Ahead of elections into the various offices of Nigeria Football Federation, National President of Football Fans Club of Nigeria, Ambassador Oluwakemi Ogunfuwa has called on delegates who may be lured into pecuniary gains to put the interest of the nation at heart and shun any form of personal aggrandizement.
Ogunfuwa stated this while fielding questions from journalists who paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Lagos on Monday, the graduate of University of Lagos said:
" I think it's time the delegates look beyond personal interest and consider those whose their livelihood largely depend on football"
The Mama Nigeria added that:" Save to say that the decision of delegates can either make or mar Nigerian football in years to come and anyone who votes according to tribe, race or personal benefits would put stakeholders in tight corners. I think we should realise that we have some people whose future depend on football and we must not toy with the forthcoming elections if we are desirous to regain our asset.Take for instance, Supporters Club is an integral part of Football and we are duly recognised by FIFA and CAF. The two institutions usually give us annual grants and aides for administrative purpose through our FA but we have not been given due attention in recent years. Our financial benefits meant for programmes to ease our members have been hanging somewhere. Apart from that, we need a leader who will attract sponsors, transparent and pay attention to grassroots Football "
The member of Lagos State Women’s Football Committee noted that: "We have been worshipping Super Eagles in recent times and the expense of other age grade teams which has led to monumental failures. Our league needs to be revived to attract sponsorship. How can we be running a league without a prize money. I think Nigeria is too big to have its league missing on screen? Not only that coaches should be employed into the national teams on merit." Ogunfuwa concluded
The CAF award winning matriarch therefore advocated for discontinuance of undue nepotism that have hitherto hindered the growth of Nigerian football and urged the Stakeholders to work together and put Nigeria first ahead the forthcoming elections
Elective Congress into the Nigeria Football Federation comes up on 30th September, 2022 in Benin, Edo State .
Credit: Sunday Agunbiade Mr VAR (National Media Officer FFCN)