Fast-growing female referee, Yemisi Eunice Akintoye, has shot her thoughts back in time to recall how she transformed into an arbiter after initially trying out as an active footballer, Sports247 reports.
Akintoye, who recently hit international limelight as the centre referee for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) semi-final clash between Algeria and Malawi, revealed that it all began for her as a student at the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
The amiable ref made this revelation while speaking during the ‘Hot Seat’ segment of Sports247’s television programme, ‘Inside Naija Sports,’ which streams online via YouTube and airs every Saturday at 12 pm on NTA News 24.
READ ALSO: Yemisi Akintoye Opens Up on Her WAFCON Breakthrough | Sports247 Nigeria
She started by thanking everyone who gave her a resounding reception at the airport on the day she returned from Morocco, where she was a centre referee in two WAFCON 2026 matches as well as fourth official in three.
Akintoye gleefully retorted, “I would like to use this opportunity to give kudos to my very close friend and FIFA ref, Hope Igho. He was the one who organised a very big welcome back home reception for me.
“I was not expecting anything like that, and it was a very pleasant surprise for me. Although he earlier called me and said he would be at the airport to pick me up, he never told me he would be there with a crowd.
“So, I really appreciate him for that, and I told him so immediately I saw them. In fact, it was a very warm welcome, which I don’t think has ever happened like that in Nigeria. So, I appreciate his effort very well.”
The graduate of Human Kinetics from the University of Lagos and founder of Female Young Girls Bootcamp (FYGB) project then went back in time with details of her advent into refereeing, because it was a course she had to pass at the NIS.
“It all began when I was a student at NIS, before I went to the University of Lagos. I was actually initially a footballer, and I even played in the Nigerian Women’s Football League, NWFL.
“I started with Taiwo FC, then went to Jagunmolu Babes and later Little Queens in Ibadan. I then went to NIS because my dad is someone who likes education, and he encouraged me to study.
“He insisted that I should return to school, and I felt I could train to be a coach, because I wanted to remain in the game. As it would happen, during my NIS days, there was a course called officiating.
“I knew about playing football, but I did not know anything about officiating. It was a four or six-unit course, and I just had to pass it before I could graduate.
“I was shocked when I went online to check the laws of the game and saw over 200 rules of football. This surprised me, and I felt it was too much for me. I felt that I needed a referee who would explain the laws to me.
“I eventually went to the office of the Lagos State Referees Council, where I met the secretary, Mr Sonibare. I told him I needed someone to help me with the laws of the game because I wanted to make Grade A in the course.
“He was the one who suggested that I should become a referee so that I could understand more about officiating. I was initially reluctant, but I later joined them, mostly because I wanted to pass the exam,” Akintoye admitted.
The FIFA-badge referee, who is also the CEO of Mitsy Photography Studio, concluded by revealing the difficulties she went through in the early days of her switch from playing football and seeking a career in coaching, especially as she had to combine three busy ventures at the same time.
“I eventually got the A Grade that I wanted in the course, but I also realised that I really enjoyed the period that I spent with them. I found it very interesting and I decided to continue with them.
“After graduating from NIS, I went into active refereeing, but I soon found out that it’s a long process for you to advance in it. It was really tough for me while I was still a student at UNILAG.
“I was also working at that time. I did not want to drop my job at Grange in Ikoyi, but it was not easy at all. I had three big things that I was working hard to combine and shuffle, but I kept going – and see where God has brought me up to,” Akintoye enthused.
