Sports
Football First: Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi ticking all the boxes for NFF President
“I’m from the north and I have endorsed Seyi. NFF affairs have never been an issue or politics of where anyone comes from. It’s about competence and my conscience tells me that Seyi is eminently an outstanding personality that can take Nigerian football to where we all all desire.”
This was former Sokoto State FA Chairman and one Nigerian football’s greatest voices, Mallam Danladi Bako, introducing Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi (BSA) to the audience at the recent official launch of Akinwunmi manifesto and campaign to lead Nigerian football.
Mallam Bako pulled no punches in explaining why he feels BSA is the right man to succeed Amaju Pinnick, and take Nigeria football to greater heights with a holistic approach and professional execution.
“Seyi is one man we respect so much,” he continued. “That is why the who is who in Nigerian football came to grace his declaration. Those who decide our fate in Nigerian football, the congressmen are present here. They have a choice to make whenever the time comes as to who they endorse but by me being present here, it has given support to Seyi.”
Mallam Bako further made the point to underline the spirit in which football unifies Nigeria, and what support of BSA means. “If I and those of us who don’t want to bring politics of region and ethnicity into the elections are supporting him, what else? What goes around will come around. Once upon a time you had Alhaji Galadima, followed by Sani Lulu followed by Aminu Maigari. One stretch of three chairmen from the North, so why didn’t you complain at that time? So if you follow my drift I am looking for the merit and the best material.”
As the date for election of NFF President, vice Presidents and other executive committee members on 30th September draws near, most football stakeholders and observers seem to consider BSA the front runner and almost certain of the top job in Nigerian football – if the outcome were based solely on merit.
Akinwunmi, the incumbent Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) Chairman, has a reputation for focusing on grassroots and schools football, with his Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Foundation offering scholarships to indigent kids – as well as running LSFA increasingly as a commercial enterprise.
His tenure has seen LSFA introduce Nigerian football as a key part of the global football business in the 21st century. In 2012, the LSFA organized Soccerex West Africa, the first time the sports business forum came to this part of the world outside South Africa
Akinwunmi also led a rebrand of football in Lagos by creating a commercial brand for LSFA, ekoFootball, an entity that drove corporate partnerships through active stakeholder engagement, sound business propositions, and solid governance.
What makes BSA the standout candidate – and demonstrates him walking the walk of his Football First vision – is his record in schools football and youth development at LSFA.
The Lagos State Youth Football League remains the most vibrant across the country. As NFF 1st Vice President, Akinwunmi led the Zenith Bank under-13 national team project; while also steering through the adoption of the Channels Kids Cup by the NFF as a protected tournament.
Most informed observers seem to be of the view that the scope, depth and innovation of BSA at the helm of LSFA make him a very strong merit based contender.
As a long standing corporate lawyer with over 30 years of experience, Akinwunmi would also bring integrity to the office, along with the analytical mind to cut through to the most important issues. He is a man who gets things done in football.
Add to this his quiet but impactful work in his area of responsibility in the outgoing executive team – youth development; and it is easy to see why Akinwunmi is widely believed to be the most competent man for the job.
His colourful declaration event was graced by FA Chairmen from all the geo-political zones, other NFF Congress members, retired internationals, football administrators, representatives of corporate Nigeria, and a myriad of members of the Nigerian football family who BSA has helped over the years.
The audience composition, glowing endorsements, and reception to his well articulated strategy for Nigerian football all point to his early lead.
Certainly this reflects a general desire in football circles to restore the dignity of real Nigerian football culture. This is in line with the Federal Government’s recently published position on how Nigerians want their number one sport to be managed and projected.
Mallam Bako, who has a long standing exposure to and experience of football and its administration in Nigeria explained the characteristics we need at the apex of the NFF.
“I want a President that will use our money judiciously and is accountable. I want a President that will take care of all national teams without giving excuses of no money.
“I want a President who will not only attract sponsorship or engage coaches, but disclose the terms and any contract contents to Nigerians. I want a President who will reengineer Nigerian football from grassroots.
“Whoever wins this election, I beg everyone to support him… I’m very much confident that Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi will win based on his track record. Anyone who can effectively manage Lagos FA, a Lagos with over 20 million population, a population of another African country, can do very well as President of NFF. So Seyi has a lot to offer.”
Barrister Akinwunmi, is his declaration speech, made the following commitment to the Nigeria football family. “I guarantee you that as much as I love football, as much as I love my friends, one thing that is paramount in my mind is football. As much as I love and cherish the camaraderie that we share and that is football, and that must come first. Nigeria football can change, only if we put football first.”
BSA introduced his anchor four-point agenda: Infrastructure, Development, Business and Technology.
Responding to Akinwunmi’s vision for Nigerian football, Remo Stars Chairman and sports betting billionaire, Mr Kunle Soname remarked that, “football anywhere in the world has gone beyond mere rhetorics to strategic business model which is capable of engaging everyone interested, especially young people and give them meaningful life.”
He continued, “so redirecting the focus of Nigerian football is paramount if we must achieve the desired goal.”
Sports
NSC Disburses Another ₦300m Training Grants to 31 Elite Athletes Ahead of 2028 Olympic Games
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has disbursed approximately ₦300 million in quarterly training grants to more than 31 Nigerian elite athletes, providing early boost to the country’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The latest payment marks another milestone in the Commission’s efforts to strengthen athletes’ welfare and ensure sustained preparations for major international competitions under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The latest disbursement is the fifth since the introduction of the quarterly training grants policy in 2025 through the NSC’s Elite and Podium Board, and the third payment made in 2026.
With the latest payment, the Commission has now disbursed more than ₦1 billion in training grants to Nigerian elite athletes over the past two years.
The initiative provides quarterly grants of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 to athletes, depending on their performance and eligibility under the scientific performance indicators established by the Elite and Podium Board.
The policy has been widely welcomed by some of the country’s leading athletes, who have described it as a game changer that has significantly improved their preparations for international competitions by providing consistent financial support for their training needs.
Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said the initiative reflected the Commission’s commitment to building a sustainable system for sporting success through deliberate investment in athletes.
“There are no accidental successes in sports. This is why the Commission has prioritised the welfare and wellbeing of our athletes as a critical part of our strategy for scientific podium success,” Hon, Olopade said.
He said the training grants were among the key mandates given to the Commission’s leadership by President Tinubu to ensure that Nigerian athletes receive the financial support needed to compete effectively at the highest level.
“I am particularly glad that we have been able to institute this athletes’ training grants policy because it is one of the core mandates Mr President gave to Mallam Shehu Dikko and me, to ensure that we put money in the pockets of Nigerian athletes and prepare them adequately for international competitions like the Olympics.”
“We can only get the best out of our athletes when we take care of them properly. By doing so, they will wear the Green and White of our country with pride and dignity. This is why Mr President has continued to support every policy we have introduced to revamp the sports sector,” he said.
Hon. Olopade added that sustained financial support would enable athletes to concentrate on their training without the distractions of financial uncertainty.
“Our athletes need this money to stay focused on their training so they are not distracted in their preparations for major competitions. And we must not forget that when we take care of our athletes, they will take care of the country with medals,” he added.
The impact of the training grants has continued to reflect in Nigeria’s recent performances at international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the country emerged as Africa’s leading nation.
The performances of athletes such as Samuel Ogazi and Nathaniel Ezekiel, who broke world records, further highlighted the benefits of sustained investment in elite sports development.
Team Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2025 Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia also underscored the importance of consistent support for athletes as the country intensifies preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The NSC said the training grants remain a central component of its strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s elite sports system, improve international competitiveness and deliver sustained podium success at major global competitions.
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