JIGHERE WELLINGTON, WORLD'S NO. 3, RETAINS AFRICAN SCRABBLE CROWN

African King, Jeghere Wellington

Jighere Wellington, the continent’s champion, who started his title defence in Accra, Ghana last Wednesday, yesterday (Sunday) evening retained his crown to become the second man in the history of the game to win the title back to back. Jighere has won the Africa Championship with 21 wins and 1800 cumulative.

The Africa Championship has been held eight times with Nigeria winning seven of them, the last one being two years ago in Nairobi where, Jighere Wellington emerged champion. Previous African champions from Nigeria include Iffy Onyewonwu, Femi Awowade, Jimoh Saheed, Moshood Sanni and only Dennis Ikekeregor has won it twice.

President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation NSF, Engr. Toke Aka, who spoke from Accra on phone said, "We all worked very hard to retain our crown in Ghana. I had no fear that any African team can upstage Team Nigeria especially with the fire in the heart of these players during the daily match-ups organised in the closed camping before we left for Accra"

As at the time of retaining the African diadem, he was rated no three in the world and the highest rated African in the world scene.

The other Africans rated in the top-10 in the world are Kenya’s Patrick Litunya rated sixth, Nigeria’s   Emmanuel Umujose rated ninth and Nigerian born but South African citizen,  Lanre Oyekunle who is rated 10^th.

PETERS’ SEX-INFESTED T & T TEAM CAUSE REVOLT IN SUPER FALCONS CAMP

Super Falcons players had to come together like unionists to cause confusion and force coach James Peters out of the team last weekend. Their grouse? The coach had so much influenced the selection with so many players who are by current form not good enough for the team while the coaches saddled with the responsibility of training the teams were sidelined.

James Peters, almost beaten by players

This reporter gathered authoritatively that the coach brought some of the players in the Trinidad & Tobago team to camp. He left out the number one goalkeeper in that team and brought in the second and third rated goalkeepers.

It would be recalled that I reported exclusively and authoritatively how he had demanded of sex from the best goalkeeper who refused his demand and she was assaulted verbally until she lost concentration crying up into the match Nigeria lost against South Korea 6-5.

Our camp sources said, “two of the girls who allowed him have carnal knowledge of them out of fear were brought into the senior national team. Whereas, the other players like keen followers of the team knew the final list that was released was sub-standard to the form shown in camp by the available players. This resulted in the revolt.

The list was moderately affected leading to some of his favourites sneaking in while the prominently less endowed were eventually dropped.

Captain Perpetual Nkwocha of Sunana SK, Sweden, dazzling winger Stella Mbachu of Rivers Angels and former Falconets stars, Oparanozie Desire of Delta Queens and Orji Ebere of Rivers Angels are among the new 21 Super Falcons who will represent Nigeria at the Africa Women Championship in South Africa.

The new final list of players was allegedly released Friday by the ceremonial head coach, Uche Eucharia. Bayelsa Queens I has goalkeeper Dede Precious, Oluehi Tochukwu, Ordega Francisca, and Sadoh Lorreta.

Delta Queens FC has Ajagba Chioma, Ohale Osinachi, Okobi Ngozi, and Ukaonu Helen.

From Rivers Angels are Jerome Ulunma, Akpa Gladys, Iroka Glory, and Chukwunoye Josephine.

Sunshine Queens, Nasarawa Amazons and Makwada Babes contribute one player each in Sunday Esther, Okorokwo Amarachi and Ayila Loveth.

Two other foreign based players, Chikwelu Rita of Umea IK FC Sweden, and Ebi Onome, Djurgardens FC, Sweden complete the list.

According to the Chief Media Officer of the NFF, Mr. Robinson Okosun the team is expected to depart for South Africa on the night of Wednesday 27th October, 2010 aboard Arik Air from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Nigeria will take on Mali on Monday 1st November, South Africa November 4, and Tanzania on November 7, 2010 in the group matches. The championship will end on November 14.

THE DIPLOMATESE IN THE ADAMU SCANDAL

I have decided to run the intricate politics that could have been involved in the high wired diplomatese which Dr Amos Adamu may have ignorantly walked into without knowing though, some elements of greed or ‘let me see how it works’ may have held him spell bound, not knowing when to turn out and leave.

For the purposes of my thinking, I believe the English are squarely in the middle of it all. England is also involved in the Adamu scandal.

Remember Adamu was in Russia recently and met with the Russian bid guys in Moscow. England was prepared to pay the $800,000 cheque but felt Adamu won't play their game because they knew he had a Russian circuit he may eventually go for, given the fact that it was held that “Russians like Nigerians can bribe God.”

It is true that England is desperate and panicking because the Russians are gaining ground on them. Since England can't apply for 2022 World Cup, their only chance to host the World Cup is 2018.

Everything is pointing to England right now, but the bid has been having problems since it was launched last year in London. Dr Amos Adamu met with the English bid team which is headed by Andy Anson, Paul Elliot (a former player) and another guy. They've been pressing for his vote ever since. Also just before the final of the U-17 women championship in Trinidad & Tobago, the Korean and English bid teams were in Cairo to present their case to CAF.

WHY ENGLAND AND US RIGHT NOW ARE PANICKING.

It gets very interesting...The reason why they are panicking is Australia, Korea and others have stepped up their own lobbying processes. I sincerely think Spain/Portugal are just wasting their time. I don't see them getting anything, but they are also acting as spoilers which is complicating the whole process for England... Also don't forget Qatar... FIFA is big on legacy and may need to balance things out.

Blatter, FIFA President, bewildered?

Middle East has never hosted a World Cup before, since FIFA is very big on legacy, do not be surprised if Qatar gets 2022...I just don't see FIFA going to two big countries back to back...Qatar can get it with the jinx broken by South Africa in the 2010 World Cup hosting.

England's chances are honestly slim. They are worried about the threat from Russia, Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. Moreso, Spain, Belgium all have votes in that 24 man executive committee. Their citizens will vote for their nations. Thus, England’s home votes are too tiny to be depended upon. That is why they may have decided to play so dirty to get sympathy and force FIFA to give the 2018 bid to them. They had a compromised and willy-nilly ally to be messed up in one Dr Amos Adamu who is from Nigeria.

THE AMERICAN BID:

The US bid has been very arrogant about their whole approach. It's just after they realised they have to work hard for every vote that they noticed it's not going to be a given birthday cake. They may had wrongly thought it was going to be handed to them from the get go. Was that not how they got the Atlanta Olympics bid? This is FIFA not IOC.

I know for sure US is not getting anything from the Asian guys in the voting committee. That is the dilemma US bid is facing. Asia is surely supporting Qatar, Korea, Japan and probably, Australia. They are going to stay as a united group... This I know for sure...

The Americans never bothered to engage the African votes because I think they feel Africans didn't count. The Americans were not very inclusive at all....they are so exclusive and not respectful and respecting. The bid slips out of their calloused fingers!

SEE THIS AS A CASE STUDY:

Also, Dr Chung from Korea recently accused the US of trying to undermine their own bidding for 2022 World Cup by trying to get China to bid for the 2026 World Cup. Since the World Cup can't go to the same confederation back to back, having China bid for the 2026 World Cup will sway the votes to their favour.

CONCLUSION:

Being part of FIFA also requires having common sense especially when it comes to dealing with the very intricate diplomatese and issues like this. Here is our brother, the man from Zuru, which some can swear and swore he is from Ogbomosho found in the wilderness of things being done properly unlike the Nigerian ways he had manipulated the system to survive and found himself in the global setting of an institution like FIFA, which on its own has its intricate corruption infected ways of delivering its own things.

WORLD CUP VOTE CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS: IN DEFENCE OF ADAMU

I listened to the footage. I can confirm it is Dr Amos Adamu’s voice no doubt. Candidly, like I did analysed some weeks these people love Nigerian football. Read through the script, what was the intention behind collecting the alleged bribe? Was it not to develop four artificial pitches in Nigeria?

Ask again, was his collecting the cash and not cheque to cover up the paths and help Maigari’s return after the so-called “Out of court settlement” not a good plan? Was it not within FIFA’s mantra of “FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME?

Did they find the truth?

Though, a lot has been said, written and investigated about him in the last 20 years and his name has been mentioned in almost every financial scandal in Nigerian football and sports. That of COJA alone is running into an excess of N40billion. Which investigation has nailed him?

All the ‘babalawos’ and malams in Zuru and Ogbomosho should start asking God who had covered the past tribulations from enemies to cover this and bring him out clean as usual. All his media friends in Nigeria (need I mention their names?) should be bold enough to stand by him in this hour of need.

Dr. Amos Adamu is actually a pseudonym. The investigating journalists may have been speaking to Babatunde Oyekale Aremu and not the one that is a FIFA man.

NOT A NEW PHENOMENON:

Dr Adamu at a FIFA event

Consider the type of money for which one Dr Amos Adamu is being nailed and alleged to have demanded and the development grants collected by State FA chairmen in Nigeria to vote in a pre-determined direction, any similarity?

For the first time, the NFA under the wise management of Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Lulu paid “development grants”  to all state FAs and to top it all they were all taken to South Africa and allegedly made to collect “development levies” of  five million Naira each (about $33,000) all to make them loyal to the ruling class of Nigerian football. They though denied the last N5m on the eve of the election in a very sparse communiqué.

In all do you agree with me that FIFA is not only corrupt, dirty but most likely will qualify as the WORLD’S MOST CORRUPT PUBLIC INSTITUTION? Now, don’t believe me. Do a quick tour and visit http://transparencyinsport.org/

ADAMU’S FALL FORESEEN:

In the morning of 8^th October 2010 as I put on my phone, the first text message I got was from an avuncular friend of mine. It was written: “Jide, please pray. I saw Dr Adamu fall into dust and never rose up again. Though, we’ve been praying for enemies of Nigerian sports to be dealt with, but I pray it is not the ultimate.” This friend, we call him Elder. He is such a prayerful person. Twice, he had dreams like this he confided in me and they came to pass. As soon as I got home, earlier than usual at 9:05pm on the 16^th October and a call from New York and seconds later, another from London giving me the gists I remembered, “it was foreseen.”

THE NIGERIAN SOCIAL WORKER: ASSASSINATION: WHAT ARE EKEJI’S FEARS?

THE NIGERIAN SOCIAL WORKER: ASSASSINATION: WHAT ARE EKEJI’S FEARS?: " Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE ..."

IYABO ABADE: NSC TIRED OF HELPING ATHLETES

"Iyabo Abade"

Sara, post surgery

Ekeji, DG NSC

This person is a hermaphrodite, supposedly born with both male and female genitalia. The person then underwent surgery at age 19 to remove the male genitalia. This is supposed to have made her both medically and legally female. She is 22 years old and a professional German tennis player who plays on the ITF Women's Circuit: Her name is Sarah Gronert.

There was a controversy over her acceptability and the Women Tennis Association (WTA) came up with their verdict, after examining her. She was passed as a female. 

I have not seen her play, but reports say she serves a whole lot faster than Venus.  Waoh!  Not alot of top men tennis players do, so what chance do other women have?  She is already amassing trophies and according to her last finals victim: Julia Glushko’s coach Schlomo Tzoref, who said: “This cannot be. This is not a woman, it’s a man. She does not have the power of a woman and no woman has such a technique. She serves like a man. It’s very strange.”

Uhm! What a strange world we live in. Her best world ranking of 195 came on 12 July 2010.

Radiant Sara Gronnert

NASIR EL-RUFAI:

I was a victim of abandonment as a national team athlete. One afternoon in March 2010, Alhassan Yakmut called me and wanted me to take up the challenges of raising the N7.2m needed to help former Iyabo Abade, a Super Falcon (Nigerian women national team) player to meet up with a follow-up surgery in the USA.

The first and this surgery had been paid for by Nasir el-Rufai, as the then Minister of the FCT. The money required is to enable him live for post surgical examination.

LAST OPPORTUNITY:

I took it up. We wrote 328 letters to Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, the Governor of Delta State, ministers and even the Sports Ministry and Sports Minister. No one was going to respond. Last month, September. The doctor called and said, THIS IS A LAST OPPORTUNITY. What date? 11^th November 2010.

Now, I resorted to beg people directly. We want 72,000 Nigerians to give us N1, 000:00. I recruited staffers, trained them and saddled them to go without shame BEGGING FOR A BROTHER.

NSC TIRED OF HELPING ATHLETES:

I, like them, got so many shocks. IS THIS NOT ANOTHER 419? In the NSC/Ministry of Sports, one staffer told me: WE ARE AWARE BUT TIRED OF HELPINF THESE ATHLETES. Who else should they help? In the midst of it,  public servant, the Executive Secretary of UBEC gave out N75,000:00 with a heavy laden voice.

Determination in her eyes...who helps Abade get the same?

Were Sarah Gronert to be a Nigerian what would have been her fate? People begging on her behalf? Our NSC tired of her because ATHLETES ARE BEGGERS? Or some people instead of giving, even with shame, like Prince Abubakar Audu, N1,000:00 (the letter and the cost of reaching his house is in excess of N1,200:00) say THIS MAY BE ANOTHER 419.