SWAN Congratulates NFF, LMC, Club Owners, Others, As Professional League Clocks 30

SWAN Congratulates NFF, LMC, Club Owners, Others, As Professional League Clocks 30

By Niyi Busari

The National Secretariat of Sports Writers' Association of Nigeria, SWAN; an affiliate of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has felicitated with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the League Management Company, LMC, as the Nigeria Professional Football League clocks 30 years today.

While congratulating Football Administrators, Club Owners, FA Chairmen accross Nigeria, and other key players in the industry, the Association stated that 30 years of the existence of the Professional league calls for sober reflection.

In a statement jointly signed by the President of the Association, Comrade Ahmed Aigbona and the Secretary General, Comrade Mike Oboh, lauded the efforts of those who have contributed greatly to the growth of the league.

According to Aigbona, " since the inauguration of the Nigeria Professional Football League in 1990, the NPFL has grown from strength to strength, but despite its sustainability, there is the need to improve on the league, especially in the area of health facility, officiating, players' welfare, security, stadiums infrastructure, among other things for the good of the industry.

"As 'Sports Writers, our joy is to see that the professional league is fully commercialized and create multiple job opportunities for Nigerians, like other leagues in Europe among others.

" In the interest of the round leather game, SWAN and other stakeholders in the industry must put heads together for the good of the game."

Comrade Ahmed Aigbona commends the efforts of President of NFF, Amaju Pinnick, other board members, and the Chairman of LMC, Shehu Dikko, towards repositioning the league, urging them not to relent until they delivered on their mandates.

While wishing NFF, LMC, Club Owners, FA Chairmen, Sponsors, Partners, Nigerian Professional League Players, and other key actors in the football industry the best of the season, Aigbona said: " it is our collective responsibility to move the game forward ".

He further explained that the supportive role of the state governments in the promotion of sports; through sponsorship of Football Clubs must be acknowledged, while calling for more robust relationship between state governments and private owned Football Clubs.