Author: WAJ Reporter

Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, who became the West African champion and national champion in his weight class, tragically passed away during a fight in the ring. On Saturday, he collapsed in the third round of his light heavyweight bout against Ghanaian Jon Mbanugu in Ghana. The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) confirmed the news of his death. According to the statement from the GBA, Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju was urgently taken to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 30 minutes after arrival. Nigerian Boxing Control Board General Secretary Remi Aboderin described Olanrewaju as a “fearless” fighter, stating that he…

Rob Walter, the white-ball coach of South Africa’s cricket team, the Proteas, has resigned. The 49-year-old coach shared that his resignation is due to personal reasons. The 49-year-old coach took over in March 2023 and led the Proteas to the semi-finals of the World Cup that year. He also took the team to the T20 World Cup final both last year and this year. Last year, South Africa lost to India, while this year they were eliminated by New Zealand. Walter was an important part of the team. He announced his departure with the following statement: “Coaching the Proteas has…

The excitement of the CAF Champions League quarter-finals has begun. Sundowns Breaks Esperance’s Defense Sundowns and Esperance, both leading their respective leagues, faced off in a highly anticipated match. The South African side, Sundowns, dominated the game from start to finish with their attacking play. Despite this, the Tunisian team, Esperance, responded with solid defensive organization. Despite having only 20% possession, they managed to prevent Sundowns from creating clear goal-scoring opportunities. However, this resistance was finally broken in the 54th minute. Lucas Ribiero delivered a brilliant long ball, which Jayden Adams headed down to set up Peter Shalulile for a…

Orlando Pirates has invited Zambia national team striker Andrew Phiri for a two-week trial. The prolific forward has scored 33 league goals in the last two seasons. The 23-year-old talent, who currently plays for Maestro United, is known for his high productivity on the field. His impressive performances earned him a call-up to the national team, and he has previously excelled in Zambia’s U17, U20, and U23 squads. Orlando Pirates has struggled to get consistent performances from their strikers this season, and Phiri’s arrival could be the solution to their goal-scoring woes. He could bring his sharp attacking play to…

Mediterrania Capital IV (MC IV), a private equity fund focused on North and West Africa, has secured additional support from DEG, increasing its investment by EUR 15 million (USD 16.2 million). With this capital increase, DEG’s total investment in the fund has reached EUR 25 million (USD 27 million). This growth highlights DEG’s confidence in MC IV’s capacity to drive economic development, support local businesses, and create jobs in the continent’s fastest-growing sectors. MC IV targets mid-sized companies with strong growth potential. The sectors in which these companies operat include healthcare, logistics, fast-moving consumer goods, education, and financial services. The…

37-year-old goalkeeper Patrick Matasi is under investigation by the Kenya Football Federation (FKF) over allegations of match-fixing. As a result, he has been suspended from all football-related activities for 90 days. The investigation was triggered by a video showing Matasi meeting with a man to discuss manipulating the outcome of a match. Additionally, FKF is looking into whether Matasi was involved in any illegal activity during Kenya’s AFCON qualifier against Cameroon on October 11, 2024, which Kenya lost 4-1. The experienced goalkeeper conceded controversial goals in that match, raising further suspicion. FKF has confirmed that it is working alongside FIFA…

MTN South Africa and LEO satellite provider Lynk Global have successfully conducted Africa’s first satellite-to-mobile phone call. MTN’s Trial in Vryburg MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi made the following statement regarding the phone call: “The call in Vryburg enables MTN and Lynk Global to test voice call quality and SMS capabilities over a LEO satellite connection. The technical trial was part of our work to find potential solutions to the challenges of providing coverage in underserviced, rural, and remote areas.” “He added, “”The implications of potentially leveraging satellite partnerships will not only help MTN achieve its goal of 99%…

Hampshire have signed South African young cricketer Dewald Brevis on a season-long deal. The player will be available for both the T20 Blast campaign and the County Championship. The South African young batter previously caught attention with his performance in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup. He scored a total of 506 runs, including two centuries and three fifties, in six innings. Hampshire had previously signed another South African, Lhuan-dre Pretorius. The two will now play together. Dewald Brevis, who will join his new team, made the following statement: “The team has a great history in this competition, and I look…

Rwanda will host the first Global AI Summit in Africa on April 3-4. The event will be organized in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF). Over 1,000 participants from more than 95 countries are expected to attend. The summit will feature discussions on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to transform Africa’s economies, industries, and societies. The event will provide a platform for Africa to assert its role in the new digital order and shape its voice in the rapidly evolving global AI landscape. It is estimated that by 2030, AI could add $19.9 trillion to…

The South African national team fielded Teboho Mokoena, who was ineligible to play in the World Cup qualifiers. As a result, their opponents, Lesotho, filed a complaint, and now Bafana Bafana is likely to face a points deduction. KHUNE DRAWS PARALLELS TO PAST MISTAKES South African football legend Itumeleng Khune, speaking to Soccer Laduma, recalled a similar situation they faced in the past. He shared his experience, saying: “During the AFCON qualifiers, we thought we had one game left, and a draw would be enough. We celebrated on the field in Nelspruit, thinking we had qualified. However, we later found…

Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who plays for South African Premier League club Chippa United, is expected to leave the team. Previously not well-known, he made a name for himself last year by leading the Nigerian national team to the final. The 28-year-old goalkeeper was linked with strong South African clubs like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. However, these transfers did not materialize. Later, his name was also associated with QPR from England and Al Ettifaq from Saudi Arabia, but he ultimately remained at Chippa United. Now, it is almost certain that he will leave at the end of this season.…

In recent years, more African players have started choosing their own national teams. However, many still opt for European national teams. According to Transfermarkt.com, the total market value of an 11-player squad made up of African-born footballers who have chosen European national teams exceeds 1 billion euros. AFRICAN-ORIGIN SUPER SQUAD In this hypothetical lineup, Guillaume Restes, of Ivorian descent, guards the goal with a market value of 20 million euros. The center-back duo consists of Cameroonian-origin William Saliba (80 million euros) and Malian Ibrahima Konaté (60 million euros). At left-back, Alphonso Davies, of Liberian descent, holds a market value of…

Experienced goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has found himself at the center of controversy after a video surfaced online, allegedly showing him discussing match-fixing with another man. In the video, the man can be heard giving instructions to Matasi and promising him a payment if he manipulates the match. The incident has caused a major stir in the media and among football fans. Michael Olunga’s Strong Reaction One of those disturbed by the allegations is Kenya national team captain Michael Olunga. The Harambee Stars skipper reacted to the development with a strong statement on the X platform, even using a curse word.…

Arsenal’s young star Ethan Nwaneri is expected to be one of the big players of the future. According to recent reports, the player is expected to choose Nigeria over England for his national team allegiance. FIFA’s New Rule and Nwaneri’s Situation According to FIFA’s new rule introduced in 2020, players who have made three or fewer senior international appearances can switch their national team allegiance to another country where they hold citizenship. However, FIFA’s rule emphasizes that these matches cannot be friendly games; they must be tournament matches. Arsenal has previously nurtured players like Ashley Cole, Theo Walcott, Bukayo Saka,…

South African Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has advised TikTok to expand in South Africa: “South Africa has over 17 million TikTok users, and these users are shaping global culture. This makes it the ideal place for TikTok to expand its Creator Fund in Africa,” Malatsi mentioned that his meeting with TikTok leadership was very positive: “South African creators deserve full access to all monetization opportunities on the platform. TikTok has committed to taking this feedback into account, and our engagements will continue,” “Let’s recognize our creators and reward their impact fairly.” According to the 2023 South African Social Media Research…

Former South Africa national team goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has strongly criticized the South African Football Association (SAFA) for their failure to recognize that suspended player Teboho Mokoena should not have played against Lesotho. He stated that such a mistake is unacceptable. The likelihood of Bafana Bafana losing the three points they earned from that match is very high. Baloyi made the following statements regarding the issue: “If our management can make such schoolboy errors and no-one takes accountability, then it will tell us as a nation that at Safa House we are running a Mickey Mouse organisation. “If you are…