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Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Sports / Pinnick Charged Other Zones To Emulate Southwest (322 Views)
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Pinnick Charged Other Zones To Emulate Southwest by Abiodunstephen(m): 10:22am On Mar 05, 2018 |
Amid pomp and glitz, but with a full appreciation of the
task at hand, leaders of the South West zone of Nigerian
football on Friday visited the brand new office of the
Western Nigerian Football Forum in Ibadan, and in the
process unveiled the logo and corporate identity for both
the Forum and the fulcrum, the Odua Football League.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick, physically present at the
occasion, lauded both the concept and the work so far
done, saying the move was in the right direction and
challenged the other zones to emulate and create a
healthy competition for which Nigerian Football will be the
ultimate beneficiary.
"I am not surprised because the South West has always
blazed the trail in several respects. When we were growing
up, the name of this place, Cocoa House, rang very loud
and it was the dream of every Nigerian to visit here. You
have shown a clear vision by choosing this place to be
the headquarters.
"Football is about continuity; I pray that successive
administrations in the South West will support and
encourage this project. There is nothing wrong in this
concept; it is only full of positives, including bringing
football closer to the people and engendering a surplus of
talents. It is the same reason why in Africa, we have the
different zones and they have their own calendars and
competitions," said Pinnick, who is also Vice President of
WAFU B.
NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi, who is Chairman
of the Forum, explained that the Odua Football Leagues
would have Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 categories at
the youth level, with the U23 sector being the Premier
League to which the youth teams' players will aspire.
Akinwunmi revealed that the idea was conceptualised at a
meeting of the South West forum in Abeokuta in 2015,
while commending the support that the concept has
received from the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan
Ogunwusi (who has donated a trophy for the Odua Premier
League) and some other leaders in the zone. He called on
the political, royal and corporate leaders of the zone to
support the project.
The President of NFF, Mr. Amaju Pinnick then unveiled the
logo and corporate identity of the Forum and the League,
saying the concept was capable of fast -tracking the
development of Nigerian Football into a full -blown
industry capable of employing and sustaining the youth - a
position shared by the Acting Director-General of the
Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr.
Seye Oyeleye.
Both Oyeleye and Hon. Fatai Adesina Salau, Oyo State
Commissioner for Liaison and Special Duties, foresee a
situation whereby the Odua Football Leagues will curtain
social vices by positively and productively engaging the
youth and reducing unemployment in the entire South
West, while at the same time building a large and useful
pool of talented footballers that will take Nigerian Football
to even higher heights of glory.
Pinnick insisted that youth football is the future of Nigerian
Football, and after taking a look around the new offices of
the Western Nigeria Football Forum on the 15th floor of
the iconic building, promised that the NFF will support the
furnishing of the secretariat.
Akinwunmi, also Chairman of the Lagos State FA,
Chairman of the NFF Youth Football Committee and
Member of the CAF Committee on Youth Competitions,
said: "What we are doing is to foster regional integration
while at the same time promoting grassroots football
through which we will produce future stars for Nigeria.
There will be a lot of training programmes including
scouting, coaching and refereeing, and we will invite
people from other zones to benefit from these
programmes. |
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