Nigeria’s 11 elite referees for a two –week capacity enhancing programme in the United Kingdom flew into London on Wednesday, excited at the quality of the programme and the resource persons at hand.
NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, had secured sponsorship from insurance firm, Senforce Insurance Limited, for the programme, which will see the referees engage in question-and-answer sessions to analyse English Premiership games, get involved in mini-workshops and visit top playing grounds Wembley and Emirates as well as the offices The Football Association.
Led by the President of Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude, the delegation traveled through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and landed at London Heathrow in the evening. They commenced the two –week exercise on Thursday.
“Honestly, I am highly impressed by the richness of the programme, the content as well as the resource persons who will be handling the various aspects.
“This kind of programme will go a long way in improving Nigerian referees, and I can tell you that we are all determined to pay rapt attention to every aspect of the two –week exercise in order to gain so much,” Ferdinand Udoh, seen as the rising star of Nigerian refereeing, said on Thursday.
The delegation also included the Chairman of NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh. Other referees involved are Shuaibu Abdullahi, Usman Isha, Samuel Pwadutakan, Tope Orowole, Egudia Efosa, Ukah Ndubuisi, Peter Ogwu, Paul Umuago, Musa Dung Davon and Olayide Olayinka.
