BY BEN OGBEMUDIA
The House of Representatives has resolved to set up a Special Investigative Committee to probe how the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) managed financial grants totaling $25 million.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance co-sponsored by Lagos lawmaker Adedayo Adesola and his Rivers counterpart Felix Nwaeke during Tuesday’s plenary.
Titled “Motion to Stop Further Misuse of FIFA and CAF Grants by the Nigerian Football Federation,” the motion spotlighted persistent allegations of financial mismanagement within Nigeria’s football administration.
Adopted unanimously under the leadership of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the motion charged the House to take decisive action to address the misuse of public funds, particularly with major tournaments such as the African Cup of Nations and World Cup play-offs approaching.
Adesola, who moved the motion, linked the alleged “mismanagement of grants by the global football governing body” to the steady decline in Nigeria’s football performance in recent years.
He recalled that in December 2016, “FIFA sent an audit query over the mishandling of $1.1 million development grant to NFF, noting that $802,000 lacked proper documentation,” which led the then Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, to order an independent audit of the NFF’s accounts.
The lawmaker further referenced recurring controversies involving the NFF between 2018 and 2019, when officials, including then-president Amaju Pinnick, faced investigations by the EFCC and ICPC over alleged fund mismanagement.
He noted that one of the funds in question—$1.2 million—was reportedly used to construct the Birnin Kebbi Stadium, a project whose poor quality “does not justify the claimed expenditure.”
Comparing Nigeria’s situation to Kenya’s, Adesola said, “The Kenyan Football Federation used a similar grant to build a standard, well-equipped facility—further highlighting the profligacy at the NFF.”
Following deliberations, the House resolved to establish a Special Investigative Committee to examine NFF’s financial records from 2015 to date and summon its leadership to present detailed documentation of grant receipts and expenditures.
The probe marks one of the most extensive parliamentary investigations into Nigerian football finances in years — a move that could redefine transparency and accountability in the nation’s most cherished sport.
Anyanacho ends 20-year wait as Nigeria returns to world taekwondo medal table
BY BEN OGBEMUDIA
After two decades off the global podium, Nigeria has returned to the World Taekwondo medal table as Elizabeth Anyanacho delivered a stellar performance at the ongoing World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi, China.
Competing in the women’s -67kg category, the reigning African Champion displayed remarkable skill and determination, defeating Uzbekistan’s Sobibronova O. in two tense rounds — 8–6 and 10–9 — to advance to the semi-finals, securing at least a bronze medal for Nigeria.
President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Grand Master Tayo Popoola, hailed Anyanacho’s performance as a triumph of discipline and persistence.
“I’m thrilled by Elizabeth’s progress. Her years of dedication and consistency have paid off. This shows Nigeria is back on the global Taekwondo stage,” Popoola said.
He added, “She has two more fights to make history as the first Nigerian to win gold at the World Championships, and we’re standing firmly behind her as a Federation and as a nation.”
Anyanacho will take to the mat later today in the semi-final bout, with her eyes firmly set on making history for Nigeria in Wuxi.