NPFL: Jalla thumbs up IMC, says LMC wasted 10 years of Nigeria Football
By Akeem Busari
The Chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria Task Force, Harrison Jalla has come out once again with guns blazing as he condemns the sacked League Management Company (LMC) over wasting 10 years of opportunities to develop and grow the domestic football in Nigeria.
He lambasted the sacked football body for making lame excuses that Nigeria football business environment was toxic.
" This was the lame excuse they bandied for 10 years after they frittered and diverted millions of US Dollars of broadcast rights money from Supersport and billions of Naira from Globacom and several other fringe sponsors," Jalla began.
"The promoters of the LMC ran the NPFL aground and finally plunged it into serious debt and several dubious contratual crises.
"But in just 6 months of an abridged league season, the Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye led IMC secured sponsorship from partnership with GTI of N20m each for all 20 NPFL clubs, match officials indemnities were promptly paid, price money of N100m for winners and N20m for runners up of the 2022/23 season.
"Not only that, the IMC also secured pre-season tournament sponsorship from Dozzy Mmbuosi of N100m for the 2022/23 season which was won by Shooting stars FC and N10m each to all 4 participating clubs as appearance fees. The Dozzy Mmbuosi pre-season tournament has been upgraded for the 2023/24 season to an unbelievable N1Billion for the winner and N200m for runners up, while each of the participating 8 clubs would go home with appearance fees of N20m each.
"No doubt these giant strides will surely open the floodgate for investors to embrace all categories and strata of the Nigerian domestic leagues. This is because NPFL as the flagship of Nigeria domestic football is already creating an enabling environment."
The fiery football administrator went on to give kudos to the IMC, over the standard, officiating and management of the NPFL 2022/23 abridged season.
"Its really unimaginable that this feat could be achieved from the ashes of a dead and bankrupt NPFL within 6 months. I also commend the outgoing Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare and NFF president Ibrahim Gusau."
