Just as it has been with previous administrations in Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the organisers of Nigeria Pitch Awards have been assured of unflinching support from the Ibrahim Gusau-led administration of the NFF.
Independent News Express reports that the Nigeria Pitch Awards are awards presented to Nigerian former and present sports people, administrators and journalists in recognition of their positive contributions to sports in Nigeria.
Initiated by Matchmakers Consult International Limited and approved by the NFF, the first Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was held on November 16, 2013, in Calabar, Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
Since the first edition, the management of the NFF has been supporting its existence with due recognition given to the philosophy and the vision of the organisers. With the end of the tenure of Amaju Pinnick’s administration and the coming of a new president, the NFF assured that the Nigeria Pitch Awards would not lose its recognition from the football body.
“The NFF belief in what the organisers of this noble awards has been doing to reward excellence in our football. We belief in the people behind the organisation of the awards and more importantly, we also belief in the concept of rewarding our players, which the awards stand for,” said Mr Ademola Olajire, the Director of Communications of the NFF while making a remark at the press conference to herald the 9th edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards held at the Ibis Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria recently.
“I want to assure that the partnership will continue with the new administration of our dear president, Ibrahim Gusua. The partnership started in 2011 and it will not end, but continue,” Olajire said.
The President of Nigeria Pitch Awards, Mr Shina Phillips paid glowing tributes to the President of the NFF on his victory in the last election of the football body, adding that “over the years, he (Gusau) has been a passionate supporter of football in Nigeria and his contributions to the growth of our football especially at the grassroots level have never been in doubt. He is a consummate administrator and team-player. We therefore unreservedly express our confidence in his ability to deliver on his mandate and move our football forward.”
Phillips, who is also a seasoned Nigerian security expert, said that though Nigeria’s Super Eagles might fail to be in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar after losing their last qualifying game to the Black Stars of Ghana, “as stakeholders in the Nigerian football project, we restate our belief that the Super Eagles and other national teams will bounce backnand retain their place of dominance in continental and global football competitions.
“We again express our confidence in the new administration led by Ibrahim Gusau and the coaching crew of our national teams. We urge Nigerian to be patient with the new management and continue to give their support to them,” he said.
