Just as history was made a couple of years ago when two serving cabinet ministers attended the NWFL Super 4 in Lagos, history would again be made in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital as two cabinet ministers and the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, have all confirmed their presence to watch the 2020/2021 Nigeria Women Football League Premiership opener at the Lafia Township Stadium on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.
By available records, this is going to be the first time in the history of the women’s league in Nigeria for two cabinet ministers; the Youths and Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, and Minister for Women Affairs, Paulen Tallen, supported by the General Secretary of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, to watch the first game of the Nigeria Women League live and direct.
The trio will watch the game between home team Nasarawa Amazons and FC Robo of Lagos, the game predicted to be the hottest in the Week 1 fixture, between perennial league Champions, the Amazons and FC Robo, a team that produced four times African Woman Best Player, Asisat Oshoala and two times Under-20 World Cup player and current Super Falcons star, Rashidat Ajibade.
The Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode, expressed her delight on the epoch-making event, especially at it would allow the NWFL to set the second straight record in the Nigeria league football polity in less than two years.
She noted: “The board members of the NWFL are very excited, same with the players and officials of the two teams for having these top personalities present at the Lafia stadium to watch them play. Of course, this is a huge boost for the players’ careers.
“These, aside from any other things, would enable the team players, the coaches, and the referees to give their best in the match and would invariably up the standard of the opening game of the season.”
Falode added that the board of NWFL is proud to be the first to kick start organised league football in Nigeria despite the odds.
“We say a very big thank you to the Sports Minister, the Women Affairs Minister, and the NFF General Secretary for taking a decision to add color to the NWFL Premiership which is the flagship of the NWFL.
“The presence of the two ministers most definitely buttress their commitment to ensuring in the nearest future, that, the three tiers of the Nigeria Women’s League; the Premiership, Championship, and Nationwide get the much-desired sponsorship.
“Their presence is a strong signal that we are close to getting to the promised land in the area of sponsorship, that would put smiles on the faces of all women’s football stakeholders in Nigeria. We are indeed very grateful.”
The historic kick-off of the 2020/ 2021 NWFL Premiership season will also witness the football league board partnership with UN Women on the #Safehome Campaign.
The UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Comfort Lamptey, and her team will be present in Lafia to watch the league opener on Wednesday.
Joyce Lamptey said: “I am delighted to make your acquaintance, following my discussions with Ms. Joyce Cook and her other colleagues at FIFA, to discuss possible collaboration around the #SafeHome Campaign, and also to review other opportunities for operationalizing the existing MOU between FIFA and UN Women.
“I am available to discuss this further with you and explore concrete partnership entry points between the Nigeria Football Federation and UN Women to advance issues pertaining to women’s rights and gender equality in football and sports, and also to harness the influence of footballers to address prevention of violence against women and girls.”
The 2020/2021 NWFL Premiership season kicks-off officially at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa together with other fixtures in a total of seven venues, on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, with a straight league format that would see robust action for 26 weeks in a total 182 matches.
The eventual champion and runners-up will qualify to play in the inaugural CAF Women Champions League.
