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*Mutfwang Pushes School-Based Girls’ Football, Reveals Two Plateau Talents Sent to Serbia*
Chief Daniel Mutfwang has called for the introduction of structured girls’ football programmes in primary and secondary schools across Plateau State, saying early participation could help build a sustainable pipeline of players for the state and Nigeria.
Chief Mutfwang, elder brother of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, made the call after he was unveiled as Patron of One-Goal Plateau during a meeting with former footballers and other sports stakeholders.
He said Plateau could take the lead in developing female football by introducing girls to the game from school age and sustaining the programme over the long term.
“I told the governor, if you want to, one of the things you can bring into is to launch female football on the Plateau,” Mutfwang said.
He proposed incorporating football into physical education and other organised sporting activities for girls, allowing them to develop an interest in the game before progressing to secondary school.
“Every primary school is playing football, girls are getting to know that football is not just for men,” he said.
“And then they get to JS1 with such a culture. How can Nigeria be looking for players? You just sit down and we will get great players.”
Mutfwang said such a programme should be viewed as a long-term investment, arguing that its full impact could become evident within a decade.
Drawing from his school years, he recalled how Baptist High School deliberately promoted basketball by engaging an American coach and encouraging incoming students to participate in the sport.
He said the approach demonstrated how schools could build a sporting culture when development is deliberate and sustained.
Mutfwang also challenged former footballers to become directly involved in coaching and mentoring younger players, saying their experience should complement the work of sports administrators.
He said former players were well placed to identify promising footballers and help prepare them for opportunities within and outside Nigeria.
As an example, Mutfwang disclosed that two young footballers had recently been sent to Serbia in an effort to expose them to opportunities in European football.
“We sent two footballers to Serbia,” he said.
“There are two young talents. I said, ‘Look, let’s attempt. Let’s spend the money, and for once, let’s pick one or two.’
He said the players had arrived safely and expressed hope that they would adapt successfully and make the most of the opportunity.
“We are praying that they adapt well and click. If they click, it also makes them look our way again,” he said.
Chief Daniel Mutfwang acknowledged the financial demands involved in creating international pathways for young footballers but said stakeholders must sometimes be prepared to invest and take calculated risks.
“Sports is very expensive. You need to take some risks at some times,” he said.
He argued that with quality coaching and appropriate government support, such a structure could provide a steady pathway from youth football to the professional game.
“If you can get people like that and support it a little way by government and get a good coach for them, before you know it, many FIFA agents will start disturbing you for their signatures,” Mutfwang said.
He maintained that Plateau still has significant football potential, but experienced players and stakeholders must become more deliberate about identifying young prospects and connecting them with opportunities.
“We that have known it, we have gone to places; let’s give them a platform to excel,” he said.
