BEVERLY HILLS, December 31, (THEWILL) – The appointment of Davidson Owumi as the Chief Executive Officer of the governing body of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has received the backing of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The NFF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, provided this backing when he approved the recommendation of Owumi by the League Management Company (LMC).
Owumi takes to this office after former CEO Nduka Irabor resigned from the position months ago. Irabor, the celebrated journalist and former member of the House of Representatives, was the first Chairman of the LMC before becoming the NPFL CEO.
The new CEO comes highly spoken about as a man who navigated a productive career both as a player in and outside Nigeria and as a club administrator of note in the country. He is expected to resume his duties after the approaching Annual General Meeting of the LMC.
Speaking on the development, Pinnick noted: “The LMC has started the new season on a positive note, putting their best foot forward with the telecast of the matches on NPFL.TV and some star games on NTA. The excitement is back and the spirit is right. It is the right time to bring in a class act like Owumi to help in steering the ship in the sterling direction that it has assumed.”
Owumi is regarded as a heavyweight in the Nigerian domestic football scene as, first a player and, then, an administrator of capacity and renown. He began playing football back in primary school representing Government College, Ughelli, before advancing to NEPA FC and NNPC FC both of Warri, Flash Flamingoes, Bendel United, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt among others. This he followed up with professional stints internationally in Greece, Cyprus, Qatar and Spain. He was capped when he briefly played for the senior national team, the Super Eagles.
Owumi, who had previously served as Chairman of Rangers International FC of Enugu, also served as MD/CEO of Warri Wolves, as Board Member of Nigeria Premier League and as Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League. He was, until his recent appointment, General Manager of Rangers.
Pinnick alluded to this span of administrative experience in his comments on the CEO’s appointment:
“Owumi’s pedigree is impressive and we believe he will greatly complement the work that the LMC has been doing and help drive the new thinking, new vision and new direction. It was not an easy task to secure his release by the Enugu State Government to take up the LMC CEO’s position, and we quite understand. He is an asset to any establishment.”
Yet, Owumi must bring all his previous knowledge to bear as he takes on the herculean task of revamping the NPFL. Reports of sharp practices reminiscent of the kinds that led to the suspension and fine slammed on CAF President Ahmad Ahmad by FIFA have dampened investor confidence in the domestic league.
The onus now rests on him. It will be no small task unbinding and unbundling structures that have held back the management of domestic football in the country so as to allow it take its pride of place on the continent and across the footballing world. What he must prioritise is the restoration of confidence so that new investors and sponsors will see a transparently managed NPFL and commit to the rejuvenation of the domestic game.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
