sports

Samuel Chukwueze mourns Mother’s passing

Published

8 months ago

January 29, 2026

Samuel Chukwueze mourns the loss of his mother, Sarah Chukwueze, confirmed by family and the National Sports Commission

Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze is mourning the loss of his mother, Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away after a brief illness, the National Sports Commission confirmed on Thursday, January 29.

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Although the footballer has not publicly commented on the tragedy, his brother, David Chukwueze, shared the news in a series of emotional posts on Instagram, paying tribute to their late mother.

In one post, David wrote, “Can’t even post your picture to say RIP mum,” while in another, he said, “My forever love just left me without saying goodbye.” He also noted, “You didn’t even carry your grandchild.”

The National Sports Commission described Mrs Chukwueze as a “strong support figure” in her son’s career and extended condolences to the family.

“Across the landscape of Nigerian sport, the role of family remains central to the character and resilience shown by many of our elite athletes. Mrs Chukwueze’s influence on the personal journey of her son and her support for his professional pursuit are acknowledged and respected by the sports community,” the Commission said.

Samuel Chukwueze, who recently featured for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco where the Super Eagles finished third, has not yet issued a public statement regarding his mother’s death. Details surrounding her illness were not disclosed.

The loss comes shortly after another personal tragedy in the national team, with Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi losing his father, Sunday Ndidi, in a road accident in Delta State just two days earlier.

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The National Sports Commission affirmed its support for Chukwueze during this period of mourning, highlighting the importance of family in the lives of professional athletes.

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Opinion

Why Are Football Fans Expecting Trophy Haul from Man City’s 114 Breaches?

Published

16 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Tai Emeka Obasi,

It is exceedingly terrible for clubs operating in a league as supremely elite as the English Premier League, EPL, to fraudulently cheat themselves to massive success.

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Rules are rules, and supposedly responsible club managements should comply with them in administering a game termed the beautiful game.

Manchester City is currently in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons.

A whopping 115 breaches were brought against the club, with reports now indicating that an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of them.

The club, however, maintains that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has appealed to the fans to remain calm and faithful, insisting that the club will continue to defend its position and pursue the available legal process.

According to reports, Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict. The sanctions have not yet been announced, and the possible consequences could include a heavy fine, points deduction, stripping of titles or even relegation.

From the available reporting, however, there is no basis for football fans to start celebrating the prospect of receiving Manchester City’s trophies.

Even if titles were eventually stripped, the relevant period under investigation is 2009 to 2018.

During that period, Manchester City won three Premier League titles, in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, as well as three League Cups, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2017/18.

That immediately puts a different complexion on the matter.

For instance, Manchester United finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 Premier League seasons, while Liverpool finished second in 2013/14.

But whether those titles would actually be reassigned to the runners-up is another matter entirely.

There is no automatic rule that says a stripped title simply moves to the team that finished second. Any such outcome would depend on the eventual sanction imposed by the relevant authorities.

The same applies to Arsenal and the League Cup. Arsenal were beaten by City in the 2018 final, but that does not mean Arsenal would automatically inherit the trophy if City were sanctioned.

Expert opinion has suggested that the eventual punishment could include a substantial financial penalty and a huge points deduction, potentially severe enough to threaten City with relegation.

But until the sanction is formally determined, nobody can say with certainty what punishment Manchester City will receive.

For Gunners fans, therefore, we should lower our expectations from City’s debacle. Even if Manchester City are eventually found guilty after the appeal process and even if they are relegated, Arsenal will not stroll to this season’s title.

Our last match against Brighton and Hove Albion is a huge warning that our squad is not as complete as it is generally acclaimed to be.