Minister tackles NBB of C men with peace gloves

Peace may soon return to the rings of pro-boxing in the country. Thanks to the promised intervention of the Sports Minister, Dr. Saidu Sambawa, who has said that, he would summon the members of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control and those Nigerians who wish to have a taste of the pudding in the game.

This much was disclosed to nigeriasports.com in Lagos on Sunday, December 18, 2005 by the Minister during the convocation of students of the Nigeria Institute for Sports.

"We feel disturbed tha,t the board which is a professional one has been plagued by in-fighting amongst the members.

This we belive, will not move the board forward rather it will retard not just the board, but more important, the game in the country," the minister said. Sambawa disclosed that some of the aggrieved members had inundated his office with series of protests over a forthcoming boxing championship slated for Abuja.

A faction led by Isaiah Ezeogu and Trigo Egbegi had last week in a letter written to the minister, showed their displeasure over the championship coming up at the Federal Capital territory.

The minister said he hoped to have the peace meeting with both groups after the Christmas holiday adding that, after this the board could stage the fight in Abuja.

But the Olaide Adeboye-led NBB of C group had tagged the Trigo group as "rebels who were bent on causing confusion the board. Adeboye described the court action taken by the Trigo group as unwarranted and time-wasting insisting that, until he leaves the office next year, he would continue to call the shots.

He urged them instead to come forward for a truce rather than the arrogant stanve they were taking over the matter.

"It is unfounded and rediculous that person, who is not a member of an association or board, should come up and declare himself president of the association or board. The so called President of the rival group, Ezeogu was never a member of NBB of C. And for him to qualify to run for the office, he must first be a member.

Some of the allegations the new faction gave as the reasons for dividing the board, was insufficient organisation of professional fights for the boxers which
Adeboye described as not the primary function. "There is no place in the whole world where it is the responsibility of the boxing board to organize bouts for member boxers. It is wrong," Adeboye countered.

.ADEOLU JOHNSON