NFF Partners Solaja On Landmark Book On Nigerian Football

ANINWOBODO AFAMEFUNA STANLEY

NFF president Amaju Pinnick (left) with Kunle Solaja

 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is the principal sponsor of a landmark book on Nigerian Football titled ‘Super Eagles At 70: Soaring On The Wings’ which was written by foremost football writer and analyst, Kunle Solaja.

Described by the author as “a compendium on the Super Eagles written in lucid and infographic grammar”, the book contains about every information that a researcher or reader may desire about Nigeria’s National Team since it was launched on 26^th June, 1949.

It traced the history of the team from the days of UK Tourists through Red Devils, to Green Eagles and then to Super Eagles, and is a literary celebration of 70 years of the Nigeria senior squad. The book at the same time celebrates 60 years of the nation’s supreme football –governing body, Nigeria Football Federation’s affiliation with the continental body, CAF and the world body, FIFA.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, said: “Mr. Solaja is an oak tree in football journalism in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large, and the NFF as an institution is happy to partner with him on this memorable project.

“I have gone through the book; it is a reader’s delight. More than that, it will be a great arrival on the shelves in an industry that is suffering from paucity of well-written books.”

An erudite journalist and diarist extraordinaire who has laid down the marker for excellence in his discipline in several decades of practice, Mr. Kunle Solaja also has to his name two remarkable efforts on Nigerian Football: Super Eagles…Through The Ages and Going for Goals…Unfolding Nigerian Football’s Hidden Stories.

Gifted with an eye for detail and lucid writing skill, Solaja has travelled the world in three decades of sterling service to football journalism, and his latest effort has also been applauded by NFF 1^st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi, 2^nd Vice President Shehu Dikko, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and two former Nigerian internationals of note, Patrick Ekeji and Olusegun Odegbami. Dr. Larry Izamoje, Chairman of Brila Sports Radio, has also applauded the contributions of Solaja to sports journalism as a whole.

The author has served time at some of the country’s leading media houses, including the now-defunct Concord newspapers, The SUN newspapers and The Guardian. While at Concord, he also served as personal assistant on sports to the international business mogul and politician, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, of blessed memory.

While the country Nigeria has been to the FIFA World Cup finals on six occasions, Russia 2018 was Solaja’s eighth appearance at the Mundial,alongside coverage of other FIFA events like the FIFA Confederation Cup, FIFA U20 World Cup and the FIFA U17 World Cup, as well as several Olympic Games and the Africa Cup of Nations.

The book will be launched in Lagos, days before the commencement of the 32^nd Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.