Major events that shaped Nigeria’s sports in 2024

Sports is one of those sectors that routinely print smiles on the faces of Nigerians. Year 2024 was not different, with plenty laurels, near misses, and disappointments. GOWON AKPODONOR highlights those memorable episodes as part of what to anticipate in the New Year.

The year 2024 started on a skeptical note, with the Super Eagles rising from their lowest ebb following poor performances and results throughout 2023.
But against all expectations, the team surprised even themselves, treating the entire nation to some good performances at the 2024 AFCON, where they bulldozed their way to the finals in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Lookman conquers African football
THE emergence of Super Eagles strongman Ademola Lookman as the African Footballer of the Year (2024) underlines Nigeria’s improving profile in Africa. It also indicates a brighter future for the team in 2025. Until now, Nigeria has not had two different back-to-back winners of the coveted award.
 
His triumph made him the seventh Nigerian to win the prestigious award and upheld Nigeria’s impressive record in the category following Victor Osimhen’s victory in 2023.
 
The striker had made history as the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa League final. His three goals led Atalanta to a stunning 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, ending the German side’s 51-match unbeaten run.

Team Nigeria’s outing at Paris Olympics
A contingent of 88 athletes departed Nigeria for the Paris Olympic Games with high expectations of surpassing the nation’s performance at the Atlanta ’96 Games.
 
Among other things, the people’s expectations were hinged on the fact that, after all, Team Nigeria had in its fold the fastest woman over the 100m hurdles in the world (Tobi Amusan), one of the fastest women 200m runners, Favour Ofili, some men sprinters who had the fastest records in the build-up to the Games including Ashe Favour as well as one of the best female long jumpers (Ese Brume).
 
However, they failed to win any medals, with Amusan crashing out in the semifinal while Brume finished outside the medal zone. The result, coupled with the fact that no other Nigerian athlete could raise their game and spirit to Olympian heights, the country went into depression and anger set in.
 
The Paris 2024 Olympics disaster was one of the lowest moments for Nigeria’s sports in 2024.

Nigeria’s paralympic heroics at Paris 2024 Olympics.
While the able-bodied Nigerian athletes returned from the Paris 2024 without a medal, their physically challenged counterparts were able to prove that there is ability in disability.
   
Nigeria’s Paralympic team returned home with seven medals of gold, three silver, and two bronze, solidifying their position as a global para-sport powerhouse.

Super Eagles’ slim chances to 2026 World Cup
THE year 2024 was a mixture of the good and challenging for the Super Eagles.  After missing the big party at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the chances of the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico is slim.
 
The team’s campaign was dealt a severe blow after they were forced to a third draw by Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo. It ended 1-1.  Before then, the Super Eagles played a 1-1 stalemate with Zimbabwe away. The team had earlier managed a 1-1 draw with Lesotho. The Nigerians hope to win all their remaining fixtures while praying for calamity to befall South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe in their remaining matches, which will be played this year.

Foul play in Libya
FOR years, the bad blood generated following the inhuman treatment of players and officials of the Super Eagles ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifier against the Mediterranean Knight of Libya will be a talking point in African football.
   
For over 17 hours, the Super Eagles were stranded at Al Abraq Airport in Libya, with top Nigerian players, including Alex Iwobi, Victor Osimhen and team captain William Troost-Ekong, expressing outrage over being denied essential amenities, including food, water, and access to communication. The diversion of their aircraft, ValueJet, to the remote Al Abraq Airport, over 200km from Benghazi, was described as wickedness by Libyan authorities.
 
Though the Nigerian government, through the Foreign Affairs Minister, and the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission swiftly intervened, condemning the treatment, the Libyans stood their ground, with their Football Association denying allegations of sabotage. They attributed the issue to logistical challenges.
   
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Committee subsequently awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory in the abandoned qualifier, ruling that Libya breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. The two-legged victory against Libya gave the Super Eagles their passage to the 2025 AFCON to be hosted by Morocco. Nigeria and Benin Republic qualified from the Group.

Finidi George steps down as Super Eagles coach
NIGERIA’S senior national football team, the Super Eagles, witnessed a major drama in June 2024, when former winger Finidi George resigned as team coach. George cited a lack of support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
 
Finidi was appointed coach to succeed Jose Peseiro after the AFCON finals in Cote d’Ivoire. His brief era saw the Super Eagles draw 2-2 against South Africa and a 1-2 defeat to Benin Republic.
 
Finidi expressed frustration over inadequate backing from the NFF and their decision to search for his replacement without consulting him. Despite attempts at reconciliation, including a meeting with the Sports Minister, Finidi felt disrespected and opted to step down. Interim coach Austin Eguavoen has since taken charge. However, some Nigerians are yet to understand why Eguavoen, who failed with the same team at the 2021 edition of the AFCON in Cameroon, should be brought back so soon.

Anthony Joshua’s knockout
ANTHONY Joshua’s hopes of reclaiming heavyweight glory were blown into the wind after a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September.
Dubois, the IBF heavyweight champion, knocked Joshua down twice before delivering the decisive blow in the fifth round. The defeat marks Joshua’s second career knockout loss, dimming his chances of regaining a world title for the third time.

Return of National Sports Commission
TOWARDS the end of the year, the federal government changed the guards at the helm of Nigerian sports. President Bola Tinubu abolished the Ministry of Sports Development and announced the re-introduction of the NSC, with Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade as chairman and Director-General. respectively.
 
Many Nigerians have hailed the return of the NSC, a preferred structure for Nigeria’s sports development.

Enyimba’s free fall in CAF campaign
TWO-TIME CAF Champions League champions Enyimba FC suffered one of their most embarrassing moments in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup when they fell 3-0 to a relatively unknown Black Bulls of Mozambique in a Group B clash.
 
After failing to win in their first two games, the Peoples Elephants hoped to get their continental season back on track in Maputo, but it ended in a humiliating defeat.
 
To make things worse, two Nigerians, Rume Akporoh and Francis Ayuba, helped the Mozambican side to punish Enyimba and, in the process, take the Black Bulls to second in Group D on four points, three behind holders and leaders Zamalek. Enyimba are bottom, having gone three games without a win. Up next for Enyimba is the return leg against the Black Bulls at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on January 5, 2025. Enyimba head coach, Yemi Olanrewaju, blamed fatigue for their loss to Black Bulls Maputo.