2025: AKWA IBOM STATE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PREACHES PEACE, INCLUSIVITY FOR FOOTBALL DEVT

The Akwa Ibom State Football Association has  continued her 2025 New year engagements with past chairmen of the Association and Football stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State with a call for Peace and inclusivity for the development of football in Akwa Ibom State.

The latest was a courtesy visit to the South/South board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, RT. Hon Nse Essien PhD  where the current leadership briefed the board member of their plans and projections for 2025 football development and growth.

The former chairmen whom the association visited and shared her 2025 road map for football development in Akwa Ibom State were; Elder Eno-Obong Etukudo, Barr. Aniefiok Ukpe, Professor Ignatius Uduk, RT. Hon chief Effiong Johnson and Hon. Imo Atat

Speaking to Journalists in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital, the chairman of the Association, Mr. Samuel Umoh said the board under his leadership is aiming at having a more unified Football Association where all the past and present stakeholders will bring their experience to support the current leadership to build on their positive  past legacies for the development and growth of football in Akwa Ibom State.

Stressing the importance of peace and unity amongst the stakeholders, Umoh solicited the prayers of the stakeholders for his administration to remain focused on the agenda of Grassroots football development and growth of  football talents in Akwa Ibom State.

Responding, the South/South board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, RH. Nse Essien PhD applauded Mr. Samuel Umoh's board for always being proactive in its projections and activities and for bringing inclusivity in the development and growth of football in Akwa Ibom State, South South and beyond.

Essien while pledging his continued support to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association urged the FA to ensure that anyone doing football business in the State abides by the laws and regulations guiding the operations of the beauty game.

Earlier,in their separate responses, the former chairmen of the Association poured encomiums on the current leadership of the Association for the show of love towards them and for always uniting them, a step they said has never happened in Akwa Ibom State until the birth of Samuel Umoh as the FA chairman.

Describing the gesture as humane and edifying, the past chairmen promised to support the Association to achieve the desired result in all her projects in 2025 and beyond for the benefit of mankind and the growth of football in Akwa Ibom State nay Nigeria.

MAIDEN AKS FOOTBALL TALENT DISCOVERY: GRASOF INAUGURATES LOC, SET FOR JANUARY 27TH 2025 KICK

To ensure a hitch free maiden Akwa Ibom state primary schools football talent discovery and development, an 18 member local organising committee has been inaugurated ahead of the event kicking off on 27th January 2025.

The local organising committee which has the programme coordinator, Hon. Comrade John Ekpenyong as the chairman, Comrade Unyime Usen as the secretary, comrade Emmanuel Akpan as the media coordinator, Evang. Theophilus Udo as the Public Relations Officer Mr. Esin Esin secretariat chairman had her inaugural meeting shortly after the Inauguration at the Uyo township stadium.

Other members of the committee are; Pastor Emmanuel Ebong, representative of National schools sports, Comrade Kufre Etukudo- State FA Representative Mr.Solomon Eden, Representative of local football Association, Idongesit Udofia -Organising secretary and head of technical 

MONIMICHELLE- Adviser, and Nurse Ifiok Ekong who is incharge of medicals while Mr winner Akan, alongside Christian Udedeh, Ukpono Iniobong, Matthew Japheth and Chief Ezekiel Ebi Egbe will all serve as members of the committee.

Speaking, Comrade John Ekpenyong thanked the sponsors of the initiative for the confidence reposed in the committee and urged every member of the committee to see he or she being a part of the committee as an appoutuinity to contribute positively to the real development of football in Akwa Ibom State and beyond.

Responding on behalf of the members of the committee, the chairman, sports Writers Association Of Nigeria (SWAN) Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, pledged that with the membership of the committee, they will bring their expertise to help the sponsors of the maiden Akwa Ibom State Primary schools football talent hunt discovery and development will deliver on the mandate for the betterment of football in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and the world over.

The talent hunt and football development is aimed at giving young talented football pupils in the 31 local government area of Akwa Ibom State scholarship into a Morden world class sports academy to be birth in Akwa Ibom state next academic session.

Organised by Grassroots sports federation of Nigeria with support from ADBNTV Channel 248 on DSTV and Channel 140 on Startimes and other online platforms, the talent hunt which is targeting fifty talented brilliant less privileged pupils will be played in the selected centers across the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State with the kick off slated for 27th January 2025 at the Uyo township stadium.

Top football intermediaries, coaches and FIFA trained scouts will be on ground to select the best for the academy and as well as the National under 15 team.

NFF APPOINTS A MALIAN AS SUPER EAGLES HEAD COACH

The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men national football team, Super Eagles.

At its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee had recommended the appointment of former Coach of the senior men national team of Mali as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles. This recommendation was on Tuesday, 7th January endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee.

Chelle, who won five caps for the Aiglons of Mali and coached clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne and MC Oran, has been Head Coach of the Aiglons since 2022.

At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire, Chelle’s Mali came very close to a place in the semi-finals, losing to hosts and eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 after extra time, after leading by a lone goal until the final minute of regulation time.

 

The 47-year-old featured for Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in France during his playing career.

His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the next round of matches (Matchdays 5 & 6) taking place in March.

STRUGGLING AKWA UNITED SIGNS MID-SEASON DEAL WITH BOBOYE

Akwa United Football Club has agreed a mid-season managerial contract with coach Kennedy Boboye.

The Management of the Club signed the deal with coach Boboye at the Club's office in Uyo on Monday January 6, 2025 and the coach is expected to begin work later this week.

Chairman of the club Elder Paul Bassey described "Boboye's return to the team as necessary, adding that the decision to re-assign the coach was because of his track records and previous achievements with the club".

Elder Bassey expressed optimism that the coach will bring his wealth of experience to bear on the team with a turnaround in the team's fortunes in the second half of the season.

Coach Boboye joined the Promise Keepers during the 2019-2020 NPFL season and won the league title with the club in the 2020-2021 season - his second league title as a coach after lifting the trophy with Plateau United in 2017.

Boboye was in-charge of Akwa United as the team made its CAF Champions League debut in 2021 and after a run of poor results, he resigned from his position as head coach of the team in 2022.

Following his departure from Akwa United, he had a brief stint with Heartland FC and Sunshine Stars before rejoining the Promise Keepers ahead of the second stanza of the 2024-2025 Nigeria Premier Football League season.

GRASOF SET FOR MAIDEN AKWA IBOM STATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS TALENT DISCOVERY ,ANNOUNCES JANUARY 27TH AS KICK OFF DATE

Grassroots Sports Federation of Nigeria has announced that plans have been concluded for the maiden edition of Akwa Ibom State football talent discovery for public primary schools across the three senatorial districts of Akwa Ibom.

Addressing sports journalists in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital, the National President of Grassroots sports federation of Nigeria, Comrade John Ekpenyong said the programme is aimed at discovering and harnessing gifted football players within ages 10-12 years in public schools.

Comrade Ekpenyong while explaining the talent hunt will be targeting at fifty young underprivileged pupils for a football academy in Uyo starting in the next academic session appealed to sports officers in the 31 local government areas to be objective in ensuring that only the best of their pupils are presented for selection.

The talent discovery programme is slated to run from January 27th 2025 to 13th February 2025 at designated centers across the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State with an opening ceremony holding at the Uyo township stadium.

It would be recalled that Grassroot Sports federation in conjunction with ALGON BOYS FC secured KMK Global Resources organise the just concluded  scouting program in Uyo where her foreign partners from Turkey, Finland, Norway and Malta had a successful event.

SUPER EAGLES BEAT GHANA 3-1 TO QUALIFY FOR 2025 CHAN

Nigeria's Super Eagles Team B have qualified for the 2024 African Nations Championship following a 3-1 victory over the Black Galaxies of Ghana in Uyo.

The Nigerian team surged into a commanding 3-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Sodiq Ismail, Nduka Junior, and Saviour Isaac in a five-minute burst that left their Ghanaian opponents reeling.

Ghana managed to pull one back midway through the second half, but it was not enough to turn the tide as they were defeated 3-1 on aggregate by Nigeria.

The 2024 CHAN tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 1st to 28th February, 2025.

Nigeria has previously earned a silver and a bronze medal in the history of the tournament.

EGUMA APPOINTED ENYIMBA NEW COACH AFTER YEMI SACK

Enyimba Football Club of Aba have officially appointed Coach Stanley Eguma as their new Technical Adviser, following the departure of Coach Olanrewaju Yemi Daniel. 

Eguma, who previously guided Rivers United to the Nigeria Premier League title in 2022, was dismissed earlier this year. 

His appointment comes after a difficult spell for Enyimba, who have struggled to find form under Coach Yemi Daniel. 

The team’s recent performances saw them go nine matches without a win across all competitions, leading to Daniel's dismissal.

Enyimba currently sits 11th in the Nigeria Premier League standings with three outstanding games. They are also at the bottom of their CAF Confederation Cup group.