The kick-off of Nigeria Premier League Super Six has been decided with three closely fought, top quality football matches decided on the opening day.
It is common for organizers of the nation’s top flight league, especially in the past to promise so much but deliver very little.
Consequently, immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare handed the responsibility of reengineering and reinvigorating Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to Interim Management Committee (IMC) headed by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, a former legislator at the Federal House of Representatives and ex Director General of National Sports Commission.
On assuming duties, he promised a lot but many who had followed Nigerian football closely, remained skeptical.
From the mature manner Hon Elegbeleye and his team at IMC resolved all inhibitions, prior to the kick-off of the new season on January 8, 2023, some naysayers started to believe.
The leadership, clout and experience with which IMC and its hierarchy delt with issues of crowd violence and hooliganism; recurring infractions in officiating and publicity of the league were top notch and unambiguously demonstrated the aspiration of IMC to restore the lost glory of the league and make it one of the best in Africa.
In Elegbeleye Nigerian football enthusiasts have found a man that has been courageous enough to ‘walk the talk’ in the mucky waters of the Nigerian game.
His vast ability to negotiate, which stems from having served as Chairman of House Committee on Sports, saw him do the difficult task by luring back South Africa based cable satellite television giants, Supersport to Nigerian football, many years after it disengaged from NPFL.
On Saturday, June 3, 2023 football lovers across Nigeria, and followers of the league all over the world had a carnival-like treat, as all three Day 1 ties were on DStv, GOTV and streamed live.
The ambiance and branding of Mobolaji Johnson Arena, in Onikan Lagos, which will host all matches in the play-offs are equally exquisite and proof of the quantum of work put in by everyone at IMC.
It is on this basis, that Nigerians are eagerly looking forward to the last day of the season ending tournament June 11, 2023; when the best of the six competing sides, will be crowned champions of the 2022/23 Season as promised by IMC.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.