News

Olympics: Team Nigeria Ends Paris Games Outing Without A Medal

Published

2 years ago

August 11, 2024

Editor

Nigeria has ended the 2024 Paris Olympics without a medal. Hannah Reuben lost her Women’s Freestyle 76kg fight early Saturday to effectively put the country’s slim hope of making the podium to rest. She lost 5-2 to Mongolia’s Enkh-Amaryn Davaanasan in the round of 16 tie, capping off a woeful showing for the West African nation.

Team Nigeria went to the Olympics on the back of some great performances in qualifying events. The country registered for 12 events, but sadly – like previous Games – failed to translate its continental dominance at the Olympics.

A series of heartbreaking losses and some administrative lapses have seen Nigeria return home without a medal. The last time that happened was at the London Games in 2012.

Nigeria’s poor showing in Paris was replicated in 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1968 Mexico, 1980 Moscow, and 1988 Seoul where the country won no medal.

President Bola Tinubu had approved N12 billion for the country’s outing at the Olympics and the Paralympics. N9bn was earmarked for the former while N 3bn was budgeted for the latter.

Tracks and Field Dreams In Tatters

Ofili was one of Nigeria’s medal hopefuls going into the Olympics.

Going into the Games, Team Nigeria had banked on tracks and field events, one of the country’s dominant areas, to rake in the medals.

Favour Ofili had made history as the first Nigerian since Atlanta 1996 to reach the semi-final of the 200m. Despite her season’s best of 22.05 seconds in the semi-finals, she could not make a podium finish.

In the 200m, Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike reached the semi-final while his compatriot Ezekiel Nathaniel also fell short in the 400m hurdles in the same stage.

Nigeria’s joy in the 4x400m men’s event was cut short after they were disqualified from the race for a violation of the rules. The quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie finished heat 2 with a Season’s Best time of 2 minutes 59.81 seconds.

However, one of the Nigerians was said to have crossed lanes leading to the tripping of a South African athlete. The West African nation’s spot was thereafter given to South Africa.

Medal Hopefuls Disappoint

Before then, world record holder Tobi Amusan was primed to finish on the podium in hurdles. She had a strong showing in the women’s 100m hurdles heat. But that flicker of hope was extinguished after she lost in the semi-final of the event.

The Nigerian was third in her heat, finishing in a time of 12:55 seconds. She missed out on the automatic qualifying spots with her hopes of entering the final as one of the best losers also gone. That was because her time was insufficient to make the cut.

Even though Nigeria’s Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor made history by reaching the women’s long jump final, none of them came back with a medal.

It was the first time three Nigerians had reached that stage of the event.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress may have been stopped in the quarter-final of the Games, but they did make history in Paris. Coach Rena Wakama’s ladies became the first African side (male or female) to reach the last eight of the Olympics.

The D’Tigress lost gallantly to the US – 88–74 – after a spirited showing.

In the wake of Nigeria’s shoddy outing at the Paris Olympics, the Minister of Sports Development John Enoh described the performances as a disaster, promising to address the issues leading to the nation’s failure in France.

“As we go back home, we must do everything to prevent future occurrences of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting federations, it will be done,” he wrote on X on Saturday.

“The elections for the federations are around the corner, and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who are most eligible to lead the various sports federations.

“Team Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country did not secure any medals does not entail being addressed just by our participation at the Olympics, but it is a product of very many other things that need immediate attention.”

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

33 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

7 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.