Aisha Buhari charges girls to embrace football

By KEMI KASUMU

Nigeria’s First Lady, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has urged Nigerian girls to embrace football as a career path.

She made the call while receiving the President of FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino, at the State House on Thursday 16th September 2021.

Details of this were contained in a statement by Aliyu Abdullahi, the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the First Lady, dated Thursday 16 September 2021 and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER.

Mrs. Buhari said the benefits of football spread across the coaches, officials, and administrators on the one side, and to family members and the society on the other. With football, she said, we have an opportunity to influence and increase positive attitude towards gender equality and development.

“I collaborated with the NFF to promote women football in Nigeria and worldwide through the Aisha Buhari Football Tournament, to build on the gains achieved so far and to create additional opportunities for the girl-child. I, therefore, call on FIFA, CAF, and NFF to show more support and encouragement to female players both at local and international levels” she said.

She commended the President of FIFA for his support to women’s football and his participation at the event.

Earlier, the President of FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino commended the First Lady for the leadership role she is playing on the issue of women empowerment, saying that her energy is unrivaled. He commended the sense of organization in the tournament and expressed his belief that it will achieve its stated objectives.

Mr. Infantino further expressed strong conviction that the Aisha Buhari tournament will serve as a shining example of women empowerment worthy of emulation around the world, stating that it will also “unite the world a little bit more.”

The FIFA President was accompanied by the President of Confederation of African Football (CAF) Mr. Patrice Motsepe, the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Mr. Amaju Pinnick and other officials of FIFA, CAF, and NFF. The meeting was also attended by the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, and that of Sports and Youth Development, Dame Pauline Tallen and Sunday Dare, respectively.