8th City Merit Awards: Ekiti State Wins Best Football Association Award

By Lateef Adekola

Ekiti State Football Association has been honoured as the ‘Best State Football Association 2022’, in the 8th Edition of the prestigious annual City Merit Awards.

The presentation ceremony was held Thursday, February 26, 2023, during the 3-in-1 event organised by Ekiti State FA, in Ado-Ekiti, and was witnessed by an impressive turnout of enthusiastic participants.

Speaking at the event, Comrade Austin Popo, who is the Secretary of the BoT of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), praised the board of Ekiti State FA, for its impressive strides in the development of football in the state. He rallied all the critical football stakeholders in the state to support the several developmental initiatives of the State FA, led by its indefatigable Chairman, Bayo Olanlege.

President and National Coordinator of the City Merit Awards, Asiwaju Akeem Busari, stated that the award given to Ekiti State FA, was in recognition of its sterling performances, that has seen other State FAs, replicate its success template, particularly, in grassroots football development.

“It is no-gain saying, Ekiti State Football Association has been the best in grassroots football development. From a near comatose state, the Bayo Olanlege led board of the Ekiti FA, has given life and renewed hope to the hapless youths of the state through football, as well as, creating a sustainable football ecosystem in the state.

“It was a no-brainer for the selection committee of the City Merit Awards, to unanimously choose the Ekiti State Football Association, as the best in Nigeria, in 2022. We certainly hope that the award would further spur the Board of Ekiti State Football Association to work harder and improve the fortunes of football in the state,” Busari remarked.