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NFF, Dons Task Super Falcons, Eaglets On Hard Work, Focus And Patriotism
NFF, Dons Task Super Falcons, Eaglets On Hard Work, Focus And Patriotism
Joel Ajayi
The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, has charged the players of the Nigeria’s Super Falcons and the Golden Eaglet teams to imbibe the spirit of hard work, patriotism and nationalism whenever they are representing Nigeria in any competition outside the country.
The Super Falcon team is preparing for WAFU tournament and 2019 World Cup in France in June while Golden Eaglets qualified for the world cup in Brazil later this year.
He gave this charge at the seminar organized by the Federation, in Abuja, with the theme “Nationalism and Patriotism”
Sanusi said the players of two team should take the lessons from the seminar to their heart in order to be better players and better individuals going forward.
He lamented the behaviours of the Falcons players especially when they returned from Cameroon taking to the street protesting on the issue of Allowances and bonus: “As a player you need to put your country first in all you are doing. It’s painful that team came back from Cameroon and displayed some attitudes that is not good for the country, we don’t want th repeat of such that is why we felt that this seminar is apt.”
NFF scribes however, promised to ensure that all the bonus and entitlements of players are paid as at when due.
Also, the trio of University dons challenged players to make hard work, patriotism, focus, dedication and fearlessness their watchwords, while discountenancing all events and situations that could discourage them in their various national assignments.
Professor Florence Adeyanju of the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria urged the Falcons and the Eaglets to always take pride in being selected to represent a country of about 190 million people, and have no fear of any team whenever they get to the field of play.
“Success favours only the bold. You don’t have to fear any player or team when you get to the field of play. Remember the country you are representing and be psychologically motivated that you cannot lose, that you are a champion already. Be full of positive thinking all the time,” she added.
On her part, Dr. Odunola Bello of the University of Maiduguri spoke on nationalism and patriotism, underscoring the need for players and officials to note allegiance to the nation at all times and display sense of communal spirit, tolerance, dedication and discipline in all that they do.
Professor Mariam Suleiman, who is Head of Department of Health Education and Human Kinetics, Ahmadu Bello University spoke on career guidance, charging the players to think of life after football and plan well for same.
“You are active and agile now, but after you must have reached your peak, you would no longer be that agile. What will you do after football? You should endeavour to seek relevant qualifications in such areas that you have flair. You should develop yourself so that you can remain relevant after football.”
Featured
NAPTIP Restates Commitment To Fighting Human Trafficking
Joel Ajayi
… decries corruption in law enforcement, weak legislation
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, has pledged the agency’s commitment to fight human trafficking.
Waziri-Azi gave the assurance during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, in Abuja.
The commitment by NAPTIP follows an investigative report by Human Angle Media exposing how many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt are inhumanely treated and exploited by their sponsors.
Represented by the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, decried the rising number of Nigerians who are victims of trafficking, pledging that “NAPTIP is fighting on all sides to curb human trafficking.”
Akomolafe disclosed that the agency is aware of the report of Nigerians trafficked to Egypt and has already commenced interventions to rescue them while warning citizens to be wary of “offers that are too good to be true.”
She identified weak legislation, lengthy judicial processes, and corrupt law enforcement officials as factors aiding and abetting trafficking in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.
“Corruption is endemic and cuts across other countries of the world, and that’s why trafficking is easily perpetrated in Nigeria and around the globe. You find law enforcement officials aiding and abetting traffickers. Some of them know these traffickers from their operations either at the entry or exit point. They give them something or become too familiar with them.
“Apart from the bribery aspect, we also have officials turning a blind eye to trafficking activities, and that’s why for us at the agency (NAPTIP), we are not resting.”
According to her, the agency, from inception, secured 672 convictions, 67 in 2023, and 35 persons so far this year (2024). She added that “NAPTIP is winning the war against trafficking but still wants stiffer punishment for traffickers and the support of the judiciary in hastening cases.
“weak legislation is aiding trafficking. That’s why the agency continues pushing for amendments. Currently, NAPTIP is pushing for stiffer punishment against traffickers that will lead to confiscation of their monies and property.
“NAPTIP Director-General (Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi) is fighting on all sides against human trafficking.
“Where law enforcement officials are found complicit, NAPTIP Director-General does not take it lightly; she doesn’t compromise her anti-corruption stance even when a staff is involved,” Akomolafe stated.
According to the Editor of Southern Operations, Human Angle Media, Kabir Adejumo, many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt engage in forced labour. They are also living in fear as authorities go after illegal immigrants.
Adejumo said victims interviewed during the investigation are willing and interested in returning home, but their sponsors refuse to release their travel passports and threaten to implicate them.
He also revealed that the NAPTIP and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) are aware of the plight of Nigerians trafficked in Egypt and have currently rescued one person.
On her part, the Programme Manager of the Human Angle Foundation, Angela Umoro-David, expressed satisfaction at NAPTIP’s response to trafficking cases while urging the agency to stay on course with their mandate.
Umoro-David called on Nigerians to use a Freedom of Information platform (foi.humananglemedia.com) to help citizens navigate requests for public records from different government parastatals and agencies.
She stressed that the platform “is a website where people can submit their FOI requests to us (Human Angle), and we’ll submit it on their behalf to the particular agency. So we act as middlemen, connecting these government parastatals to the citizens”.
Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.
The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation
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