Forty grassroots football coaches have begun a CAF D Licence Coaching Course at Agro Terra Resort in Joga-Orile, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, as part of efforts to improve coaching standards and strengthen football development at the grassroots, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The programme, which commenced on Thursday, is being organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in collaboration with the Ogun State Football Association (OGSFA) and the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA).
The course is designed to provide participants with essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for CAF D Licence certification.
Declaring the programme open, Ogun State FA Chairman Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi urged the coaches to maximise the opportunity to improve their professional knowledge and contribute to football development across the state.
He stressed that the future of Nigerian football depended significantly on the quality of coaches working at the grassroots, where young players are identified, nurtured and prepared for higher levels of competition.
“Grassroots football is the foundation upon which the future of our game is built. If we want to produce better players and achieve sustainable development, we must invest in the knowledge and capacity of our coaches,” he said.
Majekodunmi encouraged participants to learn from the instructors and apply the lessons gained to their work with players. He also reaffirmed the Ogun FA’s commitment to initiatives aimed at raising coaching standards and strengthening the state’s football development structure.
NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen also emphasised the need to make professional coaching education more accessible to grassroots coaches.
According to Eguavoen, improving the standard of players requires a corresponding investment in the knowledge and professional development of the people responsible for training them.
“Coach education is fundamental to football development. We cannot expect to improve the quality of our players without also improving the quality of those who train them,” he said.
He urged the coaches to embrace continuous learning and translate the knowledge acquired into better training methods, improved player development and higher professional standards.
Meanwhile, Ogun State NFCA Chairman Victor Damilola Agbagu commended the state FA for responding to calls from coaches for more professional development opportunities.
Agbagu expressed satisfaction with the progress made during his first six months in office, revealing that both a National Institute for Sports (NIS) course and the current CAF programme had been secured within the period.
“In just six months of my being chairman, we requested an NIS course, and now we have a CAF course. I am glad that both have been achieved,” he said.
The course facilitators include NFF Head of Coaching Education Dr Terry Oguaje, retired FIFA referee Alhaji F.A. Yusuf and coach Fatai Akande.
Football enthusiast and philanthropist Alhaji Ibrahim Dende Egungbohun was represented at the opening ceremony by Hon. Tunde Elegbede. Alhaji Hakeem Okebunmi, a member of the Ogun State FA board representing Yewa South, also attended alongside other football stakeholders.
The programme represents another step towards expanding coaching education in Ogun State, with organisers hoping that improved technical knowledge at the grassroots will contribute to better player development and a stronger foundation for Nigerian football.