Heartland Queens football club of Owerri will be facing off familiar foes in group A of the 2023/2024 Nigerian Women’s Football League season with the kick-off at the Dan Anyiam stadium Owerri against Confluence Queens who coincidentally ended last season with the Owerri side in the same venue.
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The Owerri landladies will be battling former league champions Nassarawa Amazons, Super Six contender Naija Ratels, oriental derby foes Abia Angels, northern dominant force Adamawa Queens, experienced league side Royal Queens and newly promoted hot sensation Dannaz ladies.
Group B is made up of Edo Queens, Lakeside Queens, Rivers Angels, Sunshine Queens, FC Robo Queens, Bayelsa Queens, Delta Queens, and Wild Card Ekiti Queens.
The draw started after the NWFL Annual General Assembly held at the Bon Hotel Residence Ikeja and was well attended by football stakeholders and all Premiership as well as championship club representatives.
The Imo state commissioner for Youths, Sports, and social development Honourable Emeka Okoronkwo in his reaction assured newsmen of Heartland Queen’s readiness to prosecute the league and come back triumphantly.
He further revealed that Heartland Queens has the full backing of the Imo State Government ably led by His Excellency distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma and will ensure that whatever the Owerri landladies need in other to succeed, the government is ready to do.
Addressing the general assembly the newly elected chairperson of the NWFL Ms Nkechi Obi in her welcome address noted the board had been saddled with the responsibility of driving the growth of professional Women’s Football in Nigeria
The event, which promised much, lived up to the billing, as it saw a host of innovations and creative ideas on how the league would be run in the 2023/2024 season successfully.
She said it was important to grow the level of female participation and capacity in football.
The newly elected NWFL Boss said;
“We will grow the level of female participation in football and improve on the quality and capacity of personnel around the League including players, coaches, officials, and administrators.” Ms. Obi assured
She further stated, “For the first time the elite women’s league will be embracing and promoting the significance of sustainability in sports in general, in Nigeria, and women’s football in particular.”
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Gusau, represented by the Chairman of the Ogun State Football Association, Ganiyu Majekodunmi, gave his remarks on the importance of the women’s league and how important it is to the Federation.
The NFF board member also stated the federation’s full support to all levels of the women’s game and is glad to see its steady growth.
Paul Edeh, chairman of Benue State F.A., in his remarks, extolled the virtues of the Chairperson of the board, hailed her togetherness spirit, and her ability to carry everyone along.
He said, “The hallmark of leadership is to carry everyone along”. Women must first rise to the responsibility for women to rise.
He also sought representation for all the women’s league in the NFF board, just like what happens in the men’s league for equality and fairness.
The NWFL board in its drive to make the league a sustainable one and a tool to foster gender equality, and livelihood for women unveiled the “Women’s Football Rising” platforms which include Football and the Girl Child, Sisterhood Campaign, He4She Campaign and the Class to Pitch Collaboration with Sports Business Institute.
