Leading financial institution, ZENITH Bank Plc, has promised to provide even greater support to the Nigeria Football Federation to fund capacity –enhancing programs among administrators of the game in the country.
However, the chairmen of Imo and Osun Football Associations, Amanze Uchegbulam and Taiwo Ogunjobi respectively have pulled out of the London trip.
Prompt News correspondent in London, Bolaji Oyegunle, who was at Heathrow Airport when the first batch of State FA chairmen arrived on Thursday, said both men were not on the trip.
It could not however be ascertained why Uchegbulam, a former NFA Vice Chairman and Ogunjobi, a former NFA Secretary General pulled out.
Prompt News recalls that both men contested the 2014 NFF presidential election held in Warri, Delta State which was won by Amaju Pinnick. They could however not be reached on their mobile phones for comment.
Also, NFF President Amaju Pinnick, could not be reached to know if the two chairmen informed him they would not be participating in the capacity building progrramme.
Speaking on the training programme, a General Manager of the bank, Mr. Francis Ekonye, who represented the Group Managing Director, Mr. Peter Amangbo, said this much while seeing off Chairmen of Football Associations of States in Nigeria who flew to the United Kingdom on Thursday, on a 4-day leadership training program.
“All I want to say is that ZENITH Bank is happy to be part of this and we would not hesitate to give support to any leadership training program. I know that as principal stakeholders of the game in the country, you would be great ambassadors of this country at the training program.”
Also at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to see off the leading lights of the NFF Congress was NFF President Amaju Pinnick and 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi.
“I want to wish you the very best at the program. We have arranged this program because you Chairmen of State FAs are the principal developers of the game at the grassroots. You are going to learn so much at the training program, which would impact positively on Nigeria football in the coming months and years.
“I have confidence in each and everyone of you to come back with great ideas for taking the Nigeria game to the next level, right from your individual States,” Pinnick said.
ZENITH Bank, FROT Group and ARIK airline are providing support for the lofty program.
Resource persons at the program in the United Kingdom include former vice chairman of Premiership leading club, Arsenal FC, Mr. David Dein and Mr. Greg Dyke, Chairman of The Football Association. There will be a paper on ‘Identifying Boundaries,’ to be co-presented by George Dorling (Chairman, London FA) and David James (County Development Manager of London FA). This will delve into relationship between regional FAs and the national body.
Dyke will present a paper on ‘Leadership – Strategies and the Workings of the FA’ while Dein will talk on ‘Building A Brand.’
There will be a presentation by Grassroots Football England on talent identification and nurturing at grassroots level, and Marketing Apparel as a potential tool for revenue generation at grassroots level, as well as visits to FA Centre of Excellence at St Georges Park and Watford Football Club ground.
