Team Nigeria came third in the 2022 Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations held at the Theodoisa Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra, Ghana.
The 11th edition of the quadrennial international men”s field hockey championship of Africa was organized by the Africa Hockey Federation.
Nigeria men’s hockey team made history at the tournament in Ghana after their win against Kenya. Goals from Godwin Sunday Sunday Emmanuel, Ibrahim Benjamin and Samaila James helped Nigeria to a 4,–2 win against Kenya.
The win put Nigeria on the podium for the first time in history having failed to achieve the feat in the previous tournaments.
Oyo State has a large number of players in the Team Nigeria squad. They include, Olawale Ajibua, Oluwatosin Fowobaje, Ezekiel Faluyi, Olayinka Jaiyeola, Muiz Bello, Godwin Sunday, and Emmanuel Sunday. The Coach that accompanied the team was Oluyemi Micheal.
In the final ranking of the first to fourth place classifications, South Africa emerged first, while Egypt came second and Nigeria won the third position. Kenya bagged the fourth position.
South Africa that came first in the tournament is qualified for the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup that is scheduled to hold at kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and at the under construction 20,000 seat Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium on Rourkela, India from 13 to 29 January, 2023
/Tunde Ajibike
