For the entire members of Female Football Interest Group (FFIG), the passing of former Chairman of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Brigadier-General Dominic Obukadata Oneya (Rtd.), is a big loss to the football fraternity especially the women’s football lovers.
The leadership of FFIG in a press statement on Friday jointly issued by the General Secretary, Dapo Sotuminu and Executive Adviser to the President, Harry Awurumibe, described Gen. Oneya as not only an astute football administrator of International repute but a great promoter of women’s football in Nigeria and Africa.
According to the statement the former NFA Chairman used his connections to benefit women’s football as it was during his time that Nigeria started age-grade competition for women’s footballers in 2001.
It said the former Military Governor of Kano and Benue states respectively used his influence for the betterment of Nigeria football just as he convinced the Benue state government to host the first national U-19 women’s football tournament that produced the first set of Falconets which represented Nigeria in the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup final in Canada.
It also revealed that Gen. Oneya supported FFIG through official and personal donation of money for the Group’s annual Pre-season FFIG All Star Competition which produced many Super Falcons players like Maureen Mmadu,
Olaitan Yusuf, Ulunma Jerome, Tosin Otunbajo, Mercy Akide-Udoh and Efionwan Ekpo.
Others are Four-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year Award Winner, Perpetua Nkwocha; US-based duo, Patience Avre and Gloria Usieta; Marta Terhemba; Cynthia Uwak, Nkese Udoh- Williams; Kemi Olowu and late Ifeanyi Chiejine, among others featured prominently in the FFIG All Stars competition.
The FFIG stated that the former NFA boss will be missed by women’s football followers and Nigerians as well as African football fraternity.
The Group therefore send its sincere condolences to the house Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and his immediate family for the death of the football administrator.
