…Ogunnowo hails organisers
By Andrew Abah, Abuja
The Chief Operating Officer of the Nationwide League One (NLO), Olushola Ogunnowo, has commended the organisers of the Unity Pre-season Tournament for providing clubs with a valuable platform to prepare ahead of the new league season.
Ogunnowo gave the commendation at the final of the Sarkin Karshi NLO Unity Pre-season Tournament held in Karshi, Abuja, where he praised the consistency and commitment of the organisers in sustaining the competition for teams participating in the NLO.
“I have to commend the Coordinator of the tournament, Patrick Ngwaogu, popularly known as Odogwu, for the passion and interest he has shown in putting this tournament together,” Ogunnowo said.
He noted that the organisers had earlier in the year staged a similar competition in Gwagwalada, Abuja, which the NLO supported. According to him, the earlier tournament also served as an opportunity for the league body to test new technological innovations.
“We used that opportunity to test-run some of the AI-powered digital cameras and other equipment that we are going to deploy in the NLO League,” he added. “The organisers have shown genuine interest in the development of grassroots football and deserve commendation.”
Ogunnowo further revealed that the NLO is set to introduce new innovations in the upcoming season, aligning the league with global best practices in football administration and match coverage.
The 2026 NLO season is scheduled to kick-off on April 10, with an opening fixture between Flight FC and NYSC FC in Makurdi, Benue State.
The Unity Pre-season Tournament is widely seen as a crucial preparatory platform, helping teams fine-tune their squads and strategise ahead of what is expected to be a competitive NLO campaign.
