they saw that night. How can they erase these memories? Super Eagles – Let’s Do It Again! https://twitter.com/NGSuperEagles/status/1723978763250155987 Super Eagles – 2023 AFCON The last qualifying match…
“If one person own no spoil, another person own no fit good” The local proverb has just come to pass in the life of Amas Obasogie. Late last night while every football fan in the country were expecting the arrival of the invited Super Eagles players for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, NPFL fans were thrown into unexpected jubilation after it was announced that Bendel Insurance Amas Obasogie had been called up to the camp. The surprise and sudden invitation of the shot stopper was because estranged Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye had pulled out of…
With the first fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers scheduled for Thursday, 16th November, the Super Eagles camp in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state has been set alive. On Monday, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins and Sadiq Umar were the first players to set feet into the camp. A day before, the Super Eagles technical crew, led by Jose Peseiro had arrived the camp in anticipation of the players. https://twitter.com/Krizbaba22/status/1724075237212291292 The other invited players are expected to be in camp by the Tuesday as the team is scheduled to have a full squad training by Tuesday evening while Kenneth, Jamilu…
“Patient dog eats the fattest bone,” that is what they say right. But even before the fattest bone reaches the patient dog; perseverance, endurance, tolerance and consistency are the virtues needed to be evinced by the dog. The result and reward is always mammoth. And for these coaches who have served and have been patient to become head coaches of clubs after either serving as assistant coaches or not being in job for years, they are reaping the rewards of being forbearing now. Previously, we looked at the title winning chances of coaches who have gathered lots of experience in…
Rivalry never ends. And this is why the Israel-Hamas war has spilled up again. Israel and Palestine have been at war over land ownership for decades. The battle for pride, revenge and territorial dominance between both nations show rivalry never truly ends. Despite the interventions of international bodies in the disagreement, both parties have simply not just come to an agreement. This is the sort of war we witness on football pitches. Although, there are no blood shed or perhaps there is blood shed but no life is at least lost in the process. The Milan derby, the Manchester derby,…
Last week, a video trended on X where Nigeria’s former Head of State, Yakubu Gown reacted to being overthrown in 1975. Gowon had been in an Organisation of African Unity meeting with other African leaders when he got the news. Gowon was calm, composed, and even wore a big smile even though he had lost his job as the country’s number 1 citizen, and when the press tried pushing to get a confirmation from him on the overthrowing, he replied with a big smile “no comments.”. Gowon’s reaction certainly needs to be studied. He was losing everything and he was…