Former President of Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), Chief(Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma believes that the introduction of Women’s Champions League by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) is good for development of the game in the continent.
Mrs Onyedinma who doubles as the acting Executive Secretary of FCT Social Welfare and Director of Sports told Completesports.com in Abuja that the coming of CAF Women’s Champions League will speed up the development of the game.
“I am so glad that the CAF Women’s Champions League is here. We fought very hard for it when I was the chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League. We held series of meetings with my counterparts from the continent. The reason why it did not get approval before now was the fear that other African Nations will not embrace it,” Onyedinma told Completesports.com.
“CAF Women’s Champions League will help in exposing the quality of the women’s football in Africa and the experience will be immense for the women facing the world. Besides these, it will attract sponsors and put them on television. I must commend CAF for this gesture and I am sure it will give women football a big boost.
“I am also of the view that the coming of the champions League for women will help in keeping our players away from going to some lowly football playing countries to sign slave contracts. Playing the Women’s champions League will make our teams fight harder to qualify and represent their respective countries. It’s a welcome development and I support it,” she reiterated.
On who represents Nigeria in the maiden edition next year, Chief Onyedinma posits that Rivers Angels, the winners of the 2019 Nigeria Women Football League should fly Nigeria’s flag if it will be one representative for each country, adding that aside being last year’s winners, they are better equipped financially and materially.
“My only fear for Nigerian clubs is the inactivity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our league has been dormant since last year, but you can always count on the Nigerian spirit to see our girls bulldoze their way to winning the first edition of CAF Women’s Champions League,” she concluded.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
