By David Owei, Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, has called on the National Sports Commission and the Main Organising Committee of the National Sports Festival in Ogun State to include traditional wrestling known as “Kuwa” and Canoeing as part of the events for the festival.

Igali made the call when he received Bayelsa athletes who represented Nigeria at the recently-concluded 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja which was part of activities lined up to celebrate ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary.

He  commended the Bayelsa athletes for yet again, making the country proud after Ebi Biogos 76K and Ebipadei Mughabofa 66K won gold each for Team Nigeria while combining with their teammates to win two silver medals in team events.

The commissioner who heaped praises on Nigeria’s abundant talents in every sport called on the National Sports Commission being led by proven sports administrators, Shehu Dikko

and Bukola Olopade to consider including traditional wrestling and canoeing in the events to be competed for, at the Sports Festival coming up in Ogun State.

According to Igali, traditional wrestling is one of the local sports in the country and Africa that connects our cultural heritage. Thus, it deserves to be part of the events for the Nigerian version of the Olympic Games.

Also, the world and Olympic wrestling champion expressed shock at canoeing being excluded from the festival despite successively qualifying for the last two editions of the Olympics.

He described canoeing as one of the potential sports that can win Nigeria medals at the Olympics if properly encouraged and invested in.

While formally receiving the athletes Igali said “On behalf of the Bayelsa State Government, I receive you all with pride, celebrating what you have done. This shows clearly the focus of sports development in Bayelsa.”

“Arising from that, it is a bit of an irony that Nigeria has hosted the whole of West Africa in traditional wrestling, and we don’t have it at the next sports festival in Ogun State. My appeal to the National Sports Commission is that this is one cultural event that is relatable to virtually every culture and tribe in Nigeria,” Igali said.

“Let me also use this opportunity to mention another sport canoeing, this is one sport that Nigeria has a good opportunity to win a medal at the next Olympics if we plan very early. Over the pa8st Olympics, it has qualified athletes who have done very well and need to be encouraged by harnessing its potentials” Igali maintained.

He concluded by appreciating the Bayelsa State Government led by Senator Douye Diri for massively encouraging sports development through approval of funds to execute its programmes.

Meanwhile, the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Sir Braveman Wodi, who is the overseer and direct principal of the wrestlers, applauded them for representing the state and being good ambassadors of the Ijaw Nation.

Braveman noted that their triumph speaks volumes of the developmental policies of the Prosperity administration of Governor Douye Diri and his deputy Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

A coaching clinic for grassroot coaches in Bayelsa State put up by the organizers of Nigeria’s biggest football showpiece, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the “Prosperity Cup” has commenced in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The exercise, which is in its 3rd edition, is in collaboration with Nigerian Football Federation and the Bayelsa State Football Association and is aimed at preparing local coaches ahead of the season seven edition of the Prosperity Cup.

Declaring the clinic opened, chairman of the Bayelsa State Football Association, Barr Poubeni Ogun, said grassroots coaches in the state are fortunate to have a platform that is capable of making them better coaches.

While commending the organizers of the Prosperity Cup for the programme, Barr Ogun hinted that henceforth no coach would be allowed to manage a team without a CAF B-License coaching certificate.

He noted that the state football-ruling body and the organizers of the Prosperity Cup are working out modalities to ensure that grassroots coaches in the state have NFF coaching D-License certificate, stating that the National Institute of Sports, NIS certificate is no longer a criteria to manage a team.

Earlier, Director General of the Prosperity tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe in an address of welcome, remarked that the exercise was a preliminary workshop to prepare the coaches for the eventual (NFF) D coaching licence programme slated for later this year.

According to him, the clinic was designed to train coaches in Bayelsa to realize their potentials as gaffers and to as well earn proper certification in coaching, noting that about fifty coaches have been selected for the NFF D coaching programme.

He explained that the essence of the exercise was to sharpen the technical abilities of grassroots coaches in the state, and expressed joy that the Prosperity Cup is achieving its objectives apart from winning trophies.

Mr. Akpe lauded the governor, Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali for providing the platform for grassroots coaches in the state to enhance their capacity.

Resource person and NFF Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen asserted that he is positive that the programme would improve grassroots coaches in the state, maintaining that his dream is to see these coaches manage big players in the future.

He commended the Bayelsa State government and organizers of the tournament for conceiving the vision to impact the coaches.

Two coaches, Awala Kpunpamo of Bayelsa FA and Anthony Robert of Afini FC expressed gratitude to the governor, Senator Douye Diri and organizers for investing in the coaches.

The duo noted that the programme would equip grassroots coaches in Bayelsa with modern coaching techniques and also improve the quality of football during the tournament.

The exercise which would end on Friday enters day two on Wednesday, with the venue at the NUJ Press Centre, Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa.

A total of fifty coaches are participating in the exercise.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

The Organizers of Nigeria’s largest and most prestigious grassroots football showpiece, the prosperity cup in Bayelsa State are putting a week coaching clinic together to update and sharpen the technical abilities of coaches participating in this year’s edition of the competition.

The coaching clinic, which will be conducted by seasoned football experts begins on Monday, 3rd to 7th of March, 2025 at the NUJ Press Centre, Ekeki, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Yenagoa, the Director General of the Prosperity cup Central Organizing Committee, Mr.Ono Akpe explained that the event, which is the first of two coaching clinics that will hold in course of this year’s football fiesta, will have fifty coaches in attendance.

He explained that the team of resource persons for the coaching clinic will be led by NFF Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen.

Also expected to participate as a resource person is the chairman of Nigerian Coaches Association and Bayelsa United coach, Ladan Bosso, ex- International, Edema Fuludu, Ibrahim Gwadabe and Fatai Adejumo.

“The essence of the coaching clinic is because we want Bayelsans, and football enthusiasts generally to watch quality games. Our  intention is to holistically develop the game in the state. At the end of the day, we would have broadened the knowledge of persons who are passionately imparting skills and technical knowhow at the grassroots level”

“What we are doing is not just for today, but for the future. You can imagine the ripple effects this would have on the game across the state in the coming years” Akpe stated.

The DG stated that the governor, Douye Diri’s dream was to see how to empower Bayelsans by enhancing their technical and tactical skills to be able to impart right knowledge and attitude on young Bayelsans who are desirous of having careers in soccer. It is equally intended to put Bayelsa in a sound footing to dominate sports in Nigeria, which forms an integral part of the Assured Prosperity agenda.

He maintained that beyond trophies and prize monies, the state’s helmsman is committed to the development of grassroots coaches in the state.

According to him, the coaching clinic is a preparatory workshop for the coaches in Bayelsa State, and also to tune them up for the NFF D Coaching license which leads to the CAF B-License coaching course, a four-month programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Nigerian coaches.

The DG pointed out that, the course is part of the NFF’s strategic effort to build the capacity of the country’s football tacticians.

Mr. Akpe believes that, with a coaching clinic preceding the preliminaries of the Governor’s cup, Bayelsans will watch quality football and appreciate the game better.

He stated that, a second coaching clinic, where participants would be awarded certificates will hold after the grand finale of the competition.

The Prosperity cup DG urged the various grassroots coaches to make use of the opportunity by attending the coaching clinic, saying that the essence of the exercise is to enable Bayelsa coaches embrace modern coaching ethics in line with global standard.

Mr. Akpe equally appreciated the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri and the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali for prioritizing grassroots football in the state.

He called on youths in the state to desist from negative vices that are capable of destroying their lives and take advantage of the various programmes of the prosperity cup to showcase their talents.