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.
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