Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has reiterated the essence of sponsored local football tournaments saying it is to identify talents to be nurtured for advancement of their careers.
Gusau stated this during the presentation of the NFF President Football Tournament trophy, a pre-season tournament for Clubs in the Nigeria National League, which was on Friday at Sunday Dankaro, NFF Secretariat, Abuja
The NFF boss while praising the organisers for the laudable idea however urged them to ensure the inclusion of at least four teams from the host state, Kaduna, as a way of providing opportunities for rookie players to get the needed exposure.
“Tournaments like this one are geared towards discovering talents, who will then be nurtured by the discovering clubs to enhance their careers and take them to greater glory. They are not meant for self-promotion of the sponsors or those whose names appear on the trophy. Personally, I am committed to football development from the grassroots because I am a grassroots person.
“At a larger level, the NFF is committed to wholesale development of Nigeria football and tournaments like this serves as shop windows for untested but gifted individuals to find their breakthrough.”
The competition is being organised by Babs Integrated Services owned by former Nigeria international, Tijjani Babangida, who is also the chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN).
The former Ajax of Amsterdam speedstar praised the NFF President for his huge support during his recent ordeal, following an automobile accident that claimed the lives of his brother and son and left him and his wife with varying degrees of injuries.
“The NFF President is an awesome person, and I believe that with his involvement alone, the elements will work together to ensure the success of this pre-season tournament. Babs Integrated Services, in conjunction with the Kaduna State Football Association, is primed to deliver an enthralling experience for all stakeholders.
“Together, we will work to reinvigorate grassroots football and generally elevate Nigeria football. Our objective is to make this an annual event,” the Atlanta ’96 Olympic gold medallist said.
Also present at the presentation ceremony were Chairman of the NPFL Club Owners, Dr Okey Kpalukwu; Chairman of the organizing committee, Hon. Magaji Alhassan and NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire.
The tournament, which is set to bring together NNL clubs from across the country, is scheduled for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna from 12th to 20th November, 2024.
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