Organisers of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament have confirmed that FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, FIFA General-Secretary, Fatma Samoura, and other world football dignitaries would be at the six-nation tournament scheduled to hold in Lagos between September 14 and 20, 2021.
The football showpiece which is in honour of Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari will have in attendance women football powerhouses in Africa namely hosts, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa and merging powers, Mali and Morocco.
Main mover of the event, NFF President and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick conveyed the information to the Director of Organisation, Aisha Falode who said the presence of the football bigwigs at the august occasion will just attest to the high regard the football bigwigs hold of the name of Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari.
“Their acceptance to personally attend the football fiesta is in line with the football body’s programmes of growth, commercialisation, marketing and rebranding of the women football which of late have seen issues affecting the game receiving global attention at every forum.
“The FIFA strategy for the Women’s Game are captured in its five-point agenda;
.Develop And Grow … On And Off The Pitch;
.Showcase The Game … Improve Women’s Competitions;
.Communicate & Commercialise … Broaden Exposure & Value;
.Govern & Lead … Strive For Gender Balance; and
.Educate & Empower … Build Capacity & Knowledge.
According to Falode, “FIFA and CAF are deeply involved with various programmes on empowerment, leadership and governance among the women folks.
“The leadership of these football bodies have sunk huge intervention fund in various programmes directed at the women and these interventions are in tandem with the Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s pet NGO project ‘Future Assured’ with its central theme on girl-child empowerment,” stressed the NFF board member.
“The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France was a masterpiece of cumulative efforts by the world football body to bring to the fore women game and every other things concerning the women.
“The football top shots’ acceptance to be part and parcel of the Aisha Buhari Cup as confirmed by the NFF President is a mark of respect for Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari. They want to use the occasion to honour her as well as recognise her various activities and contributions in and outside Nigeria over the girl-child advocacy and empowerment programmes,” she noted.
