The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under the suffocating grip of a cabal made the first positive appointment in seven years through the dogged intervention of the Hon. Minister of sports and youth development, Sunday Dare, when it announced the appointment of former international and astute football administrator, Davidson Owumi, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Professional League ( NPFL).
The flagship of Nigeria domestic football, the NPFL, has been run aground by the League Management Company (LMC), a contraption set up by the NFF as a stop-gap measure to resolve internal disputes in the Nigeria Premier League.
The NPFL has since been shredded into bankruptcy, a failed entity that could not pay salaries of its own staff and indemnity of match officials inspite of its enormous potentials.
Owumi has a herculean task ahead of him to revamp the NPFL and restore confidence on new investors and sponsors through an open-door policy by transparently managing the affairs of the NPFL.
Owumi reputed to be one of the Best Administrators of our time must have to bring his magic wand to bear on the “STATE OF EMERGENCY” of our domestic football.
The NPFL having been ran inconclusively for the past three years while Professional clubs have not received any inflow from the NPFL in five years.
While Owumi needs the support of all stakeholders to succeed he has to take absolute control and command of the affairs of NPFL on assumption of office to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
This particular year 2020 inspite of the Coronavirus Pandemic has been a good year for Nigeria ex-internationals
First it was Daniel Amokachi’s well-deserved appointment as Special Assistant on sports to President Muhammadu Buhari and now Davidson Owumi’s ascension as NPFL boss.
The Players Union was also united this year as one body in Nigeria.
More to come as there is no alternative to good governance in Nigeria football.
BY HARRISON JALLA.
