Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Aisha Falode believed being elected into the board of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) would further boost the growth of women’s football in the country.
Falode, the only women appointed Executive Committee member of the present NFF as chairperson of the NWFL, reckoned that seeking an elective position at the forthcoming September 30 NFF elections slated for Benin City, Edo State capital, would afford her the chance to breath more life into the women’s game without being cowed by anybody.
“ We have done well at the NWFL and I’m thankful to the Pinnick -led board because without their support, we won’t be able to achieve much at the NWFL and in fact, President Amaju Pinnick was instrumental to the last two sponsorships we secured for the NWPL ,” Falode said in Lagos at the weekend. “Of course, I have been on the NFF board on the basis of being the NWFL’s chairperson but there’s little one can do to assert one’s authority and influence because you are also at the mercy of those that appointed you.”
The former member of CAF’s Media Committee who said she was aspiring for NFF executive seat through from the Edo State Football Association, added she’s ready for the test in the ballot box,
“ Going forward, I don’t want to be appointed anymore even if I’m given the chance; I’ll rather go and contest elections and if I win fine and if I lose, I’ll know I have given it my best shot,” Falode, brandishing her electoral form, said.“ I’ll be joining the race not as President or Vice-President of the NFF but as an executive committee member.
“I want to have a voice and I want to be heard and I want to be able to take the initiative and run with the ideas without holding back because I’m equal with the people I’m sharing the table with,” she added.
Apart from bigger visibility for women’s football, Falode , said one of the agendas she’ll be pursuing on being elected into the NFF is a result oriented secretariat at the Sunday Dankaro House, adding there are so much yet untapped opportunities for women’s football and Nigerian football in general.
“ Of course, when I return to the board through the ballot as an executive committee member of the NFF , I can also begin to be loud in my ideas and pushing for a football federation that is professionally run,” she said.“ We know a lot of things that can be done better in our football federation and we can build upon what has been done by the last board because this is going to be like a relay race.”
Falode added that she will ensure that the NFF secretariat is up and running in all ramifications including commercial, marketing, legal and compliance levels.
