Nigeria Premier League

Rhasidat Adeleke hoping to sparkle on Diamond League debut in Monaco

Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke is making her presence felt on the world stage after deciding to forego a final year at the University of Texas to earn a living in athletics.

The Tallaght sprinter debuted at the Gyulai Istvan Meeting in Hungary on Tuesday evening finishing second to Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in a World and Olympic qualifying time of 22.36 seconds.

She lines up again on Friday evening in the 400m at the Diamond League in Monaco.

Adeleke confirmed earlier this week that she will not be completing her final year at the University of Texas in Austin in order to take up a professional running contract in advance of next year’s Paris Olympics.

She posted a notice on social media that she was turning professional to pursue a career in the sport and paid tribute to all that had been done for her by the university of Austin.

“A once in a lifetime experience, thank you Texas,” she posted.

“I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the University of Texas these past three years. I couldn’t have made a better decision! I’d like to thank absolutely everyone who supported me along the way and those that helped me become who I am today.

“However, I’d like to announce that I am forgoing the remainder of my eligibility and becoming a professional athlete.”

‘Turning professional’ is not a term we are familiar with in Europe where many athletes pursue an athletics career and further their education at the same time. However, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) in the USA forbids athletes receiving any monetary reward in terms of prize-money, shoe sponsorship, even items that can be converted to money.

Had Adeleke stayed within the terms of her athletics scholarship, she would have lost out financially on any shoe contract, appearance money or sponsorship she gained this summer.

At only 20 and current NCAA 400m champion, she is very marketable from an athletics point of view.

She can consequently demand handsome starting money at meetings all across Europe in next two months and will be rewarded financially should she win a medal at the World Championships in Hungary next month.

While she cannot compete for the University of Texas again, it is likely that a place will be found for her on the coaching team in Austin to enable her to continue training there.

This would seem to be borne out by the fact that Edrick Floreal will continue to coach her.

“If the time is right for her to go and make a living out of this, I’ve already told her she can stay at Texas as long as she wants, and I’ll coach her,” he said recently.

Adeleke will experience life in the fast lane on Friday evening as she faces, among others, the number one in the world this year Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone who won the American title for the distance two weeks ago in 48.74 seconds.

Adeleke is second fastest of the field on paper with her Irish record 49.20 while there are five other women in the race who have bettered 50 seconds. Ciara Mageean also competes in the mile in Monaco.

Nigeria Premier League

Eunisell Gears Up For 2025 Boot Awards Amid Tight Scoring Race

As the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League season nears its thrilling conclusion, on Sunday, May 25, Eunisell Limited, Africa’s leading specialty chemicals and oil production solutions company, is proud to announce its readiness for the prestigious Eunisell Boot Awards.

This year’s event, scheduled for June in Lagos, marks a major milestone—a decade of Eunisell’s steadfast commitment to celebrating excellence and supporting domestic football development in Nigerian football.

The Eunisell Boot Award, is an annual ceremony honouring the NPFL’s highest goal scorer, spotlighting individual brilliance and inspiring the next generation of football
talent.

Since inception, the initiative has become one of the most respected individual
accolades in Nigerian football.

With one match day to go this season, the race for the 2025 Eunisell Boot is intensifying.

Nasarawa United’s currently leads the race to grab the Eunisell Boots with 18 goals.

Yusuf took his tally to 18 goals in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Enyimba.

The trio of Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) Anthony De Souza Ijoma (Abia Warriors) and Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City) have 12 goals each.

Beyond the Boot Awards, Eunisell currently sponsors Abia Warriors, a prominent club in the NPFL, further demonstrating its active support for domestic football development and grassroots talent.

Ken Okeiyi, CEO of Eunisell, emphasized the company’s dedication to the sport and its role in uplifting communities.

Over the years, Eunisell Boot Award has stood as a symbol of recognition, reward, and belief in the power of local talent.

As the NPFL season wraps up, we are once again reminded of the skill, determination, and passion that define Nigerian football.

Eunisell is proud to continue investing in the future of the sport by celebrating those who inspire on and off the pitch.

Eunisell’s involvement in Nigerian football—through both its individual player recognition and club sponsorship—reflects its broader vision to foster excellence, empower youth and promote national pride.

Details of the 2025 Eunisell Boot Awards ceremony, including final date and venue, will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Nigeria Premier League

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL’s New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight at the steady transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), commending the league’s organizers for aligning its calendar with international standards.

Governor Abiodun made the remarks in Abeokuta while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by its President, Ibrahim Gusau, and the Chairman of the NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The officials visited to congratulate the Governor following the official presentation of the 2024/25 NPFL trophy to Remo Stars—champions of this season.

Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, the Governor praised the NPFL’s decision to synchronize its season with global leagues, many of which conclude by May or early June.

“While the champions, our own Remo Stars from Ogun State, were crowned on Sunday, there is just one more game to conclude the season—meaning the NPFL will wrap up in May, just like most European leagues. This is commendable,” he said.

Abiodun, who attended the trophy presentation in Ikenne, also applauded the NPFL board for conducting a smooth and rancor-free season.

“It is to the credit of the NPFL Board, led by my brother, Elegbeleye, that we had this beautiful celebration today. All stakeholders agree that Remo Stars are worthy champions,” the Governor stated.

Present at the reception were several NFF Board members, including Ganiyu, Aisha Falode, and Silas Agara.

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Nigeria Premier League

NPFL Drama: Late Spot-kick Seals Shooting Stars’ Win Over Sunshine Stars

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The decisive goal came in the 84th minute after the referee awarded a late penalty to the home side, following a scramble in the box.

Just two minutes earlier, Sunshine Stars were reduced to ten men when defender Yusuf Olowoshile received a red card.

Shooting Stars capitalized on the advantage, converting the penalty with composure to secure all three points.

Despite the defeat, Sunshine Stars displayed grit and determination, going toe-to-toe with their hosts and creating several scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Emma Offori was a standout performer, making several key saves to keep the Owena Whales in the contest.

Speaking after the match, Shooting Stars head coach Gbenga Ogunbote praised Sunshine Stars for their resilience, labeling their current league standing as “unfortunate.”

On his part, Sunshine Stars coach Bobola Akinfolarin expressed frustration with the result, particularly the timing of the penalty. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team must now shift focus to their final two games of the season.

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