Hayatou to host Maigari in Cairo

 
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, will
be a special guest of CAF President, Alhaji (Dr.) Issa Hayatou in
Cairo, Egypt on Friday.
 
The CAF President has invited Maigari and presidents of four other
federations whose teams would be representing Africa at this summer's
World Cup finals to a special meeting in the Egyptian capital.
 
It is expected that the former 400m champion of Cameroon would seek to
sound out Maigari and the FA Presidents of Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana
and Cote d'Ivoire on their teams' preparations for the biggest
showpiece in football, happening in Brazil between 12th June - 13th
July. Africa's football supremo is also likely to impress it on the FA
chiefs on the need to adequately prepare their teams to make the
continent proud in South America.
 
No African team has made it to the semi finals of the FIFA World Cup
in the past 19 editions, with only eight countries having lifted the
trophy - Brazil, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Argentina, England, France
and Spain.
 
Only Cameroon, in Italy in 1990, Senegal, in Korea/Japan in 2002, and
Ghana, in South Africa in 2010, have flown Africa's flag into the last
eight of the FIFA World Cup, with Cameroon narrowly beaten by England
in 1990 and Senegal eliminated by Turkey in Japan 12 years later.
Ghana lost to Uruguay four years ago.
 
Nigeria, champions of Africa, play two-time winners Argentina,
Bosnia-Hercegovina and Iran in Group F, with Algeria up against
Belgium, Russia and Korea Republic in Group H and Ghana to face
Germany, Portugal and USA in Group G.
 
Cameroon tackle Brazil, Croatia and Mexico in Group A and Cote
d'Ivoire are up against Colombia, Greece and Japan in Group C.
 
NFF condoles Aisha Falode
 
The Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday condoled Member of the
CAF Media Committee, Aisha Falode, on the death of her son, Toba
Falode.
 
News of the unfortunate incident made the rounds on Monday, and it was
learnt that the young man died at the weekend.
 
The screen diva, a former Chairperson of the NFF Media and Publicity
Committee, has been a telling figure in Nigeria sports journalism and
sports administration for decades, through her rare passion,
diligence, keen attention to details and sense of duty.
 
NFF President Aminu Maigari was dumbstruck when he learnt of the sad
news. "This is a tragedy. It is very, very sad to hear of the death of
such a young, charming and ambitious young man.
 
"We feel very much for Aisha Falode and deeply mourn with her at this
period. It must be so devastating to lose such a promising son at that
young age."