Omidiran pledges support for FCT FA in talent discovery

By Jude Opara

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has pledged to collaborate with the FCT Football Association (FCT FA) and the FCT Sports Department to strengthen grassroots sports development, talent identification and youth engagement.

Omidiran made the commitment on Wednesday when the Chairman of the FCT FA, Alhaji Abba Mouktar Mohammed, led members of the board and management as well as the Acting Director of Sports, FCT Sports Department, Mr. Iyiola Ogundele, to a courtesy visit to her office in Abuja.

The interactive session centred on how to use sports to promote youth development, social inclusion, talent discovery and greater participation in sporting activities across the six Area Councils.

It could be recalled that Omidiran, a former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) recently attended the opening ceremony of the FCT FA Women’s Inter-Area Council Tournament at the Area 3 Football Pitch.

The FCC boss said she was committed to ensuring that the FCT becomes a leading centre for discovering and nurturing sporting talents across different disciplines. She urged the FCT Sports Department to pursue the establishment and strengthening of functional sports facilities and activities, while promising the necessary institutional and budgetary support.

“I want FCT to be the arrowhead of any detection of sporting talents, not only football but all sports. We have to be intentional and serious, and we have to see sports as something that can make Nigeria richer.

“We also have to fight for the employment of coaches in schools. We can start by turning teachers who have knowledge of particular sports into coaches while we work towards bringing in professional coaches,” she added.

The proprietor of Omidiran Babes FC who revealed that her passion for football began at a young age and later inspired her involvement in women’s football development, said her objective had always been to use sport to improve lives.

“I didn’t go into football to become an NFF board member or anything. I just wanted to use football to better the lives of some people. I am very happy because so many of those girls are better off; their lives are better because we encouraged them to play football. That is satisfactory to me,” she said.

However, she expressed concern over Nigeria’s declining fortunes in women’s football and called for renewed investment, strategic planning and collective leadership to restore the country’s position internationally.

“I am in deep pains seeing that Nigeria can’t even qualify for the Women’s World Cup. If there is any time for anyone to try to change things, this is the time. I pray that we have enough people who also have that vision that the time for positive change is now, because only one person cannot do it,” she stated.

Earlier, Mukthar commended Omidiran for her achievements and described her as a leader whose experience and influence could help advance sports development beyond football. He said the FCT FA was seeking a strong working relationship with the FCC to mobilise the Area Councils and strengthen the territory’s participation in national sporting programmes.

“We are very grateful and honoured to partner with you in as many ways as possible. You are a leader, a pillar and someone who has sacrificed so much. You are a beacon of hope to many, not only in football,” Mukthar said.

The Acting Director of Sports, Ogundele, said the partnership would broaden talent discovery beyond football and create structured opportunities for young people across the FCT to excel in other sports also.