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Victor Boniface: From playing in the streets of Akure to Bundesliga champion

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Last Sunday, Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface made history with his German Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen

Last Sunday, Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface made history with his German Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen, when they defeated Werder Bremen 5 – 0 to be crowned the new champions of Germany. The win meant that Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga for the first time with 5 games to spare.

More significantly, Coach Xabi Alonso’s side became the first German club to go 43 games unbeaten. Alonso’s team also displaced perennial champions, Bayern Munich from their Olympian heights in startling fashion.

In all this, Nigeria international, Victor Boniface has been key to coach Alonso’s plans. Despite the disruptive injury spells that have sometimes put him on the sidelines, the Nigerian forward has scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 25 games across all competitions.

Boniface who scored the opener before registering an assist in the same game has been a revelation in his debut season in Germany and has now celebrated Leverkusen’s remarkable triumph by getting himself custom-made Diamond chains.

As part of the celebrations that have followed the historic feat in Germany, the 23-year-old Super Eagles striker recruited the services of prominent jeweller, Buchi Obasi, the man behind Osimhen’s championship ring and chains after he led Napoli to the Scudetto last season. One of the large pendants features an encrusted Diamond inscription that reads “Dreams Are For Real” with a throwback picture of his late mother and his siblings.

The other one was created solely as tribute to his late mother, also featuring an encrusted Diamond inscription that reads “Keep Resting Mama.”

The value of both pieces have been estimated to be in the region of ¦ 10,000,000,

After his mother passed away last year, Boniface previously revealed that he grew up with his grand-parents and sometime last year, flew out his grandma to watch him play in the Bundesliga.

Still in celebratory mood, Boniface took a walk down memory lane, as he shared a photo from his early days playing football. In the post which he made on X, Boniface posted a picture captured from his childhood with the phrase “If you like give up”.

Boniface’s post gives fans a glimpse of his humble beginnings and how far he has come; from playing street soccer in Akure, to becoming a Bundesliga champion in his first year in Germany.

The 23-year-old’s post serves as an inspiration to others to keep pushing and not give up on their dreams.

In a brief interview granted after the title-deciding match, Boniface acknowledged his family and fans in Akure, and also hinted at a celebration saying “we go meet, we go shut down everywhere when I come”.

The Nigerian striker was also awarded with an honorary citizenship by the city of Leverkusen alongside his Bayer Leverkusen teammates, including fellow Nigerian football star Nathan Tella.

Bodø/Glimt

Victor Okoh Boniface who started with Lagos-based football academy, Real Saphphire began his journey to prominence when in 2019 he signed for a remote Norwegian side, Bodø/Glimt.

He suffered a ligament injury only two weeks after signing for Glimt, which was said to have kept him on the sidelines for the duration of the 2019 season. He was selected to the Nigeria U-20 squad to play the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, but had to withdraw from the squad due to injury. In September 2019 he nonetheless made his league debut for the club.

Union SG

In 2022, Boniface signed a four-year contract with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. Union reached the quarter-finals of the 2022–23 Europa League. The Nigerian youngster scored six goals in the competition, including a brace against Union Berlin in the round of 16, finishing as the competition’s joint top scorer along with Marcus Rashford.

Bayer Leverkusen

In 2023, Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen snapped him up on a 5-year contract that will last until 2028. He made his Bundesliga debut on 19 August, in a 3–2 home victory over RB Leipzig. The following week, he scored his first Bundesliga goals by netting a brace at the Borussia Park in a 3–0 away derby win against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Hard work, high productivity and discipline attracted national team coach Jose Peseiro to the young Nigerian who was painting German Bundesliga red with goals. Boniface made his debut for the Nigeria senior team on 10 September 2023, coming on in the 64th minute for Taiwo Awoniyi. He provided an assist in that match to Samuel Chukwueze. He was named in the Nigerian squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast. However, he was forced to withdraw from the AFCON-bound national team when he sustained a muscle injury. He was replaced by Terem Moffi.

Style of play

Boniface is known for his distinctive style of play. His playing characteristics include strengths in dribbling, finishing, and headed attempts, while his weaknesses lie in offside awareness, holding onto the ball, and defensive contribution.

He is described as a player who likes to dribble, likes to do layoffs, and likes to play long balls. These attributes contribute to his effectiveness as a forward on the field.

His background, including learning to play football in a military barracks in Nigeria, adds an interesting dimension to his journey as a footballer.

Overall, Victor Boniface’s style of play is characterized by his technical abilities, goal-scoring prowess, and unique playing preferences, making him a player to watch in the world of football.

 

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Ugandan athlete in critical condition after Kenya petrol attack

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Ugandan athlete in critical condition after Kenya petrol attack

Ugandan athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei is in critical condition in a Kenyan hospital, after allegedly being doused with petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

The 33-year-old marathon runner, who competed at the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered burns to more than 75% of her body, police said.

She was attacked at her home in western Kenya, where she had been training.
There are concerns about the increasing cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya, some of which have resulted in death.

Ms Cheptegei is said to have been rescued by neighbours after the incident that happened on Sunday at her home in the small town of Endebess.

The alleged attacker also sustained serious burns, local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom told journalists.

The two are being treated at Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret, the main town in the region.

“The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Mr Kosiom was quoted as saying.

Ms Cheptegei, from a region just across the border in Uganda, is said to have bought a piece of land in Trans Nzoia county and built a house, to be near Kenya’s many athletic training centres.

A report filed by a local administrator said the two had been wrangling over the piece of land. Police say an investigation is under way.

Ms Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the recent Paris Olympics.

She also won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.

In April 2022, another female runner, Damaris Mutua, was found strangled in a home with a pillow over her face in the Rift Valley town of Iten.

It came months after record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death in the same town.
Men have also been targeted.

Last December, another Ugandan athlete, Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death by assailants in Eldoret.

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Real Madrid step up Alexander-Arnold interest

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Real Madrid are reported to have made concrete steps in their push to sign Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Real Madrid are reported to have made concrete steps in their push to sign Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Alexander-Arnold has entered the final 12 months of his contract with Liverpool, with talks over an extension being delayed by the Reds’ need to find a new sporting hierarchy and manager earlier this summer.

90min first reported of Madrid’s interest in Alexander-Arnold in March, when the right-back was known to be both relaxed and understanding about the delay in resolving his future at Anfield.

However, now in the final year of his current deal, Alexander-Arnold’s situation has piqued the interest of several top sides and Christian Falk claims Madrid are now “getting concrete” with their push to sign the 25-year-old.

It is claimed that Madrid have been in contact with Alexander-Arnold for the past month and the Liverpool star has expressed an interest in moving to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Having now ended his Euro 2024 journey with England, Alexander-Arnold will be free to speak with Liverpool about his future and the Reds are likely to pursue a speedy resolution before he enters the final six months of his deal and can formally speak with other clubs.

Alexander-Arnold’s stance on his Liverpool future is not yet clear, but he did suggest he was already thinking about next season with the Reds during an interview with club media in May.

“It was a good season, built on last season, got better as a team, challenged for the title, took it far and we improved,” he said. “Any time you improve means that it’s a good season. Take the positives and move forward and hopefully again next season.”

As for Madrid, right-back has long been suggested as an area in need of strengthening but, while a replacement for 32-year-old Dani Carvajal will be needed eventually, the Spain veteran is arguably in the best form of his career and is an outside contender for the 2024 Ballon d’Or thanks to his ludicrous trophy haul over the past 12 months.

 

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Tinubu’s One Year Anniversary: The State Of Sports Under John Owan Enoh

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's qualitative leadership was demonstrated in the demerger of sports from other sectors. For the

By Diana Mary Nsan

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s qualitative leadership was demonstrated in the demerger of sports from other sectors. For the first time in the nation, a Federal Ministry of Sports Development was established to explore the potential in the sports sector, potentials which will impact significantly on the nation’s growth.Along the lines of creating employment opportunities, curbing insecurity , contributing to the Nations GDP etc

Senator John Owan Enoh the Honourable Minister of Sports Development is known for his hands-on approach and commitment to succeed in any given assignment, proven time and again as a lawmaker.

To gain a firm grasp of the sports sector, the minister performed a critical analysis, identified problems and opportunities, engaged stakeholders extensively, and began implementing policies to bring about enduring systemic change. These policies, some of which are revolutionary, have led to accelerated development of sports in the country. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Activating and enabling a welfare system that caters for serving and retired athletes, as well as an annual recognition platform.

With Senator Enoh’s priority presentation to the Presidency, President Tinubu cleared all the debts accumulated by the past administration in the funding of football, in excess of N12 billion. This demonstrates a significant commitment to looking out for the welfare of sportsmen and women. The money was transferred directly into the coffers of the NFF, as the minister’s first motivation in politics has never been greed. He runs on a transparency module. At the time of this publication, the figures for financial interventions have climbed to about 17 billion naira as the welfare of athletes is a priority under the renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu.

Transparency and openness in the disbursement of athletes’ funds, by paying through the apex bank for the 13th All Africa Games. This policy ensures that no athlete is shortchanged. This genuine change experienced some teething problems in the form of delays in payment of a few athletes, but it is all sorted now.

Visitation and follow-up checks on injured athletes receiving medical attention during and after competitions. The minister always follows up on the wellbeing of the injured in the sports industry.

To end the usual bickering amongst athletes and officials, John Enoh has pushed and gotten the approval of the National Council on Sports for the establishment of a Court of Arbitration to handle matters within the sector instead of resorting to civil courts. This speaks to his love for decorum as a leader.

The welfare plan touches every Nigerian. At the 1st National Council on sports held in Enugu State, Nigeria on the 22nd of May, the minister sought the approval of the council that the Federal Ministry of Sports Development presents a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to designate 2nd August of every year as National Sports and Fitness Day in Nigeria. A brainchild he nurses to address the wellbeing of Nigerians in general, as the ever-increasing number of cases of non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, cardiac disease, cancers, etc., globally is of great concern to the World Health Organization and nationals of the world. The health benefits of physical activity are firmly established in medicine. Nigeria loses about $1.5b to $2b yearly to medical tourism. Senator Enoh’s push for physical fitness as a lifestyle for Nigerians is commendable. This will further boost sports merchandise and add to the nation’s GDP.

Nigeria has always been in the eye of the storm when it comes to doping, and the minister swung into immediate action to proffer a solution by ensuring the transmission of the national anti-doping bill to the National Assembly to ensure Nigeria has a befitting anti-doping organization that is compliant with the world anti-doping code, a process of redeeming the reputation of our nation through sports is indeed commendable.This is salvagingbthe image if the country globally.

Sports as Buisness .Sports as a means and source of livelihood and entertainment to Nigerians.

The minister’s adoption of the National Sports Industry Policy clearly shows his genuine intention of developing the sports sector by seeing it as Business. The future of Nigerian sports lies in the private sector, this is an advocacy of the minister. His engaging with key players in the private sector is a testimony to his desire to further develop the NSIP to secure the interest of the private sector. An example is the capitalization of the local leagues currently underway.

INFRASTRUCTURE development: Investment in building and revamping stadia, as well as focus on grassroots sports facilities.

Senator John Owan Enoh kicked off his tenure with the inspection of sporting facilities at national and zonal levels and is currently partnering with the private sector for the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. A key example is the partnership with EFFA Management, which covers the rehabilitation of sporting facilities.

Funding for sports development: The government is exploring collaborative funding models with the private sector to revolutionize sports in Nigeria. Groundbreaking agreements with key private sector players like GTI Assets and Yanga Games Ltd on the 19th of April 2024 are indications of the resolve to leverage innovation, technology, and human expertise.

Activation of grassroots sports development: Senator Enoh is pushing for early age (under-18) sports and revitalization of school sports. Introducing NIN submission to enable thorough screening of athletes at the Youth Games is aimed at allowing new talents to be unearthed within the age range of 13-18 years.

Reorganization of Sports Federations for impact: The administration is keen on implementing the 10-year football master plan, expanding the NFF congress, and developing a template to properly scrutinize those vying to be presidents of Federations.

Ministerial Podium Performance Team: The Honourable Minister of Sports Development has set up a team to handle Training Load Management, improved performance of athletes, accountability of sports administrators, anti-doping education, and a scientific approach to training programs. Teams that comply with the plan always perform excellently.

Nigeria’s performance in sports: Nigeria had an outstanding performance at the 13th All African Games in Accra, Ghana. The country finished second overall, winning a total of 121 medals composed of 47 gold medals, 33 silver, and 41 bronze medals. The Super Eagles of Nigeria won the Silver Medal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after 23 years.

Refereeing in the country: After the Confederation of African Football (CAF) snubbed Nigerian match officials in its 2023 AFCON list, the minister declared a state of emergency on refereeing in the country, leading to the establishment of a roadmap for the rejuvenation of officiating.

Achievements in women’s sports: The Super Falcons were named the Team of the Year in Africa at the 2023 CAF Awards, and Chiamaka Nnadozie was named the first-ever African Goalkeeper of the Year. Elizabeth Oshoba became the first Nigerian female boxer to win a world title.

Under Sen. John Enoh’s leadership, Nigeria qualified for the Youth Winter Olympics for the first time ever in South Korea.

With a great sense of national pride, I am excited to announce that the Super Falcons have qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 after 16 years. This is a significant achievement for Sen. John Enoh as the sports minister, and it reflects his consistent support and leadership that has led to this success.

Team Nigeria athletes have already begun securing qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place in the summer of 2024. The Honourable Minister has established a high-powered ministerial committee to create a strategic roadmap for the Games and to improve the nation’s chances of performing well at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Thus far, record shows that the number of qualified athletes for the Olympics representing Nigeria is the best the nation has recorded.

Every detail, including athlete hygiene, is being carefully considered. The preparation of athletes for the Paris Olympics is also being prioritized.

In other news, Tobi Amusan set a new African Women’s indoor record in the 60-meter hurdles at the Astana Indoor Meet in Kazakhstan, as well as a world-leading time at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational.

Additionally, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen was named African Footballer of the Year, making him the first Nigerian to win the award in 24 years.

Nigeria’s basketball team, Rivers Hoopers, has made history by qualifying for the semi finals for the first time in BAL (Basketball Africa League) in Dakar, Senegal. This is the first time a Nigerian basketball team has reached this stage.

The 4x400m relay team also set a new African record of 3:12.87, marking the first time in 28 years. All of these achievements have taken place within the first nine months of Senator Enoh’s tenure in office.

It’s also worth noting that the National Council on Sports was held in Enugu from the 20th to the 22nd of May 2024. This council, as the highest decision-making body in the sports sector, is taking the first steps in a series of actions to address longstanding issues in the sector. This seems to be the most commendable sports council meeting to date.

The commencement of the Nigeria Sports Data Aggregator System (NISDAS)

In conclusion, while the work of the sports minister is far from over, it is clear that significant progress is being made, and the future looks promising.

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