By Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Moruf Afolabi Afuape has confessed that he went both spiritual and materially to ensure Gateway United Football Club of Ogun State gain promotion into Nigeria Professional Football League last season. Afuape who was speaking at the March edition of Ogun SWAN Forum in Abeokuta regretted not qualifying the team for the 2016/2017 season of Nigeria Professional Football League. The Ogun Sports Commissioner who lamented the root in the league emphasized that, despite the dint of hard work displayed by his team last season, poor officiating and boardroom politics marred the chances of Gateway United to qualify to the elites league. “I did promised tax payers in Ogun State that I will qualify Gateway United Football Club into the NPFL, but unfortunately we could not achieve such feat.
I did everything humanly possible, both spiritual and on-pitch engagement, but we ran out of luck. ” The boardroom politics and poor officiating also marred our chances of qualifying because we gave out our best in the NNL last season, but all we are asking for this season is high level playing ground for all teams in the NNL and we believe with that, we shall prove ourselves and qualify once again to make the sporting fans in Ogun State happy. ” Reacting, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National League (NNL), Hon. Bukola Olopade assured that, the new management of the second division of Nigeria league would ensure transparency, equity and fairness in the lower league this season. Hon. Olopade who featured as Month of March guest of Ogun SWAN Forum held at MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta on Thursday dismissed the fear of club owners in the NNL of poor officiating. Ozogular as fondly called by sports lovers also reiterated the commitment of NNL management in securing good sponsorship and television airing for the lower league. He however informed that, NTA and StarTimes have signified interest in becoming the official TV sponsors.
Hon. Olopade therefore, urged Ogun State Government to intensify efforts in discovering more athletes to represent the state and the country through inter-schools sporting events, adding that with the untapped raw talents in the state, Nigeria could once again be reckon with as pillar of sports in Africa.