A new dawn appears on the horizon for football in Anambra State as the new chairman of the State’s FA, Chikelue Iloenyosi has revealed plans to bring former Super Eagles coach, Bonfrere Jo, to lecture, to update and upgrade the knowledge of coaches in the state for uptime productivity, Completesports.com can exclusively report.
Bonfrere, a Dutch, who was in charge of the U23 Eagles as Nigeria made history in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996, as the first African nation to win the Olympic Games Soccer gold medal after a dramatic 3-2 win against Argentina in the final, will not be alone in Iloenyosi’s ‘train the trainer’ project. Nigerian-born tactician and ex-Flying Eagles and ex-U17 Golden Eaglets gaffer, John Obuh, has also been listed as one of the coaches that will drill the grassroots football coaches in Anambra State.
Iloenyosi, who is fondly called ‘General’, disclosed the plan invite Bonfrere during an extraordinary Football Stakeholders meeting in Awka on the assumption of office following his confirmation by NFF as the chairman of Anambra State Football Association.
“My focus is on grassroots football development,” Iloenyosi started.
“Development of youth football competitions and creating a pathway to professionalism is a sure way to bring out the best of our talent from a young age.
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“Of course, developing more football stars from Anambra State and Grassroot Football are some of my cardinal objectives.
“Of course, this goes with the development of the club’s, players union, referees and coaches associations to a self-sustaining level in Anambra State.
“In view of these, it’s my intention to bring former Nigeria’s Super Eagles Coach, Bonfrere Jo, as well as the likes of John Obuh, as resource persons, to share ideas with our coaches here so that they get better equipped to carry out their tasking assignments of breeding and nurturing our young talents into big-time players,” Iloenyosi, whose domestic football career spanned through Rangers and Iwuanyanwu Nationale, amongst others, said.
The ex-Nigeria International who equally played in Europe used the opportunity to launch his 11-point agenda for Anambra Football during his tenure.
Iloenyosi, in a bid to hit the ground running, announced sweeping changes in the Anambra State FA with the appointment of a new secretary.
Raphael Nweke, who is the secretary of the Anambra State branch of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria, YSFON, was named as the new FA Secretary.
Nweke succeeds Chijioke Onyedika who has been in the saddle for over a decade.
Veteran broadcaster, Ikem Asika, was named as the spokesman of the FA
while Ifeanyichukwu Ojukwu serves as the Senior Special Adviser to the FA boss just as Ernest Nwobu, aka Fabule, was appointed as the Chief Security Officer, (CSO).
Other appointments announced on Thursday include Wendy Mbanefo (female PA), Amaechi Nwakeze (PA) and Michael Myckie Chukwuebuka (SA media).
“These appointments are aimed at repositioning the FA”, Iloenyosi stated.
The FA boss further set up a three-man committee to look into the handover note submitted to him by the deposed FA scribe, Chijioke Onyedika.
The committee is headed by Victor Aniekwena as chairman.
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Aniekwena is the Vice Chairman of the FA. Darlington Chidubem was named as Secretary of the three-man committee with Uzor Epundu as a member.
The committee is to submit its report within one week.
“This is the time to move on with meaningful discussions on how to move the state forward.
“We are all here today because we all love football. Many of us, including myself, are products of grassroots football.
“That’s why we all have to work hand in hand to reposition football in the state.
“We all have a duty and responsibility to this state through football and together we can achieve it. Politics is over. This is time for development,” Iloenyosi stated.
