Sports
Gusau hails IMC after colourful NPFL draw in Abuja
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has applauded the Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League for its efforts to reposition the Nigeria League, following the conduct of the Draw for the new Season in Abuja on Wednesday.
At the colourful ceremony held inside the press conference hall of the Sandralia Hotel, the 20 NPFL teams were calibrated into two different groups for the purpose of the abridged League season, already approved by the NFF.
“Let me state clearly that the NFF is satisfied with the efforts the IMC headed by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has been making to rebrand and reposition the NPFL since its inauguration. The NFF commends the IMC Chairman and all his members for the highly successful pre-season tournament held earlier in the month, and also for the actualisation of this Draw Ceremony.
“The commitment to engineer changes that will deliver a vibrant Nigeria League and a viable football economy in the country remains as firm as ever. The NFF will continue to provide the necessary support to the IMC to fulfill its terms of reference in flying colours,” Gusau said. He was represented at the event by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Mr. Ademola Olajire.
The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Yola.
Chairman of the IMC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye revealed that the organizers have secured a sponsor to foot the indemnities of match officials for the next three years, with the payments to be done directly from the company to the appointed match officials.
“We are committed to eradicating the malaise of indebtedness to match officials, which compromises them and lowers their morale to do the right thing.
“The IMC has also increased the winner’s prize for the season to the sum of N 100 Million, which is a hundred percent increase on what was in place previously.”
The Draw Ceremony grouped the 20 teams into two pools of A and B, with Matchday 1 set for 8th January 2023.
GROUP A
Kwara United
Nasarawa United
Plateau United
Gombe United
El-Kanemi Warriors
Enyimba FC
Akwa United
Bendel Insurance
Shooting Stars
Remo Stars
GROUP B
Niger Tornadoes
Doma United
Wikki Tourists
Lobi Stars
Rivers United
Abia Warriors
Dakkada FC
Rangers Int’l
Sunshine Stars
Bayelsa United
MATCHDAY 1 (A)
Nasarawa United Vs Enyimba FC
Akwa United Vs Bendel Insurance
Plateau United Vs Shooting Stars
Kwara United Vs Gombe United
Remo Stars Vs El-Kanemi Warriors
MATCHDAY 1 (B)
Bayelsa United Vs Dakkada FC
Wikki Tourists Vs Niger Tornadoes
Doma United Vs Sunshine Stars
Rivers United Vs Lobi Stars
Rangers Int’l Vs Abia Warriors
Sports
NLO’s Shola Ogunowo Earns Praise for Driving Grassroots Football and Exemplifying Integrity
Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian football community has lauded Mr. Shola Ogunowo, Chief Operating Officer of the Nationwide League One (NLO), for his unwavering commitment to integrity and the development of grassroots football, earning him widespread respect and admiration across the sporting landscape.
In a statement released in Abuja and signed by Okechukwu Okebugwu, Mr. Ogunowo was praised as a transformative leader who has redefined the ethics and standards of football administration at the grassroots level. According to the release, Ogunowo has emerged as a “leading figure in the fight against match-fixing, bribery, and all forms of corruption” that have plagued the lower tiers of Nigerian football for decades.
Through consistent enforcement of transparency, fairness, and accountability, Mr. Ogunowo is steering the NLO toward becoming a credible platform where talent can be discovered and nurtured based on merit, rather than manipulation or favoritism.
“In an environment where shortcuts and compromises are all too common, Shola Ogunowo has remained a pillar of integrity,” Okebugwu stated. “He is restoring credibility to grassroots football by ensuring that fair play, discipline, and professionalism are non-negotiable.”
Since taking over as COO, Ogunowo has spearheaded a number of structural reforms aimed at instilling discipline and operational excellence among participating clubs. These include stricter licensing requirements, performance audits, and compliance monitoring to ensure clubs uphold the league’s code of conduct. His administration has also emphasized youth development, with a renewed focus on coaching education and player welfare.
The result is a reinvigorated Nationwide League One that is beginning to attract renewed attention from fans, corporate sponsors, and local communities. Observers say Ogunowo’s leadership is helping reshape perceptions of grassroots football—not just as a stepping stone to the elite leagues, but as a vital foundation for the future of Nigerian football.
“His leadership is not only impacting the pitch—it’s rebuilding trust, creating real value, and setting a good standard for sports administration in Nigeria,” Okebugwu concluded.
As the NLO season progresses, many stakeholders believe that with figures like Shola Ogunowo at the helm, the future of grassroots football in Nigeria is not only secure, but promising.
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