Sports
NFF Investigates Former Members
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has empanelled two investigative committees to look into petitions concerning two former Members of its Executive Committee.
Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, heads the first panel which has responsibility to investigate thoroughly a petition sent to world football-governing body, FIFA against the Nigeria Football Federation’s leadership by the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League and then 2nd Vice President of NFF, Chief Rumson Victor Baribote.
The second, headed by Chairman of the Technical and Development Committee, Barrister Chris Green, is charged with devising a thorough method to look into a petition filed by youth international Olanrewaju Kayode against a former NFF General Secretary and Member of the Executive Committee, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi.
While inaugurating the committees at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari noted that once a petition is brought forward by anyone against any individual or body in the Nigeria football family, it is only just and fair to bring both the petitioner and the individual/body concerned to a neutral forum and hear them out.
Inyama’s committee has two NFF Executive Committee members, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and Alhaji Ahmad Muazu Kawu, as well as Mr. Richard Jideaka. Mr. Tajudeen Tiamiyu is the secretary.
Tiamiyu has disclosed that his committee will invite Chief Baribote to the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Monday next week.
Barrister Green will work with another NFF Executive Committee member, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Professor Musa Garba Yakassai of the Bayero University, Kano, Mrs Edith Nwakire and Mr. Calistus Ebare. Alhaji Magaji Abdullahi is the secretary.
Both committees have two weeks to submit their reports to the NFF leadership.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.