NFF Fact-finding Committee: Gusau Charges Members To Probe Cause Of Falcons World Cup Poor Outing
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria Football Federation President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, MON, on Monday inaugurated the Federation’s newly constituted Fact-finding Committee on Nigeria Football Setbacks and charged the members to approach their assignment with absolute sincerity of purpose and diligence.
The committee was set up last Friday after the senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, failed to qualify for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. Gusau tasked the panel with unravelling the root causes of Nigeria’s recent poor showings in international competitions, with particular focus on the Falcons’ unexpected elimination.
Addressing the members at the inauguration, Gusau said: “You are to probe into the direct and remote causes of the poor outings of the National Teams in recent times, but with specific reference to the unexpected failure of the Super Falcons to qualify for the World Cup. You will have two weeks to do the job and submit your report.
“We have composed this committee believing that you will come up with solutions to the present malaise, having played crucial roles in the Nigeria game in one way or the other for a very long time.”
Committee Chairman Ambassador Fanny Ikhayere Amun, MON, assured Gusau that the panel would discharge the national assignment with a high sense of responsibility. He said the committee would engage persons connected to the issues and receive memoranda from concerned members of the public.
“We see this as a call to a very important national duty. It is not something that can be approached half-hearted; we have to immerse ourselves fully into the processes and come out with a report that all who have a stake in the Nigeria game will be proud of. We must endeavour to speak the truth at all times and be very diligent,” Amun stated.
Other members of the committee are former Super Falcons captain and four-time Women’s AFCON winner Desire Oparanozie; former Super Eagles captain Mutiu Adepoju; Nigeria Football Coaches Association President Ladan Bosso; and former FIFA referee Dr Alex Mana. The secretary is former Nigeria international and NFF Technical Department deputy director Nasiru Jibril.
