The much awaited kick-off of the 2011 “Friends of Rugby” organized Lagos Rugby Union League and indeed the 2011 Rugby Season program is awaiting the inauguration of the newly elected board of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation.
According to the spokesperson of the group, Mr. Ntiense O. Williams,
“Friends of Rugby” board have concluded plans for the take off of the Lagos Rugby Union League its flag-ship program for the 2011 Rugby season scheduled to take place at the National Institute for Sports of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos since May, but for the postponement of the inauguration of the board of the elected board of the Rugby Federation.
Williams popularly called “Mr. Rugby” added that;
“We have concluded plans for the take-off of our flag-ship rugby program for the 2011 rugby season being the much talked about Lagos Rugby Union League, which will kick-off next month with Six Clubs as of last year. It is imperative that all rugby stakeholders operate under the board of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation which has recently being reconstituted with an elected board members by the Nigeria Olympic Committee to give the board legitimacy” Said Ntiense Williams”
The League will witness 30 matches played over 10 weeks from July through to November with the finals in December. There will be 3 matches played at the same venue each fortnight.
When asked what plans the board is having for the season, he replied by saying;
“Other programs penciled down for the year on the boards sponsorship will include the traditional Rakia 10’s Rugby Tournament which will kick off the season this July. There will also be the Independence Rugby Tournament which has fast become a rugby celebration of some sort, and a must watch event in the rugby calendar. We will have a special consideration for the Women version of the game this season as we have packaged a women’s only rugby tournament sometime in September. The season will be rounded off with the Tri-Regional Tournament, the National League Finals, and the Dubai 7’s International Rugby Tournament”.
It will be recalled that the inauguration was earlier scheduled for Tuesday 24 May 2011, but had to be postponed due to the fact that the concession board members of the NRFF failed to turn up, giving an excuse of short notice, whereas all other rugby stakeholders from across the country were in attendance alongside the Nigeria Olympic Committee President Eng. Sanni Ndanusa and his executive.
It is also on record that they were given till the 3rd of June 2011 to confirm another date, which was also ignored. This led to the NOC writing officially to the rugby’s world body- the International Rugby Board in reply to the initial ban letter, explaining the efforts being put into resolving the matter as directed in the International Rugby Board letter signed by Mr. Cliffie Booysen the International Rugby Board Regional General Manager-Africa in 2009.
With all these going on in the Board, we sincerely hope all parties will allow reasoning to prevail and bring all rugby stakeholders on board for an all inclusive meaningful progress, and development of the game in Nigeria .
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