By 
Football egg heads and top administrators in the country have issued a stern marching order at Nigerian referees, following recent circumstances that have left them lost in the mire, megasportsarena.com reports.
While less formidable footballing countries across the continent keep appearing at major African competitions and championships, Nigeria’s men with the whistle continue being left behind.
This has now received keen attention and lashing words from top shots of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who used the occasion of a referees’ conference in Abuja to demand that the country’s arbiters up their game in order to become relevant on the international scene.
That was the main thrust of remarks during the badging ceremony of Nigeria’s latest array of FIFA centre men, assistants, beach soccer and Futsal referees at the Goal Project, Package B of Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday.
A total of 30 referees, made up of 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, 4 beach soccer and 4 Futsal referees received their badges at the occasion, where they were decorated with their badges by NFF’s second vice-president and chairman League Management Company (LMC), Mallam Shehu Dikko.
He went on to charge the referees to develop the mental strength and fortitude to overcome their present challenges and any form of handicap, and commit to greater performances and upholding of the highest professional values at home and internationally.
Also at the event were LMC’s chief operating officer, Salihu Abubakar; renowned referee instructors Calistus Chukwudi Chukwujekwu, Dave Egwu and Mohammed Ameenu; NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire and; NFF Chief Technical Officer/former Nigerian international Garba Lawal.
All the badged main referees are Quadri Adebimpe; Basheer Salihu; Joseph Ogabor; Abdullahi Abubakar; Nurudeen Abubakar; Grema Mohammed; Kassim Abdulsalam; Yemisi Akintoye; Hannah Elaigwu; Patience Madu; and Oluwafunmilayo Alaba.
The roll call of assistant referees has Digbori Tejiri; Efosa Igudia; Peter Ogwu; Samuel Pwadutakan; Usman Isah; Hope Igho; Mimisen Iyorhe; Usman Abdulmajid; Beauty Kabenda Terah; Abibat Yusuf; and Mfon Friday Akpan.
The FUTSAL referees are Musa Dung Davon; Ndubuisi Ukah; Paul Umuago; Alhassan Bello Zuru; while the beach soccer referees are Jelili Ogunmuyiwa; Olawale Fawole; Olayinka Olajide; Ahmed Rabiu, following which hard knocks came for them all.
NFF executive committee member and chairman of the referees committee, Alhaji Sharif LMC Rabiu Inuwa set the ball rolling with a reminder that Nigeria had only one official, an assistant referee, at the ongoing 33rd Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Inuwa lamented: “That we could only have one assistant referee at the AFCON is a big indictment on all of us. We are not doing enough as professionals, and we must take this as a big challenge.
“We are proposing that we have a monitoring team for our referees who officiate internationally so that we can have accurate assessment of how they perform and conduct themselves.”
Similarly, the president of Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Otunba Tade Azeez minced no words, as he declared: “Nigerian referees have failed.
“The NFF has been doing well to provide all the support that we need, and our FIFA and CAF instructors have also been doing their bit in trying to put us in great physical shape. But we have let them all down and we must turn a new leaf and aim for better performances.”
NFF general-secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi added: “To whom much is given, much is expected.
“Nigerian refereeing should be at a much higher level by now if the values of discipline, commitment, professionalism and integrity are held sacrosanct.
“Apart from officiating ability, there are other parameters that assessors look at that you may not be aware of. If you wish to grow, you have to be honest and fair to yourself in all that you do.”
Comments