The city of Bauchi was festooned with all manner of colours yesterday as the Governor of the state, Malam Isa Yuguda, laid the foundation stone of the NFF Regional Technical Centre, the first of the six planned for all the geo-political zones in the country.
A mammoth crowd welcomed the delegation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by its president, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, at the Bauchi Airport, with men, women and the youth as well as horse-riders showing their joy at the historic occasion.
Yuguda, accompanied by Maigari, FIFA development officer (West Africa), Sampon Kablan, chairman of the Senate Sports Committee, Sen. Adamu Gumba, chairman of the House of Reps’ Sports Committee, Hon. Godfrey Gaiya, representative of the director general, National Sport (NSC), Mr. Caleb Gidado, secretary to the state government, Alhaji Aminu Hammiu, Bauchi state Commissioner for Sports, Mahiru Maiwada, Members of the NFF executive committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, Mrs. Dili Onyedinma, Barr. Chris Green, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed and Alhaji Ahmad Muazu, general secretary, Barr. Musa Amadu, director of technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, director of competitions Dr Mohammed Sanusi, Super Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Keshi, and assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi, performed the foundation-laying.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Kablan congratulated the NFF for being proactive and desirous of the best for Nigerian football, while wishing the Super Eagles the very best at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil.
NFF president, Aminu Maigari, lauded Governor Yuguda for providing the huge land space for the project, while also commending FIFA for its readiness to fund the project and Kablan for his commitment and drive.
In his goodwill message, Sen. Gumba lauded the performance of the present NFF administration led by Maigari, and Gaiya insisted that the Maigari team deserved a second term of office on the evidence of several achievements over the past four years.
The train later moved to the palace of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji (Dr.) Rilwan Sulaiman Adamu, who prayed for the successful completion of the project, as well as for the Super Eagles to do Nigeria and Africa proud at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil.
