Following the recent
ban placed on Nigeria by World Football governing body, FIFA, over what it sees as government’s interference, which will bar the country from participating in any international games, Nigeria are sharply divided over its propriety and impact.
While some see it as an ill-wind that would take the country several years back in the game, some said that it would be a blessing in disguise.
FIFA had in a letter dated July 4, 2014 demanded for the immediate reinstatement of the ousted Aminu Maigari-led board of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, which was removed in line with an order from a High Court in Jos.
The world body insisted that the ban will only be lifted once the court action is withdrawn and the ousted executive committee members reinstated.
According to a coach with Rivers State Sport Council, who did not want is name in print, the ban is a huge setback for the country and underlines the many problems trailing the organization and administration of football in Nigeria. He called on the authorities to do the right thing that would lead to the lifting of the ban.
Former Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu expressed disappointment over the ban and feared for the future of the game. “I am sad to hear that FIFA has banned us. From all indications, if things are not done according to FIFA, we will miss out of the 2015 African Cup of Nations, our U-20 girls won’t play in Canada and lots more. Our football will suffer a lot as this can only take us backwards,” Chukwu said.
Coach Justin Jenger said it was a shame that we have to do the right thing by FIFA. “This is the saddest thing ever to happen to Nigerian football, where are we heading now?” he queried rhetorically.
But the Assistant Coach of Rivers Angels FC, Port Harcourt, Whyte Ogbonda threw his support behind the sacking of the NFF board and said that if the FIFA ban is the price the country has to pay to reorganize the administration of football in Nigeria, let it be so.
Ogbonda said that the ban would turn out to be a good omen that may help Nigeria. He urged the authorities in Nigeria not to placate FIFA by reinstating the ousted NFF board, describing the NFF as a very corrupt institution that has been running the game aground.
When reminded that the ban would affect even club-sides on continental assignments, the coach said that such clubs should persevere and see it as a sacrifice or the rebirth of the sector in Nigeria. He however urged that the period of the ban should be used to restructure football administration.
Meanwhile, former FIFA Adviser and member of FIFA Study Group, Festus Onigbinde has urged Nigeria to call the bluff of the world body, while he wants Nigeria to obey FIFA, he wants government to hands off football sponsorship.
According to Onigbinde, he who pays the piper dictates the tune and if FIFA doesn’t consider Nigerian government’s sponsorship and investment in football as interference but intervention as a result of court order to ensure peace and order as interference, then my advice is that the government of Nigeria should hands off entirely the financing and sponsorship of the game in the country. Let the administrators removed by the NFF congress be reinstated and start sponsoring football all alone without the support of the government of Nigeria.
“If FIFA says we should bring them back, let’s do so but they must look for their own money to run their affairs because giving them money will also amount to interference. What the nation should do now is to sit down and restructure our football physically and technically.”