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FIFA honours Osimhen after amazing season with Napoli

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Following his record-breaking season with Napoli where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A top scorer award, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has been honoured by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The world football governing body Tuesday presented Osimhen with a customized jersey and soccer ball for his “superb displays for Napoli in the 2022/23 season,” which led to Napoli winning the Scudetto after a 33-year wait, according to an official of FIFA, Gelson Fernandes, in a “special message” to the 24-year-old Nigerian forward.

“Victor Osimhen, you represent at the moment what football can do,” Fernandes wrote in an Instagram post.

“From Lagos to Napoli where people love you, you have suffered, but your love for football and determination have guided you.

“Keep going, keep pushing. Africa needs examples and millions are watching and dreaming.”

Osimhen became the first African to win the highest goal scorer award, while also becoming the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win both the Capocannoniere and the Scudetto in the same season, a record which has stood for 14 long years.

His horde of honours was also enhanced with a National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic bestowed on him by former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

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Controversy as US-based former Kenyan football star Joseph Asuza commits suicide

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A US-based former Kenyan football star, Joseph Asuza, has reportedly committed suicide in what has been described as tragic circumstances,
sparking controversy.

Asuza, a former FKF Premier League star who played for Red Berets before transitioning to a different career path in the United States where he worked as a security officer with the United Nations, reportedly took his own life by jumping out of a moving vehicle on Sunday afternoon before being crushed to death by another vehicle as he struggled to come to terms with his mother’s recent death.

According to former Harambee Stars striker and Asuza’s close friend, Boniface Ambani, the former star player fondly called “Asuu”, jumped out of a moving cab on Thika Road before an oncoming vehicle crushed him to death.

Ambani said Asuza’s untimely demise comes at a time of profound grief as he was making arrangements for his mother’s burial who had passed away just a week prior due to cardiac arrest.

“Despite being miles away from his homeland, Asuza remained deeply connected to his roots, as evidenced by his swift return upon hearing of his mother’s passing,” Ambani said.

“Asuza was in deep distress as he came to terms with his mothers’ death.

“On Friday evening I paid a courtesy call on his family at Lusui, Chanda Village. He looked so distressed and so disturbed.

“The mum’s death really hit him hard. I gave him company till midnight and we planned to meet the next day, but he told me he is traveling to Nairobi early morning of Saturday to go make arrangements on how the mum’s body would be ferried back home for burial this coming Saturday.

“I told him it’s okay, but asked his young bro to make sure he (Asuu) doesn’t drive. I talked to him in length.

“Asuza and his brother arrived safely on Saturday, but he lost his life the next day

“Asuza accompanied by his younger brother, embarked on the journey to Nairobi early Saturday morning to oversee the arrangements for his mother’s final rites.

“However, the journey ended in an unimaginable tragedy as Asuza’s life was abruptly cut short in a fatal road accident along Thika Road.

“It has taken me a lot of courage since yesterday, to pen this down. Why Asuu? Why? Mum and son gone,” Ambani added, before sending condolences to the family.

“God give this family strength to overcome this…. How do I start tying Rest well bro? How? How? Asuu, Asuu,” he lamented.

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Kenyan world champion Zablon Ekwam cries out over alleged neglect from govt

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Kenyan World Indoors Championships record holder, Zablon Ekwam, has expressed frustration over alleged neglect of athletes by the government even after performing so well and bringing honour to the country.

Ekwam who recently shattered the African record at the World Indoor Championships held in the UK, expressed his frustration about receiving no recognition from the government even when his performance had put the country on the world map.

Ekwam who spoke to sports journalists on Friday, lamented that they (athletes)
had to put in all the work to bring honour to the country, yet the government has continuously failed to recognise them.

Ekwam said he was particularly frustrated that as he had never been to an indoor championship and breaking an African record is a feat that should be recognised.

At the tournament, the quartet of Ekwam, Wiseman Were, Boniface Mweresa, and Kelvin Tauta shattered an existing African record by clocking an impressive 3:06.71 to finish fourth in the tight race that was won by Team Great Britain with the USA and the Netherlands taking the second and third spots.

Ekwam feels that the hard work the quartet should have been recognised and they should also receive a token of appreciation for the effort.

“Breaking the African record has motivated me; however, the government has not done anything and we have not received any appreciation but we are content with what we did and we ask God to give us more courage,” Ekwam lamented.

“If we are given another chance to run anywhere, we shall continue breaking records because in other countries, when someone breaks a record it’s a big thing.

“Here, people have taken it very lightly and no one is even talking about it but it is okay and we shall continue working hard,” Ekwam said.

He added that as they prepare for the Africa Senior Athletics Championships and the continental tour in South Africa, they hope to continue breaking more records.

He added that if for anything, the fact that the African record had been in place for more than five years and the quartet put in all their effort and shattered it twice in one day was something that the government should have recognized and appreciated.

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