FIFA referees and Assistants referees including those of Futsal and Beach Soccer in Nigeria have been requested to show cause why they would be honoured with the international badges with their performances on the field of play.
President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, Otunba Tade Azeez made this admonition during the 2022 Fifa Badging Exercise.
Otunba Tade Azeez said that the NFF and team of trained Technical and Physical Fitness Instructors in the country have done what are expected of them to do to upgrade their level of officiating and fitness adding that the rest effort to reach the zenith of refereeing is left for for the Fifa referees to undertake.
While emphasizing on the notion of “to whom much is giving, much is expected” Otunba Tade Azeez said that anyone who doesn’t measure to the required standard and required mentality to continue to wear the FIFA badge may not be on the international list again.
Based on this, almost all the badged FIFA referees are in action this midweek signalling expectations of perfect officiating fireworks in all the league centres.
After a successful outing in Cameroon where he performed as Nigeria’s only ambassador in the line up of referees for the AFCON at Cameroon, Samuel Pwadutakam, of Adamawa referees council, who officiated games during the preliminary rounds will accompany a strong hand from Enugu council, Okey Ezeogu (Referee) alongside Lewis Gwantana of Nassarawa as Assistant Referee to handle the Kano Pillars vs Remo Stars game in Kaduna, a match the chairman of Niger State council and father of a Fifa referee, Abubakar Audu is the Assessor.
Another high flying Assistant Referee of the FIFA cadre from Edo council, Celestine Efosa Egudia and Futsal Soccer FIFA, Kebbi’s Bello Zuru will also be on the lines to properly assist one of the latest products from the NNL rank promoted to premier league this season, Alfa Sadiq of FCT in the Shooting Stars vs Heartland clash. The NRA National Welfare Officer, Kabir Magaji is the Assessor.
In the top of the bill cracker at Uyo; Akwa United vs Kwara Utd, the National Treasurer of the NRA, Isa Mohd of Borno will supervise the performance of an old war horse in the NPFL and a soldier, Marcus Bwashi of Bauchi, accompanied by FIFA Isa Usman of Katsina and Jimoh Abubakar of Lagos, while a renowned name in officiating at the moment, Dr Joseph Ogabor ( Fifa) who officiated Heartland vs Rangers game that the home side lost 0-3 will be the centre arbiter as Plateau United visit Rangers in Nnewi, Anambra state. Ogabor, a teacher at University of Calabar has another international referee, Hope Igho of Lagos council who was with him in the Owerri game a fortnight ago for the Nnewi battle.
