Amos Adamu: The Fall Of A Sports Collosus

On Thursday, November 18, 2010, World Football governing body, Federation of International Football Association, FIFA suspended Nigeria’s Amos Adamu, a member of its 24-man Executive Committee from all Football-related activities for three years.

The ban was reportedly for demanding $800,000 (N120 million) bribe to swing votes in favour of some bidding countries for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.

Adamu was also fined £6,300 for breaching at least five articles of FIFA’s ethics code, including the one on bribery.

The former Director General, DG of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission, NSC was exposed after some undercover reporters from a London-based Newspaper, the Sunday Times, posed as lobbyists for a consortium of American companies that wanted to assist in bringing back the World Cup to the United States of America.  Unknown to Adamu, his interaction with the reporters was secretly recorded on tape and video.

Though he is not alone in the bribery saga, The Tide is utterly disappointed and concerned that the first Nigerian to rise to the Executive Committee membership of FIFA would be found wanting in such a disgraceful manner.

That Adamu had been a colossus in Nigerian Sports circle in the past 20 years is an understatement.

In his checkered history of more than two decades in sports administration, he made a name for himself as one of the most controversial sports administrators the country has ever produced.

Adamu, who is currently the president of West Africa Sports Union, WASU had held sway as the Director, Sports development in the Ministry of Sports for 10 years and D-G of NSC for another 10 years before being redeployed in November, 2008.

He was appointed the Sole Administrator of Nigeria Football Association, NFA in 1992 and is currently serving in the highest decision-making body of Confederation of African Football CAF, the Executive Committee

However, the former NSC D-G’s name had become a recurring decimal in controversies and allegations of fraud in most of Nigeria’s outing in international sports competitions and major sports events hosted by the country.

The alleged fraud that tainted the hosting of the World Youth Championship, WYC in 1999, Nigeria ’99, especially the 8th All Africa Games, COJA 2003, which he supervised, has always left Nigerians wondering if and when he would be investigated and exposed. 

It is regrettable that his recent alleged indiscretions has denied Nigeria, nay, Africa, the chance to vote and participate in choosing the hosts of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, which was decided yesterday.

Unfortunately too, the FIFA ban has become a sad commentary on Nigeria and Africa, a tragedy that may take so many years of hardwork to mend.

In addition, it will now be more difficult for any of Adamu’s compatriot to work the ladder into FIFA’s Executive Committee.

Indeed, his indiscretions can now only paint Nigerians in the garb of corruption and fraud in world sporting circles.

We are indeed troubled that prior to his removal as the NSC D-G on November 6 2008 by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, no serious efforts was made by government to really look into the several allegations leveled against the man who reports say metamorphosed from Babatunde Aremu to Amos Adamu.

That is why we are happy that the Nigeria Football federation, NFF has moved to replace him in the Executive Committee of CAF by nominating one of its former Presidents, Ibrahim Galadima for the position held by Adamu. We also commend the recent position of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC which has stated its willingness to look into the bribery case and commence prosecution, if necessary.

The EFCC must not be fooled by Adamu’s plea of innocence and ploy to appeal the FIFA and its Ethics Committee’s findings and ban.

He must be brought to book to serve as deterrent to other would-be travellers on the reprehensible path of fraud and corruption.

The appeal should only be seen as a ploy to buy time and perhaps cool the pressure occasioned by his disgraceful actions.

Let the international disgrace on Adamu and its negative effect on the country, Africa and indeed Nigerians who may aspire to occupy a position in the world football governing body in future be a lesson and challenge to our sports administrators and government.

We must try always to deal decisively with issues of fraud and corruption and know the antecedents of those we thrust forward to carry our flag in the comity of international bodies, lest our dirty linens be hung for the whole world to see.