The 2018 World Cup has come and gone for Nigeria at least. The Fiesta in Russia was a spectacle of magical proportions. The country surprised her guests in many ways that left a very positive experience for the mass of humanity from the world over who came to cheer their teams’ favourite players or even the touristic value of a pan global sporting excellence. Nigerians were not left out. Those who could afford tickets – match and air were afforded the opportunity to attend without the frustration of visa processes. FIFA ensured by changing regulations that Fan ID issued free of charge enabling equitable participation by fans of all nations whether they qualified for the tournament or not.
That evolution by FIFA is commendable in all respect. President Infantino and organising committee deserve accolades for equality promotion. Evolved governance and evidence-based policy making are the hallmarks of human advancement. The Nigeria Football Federation led by Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick since 2014 have by and large embraced similar principles at least as far as the preparations and participation in the 2018 tournament is concerned. Remember our former moniker for NFF predecessor, the NFA was aptly ‘No Future Ambition’ due to unfortunate mishaps that bedevilled our tournament preparations.
The early but dignified exit of Super Eagles from the tourney have given rise to renewed interest in the organisation of our football in Nigeria. The Minister for Youth and Sports Mr Solomon Dalung waded into the fray recently to embed discord in the affairs of the Federation, suitably waiting for a disastrous performance to enable the rallying of embittered and disgruntled fans against the NFF leadership. The prayed-for disaster didn’t arise. Nigerians were united in their admiration for the team’s performance and even more so for the scandal free preparations, team management and logistics undertaken by the NFF.
The taunting and effective blackmail after the exit got me interested in the organisation of our football. What is NFF and how is it a veritable and worthy warehouse of the only collective and unifying dream of all Nigerians – even those of the Boko and Ipob extraction? FIFA recognises only autonomous football organisations that are formed organically upwards from the grassroots clubs associations to the federated level. The NFF statutes are clear on the structure of the Federation and how leadership are recruited and selected. Overtime these statutes have been modified to fit whatever agenda to the extent now that, those with a grip of the football jugular in Nigeria are mini-despots with zero accountability, mainly a narrow NFF Elective Congress.
The NFF Executive Committee is presently elected by a small band of state FA chairmen, referees association with exe officials and some selected individuals. ‘How are these guys (mainly) selected?’ ‘Who are these guys?’ ‘Do they actually run football clubs?’ ‘Are they Organisers of regular competitions?’ ‘Do they have and or provide requisite education and coaching programmes?’ ‘How long have they been in place in their fiefdoms?’ These may be some of the pertinent questions to pose to these grandeurs who are in the main, drain straws into the pot of progress of Nigerian football. NFF must therefore expand leadership vote to its Congress, to include the League clubs and fans who can be registered as fully paid up members – an organic and digitally enabled functional global supporters club – activated with National ID. Just like the NBA, competence becomes a criteria for Executive Committee membership – which should enforce rules around governance. The civil service enabled secretariat should be jettisoned for a highly remunerated and competitive corporate model.
Our football is now so stunted that Nigeria best players can only be harvested abroad today and in the future. Nigerian diaspora is set to dominate Nigerian teams going forward as the only way now, is to apply local content policy to selection for the team to even be authentically Naija. The reasons are the same as to why we are an oil producing country but not actually involved in the process. We will come to depend upon the structure and discipline of organisation that diaspora climes afforded our natural talent, just like our oil resources. It won’t be a shame to us, but the result is the same as to why millions of people in Nigeria turn to European Football leagues for entertainment and support rather than local leagues.
The tedious job of rescuing our football in Nigeria from the doldrums outside of the glamour of competitions, is simply not that to be left to the same processes and actors that supervised the rot. Look at our airports and critical infrastructure you can understand. But the country knows that why our discomfort from decaying infrastructure and atrophied institutions can be mitigated by the ‘e go better’ attitude of most of us, football is different. We cannot afford to be disappointed time and again. The effect is not a joking matter. Ask Arsenal fans, I’m one of them!
Nigerians are probably the most patient people on this planet. They are very happy to do their part and even take on the part the State is supposed to do in most areas of our lives. Football is our only outlet. We don’t want the politics of the Federation to negate the legitimate aspirations of our people to see success on the pitch whether with domestic clubs or country. The best way to achieve that is through the current reform led by Alhaji Shehu Dikko, Chairman of The Nigerian Football League and NFF 2nd Vice President and head of its Marketing Committee. Mr Pinnick has already demonstrated his capabilities by winning the National Sports Festivals 5 times in 8 years as Delta Sports Chief. His strides in the NFF have been endorsed globally by his recent appointment as CAF 1st Vice President, President African Cup of Nations (AFCON) organising committee, member FIFA World Cups Organising Committee, 2018 World Cup multiple Match Commissioner including at the 3rd place match. He is an asset who as long as is eligible should be treasured to lead.
This duo backed by a professional executive secretariat (Directors) instead of titles, who understand strategy execution with laser focus on service delivery can help reshape and herald NFF into a global arena of competence and winning. A rejuvenated domestic league whose independent clubs will form the bedrock a democratic and vibrant federation present the immediate opportunity to revamp our decaying football culture. NFF can become a truly great institution that will build an industry waiting to grow exponentially in Nigeria. Just look to what the Shehu Dikko led marketing Committee helped to generate with the Naija jersey in this world cup by its partnership with Nike and Wizkid. They brought more positive attention and accolades to Nigeria and Nigerians than all the government foreign investment junkets, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassies worldwide combined. Imagine that and then imagine if similar attention is focused on growing our domestic league with same innovation.
The future of the Federation today is now under threat. The effective hijack of the FIFA endorsed NFF by a Solomon Dalung endorsed Giwa-led NFF is the Nigeria Football Farce, full stop. FIFA won’t stand for it. I have seen a scathing letter from the Secretary-General of FIFA which affirmed that Mr Chris Giwa is banned from football activities worldwide for flouting FIFA statutes and not adhering to the considered opinion of the International Court for Sports Arbitration on his bid to unseat the Pinnick-led Federation. Minister Dalung should be aware that when FIFA ban Nigeria’s participation in football for government meddling, he alone remains the enabler of our football foibles. We cannot wobble and fumble out of this misguided attack on progress.
Written by E.E. Clement, Executive Director at Ireland West Africa Business Council.
@realomoboy
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