2022 World Cup: Ibadan-based sportscasters appointed as match commentators

Two members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) have been appointed as match commentators in the 2022 FIFA World Cup which kicked off on Sunday in Qatar.

Elated by the good news, leaders of the Oyo State chapter stated that it was an unprecedented appointment.

“For the first time in the history of the world’s second most glamorous sports event, the Management of a South Africa based digital satellite sports media outfit, Super Sports appointed two Ibadan based sportscasters, Miss Aderonke Adesola and Mr Josh Simon with other selected sports journalists to run commentaries at the global football tournament in indigenous languages,” SWAN said.

Miss Adesola, popularly known as Olori Sports (Sports Queen), will run commentaries in Yoruba language while Mr Simon, also known as Netblaster, is to run commentaries in Igbo language.

And in another historic occurrence, the American Consulate in Nigeria has invited another Ibadan based sportscaster Olawale Hamzat to watch the first match of the USA at the 2022 World Cup at the residence of the U.S Consul General in Lagos.

Mr Hamzat, fondly called Top Striker by his fans, is one of the dignitaries specially invited to grace the kick off viewing party for the game between USA and Wales on Monday, 21st November 2022.

All the three lucky sportscasters work for Lagelu FM in Ibadan.

In a congratulatory message released by the Association’s State Secretary, Mr Adewale Tijani, the Chairman of SWAN in Oyo State, Mr Niyi Alebiosu, felicitates with the trio of Adesola, Simon and Hamzat, describing them as worthy of the appointments and the special honour.

“I’m very happy for Miss Adesola, Mr Simon and Mr Hamzat over their unprecedented feats. All the three sportscasters truly deserve these honours as they are the raves of the moment, not only in Ibadan but in the whole of the South West region of Nigeria”, Alebiosu said.

Oyo SWAN Chairman then hinted that the three trailblazers will be celebrated at a special party which will be held in their honour after the 2022 World Cup.

“These good ambassadors need to be celebrated, as their feats have proved that Oyo SWAN is still the pacesetter and the best among all State chapters of our Association. By God’s grace after the World Cup, we will host them at a special dinner at the coolest spot in Ibadan,” he announced.

The appointment of Miss Adesola and Mr Simon as Match Commentators for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup and the special invitation of Mr Hamzat by the American Consulate in Nigeria are the latest in the series of recent landmark accomplishments of members of SWAN in Oyo State.

Oyo SWAN Chairman, Niyi Alebiosu was recently appointed as a member of Basketball Reformation Committee by the Minister of Sports and Youths Development Chief Sunday Dare while the Association’s Secretary Adewale Tijani bagged an award of honour last month from the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.