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Events that shaped 2017

By Daily Sports on January 1, 2018

Welcome, 2018! Like yesterday, we are already in the events that shaped 2017. Yes, the year now belong to history with its good, bad and the ugly. For some, it is the best year ever in their lives. Head or tail, 2017 is now in the refuse dump of history and whatever it is we have survived it with its killing economic hardship. No thanks to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigerians will never forget in a hurry, the fuel scarcity the APC led Federal Government unleashed on Nigerians, which has persisted and to worsen that whole situation, the FG, NNPC, Marketers and sundry resorted to blame game, which signifies total failure of leadership.

The agents of the government could not come out with any kind of lies and propaganda because the people have known them for deceit. This is a government that deceitfully told Nigerians that it will bring fuel to N50 from the N87 former President Goodluck Jonathan's government sold the product only for the product to sell for N145 until the current situation where it is being sold for between N200 and N300 per litre. For majority of Nigerians, the year 2017 did not bring the positive change the sitting government promised.

Their expectations were high but the Buhari-led government rolled out poor economic policies. We will zero in on sports in this review. One will not fail to point out here that Nigerian sports men and women, ever hungry for glory for themselves and the country, as usual went out of their ways, trained hard, filled with determination, went, saw and conquered. That was why mostly the nation’s sports was able to weather the turbulent storm, hence some individuals athletes and teams went the extra mile to ensure their fans faces were full of smiles. These events vividly shaped the nation’s sports in 2017.

The Super Eagles made a safe landing in Russia 2018 World Cup football summit, being the first African country to qualify and without much hassle for the first time in her World Cup history, which gave the teeming fans of the team much relief and glimmer of hope.
It is noteworthy that after years of underperforming, like her inability to qualify for the last two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, the Super Eagles were able to display performances reminiscent of the glory days of Nigerian football. The team did not only survive the ‘group of death’ but posted commendable results in their voyage to Russia 2018 World Cup.

With a group that had dangerous customers - Algeria, Cameroun and Zambia, the Eagles proved bookmakers wrong, finishing tops even with a match to go in the rat race.

Friday, September 2, 2017 will go down as one of the outstanding days in Nigerian football history. That was a day Nigeria took a step nearer the 2018 Russia World Cup, when the Super Eagles condensed the larger than life Indomitable Lions and current Africa Champs to weeping boys at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State 4-0.

It would be recalled that earlier on arrival for the epic encounter, the Cameroonian delegation wasted no time to reject the five-star Ibom Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Resorts, Uyo, provided by the state government and opted for Davok Suites. They claimed that they had information that Nigeria had rigged the hotel with charms meant to weaken them. But such antics could not help the visitors’ cause as the Eagles not only showed wit but also displayed why they were the team to beat in Group B of that qualifying series.

The 4-0 victory over the dreaded Indomitable Lions of Cameroun in August was followed by a 1-0 win over a boastful Chipolopolo of Zambia in October to ensure that Coach Gernot Rohr and his defence force were the first African team to land in Russia for the Mundial.

The rampaging Nigerian, side as if it was not done yet, beat arch rivals Argentina 2-0 to further prove to the world that the qualification to Russia 2018 World Cup was not a fluke. The way and manner the 2013 Africa kings flew over the former World champions, Argentina presented them as one of the teams to watch in the forthcoming summit if nothing goes wrong.

It was yet another milestone, November 14, when the Rohr tutored Eagles fought with ease from 2-0 down to carry the day 4-2 in the beautiful City of Krasnodar, Russia. Alex Iwobi scored brace and one apiece goal from new comer, Bryan Idowu and Kelechi Iheanacho secured the inspiring win for the Eagles.

The presence of superstars in the La Albiceleste strike force includes Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria could not stop the hungry Eagles. The win was Nigeria’s second in eight encounters against Argentina who have five wins. Lest we forget that the dusting annoyed Argentina legend, Diego Amanda Maradona, who also signified his wish to return as his country’s coach. The Nigerian squad has been grouped together with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland in 2018 World Cup tournament.

It is on record that for the 60 years of CAF’s existence, only two Nigerians – Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo (of the blessed memory) and Dr. Amos Adamu – have sat on the CAF Executive Committee. Previous attempt by former NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari to join the club in 2013 failed woefully as some Nigerians were allegedly worked against him, using their connections with former CAF President Issa Hayatou dashed his dream.

Before then, former NFA chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima had tried, but the then strong circle in Nigerian football also killed his aspiration. It was the same for another NFF President, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abduallahi, whose goal to make it into the CAF Executive Committee was similarly barren.

The jinx was broken on March 16, 2017, when the sitting NFF President, Amaju Pinnick made what was seen as unworkable task at CAF headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But sterling triumphed over the incumbent, Anjorin Moucharafou of Benin Republic 32-17 votes to the seat in the absolute club at the 39th Ordinary Congress of CAF. Pinnick’s election thus made him the third Nigerian to sit on the CAF Executive Committee of the premier African football governing body.

Ask Amaju Pinnick and his co-travelers, the journey into the CAF Executive seat was all but uncertainties. Pinnick is Vice President of WAFU B, a member of the Organizing Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations as well as a member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions.

What a year it was for the trio of former Nigerian sprinters, Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga. The Bobsled team with sheer passion and determination started a go-fund-me account to fund their dream of being the first Nigerians at the Winter Olympics.

A year later, their dreams were fulfilled as they qualified for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea after completing races in Utah, Whistler and Calgary during the qualifiers.

Bobsleighing is a Winter Sport in which teams of two to four competitors make timed runs down a narrow, twisted, banked, iced track in a gravity-powered sled, competing to reach the finish line.

The qualification of the Nigerian Bobsled Team, led by former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Chief Solomon Ogba, was one of the high points of Nigerian sports in 2017. What the men could not do, Nigeria’s Women senior basketball team did in style, winning Women’s AfroBasket title.

The Nigerian women defeated Senegal in the final in August to win the Women’s Basketball title at the tournament hosted by Mali. Courtesy of progressing to the Final, the D’Tigress also qualified for the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Plateau United Football Club of Jos shocked many by running away with the 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title, the first league trophy in their 42-year-history. The Jos-based club was solid all through the 2016/2017 season, maintaining a top-two position on the NPFL table from matchday two to the final day when they clinched the title. The Kennedy Boboye-led side finished the season with 66 points-19 wins, nine draws, 10 losses and scored 49 goals.

In August this year, Nigeria’s sensational wrestler Odunayo Adekuoroye placed Nigeria on the medals table for the first time after winning a silver medal at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in Paris, France. It was the first time Nigeria was on the medals table. Adekuoroye narrowly lost to Haruna Okuno of Japan 4-5 in the final of the 55kg women’s freestyle.

Adekuoroye is ranked No. 1 in Africa and won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in the U.S.

Adekuoroye was the first woman from Nigeria to march into the gold medal final at Senior World Wrestling Championships. The Ondo State-born wrestler started her campaign by defeating Mathilde Helene 13-9 in the qualification round to move to the Round of 16. She then proved too-much-a-nut-to-crack for Lenka Martinakova as she defeated the Czech Republic wrestler 10-0.

In her quarter-final match, the three-time African champion out-powered Mongolia’s Davaachimeg Erkhembayar 8-4 before going ahead to defeat U-23 European Champion, Irina Kurachkina of Belarus 10-0 in the semi-final.

In October, Nigerian table tennis star, Aruna Quadri made another giant stride, winning the Polish Open Men’s Singles title. Quadri was the only African to make it to the quater finals at the World Cup and at Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

His performance in Poland made Quadri the first African to win an ITTF title outside the continent. At the Liebherr 2014 Men’s World Cup in Düsseldorf, Quadri became the first player from Africa to reach the quarter final stage of the prestigious tournament. He replicated the feat last year in Brazil in the Men’s Singles event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where against all expectations, he reached the round of the last eight. Aruna Quadri is known for setting records through self determination in a country where sports is not accorded its rightful place by the government. 2018 here we come.

We are highly indebted to our dear numerous readers and advertisers for being there for us in the just out gone year. We pray that better tiding will come their way this year and give Nigeria her desired position in the comity of sports powers in the continent cum globe.

Our discussion continues on Twitter, WhatsAPP, Facebook and Linkedin. Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 1, 2018