1960BET is Headline Sponsor of 2014 League Bloggers Awards

The leading Sports betting company in Nigeria, 1960BET, is by this release officially unveiled as the Headline Sponsor of the 2014 League Bloggers Awards (LBA) for its end-of-season event billed to hold at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, on December 15.

The 2014 LBA will honour outstanding players, coaches and clubs in the recently-concluded Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) 2013/14 season.

The CEO of LBA, Ojeikere Aikhoje, described the partnership with the industry-leading bookmaking firm as a win-win situation for the two organizations.

"We have entered into a game-changing partnership with 1960BET for the
2014 award. It is a start of an enduring relationship with 1960BET for
us at the LBA. The partnership with 1960Bet is a win-win situation for
both parties. It is a special kind of relationship that will surely
open new vistas in our goal to reward the best actors in the Nigeria
Professional Football League," Aikhoje said.

The third edition of the LBA end-of-the-season event will reward actors in the NPFL in 16 different categories including the Highest Goalscorer Award which will go to Enyimba striker, Mfon Udoh, who scored 23 goals.

Top among the categories up for grabs is the prestigious Player of the Season as well as Manager of the Season and Club of the Season.

Other awards include Fair Play Award, Best Use of Social Media (for clubs), Best Website, Best Designed Jersey, Best New Goalkeeper (NPFL), Best Draft from Development Team, Best Development Team, Best New Player, Best Goalkeeper, Best Foreigner, Best Promoted Team and
Best National Team Player.

1960BET is a street-credible sports betting company known for prompt payments and various audacious Corporate Social Responsibility Projects and sponsorship programmes which include Headline Sponsorship of Copa Lagos 2014, the resurgence of Boxing in Nigeria broadcast live
on satellite TV (GOtv Boxing Night), Headline sponsorship of Stationery Stores FC, Sponsorship of 11 sports fans to Brazil 2014 World Cup.

1960BET offers Nigerians a money-making platform from sporting events in the cosy ambience of their mega Retail Outlets located in multiple states of the federation. Online, their presence is visible for an array of products including Sports, Pools, Casino, Virtuals, Binary Options and many more exciting features that justify the very busy traffic and frequent visits to www.1960bet.com. Also available to Nigerians on the go via their mobile platform, the company has enriched so many sports loving youths who "Play their Game!" with Nigeria's Number 1 High Street Bookmaker, which boast of thousands of youths currently under her employ.

Through the easy-to-get 1960BET Franchise, many Nigerians are being empowered financially thus contributing to the reduction of the country's unemployment rate and taking youths off the street.

1960BET is in the good books of industry Regulators and all host State Governments to whose good causes she contributes immensely.

It is in recognition of the company's outstanding pedigree and contributions to the development of indigenous Sports in general that LBA has deemed it fit to offer 1960BET the headline sponsorship of this year's award which promises to be a totally rewarding experience for both Awardees and guests alike.

LBA announces 2014 nominees

The League Bloggers Awards (LBA), released the shortlists for its 2014 end-of-the-season award for the just-concluded Glo Premier League campaign.

The nominees are vying for awards in 16 categories including the highest goalscorer award, which will go to Enyimba striker, Mfon Udoh.

However, top among the categories is the Player of the Season. The quartet of Peter Ebimobowei of Bayelsa United, Mfon Udoh of Enyimba, Emem Eduok of Dolphins and Kingsley Bobby Sokari of Enyimba are the nominees in that category.

There is also the category for Manager of the Season. Four coaches, Paul Aigbogun of Warri Wolves, Ladan Bosso of Abia Warriors, Okey Emordi of Kano Pillars and last season's winner, Mohammed Baba Ganaru, now with Nasarawa United, will vie for the Manager award.

Other categories include Fair Play Award, Best Use of Social Media (for clubs), Best Website, Best Designed Jersey, Best New Goalkeeper (NPFL), Best Draft from Development Team, Best Development Team, Best New Player, Best Goalkeeper, Best Foreigner, Best Promoted Team and
Best National Team Player.

LBA Business Manager, China Acheru, explained that the organisation consulted independent persons, journalists, players and coaches as well as administrators in reaching the list of final nominees.

"It was a process where we had to talk to players and coaches
personally and sample who and who they believe deserved to be on the
shortlist. Of course, these are the major actors in the league and we
got divert views. We also had to talk to some of journalists with vast
knowledge and experience in covering the league and a handful of
administrators before on the nominees.

"After the process we also had to look at performances and
disciplinary records of players, coaches and clubs during the season
to arrive at our final shortlist," Acheru said.

The 2014 LBA will take place at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Lagos on December 15.


NOMINATIONS

1. FAIR PLAY AWARD

•Heartland
•Enugu Rangers
•Nasarawa United
•Enyimba


2. BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

•Dolphins
•Lobi Stars
•Sharks
•Enyimba


3. BEST CLUB WEBSITE

•enyimbafc.net
•abiawarriors.com
•kanopillars.com


4. BEST DESIGNED JERSEY

•Dolphins - Nomis
•Lobi Stars
•Enyimba: Joma
•Gombe United


5. BEST NEW GOALKEEPER (NPFL)

•Emmanuel Iwu – Heartland
•Ifeanyi Agu – Nembe City
•Joseph Onuoha – Abia Warriors
•Chinedu Anozie – Abia Warriors


6. BEST DRAFT FROM DEVELOPMENT TEAM

•Terpase Tsafe – Lobi Stars
•Dickson Eche Idakwo – Lobi Stars


7. BEST DEVELOPMENT TEAM

•Lobi Junior Stars (Division One)


8. BEST NEW PLAYER (NPFL)

•Dickson Eche Idakwo – Lobi Stars
•Kufre Ebong – Akwa United
•Bature Yero – Nasarawa United
•Chisom Chikitara -  Abia Warriors


9. BEST GOALKEEPER

•Leke Ojo – Giwa FC
•Femi Thomas - Enyimba
•Theophilus Afelokhai – Kano Pillars
•Dele Ajiboye – Nasarawa United


10. BEST FOREIGNER

•Zoumane Doumbia (Mali) – Heartland
•Ousmane Pape Sane (Senegal) – Enugu Rangers
•Saibou Badarou (Togo)  - Heartland
•Tamen Medrano (Cameroon) - Sunshine Stars


11. BEST PROMOTED TEAM

•Giwa FC
•Abia Warriors
•FC Taraba


12. CLUB OF THE SEASON

•Kano Pillars
•Enyimba
•Warri Wolves
•Giwa FC


13. MANAGER OF THE SEASON

•Paul Aigbogun – Warri Wolves
•Baba Ganaru -  Nasarawa United
•Ladan Bosso – Abia Warriors
•Okey Emordi – Kano Pillars


14. BEST NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER

•Gbolahan Salami – Warri Wolves
•Azubuike Egwuekwe – Warri Wolves
•Emem Eduok – Dolphins
•Osaguona Ighodaro – Enugu Rangers


15. Highest Goal Scorer

•Mfon Udoh – Enyimba  (23 Goals)


16. PLAYER OF THE SEASON

•Peter Ebimobowei – Bayelsa United
•Mfon Udoh – Enyimba
•Emem Eduok – Dolphins
•Kingsley Bobby Sokari – Enyimba

NRFF names squad for Africa Cup 7s Championship

After a careful assessment of players at the just concluded independence rugby sevens championship in Lagos, Eleven local based and one foreign based players have been   named for Black Stallions squad for the 2014 Africa Cup 7s.

 

“It’s a strong squad and all the players on this squad performed exceptionally well at the just concluded Independence 7s championship. The tournament was used to look at good enough players for Black Stallions 7s and it is quite unfortunate that our exiles players in UK could not come down for the tournament despite being offered an all expense paid trip to Nigeria,” said Fasimoye Olatunji. (VP/TD NRFF)

The team will be captained by Azeez Ladipo who is also the 15’s  National team captain, his versatility and experience geared  him to  lead his club (Cowrie RFC) to the Cup victory in the just concluded Independence 7s championship, he also led his club to plate victory in Dubai 7s last year.

“We will not lack pace at all as we now have the duo of Christian Ogar and Abdulmalik Salihu on the squad. Both players were simply outstanding last weekend. They both have those x factors; good feet, good acceleration. Christian is big and strong and gives us great cover out wide.”

The team also includes a number of Sevens stalwarts, including the in-form Peter Okere Ambrose who single handedly took Plateau Tigers of Jos to the semi final of the just concluded independence 7’s championship  and Hafis Ayinla will lead the forwards and get his first 7s cap for Black Stallions after putting up a good show at the same tournament.

 “In this Black Stallions squad, I think we have an extremely talented group of players with the right mix of experience and youth. I’m looking forward to seeing what the team can produce in Harare. We are also looking at including two youngsters: Kelechi Anozie (Hawkster Athletics RFC) and Monday Alex (Racing RFC) to train with squad to prepare them for the future” Said Fasimoye Olatunji TD/VP (NRFF).

The 12-man squad is expected to resume camp in Lagos on the 14^th of November in preparation for the African 7’s Championship; the team will be coached by South Africa Rugby 7s legend Fabian Juries who is ex Springbok player and the 4^th highest point scorer in world 7-a-side rugby. He will bring his wealth of experience into the team.

 Nigeria Squad: Lasisi Kazeem. (Nigeria Police), Olanrewaju Azeez ((Nigeria Police), Ayinla  Hafis (Cowrie RFC), Azeez Ladipo (Cowrie RFC), Peter Ambrose (Plateau Tigers), Salihu Abdulmalik (Nigeria Police), Oduntan Olatunji (Cowrie RFC), Christian Ogar (Cowrie RFC), John Oladele (Cowrie RFC), Abubakar Sadam (Zaria RFC), Samaila Agwam (Hamilton RFC, South Africa), Lawal Saulawa (Abuja RFC)