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Tag: Taiwo Ogunjobi

  • Taiwo Ogunjobi to be buried on March 15

    The family of late Taiwo Ogunjobi on Tuesday announced March 15 for the interment of the former NFF Secretary-General, according to a statement signed by Mr. Rotimi Ogunjobi, the deceased’s younger brother.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 65 year-old former national team and IICC player died in the early hours of Feb. 11 at University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan.

    “Whilst we consider it a heavy loss to the family, we have since his death realized that our ‘Taiwo’ is not just ours but one that the sporting community and the nation at large loved and respected so much.

    “Though pained beyond comprehension, we are consoled by the many comforting messages from across the sporting world.

    Read Also: Updated: Ex-NFF scribe Ogunjobi is dead

    “We firmly believe he could only have gone to a better place, where if football is played he will once again excel as a talented natural leader. We are delighted to have shared him with Nigeria, even the world,’’ the family said.

    The family said that the final burial rites of the deceased would hold from Wednesday, March 13 to Friday, March 15 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    “Full details of events would be published at a later date,’’ the family said.

    The family thanked those who had directly or indirectly offered their heart-felt condolences, support and well wishes during the trying period.

    NAN

  • Kalu mourns late Ogunjobi

    Former Governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu, has described the death of the former Secretary General of Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF ), Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, as a huge loss to the country.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser, Mr Kunle Oyewumi, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ), Orji said that Ogunjobi would be remembered for serving the country diligently in the sports sector.

    According to Kalu, the late footballer popularly known as “Skippo” served the nation diligently in different positions in the sports industry.

    While lamenting the passage of the ex-international footballer, Kalu pointed out that late Ogunjobi left behind good legacies for the football family to uphold.

    “I join other Nigerians in mourning the passing on to eternal glory of the former NFF scribe.

    “He was a talented footballer, soccer administrator and above all, a man of impeccable qualities.

    “The late Ogunjobi will be remembered for his laudable contributions to sports development beyond the shores of Nigeria.

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ogunjobi family at this sorrowful period,’’ Kalu said.

    Kalu also commiserated with the government and people of Osun over the loss.

    Born on Aug. 17, 1953, Ogunjobi passed on at the age of 65.

    The football administrator died on Monday; until his death, Ogunjobi was the Chairman of Osun State Football Association.

  • Obaseki extols virtues of late Maj. Gen. David Ejoor

    …mourns passing of Taiwo Ogunjobi

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has extolled the virtues of Late retired Major General David Ejoor, who served as administrator of old Mid-Western Region and later as Governor, Mid-Western State, praising his contribution to what later became Delta and Edo states.

    The death of late Maj. Gen. Ejoor at the age of 87 was announced on February 10, 2019.

    Also, the governor mourned the passing of ex-Nigerian international, Taiwo Ogunjobi, describing him as an astute administrator and a model to young sportsmen and women.

    In a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, the governor said that given the peculiar character of Mid-Western State, it needed a well-versed leader to pilot its affairs, a role which Maj. Gen. Ejoor performed well.

    He described him as a respected statesman, who contributed to the development of the region and set some of the foundation stones for progress and unity in Delta and Edo states.

    According to him, “The Edo State Government commiserates with the people and government of Delta State over the death of retired Major General David Ejoor, who was at a time, administrator of now defunct Mid-Western region.”

    “The outpouring of goodwill messages from Nigerians, since retired General Ejoor’s passing, is a testimony to his tireless work in propagating oneness among Nigerians, especially his role in the unity of Nigeria during and after the civil war when he served as administrator of now-defunct Mid-Western state and later the Chief of Army Staff.”

    On Ogunjobi, the governor said, “We are saddened by the passing of Mr. Ogunjobi who served Nigeria meritoriously as a footballer as well as a sports administrator.

    “On behalf of the people and government of Edo State, I commiserate with the nation’s football community and the government of Osun State over Ogunjobi’s passing.”

    Ogunjobi’s passing was announced on February 11, 2019. He was a former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and was the serving chairman of Osun State Football Association.

  • Consensus: Ogun APC adopts indirect primary to resolve issues

    The Ogun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress  ( APC ), on Thursday resolved to stay – off direct primary as an alternative mode of selecting party candidates for the 2019 general elections where consensus method fails.

    Ogun APC had last September 5 adopted consensus option with a provision that should the method fails, it would resort to Direct primary to pick candidates.

    The September 5 decision on consensus was reached at the Stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, which was attended by governor Ibikunle Amosun, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Derin Adebiyi, State Executive Committee Members, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, former Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun, some members of the party in the National and State House Assemblies, former legislators as well as party and council Chairmen in the 20 Local Governments among others.

    However, in an expanded Executive Committee meeting of the party in the state on Thursday afternoon, it resolved that consensus method still stands but where it proved “impracticable, Indirect mode of primary elections shall be used for the purpose of 2019 general elections.”

    In attendance at the expanded executive committee meeting are Deputy Governor, Yetunde Onanuga who represented Governor Ibikunle Amosun, state chairman of APC, Chief Derin Adebiyi, National Financial Secretary, Alh. Tajudeen Bello, immediate past state acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lemboye, the consensus governorship candidate in Ogun, Hon. Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade and 108 others.

    Read Also: Power: FG considers safe use of nuclear, geothermal energy

    The motion for the adoption of the Indirect Primary option if consensus method fails, was moved by the Chairman of the party in Sagamu Local Government, Segun Solarin, and seconded by former Deputy Speaker of Ogun Assembly, Hon. Bolanle Gbeleyi, with 109 executive Committee members supporting the motion when it was put to voice vote.

    And in a communique issued and signed by the state chairman, Derin Adebiyi, at the end of the meeting, the party predicated parts of the reasons for adopting Indirect method instead of Direct Primary, on the difficulties of meeting the “copious and stringent preconditions for the exercise of Direct primary.”

    According to the party, “all the prerequisites for a credible, successful and violence free primary elections are absent… while “the updated membership register from across wards of the state has not been availed the state chapter by the National Headquarters,” five days to the primary elections.

  • Pinnick re-elected as NFF President

    Incumbent President of the Nigerian football Federation, NFF, Mr Amaju Pinnick, was on Thursday re-elected for a second term in office to superintend the Football Federation.

    The election which was held at the premises of Katsina State local Government Service Commission in Katsina saw Pinnick polling 34 votes to beat other three contestants to retain his seat.

    His closest rival and former NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Magari polled 8 votes, while the former Secretary of the NFF, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi who also contested for the seat, polled 2 votes. Honorable Chinedu Okoye, a new entrant in the contest, did not gather any vote at the election

    Read Also: Pinnick battles others for top job

    In all, 44 delegates from states’ football federation and other bodies including coaches, referees associations and players’ unions ,participated in the election, which was largely adjudged transparent and peaceful

    The chairman of the Electoral Committee for the election, Muhammed Katu announced the results.

    FIFA representatives, Luca Piazza and Solomon Mudege were among football chiefs who witnessed the election.

    Elections into the other offices such as first Vice President, Chairman of Chairmen and other members of the NFF board were still in progress as at time of filing this report.

     

  • Lulu, Ogunjobi lose bid to stop corruption trial

    Lulu, Ogunjobi lose bid to stop corruption trial

    Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday dismissed a “no-case-submission” filed by a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Sani Lulu, in his trial for corruption.

    Also being tried alongside Lulu are a former first vice president of NFF, Amanze Uchegbulam, a former executive committee member, Taiwo Ogunjobi, and ex-NFF Secretary-General, Bolaji Ojo-Oba.

    They were arraigned for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on September 6, 2010.

    The quartet were accused of misappropriating over N1.5billion released by the Federal Government to the NFF without giving proper accounts of how the money was spent during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

    They are also said to have siphoned about $125,000 through shoddy hotel bookings in South Africa during the World Cup.

    Lulu and other were also accused of flouting due process in the purchase of two Marcopolo buses for the national teams as well as sharing of N185million amongst state chairmen of NFF in their futile bid to remain in control of the football federation.

  • Pinnick wins NFF election

    Pinnick wins NFF election

    The Chairman of Delta State Football Association, Amaju Pinnick, was on Tuesday elected president of the Nigeria Football Federation.

    He recorded 32 votes to edge out his nearest challenger, Dominic Iorfa, who polled eight votes.

    The former secretary general of the federation, Taiwo Ogunjobi, got four votes.

    Pinnick will run the affairs of Nigerian football for the next four years.

     

  • NFF poll: Umeh, Odegbami, Ogunjobi out

    NFF poll: Umeh, Odegbami, Ogunjobi out

    Nigeria Football Federation acting president, Mike Umeh, has been screened out of the forthcoming elections, while Chris Giwa is unopposed for the federation’s presidency.

    According to the electoral guidelines, Giwa, who is the owner of Nigeria premier league club, Giwa FC, will automatically be the new NFF president as he is unopposed.

    Giwa’s clearance comes despite his indictment by a fact-finding committee into Plateau United when he was the club acting chairman 10 years ago, africanFootball.com reports.

    It also fuels speculations that the sports ministry has carefully orchestrated what could now be best described as an appointment.

    Also disqualified is former secretary general of the NFF, Taiwo Ogunjobi.

    Former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami, was also not cleared for the August 26 elections to the NFF executive committee.

    NFF electoral committee chairman, Amoni Biambo, made the disclosure Wednesday in Abuja while rolling out the list of cleared candidates.

    He explained that Ogunjobi was disqualified due to his ban from all football activities, while Umeh was screened out because he picked a form for vice president and submitted same for presidency.

    For Odegbami, his form was not properly endorsed and as such was not cleared.

  • NFF to lift bans on Baribote, Ogunjobi

    NFF to lift bans on Baribote, Ogunjobi

    The Nigeria Football Federation is set to lift the bans placed on Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi and former Premier League boss Victor Baribote.

    Both Ogunjobi and Baribote were banned from all football activities for 10-years and 15-years respectively by an investigative committee set-up by the NFF’s Executive Committee last October, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    But a recent statement from the Federation revealed that arrangements are being made by the new administrators of the NFF to lift the bans placed on the duo following the removal of Aminu Maigari as NFF president.

    To this effect, the Federation’s executive committee has constituted a five-man panel to review the issue of bans on persons within the Nigeria football family and report back to the body within three days.

    The committee, which was immediately inaugurated by the Acting President, Chief Mike Umeh, is headed by Chief Effiong Johnson and has Hon. Shehu Adamu, Mr. Ayodeji Tinubu, Mrs. Dilichukwu Onyedinma and Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande as members.

    Dr. Christian Emeruwa will serve as Secretary.

  • NFF reduces Ogunjobi’s ban

    NFF reduces Ogunjobi’s ban

    The Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reduced the ban slammed on former Secretary general of the Federation, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi from ten years to two.

    Ogunjobi, who used to be an executive committee member of the federation until his board was ousted after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was banned by the NFF for ten years for his involvement in the transfer saga of former Flying Eagles’ star, Olanrewaju Kayode.

    The panel set up by the NFF and headed by Barr Chris Green slammed a ten year ban on Ogunjobi but just yesterday that decision was reduced by the federation’s Appeals’ Committee headed by Barr Ibrahim Eddy Mark.

    According to a communique signed by Okey Obi, secretary of the Committee, the ten year ban was found to be excessive and accordingly reduced to two years with effect from October 28, 2013.

    The statement also revealed that Ogunjobi has the right to appeal against the decision to  the Court of Arbitration for Sports Lausanne, Switzerland within 10 days.

    When SportingLife sought Ogunjobi’s reaction to the reduction of his ban, the former General Manager of Shooting Stars said he would issue an official statement next week.

    “I’m just hearing the news from you but I assure that I would make my decision known by next week”he replied.