Sports
NFF Election: Lagos State throws weight behind Akinwunmi Candidature
The State of Excellence, Lagos State has thrown its weight on the Lagos State Football Association Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi on his ambition to become the next Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President.
This was made known by Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Gbenga Omotosho, who was one of the dignitaries at the Seyi Akinwunmi declaration for NFF President said the state was proud of his candidature and his vision and mission to lift Nigeria football.
According to him, Lagos State is proud of you and what you stand for. We are convinced that with your zeal, experience and candor, you will take Nigeria football to where it ought to be when you become the President.
“Speaking at the event, the First Vice President of the NFF, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi on Saturday promised to give his all in an attempt to take football to greater heights in the country.Akinwunmi who was speaking at Bagauda Kaltho Media Centre in Alausa, Lagos, during his declaration for NFF Presidency election stressed that he was well-equipped for the job based on his experience and various positions held in the running of football in the country.
Akinwunmi said: “I have high respect for all others contesting for the same position but no one can boast of the kind of experience I have over the years in the game.
“I am well equipped because from the bottom, I climbed up the ladder with wealth of experiences in various areas of the game. I am ready to bring my all to make the game get better.
”The Lagos Football Association Chairman also added he would use his four cardinal pillar programme to run the game.
“The four pillars are Grassroots Development, Business of football, Infrastructure and Technology. I will now use these to actualize my 11 strategic actions for the development of the game.
“It is important to think about the schools and the grassroots for us to move forward. We will have National Finals which will see football competitions at the state and zonal levels.
The FAs will be empowered in concrete terms to stage events and create competition among the youth”.
League Reforms, youth development, entrepreneurship, Inclusion, Life after retirement, Girls and Women football, transparency and national team administration are some of the strategic plans of Akinwunmi.
Earlier, President of Nigeria Referees Association, Tade Azeez, noted that Akinwunmi had all it takes to take the game to another level in Nigeria.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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