Sixteen days to the epic confrontation of Ghana and Nigeria in Cape Coast Ghana, Nigeria’s rescue manager, Austin Eguavoen will be talking at a sports session being hosted by former Edo State Sports Commission boss, Godwin Dudu-Orumen at his sports bar, Sportsshaq on Sunday.

According to Dudu-Orumen, sports fans and members of the Nigerian football family are in for exciting moments during the hosting of the Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, the Nigeria’s premier sports lounge SportsShaq.

Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Sportshaq’s founder and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), said Eguavoen, fondly called Cerezo, was being hosted among many reasons for the sprite, class and purpose he had brought to the Super Eagles since he was appointed Interim Manager of the team in late 2021.

Eguavoen was the on-field captain for the Super Eagles when the team first won the Africa Cup of Nations outside Nigeria’s shores.  

“The Eagles were a shadow of their erstwhile rugged and purposeful selves under the German, Gernort Rohr.

“Their play was listless and uninspiring but that changed with the coming of Eguavoen.

“As we saw at the last Nations Cup, Eguavoen rejuvenated the Eagles imbuing them with the confidence and zeal that the team lacked for years under Rohr”, said Dudu-Orumen, one of Nigeria’s sports administrators and repository of football knowledge, which earned him the moniker, Football Aficionado.

Speaking further on the hosting of Eguavoen, himself a former captain of the Eagles, Dudu-Orumen said the event will attract leading members of the Nigerian sports fraternity including Barrister Seyi Akinwumi. First Vice President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Chief Segun Odegbami, former Chairman of the board of the National Institute of Sports and one-time captain of the Eagles, Dr. Larry Izamoje, one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists and founder of the country’s first sports radio station, Mitchel Obi, President of African Sports Journalists Union(ASJU) and other top journalist s like Tayo Balogun, Gboyega Okegbenro, Godwin Enakhena and former Oyo SWAN Chairman, Station Manager and Head of News LN247 Emenike Agu

He added that in addition to the personalities above, other guests to grace the occasion includes communication industry captains and brand custodians like Gamaliel Ese Onosode, Ehi Braimah, Tony Agenmomen, Igbo Amadi-Obi, Nnanke Harry-Willie, Chidi Okoro; Corporate Executives, Chidi Anadozie, Ohimai Unuigboje, legal luminaries- Chief Charles Umwensuyi-Edosomwan SAN, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, Hrm Babatunde Ogala SAN, Adedapo Tunde-Olowu SAN, Chijioke Okoli SAN, Ikenna Okoli SAN, Biriyai Dambo SAN, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Bayelsa State, Sola Aiyepeku , Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission and Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye former Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

The Football Aficionado disclosed that the event, which will commence by 6pm will afford the Super Eagles coach the opportunity to feel the pulse of the many football fans who daily throng Sportshaq to savour the best of football and other sports.

“It promises to be an interesting time this Sunday at Sportshaq. It will be an evening to remember”, Dudu-Orumen said.

Eguavoen himself is looking forward to the event as it will afford him opportunity to connect with football fans in Lagos where for many years he titillated them with his deft marking skills as a defender with the Eagles.

Like a war commander, Nigeria’s rescue coach, Augustine Eguavoen has improved on the arsenal he employed at the last Africa Cup of Nations with the invitation of potent strikers while at the same time, putting in place solid defence.

In his list of 32 players and a reserve army of seven, the often attack-oriented coach this Friday unveiled his army of invaders who will fly to Cape Coast for the first leg of the World Cup play-off.

Headlining the list is Ademola Lookman, the former England junior international who is expected to terrorise the Black Stars from the right wing to complement the dangerous incursions from the left by the ever-reliable Moses Simon.

The Leicester City FC of England forward Ademola Lookman only recently cleared by FIFA to switch international allegiance. He will therefore be a debutant if fielded in any of the two matches.  

Also in the armoury is former U17 World Cup star Akinkunmi Amoo who is officially called for the first time into the Super Eagles’ fold while defender Calvin Bassey and forward Emmanuel Dennis return to the fold of the three –time African champions.

The strike force includes Victor Osimhen, Odion Ighalo, Sadiq Umar, Emmanuel Dennis and Kelechi Iheanacho.

A glaring absentee is Alex Iwobi ostensibly owing to the red card in the ill-fated Nigeria’s round of 16 match with Tunisia in Garoua.

The other invitees are the usual suspects. On the list are Ahmed Musa, William Ekong and Wifred Ndidi.

Also called up are goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, and Samuel Chukwueze.

AFCON 2021 forwards Taiwo Awoniyi and Peter Olayinka, defender Chidozie Awaziem and long-time absentee Ogenyi Onazi are in a seven-man standby list.

The camp opens in Abuja on 21^st March, with a 24 –man final list for the two big games to be released at a later date.

Nigeria take on Ghana in the 20,000 –capacity Cape Coast Sports Stadium as from 7.30pm on Friday 25^th March, with the reverse leg set for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, 29^th March as from 6pm. The winner over two legs will earn one of Africa’s five tickets to the 22^nd FIFA World Cup finals, scheduled for 14^th November – 18^th December this year in Qatar.

FULL SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Defenders: Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Akinkunmi Amoo (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England)

Standby: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Ogenyi Onazi (Al-Adalah FC, Saudi Arabia)

The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has condemned the decision of Rugby Africa to host its continenal championship outside the continent.

In a press release by the  professional body representing the international sports media, with more than 9,500 members worldwide, AIPS frowns at the taking of the championship, the rugby equavalent of soccer’s Africa Cup of Nations, to Paris.

“I believe the decision made by the president of Rugby Africa to host the African qualifiers for the Rugby World Cup in provincial France, rather than keeping it on the African continent is completely wrong, and sends a highly disturbing   message to all Africans, especially the young populace and the continent’s rising  rugby community”, remarked Mitchel Obi, the Nigerian president of Africa’s wing of AIPS.

Continuing, Obi remarks: “People will rightly be asking themselves why the most prestigious rugby tournament on the continent is being moved away and played in Europe, when there are plenty of alternative locations within Africa that are perfectly well-equipped to host it.

“Playing the tournament in France not only deprives African audiences of watching world-class rugby on their doorstep, it also denies local economies of much-needed income from a high-profile event that would have driven the tourism and hospitality industries, and increased international exposure and investment.

“Moreover, it is not even ‘France’ as a whole that is hosting this vital African tournament. No, the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 is to be played in ‘Région Sud’, a region of France that ranks seventh-lowest in terms of population, and is the furthest away from the capital, Paris.

“The games will be played in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille – a city that is the beating heart of France’s football scene, but is hardly known for its love of rugby.

“The signing ceremony announcing the award of the tournament to ‘Région Sud’ was a perfect illustration of how insignificant this tournament is in the minds of the sport’s administrators.

“France’s Minister of Sport was notable by his absence. So too the president of the French Rugby Federation. Instead, the main dignitaries in attendance were the president of ‘Région Sud’ and the mayor of Aix-en-Provence – a town with a population of 143,000 football fans.

“The Rugby Africa Cup has shrunk from a celebration of an entire continent, down to an unfancied provincial event in a distant sphere lacking the colour and charm of a welcoming host.

“At best, it is depressing and patronizing for the players and fans of African rugby. At worst, it is an insult to the whole continent of Africa. It reinforces the stereotypical depictions that Africa still endures in Western media, so it is incredibly disappointing that Rugby Africa’s president – an African himself – has chosen to follow this path.

“The main reason he has given for his decision to host the competition in France rather than Africa seems to center around ‘mediatization’ and visibility – with the argument being that events hosted in Africa are somehow less accessible to international audiences.

“But one only needs to look at some of the events already being hosted in Africa to see that argument is absurd. In fact, the opposite is true. More international sporting events than ever are turning to Africa for hosting duties.

“Even the International Olympic Committee is coming to Africa, with the Youth Olympics Games to be held in Senegal in 2026 – the first time any Olympic competition will hold on the continent.

“Over the next five years Africa will host a wealth of prestigious international sporting events:

• The 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games (Dakar, Senegal, 2026)
• UCI Road Cycling World Championships (Rwanda, 2025)
• Cricket World Cup (South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, 2027)
• Jeux de la Francophonie (Kinshasa, DRC, 2023)
• Africa Cup of Nations (Côte d’Ivoire, 2023)
• Africa Games (Accra, Ghana, 2023)
• African Beach Games (Tunisia, 2023)
• Netball World Cup (South Africa, 2026)
• The 22nd CAA African Senior Athletics Championships (Mauritius, 2022)
• Mediterranean Games (Algeria, 2022)

“Incidentally, 3650 athletes will take part in this year’s Mediterranean Games in Algeria, while fewer than 200 will be on show at the Rugby Africa Cup. So, this is clearly not about scale, logistics or infrastructure.

“Anyone suggesting that Africa is ‘not ready’ or is in some way unsuited to hosting major global sporting events is reinforcing old colonial stereotypes of arrogance and entitlement. It is a laughable thought. The world has moved on and knows the promise which Africa holds as the choice host of events.

“As the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) in Africa, we have particular concerns about the ability of African sports journalists to access and effectively cover the Rugby Africa Cup in such a remote location. We have urgently reached out to Rugby Africa and to World Rugby to ask what is being done to help them secure visas, flights, and accommodation.

“As the governing body and the custodians of the game, World Rugby could and should have intervened in Rugby Africa’s decision to host an African tournament on a different continent. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s population will be African, and the sport is growing faster here than it is anywhere else. The future of world rugby is Africa. And it needs protecting – including from the President of Rugby Africa, if need be.

“Sadly the decision to award hosting duties for the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 to a provincial area of France was not and never made with the best interests of African rugby at heart.

“It is sincerely regrettable that the leadership of Rugby Africa made this miserable decision without deserving consultations with key Stakeholders and partners who over the years have stretched themselves to add value to the growth of the game in the continent. Here we are reminded of the lack of a vital reach and consultation with Rugby Africa’s main official sponsor (APO Group) whose Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard is evidently at a loss with a decision entirely without merit and support even for any die-hard enthusiast.

“I earnestly hope such distinguished partners won’t lose their appetite to pad and lift the game inspite of this wrong patch.

“Notably, the entire family of Sports Journalists across Africa and all those who care passionately for the health and growth of Rugby in the continent insist on the need to bring and keep home the Gold Cup where it rightly belongs and finds its shine.

“President Babbou must change gear without delay and forget his provincial French fancies.”