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By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye           Executive Director of Sports Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Mrs. Sabina Chikere, declared 2026 as the year of further progress for sport in Edo state. She made this public in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, stating that she is “happy to see another year” and eager to turn that joy into opportunities that helps every athlete, coach and sporting community across Edo. “This is more than a change of calendar; it is a fresh court on which we will play harder. 2026 will be a year of expanded programmes, deeper talent identification, and stronger partnerships. We are ready to do more for Edo State — to widen the pipeline for our young athletes, to professionalise coaching, and to ensure opportunities reach even the smallest local government areas.”  Mrs. Chikere went on to thank Edo’s sportsmen and sportswo...

...Showers praises DG NIS, Comrade Phillips Shaibu ...Commends Chairman Edo State Sports Commission, Honourable Enabulele By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye           The Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Mrs. Sabina Ekhaisomi Chikere, has sent warm Christmas felicitations to Christians in Edo State, Nigeria and the rest of the world describing this season as the time joy, happiness and laughter. She extended this heartfelt greetings during an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye. In her Christmas message, Mrs. Chikere saluted athletes, coaches and sports administrators who continue to raise the nation’s flag high through commitment, sacrifice and excellence, noting that the values of Christmas align perfectly with the spirit of sports. “Christmas is a season that celebrates perseverance, sacrifice and victory — values our sportsmen a...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye           Technical Advisor on Sports Development to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, Dr. Olusola Osetoba, showered praises on sportsmen and women across Ekiti State, celebrating their grit, discipline and the hope they bring to communities as she celebrates Christmas. The elegant and quintessential sports administrator made this known in her goodwill message to the good people of Ekiti State and the rest of the world, lavishing praises on Governor Oyebanji, a man she described a dedicated sports-lover. Dr. Osetoba placed athletes, men and women, grassroots coaches, referees and sports administrators, at the centre of Ekiti’s festive cheer, calling them the “embodiment of Ekiti’s resilience and the state’s brightest export.”  The winsome and urbane woman urged citizens to recognise sport as a vehicle for social cohesion, health and wealth creation, and asked stakeholders to increase their efforts to back ...

...Clinches top honours at the Next Afrobeats Stars Season 1 By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye           “Afrobeats is brewing for a storm — not of wind and rain, but of musical masterclass, theatrical talent and reverberating rhythm with a touch of royalty.” Those were the words of renowned and highly esteemed singer-songwriter and producer Temidayo Babatope Joseph A.K.A. PuffyTee, a big name in Afrobeats, as he hailed Ayo Benzi — the new 'kid on the throne' in Afrobeats. In a statement released on Wednesday by his spokesman, Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, PuffyTee described Ayo Benzi, as the “wunderkind of Afrobeats”, saying Next Afrobeats Stars Season 1 crown is proof of the young artist’s exceptional gifts. Ayo Benzi, a key and influential member of Team Puffy Tee, a trio that dominated discussion throughout the series with its combination of studio polish and live energy.  Another member of the Team, Dave Cash finished seco...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye           The Ekiti State Government has announced plans to host medal-winning athletes from the National Sports Festival in Ogun State and the National Youth Games which took place in Asaba the Delta State capital. This cheering news was made public by the Technical Advisor on Sport Development to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, Dr. Olusola Osetoba in a press statement made available to your authoritative and award-winning channel, First Zealmediacast Blog. Dr. Osetoba stated that the recognition ceremony is scheduled for Monday, 22nd December 2025. “The reception has been approved by Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as a mark of recognition for the athletes’ outstanding performances and commitment in representing Ekiti State at both national competitions,” she said. Dr. Osetoba explained that the event will take place at the alluring Lady Jibowu Hall, Governor’s Office Premises, and will commence at 10:00 a...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye            The Executive Director of Sport Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission, (ESSC), Mrs. Sabina Chikere, on Friday, drew the curtains on the 2025 edition of the Edo Heritage Sports Festival held at the Etete Sports Centre. The 5 event came to and end in an unforgettable style, with Mrs. Sabina Chikere, a top sports official in Edo State gracing the occasion. Mrs. Sabina Chikere, described being at the prestigious event as a great honour. She made this statement in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, summarising the event as a remarkable platform that celebrates the rich culture, heritage, and sporting excellence of Edo State. “It was a great honour to attend the 2025 Edo Heritage Sports Festival and Carnival — a remarkable platform that celebrates the rich culture, heritage, and sporting excellence of our beloved Edo State,” sh...

By Maxwell Kumoye, Haruna Mubarak and Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Abeokuta    The maiden West African Para Games may have drawn its curtain, but its thunder will echo across the sub-region for years to come.  The ancient and iconic Rock City of Abeokuta didn’t just host a competition, it staged a celebration of courage, talent, unity, and the unstoppable rise of Para Sports in Africa. For the ancient city vintage hospitality, it was a triumph on every front: ✓ Booming business ✓ Renewed government support ✓ Heightened media visibility ✓ Facilities humming with new life.  Ten nations came together in a spirited mix of competition and friendship, strengthening bilateral ties while giving athletes the perfect platform to sharpen their blades for future continental and global showdowns, including the Paralympic Games. And at the heart of it all stood Team Nigeria, rewriting history in blazing colours. NIGERIA SWEPT THE PODIUM After six gruelling, ene...

...NSC urges Ogun residents to troop out and show massive support for the historic Games By Maxwell Kumoye      The ancient and iconic Rock City of Abeokuta is bracing for impact as the maiden West Africa Para Games storms the MKO Abiola Stadium this Friday, November 28, marking a historic moment for para-sport in the region. All eyes will be on Ogun State Governor, His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun, the sport-loving chief host expected to officially declare the Games open.  Once the flame is lit, over 500 para-athletes across 11 sports will launch into six days of fierce competition, national pride and personal glory. Backed by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN) and the Ogun State Government, organisers say every detail, from security to medicals, accommodation to transportation has been locked in for a world-class event befitting the continent’s finest special athletes. NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Di...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria’s sports economy just smashed through a major milestone and Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), says the best is still ahead. Speaking with journalists in Lagos at the Big Sports Dialogue 1.0 on Monday, Dikko announced that the sports sector is now contributing “almost more than one percent” to Nigeria’s GDP, a figure that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The revelation came after the NSC conducted a deep-dive analysis of newly collected economic data for Q4 2025, the first time the country has ever had structured, verifiable figures measuring the financial weight of sports. It's noteworthy to state that this claim by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko has not been verified by Nigeria Bureau of Statistics. “THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS DATA AND WE’VE FIXED IT” In a blunt assessment, Dikko said Nigeria’s biggest obstacle to unlocking the sports economy has been ...

By Maxwell Kumoye        The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the full roster of 73 referees, assistant referees and VAR officials for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and Nigeria, Africa’s supposed football giant, did not make the cut. Not one referee. Not one assistant. Not one VAR official. Zero. For a country that boasts one of the continent’s biggest leagues, richest football history, and a national team tipped among the favourites for the AFCON title, the omission is more than an embarrassment — it's a brutal reminder of a broken refereeing system that has refused to evolve. While smaller football nations like Eswatini, Niger, Djibouti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Benin, and even Sao Tome & Principe proudly earned representation, Nigeria, the self-proclaimed “giant of Africa”, sat outside the door, uninvited. This is not a curse. We are the cause. For years, the NPFL has battled credibility crises: • Inconsistent officiating • ...

...Anas Yusuf fires, Mangut rules By Maxwell Kumoye      Nasarawa United didn’t just win at the weekend—they owned Match-day 14 of the Nigeria Premier Football League honours. Rampaging forward Anas Yusuf headlined the NPFL Team of the Week after tearing El-Kanemi Warriors apart with a ruthless brace in United’s 3-0 beatdown in Lafia.  The in-form striker pushed his tally to six goals this season, while youngster Garba Mohammed added the third with an ice-cold finish from a tight angle. At the back, centre-half Utake Emmanuel made the cut with a dominant, brick-wall performance that left El-Kanemi attackers running out of ideas and into dead ends. His leadership at the rear was as fierce as it was flawless. Ageless Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars, anchors the midfield that include Victor Adeoye and Kenechukwu Agu.  Uche Collins, Ubong Williams, Insurance of Benin's Joshua Baba, Lekan Gabriel also made the cut along with Remo Stars' Victor Mbaoma and Justic...

By Maxwell Kumoye      Egyptian football star Ramadan Sobhi’s career has plunged into its darkest chapter yet, as the Pyramids FC winger prepares an emergency appeal to the Swiss Federal Court after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) slammed him with a four-year doping ban. Sobhi’s lawyer confirmed on Thursday that the defence team is “preparing an appeal” and “has new grounds” to challenge the CAS ruling that overturned an earlier decision clearing the 28-year-old. The winger was first provisionally suspended in May 2024 after “atypical findings” were detected by a Barcelona lab. But the Egyptian Doping Organization (EGY-NADO) later absolved him, citing insufficient proof of violations related to banned substances or tampering. WADA refused to let the case die. The global anti-doping body escalated the matter to CAS — and won. The verdict has now sidelined Sobhi until 2028, a hammer blow for a player once hailed as Egypt’s next great football ambassador...

...Hail exceptional Team Nigeria Scrabble feat in the World  By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye who was at the Big Sports Dialogue 1.0 in Lagos      When the Big Sports Dialogue 1.0 wrapped up on Monday at Villa Angelia Hotel — hall packed, administrators on their feet — one man towered over the rest — Honourable, Bukola Olopade, Director-General of National Sports Commission (NSC), his words echoed like a rallying cry. With steely confidence and unshakeable resolve, Olopade declared that Nigerian sports is finally on the right track and heading toward greatness. Under the leadership of NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and guided by the mandate from President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said, they are “rewriting the face of Nigerian sports,” aiming to set a standard across Africa. “Well it's the first edition of the Big Sports Dialogue 1.0, I believe there were a lot of takeaways for all stakeholders present, I'm particularly glad that this event gave Mallam Shehu D...

    Former Ghana national team coach Chris Hughton has declared Mohammed Kudus the signing of the summer, insisting Tottenham Hotspur struck gold when they snapped up the Ghanaian star in a £55 million deal that is already looking like a bargain. Spurs brought in seven new faces during the window, but none have hit the ground running like Kudus, who has not only settled instantly in North London but has muscled his way into WhoScored’s Team of the Season so far. Hughton, speaking to Flashscore, couldn’t hide his admiration for the move—both on the pitch and in the boardroom. “I think it was an excellent signing. The deal made a lot of sense financially. Tottenham needed a player of his profile. It’s a big stadium, a big stage, and he’s started his Tottenham career very well. He fits seamlessly into a system that favours crosses into the box.” Kudus arrived after a mixed spell at West Ham, where an explosive start fizzled into inconsistency. But under Thomas Frank a...