By Ebube Dike

Organisers of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament have confirmed the presence of the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, the CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, FIFA General-Secretary, Fatma Samoura, and other world football dignitaries at that the Six-Nation Invitational Tournament which kicks off in Lagos from September 14 to 20, 2021.

This information was confirmed by the NFF President, CAF Executive and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick, to the tournament’s Director of Organisation, Aisha Falode.

An estactic Falode, stated that, the presence of the football bigwigs at the tournament will simply attest to the high regards these personalities have for Nigeria’s First Lady.

She added: “Their attendance is in line with the football body’s programmes of growth, commercialisation, marketing and rebranding of women’s football, which of late have seen issues affecting the game receiving global attention at every forum.

“The FIFA strategies for the Women’s Game are captured in its five-point agenda : “Develop And Grow On And Off The Pitch, Showcase The Game and Improve Women’s Competitions, Communicate and Commercialize, Broaden Exposure and Value, Govern and Lead, Strive For Gender Balance, Educate and Empower, Build Capacity and Knowledge.”

Falode stressed that: “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.

The football showpiece which is in honour of Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari, would have in attendance women football powerhouses in Africa namely, hosts Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Mali and Morocco.

“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 the women game and every other things concerning women.”

The Director of Organisation added that: “The acceptance of the world and African football bigwigs to be part of the Aisha Buhari Cup is a mark of respect for Nigeria’s indefatigable First Lady and also honour and recognise her various activities and contributions in and outside Nigeria over the girl-child advocacy and empowerment programmes,” said Aisha Falode who is the Chairperson, Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and foremost broadcast journalist.