Ondo state first lady, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu will be the special guest of honour at the official commencement match of the 2016/17 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).
The NWFL star match will involve the home ladies, Sunshine Queens and visitors, Ibom Angels at the Akure Township Stadium.
Her Excellency who wears the toga as grand matron of the Akure outfit is expected to lead other dignitaries within and outside the government quarters to drum supports for the Akure landladies.
Already the first lady has assured the side of adequate support to ensure the side becomes a reference point in the history of women football in the land.
The 2014 and 2015 women’s Federation Cup winners have however expressed their determination to leverage on the executive support to kick start the side title campaign on a winning note against visiting Ibom Angels.
The nearest time the Akure ladies came close to winning the top-flight title was in 2009 when they finished the season as vice champions.
The Akure outfit have severally finished the top-flight in the past as third and fourth best for over five times.
So the pain of coming too close without lifting the coveted trophy is what they will fight hard to banish with a winning start against Ibom Angels.
That’s not to say the Uyo landladies will be walk-overs as they themselves are not pretending of their readiness to emerge champions at the end of the upcoming season.
The Aisha Falode-led NWFL board has put in place a decent platform within its shortest time to allow the top-flights to have an even playing ground to showcase their football artistry and potential.
Falode will dutifully lead by example with a physically present in Akure together with the entire board members to cheer, support the combatants – Sunshine Queens versus Ibom Angels as well as further preach the new dawn gospel of the Nigeria Women Football League.
The star match opener between Sunshine Stars and Ibom Angels will be the only cynosure of NWFL matchday 1 clash on Saturday as other fixtures will hold on Wednesday, March 29.
Subsequently, other fixtures on the 2016/17 calendar will hold every other Wednesday.
The season is hopefully going to end on or before July as directed by the football house, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) with a Super Four contest to determine the champions.