From Our Sports Correspondent
Football history was made on Saturday in Lagos as the first batch of 100 grassroots football coaches graduated from a specialized one-month training course at the National Institute for Sports (NIS). The groundbreaking program, facilitated by the Lagos State Football Association in collaboration with the NIS, marks a major milestone in grassroots football development in Nigeria.
During the event, Professor Olawale Moronkola, Director-General/CEO of the NIS, congratulated the new coaches, emphasizing the significance of the occasion. He highlighted the initiative as a solution to the challenge of unqualified coaches and the prevalence of quackery in Nigerian football, calling it a step forward for the NIS, Lagos FA, and the future of football in the country.
"This initiative was born out of the pressing need to address the challenge of unqualified coaches and the widespread presence of quackery in our football system," Moronkola remarked.
He also expressed gratitude to the Lagos FA for their support, saying, "Your commitment to developing grassroots football is commendable, and together, we can continue to build a robust framework that supports the growth of the sport at all levels."
Chairman of the Lagos FA, Hajji Gafar Liameed, shared his excitement, describing the successful conclusion of the training course as a significant achievement. He revealed ambitious plans to train over 5,000 grassroots football coaches in four years, adding that the positive impact will benefit both Lagos State and Nigerian football as a whole.
