President of world football –governing
body, Mr. Gianni Infantino and the Secretary General, Ms Fatma Samoura
arrived in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, on Sunday. They were
accompanied by executive assistants Mattias Grafstrom and Veron
Mosengo-Omba.
The world football governors were
received on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by NFF
President Amaju Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, vice
presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, and other members of the NFF
Executive Committee and Management.
A 10 –year old girl handed the 46 –year
old multi –lingual Infantino a bouquet of flowers as the train emerged
from the arrival hall, and a cultural troupe entertained in the
foreground as Infantino and Samoura walked on the red carpet to waiting
cars.
At the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Pinnick
accompanied Infantino to the presidential suite, and meetings between
the FIFA President and the NFF Board and with the visiting FA presidents
from other African countries, as well as a cocktail dinner were on the
programme for the night.
A total of 17 FA presidents from other
African countries arrived in Nigeria on Saturday to join the NFF in
receiving Infantino. These are Kwesi Nyantakyi (Ghana), Lamin Kaba Bajo
(The Gambia), Isha Johansen (Sierra Leone), Musa Bility (Liberia),
Juneidi Basha Tilmo (Ethiopia), Nicholas Kithuku (Kenya), Andrew
Chamanga (Zambia), Philip Chiyangwa (Zimbabwe), Frans Mbidi (Namibia),
Chabur Goc Alei (South Sudan), Walter Nyamilandu (Malawi), Abdiqani Said
Arab (Somalia), Vincent Nzamwita (Rwanda), Moses Magogo (Uganda), Jamal
Malinzi (Tanzania), Augustin Senghor (Senegal) and Souleman Waberi
(Djibouti).
On Monday, Infantino and Samoura,
alongside Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, NFF President Pinnick,
chairmen of the Senate and House sports committees, NFF General
Secretary and other NFF Board members, and the visiting FA presidents
from other African countries, will pay a courtesy call on His
Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential
Villa. Also on the programme for Monday is an U13 exhibition football
match at the National Stadium, visit to the new NFF headquarters and a
business dinner with Nigeria’s political heavyweights and captains of
industry.
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