Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with a former General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and ex-Member of the House of Representatives, Hon Sani Ahmed Toro, on the occasion of his 70th birthday. The president lauded him for his services to the nation and important contributions to the growth of football.
The president, in a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, recognised all the years of hard work of the first Executive Secretary/CEO Nigeria Professional Football League Governing Board, who during his tenure as scribe of NFA, the Super Eagles won gold medal at Tunisia 1994, Nigeria for the first time qualified and participated at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States where they reached the second round.
President Buhari noted that it is worth remembering that under Toro’s administration the Men’s Olympic Football team won gold in Atlanta 1996, making the country’s ‘Dream Team’, captained by Nwankwo Kanu, with other legends like the skillful Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Celestine Babayaro, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel ‘the bull’ Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke, Tijani Babangida, among others, the first African nation to win that title.
The president believed Toro and other administrators who worked behind the scenes to give Nigerians these wonderful memories deserve to be thanked and prayed for, in the hope that they live more years to experience more moments of joy and celebrations in the country.
