Sports
Barau hails Keffi Polo as force for national unity
By George Mgbeleke
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, has described the Keffi Polo tournament as a force for national unity.
He made the remarks while speaking with journalists at the closing of the 10th Anniversary of the Keffi Polo Tournament held in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sen. Ahmed Wadada (APC-Nasarawa) is the founder of the Keffi Polo Ranch and the organiser of the tournament.
Barau said that the polo would further develop Nigeria’s sporting potentials and unite Nigerians.
He said: “The game is something that is bringing us together. When you look around, you’ll find a lot of people from all parts of this country, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and others.
“It is bringing us together. So it’s always a unifying factor that will further strengthen our unity. So i mean it’s something that is good. It also helps to develop our sporting potential which is very good. So it has a lot of advantages,” he said.
Barau, who has been a regular attendee to the tournament, said “I’ve been coming around. I had attended the last four tournaments held. And here we are. And I can see that this year is more organised and very well structured.
“So I give kudos to Sen. Wadada for organising this tournament every year. It’s an event that is helping. The other time I think it was organised in order to raise funds for our kids.
“So much money was gotten. It went a long way to help to develop those indigent children who don’t have much opportunity to go to school.
“He should be encouraged to continue to organise the tournament every year.
“We are ready to support you. We will support you; we will give our financial support and whatever support that you need,” Barau said.
For his part, Chairman Senate Committee on Sports, Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) said that the tournament is “now a brand in Nigeria”.
“What is important is to keep encouraging the youth to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.
“And also to commend people like Wadada who had spent their personal fortune in bringing about this tournament”.
Ningi while noting that the tournament drew people from various tribes and divides said that sport was indeed a unifying factor.
“We must keep encouraging ourselves. Our differences are very minute against those things that divide us. What I keep telling people and the media is, we must keep bringing out the positive aspects of this country”.
Speaking on sports development in Nigeria, Ningi applauded President Bola Tinubu’s administration saying “he has good intentions”.
“I’m looking at the 2024 Budget provisions, 2025 Budget provisions, if actually utilised, I am sure it will turn around sport development in this country.
“All we can do is to keep encouraging the President. We will also see that whatever approvals coming from the National Assembly, are bringing out the best of sports in Nigeria,” he said.
The founder of the Keffi Polo Ranch, Sen. Wadada who was elated said that the 10th anniversary of the tournament was a milestone.
“I feel highly elated; I feel highly fulfilled and of course, I feel highly challenged for whatever reasons that have brought this army of personalities, VIPs to be here.
“The challenge is, I should do much more of what I had done before so that I have more VIPs the next time,” he said.
Wadada said that though the game of polo when it started in the country wasn’t common but now it is common.
“This is one of the reasons why I established Keffi Polo Ranch so that I bring civilisation to my people and then, of course, leverage on it to open up my state to the rest of the world.
“As you see, the world comes here. People come from the UK, people come from South America, Argentina, people come from Dubai, and within the country, we have everybody including Captains of industries, politicians, royal fathers, all across the country,” he said.
The lawmaker commended the Nasarawa State Government on its continuous support for the tournament.
“The Nasarawa State Government, as far as Keffi Polo Ranch is concerned, I cannot thank the Nasarawa State Government enough. It has been all along for the 10 years that we’ve been here.
“The government has been very, very supportive particularly all our tournaments in support of education.
“This is because the governor and his administration has been committed to making the education environment much better in the state,” Wadada said.
Highlight of the event was the unveiling of a newly constructed pavilion named after the late George Coumantaros, founder of Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), in recognition of the company’s long-standing support for Keffi Polo.
Dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Akabe and royal fathers withing and outside the state.
Sports
NLO Confirms that Prosperity Cup Selected Side, Bayelsa Starlets Academy Will Participate in the U-19 Youth League…
By David Owei,Bayelsa
The Nationwide League One has confirmed that Bayelsa Starlets Academy will participate in the 2026 National League One (NLO) U-19 Youth League
The confirmation, contained in a letter by the league body, and titled “Confirmation of Status of Bayelsa Starlets Football Academy (U-19 Youth League)”, was signed by the Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Olushola Ogunnowo.
According to the letter, the Bayelsa Starlets Academy, which is affiliated to FC Barcelona of Spain, Technical Advisers to the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, took over the slot of De-Gideon FC of Abuja.
The letter further stated that the club, being an affiliate of the Bayelsa State Football Association, shall play all its home matches in Bayelsa State and operate in line with league statutes, except where the NLO Congress directs otherwise.
According to the letter dated Thursday, 21st of May, 2026, “The Nationwide League One Secretariat hereby confirms that the above-named Football Academy, affiliated to the Bayelsa State Football Association, will from the 2026 season, join the Nationwide League One, U-19 Youth League. The Academy took over the slot of De-Gideon FC of Abuja.
“The Nationwide League One Secretariat has received the details of the transaction between both parties and can confirm that De-Gideon has no known liabilities”.
The letter advised the Academy to liaise with the Bayelsa State Football Association for further information regarding players’ registration and other documentation required for participation in the 2026 NLO season.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Executive Officer of Bayelsa Startlets Academy and Director General of the Prosperity Cup, Mr Ono Akpe, said the news reflects the government’s commitment towards giving the youths in the State a better life through sports, maintaining that the NLO U-19 Youth League would open another chapter for young players in the State.
According to him, screening for the Bayelsa Starlets Academy commenced immediately after the season 8 of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, under the supervision of a FIFA renowed instructor and Technical Adviser, Coach Edema Fuludu, ably assisted by Ebezener Atayero and other experienced coaches, pointing out that all the players in the academy are products of the just-concluded edition of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged, the Prosperity Cup.
He noted that he was pleased with the growing confidence of the players in the team, stating that the momentum in the team reflects the commitment and determination of the lads.
Mr Akpe commended the governor, Senator Douye Diri, the deputy governor, Dr Peter Akpe the Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali for investing in the youths through sports, stressing that the governor’s passion for sports development was the reason behind the tournament’s success story.
He also saluted the lead sponsors of the tournament Premium Trust Bank for their commitment to sports development saying ” the commitment and support of Premium Trust Bank to sports development is unprecedented and must be commended across the country. We salute the Chief Executive and Managing Director Dr Emmanuel Emefienim and the entire bank for thier faith in the youths of Bayelsa, the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole”
It will be recalled that the Bayelsa Starlets Academy, founded in 2019, and now upgraded and expanded, participated in the African Youth Championship in Cape Verde where they finished third among international clubs, and later went on to win the Bayelsa State League in 2020.
Sports
Fuludu Hails Bayelsa Starlets Academy Establishment. … As Screening Exercise Enters Day Three
By David Owei
Former Nigeria international, Edema Fuludu has hailed the foresight of the Bayelsa State Government in establishing the FC Barcelona-affiliated Bayelsa Starlets Academy.
Fuludu made this known during the Under-15 and Under-19 screening exercise to assemble players for the establishment of the Academy, whose Memorandum of Understanding, MoU was signed last week during the final of the season eight of the Prosperity Cup.
He noted that the only way for grassroots players to excel was to create a platform for them to get better, maintaining that the establishment of the academy would be a breeding ground for the state-owned team, Bayelsa United and other cadet national teams in the country.
Fuludu, who described grassroots as the foundation of football in any society, said the Bayelsa Starlets Academy would reduce restiveness among youths in the State because the youths would be positively engaged with the academy.
He expressed satisfaction with the turnout and the quality of players that showed up on day two of the exercise, pointing out that his team of coaches have identified an avalanche of talents during the exercise.
According to him, “over a hundred players took part in day two of the screening compared to day one that had seventy players comprising both U-15 and U-19 players”.
He explained that 39 players have been selected among the 100 players that came for the exercise, adding that one of the criteria for trimming down the number of players was age, because some of the players were above the age limit for the programme.
He further explained that the exercise is still open, that more players would join the exercise tomorrow, maintaining that at the end of the programme, 40 players would be selected, pointing out that those picked on day two could still be dropped if they fall short of the standard.
The exercise enters day three on Friday, 15th May, 2026 at the Samson Siasia Stadium with proceedings commencing at 10.00a.m.
By David Owei,Bayelsa
The Commissioner for Sports Development in Bayelsa State, Daniel Igali, departed Nigeria on May 9, 2026 and arrived in Samokov, Bulgaria on May 10, 2026 to serve as Technical Delegate at the 2026 European U17 Wrestling Championships.
The assignment, which runs from May 11 to 17, 2026, was officially communicated by United World Wrestling through its Secretary General, Carlos Roy, in recognition of Igali’s continued contributions to international wrestling administration and governance.
Aside from being a Bureau Member of United World Wrestling, Igali is also a key member of the UWW Technical Commission, widely regarded as one of the most pivotal organs of the international federation due to its central role in the technical organization, regulation and conduct of wrestling competitions across the world.
As Technical Delegate, Igali will oversee the technical organization and conduct of the championships involving some of Europe’s most promising young wrestlers across freestyle, Greco Roman, and women’s wrestling events.
The assignment further reinforces Bayelsa State’s growing international visibility and reputation in sports development, as well as Nigeria’s continued relevance within the global wrestling community.
Igali, a World Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee and Olympic gold medallist, is expected back in Bayelsa on May 19, 2026 following the completion of the assignment.
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