11th September, 2014
It is often said that he who lives in a glass house should not throw stones. But, by their conduct, the present occupiers of the Glass House of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, in Abuja have defied this common sense. The leadership crisis that had rocked the Glass House for weeks had undermined the nation’s football administration to the extent that world football governing body, FIFA, had to wield the sledge hammer.
FIFA had to ban Nigeria following the removal of the NFF Chairman, Aminu Maigari. The ban was lifted after Maigari was reinstated. FIFA had to give Nigeria another ultimatum to put its house in order or risk another ban after Chris Giwa emerged as NFF Chairman through a process FIFA did not recognise as credible. That ultimatum expired Monday, 8 September, 2014. Giwa, who appeared to be calling the bluff of FIFA, waited till the last minute before he vacated the office to escape FIFA’s hammer. Though Nigeria has apparently escaped FIFA’s sanction, after Giwa failed to show up at the Glass House on Monday, the assumption that the saga is over could be a costly one, given the perennial manner contentious issues are thrown up in the Glass House.
Crisis always characterise the change of baton at the NFF. Each time there is an election to elect the NFF Chairman and his executive, the gladiators would go up in arms. Some even go to court to stall the entire process. This state of affairs has defied solution over the years and has made Nigeria a laughing stock among footballling nations.
Why does NFF always wait till FIFA raises its hammer before doing what is right? Though soccer loving Nigerians wouldn’t have forgiven Giwa if he had allowed FIFA’s ban, it is apparent that Giwa merely capitulated as a temporary move to douse the heat in the Glass House.
NFF has put Nigerians in enough disrepute and it is time the concerned parties put heads together to salvage NFF from its sinking boat. FIFA always frowns against government interference in football matters. This is the ideal, but those at the helm of affairs at the Glass House have clearly shown that they are good at “throwing stones” rather than devise ways to generate revenue to avoid depending on the government for funds to run its programmes. The government has to interfer in the affairs of NFF because it provides the funds.
As a new election is expected to take place later this month, all eyes are on the NFF and the Ministry of Sports to correct the wrong, sum up the courage and the political will to weed out the corrupt elements in the Glass House and ultimately stop the ugly politicking that has undermined football administration in the country lately.
The idea of voting in a candidate or a non-professional as NFF chairman due to his affluence or political affiliation should be resisted by delegates in the next election. These delegates, for once, should put a round peg in a round hole via their votes.