Head of Women’s Football Unit of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ruth David, is among a select group of upcoming women football administrators in the universe invited by FIFA to attend this weekend’s opening ceremony of the UEFA Women European Championship in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
World football ruling body, FIFA, has called up graduates of two editions of its Female Leadership Development Programme (FFDP) , to be joined by graduates of four editions of the UEFA version of the course for the special event.
David was part of the 35 women football administrators worldwide selected for the FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme, and attended modules at the Home of FIFA, Zurich, Switzerland last year.
The FLDP is part of FIFA’s portfolio of women’s football development programmes for the period 2015-2018. Launched in 2015 to ensure that there are female role models and women at decision –making levels in football, the FLDP aims to identify, support and develop strong female leaders in sport, while advocating for women to access senior decision –making positions globally.
“This will be a great opportunity to not just expand your knowledge and network, but support FIFA in building the legacy of the leadership programme. The event will also offer a great platform to showcase some of the success stories, and facilitate your possibilities to cooperate with representatives from other Member Associations,” Arijana Demirovic, Coordinator of Women’s Football Development in FIFA’s Women’s Football Division, wrote about this weekend’s event in Amsterdam.
At the first seminar held by David in Abuja last year, FIFA’s Head of Professional Football, Mr. James Johnson delivered a paper on ‘The Concept of FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme,’ while David herself spoke on ‘Reasons for the FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme’. Professor (Mrs) Funke Suleiman, of the Department of Physical and Health Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria spoke on ‘Education As a Tool For Enhancing the Career of Female Football Players in Nigeria,’ while Chief (Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma, a former Member of the NFF Executive Committee and currently Director of Sports, Federal Capital Territory, delivered a paper on ‘Education for Character Moulding Among Female Football Players in Nigeria.’
At the second seminar, former NFF Board Member and now ranking Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ayo Omidiran and Director of Federations and Elite Athletes department of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mrs Hauwa Kulu-Akinyemi were among those who delivered papers.