Odita Sunday 
NFF reforms: Nigeria Pitch Awards founder urges Tinubu to work with FIFA
By Odita Sunday
The founder and President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Shina Philips, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to work closely with FIFA and the interim management of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure that ongoing reforms in the country’s football administration comply with international football regulations.
Philips, who backed the reforms initiated by the Federal Government, said closer coordination with FIFA was necessary to ensure that efforts to reposition Nigerian football achieve their intended objectives without running contrary to the rules of the world football governing body.
“The presidency, and the National Sports Commission should work closely with the interim management in the NFF and FIFA to ensure that the reforms align closely with FIFA rules and guidelines,” Philips said in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.
He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for initiating what he described as long-awaited reforms in the country’s football governing body, saying the process would expose the challenges confronting Nigerian football and identify areas requiring presidential intervention.
“The reforms initiated by the President and the National Sports Commission will highlight the challenges facing our football and draw the much-needed intervention or support from the presidency,” Philips stated.
According to him, the reforms represented a bold attempt to confront perceived decline in Nigerian football and could pave the way for the revival of the sport.
Philips said the strategic importance of football and its massive following across the country meant that government could not afford to neglect the sector.
He noted that football had a unique capacity to unite Nigerians across political, religious and other divides, particularly during matches involving the national teams.
“Football has a large following in the country, and during football matches involving our national teams, Nigerians become united, abandoning their political or religious divides to celebrate the national teams,” he said.
Philips commended President Tinubu, the NSC and the new interim management of the NFF for their roles in the reform process, while urging football stakeholders to support the initiative.
He also expressed confidence in the interim management led by Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and Dr Ademola Olajire, describing both officials as experienced administrators capable of steering the federation in the right direction.
“I have known Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and Dr. Ademola Olajire for decades, and I know they will steer the federation in the right direction. I call on all stakeholders to give them all the support that they need to rebuild our football,” Philips said.
He urged all stakeholders to participate actively in the reform process, stressing that the responsibility for rebuilding Nigerian football could not be left to government or the federation alone.
Philips maintained that collaboration among the presidency, NSC, NFF interim management, FIFA and other stakeholders would be crucial to producing reforms capable of restoring Nigerian football to a vibrant and competitive footing.
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