Women's football set for overhaul
by Sammy Wejinya 22 June 2012, 17:33
The Chairman of the Nigeria Women’s league board, Onyedinma Dilichukwu has exclusively told SuperSport.com that plans to ‘overhaul the Women’s game in the country’ are in top gear.
Onyedinma who assumed office in January 2011 has unveiled a ‘13-point-agenda’ to that effect with the “First ladies Cup’ at the tip of the spear.
“It is a competition earmarked for students in secondary schools across the country.
“It will be played among secondary school girls in all local governments across the federation, after states and zonal eliminations will produce finalists for the grand finale that will be played in FTC, Abuja,” Onyedinma explained.
The football chief also took the time to speak on the state of domestic football in Nigeria explaining that ‘plans are in top gear to secure sponsors for the league’.
“It has been severally highlighted that we do not have sponsors for the Women’s league in the country but I can tell you that plans are in top gear to secure sponsors for the league. I want to use this medium to praise the club owners of Women’s league clubs in the country for their decision to shoulder the financial burdens of the players thus far,” she said.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the Women’s football events at the 2011 All Africa Games and the 2012 Olympic games have been blamed on the falling standards of the domestic league but Onyedinma was quick to dispel such notions.
“Let us not forget that Nigeria are the champions of Africa. At the moment only four foreign based players are in the Super Falcons team and not all of them are starters.
“The majority of the national team players all ply their trade in the domestic league so it would be wrong to say the league is now weak,” Onyedinma argued.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons are inaction against South Africa in an international friendly on Saturday.
The game kicks off by 4pm and is live on SS7.
