Nwankwo Kanu
NIGERIA’s Football Ambassador and former Super Eagles’ skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, has hailed the sincerity of purpose of the Aminu Maigari-led administration at the Nigeria Football Federation, saying this was the reason for continued peace and tranquility in the relationship between administrators and senior team players.
“In years gone by, National Team players used to have running battles with administrators over allowances, win-bonuses and other general welfare matters. But the Aminu Maigari administration has conquered all these with its sincerity of purpose and improvement of incentives and welfare of players and officials of all National Teams.
“That is why there is peace in the National Teams now. The players go out knowing they will get what they are promised and even more”, said Kanu, who captained Nigeria for the Senior National Team, Super Eagles, for 17 years before retiring after the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
Kanu spoke at Saturday night’s dinner reception for NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari by the good people of Bauchi State, hosted at the Zaranda Hotel, also commended the NFF for engaging several ex-international players in the coaching crews National Teams, in standing committees and in the Secretariat.
Kanu was among high-profile Nigerians including distinguished Senators, Federal lawmakers, political heavyweights, top football administrators, political appointees, captains of industry, community leaders and top-flight journalists who graced the occasion in the Bauchi State capital.
Bauchi State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, represented by the Commissioner for Sports, applauded the elevation of the prominent son of Bauchi State to the NFF presidency and also his record of service so far, and urged him to do all within his ability and capacity to take Nigerian football to the next level.
Also at the reception were Mallam Ali Wakili, who represented the Emir of Bauchi, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, who represented the Honourable Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission (Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Adamu Gumba, Senator Abdul Ningi (Chairman of the occasion), Chairman of the House of Reps’ Committee on Sports, Honourable Godfrey Gaiya, Senator Haruna Garba, Hon. Sani Toro and former Minister of Police Affairs Dr Ibrahim Lame.
There were also NFF 1st Vice President, Chief Michael Okeke Umeh who pledged the Board’s continued support for Alhaji Maigari, Executive Committee members Barrister Chris Green, Dr. Shehu Adamu, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf Fresh and Alhaji Ahmad Kawu, General Secretary Barrister Musa Amadu, Director of Technical Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, Commissioners of Sports, NRA President Ahmed Maude, Olympic gold medal winner Patrick Pascal, former Super Eagles’ Coach Amodu Shaibu, one-time Green Eagles’ Coach James Peters, Alhaji Ahmed Farouk and other members of NFF Management.
In his appreciation remark, Alhaji Maigari listed a number of achievements of the NFF since he mounted the saddle, and said that with peace and tranquility in the system, which has been made possible thanks to the huge efforts of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius and the Hon. Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the sky is the limit for the Nigerian game.
