President of LaLiga, Javier Tebas
listed the benefits of the three-month old partnership with the Nigeria
Professional Football League (NPFL), he was joined by the Ambassador
of Spain to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo to formally open the LaLiga
office in Nigeria located inside the Corporate Headquarters of the
League Management Company (LMC) in Maitama District, Abuja.
The LaLiga President spoke
at a media conference where he restated the Spanish League body’s
commitment to making the five-year commercial and technical partnership
with the NPFL a success.
He recalled that he led a delegation
of LaLiga officials to Nigeria in April to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the LMC and noted that “we are here today to
open a LaLiga Office in Nigeria in furtherance of that understanding.”
According to Tebas, the benefits of
the partnership would be attained in phases citing the coming tour of
Spain by a select All-Star team of NPFL players.
In listing the benefits of the
partnership, the LaLiga President stated, “We have made good progress in
the three months of the understanding signed between us and Nigeria
football league and in a few weeks, an All-Star team from Nigeria will
tour LaLiga and we are taking care of the travel and accommodation of 40
members of the team.
“During this tour, the team will play
three matches in Spain and will be watched by the Directors of top
LaLiga clubs who make decisions and this may result in some Nigeria
League players being invited to the clubs. We also will be sending
experts to interact with NPFL Club Managers and share knowledge and also
send coaches to work at the grassroots academies for development of
youth football.”
He also assured the audience made up
of the LMC top executives, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board
members, NPFL club chairmen and the media that with time, “LaLiga clubs
would also visit Nigeria to play friendly matches…yes, Barcelona can
come to Nigeria and that will mean that the NPFL is a big league”.
Tebas said the partnership is
providing opportunities for mutual benefit of both leagues and
concluded, “I am sure that by the time the first five years of the
partnership ends, LaLiga and NPFL will be bigger”.
Ambassador Alfonso Barnuevo said he
was happy to see Nigeria and Spain extend cooperation to football and
predicted that there is a bright future ahead.
“As Spanish Ambassador, I have to
express my satisfaction that one of the strongest institution in Spain,
and probably one of the best known worldwide, LaLiga, has established
office in Abuja. I see a bright future ahead”, the Ambassador remarked
“I am very happy that the already
fruitful relationship between Nigeria and Spain is expanding to other
domains. Nigeria is a strategic partner of Spain in energy matters. As
you know, Spain is the third best client of Nigeria, buying 4.6 billion
euros in gas and oil…”. Barnuevo added.
Chairman of LMC, Shehu Dikko in a
closing remark expressed appreciation to the LaLiga partners and took
time to list some of the breakthroughs the LMC has made in recent
months, citing a letter of commendation from FIFA on the league’s
governance structure.
“We are delighted by some of the
modest achievements we have attained and want to thank LaLiga for the
partnership and their decision to open an office here. More importantly,
we believe more can be achieved with the support of all stakeholders”,
Dikko remarked.
Some of the personalities at the
ceremony include a representative of the NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim
Gusau, NFF Board member, Ahmed Fresh Yusuf, LMC CEO, Hon. Nduka Irabor,
LMC COO, Salihu Abubakar, Chairman of Club Owners/Managers Forum, Isaac
Danladi and the Executive Secretary of Club Owners Forum, Alloy
Chukwuemeka.
Also present were Chairman of Abia
Warriors FC, Chief Emeka Inyama, Chairman of El-Kanemi Warriors, Alhaji
Zana Mohammed Mala, the Chairman of MFM FC, Godwin Enakhena, and a
former Chairman of Lobi Stars FC, Dominic Iorfa.
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