Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has refused to get carried away by Nigeria’s emphatic start to the WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup, insisting his players still have plenty to improve despite thrashing Niger Republic 5-0.

Nigeria began their campaign in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, in commanding fashion, with five different players finding the net as the defending champions secured three points and a clean sheet.

Captain Harmony Chidi opened the scoring in the 16th minute before Awawu Bashiru doubled the advantage before half-time.

The Flamingos then turned the contest into a rout late on, with Ohunene Sunday, Mary Dunstan and Ayomide Rotimi adding three more goals.

But Busari believes the scoreboard should not disguise the lessons his players still need to learn.

The coach expressed satisfaction with the result but maintained that Niger were not pushovers, adding that his team must continue improving as they prepare for tougher challenges.

His reaction fits with his pre-tournament position that the WAFU-B competition is about more than winning matches.

Busari had described the tournament as an important opportunity to identify the Flamingos’ strengths and deficiencies before the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

He also believes the standard of women’s youth football across Africa is rising rapidly, warning that African teams could become increasingly difficult opponents at major international competitions in the coming years.

For the Flamingos, therefore, five goals and three points represent an encouraging beginning rather than a finished product.

Nigeria’s next test comes against Ghana on Saturday, another World Cup-bound side, in what should provide Busari with a stronger indication of his team’s progress.

The message from the coach after a five-star opening was simple: enjoy the victory, but keep working — because the bigger tests are still ahead.

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has released a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This is contained in a statement by the National Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, Saadatu Sani, on Thursday.

According to the statement, the council comprises zonal and state coordinators as well as directors for mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other key directorates.

The statement revealed the Director-General of the Movement, John Ughulu, will serve as Director-General of the Campaign Council, while the National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, is also listed in the campaign leadership.

It further disclosed that the council consists of coordinators for the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The listed zonal coordinators include Suleiman Abubakar for North Central Hashimu Dungurawa for North West 

Amadu Gwambe for North East, Adebayo Adefolaseye for South West, Christopher Ighodaro for South South, El-Shaddai Ikeh for South East.

Other appointments include Ibrahim Jabir as FCT Coordinator, while Maiyaki Samson, Tokji Mandim, Yusuf Abdullahi, Aliyu Tershaku, Awal Goma and Kazeem Olawuyi were named coordinators for Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Kwara respectively.