Chairman of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) board, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has explained that the board decided to set up an under-17 youth league to help the domestic clubs groom future stars for their teams and also the nation.
The NPFL U-17 Youth League will commence in the 2023/24 season.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee to birth and run the league in Abuja, Elegbeleye also noted that the youth league is aimed at nurturing young talent and providing a platform for them to develop.
He urged the chairman of the committee to ensure that every NPFL club has a competitive youth team.
He said: “We have seen you as one of those who can do it; we see you as a tool that can make the system of youth football really propelling the ecosystem to work. That is why you are selected carefully based on the tool.”
In his acceptance speech, the league’s chairman, Emeka Inyama, a former chairman of Abia Warriors and a one-time member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said: “On behalf of my colleagues, I want to assure you that we’re going to be very intentional about it and assure you that our wealth of experience will come to bear in the discharge of our duties.”
Other members of the committee are the chairman of Benue State Football Association, Paul Ede, ex-international Patrick Paschal, Sabo Abdullahi Eka, Nicholas Morris Kemeghde and the Lagos State FA Vice Chairman, Gafar Liameed, who is also the proprietor of NNL Side, 36 Lions.
NPFL Head of Competitions, Dr. Sunday Obaseki will serve as Secretary.
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