By Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association (NFRA) has expressed delight over the involvement of one of Nigeria’s respected technical instructors, retired FIFA referee Peter Edibe, as a referees’ assessor at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-20 qualifiers for the WAFU Zone B in Côte d’Ivoire.
In a statement issued to journalists in Calabar by the Cross River State Patron of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oqua Etim, and signed by the NFRA National Publicity Secretary, Chukwudi E. Jimoh, the association hailed Edibe’s appointment as a recognition of his outstanding contributions to football officiating.
The statement described the retired FIFA referee as one of the few Nigerian assessors selected to monitor and evaluate the performances of match officials participating in the CAF-sanctioned U-20 WAFU B qualifiers.
Edibe, who was among Nigeria’s most experienced international referees before his retirement, officiated in several major global football competitions, including the Olympic Games, FIFA Club World competitions, and Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
The NFRA noted that his wealth of experience has continued to attract recognition from both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA, particularly in the areas of referee development, mentoring, and technical training.
“Edibe remains a resource personality for CAF and FIFA during training programmes and workshops on the Laws of the Game,” the statement said.
The association added that Edibe, who was recently appointed a member of the NFRA Grading and Assessment Committee (Technical), has already assessed referees in two matches at the ongoing WAFU B tournament.
During the Togo versus Burkina Faso encounter, which was officiated by referees from Niger Republic and Benin Republic, Edibe served as the referee assessor.
He also assessed the officials during the Ghana versus Togo match played at the Yamoussoukro centre, involving referees from Niger, Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The Acting President of NFRA, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, congratulated Edibe, describing his continental engagement as another significant achievement that would further promote the development of refereeing in Nigeria and beyond.
Mejuobi expressed optimism that the experience gained by Edibe on the international stage would continue to positively impact members of the Nigerian referees’ family.
