NFF Thumbs Up Pitch Award Transparency

NFF Thumbs Up Pitch Award Transparency

By Our Reporter

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the transparency in the selection of award winners is one of the major reasons the partnership and support from the football federation and the organiser of the award is still existing for more than ten years, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Speaking at the Press Conference in Abuja on Monday, the Director of communications of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire said what has kept the partnership and the support of the NFF together with the organizers of awards all these years is the transparency, accountability, the integrity as well as the credibility of the voting process—stressing that the award ceremony has really been incredible.

“You know, what has kept the support of the NFF with the Pitch Awards going all these years has been the aspect of accountability, credibility, integrity and transparency, the organizers have done well, particularly as it regards the area of bringing in college of voters to make the whole process transparent."

The 10th edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was staged on June 8, with African footballer of the year, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala headlining the biggest winners, crowned as the King of the Pitch and Queen of the Pitch respectively at the Ibom icon resort, in Akwa Ibom state, Uyo.

Meanwhile, the organizers of the “Nigeria Pitch Awards” acknowledged the importance and the invaluable role the Nigerian sports journalists, men and women, particularly the college of voters have played in the success of their events since it’s inception in 2012, (10 years ago), paimedia.com.ng reports

Taking an introspective look at the journey when it started way back in lagos, in 2012, organizers expressed delight with the sustained success and consistency their event has maintained—crediting a chunk of the success story to Nigerian sports editors and journalists all across the country.

Also speaking during the press conference, President of the “Nigeria Pitch Awards” Mr Shina Phillips says the Nigerian media have been a key component of the success story, and expressed gratitude for their commitment and dedication all through the years.

He noted that creating an award platform that has a unique character of its own was the rationale behind their intentions to birth the idea of the Pitch Awards—affirming further that a careful process of bringing together a college of voters of the most knowledgeable and professional sports journalist was in the best interest that will help the award’s decision which has been void of controversy —as transparency has been the core value since it started.

“It is with a sense of humility that I specially wish to salute the courage, steadfastness, commitment and dedication of all Nigerian sports editors and journalists who have supported the awards since 2012, we express our gratitude to you for standing by the Nigeria Pitch Awards for the past 10 years”.

“From inception, our intention was to create an award platform that has a unique character of its own; a character moulded by our core values of transparency, credibility and integrity. To achieve this, we have followed a carefully laid out award process which brings together a college of voters comprising some of Nigeria’s most knowledgeable, experience and professional sports journalists and an independent collation body”

“As organizers, I would like to state that we are very proud of and deeply appreciative of our college of voters, and we owe it to you that in the last ten years of the Nigerian Pitch Awards, none of our award decision have been controversial”.