Women League Boss Counts Her Blessings

The Chairperson of the Nigeria Women League, Dilichukwu Onyedinma has appreciated Nigerians for the support they gave to her Board and the Women Football Teams in her two years in office.

Speaking in Abuja at the weekend, Taking stock of her achievements thus far, the NFF Board member said” this interactive session which is specifically meant to appreciate Nigerians for the wonderful support they have rendered to my Board since we resumed office some two years ago.

“Again I want to use this medium show my sincere appreciation to all Nigerians for their untiring support to all our Women teams in our quest to positively project the image of our country to the outside world”

Continuing the Deputy Director in FCTA said “you would recall that the present Board of the Nigeria Women Football League is the first democratically elected Women Football League Board of the Football Federation.

“Although, we faced with lots of challenges at the beginning of our tenure, but, we thank God that we were able to surmount them, after two years and have strived to reposition the League to ensure that good players are discovered for our various national teams”.

“These were very evident with the performance of our National U-17 Women team (Flamingoes) in Costa Rica earlier in the year.

“They played up to the quarter finals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. All the players that featured in that team; were all from the local league clubs and some grassroots teams in the country.

“The U-20 Women National team (Falconets) that went to Canada in August and played up to the finals of the FIFA U-20 Women World Cup were made up of ninety-nine percent players from our league here in Nigeria.

“Only one of the players came from a school in the United States. Only last weekend, we took another set of Super Falcons team to Namibia to reclaim the Africa Women Championship which was lost last two years to Equatorial Guinea.

“In that victorious team, only five players came from overseas, the remaining seventeen are all from our league clubs here at
home. 

“I want to salute our various women league clubs in the country, for striving in all aspects to ensure that they discover these players that have brought smiles to the faces of all soccer loving Nigerians”.

“The present Board of the Nigeria Women Football League has been working hard to ensure that we bring succor to our League clubs and also develop the game from the grassroots.

“We have commissioned various marketing agents who are working round the clock to ensure that sponsors are attracted to
the League.

“To speedify their job, we have finished the incorporation of the Nigeria Women Football League as a limited liability company, after receiving the needed approval from the Nigeria Football Federation.

“The importance of this, is to ensure that whatever corporate body we are approaching for sponsorship would know our real identity, and what we stand for.

“In order to create the needed awareness that would facilitate the job of our marketers, we entered into partnership with Management of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) to be televising our league matches live with effect from next football season.

“This agreement would also include televising most of the Women Football League activities”.

“ You would recall that during the 2013 Annual General Assembly of the League Board held in Lokoja earlier in the year, we decided to create an elite division of the Women League known as the “Premier League”.

“This comprised of 12 teams; that played a full stretched league on home and away basis. We also have another 12 teams that played in the Professional League.

“The Professional League teams are shared into two groups. They have six teams in each of the groups. This is to enable clubs that are not financially buoyant to be part of the league.

“For instance, the five teams from Lagos state that registered for the league, were all grouped in the same zone and they played within their axis, without incurring much expenses.

“The problem we had in the Premier League was basically due to problem of insecurity in the North Eastern part of the country, where one of our clubs Adamawa Queens is based.

“Though, there were lots of assurances from the State government on the safety of teams coming to the state to play, but most of the teams refused to travel down there.

“The case was taken to the NFF disciplinary committee who advised the NFF leadership to give further directives on the issue.

“We want to thank God that this issue has been sorted out, and all the outstanding matches of Adamawa queens would be played in a neutral venue beginning from next weekend.

“Let me use this opportunity to thank the Management of Adamawa Queens for their understanding” she said.

Onyedinma concluded that by appealing to the first lady, Dame Goodluck Jonathan to lead the Super Falcons to Canada next year to lift the FIFA Women World Cup for the first time for Africa “because, we would need her patience and goodluck to achieve this great feat” she said.