NIGERIA Football Federation president Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau has congratulated his predecessor Amaju Pinnick and sports minister Sunday Dare on the conferment of national awards on them by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In one of his final acts as president after eight years of being in office, Buhari handed out scores of national awards yesterday, his last day as Commander-in-Chief.
Pinnick was given the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) award, while Dare was honoured with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
“I am very happy to celebrate a goal getter, an achiever, an accomplished administrator and an eminent world citizen, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, on this award,” Gusau told the NFF media department.
“He is quite deserving but I must thank President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for recognising the hard work and diligence of Mr. Pinnick in Nigerian, African and world football.
“On behalf of the board,management and staff of the NFF, I congratulate Mr. Pinnick and I believe this prestigious National Award will serve as an impetus for him to do even more for Nigeria, African and world football.”
On his part, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, stated that the award is not only for Pinnick and his immediate family, but also for all those who worked with him at the NFF, and the entire Nigerian football fraternity.
“We are very grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for this award, because in essence it recognises the work that football administrators are doing. Mr. Pinnick is a shining light for Nigerian and African football in the global space,” he said.
Pinnick served two terms as NFF president between 2014 and 2022 and is currently a member of the FIFA Council – the highest decision-making organ of the world football governing body.
On Dare, Gusau said: “The National Award of CON conferred on Chief Sunday Dare by Mr. President goes a long way to underscore the character, diligence, competence and drive that the man brought to the job. Chief Dare worked assiduously to reposition Nigeria sports generally and posterity will be kind to him.”
Sanusi also celebrated the award of CON on the sports minister, saying: “He has been a class act. We celebrate him for the award and we pray that he will continue to soar even higher in his future endeavours.”
