FIFA MA Course: Young talents course begins as instructors programme ends

The Nigeria Football Federation has successfully organized this year’s FIFA Member Associations’ Technical and Physical Instructors Course at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja with the President of Nigeria Referees Association, Hon. Sani Zubairu expressing gratitude to the NFF leadership for the robust support offered to ensure the success of the programme.

“We thank God for the success of this first segment of the FIFA MA Course, and we also thank the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation for always having our backs. Without their support, we would not be able to achieve our objectives. I hereby charge all participants to leverage on what they have learnt here and let us see the impact in their zones, in both technical and physical aspects,” Zubairu said.

In a similar vein, Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Madam Faith Irabor commended the NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON) for the support and encouragement that the Committee and the NFF Refereeing Unit continue to receive from the Federation.

“The NFF President has been gracious to us. This programme is an integral part of his pledge to change the face of refereeing in Nigeria, and you will all agree with me that he has lived up to his words as our referees performed creditably in the just-concluded NPFL season.” She also charged participants to go back to their zones and disseminate the knowledge acquired from the programme.

A total of 40 elite technical and physical instructors were involved in the week-long course, which included theoretical and practical sessions, and was superintended by FIFA Fitness Instructor Boubaker Hanachi from Tunisia and FIFA Technical Instructor Ali Mohamed Ahmed from Somalia. Nigerian instructors Felicia Okwugba, Peter Edibe, Cecilia Ogwuche, Emmanuel Imiere and Stella Emoji, and IT/Video Instructor Promise Uwaeme, supported the FIFA delegates.

The double-salvo programme aimed at improving the capacity of technical and physical instructors in Nigeria and also recruiting referees from an early age, continues on Sunday with the second segment that is for the Young Talents Programme. Just like the technical and physical instructors’ course, the Young Talents Programme will involve 40 participants.

Participants for Young Talents Programme: Mansur Mahmud Ngaski, Gbemisola Solihat Yusuf, Bashir Moukhtar, Dominion Chisom Kalu, Ibrahim Adams Boyi, Emmanuel Ajewole, Kwanga Eric Terhile, Asakpi Oritsetsolayemi, Esther Joseph, Patience Abi Azi, Ehinola Aanu Paulina, Omowunmi Adeola Oluwole, Adepoju Michael Oluwajuwonlo, Suleyman Sani, Semiat Opeyemi Mustapha, Stephanie Tse Henbafan, Alohan Uzoma Osakpamwan, Isah Nagogo, Ruth Ogunrombi, Andrew Iorkon, Jamilu Hamisu, Rachael Onyekwere, Adie Emmanuel Unimike, Umar Musa Anukpo, Yakubu Aliyu, Ismail Ishaq, Idowu Stephen Omolade, Al-Ameen Kabiru Yusuf, Scholastica Amalachukwu Ikeobi, Dahiru Mustapha, Baffa Usman Usman, Uzaifa Abubakar Ilela, Ebenezer Folaesho, Muhammad Bin Lawal, Aminu Kabiru, Habibu Salihu, Idris Ibrahim Buba, Aminu Muhammed Yakubu, Aziz Ahmed, Capehas Hamen