Lagos State once again proves to be the leading state when it comes to sports in the southwest region of Nigeria with the superlative performance of its athletes at the just concluded Zonal Elimination for Team Sports for the 22nd National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, Ogun 2024 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Out of the 18 slots available for the southwest in the tournament, Team Lagos picked 13 tickets to top the table at the end of the competition on Friday.

Sports Marketing International reports that Team Lagos won both the male and female tickets in the Football, Basketball, Handball, Cricket, Hockey events.

The state also won tickets in the Beach Volleyball (male) and Volleyball (female) and mixed doubles slots in Abula female game.

Team Lagos took first position in eight sports while they won second position in five sports.

The sports the team failed to pick a ticket include male volleyball, female beach volleyball, male and female Abula game.

Interestingly, Team Lagos during the just concluded zonal elimination won a ticket in at least one sport to show their dominant factor in southwest sports.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has continued the search for clarity concerning the tragic death of former Nigeria U20 player, Abubakar Lawal, in Uganda on Monday.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, reiterated on Friday that the country’s football-ruling body has kept its feet on the throttle regarding the matter, and will not relent until the truth is unveiled on the cause of the player’s death.

Lawal died on Monday morning, with initial reports saying he died in a motorbike accident, and later in a car crash. Hours later, the Ugandan Police stated that he actually died after falling from the third floor of a hotel at the Voicemail Shopping Mall in Bwebajja. He was said to have been at the mall to visit a friend, Tanzanian lady Naima Omary, who moved into the hotel a month earlier.

Omary has since been taken into custody by the Ugandan Police.

“We are not relenting in the search for truth. The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed the determination to dig out the truth, and ourselves have reached out to our counterparts in the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) to help us find out the truth.

“The circumstances surrounding the player’s passing remain steeped in mystery, but we are committed to doing the little we can to shed light on it and help the Federal Government in its quest for truth.”

Hours after the unfortunate incident on Monday, Sanusi put a call through to his opposite number in FUFA, Edgar Watson Suubi, to call for urgent assistance in getting to the root of the matter.

Suubi responded that “it is a sad situation. I also have received divergent reports on the incident, but I have delegated somebody to go and find out what happened, and then we’ll be able to send you a copy of the report from either the Police, the Medical or any authority that’s in the position to give us a satisfactory answer.”

The NFF followed up Sanusi’s phone conversation with a formal letter, in which it disclosed that “there has been so much outcry in our country with regards to the mystery of his death, and I have decided to reach to you, as a colleague, to help shed light on how the player actually met his end.

“It is a very sad situation for us in Nigeria football and for his family, and it is important to get these facts to enable some closure on his tragic passing. We will also like to know what arrangements are being made to get his remains back to his family in Nigeria.”

Lawal was a member of the Nigeria squad at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in New Zealand 10 years ago, and was a key player for Ugandan elite division club Vipers FC before his demise.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has unveiled an exclusive prize money incentive for West African runners participating in the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.

The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference by the ECOWAS Commission, the sponsor of the marathon.

According to ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, who also serves as the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, the first West African runner to cross the finish line will receive $1,000.

The second-place finisher will earn $500, while the third, fourth, and fifth-place runners will receive $400, $250, and $200, respectively.

This initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.

Njoaguani emphasized ECOWAS’ long-term vision to elevate the marathon to international prominence.

He stated that the goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.

Currently, the marathon stands as the most lucrative half marathon in Africa, offering an impressive prize structure for both men and women.

Winners of the 21km race will each take home $10,000, while second and third-place finishers will earn $5,000 and $4,000, respectively.

The fourth-place runner will receive $3,500, followed by $3,000 for the fifth, $2,500 for the sixth, $2,000 for the seventh, $1,500 for the eighth, $1,200 for the ninth, and $1,000 for the tenth-place finisher.

In the 5km category, the first-place winner will receive $1,000, the second-place finisher $300, the third-place $250, the fourth-place $150, and the fifth-place $100.

Njoaguani expressed his delight at the marathon’s rapid growth and increasing popularity. He recalled the challenges faced in its early years but noted that it has since evolved into a highly anticipated sporting event.

The 2025 edition, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, is expected to attract over 5000 runners from across the globe.

To mark this milestone, ECOWAS is fully sponsoring runners from all member states, both men and women, to participate.

Additionally, significant interest has been shown by runners from Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as from other regions beyond Africa, including the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Switzerland.

For this edition, some minor adjustments have been made to the race routes.

The 21km race will begin and end at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, ensuring a seamless and well-coordinated course for participants.

Meanwhile, the 5km race will start Independence Drive by Sahad Stores and CDB and conclude at the ECOWAS Commission.

Beyond its competitive aspect, the marathon serves as a unifying platform for West African nations. Njoaguani highlighted that the marathon is more than just a race, emphasizing that it is a means of fostering regional integration, bringing people together to interact, celebrate fitness, and strengthen the bonds within the community.