Nigeria’s Women Football Lacks Professionalism, Transparency – Zira

Former chairman of Nigeria Women Football League side, Adamawa Queens, Emmanuel Zira, says the development of women football in Nigeria has dwindled.

Zira who was reacting to the recent statement credited the chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), Aisha Falode, claiming that Nigeria’s women football has witnessed developmental changes, saying the managers of the country’s women football have chosen to engage in unnecessary media razzmatazz with nothing on ground to show.

The Adamawa State born football administrator identified lack of professionalism and transparency as factors militating against the development of Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), saying both the league and other aspects of the game have lost their value.

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“Without any form of sentiment, women football in Nigeria has dwindled so much. I don’t really know why the administrators are just engaging in media hype which does no one any good.

“The entire stakeholders are watching and they know what is happening. Forget the media and publicity stunts here and there. Anyone can print banners, flyers and even stickers to say whatever he or she likes, but the reality is that the gains made in the administration of women football in the past have been destroyed.

“Anywhere in the World, football development thrives on accountability and openness. For instance, you can’t be running a league and not disclose your earnings or support in form of sponsorship or otherwise and you expect to grow and have integrity.

“Previously, the women’s league had financial and other records of its activities which the board renders at the end of every season, I still have copies, but such don’t happen again.

Match officials’ indemnities are not paid by the league body. As a league, everything you do must be subjected to congress scrutiny and decision. Nigeria is the only place especially in the past five years where the leagues are run without financial statements. Even at the town union meetings, there’s a financial statement… When you talk, they say you are against them, how?

“They announced sponsors and the details of the sponsorship are shrouded in secrecy. They only promised participating clubs during the just concluded Super 6 tournament which is part of the entire league process that they will get a paltry amount, after forcing them to wear specific branded jerseys, where is that done, It’s wrong. Why sign a contract without disclosure,” Zira queried.

Zira who is also a former chairman of Adamawa United and has been involved steadily in women football affairs lamented the continuous recycling of age-players in the national team. “The leagues are not growing, that is why we can’t tap into numerous budding talents, if not that the right things were done, where will we get Oshoala, Onome, Ordega and others that are aging,” he said.