Governing Bodies
VIDEO: A first of its kind as Christian Emeruwa goes digital in quest for NFF top position
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Amidst uncertainty on when the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation will hold this year, a former staff of the body, Christian Emeruwa in declaring his intention to contest for the presidency has changed the complexion of campaign in the organisation.
Apart from his earlier tweet in the week when he first publicly dropped the hint of his intention, he finally released a 10-minute three seconds audiovisual documentary on digital platforms to officially make a declaration.
This has never happened in the annals of the organisation formed in 1933, but wrongly assumed to have been founded in 1945.
The video released on Friday marked the first time such will happen in the campaign for the NFF position.
If Emeruwa, the head of Safety and Security Department of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) succeeds, he will be the most erudite person to head the Nigerian football organisation.
He is a doctorate degree holder in Administration and Organization of Sports from the Nigerian premier university, the University of Ibadan.
In aiming at his goal, he opened a verified twitter handle as well as a blog to reach out to many football followers.
He will also be the first Nigerian working for an international federation to seek for the key position of the NFF.
Before his adventure at CAF, he had worked in the Nigerian Football Federation for 11 years and served under three general secretaries – Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Musa Ahmadu and the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
According to Emeruwa, he is not just an office-seeker, but one who wants to transmit the experience he has garnered serving an international federation and having the opportunity to interact with 52 football associations in Africa and many others across the globe while on FIFA assignments.
On this, he is therefore the most imbued to deliver an NFF that will not just be aspiring to take teams to international competitions, but one that will be formidable contestant as well as being well equipped to develop the local football through installation of workable structures.
“I have observed how football has developed in other countries, am determined to replicate this in Nigeria and ensure that our local league will rank among the best in the continent”, Emeruwa told Sports Village Square in a telephone interview from his base in Cairo, Egypt.
To him, football is first about the footballers and then the clubs. “Without those two, there will be no need for a football association or federation”, hence, he wants to ensure that there is proper installation of structures that will ensure local football development that will ensure that home based players are straightened to compete for positions in the national team.
Even before his public declaration of intention, he said he had made wide consultations and if given the opportunity, he will transform Nigerian football and football organisation as well as administration.
This is captured in a Whatsapp message he released during the week:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning to you all. I wish to inform you all that I have decided that I will contest for the position of President, Nigeria Football Federation in the forthcoming election. I have been consulting with all football elders, and stakeholders and my consultations will still continue. Please remember me in your prayers.”
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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