Foremost football chieftains from the South West of the country have extolled the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for his strong faith and commitment to development of the game from the grassroots, insisting that there is no other route to the growth of a robust football economy.
NFF 2nd Vice President and Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, who was on the tour of the zone with Gusau at the weekend, said the Gusau administration’s commitment to grassroots football development and its constant advocacy in this regard will not wane, as it is the only way to go for real growth of the round-leather game.
“We cannot deceive ourselves; the path to true growth is from the grassroots. The NFF President has spoken well. It is left for our administrators at the State FAs and local football councils to hearken to the call and do the right thing.”
Chairman of the Ekiti State FA, Mr. Oluwole Oloworemo, spoke in the same vein. “Attempting to climb the tree from the top will always be a pipe dream. Grassroots development is the real thing.”
Mr. Dotun Coker, vice chairman of the Lagos FA, who stood in for the chairman, Hajji Gafar Olawale Liameed on the tour, added: “In Lagos, we have been devoted to development of the game from the grassroots for decades now. The NFF President’s gospel sits pretty well with us, and I believe it is the way to go.”
