The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been speaking on its support of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, a football award platform which has consistently rewarded excellence in the round leather game in the country.
The Nigeria Pitch Awards is clocking its 10th year in 2024 and stakeholders say the organisers of the awards have done a lot to impact positively on the game in Nigeria.
Director of Communication of the NFF, Ademola Olajire was present at a media conference convened by the organisers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Lender Consult International, formerly Matchmakers Consult International Limited, where he was given remarks on behalf of the Nigerian football governing body.
According to Olajire, the NFF management is proud of the people behind the success stories of the pitch awards over the years, adding that the NFF was able to sum up its admiration of the Nigeria Pitch Awards with the ICT acronym.
“The NFF has given its support to the organisers because the awards have demonstrated high level of Integrity, Credibility and Transparency (ICT). I must say the NFF appreciates the awards because of the three things I just said, and it will continue to give its support,” Olajire said.
The NFF Media Director emphasized that the Nigeria Pitch Awards is not about the people directly organising the yearly awards, personalities such as the President of the awards, Mr Shina Phillips and Pastor Nelson Olafisoye, but the success is the robust collaboration of sports media titans who have been consistently in rally round the awards and the organisers.
Olajire gave a thumbs up to the Nigerian sporting media for their support to see that the awards do not lose their flavour and credibility.
President of Nigeria Pitch Awards, Shina Phillips, praised the NFF president, Ibrahim Musa Gusau for demonstrating his faith in the awards even before assuming office, adding that “I am also grateful to the past presidents of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and Mr Amaju Pinnick who is also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee. Special mention also be made of NFF Director of Communications, Mr Ademola Olajire who has remained a brother, friend and supporter of the Nigeria Pitch Awards.
Meanwhile, Independent News Express reports that Lender Consult Nigeria Limited is planning big for the 10th edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards.
According to Phillips, “Before the award ceremony, there will be a symposium which will aim to address the future of football in Nigeria. We will release details as preparations progress.
“However, voting is scheduled to begin on 4th December 2023 and end on 12th February 2024. The 10th Award Ceremony is expected to be held in March 2024 during the international match window,” Phillips said.
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 Lender Consult International and approved by the Nigeria Football Federation, the first Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was held on November 16, 2013 in Calabar, Cross River State.
