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Why Coach Thomas Dennerby Dumped Super Falcon Job

Published

6 years ago

September 16, 2019

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria’s Super Falcons Coach, Thomas Dennerby has left the team hastily over claims that some influential members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were interfering in his work which was not part of the contract he signed with the federation.

Report reaching THE GLEAMER NEWS on Monday has it that 60-year-old coach Dennerby has been forced out of his job.

Also, the reporting THE GLEAMER NEWS revealed that the Falconets coach, Chris Danjuma has been drafted in to take charge of the team as they play in the second round of the 2020 Olympic qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire later this month.

Dennerby has been in charge of the Super Falcons for over 18 months. He was engaged in January 2018.

The decision of the coach to resign was due to the alleged backlog of salary arrears amidst countless frustrating tendencies by his employer – Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Feelers within the glasshouse, headquarters of NFF revealed that Dennerby has already handed over his resignation letter to the federation, some days ago.

Although there is no official confirmation yet, Thomas was said to have refused to come back to Nigeria and will not lead the team against the Elephants of Ivory Coast with two weeks to go to the first leg tie in Abidjan.

The Swede left the country after leading the Super Falcons to the third round of the African Women’s Olympic qualifiers.

This was after a 3-0 aggregate win over Algeria but has now left his post.

THE GLEAMER NEWS gathered that part of the frustration that the foreign coach couldn’t bear was repeated refusal of NFF officials to allow him to work with his preferred competent assistants.

Rather, the country’s football officials forced ‘rooky couches’ on him.

Only a few weeks ago, the NFF refused to renew the contract of one of his reliable assistants Maureen Madu, despite her rich international coaching qualifications and experience.

As at the time of filing this report, no official confirmation to Dennerby’s resignation from the federation.

Also, Our Reporter scooped that, a plan by a cabal in the NFF to frustrate Dennerby out of the team. The cabal who is from the Secretariat and Women Department of the federation worked against the wishes of the coach to have his former assistant, Maureen Madu retained as well as blocked him from inviting Falcons combative midfielder, Rita Chikwelu, and others to the qualifiers against Algeria.

A source close to the NFF said the Swede, who led Nigeria to yet another African Women Nations Cup triumph last year and the round of 16 at the France 2019 Women World Cup, left the country immediately after Nigeria’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifier against Algeria at the Agege Stadium on September 3.

“Dennerby complained that some NFF officials were making his job difficult for some selfish reasons. These officials ensured that some players, who complained that they were being owed allowances and winning bonuses, were shut out of the national team. These officials wield enormous power in the women teams.

He got angry that these people have taken their activities to his team selection and decided the best thing to do was to go away. But we are trying to talk to him and address his concerns in the interest of the nation,” the source said.

Before he left, Dennerby was preparing the Super Falcons for a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire for which the federation recently invited 30 overseas and home-based players to camp. The players, according to the NFF, are expected to arrive in camp today, but the source said Dennerby may not likely return to lead the team against Cote d’Ivoire unless on-going efforts to convince him to return succeed. The source added that the crisis infested NFF has asked Falconets’ Head Coach, Christopher Danjuma to take charge of the team for the Cote d’Ivoire game.

More facts that the Swedish had abandoned the team emerged when on the 13th of September, NFF released the list of the players to prosecute the matches against Cote d’Ivoire with Dennerby’s name not mentioned in the release. This was in contradiction with the earlier release the NFF made when the team tackled Algeria in the second round qualifier

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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