Chikelue Iloenyosi, a former Super Eagles defender, says he is fighting to be a board member in the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to impact lives and development of football in the grassroots, Wakawaka Sports Extra reports.
Iloenyosi, who featured for the Nigeria U20s during the Nigeria ’99 FIFA U20 World Cup, disclosed that being a member in the NFF board will further ensure that he fights for the rights of players and for NFF to get it right.
The Anambra FA chair, who is vying to be a board member in NFF to represent the South-East geopolitical zone, noted that one must be in the system to fight the ills that has bedeviled Nigeria football.
Speaking exclusively to Wakawaka Sports Extra, he revealed that self-effort and boldness has helped him as Anambra FA chair, to lay to bed the issues hindering the growth of the game in the state.
While expressing displeasure over the abject state of ex-players who are downtrodden and incapacitated to fend for themselves, he said that his humanitarian deeds are his singular focus to help humanity.
His words: “I want everybody to go back in their state and start to contest election to become a congress member. It’s all about you to have capacity in the board to make sure fight for the rights of players, to make sure you fight for Nigeria football to get it right.
“I am not fighting in Nigeria football because of what I can gain, am fighting because I want to impact in peoples lives and development of football in the grassroots that’s why we want to be in the board of Nigeria football.
“It’s my privilege to serve as Chairman, Anambra FA, I have seen what is on ground in Anambra FA and I took a bold step to stop all the things going on because I want the state to move forward.
“Anambra State FA is about people who
wants the progress of football by God giving me back my mandate I will work with everyone to make sure Anambra state come back to life as the hub of football in Nigeria.
“I know what it takes to be at the grassroots and that’s why am making a very big effort to make sure grassroot football comes back to life. I bought 100 pieces of football to make sure I distribute to all the academies to support them.
“I want to meet with the Deputy Governor to plead with him to allow the state academies and clubs in Anambra state have access to training in the stadium without paying any money. We want them to be participating in that stadium to make it busy.
Speaking on his humanitarian works, the former defense strong man said it is simply his kind nature to extend act of benevolence to those in need.
“That is the way God has created him I’m not doing what I am doing because I want to get anything from anyone. We all are colleagues, played football but these are the people who did not end their career very well. If you have anyway of supporting them support them.
“I was in Enugu and I saw an ex-international doing a security guard in a hotel and I shade tears. This are things we see in the system where players are fighting and all that. You must work hard to be in the system and you must be inside the system to fight the system.
“I will stand my ground to make sure I put smile on the face of ex-players if I am elected that is my priority of being in the board to support.them I think about this people so much we need to support them and bring them back to life which is very very important and the key.
“All I need from my supporters is prayers. I have money to run my election. I believe in God and I want all my supporters to pray for me because all power belongs to God.”
