Aisha Falode thanks supportive system for Nigeria Women’s Football League regime

The immediate past Chairperson of the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), Aisha Falode, on Tuesday, hosted a gathering tagged, ‘Brunch Meet Up With Aisha’, at the Radisson Hotel in Lagos, as she accounted for her leadership from 2017 to 2022.

Present at the event were immediate past NFF President and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick; former NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi; former Green Eagles captain, Chief Segun Odegbami; CEO of Brila FM, Dr Larry Izamoje; AIPS President (Africa) Mitchel Obi; former Nigeria international and one-time Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association Waidi Akanni.

Also in attendance are Chairman of Sporting Lagos, Godwin Ehakhena, Convener of the Ladies In Sports (LIS) Ms Tega Onajaife, President of the Sports Editors Guild & Group Sports Editor Vanguard, Tony Ubani, Sports Editor Sporting Life, Ade Ojeikere,  Media Officer of The Super Falcons, Mr.s Oluchi Tobe-Chukwu and a host of top Sports dignitaries.

Falode rendered an account of her transformational stewardship which led to interventions like standardizing club licensing to CAF levels, compulsory insurance of players, players’ welfare, facility inspections, prize money for the league, La Liga Partnership, title Sponsors for Super 6, and financial reward for front shirt advertisements.

“It was in this same hall I started with a congregation of Sports Editors seeking your support as I took on the leadership of the NWFL and I am here again to render account of my service after leaving the NWFL,” he told media.

“There were many challenges when we came on board in 2017 because there were no genuine administrative and governance structures, and no calendar for the Women’s League. With determination, we were able to turn many things around.

“We would not have achieved much without the support of the NFF led by Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick.

“Mr Pinnick, the immediate past President of the NFF, saw my capacity and gave me the platform and total support to add value to Nigeria’s football, especially the women’s game.

“Of course, we did our best because we used FIFA’s template in our drive to develop the game and the girl-child through football.

 “Over 90 percent of players in the Super Falcons today are products of the NWFL and we are proud of their achievements, home and abroad, for clubs and our national teams.

“We had about 7 or 8 players at the Women’s World Cup in France in 2019. These domestic players proved themselves and promptly moved to foreign clubs due to their performance even before the World Cup ended.

“The likes of Rasheedat Ajibade, Chidinma Okeke, and Chiamaka Nnadozie were worthy ambassadors of the NWFL.

“Everyone can see that women’s football in Nigeria is now in the upward swing, judging by recent performance, especially at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand where the Super Falcons shook every team they came across.”