Puppets are
exactly what they look like: a bunch of guys who work in Glass house and travel
around the world claiming they run football in Nigeria. And you can’t fault
that really.
Glass house
is the Abuja office and headquarter of Nigeria football Federation (NFF);
recognized by FIFA statute to run the business of football in the country. So
these guys wear the tag of NFF officials but hardly make any decision on
football matters in the country.
First, FIFA
insisted that NFF have its own autonomy and be independent of any form of
government interference. But NFF hasn’t attained such independence because it
doesn’t have the structure and mechanism to operate on its own.
Government
fund football in Nigeria and regulates it through ministry of Sports and
national sports commission (NSC). Obnoxious law like Decree 101 was put in
place, which gives government the right to oversee football affairs and also
the activities of NFF.
Kangaroo
Elections
However, in
other not to face sanctions, government complies with FIFA statute by allowing
NFF to conduct its own elections, but impose candidates that must be voted into
the NFF board.
What is
wrong with Kangaroo election? You may
ask. Well, government uses it to compensate political loyalists and allies by
imposing wrong candidates into NFF board. While professionals and personnel who
are experienced in football matters are swept aside, these political appointees
grossly mismanage the country’s football business.
Puppets in
Glass House
Although,
NFF is recognized by FIFA, its officials don’t have authority over football
matters in Nigeria. Government officials in the ministry or NSC dictate what
happens. Sometimes, government imposes task force to oversee NFF affairs. The
fact is NFF officials are mere puppets in glass house.
Rats in
Glass House
NFF
officials cannot carry out their duties without government funds or grants from
FIFA. Although, they do not generate their own funds, they are quick to
squander government disbursements.
There’s the
issue of accountability. And with the way money and documents miss without
trace in NFF office, you can’t but wonder if vicious rats operate in the glass
house.
Football League
in Nigeria
It’s no
different with the league in Nigeria. Most clubs are funded by state
governments and those that run Nigeria Professional football league (NPFL),
Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) are also
political appointees.
When a
football loving governor comes into power, the state club begin to enjoy
funding and may at that period win lots of laurels. Clubs without such state
governor suffer lack of funding and may go under in such period.
It’s an
irony really that government is destroying football sport it spends so much to
fund. And NFF just sit dorsal waiting for more funds to squander.
