By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Independent News ExpressIndependent News Express
  • Home
  • International
    InternationalShow More
    United Nations
    4th International Conference On Financing For Development Delivers Renewed Hope And Action For Sustainable Development
    2 months ago
    The African Development Bank and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) scale up drive for sustainable urbanization in Africa
    AfDB, UN-Habitat Scale Up Drive For Sustainable Urbanisation In Africa
    2 months ago
    UN
    North Africa: Green Climate Fund Approves Record $300m For FAO-designed Projects In Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, The Sahel
    2 months ago
    UNICEF
    How Wars Across Middle East, North Africa Affecting Children – UNICEF
    2 months ago
    UNDP
    UN Development Programme Welcomes Historic Deal On Sustainable Development Even Amidst Global Turmoil
    2 months ago
  • Africa
    Africa
    Show More
    Top News
    Africa Leaders Summit: US To Strengthening Partnerships To Meet Shared Priorities
    3 years ago
    President Ruto Rallies Kenyans To Move Nation Forward
    3 years ago
    Tanzania: United Nations Steps Up Efforts To Build Climate Resilience
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    New AfDB President Set Youth Target In 100 Days, To Prioritise Reforms, Partnerships
    13 hours ago
    Bank Video on President Adesina’s Gender Advocacy Wins Two International Awards
    3 days ago
    Ghana President Mahama Calms Nigerians’ Fears: No Mass Deportations
    4 weeks ago
    At Gender Statistics Forum, African Leaders Urge Renewed Commitment To Quality Gender Data
    2 months ago
  • Corporate News
    • Media Outreach
  • Politics
    Politics
    Show More
    Top News
    Nobody Can Hijack Our Mandate, Vows Osun Gov, Adeleke
    3 years ago
    PDP To Osun People: Oyetola Is A ‘Political Leprosy’, Run For Cover
    2 years ago
    UI Alumni Association Hails Okowa’s Giant Strides In Delta State
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    NSC Chairman To Engage With Youth And Sports Stakeholders At The Nest Centre
    2 weeks ago
    Edo District Bye-election: SDP Candidate, Hon. Isidahomhen Promises To Pursue Best Interest Of Esanland 
    3 weeks ago
    PHOTOS: Vinod Obasa Takes Oath Of Office
    1 month ago
    Gov Adeleke’s Outburst Against Aregbesola Shows Sign Of A Drowning Man – ADC Group
    1 month ago
  • News
    • Agriculture
    • Breaking News
    • Tech
    • Maritime
    • Crime
    • Art & Culture
    News
    Show More
    Top News
    Ondo Governor, Akeredolu Begins Construction Of First Flyover In Akure
    2 years ago
    Celebration Of Life: Reverend Adewumi Jegede Of Later House Of God Assembly Buried Amid Pomp
    1 year ago
    Pa Abdulfatah Amoo Ayanwale
    Pa Ayanwale Dies At 76, Fidau Prayers Holds 8 August
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    Unlock Your Potential: NEXIM MD Inspires Nigerian Youth To Pursue Their Passions, Highlighting Opportunities In Non-oil Value Chains
    5 hours ago
    Gov Okpebholo Rescues Over 10 Accident Victims On Benin–Auchi Highway
    3 days ago
    Lagos SWAN Chairman, Oladunni, Elected into Fellowship of the Institute of Security Nigeria
    2 weeks ago
    Entrepreneurship, Mentorship, And Scholarship Are Gains Of FUTO Alumni Homecoming 2025
    2 weeks ago
  • Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Concert & Events
    Entertainment
    Show More
    Top News
    Nigeria’s Glo(W)Ing Entertainment Industry: 19 Years Of Strategic Partnership
    3 years ago
    2023 Polls: Stay Tuned To These Channels On GOtv For Breaking News And Analysis 
    3 years ago
    Family, Friends Celebrate As Princess Zara Raji Turns Two
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    BBNaija Season 10: Faith Bags Most Influential Housemate, Snatches Head of House from Sultana in Week 6
    24 hours ago
    Huzzainat Adebayo (Huzzy Mama) Speaks About Her Career In Nollywood
    2 days ago
    Story Of A Greener Future: MultiChoice’s Journey To Renewable Energy And A 20% Carbon-emission Cut By 2028
    2 weeks ago
    Lagos Govt Reiterates Commitment To Nollywood Growth
    2 weeks ago
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Love & Life
    • Food & Drink
    • Travel & Tourism
    • Relationship
    • Sex
    Lifestyle
    Show More
    Top News
    NCC, NICO To Leverage Telecom Channels To Promote Nigerian Cultural Heritage
    1 year ago
    It’s Celebration Galore As Prophet Zaccheus Adeogun Turns 75
    2 years ago
    United African Methodist Church
    UAMC Holds 83rd Annual Delegates’ Conference
    8 months ago
    Latest News
    Nigeria, Switzerland Takes Major Steps Towards Repatriation Of Artifacts And Cultural Cooperation
    4 days ago
    Archbishop Ugorji Hails St. Helen’s Choir As One of the Best Choirs in Owerri Archdiocese
    5 days ago
    Lagos Tourism Ministry Visits Heritage Sites For Inventory, Documentation
    2 weeks ago
    Nigerian Minister Presents UNESCO Certificate To Alaafin Of Oyo At Sango World Festival
    2 weeks ago
  • Business
    • Banking & Finance
    • Oil & Gas
    BusinessShow More
    Bank of Agriculture
    How Nigeria-Brazil Pact Will Boost Agricultural Investment, Food Security – BOA
    14 hours ago
    Nexim Bank Boss To Engage Young Nigerians With Non-oil Export Opportunities For Wealth Creation At Breakfast Session
    6 days ago
    ₦46B in pre-launch transactions.
    After ₦46B Pre-launch Transactions, Fidelity Bank Unveils PAPSS In Nigeria
    3 weeks ago
    Opay In Trouble, Caught In Alleged Fraud Allegations And Legal Controversies Between January To July 2025
    1 month ago
    Petralon's Nigerian Drilling Campaign to Boost Offshore Oil Output
    Petralon’s Nigerian Drilling Campaign To Boost Offshore Oil Output
    2 months ago
  • Health
    Health
    Show More
    Top News
    WHO
    WHO Raises Alarm Over Rise In Cholera Cases In Nigeria, Malawi, Cameroon, 7 Other Africa Nations
    3 years ago
    Tackling Preventable Diseases, Africa Needs To Vaccinate 33m Children To Put Progress Back On Track
    2 years ago
    USAID
    United States Partners Woman-Owned Nigerian Company To Fight Malnutrition
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    At AIDS Council Meeting, Lagos First Lady Urges Bold, Sustainable Action for Nigeria’s HIV Response
    4 weeks ago
    Africa Speaks Out, Ready To Stop Health Worker Migration Crisis
    4 weeks ago
    AIDS Society Welcomes US Bipartisan Move To Protect PEPFAR
    1 month ago
    SSB Tax: Industry Actors, Paid Mouthpieces Slammed Over Campaign To Stop CAPPA
    2 months ago
  • More
    • Sports
    • Aviation/Transportation
    • Deliverance Hour
    • Industry & Labour
    • Insurance
    • Interview
    • Judiciary
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Religious
    • Romance
    • Science & Discovery
Reading: Successes Of Nigeria Women Football League And Challenges By Dapo Sotiminu
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
Independent News ExpressIndependent News Express
Aa
  • Home
  • International
  • Africa
  • Corporate News
  • Politics
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
  • Health
  • More
Search
  • Home
  • International
  • Africa
  • Corporate News
    • Media Outreach
  • Politics
  • News
    • Agriculture
    • Breaking News
    • Tech
    • Maritime
    • Crime
    • Art & Culture
  • Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Concert & Events
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Love & Life
    • Food & Drink
    • Travel & Tourism
    • Relationship
    • Sex
  • Business
    • Banking & Finance
    • Oil & Gas
  • Health
  • More
    • Sports
    • Aviation/Transportation
    • Deliverance Hour
    • Industry & Labour
    • Insurance
    • Interview
    • Judiciary
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Religious
    • Romance
    • Science & Discovery
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Independent News Express > Blog > Opinion > Successes Of Nigeria Women Football League And Challenges By Dapo Sotiminu
Opinion

Successes Of Nigeria Women Football League And Challenges By Dapo Sotiminu

Last updated: 2022/08/30 at 6:57 PM
3 years ago
Share
SHARE

 

The present board of the Nigeria Women Football League headed by Aisha Falode as Chairperson was sworn-in in 2017 by the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick.

Aisha Falode, is the only female board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, while the NWFL Vice Chairperson is the only female FA Chairman in Nigeria, the RT. Honourable Margaret Incheen. These tell a lot about the dynamic activities, innovations and achievements of the NWFL.

In the first year of the League board, the NWFL showed a road map toward the positive development of the gender game throughout the league.

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

The league board introduced the Super Six Challenge that came after the Super League in the NWFL Premiership League to determine the season’s Champions in the 16-team Club Women’s League.

The Super Six 2017 edition was hosted and sponsored by the Edo State Government by His Excellency, Gov. Godwin Obaseki. And in five years, Edo State has hosted the Super Six twice, in 2017 and 2022.

This edition of the Super Six saw the introduction of prize money to the Women’s League, as the eventual league Champions, Nasarawa Amazons FC of Lafia went home with a cash prize of N5 million, second-placed got N3m and third placed got N2m. This was the first time prize money in millions was paid to the women’s league champions and other top winners.

After the introduction of prize monies in 2017, the NWFL headed by Aisha Falode, never looked back until date even as the new season for the 2022/2023 resumes on September 14.

The board of the NWFL entered into a partnership with the LaLiga Women’s Football Department in Spain to develop the Nigerian league. Here, the coaches of the 16 League clubs, later reduced to 14 clubs, are trained regularly by the LaLiga Women’s Department on Tactical Discipline and progressive open play, with a focus on goal scoring and winning mentality. This stood out to be another first for women’s football in Nigeria.

This partnership witnessed the coming of the “LaLiga Show Your Other Side” programme which assembles the best players in the Premiership League season to play in a Free Style Football Challenge. This comes immediately after the season ends.

The NWFL entered into a partnership with the United Nations on the Protection and Safety of the Girl Child Against Discrimination, Slavery and Human Trafficking.

The Aisha Falode-led NWFL board signed a Partnership with UNICEF on the Protection for Refugees in Nigeria, Protection Against Domestic Violence On The Girl Child and Eradication of Girl Child Prostitution.
This programme has been held twice in Nigeria at the Elegbeta Sports Centre, Lagos Island and the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State.

Dapo Sotiminu

The Aisha Falode-led NWFL introduced the NWFL Champions Shield where the League Champions play a kind of Charity Cup against the Aiteo Cup winners to know the Champion of Champions for each season.

Aisha Falode’s board ended the era of incessant Walk Overs in the Women’s League. Before 2017, the order of the league had been “Walk Overs” at Home and Away venues. These led to grave instability in the league, which didn’t allow for further development of the Women’s League. The coming of the Aisha Falode-led was a New Dawn in the Women’s Football League in Nigeria.

The board started the payment of Match Indemnities to referees on home and away games, this helped stabilized the women’s league and aided development.

One year after Aisha Falode-led board took over the mantle of leadership of the league board, the Super Falcons had seven home-based players as regulars in the Falcons team to the 2018 African Women Cup of Nations in Ghana. They include Anam Imo, Rashedat Ajibade, Chidima Okereke, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Uchenna Kanu and Chiamaka Nnadozie among others. These same players represented the country at the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

The Falode-led board improved the standard of the league and level of competition with the use of international standard referees who are FIFA Referees. The Referees’ performance grew higher as Aisha Falode introduced a monthly award for the Best Referee, an award sponsored by the Lagos FA Chairman and First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi. This award has been on consistently for four years.

The Introduction of Match Assessors to the NWFL Premiership League aided the development of the women’s league, as assessors’ objective reports from the match venue improved the credibility of the league and helped in the unbiased assessment of the league.

The Aisha Falode-led NWFL introduced the CAF and FIFA Training/Seminars for Club Media Officers, a move that has brightened the media coverage and reportage of the NWFL League.

The league board also introduced the CAF and FIFA Management training for Women League top Managers. This has boosted the knowledge and experience of the Managers who are now well equipped to do the job better than before.

The Aisha Falode-led board introduced the Club Licensing and Registration Process for all the NWFL Premiership League clubs in Nigeria. This has smoothened the registration processes for the clubs while they prepare for the season.

With the Aisha Falode-led NWFL, the coverage and reportage of the women’s league in all sections of the media quadrupled. The print, electronics, and Social Media consistently covered and reported the Women’s Football League more than any football league in Nigeria.

The Introduction and Insistence of standard remuneration for all players and officials of the NWFL Premiership League clubs, and Bank Guarantees to assure unbroken monthly payment of players’ salaries all through the season.

Aisha Falode’s tenure as Chairperson of the NWFL, also witnessed two Premiership clubs achieve Pay Parity with the men’s football clubs in their states.
Edo Queens FC of Benin was the first to achieve pay parity in Nigeria, followed closely by Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa and other clubs like Delta Queens and Nasarawa Amazons are working towards that direction, with few steps left to achieve this milestone.

Falode made players’ Health Insurance Scheme and Cover very important for all the NWFL Premiership Clubs. For effective compliance, players’ insurance documents are submitted alongside club registration before the start of the season.

With the exemplary Administration of Aisha Falode, the Nigeria Women Football League, achieved a women’s football revolution at the 2020 NWFL Super Six, at the Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, when three Deputy Governors, the Minister for Youths and Sports, the NFF president and Fifa Council member, the First Vice president, four state Sports Commissioners, the FA Chairmen of six states and 10 Executive board members of the Nigeria Football Federation among other state government functionaries, were all in attendance watching matches of the 2020 Super Six at the same time at the Dipo Dina International Stadium for upward of four days. That edition of the Women’s league Super Six was the biggest sports event of the period in Nigeria.

Falode got two Sponsorships for the NWFL Premiership League in 2022 from the Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd for the regular season and the Tulcan Energy Resources strictly for the Super Six.

The sponsorship from Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd is the first of its kind in the Nigerian football league, male or female. In full completion of the Sponsorship package worth N3.5 billion, the sponsors will build 14 mini stadia for the 14 Premiership clubs in the NWFL. These stadia will be equipped with international standard dressing rooms, hostels, floodlights and Club House, in pursuit of making all the NWFL Premiership Clubs, true professional clubs.
Before this achievement by the Aisha Falode-led board, the Nigeria Women’s League last got Sponsorship in 2006 by a soft drink giant. The league had remained without Sponsorship for 16 years before Aisha Falode gave it life again, with two Sponsorships at a time.

THE CHALLENGES

Despite all the successes achieved by the Aisha Falode-led NWFL, the league board still had its challenges.

The uniform payment of N150,000 monthly salary for the least paid NWFL Premiership player has been a huge challenge, as clubs have been very adamant to comply with this.
From all indications, this seems an impossible task to realise going by the body language of the clubs’ Chairmen. Some clubs pay their players as low as N35,000 monthly salary, while some don’t even pay salaries at all to some of their players.

The failure of 100 percent compliance with the Club Licencing Regulations by the clubs as it relates to player transfer, has been a huge challenge.

This has become a problem for the NWFL coupled with players’ insincerity tainted by desperation to change clubs without following due process.

One hundred percent curbing of match-fixing has been difficult for the league board to achieve one hundred percent result. The clubs continue to act like International match fixing cartels beating all moves to nip the nefarious activity in the bud.

On suspicion or tip-off of a possible match-fixing, the NWFL board has been able to immediately cancel match appointments done by the NFF Referees Appointment Committee, and replace the suspected match-fixing referee before match kick-off.

In the last five years, the Nigeria Women Football League has recorded more successes than ever before, since the inception of women’s football in Nigeria.

This was a paper delivered by Dapo Sotiminu of the Communications Department of Nigeria Women Football League at the Sports Centre Awareness Forum 2nd Annual Public Awards at the White House Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on 27 August, 2022

 

You Might Also Like

Makinde’s Rising Profile: Can Oyo Governor Lead PDP’s 2027 Presidential Charge?

The Pressure To Appear Rich In Harsh Economy

Omo-Agege’s Toy Soldiers And The Needless Flex Over 2027

BBNaija, Piracy, And The Hidden Cost Of Entertainment

Rotimi Pedro And The Herculean Task Of Restoring NTA’s Lost Glory

TAGGED: Aisha Falode, Dapo Sotiminu, Nigeria Women Football League, Sports Centre Awareness Forum 2nd Annual Public Awards
INadminNG August 30, 2022 August 30, 2022
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Telegram Email Print
Previous Article United Nations Population Fund Appoints New Regional Director
Next Article PalmPay Hits 10 Million User Milestone In Nigeria
about us

Independent News Express (iNews Express), a publication of 4Ds Nigeria Limited, is birthed out of the desires of the founding fathers to report News as it is.

We value Professionalism, Excellence, Service, Creativity and Integrity.

The Company

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy & Policy

Quick Links

  • Advertise with us
  • Newsletters
  • Deal

Categories

Find Us on Socials

© Independent News Express. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?