BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The journey to have a unified supporters club in Nigeria took a positive step as the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after an MOU was signed by the six factions of the supporters club on February, 13, 2025 met in Lagos to chart a way forward.
The Stakeholders meeting cum Press Conference which took place at Sports Bar, of the Teslim Balogun Stadium had in attendance members of the Interim Management Committee ably led by Prince Vincent Okumagba and other members of Supporters Club who gathered to seek positive ways in which reconciliation can be forged.
Several members of the various Supporters club took turns to give testimony on what this gathering meant after the Chairman of the IMC Prince Vincent Okumagba delivered his welcome speech in which he described the session as a historic unification and reconciliation meeting.
Okumagba further thanked the Nigeria Football Federation under the leadership of Alh. Ibrahim Gusau and the National Sports Commission led by Shehu Dikko for their support in ensuring the process for unification was put in place while still focusing on the goal of ensuring that the Super Eagles of Nigeria qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup which is a priority to all.
While responding to questions, Secretary of the IMC Hon. Sunny Gullong reiterated that none of the IMC members will be eligible to contest an elective position when the election proper takes place. But they will ensure that they comply with the MOU to have an election which will bring in the executive after their one year tenure ends.
WHO AND WHO GAVE THE TESTIMONIES?
Amb. Kemi Ogunfuwa took the lead in giving testimony at the session on the positive impact which the session would have on the unification of Supporters Club in Nigeria. She further hinted that all the six supporters club signed an MOU which is being a guide. Others who joined are Elder Oluwole Adebanjo, Abayomi Wesu, Olumiluwa Cole and several other persons.
TWO COMMITTEES INAUGURATED BUT ONLY ONE PRESENT
The Chairman of the IMC Prince Vincent Okumagba announced names of members of the two committees which are the Reconciliation Committee and Constitution Drafting Committee. The Reconciliation Committee had members called up for inauguration and this was done but concerns came up when no single member of the Constitution Drafting Committee was in attendance and yet they were inaugurated. This should be a major source of worry particularly as a committee that would write the constitution of an association needed to have at least a single member present for the
LADIPO, IKPEA, OGUNJIMI CONSPICUOUSLY MISSING
More worries and concern crept in when the grandfather of Supporters Club in Nigeria Dr. Rafiu Ladipo was conspicuously missing at an event where “Stakeholders of Supporters Club” in Nigeria gathered. Also missing were Rev. (Amb.) Samuel Ikpea National Chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club and Prince Abayomi Ogunjimi, President of Authentic Nigeria & Allied Sports Supporters Club.
Although the Secretary of the IMC Sunny Gullong noted that they were all informed of the Stakeholders meeting through their various representatives in the IMC, he further added that whatever reason that made them not attend the session was not known as the IMC did not receive any apology from them on reasons for their absence.
