By Patrick Omorodion “Fela, you don come again! I never come again”. That is the first line in Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo’s great song ‘Unknown Soldier’.  I am starting this piece this way today because I know people who will say ‘Omorodion don come again’. Yes, I will never get tired of saying truth to […]

By Patrick Omorodion The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF is like the proverbial tortoise that is always in the news, mostly for the wrong reasons. From late last year when the AFCON was barely a month to commence in Cameroon, till this moment, the federation has been embroiled in one controversy or another. The Amaju Pinnick-led […]

By Patrick Omorodion I grew up to hear of the adage, ‘Procrastination is the thief of time’. It was later I got to know it was coined by an English writer, Edward Young. Some wise men see procrastination as ‘a sin against life itself’. Even the Holy Bible tells us in James 4:17 that “if […]

By Patrick Omorodion It was former Director General of the defunct National Sports Commission, NSC, Dr. Patrick Ekeji who wrote in his book, Odessey of A Green Eagle that every sports minister appointed to heads the sports ministry comes with a mindset. When this book was published, it was Abdulrahman Gimba, a Niger State-born lawyer […]

On August 14 this year, former Super Eagles coach, Samson Sisia will be 53 years old. Also 53 days from today (Sunday), the Bayelsa-born ex-international who has a life ban by FIFA hanging on his neck will have a date with the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS at the body’s office on Avenue de […]

We have remained very close thereafter and you are one of those I respect in my chosen but accidental profession of journalism which still surprises my Agriculture course mates at the former University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University till today.

The English Premier League, the EPL is the most followed league in Europe by Nigerian football fans. As a result they conclude that the EPL is the best league in the world. This is, however, without any authentic statistics.

Semenya has not spiked her system with any hormone or drug. The high testosterone is natural and she has no control over it. But the IAAF would not have any of it and wants her to either take medication to reduce the level or start running with men. Or stop running entirely if she disagrees with their ruling.

When in 2016 our Olympic football team were stranded in the US and were at risk of missing their opening match, it took the benevolence of an American airline to fly them to Brazil early enough to play the game which they still won.

Before 1991, not many people knew about the young lad from Eziobodo community in Imo State, Emmanuel Amuneke. Even as a player with Julius Berger Football Club of Lagos, Amuneke’s name never rang a bell and seldom played on the lips of Nigerians.

An example here is what happened to Nigeria’s U-16 squad of 1985 led by Nduka Ugbade which made history by winning the maiden edition of the FIFA/Kodak  U-16 Tournament that year. After that historic victory of 1985, then Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari hosted the team where he promised to reward them. But before he could keep his promise, he was overthrown in a military coup.

After the 2015 pre-season tour of Australia where he impressed, Iheanacho was drafted to the senior team.in July. One month after, on August 10, he made his debut as a first team player. From then on, he found favour with the club’s coach, Manuel Pellegrini and he didn’t disappoint the Italian.

From pre-Independence era till date, the national men’s football team has been known by several names. The first name they were known by was the UK Tourists who played on bare foot as we were told.

Despite the IAAF claims then, she was embraced in her home country – where she was declared “our girl”. She also reacted thus:  “God made me the way I am and I accept myself. I am who I am and I’m proud of myself,” she had told a magazine.

Listening to the NTA a couple of days ago, I saw the leadership of the Federal Ministry of  Sports and Youth Development beating their chest and saying that one of their achievements was the democratisation of the National Sports Federations.