22nd April, 2019
The Minifootball Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo State Chapter, has sought the support of Oyo State Government and football enthusiasts to harness the benefits of the game.
Mr David Adewoye, MAN Coordinator in Oyo State, made the plea during a news conference in Ibadan on Sunday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), MAN is duly registered in Nigeria and had been affiliated to World Minifootball Federation (WMF) since April 27, 2018, making it on of the 144 countries duly accredited and affiliated to the WMF whose membership cuts across the six continents of the world.
Adewoye said that support was needed from the incoming government in the state and other relevant stakeholders to develop minifootball towards harnessing its unifying educational, cultural and humanitarian values.
“ We want to use minifootball to promote integrity, ethics, fair play and anti-corruption. This, we also hope to use in engaging our youths and creating employment.
“Minifootball is not capital intensive. We want to promote sports and organize local competitions. We want to also promote the development of women minifootball,” he said.
According to Adewoye, efforts were ongoing to ensure that the state remained a major force in Nigeria as regards minifootball.
He said minifootball across the world was making significant progress and that Nigeria was moving with the trend.
“In 2018, the Nigerian Minifootball team made its first appearance at the Nations Cup in Tripoli, Libya from May 5 to 12.
“We won a match, drew one and lost one. Our team ended fifth.
“It is good to note that the team secured a ticket to the 2019 Minifootball World Cup scheduled to hold in Australia from October 1 to 11,’’ he said.
He said that Nigeria would host the second edition of the minifootball nations cup scheduled to hold in 2020.
Adewoye said that WMF, a non-profit making organisation, was moving its headquarters from Czech Republic to Switzerland, saying efforts were underway to affiliate it with FIFA.