BEVERLY HILLS, January 28, (THEWILL) –Â The President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Melvin Pinnick has been pencilled down for the honour of a Special Recognition Award at the maiden edition of the Sportsville Awards in Lagos. The football administrator, who is vying for a seat on the venerable FIFA Council, the highest decision-making organ in world football, will be honoured on Saturday.
Hon. Frank Ilaboya, the Chairman of Sportsville Communications, the organisers of the Awards, said the honour was to recognise and appreciate Pinnick’s tireless efforts to accord Nigeria a prominent place of pride in world football both on the field and in the boardroom.
Ilaboya explained the basis for the award: “Sportsville Communications is not unaware of the boundless energy and the unflagging enthusiasm with which Mr Pinnick has been pursuing the issue of uplifting Nigerian Football to a higher pedestal on the field and in the boardroom, since he was first elected as President of NFF in September 2014.
“He scores high in aggressive marketing and is matchless in seeking high visibility for Nigeria in football’s high table.”
The NFF President will not be the only honouree at the Saturday event as a total of 10 prominent Nigerians will be receiving a variety of awards at the ceremony scheduled to take place at the Ibis Royale Hotel on Saturday.
Some of these other recipients include Rivers State Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike; the Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu; the President of the Nigerian Organising Committee and member of the International Organising Committee Habu Ahmed Gumel and the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation Ahmadu Musa Kida.
The rest are Chairperson of the Board of the Nigeria Women Football League Aisha Falode; Executive member of the NFF Executive Member and Enyimba FC Chairman Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu; the proprietor of Radio Brila, Larry Izamoje; Ebi Egbe of Monimichelle Ltd and the former President of the Nigerian Footballers Supporters Club, Rafiu Olalere Oladipo.
Elaborating on the preparations for the event, Ilaboya said: “We have put in place measures to ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols and guidelines at the Awards.
“All the measures and protocols as outlined and instructed by the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports will be observed at the event.”
On Tuesday, Pinnick was cleared by world governing body, FIFA, making him eligible to contest for a seat on the 37-member FIFA Council. He scaled FIFA’s rigorous eligibility checks and thorough scrutiny of the social, moral and political credentials, as well as public service records of the individuals concerned.
It is the third time the 50-year-old is scaling the tests: first, for appointment into the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions, then, for election into the CAF Executive Committee and now, for the forthcoming FIFA Council election.
On Friday, March 12, at the 43rd Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and on the eve of the commencement of the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, FIFA will hold its Council elections in Rabat.
Pinnick’s lofty ambitions, if successful, will make him only the third Nigerian, after Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu to sit on the FIFA Council.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
