The board of Lagos State Football Association led by Hajji Gafar Olawale Liameed, on Saturday, announced the appointment of Wale Joseph, a veteran sports journalist and former Lagos FA board member as the Chief Executive Officer, of the State Football League.
The board also appointed experienced football administrator, Dele Gbajumo, as the Chief Executive officer, of the State Under-15 and Under-17 football leagues.
Speaking at the LSFA Secretariat on Saturday, during the meeting with the State Divisional FAs and the State Football League Clubs, the Vice-Chairman of LSFA, Dotun Coker, said the board is determined to develop the game from the grassroots, hence the engagement of the two astute football administrators.
He stated that the State League, as a matter of urgency needed to be restructured, rebranded and repackaged to attract sponsorship.
Speaking further, he disclosed that the league board has been mandated to set up an Elite State League, that will not only be very competitive, but also very attractive to sponsors and partners, adding that this will raise the standard of the league and the game in the state.
Coker advised that an attractive league with awards and monetary rewards for the players and clubs at the Elite league, should be the focus of the league board.
Coker revealed that the Under 15 and 17 leagues are one of the priorities of the board hence the appointment of Dele Gbajumo, a former Chairman of Ikeja Divisional FA.
He noted that the FA, has a very good scouting system for the under 13s and under 15s, even as he added that further development of the young footballers is very paramount to the State FA, hence the needs to have a well packaged and properly structured league.
Wale Joseph will be assisted by the duo of Mr. Musbau Oseni and Mr. Adeleke Ibiyemi, while Dele Gbajumo, will be assisted by Mr. Victor Akinmoyo and Mr. Bello Ishola.
Meanwhile, registration has opened for the 2023/2024 State League, and it will close on Friday, 23rd of August 2024.