Nigeria Football Federation president Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has promised the body’s corporate partners and sponsors that his administration will put their funds to good use, while also apologising for the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Gusau, along with his predecessor Amaju Pinnick, general secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi and Director of Communications Ademola Olajire, met with some of the NFF’s partners yesterday in Lagos and assured them that their funds will be used to develop Nigerian football.
Pinnick’s role in the meeting was to formally introduce the new NFF president (who was elected into office on September 30) to the corporate partners, most of them brought on board by the former president.
“For the first time in recent memory in Nigerian football, we had a rancour-free transition from one executive team to the other,” Pinnick said at the office of MTN Nigeria (NFF’s official telecommunications partner), with Chief Executive Officer Carl Toriola and other members of the company’s management present.
“It is as a result of the deep respect and strong passion for Nigerian football and the Nigerian nation that we all share. It is for this reason that I have decided to introduce the new helmsman to you in order that you can continue to interact with and support him and the federation to achieve their vision and mission.”
Gusau thanked MTN for their strong support of Nigerian football and Nigeria sports generally, saying: “We appreciate what you have been doing for the game of football and we want you to continue, and even do more so that the new board can be enabled to work assiduously to lift the Nigeria game to new heights.
“We apologise for the inability of the Super Eagles to qualify for the FIFA World Cup starting in Qatar next week but we want to use this opportunity to commence the hard work necessary to avoid such mis-step in the future.
“I am assuring you that whatever funds come through you will be put to judicious use as we are presently cutting down on expenses in order manage available resources to achieve the best results.”
Toriola responded that having signed a long-term contract with the NFF, his organisation would not break same because of a missed World Cup tournament.
“We will continue to support the federation until Nigerian football gets to the level it should be internationally,” the MTN boss said.
“We must re-energise ourselves for the work at hand. I must commend Mr. Pinnick’s exceptional dynamism and MTN commits to supporting the new administration.”
The same theme of appreciation and pledges of judicious use of funds and optimisation of resources ran through the other meetings, with Executive Vice President of AITEO Group (NFF’s official optimum partner), Mr. Francis Peters pledging his company’s continued support and encouragement to the new Board.
At Premier Lotto, the Managing Director Mr. Adebisi Adebutu said his company will explore even other areas they can support the NFF, in addition to the present partnership agreement.
“I must say that we had a wonderful relationship with the board headed by Mr. Pinnick and we believe we will have same cordial relationship with the new board,” he said.
Stanbic IBTC (NFF’s official bank) also pledged continued support to the NFF, through Charles Omoera, Chief Executive, who said: “We are particularly interested in the women’s football and youth programs you have enunciated and are ready and willing to commit to these programmes to develop Nigeria’s future legends and icons of the game.”
