Naija Super 8 is questionable, says NFF board member, Inuwa ‘Ahlan’

The Chairman Kano State Football Association, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa ‘Ahlan’, has sensationally questioned the rationale behind the organisation of the maiden Naija Super 8 off-season inter-club football tournament as approved by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The NFF board member while speaking to Daily Trust yesterday on the recent upscale in cash prizes in the Nigerian football ecosystem said the organisers of the Super 8 tournament should have sponsored the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) instead.

“The Naija Super 8 is questionable. I asked that question in my mind. The league is more important than the Super 8 to me. That is my opinion. Instead of sponsoring the Super 8, they are supposed to sponsor the league as we are looking for sponsors,” he said.

The tournament, which is licensed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and is fully backed by the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) and the Nigerian National League (NNL) among other major stakeholders, is introducing excitement-filled innovations that will reignite fan interest in local football clubs.

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It will be noted that after the playoff in Eket, in Akwa Ibom State which involved 12 clubs (two each from the six-geo-political zones), eight clubs will proceed to  Lagos to battle for honours in the inaugural edition.

The teams are Rivers United (South-South), Enyimba (South-East), Remo Stars (South-West), Lobi Stars (North-Central), Katsina United (North-West) and Yobe Stars (North-East). The remaining two slots will be filled by wild card entries.

The tournament spearheaded by MTN Nigeria and Flykite Productions will be held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 16, 2023.

Each club will earn N3 million per match. The winner will go home with N25 million and a trophy, while the runner-up will get N9 million. Best player of each match will get N250,000, while the players who make the club of the season will be rewarded with N100,000 each.

‘Ahlan’, however, insisted that such a huge amount of money should be expended on the NPFL itself instead of the Naija Super 8 pre-season competition.