Missing in Action (MIA) on a Hiatus called "National Assignment"

In service of our fatherland, I was called in December 2012, to join the premier league reform program of the Nigeria Football federation (NFF).  That committee then crystallized the road map to the birth of the LMC (League Management Company).  For almost 2 years now, I have been actively working with my committee colleagues and some progressives, to steady the ship, called elite football, in the fragile transitional road map we have designed for the sustainable development of this beautiful and highly potentially viable enterprise and brand, called the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League).

For two seasons now, we have seen some marginal, but critically centered changes, in attitudes, practices and some behavioral changes.  It is not yet uhuru, but I believe we are on course towards achieving some real solid reforms.

On this journey, I became exposed to a lot of things, that I would hitherto have taken for granted.

I have seen the best and worst of human nature, and what true hooliganism, and sporting gentility is really like.

I have come to lose and gain respect for all manner of people involved in Nigerian sports administration. In the field of journalism, specifically sports writers!! Many will gain my praise any day, for their dedication, commitment and the way they have behaved, with the pen at their hands (some with microphones), but shockingly enough, some "so called" veterans and esteemed reporters and sports aficionados, are nothing but "useless liars, good for nothing "sell outs" with no scruples left in them". They have become the laughing stock of their trade and it is sad to see that they have not realized that the dye is cast for them and their kind....Shame.

I have also experienced some of the worst behavior of human beings, and how they can collude to destroy anything good because of the phrase "protection of our interests".. which has become the new mantra for destructive behavior in Nigeria.  I have witnessed first hand, how money can drive development and as well destroy any meaningful progress.

I have also witnessed some of the greatest moments of my existence.  Sunday Mba of Warri wolves/Rangers, scoring the championship winning goal for AFCON 2013.  I also saw other memorable achievement by players, officials and teams predominantly made up from the local football scene.  I saw the LMC mark a one year milestone, with support of the team managers and club managers, and the federation.  We had relative peace during this time of my national assignment.

I am proud to have been part of the relative peace in the elite football environment.  More needs to be done, as we fear from the game falling into disrepute and being taken hostage by sycophants and power drunken mad people, whose obsession with winning at all cost is only rivaled by desperadoes in high places.

All in all, it wasnt a bad time away.  But I am back now, and rearing to go.  Expect my usual weekly doses of more sporting and lifestyle focused pieces, in "life, as I see it"..

Till next week.  Be good, and congratulations to Nigeria, for being declared "Ebola Free"...A heart warming news in the midst of challenging news.....Please lets keep those sanitizers handy and keep up the renewed improved hygiene and health conscious culture....  It has saved our lives.. Why stop it now...  Take care of you...

Defying the odds and Living up to one's potential - The story of the Super Eagles Triumph in AFCON 2013

With the 40th minute goal by Sunday Mba, Nigeria finally signed its name into the lore of the African Football world.  This goal was so significant in many ways.  It climaxed a 10 day period of surprises and upsets, of victories that were not only emphatic but were well deserved, it signified the rebirth of the Nigerian national team, vindicated Coach Stephen Keshi, announced the commencement of a new crop of superstars, and gave credence to the creativity of footballers based in Nigeria, and heralded a welcome to the new phase in the rebuilding process of the Eagles.

The laurels of this team and its achievements during the recently concluded African Nations Cup Tournament, South Africa 2013, will be sung for a long time, as they were never given much of a chance to reach the knockout stages, and winning the tourney was considered a bridge too far.

The Eagles showed Nigerians that they could collectively lift their gamesmanship, focus on set objectives, support each other and play good, entertaining football, whilst being deadly in front of goal.  Nigeria's darling team, have finally restored faith in the national team, which has long  been lost., after the superlative wins of 1996 Atlanta Olympic winners medal (our last major senior football achievement).

I remembered an encounter I had during the South Africa 2010 world cup, with a Turkish American journalist.  Who, after watching our loss to Argentina, shouted at me, that "Nigeria has so much potential on paper, that the performance of your Eagles now, has just proven that your football, is not worth the paper the word "potential" is written on"!!!

I felt pained by this statement, and proceeded to verbally return his salvo, but was stopped by the realization that the man was right....The Super Eagles had failed to deliver on a lot of expectations and aspirations of Nigerians for so many years up until that match and well beyond it.

Keshi and his crew, found a way to create a bold new direction for the team, by utilizing MERIT and transparency to select the best players (available), and showcase a blend of local and internationally based footballers to make up the NEW SUPER EAGLES.  Sentiments aside, the technical crew selected players that could execute the mandate that was assigned to the team.  Albeit, 17 rookies were included in the squad, with up to 6 local Nigerian football players (NPL) in the team. In Oboabona, Mba, and Egwueku, our defense have been strengthened and Onazi, Moses and Emenike have also shown that the future of this team is really bright and has the potential to become world beaters.

For the first time in a long time, the Super Eagles lived up to the potential we know the players and team have. Playing free flowing football, coordinated and planned movements and a show of determined and composed play.  In Stephen Keshi, we saw a man, who under pressure, stepped up and did what he had to do, to match words with actions, although not without some semblance of controversy, he kept his focus and protected his team, and made the objective of football remain the key focus of the team.  He gave no excuses, but continued to drive the results as the mainstay of his assignment.

The team's performance was not always outstanding, but they did what they had to do to get the result.  The  focus of the team never wavered, and credit must also be placed on the feet of the NFF management, which for the first time, ensured that they managed the "administration" of handling this team and its needs.. Maigari, did not play the "media murdering" that is common of past administrators.  The semblance of a seamless organisation gave a picture of a "united camp" even when results were not going Nigeria's way.  Even when Keshi threatened to walk out, matters were handled behind closed doors and resolved within the football administration management, and not on the pages of newspapers as was usually the case.

Have we learnt from our past debacles?? it seems so.  At least the players showed commitment, desire, a hunger to want to win matches, and played for the cause.  It is on that  realization that a justified conclusion can be made that we are and have turned the corner towards sustained success.

The Super Eagles and the NFF have justifiably defied the odds and lived up to the potential that is rightly being celebrated and applauded by millions of Nigerians, moreso, they have earned the respect, admiration of not only the Nigerian populace, but the football world in general, in the style in which they won the competition.  Recording victories over more fancied opponents like Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and a stubborn underdog in Burkina Faso, they have proven that the rebuilding process and path is really on course.

As we celebrate, we must also remember that the transition and easing out of players like Joseph Yobo, Ike Uche, and others must be done gracefully, and as we welcome and introduce new players into the fold, we must insist on quality, skill, and a continued unity of purpose and function.

I congratulate Nigerians, the Super Super Eagles, the NFF, the Federal Government of Nigeria. Success is the sibling of all...and sundry...  While we share in this well earned success, we must be mindful that the Confederations Cup in Brazil is 4 months away, and the world cup qualifiers will continue... Let this team focus on Brazil 2014... It is beautiful to truly feel and merit being called "the GIANT of AFRICA"... How sweet the feeling, when it is earned.... Huuuuppppppp Eaaaagggglleeeeeesss................

 

Smoke Screens and Shattered Mirrors....

London 2012 Olympic Games Logo

Smoke Screens and Shattered Mirrors

I took time off from writing, stopped sharing my thoughts and researches, because of the passing of my mom, and some internal lifestyle changes that I had to undergo..but after this hiatus, am back and hoping stronger and better focused than before...

London 2012 has come and gone, and yet again, Nigeria has shown to the world that it is all but an efficient nation in leveraging on its one area of competitive advantage, its people. Administration and lack of long term planning robbed us of being in the top ten of sporting nations.  The games exposed our mediocre training methods, lack of  adequate preparation, inability to scout for the best talent possible/available, nepotistic desperation of our officials, and the misadventure of our so called "elite athletes", who only bear that label within a small sycophantic group of administrators, that see nothing more than opportunities for the embezzlement and misdirection of public funds into their own private pockets.

Cotonou was the required smokescreen, that sporting event beclouded the judgement of this ill advised and misguided group of officials to believing that we were ready for Olympic Games competition.. it should have sounded as a warning alarm, but they went out of their way to tell all who cared to listen, how the current group of athletes were ready to take on the world....  The African Athletics championship was indeed a smokescreen and the illusion of that performance left the country believing that, maybe, just maybe, we were turning the corner.   The puppet masters were at work, and their puppeteers were busy ensuring that financial compensation was made to their advantages.....the mirrors shattered at London 2012 Olympics, wherein we not only under-performed, we disgraced this country, yet again, in the presence of all to see, and embarrassed the people and government of this country in a way that has previously never happened...

Riddle me this, how does a country spend over 12 Million USD from the treasury and have nothing appreciable to show for it.  Kenya, Botswana, Algeria, Trinidad & Tobago, Morocco, Turkey, St. Kitts, Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, all spent less than this amount and won medals in London 2012.  So, what went wrong.....(the answers are on everyone's lips).....

Our overrated athletes did what they do best, they show up, put in a half assed performance, lose out, cry out to their godfathers for their share of the FGN largess (camping allowee) and go back to parts from whence they came.... till another call up and jamboree turns up..

As harsh as that is to say and admit, it is true... Many a Nigerian athlete did not merit to be on that Olympic team, and they know it, their times, performance and selections, are all smokescreens, orchestrated by the puppet masters until the shattered mirrors of truth came down during their abysmal outing at the Olympics...

Naija bashing aside.  Our relay teams, sprinters, jumpers, Taekwando athletes, weightlifters just did not show up to compete to win.  A lot of you may say that this is an unfair statement. For an event that is held every 4 years, wherein athletes wait and prepare a lifetime for this once in a life time opportunity, it might sound harsh, naive and uninformed.... Trust me, I say this authoritatively, that some Nigerian athletes did not show up in many an event for a myriad of reasons....and I know their handlers, NOC and officials are well aware of this fact too.

This is not to take away anything from those athletes that were brought to the Olympics, tried their best, but were "punching a little higher than their talents or capacities" at this time....We know them and we saw that they tried and they were just not good enough.

My favorite Nigerian athletes during London 2012 include:

Johnny Akinyemi, Regina George, Omolara Omotosho, D'Tigers, Coach Bakare (he was as active as his team), special mention to Maryam Usman, wow, did she try her best.

The biggest flops for me include:  Damola Osayemi, Ms.Okagbare (jeez, what a time to flop), Amaechi Morton (ol, boy....), Messers. Chukwumerije (Damn, dont even get me started), Solomon Ogba (he might even have run faster than some of his selected athletes), Innocent Egbunike (for going with the flow, as head coach, when you know majority of your "athletes" aint worth taking to the Olympics, Why??? why did you do it??), the entire women's 4x100 team, our boxers, and finally, the NOC.... it would be nice to see an account statement of how the 12 Million USD was spent, and the report of how the country fared after the expenses...

Let me use this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Minister Bolaji Abdullahi.... this is the best smokescreen and shattered mirrors performance of all...."it is easy to admit you, and your team of administrators, and athletes messed up, and criticize the rest of us  for being "people who have nothing to offer", but the time to do something about those errors and make the type of reforms that are required is now....".  I have seen enough "bri bri and bling bling" from this government to understand that nothing will be done... I want to be proven wrong (my patriotic side), and sincerely hope that the government has the stomach, and the forthrightness to take on the sports cabal and confraternity to finally implement the reforms that are required...

My final word on the Olympics.... Welcome to Johnny Akinyemi, Omolara Omotosho, Regina George and the D'Tiger diaspora kids, you made me believe that wearing the Green White Green still stands for passion, dedication and a love for Nigeria.... to the over-hyped Amaechi Mortons, and Okagbares, well, you have gone to the Olympics, shown you aint good enough, and you will disappear like others before you, and Nigeria, will remain....

To Coach Bakare, I say thank you Sir, you have brought us to another plateau and may your memories and achievements remain in the annals of Nigerian sporting achievements.... to your critiques, I say... Shut up, go and focus on developing your own models and show us you can perform in the regional and intercontinental tournaments with your teams, beat teams from CIV, Ghana, Angola, and Tunisia.... then you can earn the right to criticize someone else... Take Union Bank, Durdan warriors,  Niger Potters, etc.. to the African Championships, win it and then come criticize Bakare, until then, ssssshhhhhh......Mechionu!! Seize noise!!!!....

Brazil 2016 is around the corner.... a structured 4 year athletes ODP (Olympic Development Plan) should be put in place for the development of home based, carefully scouted foreign based, diaspora Nigerians  targeted towards improved performance at the next games.  Facilities in Nigeria must be improved, encouragement given to local sportsmen and women to enable them give their best in order to win laurels for Nigeria come the next Olympics.  Grassroots sports development, return of school sports and a robust local sporting competition and sponsorship scene must be implemented... The blueprints exist.  The question is, do we have the government and will power to WANT to do it????

 "GEJ is good at playing to the political gallery, he promised that his ministers would be put in one place long enough to achieve their plans in the various ministries, Bolaji didnt last long in youth development (NYSC is in limbo, YEP (Youth Empowerment Program) never got taken seriously, and yep, died)....now he's in sports (average shelf life of any sports minister is 20 months.....I dey laugh)....So are we to trust that Bolaji can handle the Ekejis', Ojo-obas', Elegbeleyes, Omidirans, Ndanusas' et al, in the sport ministry reform focus that GEJ has now taken up as his next mantra??? I will not hold my breath...."

A last parting shot.....it would be nice to see what the 12 Million USD was really spent on... I would like to know how much it cost to camp the athletes, where, how much was spent on preparation, logistics, training, health, and the well being of the athletes by the NOC, Federations, Ministry and how much was utilized for scouting, athletes development, research and actual disbursement to athletes for their allowances and upkeep...it would really be interesting to know....

NB:  I visited what was termed to be the Nigeria village, and attended a seminar like event in London,  sponsored by BOI (Bank of Industry)!!! Yes, I was  in London

if President GEJ is serious about fighting corruption in this country, that exercise should be probed, and the organisers arrested... It was a disgrace, not worth the time and money invested in it.... I even hear that the organisers are owning some British service providers....More to come from me shortly, once I get ALL my facts together...

Till then...."we have heard GEJ and Bolaji speak on reforms.....that's the smokescreen, Nigeria, soon, the truth, which is the shattering mirrors will follow........." our people will never disappoint......Stay blessed....

And My dearest Mom joined the angels.......We need to do more for the welfare of our sport people

On April 7th, 2012, my dearest mom passed on to the great beyond, I am still in shock at the loss of this great and gentle lady, my "mama Enahoro" as she was known by everyone. She was a great person.
The earliest memory I can recollect is one of her repeatedly reading to me, the poem "my mother, who sat and washed my infant head ..........., etc...."

The great Janet Nkechi Mgbeke-Enahoro, was 71 years old, lived a very colourful life, a life that she could boast of 5 kids, and someone who lived through the Nigerian civil war and was one of the first female inductees of the Nigeria civil defence corps, during the civil war. 

In the early 60's, a young Janet Nkechi Mgbeke spent her time divided between Rowe Park, Race Course and Lawanson sports fields and her school, Our Lady of Apostles secondary school track field.....She was an athlete in 100, 200 and 4x100 meters relay.  I had the pleasure of seeing my mom at her element during my secondary school inter-house sports parents race, where she dusted all other "mothers" in their race.  She raced like a true sprinter, that she was.  Mama Enahoro was a fantastic sprinter, where some of her contemporaries were Otiti Mfon, Modupe Oshikoya and Lillian osifo and co.... She was preparing for the 1968 Olympic games when she became pregnant with me (I still feel guilty today for stopping her going to the Olympics).  She came back to prepare for the All Africa Games, but she got disillusioned with the management of the Athletics Federation. But she kept competing in the local scene, while balancing her job and family.

I was blessed to have been told all the stories about her exploits, the training regimes, the way she'd run and jog from our family home (in Lawanson, Surulere) to the stadium in Alaka, Surulere, to train and prepare for tournaments.  She told me of her rivalry with some of the known names in the Athletics circuit of that era.

Reflectively I have looked at the situation of the welfare and health services package for our illustrious former athletes and sports persons. My mother's case was a fair one.  She was one of the forgotten athletes, who transitioned to become a professional secretary and retired as the executive assistant to the managing director of NITEL. The fate of so many others, who have served this "our father's land" can only described as pathetic, a lot of our sporting heroes died in penury and sorrow.  They used the best years of their life to serve and represent Nigeria, and were giants in their chosen sports, but died or are living in abject poverty and in such bad state of health.

We've heard stories of Davison Andeh, Ndubuisi Okosieme, recently, the issues faced by Rashidi Yekini, and so many others.  What is the plan for ex sports people in Nigeria.  What are the welfare packages that the government has put together as a measure of our organisation, that will act as an incentive to our sports people to ensure that they feel that Nigeria has their best interest at heart.  Where athletes and sports people who go day in day out, through physical and psychological rigours and preparations, for years, for competitions, tournaments, through injuries, and loss of income and other person development opportunities, all in the name of service to this great nation.  

Over the years, we have shown our appreciation, in cash, houses, national awards, and handshakes, albeit in ad hoc fashion.  In even worse situations, we have disregarded the successes of these great men and women.  we should do better.  I hope the sports authorities can set up a department that duly catalogues our past heroes and set up a structure and mechanism that takes care of the sportsmen and women that produce the laurels of greatness for this country.  There have been many firebrigade approaches that have been initiated but nothing structural and even long term/strategic has been set up.  My appeal is to the National Sports Commission, they need to look at athletes welfare, propose it to the national assembly and make it part of our national pension scheme.  Nigeria must find a better way to honour its great stars and sports people.

I bid my dear mother farewell.  I was blessed to know her and see her in action.  I was honored to know that she put herself for this country, and her legacy will surely live on in me and the rest of her descedants.  Adieu, Mama Enahoro........ The Angels in Heaven have multiplied by one...... I do sincerely miss you....

The Gospel According to St. David Mark.......If the woes of Nigeria were that simplistic, then we should all hold hands and sing "Kumbaya"

Last Week, Bolaji Abdullahi took his case to the National Assembly, and got "applauded" for doing what???? I would like Nigerians to read the content of this proceedings, at least the excerpts and transcripts that I read, it had nothing consequential in them to arouse the type of reception the Supervising Minister for Sports received. What is the message contained in Bolaji's presentations??

That the woes of Nigerian sports (not only football) lies in the resolution of some court cases and some "reharshed promises" which Ka'oje, Sambuwa, the "ilorin professing prophet, who prophesied to rebuilding the national stadium in 3 months", Alhaji Suleiman, etc... have brushed over, regorgitated and vormitted over and over again (the content of these speeches show a lack of intellectual composition and freshness).  They are the same tired, nonsense that we are continuously exposed to by our policy makers.  Devoid of any substance, or quantifiable milestones that will drive policy to impact on the improvement of the overall sports sector.  My thoughts.... please find the texts and transcripts and make your own deductions.

What did the senators hear from the minister, to make them happy enough to cheer about? what was that shiny and defining moment of brilliance that was presented or what was the clearly articulated roadmap contained in the Minister's presentation to the National Assembly?

What was the clear actionable premise that would set Nigeria on the path of true sporting greatness, where was the cutting edge and earth shattering concept that will return Nigeria to being the powerhouse of sports that all its people are yearning for.

Amazingly, I didn't find any, didnt hear any such statements, and at the end of the presentation, the Minister gets applauded!!!!!!!  Mmbanu, Oti o, haba!!  Do we now live in a Nigeria, where "kettle cannot talk true about the pot??" lest we open ourselves for another Hembe vs. Oteh epic encounter.  Is that it!!!

To torpedo my annoyance into another realm,  our oga kpatakpata, the only living "saint" in Nigerian politics, St. David-Mark, gave us his own epitsle, when I read, and reread the transcripts of the Senate President's statement and summation of the situation of sports and its impact in Nigeria.  Oga, St. David-Mark (applying the sign of the cross on my stretched brow and chest), REALLY!!!!!!  Is that your summation of the impact of sports (football was his exact focus) on the BH situation and on how to engage our youths???? Then why am I angry at Bolaji.... I should actually issue an unreserved apology to Bolaji Abdullahi, because St D-M's statements left me speechless.... kai!!!

To paraphrase and quote from the transcript I read "I believe that even Boko Haram members do watch the game of football. It is our unifying factor and we must begin to look at it from that perspective. If we get it right, we would go a long way in uniting and bringing peace in this country,”.


It actually gets better, our own living political saint continues "The media should queue up, the parliament and everybody would equally follow up so that we implement the outcome of the deliberation. I’m sure that if properly implemented, it is going to help us. Many Nigerians were truly worried about our declining performance in sports"........


I agree with the Senate President on the importance of sports to our national psyche.... but I totally disagree with his summation. 


Has anyone in government and governing today, taken a critical look at the structure of the sports industry to ensure that we can create the type of industry that can engage our youths, in the one area we all agree we have a competitive advantage over almost all other African countries?? 


Have we understood what it takes to create the enabling environment and policies that will see private sector organisations push funding into this sector, to transform it, to become a key economic enabler for our national economic and social survival??? 


What  are those key areas in sports, that can engage our youths, in their thousands, across the country to ensure Nigeria has a medium to tackle the youth restiveness caused by their unemployment and lack of opportunities???


How do we encourage the entrepreneurs in Nnewi,Aba, Kano, Lagos and Abuja, those sewing "low quality and creative" sporting team replica apparels, tee shirts, making sports shoes and other related apparels,  to increase their production numbers and scale up to a point that they become affiliated to international brands and OEM (original equipment manufacturers).  What is that overriding integrated economic cluster strategy that will leverage on sports to drive economic activities in key centers across the country??? Ehne..... oya oga St. D-M and co?????


How can we create and leverage on President Jonathan's 2010 ORIGINAL Job Creation platform (not the WE LOSE elitists programs) that will drive true integration of sports as a key economic enabler and industry (to be compared to Nigeria's banking and telecoms sectors)???.


I would have expected the senate to inquire from Bolaji, about the NSC's grassroots sports development plan??? How do we get participation from kids and adults living in each local government and town in Nigeria?? what is the plan to build mini sports facilities in rural areas (not the fake, never constructed, never accounted for, N55 M per mini stadium project of 2007 to date), how do we sustain participation, get trainers, groom locally discovered athletes and fund the promotion and R&D of locally assembled and built sporting equipments!!! Where is the integrated plans to discover and train the future champions amongst us (before they are lured into armed robbery, suicide bombings, and kidnappings)...  How is Bolaji preparing us for Brazil 2014, Brazil 2016, etc......Where is our sporting blueprints..........


Where are the developmental roadmaps to actualize a true olympic and grassroots sports development program, that will rival that of the United States of America (with over 13 million youths actively involved), South Africa (over 850,000 kids and adults), China (37 million actively camped and targeted young people), Great Britain, Russia, etc.....   These countries have understood the power of sports, and its economic impact.  


We have seen the impact and financial contributions of the English Premier League and those of other countries around the world (even India is spending over 45 Million dollars to attract stars to play in it new I-League for only 6 months!!!!).  With examples like these, our sports minister and secretary to government (SGF) are concerned about NFF law suits, to the point of using tax payer funds to go to Zurich to seek clarification from FIFA.... How comical!!!  

Indian I-League organisers are offering Nigerians over 500K USD to come to their country to play and coach footbal for six months only.... 


In contrast, Nigeria government officials are concerned about frivolous and inconsequential law suits??? where is the economic impact of their actions???? Kai!!! And these guys, are getting applauded!!  In other serious countries, they'd be sacked and be made to face a panel!!!


Soccerex, a renowned football business authority, in one of its articles last year, estimated that in the period covering 2009 -2011 (first quarter) over 9.5 Billion dollars was contributed by football and it related activities to the economies of 30 countries worldwide.  


Nigeria's economy, with its abundant human capital and capacity, can estimate receiving at least a contribution of about $1 Billion USD annually from sports, if we properly harness this critical capital base that is yet untapped.  


Why is our sports industry and fortunes dwindling??? We are as enlightened (thanks to the advances in telecommunications, and the improvements in banking), and we are truly passionate about sports as those Europeans and South Americans truly benefiting from the dividends of sports..  


Has anyone done the analysis and relationship between the Champions League and the consumption of beer and other beverages in Nigeria??? Ask Nigeria breweries, Guinness, et al (I have) and the answers will amaze you.  Ask MTN and the other telecoms operators about the level of service consumption, when the EPL season and Champions league seasons are on..... (the direct financial impact is there for all to see), ask hospitality services operators, when they hit a spike in business revenues and engagement.....  Ask banking operations about how much their ATM's vomit and the rate of transactions on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday between 6-11 pm and on Saturday and Sundays between noon to 5pm.  


Our senate should be looking at policies to exploit and harness the extraction of economic dividend from this very available area of "unifying force" turning it into a critical economic advantage for the country.  They should be focused on crafting and designing policies that will ensure that we can engage 1 Million Nigerians in the sports industry....... 


I am surprised by the statements of our dear St. David Mark, for one so exposed, elevated and in a position as the no. 3 person in the country to trivialize this critical situation down to the resolution of frivolous law suits by failed and visibly inept sports administrators.  


Their issues (and resolution thereof) are not even close to being a panacea to the alleviation of the challenges bedevilling our sports sector.


So again, we go siddon look una...Your time will come and it will pass, question is, what legacy would you want to leave behind?? 


One day (surely in my lifetime) we will rid the sports industry of the ineptitude, incompetence and ensure that we drive effective and productive changes that will return Nigeria, to be a true ECONOMIC and SPORTING powerhouse in the world.


If President Jonathan is serious about tackling youth restiveness and unemployment, he has the roadmap and blueprint. 


All he needs to do, is revisit the documents generated and prepared in 2010-11 by Aganga and his team on the Presidential committee on Job Creation.  


That group emanated from the 2009 Private sector/Dangote Group on Job Creation.  I would also advice our dear St. David Mark to study those detailed documents, if he really cares about sports as he declares.  


If not, 2014-15 aint far off.  We are a patient people, we will wait, and surely someone serious about reforms will emerge and do something positive (only then can we claim WE WIN).....


Shoutouts to the Flamingos, Falconets, and Mijnheer Saintfiet  (and as they say in Flemish, "je moet heel goede kijken, als je met iemand dat je niet teveel vertrowen had, moet gaan eten, neemt je de lange lepel en kijkuit")........


Best Easter wishes............

Nigeria, there is hope........

I drove into Kontagora yesterday evening and as I drove past the public field, a large dusty piece of landspace, with no speck of grass, what I saw sent a warm feeling down my spine, I wept, as I saw young boys, training and practising football, mostly unsupervised and enjoying themselves in pure innocent fun.  I told the driver to stop the car, as I alighted with my camera, some curious older folks drew closer to inspect my presence (albeit, I was dressed in my long buba and sokoto).

I watched three groups of kids, aged 7-18, enjoy their field hockey (yes, hockey, in Nigeria, that's another story), and the footballers play.

I stood in the evening light, and watched a group of 10 year old, exercise, go through a warm up process (photo attached) that would make Real Madrid and Maurinho proud.. They diligently went through their paces, exchanging "coaching assignments" and conducted themselves in a way that would put some of our professionals to shame.  I was amazed at the order, sense of purpose and focus of these 10 year olds (true ages).  I felt nostalgia, as I remembered my own time and how we conducted ourselves before any "practice, pick up games".

I patiently waited till 7.15 pm, when the games ended, and decided to chase after the kids, excitedly wanting to know, if they had a coach, where did they pick up the skills to conduct themselves, how many times do they train, to what end are all these activities, are there any formal clubs, competitions, etc....

To my amazement, the answers I got from these kids, shocked me to the roots of my being... Ahmed, 10 years old, believes he is better than Messi, plays for the fun of it, has never owned a football boot, and his biggest dream is to make the school team..he wants to be a doctor. Of all the 17 kids I spoke to, only 3 saw themselves as footballers, and dreamed of playing for Nigeria, like Okocha and Joel Obi (hmm, not a bad choice of mentor).

I watched as they departed, looked at this speck of dust and dry clay, and wished for our country and the gods of football to keep these boys, and those like them all over this country, to maintain their passion for the game, to make them have their wishes come true and help our nation.

This country is blessed, and truly, I saw a Messi, in Ahmed, the boy could dribble and he did with a smile on his face, taunting his friends and doing it with a delight that made my heart sing.

I was drawn to the field again this evening, sitting on a tree stump, I made myself very inconspicuous and watched again as the boys went through their "ritual" of training and exercising before playing.... These self taught, natural superstars have my respect, prayers and best wishes... I made a promise to myself, to do all I can to make sure that the dividend of Nigeria, gets to them, and their like all over the country.  They deserve a good field, a proper training area, and some support in coaching and physical development.

We cannot let these guys fade, and be drawn into things that re far from positive and helpful to the development of football in this country.  May the gods of the glasshouse and NSC hear me today.  We must do something to improve our grassroots focus and actively engage all our peoples to ensure that we grow with our God given passion for football.

God bless this country, and its people, and the Ahmeds of Nigeria..........Super Eagles, there is hope......

The Trip to Zurich, and the Political Suicide of Bolaji Abdullahi........

Yipee, it was my birthday yesterday, March 11th.  As I commiserate with the Japanese people, the folks of Odi, Zaki Ibiam and Indonesia on whatever disasters have been meted to them by nature, and the not so natural, I dedicate this birthday wish to ensuring that I ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE and CONTRIBUTE.

I was at the Benin airport lounge last Saturday, 10th March, and bought a copy of The Nation on Saturday and began to read two sections of the daily. I read two articles, one by Aminu Maigari and Ade Ojeikere (whose daughter, I wish a happy birthday).  I was in full support of Ade's position in his article of similar title.

Our government officials are at it again.  Someone needs to explain to me, why a sitting minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would need to visit FIFA Nyon HQ.  I really don't understand the rationale for this visit.  Has the minister fully reviewed the reports of his predecessors and other Nigerian government delegations that have gone to FIFA to seek clarification on the Nigerian football situation before embarking on this trip??  Does the Nigeria situation really and honestly demand another visit to FIFA?? A smart person would have undertaken a total review of the situation, existing reports, be acquainted with the facts on ground, request for FIFA advice (that is if it is really needed), an interpretation of its laws (as if we don't know them by now), and have a clear commitment to finding a lasting solution to the issue.

I believe our officials are spoilt, estacode seeking, foreign travel junkies....

Borrowing a piece from Ayo Ojeikere's column (not quite paraphrasing directly), "what happens when the team arrives at Nyon, and an admin staff is asked to "deal" with the Nigerian delegation?? or we submit our requests and are told to go away to await a response from FIFA", would the trip have been worth the time of the Honorable Minister and his entourage???

Bolaji Abdullahi, is being sent on a wild goose chase, but this time, with his eyes open and his heart in the wrong place...He should understand by now that he is surrounded in the National Sports Commission that do not seemingly have the "overiding public interest of Nigeria" at heart.  Folks like Bolaji Ojo-oba, Patrick Ekeji, Yakmut, and they are all sons of "uncle Amos (their benefactor)" etc..... who at one time or another in the recent past have been unceremoniously involved with the running of football in this country, with unimpressive results.... These same people are at the helm of affairs in the development of policy for sports in Nigeria.  I honestly predict that the Honorable Minister will not see the end of this year in this position if he continues on this crazy path he has set for himself (whether knowingly or otherwise).

Nigerians know where the problem of our football lies, and if anything that was written by AminuMaigari, in his column "Inside the glass house", of the Saturday March 10 edition of the The Nation is anything to go by, then we have all been led by the nose to the slaughter.  Maigari claims that the NFF is not broke, it has kept the $8 Million dollars, and that the LOC of Nigeria 2009, has to answer to FIFA to help unfreeze another $5 Million USD payback of marketing and other revenue streams meant for Nigeria, and that the NFF has credit with FIFA, going back as far as 6 years, for Nigeria's participation in age grade tournaments but are yet to collect funds from FIFA.   Really, this is BIG NEWS!!!

If this is true, then why aint we working on developing a sustainable roadmap for the actualization of a the rebirth of our football structures and organs???

It is a very incredible situation that a Minister for Sports in the country is clueless as to how to engage the sporting community and its "relevant" stakeholders to actuate the types of reform that is being expected of him...  Our travel junkies have succeeded in sending this man on silly trips that will eventually be used as tools to hang the Minister when the time comes.  We wish the Nyon bound delegation well, and hope they are accorded some "meaningful" time and audience by FIFA execs.   If not........Mr. Abdullahi would certainly hear from "us" (stakeholders of Nigerian football), and his ogas (the presidency) regarding the "waste" of public funds, and the lack of an understanding of his portfolio.

It has also just been made known that Aminu Maigari, and Sani Toro have stated their intentions to contest for the vacant CAF Executive Committee seat.  Haba Malam(s)!!
When would we stop this kind of behavior?? Why would these gentlemen feel that to currently best serve Nigerian football interest, is to hold down a seat in CAF??? Following on our experiences with Amos Adamu,  who became a federation unto himself, we would need to be wary of self serving interests of individuals, and reappraise our collective position on this matter..

My summation, we need to clearly articulate our position and long term strategy for football development in this country, then as part of our global outreach, we need to then strategically position our "selected" candidates for regional and international organisations committee memberships.

In my honest opinion, Sani Toro (oga God Bless) and Aminu Maigari are two very savvy administrators, one is currently struggling to manage the NFF (and that is a hand full) and the other HAS been a scribe of the federation, and was in the national assembly.  What is the plan that Sani Toro has for the country?? what does he expect to deliver??? Is this another "uncle Amos" in the making or does the NSC have a plan, that the rest of us dont know about.  What are the criteria for submission of candidature???? and what is Honorable Minister Abdullahi's position on this vacant seat and the Nigerian government's official position on the vacancy.....

I expect to see some fireworks from both camps soon.  This situation and its timing is not just right for us right now and my summation is that we let the seat remain vacant for another year and a half, until we can restructure, and apply strict reforms in Nigerian football.

Enjoy the week, and see you next Wednesday.