Ogunbote, Pyagbara win April LBA

Sharks duo of Christian Pyagbara and Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks have won the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player and Manager gongs respectively for the month of April.

In the players category, Pyagbara beat Saibou Badarou (Heartland), Osaguona Ighodaro (Enugu Rangers), Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves), Emem Eduok (Dolphins), Nnamso Edo (Akwa United) and his teammate and goalkeeper, Danladi Isah, to emerge winner.

Pyagbara in the month under review scored three goals in the Glo Premier League including two in the road trip victory at Kaduna United and one against Nasarawa United.

He contributed to Sharks' overall performance in April which saw the Blue Angels go unbeaten in five matches and stay top of the Glo Premier League.

Ogunbote nicked the manager's award by edging Kelechi Emeteole (Heartland), Salisu Yusuf (El-Kanemi Warriors) and Paul Aigbogun (Warri Wolves), who were also shortlisted for the monthly award.

In April, Ogunbote guided Sharks to move into top spot of the league table and also masterminded their away win at Kaduna United while they went unbeaten in five matches (from Match Day 7 to 11).

Emeteole, who led Heartland to a seven-game unbeaten run missed out of the manager's award following his team's inability to win games with most of them being either goalless or score draws at home.


Past Winners This Season

MARCH 2014
Player: Nnamso Edo (Akwa United)
Manager: Patrick Udoh (Akwa United)

Edo, Udoh are LBA winners for March

Akwa United defender, Nnamso Edo and his coach, Patrick Udoh, have been named the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player and Manager respectively for the month of March.

Both men were outstanding in the month under review in the Glo Premier League and ensured The Promise Keepers, as Akwa United are also known, finished top of the standings at the end of March.

Captain of Akwa United, Edo, claimed the LBA Player for March on the strength of appearing in all four matches for his club last month and scoring three goals including a stunning free kick at Nasarawa United that secured a point for his team.

Edo also accounted for 2.33 goals of the seven scored by Akwa United in March.

His defensive qualities were also never in doubt, as he led from the back as well and made sure they shipped in just twice in five matches.

Further goals from Edo also helped his team get wins over Gombe United and Kaduna United in home games, as he staved off the challenge of Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Ifeanyi Inyam of Sharks, Ifeanyi Egwim of Dolphins and Cletus Itodo of Abia Warriors.

Udoh bagged the LBA Manager for March for guiding Akwa United to an unbeaten finish in five league games last month and ensured they ended the month under review on eight points, one more than Sharks.

Udoh deservedly picks up the manager's award for March ahead of Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks, Ladan Bosso of Abia Warriors, Ndubuisi Nduka of FC Taraba and Richard Bubagha of Bayelsa United.

Edo and Udoh will be presented with their awards for March by the LBA later this month.

UN Sports for Peace and Development day Football event

A football match in commemoration of the United Nations (UN) Sports for Peace and Development day will hold on Friday, April 4, in Abuja, the capital city of Nigerian while kick off is 11am.

The football match is aimed at passing the message of peace in a country in need a peace themed message. The match, which will hold at the football field of LEA school Utako, will serve as an an avenue for students to implore the Nigerian government to seek for solutions to end conflicts and terrorism attacks.

Speaking about the event, the Coordinator of the event, an award winning sports journalist and a social change initiator, Aderonke Ogunleye, said she intends to live indelible marks in the lives of the school children and make the day unforgettable.

"The whole idea is having fun in a learning process, and to make a positive impact in the society through the power of sports which is known as a unifying factor. Sports cut across language race ethnicity and beliefs".

"We know that sports can make a huge difference particularly in developing communities, the football match will be an avenue to plead to various sects in Nigeria to seek peace in their dealings”.

To make the event a success, the UNAIDS, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and The John Utaka Foundation have partnered with Ms. Ogunleye.

Ms. Ogunleye is glad for the partnership. She said, "We thank our partners for believing in this project by showcasing their passion for the growth of Nigeria and for being a peace maker through sports. We are very grateful and we wish them all the best," she concluded

At the 2013 General Assembly, the UN proclaimed  April 6 as the international day for sports for development and peace in recognition  of the power of sport to mobilize people around the world for development; to use sports as a tool for increasing self confidence and as an alternative to end conflict.