Infantino, Gusau, Mourinho, Zidane, Ronaldo, Tiger Woods to grace Chikun/Kajuru Constituency Mini Stadium project, Sports Academy -Hon. Ekene

 

Chairman House Committee on Sports, Honourable Ekene Abubakar Adams is set to fulfill his campaign promise of establishing a world class Sports Academy to his  constituency.

According to the lawmaker representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency, Honourable Adams informed that the Federation of International Football Association boss Gianni Infantino, Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, ormer Chelsea and Real Madrid coach, Jose Mourinho, France and Brazil World Cup legends Zinadine Zidane, Ronaldo de Lima, American golf icon Tiger Woods and Tennis star Serena Williams will grace the foundation laying stone of the sports facility.

Also to storm Kaduna in a yet to be decided date are President of Remo Stars Hon. Kunle Soname, President FC Ebedei, Barrister Churchill Oliseh, and other top stakeholders will be giving fatherly advice on how best the academy can strive.

African legends and Super Eagles legends Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto, Elhadji Diouf, Austin Okocha, Garba Lawal, Daniel Amokachi, Peter Rufai, Victor Ikpeba and a host of others are expected to grace the event.

Recall, His Excellency Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State gave his greenlight to the project with the allocation of 25 hectares of land for the establishment of a Mini Stadium to host a Sports Academy within the Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency and vowed to make Kaduna a hub for sports business.

This initiative stems from the efforts of Honourable Ekene Abubakar Adams, whose House Committee had hit the ground running since the assumption of office.

The astute football administrator and former General Manager of high-flying Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Remo Stars  disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development has incorporated the project into its 2024 budget, signaling imminent commencement.

A delighted Adams said: "I want to thank Governor Uba Sani for this project, as he is a die hard sports fan and shares the same vision of using sports to empower the youths in Kaduna State.

"We want to use School Sports to take the youths off the streets. The coming of the FIFA President, other top icons  in sports and of course the former Super Eagles stars will change the orientation of our youths.

"The long run effect of this will amount to a decline in banditry, kidnapping and hooliganism.

"The Sports Academy will go into partnership with top football clubs in Europe like Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, and others. In next few weeks, the Sports Ministry will move to site."

Meanwhile wife of Kaduna North Federal Constituency Rep Member who's Chief Consultant of the project, Mrs Bello El-Rufai stated: "The Sports Academy will be an envy of all, as am giving my assurance that all hands will be on deck, including professionals to making sure we provide a world class sports facility for all sports lovers in Kaduna State."

Recall that during his campaign leading up to the 2023 Elections, the Member representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency pledged to establish a Sports Academy in the region, underscoring his commitment to fulfilling electoral promises.

ABC: "Lagos State Government are a strong pillar of support for Nigerian football" - Sunday Dare

The Lagos State Government has been commended for the successes recorded so far at the ongoing Aisha Buhari invitational tournament also  called the Aisha Buhari Cup.

The Governor Babajide Sanwoolu led administration has also been applauded for its support for football evidenced by their hosting of the men's senior national football team- the Super Eagles.

Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare remarked on Thursday that a lot of the successes recorded by the football teams in recent times would not have happened if not for the support of the Centre of Excellence- Lagos.

"Lagos State Government are a strong pillar of support for Nigerian football," Dare disclosed in his speech during the visit of the delegation from the world soccer governing body, FIFA, to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

"Governor Babajide Sanwoolu and his team left no stones unturned. They have been a rock of support for our national teams - Super Eagles, Super Falcons and all the positive news about the ongoing Aisha Buhari Cup would not have been without them.

"It is important that we appreciate them for what they are doing now as well as praise and encourage them for the laudable plans in place for the future."

Governor Sanwoolu had revealed at the special dinner organised by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) for the delegation of FIFA led by its President Gianni Infantino that the nine mini stadia would be built across the State soon.

He said these stadia would help in talent discovery, exposure and management in Lagos State.

NFF Boss, Amaju Pinnick sees Infantino, Motsepe’s visit as a boost for girl-child advocacy

 

President of the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick says that the presence of President of world –governing body FIFA, Mr Gianni Infantino and CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe at the opening ceremony of the maiden Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament in Lagos on Wednesday is a huge fillip to the push for more interest and attention to the challenges confronting the girl-child all over the African continent.

 

“I feel very happy that Mr Infantino and Dr Motsepe were able to grace the opening ceremony of this special tournament. It is a bonus and a boost for the girl-child advocacy. It shows there is genuine desire and keen interest of football leaders to not only improve the standard and visibility of the women’s game, but to also scale up the lot of the girl-player economically and ensure she can earn as well as the boy-player.

 

“Already, we can see that desire and interest manifest with the increase in the participating teams at the FIFA Women’s World Cup to 32 – the same number as the men’s finals – as from the next competition in 2023. On the African front, the Confederation of African Football has put in place a CAF Women Champions League which finals will hold in November. All these are key building blocks to improving the lot of the girl-player.”

 

Infantino and billionaire businessman Motsepe who took reins of the African football –ruling body six months ago landed in the City of Lagos on Wednesday, hours before the commencement of a tournament staged in honour of the name and Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari and with the instrumental theme, Playing for Good. It also dovetails with the key objectives of the First Lady’s Future Assured Programme (under the Aisha Buhari Foundation), which is concerned with the health, education and economic empowerment of women and the girl-child.

 

The two prominent figures in the global game shared the presidential box of the remodeled Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Lagos Island with top –ranking political figures such as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, his wife Ibijoke, Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare and the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.

 

There were also FA presidents from other African nations, including Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku (who is also president of the WAFU B) and the president of Mali FA, Mamoutou Toure.

 

Infantino and Motsepe were then treated to a blue-riband dinner at the Sky Lounge of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, where they mingled with the best of Nigeria corporates that included billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele and chief executive officers of NFF’s partner and sponsor-companies.

 

On Thursday morning, both eminent men flew to the nation’s Federal Capital, Abuja where they met with President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR at the Presidential Villa.

Dikko inducted into FIFA Committee

NFF 2^nd Vice President/LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko has been inducted into the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee, after attending his first meeting of the panel at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday, 28 February.

Saraki: Football Administrators Should Learn to Accept Defeat

President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki on Monday admonished football administrators to learn to accept defeat in the interest of the immediate environment and larger society, and not engage in ‘pull-the-house-down’ syndrome when things do not go their way.