World football–governing body, FIFA, has cleared former Swiss U-20 international Steven Archibong Effiong Ukoh to represent Nigeria at senior level.
The versatile midfielder, born on 19th June, 1991 to Nigerian parents in Berne, Switzerland, currently plays for Biel-Bienne FC in the European country.
Ukoh represented Switzerland at U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 levels between 2006 and 2010, but had a change of mind thereafter and opted to wear the green-white-green at senior international level.
His father, Archibong Effiong Ukoh and mother, Helene hail from Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
By the decision of a single judge of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee on 4th December, 2014, Steven Ukoh was cleared to switch his nationality from Switzerland to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Arsenal FC of England’s youngsters Chuba Akpom and Semi Ajayi have expressed interest in being part of the Super Eagles’ international friendlies against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates next month.
The three–time African champions play Cup of Nations-bound Elephants on January 9 before facing Mali’s Les Aiglons, also heading to Equatorial Guinea, on January 13.
Highly–rated duo Ajayi and Akpom could be called up by Coach Daniel Amokachi for the trip, alongside Steven Ukoh.
FIFA referees test physical fitness in Abuja
Nigeria’s FIFA–graded referees take their turn at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja on Friday as the curtain falls on this year’s physical fitness exercise for the country’s arbiters.
The exercise, which started on Monday, has seen about 500 referees test their physical fitness in different ways as designed by world football –governing body, FIFA.
The FIFA–graded referees, including the likes of Opeyemi Amao, Ferdinand Udoh, Abubakar Ago, Abdullahi Shuaibu, Benjamin Odey and Henry Ogunyamodi (referees), and Peter Edibi, Abel Baba, Isah Usman, Tope Orowole, Efosa Igudia and Samuel Pwadutakam (assistant referees), will be doing the final quarter exercise for the year.
It would be recalled that Udoh, Shuaibu, Usman, Orowole, Igudia and Pwadutakam were in the delegation of Nigeria referees that traveled to the United Kingdom for a two –week capacity enhancing programme recently.
Sani Zubairu, Secretary of the NFF Referees Committee, said: “The exercise has been very successful, and we are grateful to God that there has been no casualty. We are concluding the programme on Friday with the final quarter exercise of the FIFA –graded referees.”
NFF’s Consultants on Refereeing, Linus Mba (also FIFA Referee Advisor) and Daniel Olojor, former FIFA –graded referees Bolaji Okubule, Olufunmi Olaniyan and Professor Babatunde Asagba, President of Nigeria Referees Association Alhaji Ahmed Maude and Chairman of NFF Referees Committee Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh have been supervising the exercise with a view to ensuring global best practices.
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