Nigerian Football
NFF SETS UP MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS ADHOC COMMITTEE
The Nigeria Football Federation has in line with its Statutes set up a Member Associations Adhoc Committee, saddled with the responsibility of maintaining excellent relationship with its 44 affiliate bodies.
Acting President of the NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi, made this known to thenff.com on Wednesday, while underscoring the importance of having such a body in order to constantly and firmly keep the affiliate bodies on the same page with the supreme –governing body for the game in the country.
Akinwunmi also disclosed that the membership is composed of the current zonal coordinators, with himself as chairman, while Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Chidi Ofo Okenwa, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Emmanuel Ibah and Babagana Kalli are members.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, will serve as secretary of the committee.
All the Football Associations in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory are members/affiliates of the Nigeria Football Association, alongside the Nigeria Referees Association, Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Players’ Union (National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers) and the Leagues (Nigeria Professional Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nigeria Nationwide League One).
The Nigeria Football Federation also on Wednesday set up the NFF Foundation, which would be saddled with the responsibility of targeting and raising funds for noble programs and legacy projects.
The Foundation is headed by Mohammed Edewor. Mallam Danladi Bako, the Kogunan Sakkwato and former Director General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, is the vice chairman.
There are also His Excellency Silas Agara, the immediate past deputy governor of Nasarawa State who had earlier served as Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the same state, as well as Goni Bukar Lawan, Chairman of the House of Rep’ Committee on Youth and Sports Development in the eighth session of the National Assembly; football –passionate businessman Yemi Idowu; former Nigeria international player and President of the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers, Tijani Babangida and; foremost sports journalist and editor of Saturday Vanguard newspaper, Onochie Anibeze.
The committee will appoint its secretary.
Essentially, the Foundation will raise funds for empowerment initiatives for ex-international players by way of training and skill development; football community and social change programs; grassroots development programs and; football-for-the-girl-child and women football empowerment programs.
Acting President of the NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi will serve as Adviser/NFF Liaison to the Foundation, which will adopt and adapt the governance structure of the (English) FA Foundation, with appropriate modifications to comply with the laws of Nigeria and take care of the local situation and environment.
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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