Governing Bodies
It’s a festival of birthdays at the NFF
It has been birthday galore at Nigeria’s football rulling house this weekend. Today 6 March is the birthday of the body’s chief spokesman, Ademola Olajire who shares the birthday with the legendary Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Olajire, the longest serving head of communication of a sports federation in Nigeria is a product of the famous Mass Communication Department, University of Lagos.
In the previous day, two other personalities linked to the powerhouse of Nigerian football also had their birthdays.
They are Mike Itemuagbor, the chief marketer of the NFF who turned 6o while Julie Pinnick, the wife of the federation’s president, Amaju Pinnick also had her birthday.
The duo of Itemuagbor and Julie Pinnick share the birthday with Nigeria’s president with the longest tenure, Olusegun Obasanjo who clocked 85. Obasanjo had a combined tenure of 11 years spanning from 14 February 1976 to 30 September 1979 and from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007.
The two time president used football to mark the birthday celebration, a situation which not only points to the sport as the national sport in the country, but also as the obvious king of sports as well as the sport of kings.
In congratulating Mike Itemuagbor, the newly admitted member of the ‘Diamond League’ the President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick described him as “a focused, irrepressible and indispensable friend of the NFF and Nigeria Football”, saying the Federation has enjoyed “an amazing working relationship” with the marketing titan.
“Chief Itemuagbor is a great man by every means and by every scale. He has remained a tower of strength and a source of tremendous resources for the good of Nigeria Football. He has put his influence, deep knowledge of the terrain and efficiency to good use to help the cause of the Nigeria game on several fronts.
“On this occasion of his 60th birthday anniversary, we wish him many happy returns, and pray that God will continue to expand his coast and continue to bless him with divine health in the years ahead.”
By dint of hard work, focus, diligence, a sense of enterprise and tireless exploration of opportunities and possibilities, Itemuagbor blazed a luminous trail in sports marketing, and has mentored dozens of individuals who have gone ahead to become chieftains of the turf on their own. His relationship with the NFF has expanded sports sponsorship, partnership and supportership for Nigeria’s football-ruling body over the past three decades, providing another channel of much-needed funding for the various National Teams.
Itemuagbor has been involved with the successful marketing of several local, international and global sporting events and programmes, including major championships and games staged in Nigeria (African Youth Championship Nigeria 1995; FIFA U20 World Cup Nigeria 1999; Africa Cup of Nations Ghana/Nigeria 2000; 8th All-Africa Games Nigeria 2003 and; FIFA U17 World Cup Nigeria 2009), and has also served on the marketing committee of the Confederation of African Football.
Also, General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi congratulated the wife of the NFF President, Mrs Julie Pinnick as the latter added another year.
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
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