Ten Nigerians have bagged the topmost and inaugural award of the Nigeria National League (NNL) for their various efforts in developing sports and football in particular.
The maiden NNL Football Award took place at the Premium Hall of the Salt Lake Hotel in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Capital South East Nigeria, with Ebonyi State governor, His Excellency Engineer David Umahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba, Nigeria Football Federation (NfF), President Amaju Pinnick, leading the pack of awardees in the first ever organized award by the Most Important League in the country.
Business magnate, revered Sports Administrator and former board member of the NFF, Chief Gabriel Chukwuma (Nnayereugo Nnewi), Chairman Premier Lotto (Baba Ijebu) Dr. Chief Kessington Adebutu, who powered the just concluded AGM of the NNL, and Bro. Felix Obuah (The Financier of Go- Round Football Club of Omoku, Rivers State).
Others are Football administrators Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, who is NFF Board member, Chairman of Chairmen and Zamfara State Football Association Chairman, former Nigerian International and Chairman of NNL club side, Kogi United, Abdul Sule who is also President of Presidents NNL Club Owners Association (NALCOMA).
Also honoured was Football Hon. Kunle Soname. It would be recalled that Bet9ja, under the umbrella of his company K. C. Gamings Limited partnered with the NNL between 2016-2018 as title sponsors of the League,
NNL Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Adesanya told NNL Media that the essence of the award is to acknowledge those who made and are still making high-impact contributions to the development of sports and football specifically.
“It is the very best of our beliefs and perhaps that of others, we consider them as major gladiators in shaping sports, as you all know sports is a great employer of labour and majority of the Nigerian youths are engaged in it”
“So we have thought it wise to encourage those who provided and are still providing the enabling environment for things to thrive, in one way or another our selected winners have greatly affected us at the NNL, and clapping for them this way as we have demonstrated today, is our own little way and best gift to appreciate their efforts.”
Mr. Adesanya added that the development in Abakaliki is only a sequence and that more Nigerians, particularly those supporting NNL and the development of the beautiful game (football) in the country will not go unrecognized by the new management team of NNL under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba.
He further stated that NNL in the 2020/2021 League season will extend same gesture to match officials who will distinguish themselves in the course of discharging their duties in the new season.
