Forty grassroots football coaches on Thursday converged on Agro Terra Resort, Joga-Orile, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, for a CAF D Licence Coaching Course aimed at raising coaching standards and strengthening the foundation of football development across the state.

The course, organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in collaboration with the Ogun State Football Association (OGSFA) and the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Ogun state chapter, is designed to equip participants with essential theoretical knowledge and practical coaching skills required for CAF D Licence certification.

Declaring the programme open, Ogun state FA Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, urged participants to embrace the opportunity to improve their professional competence and contribute meaningfully to the growth of grassroots football.

Alhaji Majekodunmi stressed that the future of Nigerian football depended significantly on the quality of coaches working at the grassroots level, where young talents are first identified, nurtured and prepared for higher levels of competition.

“Grassroots football is the foundation upon which the future of our game is built. If we want to produce better players and achieve sustainable development, we must invest in the knowledge and capacity of our coaches. I urge all participants to take this course seriously, learn from the instructors and apply the knowledge acquired to improve the players entrusted to them,” he said.

He added that the Ogun State Football Association remained committed to supporting initiatives that would improve coaching standards and create a stronger structure for football development across the state.

The Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Augustine Eguavoen, highlighted the need to bridge the gap in coaching education by making professional training more accessible to grassroots coaches.

“Coach education is fundamental to football development. We cannot expect to improve the quality of our players without also improving the quality of those who train them. Grassroots coaches need access to the right knowledge, modern coaching methods and professional certification to help them perform their roles more effectively,” he said

He urged participants to remain committed to continuous learning, explaining that the knowledge gained from the course should translate into better training methods, improved player development and higher standards across the game.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Ogun State Chapter, Mr Victor Damilola Agbagu, commended the Ogun State Football Association for responding positively to coaches’ requests by facilitating access to coaching education programmes.

Coach Agbagu expressed satisfaction that two major coaching education milestones had been achieved within six months of his emergence as chairman of the association.

“In just six months of my being chairman, we requested an NIS course, and now we have a CAF course. I am glad that both have been achieved.”

The head of Coaching Education at the NFF, Dr Terry Oguaje, retired FIFA referee, Alhaji F.A. Yusuf, and Coach Fatai Akande are among the facilitators for the course.

Football enthusiast and philanthropist, Alhaji Ibrahim Dende Egungbohun, was represented at the event by Hon. Tunde Elegbede, while Alhaji Hakeem Okebunmi, a member of the Ogun State FA board representing Yewa South, also graced the occasion among others.