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Nigeria’s Interim Management Committee tasked to rebrand the football league

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Gusau (middle) handing over the terms of reference to Elegbeleye (right) with Sanusi on the left.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau says it is incumbent on the Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League to imbue the nation’s elite domestic cadre with integrity, credibility and a firm hand on management and administration in order to turn things around for the better.

Speaking at the inauguration of the committee inside the NFF Secretariat on Friday, Gusau pinpointed lack of television broadcasting as one of the major drawbacks of the elite League.

“There is a lot of work to be done by this committee of eminent and respectable persons in Nigeria Football, people with the pedigree and real calibre to effect change. One of the changes must be to ensure that our League is back on television, and that there is a lot of integrity and credibility to the way and manner it is being administered.

“I have tremendous confidence in the chairman and members of the committee that they will justify the confidence reposed in them by the Government and people of Nigeria.”

Gusau thereafter presented to the chairman,  Gbenga Elegbeleye, one-time Director General of the National Sports Commission, the terms of reference of the committee, which will be in place for three months.

In his response, Elegbeleye thanked the NFF President and his Board for the confidence they have proclaimed in the committee and assured that the Interim Management Committee will do its best within the three months lifespan to put in place building blocks that a substantive team will improve on to rejuvenate, upgrade and upscale the Nigeria Professional Football League.

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“Definitely, we have a lot of problems in the League. We have problems of officiating, of lack of television and several other hiccups. Our job will be to do a lot to redress these within the short time we have, and we also appeal to the media to ensure credibility in their reporting of the League,” Elegbeleye, also a former vice chairman of the Youth and Sports Development Committee of the House of Representatives, said.

Also at the occasion were Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa and Mr. Timothy Henman Magaji (NFF Executive Committee Members); Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (NFF General Secretary); Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme (NFF Deputy General Secretary); Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi (Chairman of NFF Task Force on Youth Competitions); Mr. E. C. Kadiri (Director of Finance & Admin); Mr. Augustine Eguavoen (Technical Director); Mr. Ademola Olajire (Director of Communications); Dr. Robinson Okosun (Deputy Director, Technical); Mr. Femi Adetula (Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Olympic Committee) and; Mr Kola Daniel (Media Aide to the Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports Development).

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

I.      Come up with the procedure for rebranding the League with sincerity of purpose, transparency and accountability; thereby creating an enabling environment that will ensure that the inherent benefits of it as a business outfit, is fully maximised.

II.   Advise on the legal framework that will attract sponsorship opportunities from reputable corporate organisations, that will make the League a sustainable and viable brand.

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III. Draw up modalities for the commercialisation of TV Rights that will represent the highest value of the profit and loss for the domestic league.

IV. Restart the League and draw up a calendar in line with global best practices in achieving the desired objectives and ensure that every Premier League Club has a good playing infrastructure that is TV-friendly, in line with CAF Standards.

V.   To ensure that the League is on Television for better evaluation and transparency.

VI. Furthermore, the IMC as a matter of urgency should draw up a check list of tools and activities as well as assign appropriate timelines within which they would be accomplished with a view to having a form of professionalism in the League.

VII.      To put up a legal framework and set up modalities for a permanent body to run the League appropriately.

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VIII.    Review the Club Licensing Regulations in line with the FIFA Club Licensing Rules while incorporating legal, administrative and financing systems and putting in place a structure that will guarantee the basic club licensing requirements ensuring that PLAYERS WELFARE is adhered to strictly by the Club Owners (Payment of Players salaries, contractual terms and certified Insurance schemes).

IX. Review the League framework(s) to ensure compliance, fair and credible officiating, while disciplinary measures for hooliganism must be evaluated to prevent fans and teams from indulging in it.

MEMBERSHIP:

Gbenga Elegbeleye               – Chairman 

.Paul Bassey                         – Vice Chairman

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. Davidson Owumi               – Head of Operations

Kunle Soname            – Member

Daniel Amokachi          – Member

Calvin Emeka Onwuka – Member

Aliyu Adamu          – Member

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. Rep. of Nigeria Police          – Member

Danladi Ibrahim                  – Member

Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu- Member

Ogun            – Member

Auwalu Baba Jada              – Member

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Olumide Bamiduro                – Secretary

Dr. Ayo Abdulrahaman                – Asst. Secretary

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Governing Bodies

CAF President Dr Motsepe Announces Five Vice Presidents

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The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:

  • CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)  
  • CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
  • CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
  • CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
  • CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)

In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.

The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.

Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)

  • President:  Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)

CAF Technical and Development Committee

  • President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
  • Vice President:  Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)

CAF Medical Committee:

  • President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
  • Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)

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Governing Bodies

Nigeria  becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council

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Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.

The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.

 Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.

He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.

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An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.

He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.

“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”

Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.

“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.

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He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.

“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.

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Ex-FIFA Council member and Mali football chief released from jail

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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.

Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.

He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.

The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.

He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.

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Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.

While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.

-Reuters

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