Lauretta Fagbohun
Abeokuta.
Forty grassroots football coaches in Ogun State have commenced a CAF D Licence Coaching Course aimed at improving coaching standards and strengthening football development at the grassroots level.
The training, which began on Thursday at Agro Terra Resort, Joga-Orile, in Yewa North Local Government Area, was organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in collaboration with the Ogun State Football Association (OGSFA) and the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA).
Declaring the programme open, the Chairman of OGSFA, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, urged the participants to take advantage of the training to enhance their professional competence and contribute to the discovery and development of young football talents across the state.
He noted that the quality of grassroots coaches remained critical to the future of Nigerian football.
Ajekodunmi said sustainable football development required deliberate investment in the knowledge and skills of coaches responsible for identifying, nurturing and preparing young players for competitive football.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to supporting initiatives that would improve coaching standards and strengthen the state’s football development structure.
The Technical Director of the NFF, Augustine Eguavoen, who led the team of instructors, emphasised the importance of making professional coaching education accessible to grassroots practitioners.
He explained that improving players’ performance depended largely on the quality of training they received, stressing the need for coaches to adopt modern techniques and pursue professional certification.
Eguavoen urged the participants to remain committed to continuous learning and ensure that the knowledge acquired during the course translated into improved training methods and better player development.
Other facilitators include the NFF Head of Coaching Education, Dr Terry Oguaje; retired FIFA referee, Alhaji F.A. Yusuf; and Coach Fatai Akande.
The Chairman of the NFCA in Ogun State, Mr Victor Damilola Agbagu, commended the state football association for responding to coaches’ demands for improved access to professional training.
Agbagu expressed satisfaction that two major coaching education programmes had been facilitated within six months of his emergence as chairman, citing the Nigeria Institute of Sports (NIS) course and the ongoing CAF training.
The event also attracted football stakeholders and supporters, including philanthropist and football enthusiast, Alhaji Ibrahim Dende Egungbohun, who was represented by Hon. Tunde Elegbede, and Alhaji Hakeem Okebunmi, an OGSFA board member representing Yewa South, alongside other dignitaries.
