Ogun State based Nigeria National League side Ijebu United have raised the alarm over the ownership of youngster AbdulGaniyu Damilare Ibrahim, who is currently playing for the Golden Eaglets in the ongoing WAFU B championship in Ghana.

In a letter of concern and protest signed by its General Manager, Fatai Olayinka, which was sent to the Nigerian football authorities and also made available to the media, it categorically stated that the said player is a legally acquired player of Ijebu United.The letter reads, “Attention of Ijebu United Football Club has been drawn to the final list of players of the Nigeria National U-17 squad presently in Ghana for the WAFU tournament and particularly, in reference to the above player – ABDUL GANIYU DAMILARE IBRAHIM, purported to belong to Hero Power Academy. We hereby wish to state as follows:

1.That ABDUL GANIYU DAMILARE IBRAHIM is a bonafide player of Ijebu United Football Club.

2. That Ijebu United FC discovered and declared interest on the said player after a scouting tournament held at Ilorin, kwara State, in Year 2021.

3. That Ijebu United FC, immediately relocated the said player to Ijebu Ode, enrolled him in school and took complete charge of his welfare on a daily basis since same year 2021. (documents of the player in school uniform and photos besides official vehicle of Ijebu United FC herewith attached).

4. That in view of the fact that the said player, was a minor and in order to register him for the league, Ijebu United FC requested and got the parental consent from the biological parents of the said player and properly documented same at the High Court of Justice in kwara State precisely, on January 16th, 2023. (copy of the parental consent referred to is herewith attached).

5. That the player has since been enjoying remuneration from Ijebu United FC and was actually registered and participated during the 2023/2024 Nigeria National League football season and equally registered duly for the current 2024 edition of the Federation Cup Competition for Ijebu United FC (player’s licences herewith attached).

6. That Ijebu United FC was aware all along in respect to the involvement of the said player during activities and programmes of the Nigeria National Team and with our full blessings.

7. That it therefore, comes to us as a shock and disbelief that the said player is being credited to another football outfit and not Ijebu United FC. (copy of publication herewith attached).

8. That we are categorical in our claims that ABDUL GANIYU DAMILARE IBRAHIM, is a player belonging to Ijebu United FC, and plead with the authority concerned to use appropriate offices to reflect accordingly in the spirit of justice, fair play and protections of our investment on the said player over the years.”

Chairperson, House Committee on Sports in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Honourable Rukayat Shittu, has pledged support towards robust media coverage of sports activities in the state.

Speaking to executive members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, (SWAN), Kwara State chapter, in Ilorin on Tuesday, the lawmaker said that with the massive investments by Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq at the Kwara State Stadium, it is imperative that media support must be enhanced.

“With the renovation of sports facilities in the stadium, more sports activities will definitely come to Kwara. The media and press are the complementary arm of sports.

“These are media and brand related events that our state will benefit from immensely. Tinkering with our media sports oversight function to support sports reporting in the state,” Hon Shittu.

She also hailed the present administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the total overhauling of sports facilities since inception.

The lawmaker explained that the state legislative arm will continue to initiate policies through effective legislation to all year round development.

“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been doing alot in sports since his assumption of office, the reactivation of state sports festival, state’s participation in the National and International l championship and prompt release of funds for Kwara United were some of his milestones in the last five years in office” she said.

Shittu is one the youngest lawmakers to win an election in Africa and was once a journalist herself.

While speaking to the representatives of the guild of sports journalists in the state, Hon Shittu pledged to partner SWAN ahead of the 2024 Kwara SWAN Media Games.

Expressing thanks, Chairman of Kwara SWAN, Ayodeji Ismail hailed Hon Shittu for her vibrancy and versatility as the youngest lawmaker whose positive impact and contributions at the floor of the house has become a reference point.

Ayodeji, who asked for the assistance of Hon Shittu in the appropriation of media budget for sports writers for coverage of championship, noted SWAN will continue to objectively report the activities of the government tailored to the growth of sports.

After two days of exciting matches, the 2024 ITTF Africa Cup would climax on Tuesday, May 14, with semifinal and final clashes in both the men and women singles categories.

28 men and 25 women set out to conquer the field at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. As the action rolled on, many fell by the wayside, overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the eight players going into the final day matchups.

Three Egyptians and a Nigerian will slug it out for passage into the final match for the women’s singles title, while the semifinal battle in the men’s singles will be between Nigeria and Egypt.

Women’s singles top seed Dina Meshref of Egypt, who eliminated Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou in the quarterfinal, will face a familiar foe in Nigeria’s Offiong Edem in the first semifinal match of the day.

The second semifinal tie will be a battle between defending champion Hana Goda of Egypt and her compatriot, Mariam Alhodaby.

In the absence of defending champion Omar Assar of Egypt due to a recurring knee injury, a new king of African table tennis will be crowned in Kigali.

In the first semifinal, the top seed in the men’s singles, Quadri Aruna of Nigeria, will take on Egyptian southpaw Youssef Abdel-Aziz, who staged a scintillating comeback in the quarterfinal to edge out the number two seed, Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa.

In the second semifinal match of the men’s singles, Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali will clash with 2019 African Games champion, Olajide Omotayo of Nigeria.

The final matches of both categories will take place later in the day to bring to a fitting end this star-studded continental tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the 2025 ITTF World Cup.