Ikpeme Receives UNILORIN Ambassador Honour, Donates Sports Book and ₦1m Annual Prize

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Deputy General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, MON, has pledged to promote the ideals, values and image of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) wherever he goes after being invested as a University Ambassador.

Ikpeme described the honour as both a recognition of his past contributions and a call to greater service, dedicating the recognition to God, his family, mentors, colleagues and supporters.

Speaking at the investiture presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, Ikpeme said the honour held special personal significance.

‘It’s a great honour to be given an award by the university. Thank you very much, sir,’ he said.

The NFF official also presented five copies of his recently published book, Perspectives on Sports Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Ways Forward, to the university. Three copies were donated to the university library, while two were presented to his former department, Human Kinetics.

Ikpeme, who said the book was his contribution to the development of Nigerian sports, also unveiled it on June 18. He further demonstrated his commitment to the university by pledging ₦1 million annually as prize money for the Vice-Chancellor’s football competition for students.

Under the arrangement, the winning team will receive ₦500,000, the runners-up ₦300,000, while the third-placed team will receive ₦200,000.

‘I want to donate ₦1 million to that competition every year, ₦500,000 for the winning team, ₦300,000 for the runners-up, and ₦200,000 for third place,’ Ikpeme said.

Egbewole said Ikpeme was chosen for the ambassadorial honour because he had consistently portrayed the university in a favourable light through his professional and public engagements.

Ikpeme lectured at the University of Calabar before serving as Sole Administrator of the Cross River State Sports Council. He joined the NFF as Deputy Secretary General (Technical) in 2007 and rose to the position of Deputy General Secretary in 2015.