Nigerian Football
NFF SETS UP CARETAKER COMMITTEE FOR ANAMBRA STATE FA
The Nigeria Football Federation has set up a Caretaker Committee for the running of the affairs of the Anambra State Football Association, following the expiration of the tenure of the Dr Ifeanyi Ubah-led executive team, and pending the conduct of fresh elections.
The tenure of the Caretaker Committee, which will be inaugurated in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Wednesday, 5th August 2020 will be for a period of three months.
In a letter sent to the Anambra State Football Association on Monday, the NFF referred to earlier correspondences from the Anambra State FA on 28th April, 2020, 27th May 2020 and 3rd August 2020, in which the expiration of the tenure of the Dr. Ubah-board, the extension of the life of the board by three months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the expiration of the grace of three months, as well as the inability of the Electoral Committee to conduct fresh elections as scheduled were comprehensively articulated.
“Recall that the tenure of the Board of Anambra State Football Association and the Anambra State Local Football Councils elapsed by effuxion of time on 30th April 2020 and 2nd May 2020 respectively.
Arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the general lockdown, including football activities, the Anambra State Football Association Congress was convened on 28th April 20202 leading to the extension of tenure of the Board and the Local Football Councils, for another three (3) months, which again expired on 2nd August 2020.
“The Electoral Committee was unable to conduct elections into the Board of the State Football Association and the State Local Football Councils on 27th July 2020 in view of the Anambra State Government’s letter to the Electoral Committee complaining of the violation of the COVID-19 protocols of the State.
“Art. 85 of the NFF Statutes 2010 provides that ‘the Executive Committee shall have the final decision on any matter not provided for in the Statutes or in cases of force majeure.’ Consequently, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, in its wisdom, and in order not to create a vacuum do hereby constitute a Caretaker Committee for Anambra State Football Association as follows:
1. Mr. Emmanuel Okeke – Chairman
2. Mr. Victor Nwangwu – Vice Chairman
3. Mr. Nonso Philip – Member
4. Mrs Charity Ebere Okonkwo – Member
5. Mrs Onyeabo Chimezie Success – Member
6. Mr Onyedika Chijioke – Secretary
“The Caretaker Committee is to administer the activities of the Anambra State Football Association and also conduct elections into the Board of Anambra State Football Association and the Anambra State Local Football Councils within three months, effective from Tuesday, 4th August 2020 to 2nd November 2020. Precisely, the tenure of the Caretaker Committee expires on 2nd November 2020.”
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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