Governing Bodies
FLASHBACK: LONGEST-STAYED FOOTBALL EXPATRIATE, FR. SLATTERY DIES
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Today, people refer to the football generation of Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Paul Okoku and Henry Nwosu as perhaps the best set of school players who blossomed into national and international stardom.
What may not readily be known is the fact that they were largely the products of one school, the St Finbarr’s College, Akoka near the University of Lagos.
Rev. Fr, Dennis Slattery, an Irishman, initiated the college. On this date 7 July 2003, followers of Nigerian football since the pre-independence era woke up to the disturbing news that Slattery had died in his native country, Ireland.
That was on the fifth anniversary of the passing away of sports philanthropist extraordinaire, Bashorun MKO Abiola. Slattery, who lived the greater part of his life in Nigeria, was the last of the expatriates who shaped the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).
He was NFA chairman from 1956 to 1959 in succession to Pius Anthony, the Ghanaian-born first African chairman of the NFA. His sporting career began in January 1942 when he was attached to the St. Gregory School, Obalende Lagos as a tutor and games master.
In 1945, he became the editor of Catholic Herald and left Nigeria for a three-year course at Catholic University, Washington and the Fordham University, New York where he obtained a Masters of Arts degree.
He returned to Nigeria in 1949 and founded the St. Finbarr’s College, which later became a strong hold in schools’ football in Nigeria. The school produced Stephen Keshi, Henry Nwosu, Paul Okoku and Samson Siasia among others.
Fr. Slattery was the most frequent referee of the Challenge Cup finals. He was the referee in the final matches of 1952, 1953, 1960 and 1964 apart from being a linesman (assistant referee) in 1951, 1956 and 1958.
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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