4th July, 2014
Adebobola Alawode & Sunday Akintoye
This definitely is not the best of time for Nigerian football following the ouster of the Super Eagles from the ongoing World Cup in Brazil and the sacking of the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Aminu Maigari, Thursday by a High Court in Jos, Plateau State.
Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, NSC, Tamuno Banagogo after receiving the court order, appointed Lawrence Katiken as an administrator to run the Nigeria’s football, an implication that the country may be banned by FIFA any moment from now over what it would describe as government and local court’s interference in football matters.
Katken is the current Secretary of the Nigeria National League (NNL).
It has been a topsy-turvy situation in the Nigerian football circle with news making the rounds that Coach Stephen Keshi had resigned his position as coach of the Eagles but he has since come to deny this.
If this crisis currently rocking the NFF is not quickly resolved what played out in 2010 may recur. It will be recalled that Nigeria was threatened with a FIFA ban in 2010 just after the Super Eagles crashed out of the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa.
This was as a result of the Federal Government’s decision to withdraw the country from all international competitions for two years and sack the NFF management. The FG also called for a corruption probe of the NFF. However, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan later rescinded this decision for FIFA to spare the country. But later in 2010, the FIFA hammer finally fell on the country when top Nigeria FA officials were dragged before a court. The ban was only quashed when the court ruling was set aside.
While reacting to impending ban on the NFF, Special Assistant to the Minister on media, Patrick Omorodion in a chat Friday morning with our correspondent said that the Sports Ministry only acted on the injunction of the High Court in Plateau State.
He stated thus: ‘‘The decision of the NSC to appoint an administrator was based on what we got from the High Court, you will also agree with me that the NSC may be charged for contempt of court if we fail to follow the instructions given to us by the court.
“We don’t see the Minister’s action as a direct government’s interference, Mr. Danagogo only acted on court order, but one thing Nigerians should know is that this is a case of a club owner fighting the NFF, which we see as a purely family matter. The ministry’s position is that members of the same family should find a way to resolve the crisis. Once again, the minister was just obeying the court’s directive.’’
Corroborating Omorodion’s statement, FIFA and CAF instructor, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde explained that the sacking of board of the Nigeria Football Federation and its President, Aminu Maigari was in order following a suit filed by the owner of Nembe City Football Club, Mrs. Ebiakpo Rumson Baribote on Thursday.
Onigbinde stated that Nigerians should not blame Danagogo for acting the way he did, saying that the sports minister acted on the ruling of the court.
“Honestly, Danagogo justified his action because he wants to obey the court order, but FIFA will see this action in another different angle and the way things are going FIFA may ban Nigeria,” he said.
Onigbinde said the way and manner football is being run in the country is not in line with FIFA regulations, adding that the sacking of NFF board may force FIFA to ban the country from FIFA and CAF-organised football competitions.
“FIFA will see the sack of Maigari and the NFF board members as government’s interference and it is unfortunate that we don’t do the right things as far as football is concerned in this country,” he said.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports has it that Maigari has been whisked away by plainclothes security operatives in Abuja on arrival from Brazil early today.
The four-year tenure of Maigari’s executive committee will run out at the end of August and elections to the board are slated for Warri. An electoral body has been set up in this respect and forms for candidates have since gone on sale.