The Super Eagles, who lost 1-2 to the host nation, Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the finals on Sunday, were impressive until the final loss.

Dr Umakhihe, in a statement praised the team for their hard work and dedication throughout the tournament. He noted that despite the loss, the Super Eagles displayed great resilience and fighting spirit.

He commended the players and coaching staff for their efforts in reaching the final and expressed confidence in their ability to bounce back stronger in future tournaments. Dr Umakhihe also acknowledged the support of the fans, who stood behind the team and cheered them on throughout the competition.

Dr Umakhihe called on the government and corporate organizations to support sports development in the country. He highlighted the positive impact of sports in promoting unity, national pride, and economic growth.

Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe congratulated the Super Eagles for their impressive performance at the AFCON, despite the loss in the finals. He urged the team to learn from their experiences and work towards future success. He also commended the NFF for their efforts and called for continued support for sports development in Nigeria.

Shaibu said, the journey to the AFCON final has not been easy, but you have shown determination, skill, and teamwork throughout the tournament. Your hard work has paid off, and we believe that you have what it takes to bring home the cup once again.

As you step onto the field tonight, remember that you are not just playing for yourselves, but for the millions of Nigerians who are watching and cheering for you. You are representing our nation, our pride, and our love for the beautiful game.

The road to the final may have been challenging, but you have shown resilience in the face of adversity. It is this spirit that will push you to victory. Believe in yourselves, trust in your abilities, and give it your all on the field.

You have the support of the entire nation, and we will be with you every step of the way. We will be cheering from the stands, from our homes, and from every corner of the country. Our hearts will beat as one, and our prayers will be with you.

Remember, you are not alone. We stand united behind you, supporting you with all our hearts. You have already made us proud, but we know that you have the potential to achieve even greater heights.

Tonight, as you take on your opponents, know that the entire nation is behind you. The Super Eagles will soar, and the AFCON cup will be ours once again.

Go, Super Eagles, go! Make history, make us proud, and bring the cup home!

Edo State Football Association Vice Chairman, Kindness Ohiowele

The sporting community in Nigeria is mourning the sudden passing of Mr. Kindness Ohiowele, Vice Chairman of the Edo State Football Association (ESFA) and head of the state’s delegation to the ongoing South-South FA’s Under-18 Football Tournament in Bayelsa State.

Edo State Football Association Vice Chairman, Kindness Ohiowele
Truth Live News received the shocking news of Mr. Ohiowele’s passing in the early hours of today being Sunday, 11th of February 2024, though details surrounding the cause of death are still emerging, the news has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian football space.

Mr. Ohiowele was a well-respected figure in Edo State football, serving not only as Vice Chairman of the ESFA but also as the current Vice Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON). His dedication to youth development and passion for the sport were widely recognized.

During his address, Dr. Umakhihe expressed his happiness at being in Etsako and conveyed his deep respect for the people of Etsako Central. He emphasized his belief in the central role of politics and his confidence in his capacity, ability, and intellect to govern Edo State.

Dr. Umakhihe also highlighted his educational background, including achieving a PhD, and his extensive experience as a technocrat, bureaucrat, and administrator. He pointed to his track record of successful projects across Edo State and his support for the APC, even during his time as a civil servant. Notably, he mentioned his financial support for the APC in the last local government election.

Prior to meeting with the APC leaders, Dr. Umakhihe visited the Etsako Central APC elders for special prayers before heading to the Party Secretariat.

The APC leaders from both local governments offered their prayers and assured Dr. Umakhihe of their support in securing the APC Governorship ticket. They expressed their confidence in his ability to continue the development initiatives in the state and pledged their backing for his candidacy.

Despite winning the FIFA Best Men’s Player award in London Monday night, Inter Miami’s star signing Lionel Messi was noticeably absent from the prestigious ceremony.

As such, there was speculation about him snubbing the event. However, respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has opened up on the reason behind Messi’s no-show.

Balague revealed that Messi opted for pre-season drills with his MLS club over the London gala.

He said: “Reason of Messi absence in London.

“Messi has started training for Inter Miami and travelling to London would have meant 3/4 days lost.

“He has to adjust to his new football calendar. He had some physical problems second half of the year and he wants to do a proper preseason.”

Neither Manchester City’s Erling Haaland nor Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, fellow finalists for the FIFA Best award, graced the London ceremony.

Roma sacking of the former Chelsea manager is not unconnected to their woeful and uninspiring start to the 2023-24 season which has seen them lose seven of their first twenty games.

The 2-1 loss to AC Milan over the weekend being the final nail in the coffin.

The club announced his dismissal in a joint statement issued by the owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, on Tuesday.

They thanked Mourinho for his contributions to the club since his arrival at Stadio Olimpico.

They, however, stated that a change in the club has become highly imperative.

The Statement reads: “We would like to thank José on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for his passion and efforts since his arrival at the club,” said Dan and Ryan Friedkin.

” We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club. We wish José and his assistants all the best in their future endeavours”

Roma’s latest defeat to Milan saw them drop to ninth in the table. The Giallorossi still have an outside chance of finishing in the Champions League spots, with only five points separating them and fourth-placed Fiorentina, but Mourinho won’t be taking them any further, having paid the ultimate price for the team’s awful recent performances.

Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Equatorial Guinea in their opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations game on Sunday.

Ivan Salvador opened the scoring with a fine finish to stun the Super Eagles.

But the three-time African champions were level within two minutes, with Victor Osimhen rising highest to head home Ademola Lookman’s cross.

There were no goals in the second half of the game.

So, what are the four things we learnt from the encounter?

1. Equatorial Guinea are no pushovers: Juan Micha’s men have a track record of being giant killers. And they almost shocked the Super Eagles today. They face Guinea-Bissau next and could be top of Group A by the time Ivory Coast vs Nigeria kicks off.

2. Nigeria face an uphill task: The Eagles did not look like a serious team against Equatorial Guinea. It does not help that they face the hosts in their second game. A poor result against the Elephants, and the alarm bells will be loudly ringing amid the possibility of an early exit.

3. Peseiro is still tactically limited: Again, Jose Peseiro looked tactically inept, as he failed to either inspire his players or make game-changing substitutions. Nigeria looked like a badly coached team, bereft of ideas and a will to win.

4. Osimhen has to do better: Most of the Super Eagles’ hopes lay squarely on the shoulders of Victor Osimhen. And although the Napoli striker levelled the scores, he missed gilt-edged chances that would have secured all three points. Osimhen has two more fixtures to live up to his billing as the team’s talisman

The Eagles are expected to play their first game this Saturday, January 13, against Equatorial Guinea, as supporters of the national team hope that they’ll win the competition for the first time since 2013.

The 23-man squad dressed in the nation’s colours as they flew from Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire.

Super Eagles and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen has hit back at Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s agent, Mamuka Jugeli, over a statement that the 25-year-old will move to the Saudi League in the summer.

Osimhen recently penned a new deal at Napoli, which reportedly has a release clause of around €120–€130 million.

Jugeli, in an interview with Georgian media 1Tv, quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, claimed that while Napoli raised Osimhen’s salary so he could move in the summer, his player wouldn’t accept such an offer.

He said, “Osimhen has signed a new contract, but do you really believe he will play for Napoli for his entire career? I’ll tell you in advance, he will go to Saudi Arabia next summer. Napoli raised his salary, but Khvicha wouldn’t accept such a transfer even for a billion.”

Reacting to the interview, Osimhen, in a post on his Instagram story on Wednesday, called Jugeli a “disgrace.”

He wrote, “Dear Mamuka Jugeli, you are a piece of filth and a disgrace.

“I’m embarrassed at your sense of reasoning.

“Dumb f*ck! KEEP MY NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!”.

Osimhen rejected joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal FC earlier this year, stating that he had to “make a decision that is good for my career.”

This was contained in an announcement made by Matchroom and Queensberry on Friday night, where it was stated that the fight would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March.

According to the statement, date for the fight will be confirmed next week, with a press conference planned for January 15 in London.

Daily Mail reports that the proposed date for the Joshua vs Wilder bout was March 9, with both parties signing on the dotted line ahead of their respective bouts in December.

Therefore, many believe the bout between AJ and French-Cameroonian, Ngannou, will replace the proposed fight between the British heavyweight and Wilder.

AJ stated his interest in fighting Ngannou after the former UFC star broke into the WBC’s top 10 heavyweight rankings after his first professional boxing match.

No one gave Ngannou anything other than a puncher’s chance on his boxing debut against Tyson Fury last October.

Joshua continued his quest to return to the top of the heavyweight division with a dominant five-round win over Otto Wallin on December 23 but expectations that he would next face Deontay Wilder evaporated when the American lost to Joseph Parker on the same card.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou knocked down Tyson Fury in his first professional boxing bout last October, although the latter still won a split decision, and is now ranked in the WBC’s top 10 of heavyweight contenders.