The Chairman of Senforce Insurance Limited, Mr. Ani Ojuya on Monday reiterated his company’s full support for the new Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation led by Amaju Melvin Pinnick, even as the schedule for the forthcoming capacity –building programme of Nigeria’s elite referees in the United Kingdom has been unveiled.
Ojuya, whose company has built a credible profile for supporting Nigeria football in several areas, stated on Monday that they are determined to do more for the new NFF team.
“We are just starting. Senforce Insurance is ready and willing to partner NFF under Pinnick, someone we have known for so long, and we are in fact, looking at other areas for possible support.
“Nigeria football is big, and if the support is there, it will certainly get bigger and fulfill its potential in the long run.” Senforce Insurance had, a few years ago, actually bankrolled a capacity –building programme in England for two Nigerian referees at the instance of Pinnick, while he was Chairman of Delta State Football Association.
On Monday, the Nigeria Football Federation released the itinerary for the eleven Nigerian elite referees who will travel to London at the end of this month for a two –week capacity –building exercise, which is being sponsored by Senforce Insurance.
The arbiters, to be led by the President of Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude and the Chairman of NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, will arrive in London on November 30, and be at the FA’s High Performance Training Facility at St Georges Park, Burton-onTrent on the first two days of December and visit a community –based youth football project on December 3.
On December 4, the delegation will tour Wembley Stadium and offices of the FA, get involved in a study group mini –workshop the following day and attend a Premier League match to assess refereeing operations on December 6.
An analysis of the weekend Premier League games (involving Question-and-Answer session with a retired Premier League referee) will occupy them on December 8, before a meeting with YATR (a referee –training organization) for talks on referees’ fitness and conditioning on December 9.
The group will then tour the Emirates Stadium (home ground of Premiership giants, Arsenal FC) on December 10 ahead of a YATR field activity on December 11. The following day, the group heads back to London, and then back to Nigeria on December 13.
The referees on the trip are Ferdinand Udoh, Abdullahi Shuaibu, Usman Isah, Samuel Pwadutakan, Orowole Tope, Egudia Efosa, Peter Ogwu, Paul Umuago, Musa Dung-Davon, Olayinka Olayide and Ukah Ndubuisi.
