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Akure set for thrilling Asiwaju Renewed Hope Southwest 3x3 Basketball Challenge

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By Maxwell Kumoye        The ancient city of Akure is set to come alive with thrilling basketball action as the Southwest Basketball Association gears up for the highly anticipated Asiwaju Renewed Hope Southwest 3x3 Basketball Challenge. The championship, scheduled to hold at Democracy Park, Oja Oba, Akure, Ondo State, will bring together top talents from across the six Southwest states, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, in a showcase of skill, speed and competitive spirit. According to the Southwest Representative on the board of Nigeria Basketball Federation, Olumide Oyedeji, teams are expected to arrive on the 15th, while games will tip off on the 16th before the grand finale on the 17th. The tournament, which continues to gather momentum within the Nigerian basketball community, is aimed at discovering and promoting grassroots talents while strengthening the culture of 3x3 basketball in the region. The event is powered by the Honourable Minister...
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How Okon-George inspires Team Nigeria’s golden run in Accra

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...Everyone should focus on their goal, sky is their limit By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Accra        “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step” this proverb aptly captures Team Nigeria’s road to becoming African champions. These were the words of one of Nigeria’s finest quarter-milers, Patience Okon-George, who anchored Team Nigeria’s 4x400m squad to continental victory in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. Okon-George led a young Nigerian quartet to international glory, stressing that execution was all that mattered. “4x400m mixed has always been for Nigeria. Yesterday it was all about execution, right from the first leg to the end, just the way we planned it. It was great,” she said. The quartet of Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Imeh and Patience Okon-George combined brilliantly to overpower the opposition. Asuquo kept Nigeria in contention on the opening leg, while Jimoh electrified the race by surging from third place into the l...
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Tobi Amusan, a positive influence in my career — Adaobi Tabugbo

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...Begins final preparations for Commonwealth Games By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Accra          A member of Team Nigeria at the Senior African Athletics Championships, Adaobi Tabugbo, has described world record holder Tobi Amusan as a true friend and a major positive influence on her career. In an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG’s Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, Adaobi Tabugbo said following in the footsteps of the world champion gives her the push she needs to keep striving for greater heights. She added that Amusan has always been someone she looked up to, describing it as a privilege to compete alongside her. “Tobi is more of a blessing than she knows to me. I’ve always looked up to her and I’m happy to have her in my space,” she said. Amusan delivered Nigeria’s first gold medal of the championships after winning the women’s 100m hurdles final, while Adaobi Tabugbo clinched bronze to secure her first individual...
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South Africa overtake Nigeria as African Track Championships intensify in Abuja

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By Maxwell Kumoye      Team South Africa has surged to the top of the medals table after Day 2 of the 2026 African Track Championships at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, overtaking hosts Team Nigeria in a fiercely contested battle for continental dominance. Nigeria had ended the opening day in commanding fashion, powered largely by an impressive showing from the junior women cyclists who delivered four gold medals, while the elite men added another gold to place the hosts atop the standings with five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.  South Africa trailed closely behind with four gold, two silver and one bronze medal. However, the momentum shifted on Day 2 as the South Africans produced a dominant display across several events, harvesting seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals to move into first place with an overall tally of 11 gold, five silver and three bronze medals. Nigeria, meanwhile, managed one gold, three silver and ...
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EFCC arrest Kogi State Basketball Chairman as NBBF leadership ambition suffers major blow

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  By Maxwell Kumoye        The Nigerian basketball community has been thrown into fresh controversy following the arrest of Mustapha Abdullahi by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering offences reportedly involving more than N500 billion. FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG gathered that Abdullahi, who is also the Chairman of the Kogi State Basketball Association and proprietor of Confluence Kings Basketball Club, was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday and remains in EFCC custody as investigations continue. The development is already sending shockwaves through Nigerian basketball circles, particularly amid growing political manoeuvring ahead of the next leadership battle in the Nigeria Basketball Federation. Abdullahi had recently emerged as one of the names being heavily packaged by influential stakeholders to assume a major leadership role in the federation, with sources alleging that NBBF boss Engineer Musa Kida ...
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Representing Nigeria, an experience I will always cherish — Oyesade Olatoye

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...Pans silver in Hammer By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Accra           'No two sunsets are ever the same', these are the words of an influential member of Team Nigeria at the Senior Africa Athletics Championship, Oyesade Olatoye, as she describes what it feels like when representing Team Nigeria. She made this statement in an interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye. Oyesade Olatoye emphasized that despite representing Team Nigeria for years, she feels very honoured every time she dawns country's jersey. Olatoye, fondly called Mrs. Reliable, lived up to her name and the expectation of her nation, clinching silver in the Women's Hammer. She threw a distance of 69.60 to secure the podium finish, re-enforcing her presence in the Hammer Event. “The experience, is never enough, every championship comes with a new opportunity, coming out to represent the country is a feeling that can never get old, day...
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Team Nigeria’s growing strength excites Yusuf Ali as CAA Championships enters Day 3

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By Maxwell Kumoye in Accra        Former African champion and national record holder Yusuf Ali has expressed confidence in the rising strength of Team Nigeria athletics, praising the efforts of the National Sports Commission and the Elite Podium Finish Committee for the steady progress being recorded in the sport. Ali, who currently leads the Elite Podium Finish Committee, said the standard expected at the CAA Senior Athletics Championships leaves no room for experimentation, insisting that athletes must arrive fully prepared to compete at the highest level. “CAA senior athletics championship is not a learning ground,” Ali declared. “It’s a platform to deliver what you have learned, trained for and perfected.” The multiple African champions noted that the renewed backing from the National Sports Commission has started yielding positive signs for Nigerian athletics, especially in talent development and athlete preparation. According to him, the Athletics F...
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Kenyan duo deliver as chesang wins gold, Senchura takes bronze in Accra

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...I enjoyed the race, it was thrilling, there are some rooms for improvement – Senchura By Maxwell Kumoye        It's black, red and green in Ghana, as Kenya mined two medals in the men's 10,000m at the 2026 Africa Senior Championship. Kevin Chesang produced a stirring finish to capture the men’s 10,000m title edging Ethiopia’s Hagos Eyob in a dramatic sprint to the line. Kevin Chesang stopped the clock at 28:30.44, just 0.13 seconds ahead of Eyob, who took silver in 28:30.57 after a tightly contested final. Adding to the list, Kenyan Silas Senchura, completed the podium in 28:32.66, giving Kenya two medals in the event and underlining its strength in long-distance running. Uganda’s Dan Kibet finished fourth in 28:34.97, while Djibouti’s Hani Idriss crossed the line fifth in 28:41.44, Eritrea’s S. Tesfagiorgis placed sixth in 28:41.92. The race was decided by fine margins after a tactical battle through the final laps, with his victory adding another maj...
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I have no role model, I’m my own inspiration — Chidera Ezeakor

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…As he secures 100m podium finish …Emmanuel Eseme defends 100m crown as Cameroon goes into mourning By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Accra, Ghana           Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme delivered a superb display of speed and control to successfully defend his men’s 100m title at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana. Eseme powered to victory in 10.25 seconds, further strengthening his status as one of the continent’s leading sprinters. The triumph added another proud chapter to his career, coming at the same venue where he previously captured the African Games 100m title. South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana settled for silver, while Nigeria’s Chidera Nzeakor completed the podium with bronze after clocking 10.33 seconds. For Ezeakor, the medal represented a remarkable journey from football to athletics, and from obscurity to continental recognition emphasizing that his progress has been driven by self-belief and faith. “I don't have a...
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Golden day for Team Nigeria as Amusan inspires medal rush in Accra

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  By Maxwell Kumoye in Accra       Team Nigeria produced one of its most impressive performances yet at the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, with world record holder Tobi Amusan spearheading a memorable medal haul on a thrilling day of competition. Amusan delivered Nigeria’s first gold medal of the championships after storming to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles final, reaffirming her dominance on the continent. The Nigerian star had looked untouchable throughout the rounds, posting the fastest times in both the heats and semi-finals before finishing the job in commanding style in the final. The event also brought more joy for Team Nigeria as compatriot Adaobi Tabugbo clinched bronze to secure her first individual medal for the country, while Ashley Miller denied the Nigerians a clean sweep of the top two spots. Nigeria’s women sprinters also came close to another gold medal in dramatic fashion through Rosemary Chukwuma in t...
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