TNTF - News

9th All African Games, Algiers 2007.

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*TEAM NIGERIA REDEEM CASH PLEDGE

Top Team Nigeria officials here in Algiers led by their acting board chairman, Chief Molade

Okoya- Thomas has slammed organisers of the on-going 9th All Africa Games for their shoddy and

slipshod organization of the biggest multi-sport Games of the African continent.

Speaking during courtesy visit to the CFAO Motors head-office here in Algiers , Chief Okoya-

Thomas said the organizers have failed to meet the expectations of millions of sports lovers who

expected world-class organization. Chief Okoya – Thomas, however praised the conduct and

performance of Team Nigeria inspite of the fact that things are presently not going Nigeria ’s way.

Although we are not abreast of development in all the venues yet but from what we know and

what we have heard, I think Nigeria is doing well. If you imagine that we have already won some

gold medals and have the capacity to win much more. We have started badly at all, said the

Asoju-Oba of Lagos. In a similar vein, former permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of

Sports, Ambassador Daniel Hart has also slammed the organization of the Games.

*Yar' Adua Wishes Team Nigeria Success in AAG

President Umaru Yar' Adua has urged Nigerian athletes and officials to the 9th All African Games,

hold in Algeria, to be good ambassadors, as they jostle to win medals for Nigeria. The President

who sent a personal letters to the team in Algiers, enjoined the athletes to fight for honors fairly

and ensure that Nigeria maintains the winning streak.

*Team Nigeria Visit Venues, Boost Athletes

In furtherance of its quest to do the nation proud at the on going 9th All African Games, Team

Nigeria Trust Fund led by Acting Chairman, Chief Mobolade Okoya-Thomas is leaving no stone

unturned with visits and words of encouragement to the Nigeria contingent. The Team Nigeria

Trust Fund delegation which include Board members such as the Managing Director, Suleiman

Baba Ali, Henry Onyekuru, Larry Osai as well as representatives of Team Nigeria Sponsors on

Saturday was at Ainn Taya (about 2 hours drive from main city) to watched Nigeria and Congo Dr

in a Female Handball match. Though the Nigerian girls lost 23 - 29 in keenly contested match.

Chief Okoya –Thomas in a rare show of appreciation gave the girls $600 (Six hundred dollar) and

charged them to go and win their remaining matches. Nigeria will confront Egypt in her next

match. Chief Okoya was also on hand at the Tennis courts where Nigeria recorded mixed fortune.

Whilst the pair of Osaro Amadi/Margaret Olagunjoye defeated Lesotho 6-2, 6-2 to qualify for the

Semi-final in the women category and the Nigerian pair of Omotayo Ibrahim/Fatimah Abinu loss

to Egypt . In the mean’s double the pair of Jonathan igbinovia/Babalola Abdumumini lost to the

Algerians. But undaunted Chief Okoya still gave them a substantial amount to boast their morale.

*Team Nigeria in Flying Start.

Nigeria table Tenni Player got off to a bright start on Thursday with a 3-0 victory over Kenya and

Dr Congo respectively. The feat was achieved in the female event with Effiom Edem and Cecilia

Otu as the conquerors. National Coach Babatunde Obisanya said Nigeria was in course to sweep

the medals in the event. We are doing our best to maintain our position here and the players are

really ready," He said.

*Team Nigeria ready for Algiers 2007

The Team Nigeria Trust Fund has said that the body is ready to fulfil its promises to the national athletes and the corporate world in the forthcoming 9th All Africa Games holding in Algiers. The spokesman of the body, Gbenga Giwa, traveled to Algiers last week to further complete all arrangements for the event .Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone on Monday from Algiers, Giwa expressed hope that Team Nigeria would do well at the games. He said, “All is set and we also hope to make a great impact at the event. We are ready to motivate the athletes to get the desired result for Nigeria. “We are sure that the athletes will not disappoint because of the good preparation for the event.”The Managing Director of Team Nigeria, Suleiman Baba-Ali, said the body would sign more partners for the games. He said, “Our doors are still open because we have an understanding with some organizations and we expect them to come forward for final documentation." Everything will be in place and we expect more support from the corporate world for the Olympics because we had little time to prepare for Algiers

*Gumel hails Team Nigeria

The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr. Habu Gumel, showered praises on the

Team Nigeria Trust Fund for its effort towards a successful defense of All Africa Games title

just as the second batch of national contingent for the games departs Abuja for Algeria on Friday.

The first batch was due to leave Lagos on Thursday night on a chattered flight. Gumel was elated

that Team Nigeria presented quality kits to the National Sports Commission on Wednesday in

Abuja. He urged the Managing Director of Team Nigeria, Suleiman Baba-Ali, not to relent on his

effort to improve the welfare of Nigerian athletes. Gumel said, “Team Nigeria is doing so much for

sports in this country and they should be emulated and supported. “With what they have done in

sports, it is obvious the body can do even better with more support from the private sector.

Baba-Ali in his response said Team Nigeria would still do more for sports in the days ahead. The

sponsors of Team Nigeria are Oceanic Bank, First Inland Bank, Sovereign Trust Insurance, Access

Bank, Heart of Africa and the Nigeria Television Authority. He said, “We have a long term plan for

sports development in the country. For now, the Algiers event is just a test case for us to see how

we approach future challenges. “More sponsors will still come before the games but we are happy

with what we have been able to achieve.

* All Eyes on Team Nigeria.

The official opening of the 9th All Africa Games take place on wednesday in ALgeria with no fewer than 8,000Athletes, including big names, from 52countries lined up to contest medals in 28 sports

All eyes will be on the defending champion Nigeria throughout the event that ends on July23. Team Nigeria is expected to dominate the sprints, boxing , special sports, female football, table tennis, chess and make a meaningful impact in teakwood and judo.

* Team Nigeria Enter for 23Sports .

The Team Nigeria officials here in Algiers have informed that the country will feature in not less than 23 different sports at the 9th All Africa Games, The decision to register 23sports was based

on area of advantage, according to officials.

* NSC Officials Move to Games Village.

The National Sports Commission officials who were camped at the Nigerian House in Algiers on arrival at the weekend, have been moved to the games village where the athletes are presently camped. The decision to move the players to the games village was to enable them give technical assistance to the athletes.

* 408 Gold Medals AT Stake in Algiers.

The organizers of the 9th All Africa Games have disclosed that not less than 408 Gold medals are at stake in the 2007 edition which gets underway today. Meanwhile Team Nigeria officials have boasted they will win at least 84medals available while other countries will battle the remaining medals.

* Nigeria Battle Accreditation, Distance Hassles.

The organization of the 9th All African Games appears to be falling behind schedule as the Algerian hosts have not met up with basic issues like accreditation of athletes and officials.

* Oceanic Bank MD Charges Athletes.

Managing Director of Oceanic Bank, Mrs Cecilia Ibru has charged Nigerian athletes to the 9th All Africa games in Algeria to put up a superlative show to keep the country as the first among equals in sports. The MD was at the Hajj camp late Thursday to bid the almost 400 athletes bye urging them not to settle for anything except gold medal in their respective events, the

sports-loving woman told journalists that she had no doubt in her mind that Nigeria will retain the first position in Algiers.

*Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali (MD TNTF) Praises Oceanic Bank.

Team Nigeria Managing Director Praises Oceanic bank for being the leading sponsors of team Nigeria, assuring the MD that every penny given to the TNTF would be wisely spent to achieve the set goal for sports development in Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Ali added that every medal won by the Nigeria athletes will attract financial reward which will be handed over to the winners.