News Post

Osun United will play their successive home matches at the Ilorin Township Stadium, in Kwara State, starting with the week six games against Ekiti United.

Nigeria National League took the summary jurisdiction to banish the Osogbo based club to Ilorin following established flagrant violation of Covid-19 protocols as directed by the Nigeria Football Federation, through the Nigeria National League, in their last home game at the Osogbo Township Stadium against Vandrezzer FC of Lagos.

Findings and evidences before the NNL showed that Osun United allowed enormous number of spectators into the stadium despite the strong standing Covid-19 and closed doors directives.

Osun United also enforced gate takings (ticket sales) of various dimensions for fans to enter the stadium.

Consequently, Osun United are to pay the sum of N 300,000.00 (Three hundred thousand naira, only) on or before their next home game.

NNL Chief Operating Officer, Emmanuel Adesanya told NNL Media & Communications team that the Osun United versus Vandrezzer FC tie of Saturday 6 March, 2021 has been declared a NO MATCH, therefore would be replayed at a neutral venue, with Osun United to bear the cost of indemnities of match officials.

Other punitive measures to Osun United for their distasteful acts are:

1. Replacement of damaged equipment of Vandrezzer fc during the encounter.

2. That Osun United and Osun Football Association should within three (3) days account to the NNL all monies collected from the gate takings at the said match.

3. Osun United and the Osun State Football Association, have been given seven (7) days to produce the supporters captured in the video evidence for further sanctions.

4. The President of Osun United Chief Ademola Adesina (Former Nigeria international) and the Secretary of Osun  State Football Association, Mr. Amao Abayomi alongside the identified culprits should unfailingly appear before the COMPLIANCE Unit of the Nigeria National League, on Tuesday 16 March,2021, at 11am prompt for further questioning.

The COO further stated that the safety of the football community remains the top priority of the present management of the Nigeria National League. As the league season continues the NNL will keep playing its part in caring for others, by ensuring the guidelines of Covid-19 are strictly followed. 

Emmanuel Adesanya finally, noted that club managers, coaches, players and everyone involved in the beautiful game of Football should learn to model healthy behaviors for the well-being of everyone before, on and off the pitch of play

The Nigeria National League has again emphasized the importance of its forty six clubs adhering strictly to existing Covid-19 guidelines and the need to ensure a revalidation of test result of players and officials submitted to it after one month.

In a latest Communication to the clubs and in keeping with the directives of the Nigeria Football Federation Covid-19 Task Force led by Shehu Gusau, the NNL declared it will place on hold any match involving clubs who fail to comply with the Covid-19 protocols .

The NNL Clubs are reminded as follows:

1.           That all matches are to be played strictly under closed doors and the state football associations are charged to ensure compliance.

2. Only accredited person(s) with their face masks are permitted to enter the stadium in any NNL match

3. Players of both teams and officials are to march to the field of play separately and not side by side.

4. Not more than seven (7) club’s technical crew are allowed to sit on the reserve bench during a match

5. The rule of social distancing must be maintained in all seating arrangements, both on the reserve bench and seating pavilion.

6. That temperature screening must be carried out at every entry point of the stadium and hand sanitizers made available by the host State Football Association.

7. The provision of a functional Ambulance at every match venue.

8. In one of the steps towards checking Corona virus, the NNL also reiterated that there will be NO Ball boys during the league games, balls will be strategically placed at various angles of the field during a game.

That clubs are allowed a staggered maximum number of five (5) substitutions rather than three (3) in each match of the NNL for the 2020/2021 season.

Congress praised the efforts of the Nigeria Football Federation,NF for the parental role have been playing in the affairs of the Nigeria National League.

The Congress strongly reaffirmed the Friday 15th of January,2021 earlier Draw conducted at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) with a majority vote of 42 to 3.

The Assembly unanimously agreed for a NEW kick off date for Saturday 13th of February 2021.

The Emergency Congress equally upheld the abridged League format of four groups,two each from the Northern and Southern Conferences,for the 2020/2021 season.

Congress passed a vote explicit confidence on the Management Management Team of Nigeria National League led by Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba.

Signed: Communique Drafting Committee Members.

* Mr.David Allu -Chairman (Aklosendi Int’l Lafia)*Dr. Abdullahi Adamu – ( Sokoto Utd)*Mr.China Acheru – (Go-Round FC)*Mr.Ayodele Olowolafe – (Ekiti Utd)*Mr.Nicholas Akujobi- Secretary (NNL Admin Sec)*Mr.Amar Ignis -Media & Communication NNL

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 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, Football Proprietors Hon. Kunle Soname; you will recall 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, 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).

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 this 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.

The  Annual General Assembly (AGA) and new season draw of the Nigeria National League (NNL) ,which is the 31st edition, has been scheduled to hold Friday the 15th of January,2021 in the capital City of the Salt of the Nation Abakaliki , Ebonyi State, South – East Nigeria.

As it is customary, the yearly AGA precedes the start of a fresh season, the management of the Most Important League has chosen the Prestigious Salt Lake Hotel in Abakaliki as venue.

NNL’S Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mr. Emmanuel Adesanya who disclosed this to the Media & Communication arm of the League ,said the Ordinary AGA which will afford major stakeholders the chance to deliberate and take decisions on key issues before  commencement of the 2020/2021 season, will have only Presidents of the clubs or their certified representatives in attendance.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) earlier at its last meeting mooted 16th of January, 2021 as kick off date for the NNL, but as it appears the date is not looking feasible.

“The AGA scheduled in Ebonyi will indeed provide us that veritable avenue to chart the way forward, and I can assure that the new  NNL season will not take long to start “ the COO noted.

The COO added that, the Presidents of the NNL Clubs are expected to arrive at Abakaliki on Thursday 14 ahead of the AGA and depart Saturday 16 after the AGA on Friday 15.

The Abakaliki AGA will be the first under current NNL Chairman, Senator Obinna Ogba, the last NNL AGA was held in Enugu in 2019 with late Honourable  Chidi Ofo Okenwa  as Chairman.

The NNL went on break on December 2019 but never returned throughout 2020 due to some unforeseen circumstances, and outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Nigeria National League was established in 1972 as the Nigeria League (First League) with six clubs, the name changed to Professional League (Pro- League) on the 12th of May,1990, It metamorphosed into the Nigeria National League (NNL) in 2012 after a Congress held in Kaduna.

The Management and Staff of the Nigeria National League, NNL on Wednesday 16^th December 2020, paid a visit of condolence to its Chairman, Dist. Senator Obinna Joseph Ogba at his Abuja residence, over the death of his father Chief Ogbaoku Odo (Omeiheufu 1) who just passed on.

Late Pa Ogbaoku quietly slept in the Lord on Thursday 10, December 2020 in his ancestral home, Amanvu  Igboesa  Clan, Ishielu Local Government Area (LGA), Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, at the ripe old age of 105 years.

Speaking with Senator Ogba, NNL Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Sajo Mohammed, who led the team, extolled the sterling qualities and contributions  of the  late centenarian father of Senator Ogba in the society and for  his family legacies.

Pa Ogba was a community leader and a councilor as a politician with one of the major political parties in Nigeria, the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) that contested elections during the Nigerian second Republic and in 1979, chose late Nigeria political icon Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, as its Presidential candidate.

Barrister Sajo said “We are here to offer our deepest sympathy and support, on the passing on to glory of your father; it is our wish that our visit and condolences will bring you and your family peace and comfort, during this painful time”

“There is no doubt that your father ran a good race on earth, you (Obinna) is a proud legacy left behind by Daddy (Pa Ogba), his sojourn into politics and contributions to his society and Nigeria is also not in doubt”

Sajo ended by praying that the soul of Late Chief Pa Ogba will find perpetual rest with God.

Responding, Senator Ogba expressed gratitude to the NNL team for their visit to commiserate with him and family and needed prayers in his mourning period.

He uttered special thanks to God for what he called a glorious exit of his loving father from the earth, declaring he will give special thanks and offerings to God by celebrating his cult hero –father.

“Our father had prepared our minds for his demise through his talks and deeds while he was alive but we tried to cope with the reality of his death, he slept peacefully to bide us farewell “

“I will celebrate my father’s death, his parting is glorious and we must thank God for a life well spent, though we are mourning but we should also be grateful to God, Senator Ogba submitted.

According to Senator Ogba the journey to bury his late father will begin from the 26th of March, 2021.

NNL’S Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Adesanya, Head of Finance/Admin Mr. Wale Adeyinka, Admin Secretary Mr. Nicholas Akujobi, amongst others were in the NNL group that paid a visit of condolence to Senator Obinna Ogba, over the death of his father.