Sports
NPFL club name Iorfa new GM
In a statement signed by the club’s Media Director, Ahmad Hamisu Gwale, on Wednesday, Barau FC confirmed that Iorfa would oversee the team’s management, while Alhaji Kabiru Baita has been appointed Vice President.
“Dominic brings a wealth of expertise from the Nigerian football industry, with a proven track record in strategic leadership, talent development, and elite performance. We are confident that his vision will elevate our club both on and off the pitch,” the statement read.
“These appointments reflect our commitment to excellence, growth, and delivering top-tier football for our supporters. We believe Dominic and Alhaji Baita will help Barau FC reach new heights and make our fans proud.”
The Tidesports source previously reported that the Benue State government, after a forensic audit, accused him and two others of financial impropriety, with a white paper report directing the refund of about N2.4bn, of which nearly N1.8bn was linked to Iorfa’s tenure.
But Iorfa has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Speaking recently on ECN Hard Truth, he said he was wrongly accused and instead claimed that the Benue government owed him substantial sums.
“They owe me over N400 million. I have documentation for it. I never embezzled money. I was wrongly accused,” he said firmly.
He explained that during former governor Samuel Ortom’s tenure, funds were disbursed transparently through the Accountant General, but that processes changed under Governor Hyacinth Alia, making it difficult to access money for salaries and match logistics.
“When Governor Alia came, his style was different. For money to be released, the account had to be unlocked. Sometimes, salaries or match funds would take a month to come. If he didn’t sign, you had to look for money elsewhere to play matches,” he said.
The former administrator also argued that the subsequent relegation of Lobi Stars in April, one of the earliest ever in the league’s history, was evidence that he had managed the club better than his successors.
Despite the controversy, Barau FC leadership has chosen to back Iorfa’s experience, hoping his expertise can guide the Kano side through the challenges of top-flight football.
The Maliya Boys face fellow NPFL debutants Kun Khalifat next in matchday six, after their scheduled clash with Rivers United was postponed due to continental engagements.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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