Local News

We Want To Produce Future World Champions, Says Solanke, President Of Provazios Sports Academy

The current trends in the world of sports is that younger athletes in tennis, football, basketball and indeed, several other sports, have taken over the top rankings as champions or top contenders. And it is not for nothing.

Call it a catch game, Nigeria has now joined the league of ambitious countries, bent on using sports as a veritable tool for human capacity building and empowerment. Joining the fray, is a great sports enthusiast and youths empowerment advocate, Segun Solanke, president and founder of Provazios Sports Academy.

Speaking on the success of the official launch and unveiling of the Ikeja centre located inside the sports arena of Lagos State Teaching Hospital, Solanke expressed his happiness on the very impressive turnout of parents, guardians and their obviously excited kids at the event.

“I’m highly impressed by this large turnout of these highly impressionable young boys and girls. It shows that they are ready to develop their various innate talents in sports and entertainment, which we offer here at Provazios Sports Academy, he remarked.

Passionate and very enthusiastic about his visions for the sports academy, which has its flagship centre in Magodo area of Lagos State, he said, “Provazios Sports Academy is not just an happenstance. It was borne out of my love for the youths and the desire to always help them become good persons and of course, responsible citizens.

“I have done an extensive research on how to further help this great country build a new generation of healthier, energetic, educated, intelligent and socially responsible people. And I know that sports, is indeed, a veritable tool to help achieve the goals.”

Solanke, who is also the president of NLO side Olumo United, went ahead to disclose that he is working very hard with his management and technical team to to ensure that the boys and girls in the various sports centres receive regular, but creative and world class lessons, instructions and trainings, according to global best practices.

“This is a massive project. We are ready to use our works to positively change the narratives, as it concerns producing world class athletes, basketballers, footballers, karatekas, judokas, swimmers and of course, records making and awards-winning entertainers.

“Nigeria is greatly blessed in all ramifications. If you know, over 60 percentage of our current population are aged 8-25 years. And you begin to wonder, what efforts are we making as a nation to channel this huge deposits of talents, intelligence and unbridled energy into positive use and advantage, through sports.”

“Provazios sports academy is on a mission that is possible and very achievable. We plan to produce World and Olympic champions, from these kids, in the next 10 years. And we’re truly committed to this goal. Towards this, we’re planning a series of programmes and events to improve, by regularly retraining our trainers, teaching our teachers newer and better lessons.”

He was however, quick to acknowledge inherent challenges and odds that comes with such swell and lofty dreams.

“Nigeria, we know, is a peculiar country and with its peculiar problems and challenges. Yes, there would be frustrations, bottlenecks, technical and financial encumbrances, but we are on a mission that is very possible and achievable.”

He rallied government, corporate organisations and well-placed individuals to invest more in youths empowerment and development, as he described it as a socio-economic reegineering and betterment of the society.

Local News

6th JOF Kids Cup Kicks Off In Lagos

The much awaited 6th edition of the annual Under-13 JOF Kids Soccer competition kicked off on Sunday, 16th February 2025 at the Union Bank Sports Club playground on Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos with 64 neighborhood football clubs and academies taking part in the tournament.

This is one of the Corporate Social Responsibility programs of the sponsor company, JOF Nigeria Limited, a wholly indigenous manufacturing and supply chain services organisation, which took special interest in the development of talents of the Nigerian youths. The U-13 JOF Kids Cup this year promises to be more glamorous, judging from the display of the kids during the kick-off match between Shaker Boys from Oshodi and Omonia Babes of Oto Awori.

Though Shakers Boys won the grudge tie by a lone goal, it was obvious that Omonia Babes put up a display on the pitch to send a message to opponents in the course of the first round of the competition that they are not pushovers.

Chairman Organising Committee of the tournament, Samuel Omolola disclosed that the first round will be keenly contested across three centres, Union Bank playground in Surulere, Ojo Oniyun playground in Ebute-Metta and Lekki playground in Eti-Osa, adding that matches are scheduled to be played on weekends to give the children opportunity of concentrating on their studies during the week. Omolola commended the sponsor, JOF Nigeria Limited, for the support since the first edition. He assured everyone that Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Association will continue to organize a tournament of high football standards that will motivate the kid footballers.

Mr. Adeyinka Adetunji, the Director, Strategic Support Services, who represented the Chairman/CEO of JOF Nigeria Limited played the ceremonial kick-off. Adetunji advised the footballers to enjoy themselves on the pitch while displaying their God-given talents.

Other registered participating teams in the 6th edition of the tournament are, Small Tiger of Epe, Rufy Academy of Badagry, Puma Boys of Ojo, Latoyam Boys of Aguda, United Boys of Ogijo, Alaro Babes of Apapa, Yinka Babes of Badagry, Barca of Mainland, Adeomo Boys of Okoko, Junior Arsenal of Alimosho, Kola Babes of Ipaja, Miracle FC of Ijesha, Young Stars of Lagos Island, Warrior FC of Agege, Bariga United of Bariga, HB Utility of Ilupeju, Oron Academy of Oyingbo, Edet Academy of Aguda, Oloto Babes of Otto, ADC Academy of Ogba, Ajegunle Boys of Ajegunle, Idimu Bombers of Idimu, Tom boys of Orile, Oworo United of Oworo, Tobi Boys of Ojodu, Rock FC of Ojodu, Ultimate Villa of Ikorodu, Royal FC of Iwaya, Stricker Academy of Oko-Oba, Dollar Boys of Ifako, Landa Boys of Okoko, Demilade Boys of Ayobo, MRS Academy of Imota, Global FC of Mushin, Fagbems Boys of Ikeja, Alaba United of Alaba, Oluyole FC of Ayobo, Ikosi babes of Ketu, St. Michael of Alimosho, B. Unit of Surulere, Amazon Boys of Ikoyi, Abey Boys of Ajah, Afun Academy of Maryland, Kamin Boys of Oyingbo, Zamadek of Lagos Island, Chelsea Boys of Ketu, Ajiran Boys of Ajiran, Okota Academy of Okota, Ola’s Babes of Somolu, Greater Tomorrow of Lagos Island, Strong Dove of Orile, Adamu Academy of Idi-Araba, Glory FC of Ikotun, Mafe Ace of Ijegun, Botife Ace of Abule-Egba, Solution Boys of Apapa, Dopemu United of Dopemu, United Star of Mafoluku, Musiner FC of Mushin, Ultimate Stars of Apapa, Young Boys of Ojo, Abu Babes of Igando and Aket Babes of Iddo.

Local News

Nigerian Player Drags Super Eagles Coach Chelle To His Club

FK Rabotnichki star defender, Sodiq Anthony Rasheed is making the right headline in Southeastern Europe, distinguishing himself as the best productive player in the Macedonian top Football League.

The experienced 24-year-old has consistently maintained top form that ranked him as the best player in the league. His versatility on the pitch is what many Macedonian pundits have described as genius.

His club, Rabotnichki are currently in the 1st position with the same 37 points with the 2nd and 3rd positions. Thanks to the efficiency of Rasheed who has scored two vital goals so far and made himself a solid rock at the defence line of the team.

Speaking on his explosive form, he said: “I am enjoying every bit of my career in the league, my major focus is to remain consistent and help my team to win the title this season. I have been encouraged to do more and I am not going to let my current performance affect my main focus.”.

Rasheed exceptional and superlative performance is sending a message to the newly hired Super Eagles coach to take a stop at the Macedonia league as he is currently moving around to shop for new players.

“I am not going to be too desperate, I almost had a chance under the former foreign coach, and maybe this time around I can be invited to the national team to prove my experience can count at the defence line. My target for 2025 is to win the Macedonia league and take big advantage of Super Eagles camp and I hope this comes to pass.”

Rasheed has become the rave of the moment in the Macedonian top league following the superlative display that saw him nominated for several Macedonian 1. MFL Team of the Week player.

Local News

Play For Super Eagles – Chelle In Contact With 29 Year Old Newcastle United Forward

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle is not leaving any stone unturned in his bid to ensure that the senior national team of Nigeria progress to the 2026 World Cup.Nigerian football apparel, as reported by OwnGoalNigeria.

The coach made a tour last week to see players of the team ahead of the world cup qualifiers games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively. He is expected to submit his provisional list of players for the world cup qualifiers to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) later this week.

He is also planning ahead of both games, and we can exclusively reveal that he has made contact with Newcastle United forward Jacob Murphy who is eligible for the senior national team of Nigeria.

Chelle had a chat with the 29 year old to gauge his interest in switching to Nigeria due to his Nigerian descent. Details of how the discussion went wasn’t made available to us as at the time of this report.

Murphy who has represented England at various level is of Irish descent through his mother and he is of Nigerian origin through his father. He is yet to be capped by any of the above nation at senior level.