Sports
NSC and NFF agree on a One year tenure extension for Supporters Club IMC
The National Sports Commission, NSC, and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, have agreed for a one year Tenure Extension for the Supporter’s Club Interim Management Committee, IMC, after which a General Election will take place.
The decision was reached on Tuesday after a fruitful meeting held by the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade and stakeholders of the various factional Supporters Groups.
The NSC and NFF agreed that the IMC led by Prince Vincent Okumagba will not stay beyond the agreed one year in office before an Election will be conducted.
It was also concluded and agreed upon by all the stakeholders that no member of the current IMC will take part in the General election that will be held next year.
The DG reinstated that all the various groups of the supporters club will only be recognised by the Commission under the current umbrella of the IMC.
” We cannot tell all of you to go deregister your various groups because we don’t have that Power but we are very deliberate to ensure we have one collective indivisible group that will at all times speak one voice, sing one song for the supporters club rather than having many factions of the Supporters club”.
” This is why the Commission under the Chairmanship of Mallam Shehu Dikko and myself as DG, will only recognise the Supporters club under the IMC in all the activities of the various Sports Federations including Football as far as they are representing Nigeria at International Competitions”.
The meeting was attended by officials of the different Supporters Groups including Prince Vincent Okumagba, who is the Chairman of the IMC, Peter Abraham, the IMC Vice Chairman, Hon Sunny Gudlong, the Secretary of the IMC while Prince Abayomi Ogunjinmi and Rev Sam Ikpia joined virtually via audio call.
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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