The management of the Nigeria Premier League (NPFL), Administrators of the twenty (20) clubs in the elite division; as well as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other critical stakeholders of the country’s top flight league, will all converge on Abuja on
Tuesday, August 29, 2023 for this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the league.
The AGM holds ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2023/24 season-long draw ceremony and kick-off; earlier scheduled for August 26, before it was moved forward by two weeks, to September 09, 2023 for what many called “a good reason”.
In an official communication dispatched to the 20 NPFL Clubs, the league’s Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owunmi elaborated on the need to have the AGM before the season gets underway.
“To deliberate on strategies for orchestrating activities in the upcoming season.
Furthermore, the fixtures for the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier League season will be unveiled during the AGM in Abuja; and it’s noteworthy that Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye had previously emphasized the urgency, for clubs to promptly conclude documentation and player registrations to ensure a seamless transition into the new season”.
With the League’s recommencement only a little over two weeks away, clubs have been given additional time, in the Summer window to prepare diligently and forestall potential penalties, especially clubs like Rivers United, Remo Stars, Enyimba FC, and Bendel Insurance, which are concurrently engaged in CAF’s Inter-Club Championships, and are subject to more scrutiny.
The inaugural AGM is no doubt programed to help connect clubs, and other stakeholders with the new NPFL Board, led by Hon.Gbenga Elegbeleye; and in the wake of the recent formation of a nine-man Technical Committee, to be headed by Super Eagles legend, Daniel Amokachi.
The Technical Committee is mainly saddled with the responsibility of selecting the NPFL Team of the Month and ultimately, the NPFL Team of the Season; with the chosen players to be presented with the opportunity to embark on a tour to Spain for international club friendlies alongside prominent La Liga teams.
One of the major gains achieved by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) that supritended over last season’s abridged league, was their ability to reverse the five-year absence of live television coverage, to put the best of Nigeria’s football, back on Cable Satellite television; as was evident at both the NPFL Super Six, and Naija Super 8 that followed.
The move by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to being to a timely end, the tenure of the IMC and put its place, a reconstituted board of the NPFL have continued to receive praise from far and near.
Many had expected the NFF to stick with their promise to have the LMC run the League last term, and hand it over to an elected body; which used to be the practice before the emergence of the abbreviation called the League Management Company (LMC), ordained by the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led NFF board, in its twilight weeks.
As it were, the NFF retained Engr. Gbenga Elegbeleye and former International, Davison Owumi; who were respectively the Chairman and Head of Operations of the now defunct IMC, to continue in the same role in the newly reconstituted NPFL Board.
But the first salvo fired after the inaugural of the new NPFL board was; why an appointed board, instead of an elected board, as enunciated by FIFA, which insists that the leagues should be run independently, while the federations excersise oversight functions.
As usual with the present board of the NFF, led by a very meticulous President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau who bids his time before uttering the few words that the media have been able to attribute to him, since he mounted the saddle on September 30, 2022 in Benin; has yet to respond to these queries.
However, it is crystal clear that the NFF tested the waters, by first making appointments for the reconstituted lower leagues, that’s the National League (NNL), Nationwide League One, and Women’s Football League (NWFL); and once it was condoned, they got reassurances, that their grand plan can be foisted on the stakeholders.
Also, considering the calibre of individuals, appointed to serve in the new NPFL Board; many of the critics seem to have a abandoned their advocacy for an elected board, and are now more concerned about picking holes in the appoints.
For instance, there has been an outcry that the South-East, which is the only zone, represented by just a single person in the 15-man NFF board; has nobody in the reconstituted NPFL board.
We fact checked and found that Engr. Elegbeleye is from the South-West, Davison Owumi (South-South),
Okey Kpalokwu (South South), Mallam Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu (North West), Dominic Iorfa (North Central), Mallam Suleiman Umar (North East), Daniel Amokachi (North Central), Barr. Danlami Ibrahim (North Central), and Porbeni Ogun (South South). In this arrangement, the question was where is the South East or even the North West; and who represents the interests of the four clubs: Enyimba FC, Enugu Rangers, Abia Warriors and Heartland FC, from that region, when push turns to solve?
Although the NFF has yet to address this anomaly, it’s hoped that an explanation will be made any time soon, and a response that would calm frail nerves.
We understand the NFF, IMC cum NPFL and Supersport, like most fans of the league, enjoyed that Cameo and have agreed to continue in that partnership that have drawn commendation from far and near.
One of those who got wowed by what he saw at the season-ending tournaments at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, in Onikan, Lagos is a Nigerian, residing in the United Kingdom; who I like to simply refer to here as a world-class sports broadcaster and promoter, Edward Simons. Hear him…
“If that’s what Nigerian football offers, I want to be part of it. The blaring trumpets, music, the dance, the noisy fans, youngsters playing good football and displaying soccer artistry”.
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Ed Simons and his Quanta Media Group, signed the dotted lines, to conclude the formalities needed to ignite a partnership that will infuse the added beauty of live streaming of TV matches, on television.
To this end, twenty (20) Cameraman and twenty (20) Broadcasters – Commentators and Analysts are currently perfecting their respective trainings that would see as many as eight fixtures, streamed live, per match-day.
The Cameras to be deployed to the venues are said to be Artificial Intelligence (AI) purpose built gadgets, invented by the military, and used while in flight or war operations; but was first used in sports coverage by the NBA.
According to Ed Simons, “the camera’s are able to record all stats of individual players; the replays, highlights”.
He added that the draft APP is ready, and will be on sale soon, after getting the requisite approvals. And according to him, “it’s a simple, compact app that is also user friendly”.
The Venture will be. test run or demonstrated, for all critical stakeholders, including the fans and the media; but assurances have been given that the Cameras and subsidiary equipments, flown in from South Africa are top notch, but needs strong internet network at the designated stadiums on match-days to function optimally.
“When tested at a friendly game, the outcome was amazingly pretty and one of the club chairmen could not stop marvelling at such technology seen elsewhere, is now in the NPFL”.
A background check done on Ed Simons revealed that on behalf of the English Premier League, he negotiated broadcast deals with Sky Sports, and was also involved in the promotion of major UK and US championship boxing matches featuring such fighters as Joe Calzaghe, Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton and Mike Tyson.
Ed Simons co-founded XFM Radio which eventually sold to Capital Radio; and was one of a group of entrepreneurs responsible for developing the London Arena, a 15,000-seater indoor arena in East London.
In 2012, he became a founder shareholder of public service broadcaster, That’s Media Group, of which he continues to serve as chairman. That’s Media Group is now the UK’s leading independent television broadcaster with 21 stations, broadcasting to over 10 million UK homes.
In 2020, Edward became non executive chairman of Quanta Media Group.
So, it is no more in doubt that as the September 9th kick-off date stares at our faces, and the season-long draw and AGM both to precede the kick-off, a lot of meticulous and behind the scene works are being undertaken, day-in day-out to ensure that the upcoming Nigeria Premier Football League Season, sustains the gains made last season, and exponentially build on them.
