Former Rangers attacking sensation, Late Ifeanyi George Onwubiko, will be buried on Saturday, March 28, 2020 in Lagos State.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Somali Football Federation (SFF) have announced the passing away of Somali legend Abdulkadir Mohamed Farah after suffering from coronavirus.
Nigeria climbed one place in the latest FIFA Women’s World ranking, moving from 39 to 38 and thus retain its top spot on the continent.
Sunshine Stars Captain, Abe Sunday, has disclosed that a sum of N2.5m was paid to the kidnappers before the duo Dayo Ojo of Eyimba Fc and Benjamin Iluyomade of Abia Comets were released.
Dayo Ojo and Benjamin Iluyomade were abducted on Sunday alongthe Benin-Owo expressway as they journeyed to Akure followingthe suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League amidconcerns over the global pandemic, Covid-19, but were later released four days later.
Abe who played with both players at Sunshine Stars told journalists in Akure that the money was delivered to the kidnappers after serious negotiation.
The Sunshine captain said the decision of the kidnappers to meetwith them and collect the money proved they have backing of high ranked citizens.
“They called us around after 4pm on Wednesday that we should come with the money, at times they asked me to send them recharge card. We tried to speak with them on the financial state of the country.
“We negotiated from N100m to N20m before they finally agreed on N2.5 million. Those people have back up in the Army and the Police. They never asked us to drop the money inside the bush, they met with us one on one.
“They asked me to bring the money before they released them, so I don’t know where police rescued them because I don’t like ‘fake news’ we reached Akure around 1am on Thursday.
“But the most important thing is that both of them are alive and are back with their families.” he said.
Wikki Tourists Manager Usman Abd’Allah believes his side will avoid relegation despite their current position in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
According to the tactician the battle at the lower rung of the table is highly competitive.
The Giant Elephants have endured a difficult season so far as they lie 15th on the log 31 points after 25 match days.
Their 1-0 victory over Kano Pillars on 18th March seems to have brought their campaign back on track.
Speaking in an interview with www.brila.net, Abd’Allah admitted it is normal for his side to labour to retain their NPFL status.
“People are talking about the situation of Wikki Tourists but if you look at the table there are about ten teams in the same situation,” the former Enyimba tactician told brila.net.
“There are almost about six teams on 38 points, that means we are in the same situation. You lose one match or draw two you go back to relegation.
“It’s almost the same as last season when El-Kanemi Warriors was leading the table and they later got relegated. This time around, Plateau United that narrowly escaped relegation is leading the table,” he recalled.
“You can see how competitive the league is. People should not judge until the season is over.
Meanwhile, the NPFL is still on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic which has rocked the Global City. A date for the resumption of Nigeria’s top flight is yet to released by the League Management Company (LMC).
Nigerian striker Odion is reportedly in dilemma following the new contract offer from his chinese Super league side Shanghai Shenhua.
Skysports reported that the 30 year old has been offered a two year deal by the Chinese super league side that will see him become the highest paid African player in the world.
The new deal from Shanghai Shenhua will see the Manchester United loanee pocket £400,000 weekly before tax, something his boyhood club Manchester United won’t match.
Ighalo is living his childhood dream by playing for Manchester United at the moment and boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also told the media that the former Watford man could be needed at the Old Trafford next season.
However reports said the both developments have left Ighaloflattered and he is in dilemma as regarding his future.
The 2019 African Cup of Nations goal king joined who ManchesterUnited on a six months loan deal back in January still has two year left on his £ 300,000 weekly contract Shanghai Shenhua that runs till December 2022.
Ighalo has scored four goals in his last three apparences for Manchester United and his also provided one assist.
Enugu Rangers player Christian Madu has stated that he believes there is still football this season and trust the league to make a return as soon as there is headway on the issue of the Corona virus scourge which has halted all sports activities and other spheres of national life.
Madu speaking in a chat with www.brila.net said the title is still very open for a number of teams and that alone mean there is still football to be played notwithstanding what may have happened with the suspension of the league.
“I believe the league will commence as soon as everything is under control as regards the issue of Corona virus because of the way they started it.
“The seriousness and every thing about the league this season, I believe the league will start once everything is over. This league is still open, they should not write Rangers off.”
Sunshine stars player Ikenna Paul has suggested that the LMC should try to ensure they employ football means as a way to end the season with the Covid-19 pandemic taking valuable time as regards the calendar to plan the season.
The 2014 CHAN bronze medalist speaking in a chat with www.brila.net said the LMC should consider playing playoffs if things continue like this where the top six or top eight teams are engaged to decide the direction of the league as against crowning a team abruptly.
“We must end the league by whatever means we see or whichever situation we find ourselves. Either the league should continue or go for playoffs like Super six, Super Eight.
Those at the top knows the right thing to do and how to go about it.”
D’tigress forward Evelyn Akhator has stated that she is happy and okay with the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games after the IOC gave official announcement to this effect due to the Covid-19 pandemic which ravaged the world and has brought every sporting activity to a halt.
Akhator speaking in a chat with www.brila.net said the pandemic was one no one was ready for and it spread has affected everyone citing the psychological effect as one that wouldn’t even benefit the D’Tigress of any of the players of the national team with the huge distractions and worries about safety that comes with it.
“Nobody was ready for this plague and we as athletes we don’t even know when this will be over and I pray it’s over soon. We were just hoping that the Olympics should be postponed because we are not ready to play basketball with all of these happenings. I think postponing it is a good thing.”
Ajax star Abdelhak ‘Appie’ Nouri has stunned doctors by miraculously waking up after spending two years and nine months in a coma.