Former Super Eagles’ striker, Shola Ameobi was moved to tears while viewing a monument that was lined up in honor of England football legend, Kevin Keegan, who was one of his coaches at Newcastle United, where the tall hitman spent the first 14 years of his career.

Sports247 reports that, the 44-year-old Ameobi later spent a season on loan at Stoke City, then moved to Gaziantep of Turkey, before stints with Crystal Palace, Bolton Wanderers, Fleetwood Town and Notts County, but he remained totally devoted to The Magpies.

Keegan, who had two tenures as Newcastle’s gaffer (1992-1997 and 2008) was one of the tacticians who helped Ameobi stabilise himself at Saint James’s Park, where the striker spent time in the Toon academy from 1995 to 2000, with his formative years guided by the England legend.

Ameobi, who starred for Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, under the charge of late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi as handler of the Super Eagles, has now paid homage to Keegan by turning up at a public monument where he viewed a sea of flowers, scarves, flags, cones and footie tops submittted by Toon fans.

The dark-skinned ex-international rubbed his eyes as he viewed the splash of memorabilia spread across the floor in honour of ‘King Kev,’ who died on Monday aged 75, after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, leaving behind fond memories of how he thrilled the world of football as a player and coach.

In honour of the late England national team star, Ameobi, who scored 53 goals for Newcastle and is now an ambassador of the Tyneside outfit, remained solemn and did not speak a word, while wiping tears from his eyes.

Sports247 reports further that, while Ameobi revealed his emotions in action alone and chose not to speak, the club’s current coach, Eddie Howe said Keegan, who also played for Liverpool and Southampton of England as well as SV Hamburg of Germany, was an ‘inspiration.’

The post Former Super Eagles’ Striker Shola Ameobi In Tears At Memorial Monument For Late Kevin Keegan appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Another angle has been added to controversy that trailed a shock decision by global football body, FIFA to ‘suspend’ a red card shown to USA’s top striker, Folarin Balogun, as the AS Monaco of France hitman’s dad confessed that he is still happy with the intervention by America’s president, Donald J. Trump.

Sports247 reports that, while many football followers the world over joined Belgium in condemning President Trump’s intervention that led to FIFA’s unprecedented volte face after a player had been red-carded at the World Cup, Mr Ben Balogun is reeling with delight.

Read Also: Folarin Balogun’s ‘Suspended Red Card’ Creates More Worries For FIFA, As ‘Procedurial Errors’ Emerge In Controversial Reversal | Sports247 Nigeria

Folarin Balogun went on to play the round of 16 game versus Belgium in the early hours of Tuesday and, though he could not score in Team USA’s horrendous 4-1 loss to the Europeans, the striker’s dad remains happy seeing his son feature in the encounter.

Although the proud dad equally admitted he understands why many people are not happy that the number one American citizen inteferred with decisions at the World Cup, he is delighted that the president helped his son make history.

The striker’s dad also conceded that he does not like the idea of politics being brought into matters of sports, but an elated Ben Balogun told UK’s Daily Mail: “I’m glad that President Trump did what he did – it’s good for America and good for the US team.”

This marks another chapter in the very dramatic life story of Folarin Balogun, who was born on July 3rd, 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, where his parents were on a visit from their base in London, when his mother was seven months pregnant with him.

Part of his biography adds, “Airline staff did not allow her to board the family’s return flight to London due to safety concerns over the advanced state of her pregnancy, and Balogun was subsequently born in New York.

“He returned to the United Kingdom with his parents when he was two months old and grew up in London (and) Balogun joined Arsenal at the age of eight, after being scouted while playing for his previous Sunday League team, Aldersbrook.”

Dramatically, his red card at this World Cup came 24 hours before his 25th birthday, such that his sad moment on what should have been a happy day was eased by Trump’s intervention … only to be dashed 72 hours later by Belgium’s humiliating victory in Seattle.

The post Folarin Balogun’s Dad Thanks US President Donald Trump For Intervening To Squash His Son’s World Cup Red Card appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

The Edgerley Memorial Girls’ Secondary School Old Girls Association Lagos Chapter commemorated International Women’s Day with a sports and wellness programme held on March 7 at the National Stadium Complex Lagos.

READ ALSO: How Greedy Agents Are Ruining the Careers of Innocent Nigerian Players

The event brought together members of the association for a day of physical activities and interaction, featuring aerobics sessions, a novelty football match, various recreational games, and health talks aimed at promoting fitness and healthy living.

Speaking with Sports247 during the event, the chapter president, Ndorofem Udoh, explained that the programme forms part of the association’s annual calendar of activities tied to the global celebration of women.

According to Udoh, March remains a significant period for the association as it provides an opportunity for members to celebrate womanhood, reconnect and support one another.

“We come out with a whole calendar of events for the year, and we always target March because it is International Women’s Day where women are being celebrated,” she said. “As an all-girls school, our motto is ‘Not for school but for life’. So occasions like this allow us to celebrate ourselves, unwind, learn, unlearn and relearn.”

Udoh noted that the association aligns its activities with the yearly theme of the global celebration, and this year’s theme encouraged members to demonstrate support for one another through acts of generosity.

“We encouraged members to bring items they are not using at home so that others can benefit from them. It is not necessarily because someone does not have, but it is about sharing and strengthening the bond among us,” she added.

Beyond the gathering of alumni, the association has begun expanding its programmes to include initiatives targeted at young people, particularly the girl child.

Udoh revealed that the group recently organised a webinar focused on women and girls in technology, where both a practising engineer and a female engineering student shared experiences and insights on pursuing careers in the field.

“We are gradually moving beyond just the old girls. We want to support the girl child by exposing them to opportunities and guiding them on career paths such as engineering and technology,” she said.

She further noted that the association also plans to incorporate programmes that address both girls and boys, emphasising the need for balanced societal development.

“The girl child will live in a society with the boy child, so while we are supporting girls, we must also pay attention to the boys. Many of us are mothers of both boys and girls, and we want to pass on the values we received from our parents to the next generation.”

Highlighting the inclusion of sports and fitness activities in the celebration, Udoh explained that the initiative was designed to encourage healthier lifestyles among members.

“A lot of us attend programmes but we don’t always prioritise our health. By introducing sports and exercise, we are encouraging members to make fitness part of their daily routine,” she said.

She added that activities such as aerobics and dancing are deliberately incorporated into gatherings as simple but effective forms of exercise.

“We also had a nutritionist speak to us about healthy eating and lifestyle choices. It is about empowering women to take care of their health while also preparing the next generation,” she said.

Delivering a message to Nigerian women, Udoh called for stronger female participation in leadership and decision-making spaces.

“If a woman moves, the country moves,” she said. “Women in positions of authority should support and bring other women to the table. When you walk into boardrooms and see only one woman among many men, that woman should ensure more women are given opportunities.”

She also urged women to remain actively involved in raising their children and instilling strong values within the home.

“The upbringing of a child is the responsibility of both parents. If we pay closer attention to our children, many of the issues we see in society today can be reduced,” she added.

Udoh concluded by encouraging women to continue striving for integrity and positive leadership in every sphere of life while contributing to national development.

The post Edgerley Memorial Girls’ Secondary School Old Girls Mark International Women’s Day with Sports and Wellness Programme appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.