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Tag: NFF

  • NPFL: IMC fixes meeting with NFF President, Club Chairmen, Referee’s union

    NPFL: IMC fixes meeting with NFF President, Club Chairmen, Referee’s union

    The newly inaugurated Interim Management Committee (IMC) that is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has scheduled a meeting with the Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim Gusau, Club Chairmen, and the Nigeria Referee’s Association, (NRA)

    Moreso, this is to enable the stakeholders deliberate on issue-based discourse as it concerns the new abridged  2022/2023 season.

    This development was made known via a circular signed and released by NPFL’s Head of Operations, Davidson Owuni

    Similarly, the meeting is to further discuss logistics for the new NPFL season as it concerns club sides in the country.

    The meeting is scheduled to hold on Thursday 5th January at the Sandrallia Hotel, Jabi Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT)

     

  • NFF empanels judicial, match officiating committees

    NFF empanels judicial, match officiating committees

    The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday constituted its judicial and match officiating committees, for the period 2022-2026.

    Heading the Referees Committee is former FIFA referee, Mrs Faith Irabor, with Mallam Rabiu Umar as vice chairman, while the Match Commissioners Committee is headed by Member of NFF Board, Alhaji Babagana Kalli. The vice chairman is Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, another member of the NFF Board.

    The Disciplinary Committee is headed by Barrister J. B. C. Obikwelu, former vice chairman of the Anambra State Football Association, while Barrister Gandi Umar Mohammed is chairman of the Appeals Committee.

    The Referees and Match Commissioners’ committees are scheduled to meet with the NFF leadership at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Thursday by 1pm, in preparation for the 2022-2023 Nigeria Professional Football League season commencing on Saturday, 8th January.

    REFEREES COMMITTEE

    Mrs Faith Irabor                  – Chairman

    Mallam Rabiu Umar           – Vice Chairman

    Oba James Odeniran          – Member

    Mr Abraham Zakowi          – Member

    Mallam Waziri Furo Gawe – Member

    Mr. C. C. Chukwujekwu     – Member

    Mallam Bello Abubakar      – Member

     

    MATCH COMMISSIONERS COMMITTEE

    Alh. Babagana Kalli            – Chairman

    Alh. Ganiyu Majekodunmi – Vice Chairman

    Hon. Usman Maulud           – Member

    Alh. Aminu Mammaga       – Member

    Alh. Idris Abdullahi Thuraya – Member

    Mr. Anthony Ugwu               – Member

    Otunba Mustapha Razaq       – Member

    Chief Kenneth Nwamuocha – Member

     

    DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

    Barr. J. B. C. Obikwelu                  – Chairman

    Barr. Abdulrahman Abdulrahman – Vice Chairman

    Barr. Ibrahim Mukhtar                  – Member

    Barr. Wole Ademoyegun              – Member

    Barr. Bello Galadi                         – Member

     

    APPEALS COMMITTEE

    Barr. Gandi Umar Mohammed (mni) – Chairman

    Barr. Martin Usen Effiong                  – Vice Chairman

    Barr. Bemva Akortsaha                      – Member

    Barr. Bweino Dauda                           – Member

    Barr. Bukar Muazu                             – Member

  • Gusau mourns passing of Abia FA boss, Ephraim Chukwuemeka

    Gusau mourns passing of Abia FA boss, Ephraim Chukwuemeka

    President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has described as ‘most shocking’ the death on Tuesday morning of the Chairman of Abia State Football Association, Sir Ephraim Chukwuemeka.

    The respected former referee, who happened to be the longest-serving FA Chairman in the country, died on Tuesday morning in Umuahia, capital of Abia State.

    “The NFF has this morning received the most shocking news about the death of Sir E. C. Chukwuemeka, who has for decades been an esteemed member of the NFF Congress. I spoke with him just over a week ago when he told me that his wife had a partial stroke. I had no idea it would be the last conversation between us.

    “Sir Chukwuemeka represented the vintage old guard in the NFF Congress and blessed us all with his wisdom, deep knowledge and understanding of the game of football, its rules, its management and its intricacies. We will all miss him dearly. Our prayer is that Almighty God should grant him eternal rest and also empower those he has left behind, including his immediate family, friends and the Nigeria football fraternity, with the fortitude to bear the big loss,” Gusau said.

  • Gusau: Pele’s contributions to football are ineffable

    Gusau: Pele’s contributions to football are ineffable

    Ahead of Tuesday’s burial of football’s indisputable King, Edson Arantes dos Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has described the potentate’s contributions to football as ineffable.

     

    King Pele, who won three FIFA World Cup titles and scored a total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, died on Thursday in a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil and his remains will be interred on Tuesday.

     

    “I have read so many condolence messages and tributes to the man since he left us, but the truth is that Pele’s contributions to the game of football are ineffable. He did so many things to raise the profile and scale of the game and each and everyone of us can only say a little of what he did.

     

    “I remember that he came to Nigeria five times and identified strongly with black people all over the world. He was a universal figure yet he remained humble, likeable and approachable. With his skill and talent, he took the game of football to a totally different level, captivated global audiences and gave joy to billions. May his soul rest in peace.”

     

    Pele’s first visit to Nigeria was in January 1969, during which his Brazilian club Santos FC played a friendly with a Nigeria XI that ended 2-2, and then returned in February 1969 for a Santos FC Vs Midwestern XI friendly courtesy of then Military Administrator of Midwestern State, Colonel Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who sponsored the return of the club from a tour of East Africa to the tune of £6,000. The match at then Ogbe Stadium ended in a 2-1 win for Santos.

     

    ‘The Greatest’ made another stop in Nigeria in 1976 on a tour sponsored by Pepsi Cola, and again in 1978 on another sponsored tour that included another Brazilian club, Fluminense. His last trip to Nigeria was in October 2000, when he met with then Nigeria Minister of Sports, Damishi Tonson Sango.

     

    Gusau admonished that Pele’s life, his humility and humanity should serve as lessons to football players and football leaders worldwide. “Pele was a universal billboard for magnificence, yet that did not make him arrogant. One can be a stellar talent without looking down on others, and one can accomplish so much without any of these getting into your head.”

     

    Named after the American inventor Thomas Alva Edison, Pele himself can be credited with ‘inventing’ what he called ‘the beautiful game’ and served several humanitarian causes including as Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO and UNICEF Ambassador. In 1997, King Pele received a honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II (also of blessed memory).

     

  • My lowest moment since I was born – Pinnick reveals

    My lowest moment since I was born – Pinnick reveals

    Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has revealed that the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is the lowest moment of his life.

    The Black Stars of Ghana played 1-1 against Nigeria in Abuja after a goalless draw in Kumasi to qualify for the tournament.

    Pinnick who was still in charge of the NFF when Ghana knocked out Nigeria said he regrets how things turned out.

    “Quite at the beginning I felt very humbled, I felt very bad because it’s not just about me or the country, a lot of people were concerned that Nigeria was not there. From the FIFA president to the CAF president, most of my colleagues in the council were asking where are the Super Eagles?” Pinnick told Channels Television in Qatar.

    “But of course, you also understand that it is football. It can tilt towards any direction, but trust me that moment in March was my lowest moment since I was born,” Pinnick said.

    Pinnick who is now a FIFA Executive Council member insisted that the NFF tried everything humanly, materially, and spiritually possible for the team to qualify for the tournament adding that nobody wanted Nigeria to make it to Qatar more than he did.

    Pinnick said he and the NFF leadership decided to re-engineer the youth development programme to ensure that the country’s youth teams qualify for every tournament.

  • NFF, Iraqi Football Association to explore avenues for greater collaboration

    NFF, Iraqi Football Association to explore avenues for greater collaboration

    The leadership of Nigeria Football Federation and that of the Iraqi Football Association will interface and cross-fertilize sometime next month with a view to exploring avenues for greater cooperation and collaboration in the football sphere.

    Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, during a courtesy visit to the Ambassador of Iraq to Nigeria, His Excellency Mr. Anwer Saeed, President of the NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau expressed the keen desire of the NFF to collaborate with countries with pedigree in the game to ensure real growth for the Nigeria game from the grassroots.

    “Our country has a solid pedigree in the game of football as well as over 200 million passionate football followers and stakeholders. We are aware of the fact that the people of Iraq are also very passionate about the game of football. It is important to seize the opportunity to explore areas of cooperation and collaboration that will benefit our two nations.

    “Football is that big unifying factor that keeps getting bigger and stronger in holding the world together and assuming a greater role in international relations. It is also a soft power with a booming economy, and collaboration is needed to accomplish great things and attain higher levels.”

    Iraq’s senior men team, nicknamed the Lions of Mesopotamia, won the Asian Cup in 2007 and have won the Arab Cup four times, and the country of 44 million people is known for its passion and high-decibel support for its football teams and clubs.

    Responding, His Excellency Saeed congratulated the NFF President on his victory in the elections and assured him that the Iraqi Football Association would be delighted by the offer to explore ways of greater collaboration, given Nigeria’s accomplishments in the game globally. He also mentioned the fact that a number of Nigerian footballers are presently plying their trade in the Iraqi league.

    Also on the courtesy visit were the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Director of Competitions, Ruth David; Chief Protocol Officer, Emmanuel Ayanbunmi and; special assistant to NFF President, Abubakar Barde. Mr. Ibrahim Al-Badri (Consul/Administrative Manager) and Mrs Sakina Al-Khalifa (Secretary to Head of Mission) were with HE Saeed.

  • Gusau inaugurates Players Unions’ reconciliation committee

    Gusau inaugurates Players Unions’ reconciliation committee

    A five-man panel to finally and fully restore peace to the rank of Nigeria’s retired and active football players was on Monday inaugurated in Abuja, with President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau imploring the members to work assiduously towards erasing all forms of misgivings among the game’s major actors and allow Nigeria Football to move forward in peace and tranquility.

    Gusau told the panelists that their mandate, which would last for two months, is to discuss with the two players’ bodies currently operating and settle the differences, while also advising the NFF on how to forge a formidable union that will be acceptable to all retired and active players.

    “I have confidence in this team to put to rest the discord and bickering that we have witnessed among players’ bodies over the past years. There has been an unhealthy proliferation and this is not in the interest of peace and development of the game. We want to put a permanent end to the bitterness and divisive tendencies, so that we can move forward.

    “Last week, I sat down with leaders of the two groups and we deliberated on how to achieve reconciliation and peace. What is really important is recognition, celebration and inclusiveness. We don’t want to alienate anyone. Players are the key actors in the game and we have no reason not to carry them along.”

    The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu is the chairman of the committee, with Mr. Emmanuel Okala, MON, Dr. Felix Owolabi Akinloye, MON and Mr. Garba Lawal as members, and Mr. Abdulrafiu Yusuf as secretary.

    Okala, who was part of the gold-winning Green Eagles squad at the 1973 All-Africa Games that Nigeria hosted, was part of the silver-winning Green Eagles at the 1978 All-Africa Games and was in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team, was present at the inauguration at the NFF Secretariat, alongside Dr. Owolabi Akinloye, who was part of the 1978 All-Africa Games silver-winning squad and the 1980 AFCON winners, and Abdulrafiu Yusuf, assistant director in the NFF Technical Department.

    NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, lauded the membership of the panel, and expressed confidence that they would be able to resolve the logjam in the terrain of the players’ unions. He thanked them for their noble contributions to Nigeria in the past and said he has no doubt they will still contribute more by enabling peace in the Nigeria game soonest.

    “Morocco has done exceedingly well for Africa at the ongoing FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar. Nigeria is capable of doing likewise and even better if we have a peaceful atmosphere in which all stakeholders work towards a common, noble goal,” Sanusi said.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, His Excellency, Comrade Philip Shaibu said the panel will work with boundless energy and sincerity of purpose to ensure seamless reconciliation of the unions, and come up with an acceptable solution. He reiterated that the principal interest of the committee is to see Nigeria Football attain higher heights, and that recognition and appreciation of the game’s actors cannot be discounted.

    Also present at the occasion were NFF Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme; Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. E. C. Kadiri; Director of Technical, Mr. Augustine Eguavoen and; Director of Communications, Mr. Ademola Olajire.

  • NFF celebrates Kunle Solaja as FIFA awards him most capped World Cup Journalist

    NFF celebrates Kunle Solaja as FIFA awards him most capped World Cup Journalist

    The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated the foremost journalist, prolific author, and respected diarist, Mr. Kunle Solaja on the occasion of his being honored by the world football -governing body, FIFA in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday.

    Alongside 81 other journalists of repute who have attended and reported at nearly a score of the quadrennial global football fiesta and other glamour tournaments, Solaja, a former Sports Editor of Concord Newspapers and the Guardian Newspapers, was awarded a certificate of achievement and a replica of the World Cup trophy, presented by Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

    Solaja,  was one of only two Africans on the list, the other being South African Mark Gleeson.

    “Today, we are proud to congratulate and celebrate one of our own, Mr. Kunle Solaja, for the honour bestowed on him by FIFA. To attend 10 FIFA World Cup finals is not a joke. Mr. Solaja is a man competent, diligent and passionate about his trade, and we join FIFA to celebrate him as an illustrious servant of the beautiful game,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said in Abuja.

    The certificate of achievement was jointly signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of AIPS (the global umbrella body for sports writers), Gianni Merlo.

    Star of the simple but memorable ceremony was 88-year-old Enrique Macaya Márquez, an Argentine freelancer who is covering his 17th FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and whose tally is one more than Uruguayan Diego Lucero, who before his death in 1995, had covered every FIFA World Cup tournament between 1930 and 1994.

    Solaja’s illustrious odyssey began in 1986 in Mexico, and he has since attended the World Cup finals in Italy in 1990, USA in 1994, France in 1998, Korea/Japan in 2002, Germany in 2006, South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014 and Russia in 2018, before the ongoing finals in Qatar.

    Apart from his demanding vocation and commitment to writing history in a hurry, which is the lot of the journalist, Solaja has now written four remarkable books on Nigeria football, namely Super Eagles…Through The Ages, Going For Goals…Unfolding Nigerian Football’s Hidden Stories, Super Eagles @70…Soaring on The Wings and TESILIMI ‘THUNDER’ BALOGUN…The Making Of A Legend.

  • Pitch Awards tips Super Eagles to bounce back

    Pitch Awards tips Super Eagles to bounce back

    Organisers of the Nigerian Pitch Awards on Tuesday tipped the Super Eagles to bounce back from the present poor run of form after their inability to feature at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

    Sina Philips, President of Matchmakers Consult International Ltd., the organisers of the Pitch Awards, made the comment at a news conference to herald the 9th edition of the awards in Lagos.

    Philips also congratulated the newly elected President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, while urging Nigerians to give him the necessary support.

    “As the attention of the football world is focused on the FIFA World Cup, currently ongoing in Qatar, we understand the disappointment of many Nigerians that our national team, Super Eagles are not among the top teams competing for honours.

    “As stakeholders in the Nigerian football project, we restate our belief that the Super Eagles and other national teams will bounce back and retain their place of dominance in continental and global football competition.

    “We again express our confidence in the new administration led by Gusau and the coaching crew of our national teams.

    “We urge Nigerians to be patient with the new management and continue to give their support to them,” he said.

    Phillips said that the 9th Pitch Awards would commence with a voting process in December, to cap it award ceremony in March 2023.

    “The 9th edition of the awards will kick off Dec. 1 with the voting process. Voting will end Jan. 16, 2023.

    “The announcement of nominees will be made by Feb. 21 2023, while the 9th Awards Ceremony is tentatively scheduled to hold in March 2023.

    “With the active support of Nigerians, we have continued to sustain this incredible platform, which rewards footballers, administrators, coaches, clubs, sponsors for their commitment and passion for the game.

    “The Pitch Awards has become the longest running football awards in Nigeria history. We also remained committed to our core principle of credibility, transparency and integrity,” he said.

  • NFF: Gusau administration will not discriminate against Nigerian players anywhere

    NFF: Gusau administration will not discriminate against Nigerian players anywhere

    The Nigeria Football Federation says the new Board led by Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau will not discriminate against selection into any of Nigeria’s National Teams of Nigerian players born in any part of the world.

    NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire, said on Wednesday: “This clarification becomes necessary in view of an incorrect report that has been given wings by sections of the media, insinuating that the NFF President spoke of an impending wall against foreign-born or foreign-based players as far as selection of players into the National Teams is concerned.

    “The NFF President spoke about something different from the message that is being conveyed. There is no way an administration that has promised inclusiveness and pledged to stick by merit and quality will go the route of discrimination.”

    Olajire assured that selectors of National Teams would be given the free hand to pick players of Nigeria origin from any jurisdiction in the universe as long as they qualify to represent Nigeria and are good enough to make the country proud by ensuring podium appearance for our teams at major competitions.

    “The NFF President is unhappy with the slant given the story and insists that no form of discrimination or exclusivity will be tolerated under his tenure. The best will always be in the nest to represent in the best interest of our great nation.

    “Primordial sentiments will have no place in the new administration. Anyone who is good enough and is a bonafide Nigerian will be given a level field to fight for the shirt, proudly sing the anthem and play under the flag of our nation.”