The Nigeria Football Federation has called on match commissioners of the elite division of the domestic game to improve their capacity and delivery in order to help attract corporate interest and support.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick made this point in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a three –day seminar for match commissioners of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and Nigeria Nationwide League One.
Speaking on Pinnick’s behalf, NFF 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko, who is also member of the CAF Inter-Clubs and Club Licensing Committee and member of the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee, announced that the days of match commissioners in football could be numbered “if you do not up your game.”
He said: “These days, even at higher levels, match coordinators are gaining in relevance and their reports are being taken more serious. It is left for match commissioners to up their game, improve their capacity and regain their high relevance.
“You must enhance yourself in every way possible, so that your reports can become more robust and engaging, and guide administrators to take the right decisions. You have been doing a lot of work but you need to move at a faster pace now.”
Chairman of the NFF Match Commissioners Appointment Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli, in his speech, commended the participants for service to Nigerian Football, while warning that the Federation’s eagle eyes would become much sharper to fish out match officials who are in the habit of delegating functions.
“It is important that we not only maintain the standards of previous years, but also improve on them. This is the reason why we have put together a panel of experts in their different fields of professional endeavour to shed light on different aspects of match commissioning in order for us to further improve our acts for the upliftment of the Nigerian game.
“Professor Musa Garba Yakassai will be talking to us about Match Commissioning, while Mr. Ayobola Oyeyode, the NFF Director of Competitions, will speak on Match Coordination and Match Organization. Mr. Mohammed Aminu will speak on Online Match Reporting. I believe that you will learn a lot from these erudite and experienced personalities.”
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, called on match commissioners to eschew indolence, focus on the assignment at hand and add value to general match organization and actual delivery.
Also at the opening ceremony were NFF Executive Committee members Yusuf Fresh, Sharif Inuwa, Musa Duhu and Mohammed Alkali, NFF Congress members Sabo Abdullahi Dutse (Chairman, Jigawa FA), Timothy Henman (Chairman, Taraba FA), Isa Umar (Chairman, Kogi FA) and Dahiru Sadi (President, Players’ Union), NFF Technical Director Bitrus Bewarang, LMC COO Salihu Abubakar, Wikki Tourists FC chairman Auwalu Babajada and other members of the Match Commissioners Appointment Committee: Ahmad Kawu, Faith Irabor, Prince Mbaezue, Manzo Mohammed, Dele Ogungbemi, Emmanuel Ochiagha, Yabagi Baba, Bala Yaro, Dahiru Yakassai, Gabriel Adetule, Aminu Shantali and Danlami Alanana (secretary).