Gusau outlines programmes for WAFU – B

By Jude Opara, Abuja

The President of the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has listed his vision and mission for the regional football governing body, with special emphasis on the need to develop the game by focusing on grassroots development, and youth competitions.

Gusau in a statement on Wednesday, equally stated that he is articulating an aggressive marketing strategy to get the  corporate world to support the game, as well as espousing on the need for commitment to the ideals of unity and brotherhood among the member nations.

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) further stated that Nigeria must seize the opportunity to work towards the development of the game beginning from the local leagues.

“Our country, Nigeria, must make use of this opportunity that has come at this time. I believe that the last Nigerian to hold this position was Dr. Amos Adamu, many years ago. It is important to make a positive impact with this fresh opportunity for the sake of our football and our country.

“The focus will be on more competitions, especially at youth level, to align with CAF’s objectives. One of CAF’s main goals is to increase the number of competitions in our regions while encouraging grassroots participation.”

It could be recalled that before Gusau, four other Nigerians have been presidents of WAFU, including the founding president, Mr. J. K. Tandoh, Chief Jonathan Ogufere, Col Abdulmumini Aminu (rtd) and Dr. Amos Adamu. Dr Adamu who was in office between 2008 and 2010.

“There is absolutely no doubt that despite the size of WAFU B (the second smallest of CAF’s zones in terms of number of countries; seven), football resides here. An instance is the just-concluded U-20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), where four out of the eight quarter-finalists were from West Africa, including; Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Ghana.

“We will need to find the money for more competitions, and that is why we must develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise funds from corporates. By investing in young players, we will be strengthening the conveyor belt that will continue to produce talents for the West African, nay African game.”

Interestingly, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire (all in the WAFU B zone), have been the centre of African youth football for several years.

To underscore this fact, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have won the FIFA U17 World Cup for a record five times, while Ghana’s Black Starlets have won the championship for three times.

Also Ghana’s U20 boys, the  Black Satellites won the FIFA U20 World Cup in 1999 while Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been runners-up in the same championship in 1989 and 2005 and winning the bronze medals in 1985.

Even at the senior level, WAFU B teams are very strong. Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire contested the Final of the last Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria have been AFCON champions three times and Ghana four times. Nigeria was also the first African country to win the Olympic gold medal in football while Ghana was the first to win any football medal of any shape (bronze, in 1992).

“We must find a way to maintain and even raise the level of our performances in major competitions, in order to sustain our pride of place in the international game”, he concluded.