Who trully owns Mba?

[Folami David]

Sunday Mba was relatively unknown to many people in Nigerian football fraternity until few days ago. Despite playing in the Golden Eaglets that did not qualify for the Peru 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup finals following poor outing under coach Godwin Izilien at Gambia 2005 African U-17 Championship, Mba remained one of those players in the domestic scene that was not getting much attention.
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After an amazing run of form at the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations where he helped Super Eagles lift their third continental diadem with two crucial goals, first the winner against Ivory Coast in the quarter finals and second, the only goal in the grand finale against Burkina Faso, the Alayi, Isuikwuato Okigwe LGA Abia State born midfielder has attracted both fame and controversy to himself.
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At the last count, no fewer than three domestic Premier League clubs are at each other's neck in a bitter feud over the right of ownership of the midfielder. Beyond Nigeria Professional Football League's, NPFL's ruling that Mba indeed is a bonafide player of Warri Wolves, Rangers are crying for justice, saying the player is their property.
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In 2001, Austin Ejide was at the center of a heated transfer feud between Rangers and Gabros. In 2002, Emeka Okpara was also at the center of another transfer controversy between Rangers and Enyimba.
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Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC of Ibadan, are also spitting fire against Rangers who they accused of luring goalkeeper Emma Daniel and going ahead to list him as their player without officially clearing him from them (3SC).
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Yet, Dolphins claim they have a strong case to prove that indeed, Sunday Mba, is their player. Beyond the claims of the three clubs and decision of the NPFL which Rangers are set to battle against even in the civil court rooms, having engaged the services of a legal firm to push their case, lies the evolving cankerworm bedeviling Nigerian football.
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Like the Bosman's rule that has set the pace for players' freedom globally once their truly documented contracts with clubs expire, the current Mba-Gate has the ultimate potential to bring to the fore, the rot that is crippling club management in this country. It can also expose the mal- administration going on in the Nigerian domestic clubs. Better still, one of the biggest gains is that it will be setting the pace for proper documentation of players' records in the country. It will also help to set a standard for a well structured transfer procedure and as well see to it that players' welfare takes the center stage of club management in Nigeria. At the end of the burning ownership tussle of Mba between Rangers, Warri Wolves and perhaps Dolphins, the ills going on in different clubs where monies realized from players transfers end up in a few club officials pockets will be exposed and put to a stop.