BEVERLY HILLS, February 05, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Thursday, urged international referees of Nigerian origin to strive for quality in the discharge of their duties. The call came as NFF organised the 2021 FIFA Badging Ceremony for the referees at the Conference Hall of the Goal Project, Abuja.
Intricately aware of the huge responsibilities that are before these referees who are handed these FIFA badges each season, the President of the Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, asked them to respect the high integrity their regulations expected of them.
Pinnick, who was represented at the occasion by an Executive Committee member and Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Inuwa Sheriff Alhan, said that the FIFA referees, by the act of their badging had become ambassadors of Nigeria and ought to always consider the image of their country whenever called upon in their refereeing capacities.
Exhorting those at the ceremony to showcase the best there is to know about their rare qualities which made them worthy of consideration for the elite refereeing status, the Chairman informed them that the NFF was pleased with their refereeing performances at home and abroad, which warranted the focus on their welfare.
Alhan revealed the Federation’s plans to adequately handle issues related to outstanding match Indemnities involving match officials in the leagues to give them ample proof of the determination of the Federation to take proper care in them.
At the event, Sanusi Mohammed, who is the General Secretary of the NFF, enjoined the referees to imbibe the ethical machinations necessary to display the high level of integrity expected of them on and off the football pitch.
He called to their minds the absolute necessity to consciously apply the 3Rs of Integrity in their duties. The scribe of the Federation asked the referees to make sure it is always in their power to RECOGNISE all attempts to induce them, to not just RESIST such attempts but also complete the 3Rs by proceeding to REPORT such attempts to appropriate authorities as quickly as convenient.
Mohammed further let them know that the NFF is seeking for more FIFA slots from CAF and FIFA based on the good performances of Nigeria’s referees at the international scene, to create better opportunities for them at the continental and global levels.
The speeches began with Otunba Tade Azeez, the President of the Nigerian Referees Association (NRA), who explained that the Badging Ceremony was an annual ritual meant to decorate arbiters who were recognized by world football governing body as FIFA referees. Azeez noted that the NRA was always available to work for the interest of the members.
He rounded up by asking these badges to make use of the chances provided to reach the apogee of their international careers before retirement with the benefit of a fulfilling active life in the sport.
In the number of those badged were two new women referees; Yemi Akintoye and Beauty Tera. They were badged as Referee and Assistant Referee respectively.
The list of the others included the following male referees: Adebimpe Quadri, Basheer Salisu, Joseph Ogabor, Abdulahi Abubakar, Nurudeen Abubakar and Grema Mohammed. The male assistant referee list included Usman Isah, Peter Pwadutakam, Efosa Celestine, Peter Ogwu, Digbori Tejiri, Abdulmajeed Usman Olaide and Hope Egho.
The older female referees badged were Patience Ndidi Madu, Hannah Eliagwu and Olufumulayo Alaba, while female Assistants were Mimisen Iyorhe, Abibatu Yusuf and Mfom Akpan.
There were also badges for Futsal Soccer FIFA referees like Paul Umuago, Musa Dung Davou, Ndubuisi Uka and Bello Zuru Alhassan and for Beach Soccer FIFA referees like Ogunmuyiwa Jelili, Olaide Olayinka, Brig Gen Fawole Olawale and Rabiu Ahmad.
