Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) first vice-president, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi has underscored the roles played by media houses in ensuring that the round leather game is not denied necessary publicity to engender progress.
Akinwunmi stated as much during Wednesday’s inauguration of the NFF’s new Media and Publicity Committee, during which he also harped on the impact of corporate bodies can play to promote business aspects of the game.
Akinwunmi, who stood in for NFF president, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, underscored what he called the importance of the media in promotion and development of football business and commended individuals in the committee and their commitment to serve Nigeria.
While enjoining the committee to work closely with the Communications Department for synergy, Akinwunmi used the opportunity to dispel talk that the Executive Committee is doing the whole job of running Nigerian Football.
He used: “People see the Executive Committee as the know-all and be-all. That is not so. Empowering our committees to work is something we have been doing all along and which we intend to even improve on going forward.”
“Football is a game, it is a business and it is a passion, but ultimately, it is a media event. The present NFF administration appreciates the importance of media and media activities around the football business, and I must also thank the members of this committee, eminent individuals all, for agreeing to serve Nigerian Football.
“Sincerely speaking, there could not have been a better time to get this critical committee up and running than now when the FIFA World Cup, the biggest single-sport festival that happens every four years, is right by the door.
Responding, Ms. Aisha Falode, vice chairman of the committee (in the absence of the chairman, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande) thanked Akinwunmi for his words on the importance of the media.
She emphasised that a vibrant media committee is germane for any Football Federation that is committed to taking its brand beyond the field of play.
Falode further affirmed that, as the Super Eagles head to Russia for the FIFA World Cup, the NFF needed to partner strongly with the media more than ever before.
