BACK TO DRAWING BOARD: An Incredibly Simple Way To Bring A Desirable Change In Nigerian Football

I read an eye opening article on Forbes’ website titled, “Three incredibly simple questions most leaders use to affect change.” The writer Mike Maddock said,” these three questions are the winning formula most leaders of change use again and again.” So, I decided to apply the formula to the case of Nigeria football and see how it turns out. Was I surprise? The answers I got was so simple I ask myself, “Why didn’t I think of it like that.” You can try the formula yourself on whatever area you want to affect a change in life.

First, let us look at some of the answers I got after I brainstormed on the three questions.

Question 1: What are the desirable outcome you want for Nigeria Football?

Sometimes, simple questions like this could catch you unawareness – Hey, you don’t even know the exact state you can call desirable for Nigeria football. Well, I got three related answers.

· I want Nigeria football to move away from the hands of politicians to become a significant economic driver in the country – Redistributing the wealth of the nation and providing gainful employment for millions of youths in the country.

· I want to see a true professional football league that would excite Nigerian fans and attract huge sponsorship investments from multinational companies.

· I want the Nigerian football business to continually turn out high returns that will attract foreign investors to put large capital outlay into the industry.

Perhaps, you may also have your own answers. Please, oblige me and write them on the comment box below. When you are through with it, we can go on to the next question.

Question 2: What stands in the way to realize these outcome and how can you get them out?

Hey, this is not as simple question as I thought. The obstacles in Nigeria football are numerous.

· Government policy to hold on to the administration of the sport by sponsorship and interference. Political incursions that has largely brought in corrupt practices and led to dismal performances, are the major obstacle.

· Lack of football policy and institutional structures that will ensure smooth operations and continuous growth.

The second part of the question ask,” how can you get the hindrances out of the way?”

Well, as for me as an individual, I can only use my publications and speeches in public appearances to educate the government on football matters. But, when we all come together we can do more. Especially the better established leaders in the industry – Festus Onigbinde, Chief Obaseki, Amos Adamu,Bukola Saraki, Segun Odegbami, Paul Bassey, Emeka Anyadike, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Shiabu Amodu, Chief Anyansi … could convene a stakeholders conference to draw up a draft policy and plans to transit football from government to private ventures.

This is a simple way to convince government - by taking such proactive steps shows we are ready for the change.

Question 3: Who has figured it out already (Who has gotten results in football administration and management)?

This is perhaps, the simplest question among the three. We don’t have to do trial and error. We can just steal ideas – it’s called parallel strategy

Nigeria football fans are so obsessed with English Premier League (EPL) – that’s it! We can just give a call to Dave Richards, EPL chairman, and he will send us men to help us establish similar league in Nigeria.

EPL policy is not a secret document, you can get it off the chaff. So, let’s get the ball rolling. It’s time for change. The equation is simple. If we can take proper action that questions two and three revealed, then we shall get the expected results as question one revealed.