Every new sporting year ushers bigger expectations and the new season that has dawned has started a course where dreams would be fulfilled and hopes dashed in the race for excellence in a year that would determine the future of many sporting events on the road to history.
As 2017 begins a journey to fulfil her history, the success story of the horizon that beckons this season started on the very first day on the home front from Akwa Ibom State where the pride of sports in the State, Akwa United Football Club went to God in Thanksgiving at The Apostolic Church, Ibiakpan Assembly, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area as the team prepares for the kick off of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League Season which will start in less than two weeks.
It is one season where everything has been done almost perfectly for Akwa United to excel led by the management of the club under the amiable leadership of veteran sports journalist, CAF and FIFA Instructor, Etubom Paul Bassey who has steered the team to new heights of administrative professionalism.
Starting the 2017 season with warm expectations from the home front gives me much joy as Akwa United under the Managerial content of one of Nigeria’s most successful coaches, Abdul Maikaba gives the most passionate supporter of the team that the ‘’ Promise Keepers’’ are destined to pick a continental ticket by the end of the season.
Nigerian football will surely witness a renaissance of a team that will take the league by storm this season having closely watched her pre-season preparations, the new quality of players in the team, the new level of discipline among the players, the high confidence by all to succeed, the overwhelming support by the Akwa Ibom State Government of Mr.Udom Emmanuel , the drive to excel by the Honorable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Monday Uko, the optimism of the Chairman of the Club, Mr Paul Bassey, the set targets of the technical crew and players and of course the e4ternal support of the supporters to stand with the team all through the season to shine unto sporting excellence.
This is a season of greatness in the sports sector and the level of confidence as we get set for the challenges of a gruelling season is high despite the tight league fixtures in the first three months of the year which will see teams feature in midweek and weekend matches with Akwa United involved at home in midweek clashes.
This is the first true test of a successful season as yours truly is so confident with these set of players who have shown sterling skills under Coach Abdul Maikaba whose tactical approach at training sessions has revealed that he has come to the state to make a mark as he has done with the likes of Wikki Tourists and Enyimba Football Clubs.
That Maikaba would leave Wikki Tourists Football Club a team he guided to pick a continental ticket at the end of last season to prove another sporting history of a success story with Akwa United is a fact that the new direction of national football now lies in Uyo.
Another history that would make Akwa United outstanding in 2017 is the new jerseys that the players would adorn in the season which would be in the state colours of orange. The new package of the jerseys which Chairman Paul Bassey has brokered with a private firm is another ground breaking feat. The very first of its kind since the inception of the club.
On Tuesday, January 3,2017 the jerseys would be unveiled to the media community in the state, another first from the management of the team with replicas going on sale at points that would be named for supporters to purchase at reduced prices. This history being made in the growth of football in Akwa Ibom State.
I have taken time out to look at Akwa United because of the new expectations ahead all season and the growing confidence that for once, there will be no excuses as the welfare of the team has been addressed and a strong, cordial working relationship between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Management has set the tone for a successful season.
In 2017 still from the home front in Akwa Ibom State, the first ever School Sports Festival will likely hold in March. This laudable initiative of the Honorable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sir Monday Ebong Uko is designed to re-engineer and develop school sports and identify new talents that would be future world champions.
The programme is coming at a time where uncertainty continues to loom over the exact date of when the National Sports Festival would hold and gives the state and added advantage of moulding new stars for the world especially as Team Akwa Ibom has continued to be among the top eight states in the last two National Sports Festival.
It is new template for a greater future combining sports with education with a reward for global history if the right steps are sustained and it is one laudable initiative that must be achieved as all hands must be on deck to succeed.
In 2017, the Nigeria Football Federation will have a very daunting task with regards to the lean resources available to the body but will have to make a definite choice on the number of national teams that will feature at International competitions following the never unending stories of no cash which has consistently embarrassed the body with the last being the fall out of the African Women’s Championship protests for several days which attracted global attention.
Most likely, except funds are sourced from the private sector, most of the female age grade teams may be largely affected if these measures are actually implemented to save face in the future.
In 2017, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick will be gunning for a post in the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football and has the backing of his committee after initial hiccups had almost unsettled his ambition. The election will come up in March and Pinnick will likely get the nod several years after will lost out of the seat after the shame Amos Adamu put the nation to over corruption motives that brought the game into disrepute.
In 2017, one likely disaster that may hinder the success story of Nigerian Sports will be the retention of Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung and I sincerely pray that even if President Buhari decides not to tinker with his cabinet, he would please drop Solomon Dalung who has clearly shown that he cannot steer Nigerian sports successfully except the various sporting associations drive their set targets successfully.
Dalung has shown that his presence in that office is a mistake and I am certain that within the Presidency, they must be having worrisome nightmares on how a fun loving beret headed individual would have no template to excel where over 180 million Nigerians watch with great expectations. Enough of Solomon Dalung and his history for now this new year.
In 2017, the biggest sporting task for the country would be the need to ensure that the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup in 2018. Luckily and against all expectations, the Eagles are so comfortably leading their group but the biggest test is yet to come and the month of August would be a defining moment in where the Eagles would be as they play arch rivals the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun in a double header in which the tables could turn if we remain over confident and slip or fly past and make history to Russia.
Luckily, the Eagles have found a home in the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and the new Coach Gernot Rorh has brought a new found confidence and focus to the team to excel. This would be one defining moment in 2017 as world attention would focus on Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to host the crucial fixture.
The Eagles are not in Gabon as the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations begins but will play lots of friendly matches to keep the players in shape for the glorious task ahead.
In 2017, there would be many sporting activities from the National Sports Festival, football qualifiers, world championships, formula one, grand slams, NBA Basketball and much more but the history will be in the success stories that will be written with the history makers. It will be a glorious season and like the expectations abound, this is just one year where the surprises would just be the best for Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. It always gets better each day. Happy New Year.
By Amos Etuk
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