Inyama: Our critics have come to accept that this is one administration that is highly focused

The present NFF administration led by Alhaji Aminu Maigari is focused
on bequeathing uncommon legacies to Nigeria football, says Chief Emeka
Inyama, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee.

“The only reason why we didn’t roll out the drums on Monday, on the
third anniversary of the administration, is that we are not flippant
people and also, we are fully concentrating on the three very
important 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that we must
prosecute successfully in the next couple of months,” began Inyama, a
foremost media and marketing guru who himself, incidentally, added a
year on Monday.

He went further: “Even our critics have come to accept that this is
one administration that is highly focused on key areas and unique
legacies and still determined to do more.

“It is not for nothing that the NFF President as an individual and the
NFF as a corporate body continue to attract top awards from far and
near. In the past three years, and despite the first 18 months spent
dealing with pointless litigations and distractions, this
administration still have six trophies (three competitive tournaments
and three from prestigeous friendly matches), aside several major
accomplishments, to boast of.”

The six trophies are the Africa Cup of Nations diadem, which Nigeria
won for the first time in 19 years earlier this year in South Africa;
the African Youth Championship in 2011; the African Women Championship
in 2010 and; glittering trophies from memorable defeats of Argentina
(June 2011), Catalonia (January 2013) and South Africa (August 2013).

“Of course, Nigerians also praise this administration for co-operating
with the Presidential Task Force to actualise a first-ever,
world-class NFF Headquarters; insisting on a transparent process that
has produced the most credible Nigeria U-17 team ever; severe
sanctions against match fixers and a maturity that has nurtured a
warm, purposeful and positive relationship with the leadership of the
National Sports Commission.

“At the same time, apart from the unfortunate misunderstanding in
Namibia, we have had no issues with players of the various National
Teams regarding bonuses and allowances. Even at $5,000 win-bonus, our
Super Eagles are among the best-paid in the world and continue to fly
business class, which is not the situation in several other
countries.”

Inyama, also Chairman of the Nigeria National League, contends that
the domestic League has benefitted tremendously from the uncommon
vision of the Maigari administration.

“Recently, the Honourable Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi,
applauded the NFF for its innovation and support for the League
Management Company, which is surely turning around the Premier League
for the better. We gave the Super Eagles’ Coach total support in a
rebuilding process that has sealed a fact: that home-based
professionals will never again be mere training materials in the
senior team, or any of the National Teams for that matter. Not only
has this resulted in greater excitement and competitiveness in the
Leagues, our boys have, for the first time ever, qualified for the
African Nations Championship and are favourites for the Cup.”

The respected football administrator also opened a window on what the
Maigari team intends to achieve within the next one year that draws
the curtain on its first term.

“Now, we are looking to qualify Nigeria for the FIFA World Cup in
Brazil and to ensure that the boys are not just there to make up the
number. FIFA has agreed with our proposal for the body to fund
Regional Technical Centres across the federation; we are set to
harmonise the activities of the various academies so that we can
continue to present credible U-17 National Teams; we will soon unfold
a unique programme for the development of the women’s game and; we
look forward to winning several more trophies, beginning with the FIFA
U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, among other programmes.”