Sports
FIFA Ban Looms Over Nigeria, Again
Nigerian football risks
another international ban only two months after FIFA suspended the country following direct interference by government in the game.
This latest ban would mean Nigeria forfeiting their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa early next month.
The world football governing body has approved for a Nigeria Football Federation NFF general assembly for Warri tomorrow.
But in yet another flagrant interference by government, the sports minister, Tammy Danagogo, has allegedly ordered for elections into the executive committee of the football federation same day in Abuja.
Tidesports gathered that FIFA is likely to further clarify their position on the latest crisis that has engulfed Nigerian football today ahead of the congress in Warri.
In a bid for a peaceful resolution to the latest conflict, the secretary to the federal government (SGF), Pius Anyim, had “suggested” that the polls be conducted tomorrow, but he could not readily come up with an acceptable venue for this.
However, further consultations have now made Anyim, himself a qualified lawyer, to know his suggestion would be in clear breach of NFF statutes as well as an open defiance to FIFA order.
Former NFF vice-president Amanze Uchegbulam, who is also vice-chairman of the CAF appeals committee, told the SGF he will not be a party to the sham insisted on by the sports minister.
“Even if I’m finally given nomination form for the elections, I will not be part of any exercise in Abuja as it is an exercise in futility. It cannot stand the test of the time,” he argued.
Chairman committee on sports of the House of Representatives, Godfrey Gaiya, said yesterday in Kaduna that elections cannot take place in Abuja tomorrow because it did not follow laid down rules and procedures.
In a strongly-worded open letter to the sports minister, former Kano Pillars chairman Abba Yola warned litigations will follow any elections in Abuja tomorrow.
But on Saturday, controversial electoral committee chairman Amoni Biambo raised the ante when he invited congress delegates via email to the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja for the elections tomorrow.
Biambo clearly overstepped his bounds as only the president of the NFF, Aminu Maigari, is empowered to do so.
The elections must also be observed by representatives of FIFA, CAF and WAFU, and FIFA has already announced their observer will only attend the polls as ordered by the congress in Warri tomorrow.
Tidesports sources further gathered that the confusion that has now enveloped Nigerian football is being fueled by the “crazed desperation” of a particular NFF presidential candidate, who has compromised top government officials with cash and promises of appointments in the NFF.
In one of the meetings with Anyim, one of the top-ranked sports ministry officials openly alleged that this particular candidate had compromised some of those charged with organising the polls.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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