On the continental level, football administrators prefer to roll out the drums at the end of the year or first week of the New Year to celebrate those who excelled during the past year. But the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, wants to toe a different line. It has revealed plans for a first-ever Awards Ceremony aimed at recognizing and rewarding excellence in Nigerian football.
NFF 1st Vice-President, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi, the Chairman of the project, told dignitaries and media representatives in Lagos last week, that the Federation decided the time was ripe for the NFF Awards because the stock of Nigerian Football is on the upward swing.
Mr. Akinwunmi said, “The NFF Awards will be an annual event. The inaugural edition will hold at the Eko Hotel and Suites on Monday, 19th February 2018, and will be graced by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, CAF President Ahmad and at least 20 FA Presidents who will be here for the FIFA Executive Football Summit also taking place in Lagos the following day. “We have an opportunity to showcase Lagos State not only around the Awards, but also at the FIFA executive meeting.”
The NFF Vice-President hinted that a screening committee would soon be set up to decide on nominees for some of the awards; others would be determined by voters online while the special awards would be the prerogative of the organization.
Contributing, the Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, saluted the NFF for the laudable project and pledged that Lagos State would continue to support such worthwhile endeavours.
