HALL OF FAME NAMES ADVISORY BOARD
The first task of the African Football Hall of Fame was to name an advisory board – a selection of like minds who have traversed the continent, covering and knowing more and gathering more information about the game in Africa. Seasoned veterans and active people who live and breathe the game, and behind whom no important information or detail on African football – past or present – will pass.
The role of the board is to vet and assess the choices made by voters on people worthy of selection to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Through our social media handles and by direct contact, we will entertain polls of the public on who we might have missed out on, and who is worthy of being in the Hall of Fame. These votes and choices will be assessed by our Advisory Board. Our Advisory Board will also be responsible for determine venues of induction events, and will most times be spokespersons for the Project, when the need arises. So who are the members of this esteemed Board?
Our Pioneer members are:
Tunde Adelakun – President/Chief Executive of Pride of Africa (incorporating the African Football Hall of Fame)
Osasu Obayiuwana (Nigeria) – a veteran journalist with vast experience working with BBC Sport and an international football commentator
Aliou Goloko(Senegal) – A well known and well travelled media practitioner who has been a part and parcel of the African Football Hall of Fame concept from inception in 2011
Mark Gleeson(South Africa) – A respected football journalist and commentator. Reputed to have the most complete set of records on African football in existence. The official archivist for African football in FIFA, an asset to the Hall of Fame project.
Inas Mahzer (Egypt) – Inas is well informed on the past and present of African football. She is the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Al Ahram newspapers in Egypt, as well as the Communications Manager of the Egypt national football team
Hope Chizuzu(Zimbabwe) – Hope Chizuzu is a multiple award-winning investigative sports journalist who has covered football, cricket, rugby and sports politics with distinction for many years. A strong critic against corruption in football and a strategic communications expert
Nuhu Adams(Ghana) – Very well travelled football journalist, calls himself the ‘modern Ghana football journalist, very passionate about African football especially the local game – an asset to this project
Usher Komugisha(Uganda) – African Football Journalist who covers the game for SuperSport TV as well as telling sports stories on the continent for Al Jazeera and BBC. Usher is also a Basketball Writer for FIBA. An active globetrotter and the dame of African football coverage. Usher lives and breathes African football.
Christophe Bongo(DR Congo) – former football player, played for Hannover in Germany and for DR Congo, also a qualified chemical engineer and now a football analyst and a compere. Was part of the group that created the first-ever African Footballer of the Year awards before CAF took it over. Brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Maher Mezahi(Algeria) – Sports journalist, columnist on France Football Weekly, together with Inas, a depth of experience and knowledge in North African football, but with wider interests in the continent as a whole.
Frank Simon (France) – A French journalist who has been covering African football for 30 years; working for l’Equippe, RFI (Radio France International) and Canal + Afrique; he has travelled the world covering and reporting on African football and has a vast knowledge of the game and its history in Africa. A truly naturalised African with a passion for the sport and well known to many legends of the game.