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Is Keshi’s Sack Solution To Nigerian Football?

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Mr Adams Chinwo
We knew that Keshi was not doing well and a lot of us are happy with his sacking but we don’t know why they are bring Shuaibu back to Super Eagles. We know  that the last time he coached us he did not do well. We need a foreign coach to coach the Super Eagles. We don’t need any local coach any more because they are not doing well. NFF has been  confused. We know that for quite a long time now, there has been  problem in NFF and our prayer is that the new leadership of NFF will do well. But for me, Keshi was the problem of  the Super Eagles. We don’t know why they are bringing back Shuiabu Amodu. We need a foreign coach. I think  Keshi should have left the Super Eagles  long before now. I thought he should have gone after the World Cup but he didn’t. So we are happy with his removal.

Mr Henry Okechukwu Amaehule-A Footballer.
For me  I don’t see the sacking Stephen Keshi as a good decision at this point in time. I had expected them to sack  himimmediately after the world cup when they had a little issue with him. They should have allowed him to finish this qualifiers before giving him the matching order. For me, bringing  back the former  coach, Shuaibu, is not going to help our team because he has coached this team before and he achieved nothing. Bringing him back again seems we don’t  know where we are going. I expected them to bring in a good coach be him  foreign or local but let him be a good tactician, someone who knows  what to do at the right time because we have some good coaches in this country who go out side and succeed. It doesn’t  matter where the coach comes from. We have hired a good number of foreign coaches and they achieved  nothing. The likes of Lars Lagerback and Bora.They achieved nothing. So bringing a foreign coach is not really the solution. What we need is a good tactical coach who knows what to do  and who knows how to handle the team.
The problem of football in this country is both coaching and administration. I don’t  really know if the people at the helm of affairs of football administration love football. If they have the interest of Nigerian football in mind we wouldn’t  have been in this present  mess. What most of them are interested in is how to enrich  themselves, how they  will bring in a coach or a player person and they will be receiving certain amount of money from him  instead of working for the future of the game. For the coaches,  they always want to engage players they can bend. When a player is not dancing to their tune,  even when  such player is good they will not use rather they will want “their  boys” to play at all cost. They are the ones  condoning indiscipline in the team. So coaching and administration is the bane of Nigerian football. Back  in the days we were doing better than this even on professional level. But instead of our game to grow, it keeps going down every day.
Having said that, I will also like to blame our players. We all watch the games. Sometimes they don’t play like professionals. They play like amateur. Watch any European football, you will see them playing as if their lives depend on it.  But our own players keep saying if they have injury  nobody  will cater for them, forgetting that they are playing the  game to  make  names too.

Mr Manly Obilor – an Applicant.
For me, Nigerian football is not moving forward. The  football administrators are not helping matters at all. What they are interested in is how to make money and not really helping the game to grow. So the problem of Nigerian football basically is administration, coaching and the players  because the players play as if nothing is at stake. Just look at  what they played against Congo, South Africa and away to Sudan. They are not making us enjoy football anymore and many Nigerians are loosing  love for  the game because of the way  they play.
However, I don’t  think the  timing of Keshi’s sack was right. They should have allowed him to finish what he started and whether he fails or passes, he goes. But  sacking him now is not a good idea. The way out is hiring someone with new ideas  because the way the players are playing now is as if they are not being  told what to do. We need some one that can talk to the players and tell them  what to do. The players see Keshi or local coaches as one of them, so bringing  in a foreign coach will be  better for us. Shuaibu Amodu to me is a failure. We are not moving forward by asking him to  come back. To me I would have prefared someone   like Siasia to be the coach of the Super Eagles  for the now.

Mr. William Uzoma- Business man.
I think the firing of Keshi is a welcome development because  Keshi is tact less. The way the guy starts the game that’s the way he ends it. And I don’t  think he had the right people in his team. We  have some body like Ike Uche, who has been scoring goals in Spanish league but he has not been invited to the team. He claimed that Ike Uche is not disciplined but his  club. Coach said that he is okay, that he is very disciplined. We also have someone like Emenike who is playing world class football but he never used him.
All over the world we hire  and fire coaches so I don’t see any big deal there. Administrators are not, the ones who play the ball. Here players do their work and Administrators do their. So  I think our problem is coaching. I know NFF has  been in turmoil for sometimes now. That will definitely have impact on the game but principally, our problem is coaching. I don’t  really think Shuaibu can do that job. We have tested Shuaibu before and he did not impress us. We need a foreign coach. Siasia is not bad. Siasia is a disciplined coach. I think someone like  that can do that job.

Mr Christian Iheji- Businessman
For  me, sacking Stephen Keshi  was not a good idea. I thought  he should have been given more  time to see if he could qualify the team for the nations cup. Sacking him at this point in time, I don’t find it so good for the country. Keshi tried his best to build the  team but the boys  were not serious  with  the game. Our boys are not working hard to see that the team grows. One could see some sentiments in the team. Because certain players are were in the team, some others refused to cooperate with the coach. I see that sentiment in the team and it is not very good for us.
I think Shuaibu can perform because he has been there before. All we need do is to encourage him to do his best.
We also need a better football administration because if the administration is not in order, the coaches and the players are affected. The NFF, coaches and players should see how they can work together to improve the team. This is our national team, so we must work together to achieve our aim. It will be a shame if as the defending champion we are not seen at the next nation’s cup. There is still a slight chance of qualifying we must do everything possible to maximize that opportunity.

Amaka Nathan – Business woman
I think sacking Keshi was the best decision because the man was not doing well. All he was doing was benching players that can deliver and bringing the ones that cannot do any good thing. I used to watch Nigerian football before, but since Keshi came on board, I lost interest due to his coaching style and his arrogance. He would refuse to invite good players and insist on using only his favourite players irrespective of their capabilities. He is a stubborn man. He was boasting that a lot of countries were begging to hire, so let him pick up one of these many offers. Let’s see what Shuaibu Amodu can offer. Maybe he will qualify our team for the cup of nations.  But I think he needs the help and encourgament of everybiody to achieve this heavy task. Our government should allocate more money for football. Look at our stadium, many of them are nothing to write home about, I have always asked, why is it that any time our teams are playing , it’s either there will be power failure, the TV stations will not be clear and a lot of other problems? I don’t understand. So the problem of Nigerian football is both administration, coaching and governance and all the stake holders really need to join hands in solving  these problems.

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Opinion

One Attack Too Many 

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Quote: “Ogoniland does not need leaders competing over who can destroy another’s platform; it needs leaders competing over who can create more opportunities, empower youths and build a better future.”

The latest attack by Chief Gani Topba on the President of KAGOTE and Chief Executive Officer of Giolee Global Resources Ltd, Chief Lesi Maol, appears to have opened another troubling chapter in the politics of leadership and influence in Ogoniland. While disagreements are inevitable, the frequency and manner of attacks directed at individuals or organisations contributing to Ogoni development should concern every stakeholder. The concluded extraordinary meeting of Ogoni stakeholders in Bori was convened to deliberate on challenges confronting the people, including insecurity, farmers-herders clashes, youth disunity, education and development. It also considered harmonising the numerous youth organisations operating across Ogoniland under a strong and representative umbrella capable of giving Ogoni youths a more coordinated voice. One would have expected such an initiative to attract constructive contributions, especially from those with reservations about it.

Instead, the gathering and its organisers have come under criticism, raising a fundamental question: what exactly is wrong with Ogoni stakeholders coming together to discuss problems affecting their people? If there are legitimate concerns about the meeting, its organisers or resolutions, such concerns should be supported by facts and subjected to constructive engagement rather than personalised attacks. Leadership is demonstrated through service, sacrifice, participation and results. If Chief Gani Topba believes the stakeholders’ meeting was unnecessary or lacked legitimacy, nothing prevents him from convening another meeting and demonstrating that he can attract traditional rulers, professionals, academics, clergy and youths. Different approaches to development should therefore be allowed to compete on their merits.

The proposal for a unified youth platform should equally not be presented as an attempt to silence Ogoni youths. Rather, it should be examined against the reality of numerous organisations claiming to represent different segments of Ogoni youths. Too many competing organisations can create confusion, weaken collective bargaining power and make it difficult for genuine concerns affecting young people to receive coordinated attention. A credible umbrella body, if properly constituted and broadly accepted, could strengthen the voice of Ogoni youths and provide an organised platform for employment, education, skills acquisition, security and governance. Ogoniland has experienced enough institutional fragmentation. Its history contains painful lessons about divisions that allow personal interests, leadership struggles and competing platforms to overshadow collective objectives. The present generation should learn that destroying institutions one does not control damages society.

The question should be: who benefits when Ogoni youths remain divided and every attempt at unity is interpreted as rivalry? Against this background, KAGOTE deserves objective scrutiny rather than blanket condemnation. Any organisation with influence must be accountable, but accountability is different from a campaign aimed at delegitimising initiatives associated with its leadership. Chief Lesi Maol’s activities through KAGOTE and Giolee Global Resources Ltd have attracted attention in areas including skills development, education, youth empowerment and community support. Such interventions should be assessed on their impact and encouraged where they serve the public good. Those who believe Chief Maol is not doing enough should not stop at criticism. They should show Ogoni what they can do better. Where are the alternative skills programmes? Where are the educational interventions? Where are the youth empowerment schemes? Where are the community development initiatives?

It is easy to criticise someone who is building; it is harder to mobilise resources and sustain programmes that benefit ordinary people. This is not to suggest that Chief Maol or KAGOTE should be immune from criticism. No leader or institution should be beyond scrutiny, and legitimate questions about accountability must be welcomed. But responsible criticism should be based on facts, evidence and alternative ideas. Personal attacks and attempts to destroy initiatives simply because their leadership is not controlled by particular interests cannot provide the solutions Ogoniland needs. What is unfolding is bigger than one meeting, one statement or even two individuals. It reflects a broader contest over influence and leadership. If anyone believes KAGOTE is taking Ogoni in the wrong direction, the response is to present a better direction. If anyone believes Lesi Maol is not doing enough, the answer is to demonstrate what more can be done. Ogoni does not need leaders competing over who can destroy another’s platform; it needs leaders competing over who can create opportunities, improve education, promote security, empower youths and contribute to development.

The people are looking beyond rhetoric. They are examining records, observing programmes and measuring results. No individual owns the permanent right to speak for Ogoni or determine which organisation must survive or collapse. Ogoni must replace the politics of personal control with a culture of ideas, service, accountability and measurable achievement. Differences should produce better alternatives, not destruction. Every Ogoni leader and stakeholder should ask whether his actions are strengthening the region or deepening divisions. Ogoni needs people who can build bridges, institutions, opportunities and hope. Those who genuinely love Ogoni should support what is good, correct what is wrong and offer better alternatives. The future of Ogoni will not be secured by destroying its builders, but by encouraging more people to build.

onest people can reach different conclusions based on different experiences and information. Public debate should therefore remain respectful, evidence-based and open to correction. Truth is strengthened by honest examination, not insults, suspicion or personal attacks. The phrase “Truth has no agenda” carries a powerful message. Truth does not belong to any political party, ethnic group, religion or ideology. It cannot be permanently owned or manipulated by those in power. Governments change, institutions rise and fall, and public opinion shifts, but truth remains indifferent to popularity.The real test of character comes when speaking honestly threatens influence, privilege or personal advantage. It is easy to defend justice when there is nothing to lose. It is far more difficult when the truth may cost us something. That is when conscience must rise above convenience.

Society must therefore cultivate a culture where integrity is valued more than comfort and accountability is welcomed rather than feared. Leaders should learn to accept criticism without hostility, while citizens should express disagreement responsibly. Progress becomes difficult when honest questions are treated as acts of disloyalty. Ultimately, every society must choose the future it desires. A nation built on silence cannot sustain justice, while a community where comfort consistently outweighs conscience risks making injustice ordinary. But people committed to truth, even when inconvenient, lay the foundation for stronger institutions, trustworthy leadership and lasting progress. The call is not to condemn those who succeed or to glorify perpetual criticism. It is to remember that privilege should never silence principle, influence should never replace integrity, and personal gain should never outweigh the public good. Truth has no hidden agenda. It seeks neither applause nor favour. It simply asks to be spoken, defended and lived. When truth is silenced by comfort, everyone eventually pays the price.

By:  King Onunwor
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When Comfort Silences The Truth  

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Quote: “Privilege should never silence principle, influence should never replace integrity, and personal gain should never outweigh the public good.”

There is an old saying that truth does not fear investigation. Genuine truth neither depends on applause nor seeks permission to exist. It remains constant whether celebrated or rejected, defended or ignored. Yet, in today’s society, truth often competes with comfort, convenience, loyalty and personal interest. This raises an important question: Can a person remain objective after beginning to benefit from the very system he once criticised? Throughout history, reform movements have been driven by courageous individuals willing to challenge injustice despite personal risks. Their commitment to truth sometimes cost them popularity, comfort, freedom and even their lives. History has also recorded instances where influential voices became quieter after receiving appointments, promotions, contracts, political favours or other advantages.

While motivations cannot always be known, such patterns remind us that personal benefit can sometimes influence public conviction. Human beings naturally seek security, stability and opportunities for themselves and their families. There is nothing wrong with success or advancement. The concern arises when personal comfort replaces public responsibility, or privilege becomes a reason to ignore problems affecting others. One of the greatest dangers facing society is not only corruption or poor governance but the normalisation of silence. Systems rarely collapse overnight. They deteriorate gradually when people who know better decide that speaking the truth is no longer worth the personal cost. Every society therefore depends on citizens willing to ask difficult questions, demand accountability and defend justice, regardless of who benefits or feels uncomfortable.

A person who benefits from a broken system may become less inclined to challenge it. This is not true of everyone, and individuals should not be judged without evidence. Many principled people continue to advocate reform while working within imperfect institutions. Nevertheless, personal interests can sometimes soften criticism, dilute conviction or redirect attention from uncomfortable realities.Perhaps the greatest threat to truth is not open opposition but quiet compromise. Censorship is easy to recognise; silence purchased through convenience is harder to detect. When people gradually stop asking questions, demanding transparency or defending principles they once considered important, society should ask whether something has changed. Perspectives may genuinely evolve with new information, but incentives can also influence what people say—or choose not to say.

This is why citizens should not place blind trust in personalities. Ideas, principles and actions should be examined independently. Loyalty to individuals must never exceed loyalty to truth. Political affiliation, professional status, financial success or social influence should not exempt anyone from accountability. A healthy democracy depends on independent thinking, not unquestioning allegiance.The responsibility to speak truth does not belong only to journalists, activists, judges, religious leaders or opposition politicians. It belongs to every citizen. The teacher who refuses to manipulate facts, the public servant who rejects corruption, the business owner who acts with integrity, the parent who teaches honesty and the young person who chooses principle over popularity all contribute to a more just society. However, defending truth also requires humility.

We must not assume that everyone who disagrees with us has been compromised.

By: Michael  Abraham

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Opinion

Poor Federal Roads: The Oshiomhole’s  Outburst

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Quote:”Although the Federal Ministry of Works is responsible for road construction and rehabilitation while the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) oversees maintenance, road maintenance has consistently taken a back seat”

The recent outburst by the lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, over the deplorable condition of federal roads in Edo and Delta states has once again drawn national attention to one of Nigeria’s most persistent infrastructure challenges. During Senate plenary last Wednesday, Oshiomhole criticized the Minister of Works, David Umahi, accusing the Federal Ministry of Works of neglecting major federal highways in Edo and Delta while prioritizing new road projects. According to him, the government should focus on rehabilitating existing roads that have become impassable before embarking on new construction. He identified the Benin-Warri, Benin-Asaba, Benin-Auchi and Auchi-Okene highways as strategic economic corridors that have deteriorated to alarming levels, making travel difficult for commuters and motorists while increasing the cost of transporting goods and services.

The senator also alleged that road projects affecting Edo and Delta states were repeatedly omitted from budgetary provisions and that some interventions were only undertaken following directives from President Bola Tinubu. Ironically, the Federal Government has consistently reiterated its commitment to reconstructing and rehabilitating federal roads across the country. The Minister of Works has repeatedly assured Nigerians that the government is deploying reinforced concrete technology to build more durable highways capable of withstanding the country’s climatic conditions. Despite these assurances, vast sections of federal road across the country remain in deplorable condition. The consequences are enormous. Federal highways serve as the backbone of the nation’s economy, carrying more than 90 per cent of passengers and freight.

They connect ports, airports, industrial centres, state capitals and agricultural belts, facilitating the movement of food, fuel, cement and manufactured goods. When these roads fail, the entire economy suffers. Although the Federal Ministry of Works is responsible for road construction and rehabilitation while the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) oversees maintenance, road maintenance has consistently taken a back seat. The result is a recurring cycle in which newly completed roads quickly deteriorate while existing ones are left to collapse. The economic consequences are severe. Bad roads increase transportation costs, contribute to food inflation, delay the movement of goods from ports to markets, increase vehicle maintenance expenses and lead to avoidable road crashes that claim countless lives every year.

To address these challenges, the Federal Government has introduced initiatives such as the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), which seeks to attract private investment into road maintenance through concessions and tolling. While the initiative holds promise, public acceptance will depend largely on visible improvements in road quality and transparent management of toll revenues. Similarly, the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme is designed to encourage companies to finance the reconstruction of strategic highways in exchange for tax credits. While the scheme has shown promise, its ability to address road infrastructure challenges equitably across the country remains to be seen. Other countries facing similar infrastructure challenges have demonstrated that sustainable road management requires a different approach.

Rwanda and Morocco, for instance, have prioritized dedicated road maintenance funds, performance-based contracts that reward quality rather than kilometers constructed, and policies that allocate a significant proportion of road budgets to maintenance instead of new construction. Nigeria can draw useful lessons from these experiences. Maintenance funding should be increased and protected because preventive maintenance is far cheaper than complete reconstruction. Public-private partnerships should be expanded with adequate safeguards, transparent tolling policies and independent monitoring. Development finance institutions should support contractors with affordable financing to minimize disruptions caused by delayed government payments. Road designs should withstand heavier rainfall and flooding, while compensation and right-of-way issues must be resolved before projects begin to avoid unnecessary delays.

FERMA should also prioritize durable, high-quality road maintenance over the shoddy repairs that have become all too common. Ultimately, Nigerians are not asking for perfect roads; they simply want roads that are safe, durable and properly maintained. While new highways are desirable, a well-maintained five-kilometer stretch is often far more valuable to road users than a much longer road that quickly falls into disrepair. The media, civil society, the National Assembly and Nigerians must continue to hold the government accountable by monitoring road projects and demanding better results. Good roads are not a privilege but a right of every citizen. With tax credit schemes, concessions and other funding mechanisms already in place, what is now required is political will, transparency and consistent implementation. However, Senator Oshiomhole’s criticism also invites legitimate public reflection. 

Many Nigerians have asked what the condition of these same federal roads was during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Edo State. Several governors, including those of Rivers State at different times, undertook repairs on critical federal roads within their states and subsequently sought reimbursement from the Federal Government. It is therefore fair to ask whether similar interventions were pursued during Oshiomhole’s administration. Public officials, whether serving or former, should be judged by the same standard. Constructive criticism is essential in a democracy, but it carries greater weight when matched by a demonstrable record of action. Nigerians expect those entrusted with public office to address pressing challenges while they have the authority to do so, rather than becoming vocal critics only after leaving office

By:  Calista Ezeaku
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