NFF Sends Second Batch Of Elite Referees To London…Capacity Enhancing Programme Hits Full Throttle

A second batch of elite referees, this time 20 in number, will depart Nigeria for a two –week capacity building exercise in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2015.

The delegation will be led by Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, and will also include the Chairman of Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude.

Already, ARIK airline has offered to fly the 22 persons at half the fare to the United Kingdom and back, while Seina Marine Limited is bankrolling the exercise.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Seina Marine, Mr. Scot Tommey said on Monday: “We are delighted to be a part of this because we believe in the well-articulated vision of Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick for Nigeria football.

“He is someone who knows exactly what it will take to make positive changes to the Nigeria game and we are interested in lending a helping hand. I can tell you that apart from the support we are giving to this exercise, we are also looking at other areas in which we can partner the NFF on football development.”

The twenty referees who will benefit from the second exercise are: Hadiza Musa, Bosede Momoh, Uloma Nwogu, Paul Umuago, Jelili Ogunmuyiwa, Ibrahim Umar Fagge, Jeremiah Akure, Francis Agbaegbu, Ahmed Rufai, Iheanacho Chukwuemeka, Dele Atoun, Suleiman Jimeta, Abubakar Audu, Obieze Okiridu, Ezenwanko Obiora, Ishyaku Ibrahim, Sunny Atu, Sani Mohammed, Jibrin Isa and Mohammed Aliyu Jingi.

Those who went for the first exercise are Ferdinand Udoh, Shuaibu Abdullahi, Usman Isah, Samuel Pwadutakam, Orowole Tope, Egudia Efosa, Peter Ogwu, Musa Dung Davon, Olayinka Olayide and Ukah Ndubuisi.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick said: “It is an ongoing exercise. We want to have a pool of 60 referees who will be fully prepared and able to handle matches in the Nigeria Premier League and other domestic competitons without fear or favour.”

Eaglets Return To Full Training In Calabar

Nigeria’s Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets, resumed training at their base in Calabar on Tuesday barely hours after they returned to the country from Libreville where they lost 2-1 to their Gabonese counterparts.

The contingent, who actually left Libreville on Monday for Lome aboard ASKY Airline, breezed into Lagos in the night through neighbouring Cotonou but finally arrived Calabar midday on Tuesday aboard Arik Airlines to begin preparations in earnest for the finale qualifier against Gabon next week.

Head Coach Emmanuel Amuneke said it was important to resume training immediately in view of the enormity of the task ahead even as he enjoined the players to give their utmost best in the days.

Golden Eaglets with some officials at Dreamland Park

“I want you to put behind all that happened in Libreville because that is gone,” Amuneke said.”I want you to know that we are condemned to win our match here and you must be focused on everything we are going to do from now.

“What we demand of you is hard work and nothing but hard work; because we want you to show Gabon that you don’t need to be aided by referee to win matches.

“We believe in you and we want you to apply yourself because we are going to undergo strenuous work in the coming days as we build up towards the match,” he warned.

Meanwhile, seven players who failed to make 18-man list to Libreville have vowed to pull their socks in order to be part of the second leg encounter against Gabon.

Dr. Sam Iheanacho with the Golden Eaglets shortly before the team’s training session

“We are happy that our teammates and other officials are safely backed in Calabar but the good thing is that we too have been working even while they were away in Gabon,” stated defensive midfielder, Henry Okebugwu.”We would keep working hard and pay serious attention to the
training programs because we know the coaches would only select the best against Gabon.”