Thank you all for a marvelous congress

An excellent day started with the visit of Members of the NFF Executive Committee to the palace of the highly reverred Olu of Warri, who received us with delight and had only words of praise for the NFF for a year like no other. The Monarch prayed for an even better year for Nigeria football […]

An excellent day started with the visit of Members of the NFF Executive Committee to the palace of the highly reverred Olu of Warri, who received us with delight and had only words of praise for the NFF for a year like no other. The Monarch prayed for an even better year for Nigeria football in 2014.
Back at the auditorium, Brownhill Events Centre, decorated to suit the occasion of celebration of a fruitful year, the event swung into action with the arrival of His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Professor Amos Utuama, SAN.
What a real celebration with so many dignitaries and other eminent personalities in Nigeria football, all feeling fulfilled that it had indeed been a year to savour. And how better to demonstrate the fruitfulness of the year than to have on display, right on the high table, the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy, and also showcase on the covers of all printed materials the same trophies as well as the logo of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and the frontage of the ultra-modern, world class NFF headquarters commissioned by His Excellency, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, GCON in July this year.
I have to express appreciation to the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Professor Utuama (a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies) for his sense of commitment and love for the Nigeria game. He had a very important assignment on Thursday morning in Asaba, where he had to deliver a lecture, yet still finished in good time to dash back to Warri to represent His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, CON at our General Assembly. This, aside the excellent facilities and conducive environment that the State provided for the General Assembly.
And the kind words of His Excellency, the Deputy Governor would linger for long in the memories of many, after he rounded off his encomiums on the NFF by saying: “If I had a vote, I would say there is no need for election next year. You people have shown excellence and diligence, and that you can deliver. You should just go on and win more trophies for Nigeria.”
In line with what I had said in my welcome address, harping on the fact that despite the glories of 2013, the character of persons in the NFF Executive Committee would not allow us to relax and savour the year because they want more trophies, Professor Utuama challenged the NFF to focus hard on the coming year, which we start with a first-ever appearance at the African Nations Championship (which Nigerians expect our home-based senior boys to win) and then go full throttle into preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.
As I said in my address, even as we will work hard to, within available resources, provide adequate preparations for all our National Teams playing in the African Nations Championship, FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World, and in the qualifiers for the 2014 African Women Championship, qualifiers for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, qualifiers for 2015 African U-17 Championship and qualifiers for 2015 African Youth Championship, the ultimate is how to ensure that the Super Eagles make the kind of splash that no African country has made previously at the FIFA World Cup finals.
Football is a team game and anything is possible, with hard work and purpsefulness. The Super Eagles, I believe, can do it! I remember Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam saying it would be great to have more and even weightier trophies (like the FIFA World Cup) on the high table at the 70th NFF General Assembly coming up in August 2014.
Of course, we believe this is possible, and we have the ambition to make it happen.
I must also commend the representative of the Director General of National Sports Commission, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, in the person of the Director of Sports Planning, Research and Documentation, Mr. Gregory Iyogun. He came with words of praise and exhortation to do even better in the coming year.
Of course, I cannot forget the former President of NFF, Brigadier-General Dominic Oneya, who also dignified the occasion, as well as former NFF general secretaries, Pa Herbert Omokhaye (incidentally celebrating his 81st birthday the same day) and Ambassador Fanny Amun, and also President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Oladipo, not forgetting my brother, Mr. Charles Ojugbana.
I reserve much praise for my colleagues on the Board of the NFF, starting with the 1st Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh, and Chief Emeka Inyama, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma, Alhaji Ahmad Kawu, Hon. Shehu Adamu, Chief Effiong Johnson, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Mr. Deji Tinubu, Alhaji Muazu Suleyman, Barrister Chris Green and Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh.
For the delegates, I say a big ‘Thank You’ for their co-operation, understanding, maturity and support that have made so many things possible this year, and we will continue to count on them for their love, commitment and a united front as we go into a most important year.
Next Week: Year 2013 In Review!