The year 2024 was a mixed bag for Nigerian sports generally. In both men and female football, Nigeria recorded modest achievements. While Team Nigeria to the Paris Olympics faltered, the Paralympians distinguished themselves by winning some medals. Last year, the Super Eagles reached the final of AFCON played in Cote d’Ivoire.
The team defeated Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the round of 16, the Palancas Negras of Angola in the quarterfinals and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the semifinals. Despite these exploits, the Super Eagles eventually won silver in the final game after losing 1-2 to the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, whom it had defeated before at the group stage. In spite of this, Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong, emerged the best player of the tournament.
Similarly, Nigeria’s women basketball team, D’Tigress had an impressive outing at the 2024 Paris Olympics as it became the first African team to qualify for the quarter finals of the Olympic Games with a 79-70 win over Canada, the fifth ranked team in the world. At the group stage, it also triumphed over Australia 75-62, their first Olympics victory in 20 years. The storied campaign of the trailblazers was truncated by Team USA, regarded as the best basketball nation in the world, in a thrilling quarter final match. D’Tigress’ coach, Rena Wakama, was selected as the Best Coach of the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament at Paris 2024.
Unfortunately, medal hopeful, and world 100 metres hurdles record holder and world champion, Tobi Amusan, failed to make it to the final round, while Favour Ashe, the first male athlete in the world in 2024 to run sub 10 seconds twice, failed to advance to the 100 metre finals. However, Olympics debutant, Favour Ofili, narrowly missed out on the podium in the 200 metres.
The Paris Olympics also showed the ugly side of Nigerian sports administration as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and LOC failed to register Ofili in the 100 metres she duly qualified for to represent the country. A cyclist, Ese Ukpeseraye, had to borrow a bike from the German team to compete for the Keirin and Sprint category. Also, Team Nigeria to the U-20 World Athletic Championship in Lima, Peru, failed to win a medal.
We commend the Nigerian special athletes for their modest showing at the 2024 Paralympics Games, winning seven medals, including two gold, three silver, and two bronze. Powerlifter, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, set a new world record with a 166 kg lift in para-powerlifting. Onyinyechi Mark, another powerlifter, won a gold medal. Other medal winners included Isau Ogunkunle, Flora Ugwunwa, and Eniola Bolaji.
For reasons best known to it, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) did not renew the appointment of Jose Peseiro, after coming second at AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. His successor and former Super Eagles winger, Finidi George, did not achieve much in some matches before he was replaced with Augustine Eguavoen, the Super Eagles’ Technical Director, who did a good job by qualifying the team for next AFCON holding in Morocco.
The Super Eagles ended the year on a high note when the Atalanta FC forward, Ademola Lookman, won the CAF Player of the Year award. He succeeded Victor Osimhen. Lookman distinguished himself in his club and in the Super Eagles. At the last AFCON final, he won the team’s top scorer in Abidjan. The Serie A star also led his team to the final of UEFA Europa League in May. The Super Eagles player was nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, where he finished as the 14th best player in the world.
Although the Falcons failed to fly out of the group stage at the 2024 Women’s World Cup held in Colombia, the Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, fared well at the continental level for the team and his club in France, Paris FC. She also won the Female Goalkeeper of the Year at the CAF Awards. The Super Falcons won the National Team of the Year.
The Super Eagles B team, comprising Nigeria-based players secured its qualification for CHAN for the first time in six years to be hosted by the East African nations of Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda in February, 2025. These modest achievements notwithstanding, we urge our sportsmen and women to win more laurels in 2025.