It all started as a rumour. Then it became a major story in town: the office of a top [/size]shot at the National Sports Commission (NSC), Abuja had been burgled.
[/size]One cynic pestered my telephone lines with updates on the burglary. I wasn’t amused. I assumed that it was another faux pas trap even though it wasn’t a Fools Day (April 1). I quickly switched off my phones, but on a second thought, logged onto the internet for some hints on what I thought was an impossible mission. And there it was. The NSC spokesman had sent the report, perhaps to avoid distortions. The message was unambiguous: the office of the NSC DG had been burgled. Gone were his computer and the secretary’s. The calls came like a whirlwind. I was careful to avoid making any statement on the issue. I was, however, sure that the DG, thanks to his sophistication, would not have stored all his information in the stolen computer. So, when insinuations were made, I avoided them like a plaque. Would there be an investigation panel like we saw when money vanished from the vaults at the NFF? Would the Police swoop on the Secretariat to make arrests? How come nobody heard or saw the burglars as they broke into the office? Was it an insider job? Who could have done it?One thing that the NSC chiefs did creditably is that they treated the theft as an internal affair. But, they should update Nigerians, if arrests have been made or the stolen items recovered by the Police. Ruminating on the burglars’ escapade at the NSC, I read Minister Bolaji Abdullahi’s interview on the NFF crisis. I was excited that he answered questions that agitated my mind. The minister admitted that he directed NFF’s executive board members to resign, stressing that this master stroke provided the platform for them to negotiate the peace treaty. Does this not amount to a mockery of the statutes since they were elected onto the board by the Congress? The Minister’s conviction that there are more aggrieved people to be spoken to is commendable, but he should also include Sani Lulu, Amanze Uchegbulem, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Bolaji Ojo-Oba. I agree with the Minister on allowing the court to decide the quartet’s fate. Lulu, Uchegbulam, Ogunjobi and Ojo-Oba are the fall guys in the NFF crisis. In one breath the Congress was stampeded to endorse the quartet’s kamikaze impeachment. Yet, during another Congress, they were absolved of blame. Minister sir, this crisis started when it appeared that Lulu, Uchegbulem and Ogunjobi were on the verge of returning to the NFF board, having been returned unopposed in their zones to contest the last NFF elections. Although reservations were made about certain portions of the electoral guidelines and the fact that the body’s chairman was a personal attorney to one of the impeached NFF men, nothing changed about the guidelines that ushered in the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board. What stood out was the fact that the exclusion of Lulu, Uchegbulam, Ogunjobi and Ojo-Oba from the elections meant a new dawn, especially after Maigari and other former board members had been used to impeach the quartet, albeit to massage the ego of President Goodluck Jonathan, who had to rescind his decision to stop Nigeria from participating in football competitions, following the advice of the Presidential Task Force constituted to ensure that the Super Eagles qualified for South Africa 2010 World Cup. President Jonathan said he took his decision based on the persuasion of Nigerians on the social network, Facebook, where they highlighted the implications of his decision that had been hidden from him by PTF. It was, therefore, absurd for those in the NSC at that time to sacrifice Lulu, Uchegbulam, Ogunjobi and Ojo-Oba on the altar of massaging President Jonathan’s ego, only to return to the trenches when Maigari, the man used to impeach the quartet, decided to be his own man by sticking to FIFA’s statutes. Minister sir, the resolution of NFF’s crisis will not be complete if you don’t parley with Lulu, Uchegbulam and Ogunjobi. I am sure that the issues surrounding their presence in the court are financial. But, they hold the ace in any election into the NFF, having enjoyed a lot of goodwill from the electorate in the six geo- political zones. Minister sir, no matter how perfect the NFF would be, Lulu, Uchegbulam and Ogunjobi will run -the -rule of what happens on the next election. And the crisis will return because those that some NSC chiefs are positioning for the next NFF elections are “paper weights”, with no political bases in their states of origin. Lulu, Uchegbulam and Ogunjobi will win any football election, if allowed to run even with the NFF Bill. Why? They have structures in the six zones. It was quite interesting to read the minister’s revelation that FIFA funds must be accounted for. The world soccer ruling body could also avail the document to the affiliate body’s government, if the need arises, as in proven cases of fraud.I laughed my heart out when the Minister said that 90 per cent of sports writers were on the payroll of the divides in the NFF crisis. I wished he had named the pay masters and sports writers (benefactors). He did say that he confronted sports writers with this allegation at a forum he had with them. Who were those at that meeting and what did they tell the minister? Sports writers are employees of credible organisations. Hence, such blanket ministerial accusation presents us people unworthy to represent our organisations, even though the minister was magnanimous to say that such corrupt tendencies are not restricted to journalists. Interestingly, a clan to which, he accepts, he belongs.
Cry for Nigeria I’m very sad. My heart bleeds that Nigeria is now 60th on FIFA’s monthly ranking. Yet, some people are celebrating the fact that they got FIFA’s attention and commendations over what predictably amounts to fragile peace. Those countries atop Nigeria have no need talking with FIFA because their government officials have allowed their football federations to run as business concerns. What these civilised climes did was to provide seed money, most times loans, to the football federations. The officials recapitalise such money to enable them be self-financing. Such obnoxious laws as Decree 101 don’t exist. Nor do we have supervisory bodies breathing down their necks wanting to find out how government funds have been spent. Fraud or sharp practices are dealt with by the appropriate agencies and culprits punished. Those aspiring into offices in their soccer federations state what they have achieved in the past with domestic clubs. Hence, there is always stability. This setting ensures that these civilised countries, soccer federations can optimally utilise all the marketing windows available to them, beginning with hosting big games between countries outside theirs, television rights and other sponsorship packages that dovetail into their domestic leagues. Eagles can only improve on their FIFA ranking, if the NFF is allowed room to correct their mistakes. This attitude of painting NFF officials as being corrupt will not encourage any credible country to do business with them. I’m excited that Nigerians have acknowledged Stephen Keshi’s courage in rebuilding the Eagles. But he won’t achieve much, if the supervisory body keeps hounding NFF chiefs across the globe. If there is evidence to show that NFF chiefs have misappropriated money given to them, the matter should be tabled before EFCC operatives, who would do their job. It is a shame that we are ranked 60th ,yet we have players in every league in the world. The bickering between the NFF and its supervisory body must stop. Football belongs to the people and they have a right to watch it and enjoy all their attributes that make them fall over themselves, watching Europe leagues in viewing centres across the nation. I trust Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi to stop the rot soon. Good luck chief. Yak for Manchester United? Many would laugh their hearts out over the chances of Yakubu Aiyegbeni playing for Manchester United. They would say that Yak is too old as if Michael Owen or Ryan Gigs or Paul schools are younger. They would sneer at the argument that yak ranks among the top scorers in the English premier league even though his side Blackburn are swimming in the murky relegation waters. With 16 goals for Blackburn and about seven matches to go, Yak has secured for himself a juicy contract with any English Premier League side next season. My prayer is for Yak to cross the 20-goal mark this season. He has done it for Everton, Middleborough etc. We need to celebrate our players so that they can attract good deals in Europe. Having our players play for big clubs could increase the Super Eagles’ profile for international friendlies. Most big countries like to confront countries with top league stars. The only recognised star in the Eagles is John Mikel Obi. Except we play big nations, we won’t be able to cause any upset in FIFA’s ranking.
TheNation