NNWL partners West Ham United FC on grassroots development

The leadership of the country’s third tier league, the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL), at the weekend recorded a milestone when it signed a partnership agreement with English Premier League side, West Ham United, for grassroots football development in the country.

The deal, facilitated by patron of the NNWL, Ifeanyi Ubah, The Guardian, was in fulfillment of one of Ubah’s promises to help build the league.

Ubah recently led the management of NNWL to the United Kingdom for exploratory talks with the English club.

The meeting, which held at Hilton Parklane, London, came as a boost and welcome development to the NNWL, which is looking for opportunities to promote and boost Nigeria’s grassroots football through international partnerships.

At the exploratory discussions, which started last weekend, was a West Ham United FC delegation led by the Chairman and Managing Director of the Club, Angus Kinnear and including Peter Stephensson (OBE), as well as Peter Jules, amongst.

Aside the NNWL Chairman, Ahmad Kawu, and Ifeanyi Ubah, also in the Nigerian delegation was former international and grassroots football ambassador, Austin Jay Jay Okocha.

Speaking on the new deal, Kawu said the nation’s grassroots football would never be the same again, adding, “In every ramification, the trip to London was a very successful and fruitful one. We were able to meet with the management of the club and made fruitful deliberations. I am very sure this discussion will open more doors to explore similar options for more opportunities. I can tell you that this is just the beginning of good things to come to the league.”

Kawu, who praised Ubah for volunteering to help the league grow, said he was doing everything possible to see that the NNWL caught up with its contemporaries all over the globe in all aspects of its operations which also includes financial autonomy”.