Sports
Football: Understanding The Politics Of Nigeria’s Self Isolation
President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision on Wednesday to withdraw Nigeria from international football for two years, and more or less dissolve the Nigeria Football Federation came straight from left field.
Few, not even the most ardent of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF’s) critics, expected it. But make no mistake, this was less about Nigeria’s poor performance at the World Cup, and more about the elections into the executive committee of the NFF.
This action would seem to be the final masterstroke of the Presidential Task Force, set up by the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to help mastermind Nigeria’s qualification for the World Cup.
With the country’s participation in South Africa on the verge of collapse, the late President put together a team headed by Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and including the then Sports Minister, Bawa Kaoje as his deputy, to help the NFF ensure that the Super Eagles made it to the World Cup.
But the friction between both parties was evident from the get go. And the fact that at least two members of that body had designs on positions in the NFF already held by sit tight officials did little to ease the situation.
While the qualification campaign lasted, both parties fought a silent, but bruising battle to stay ahead in the build up to the elections. The little matter of actually participating at the event itself, was almost an afterthought.
NFF President, Sani Lulu and his executive committee were wary of the political and financial might of the PTF, and moved not so silently, not only to strengthen their vice grip on power, but also to ensure that the August elections were in the bag before a single ballot had been cast.
The plan was simple. They tweaked the Statutes by extending the life of state FA chairman (who held the majority of the votes at the Elective Assembly), until after the NFF elections.
What this meant in effect was that those gentlemen would not have to worry about their positions until after they had voted the not so new board in. It also meant that the current executive knew exactly who to ‘keep happy’ in the run up to the elections.
And they did a good job of it.
First, the ‘grants’ due to the state FAs were paid for the first time in over four years.
Then 30 out of 37 chairmen and secretaries were taken on an all expenses paid trip to the World Cup in South Africa. Harmless looking actions on the face of it, but one which effectively left the favoured beholden to the NFF.
The direct consequence was that even if the eligibilty criteria had not been so considerably skewed in favour of the incumbents, none but those in the inner circle would have a chance of winning.
Led by the new Sports Minister, Isa Bio, members of the PTF appealed to FIFA, accusing the NFF leadership of corruption and asking for the elections to be suspended.
They met a brick wall in President Sepp Blatter who informed the delegation that corruption issues should be tackled by the national agencies involved, and the elections could not be stopped as long as the Statutes were followed.
And so the PTF played their final card, a direct appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting a World cup report that detailed ‘maladministration’. It is that appeal which has now led to the withdrawal of Nigeria from international competitions.
FIFA’s initial official response was to reaffirm their position on government interference in football matters. However, it is understood that the world football governing body would not be unwilling to negotiate a resolution to the crisis, although that would be strictly off the record.
In the event, the Nigerian government’s demands are clear; that FIFA must accept the removal of the current NFF leadership, with transparent elections to be held to bring in a new team.
FIFA, on the other hand, would want to see the Nigerian government reverse their decision. Hopefully, that will be in time for the country to take part in the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier or risk a one tournament ban, in line with Art 51 of the CAF Regulations on the competition.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.