Nigeria: Another Build-Up to Crisis in the Nation’s Football

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Pius Anakali

19 March 2011

analysis

There seems to be no end in sight for the combatants in the glasshouse. Even attempt by the Minister for Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, to bring peace may destroy football in Nigeria and the glasshouse. In this report, PIUS ANAKALI traces the genesis of the crisis in the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and then analyses the merits and demerits of the minister’s idea

Is it right to take football matter to court? That is the question many have failed to provide answer to since the crisis that engulfed Nigerian football way back in 2006. In fact, it was during the tail end of the Ibrahim Galadima era as the chairman of Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF). Five years on, the topic has remained as controversial as ever, with each side of the divide holding on to its belief.

While some argued that local courts should have no say in the running of football, others thought otherwise. On this, FIFA has always maintained its stand. Football affairs go beyond the court of the land. But doing otherwise may incur the wrath of FIFA and its sanction, which is usually placing an erring country on ban for certain period. But when there are disagreements, FIFA insists, Court of Arbitration for Sports should be the final arbiter.

If a nation is a signatory to this FIFA statute, she is expected to abide by the rule. But in a continent where governments directly fund football, asking them to stay clear might be impossible as the case in Nigeria has shown.

Here is a country where things don’t follow the normal sequence but result always in acrimony leading to combatants finding solace in the so-called Court of Arbitration for Sports.

Even judgements at the Court of Arbitrations, have tended to be biased, forcing the aggrieved to the forbidden local court of laws to seek redress.

As expected the nation had faced the consequences. The president realised this last year when he resigned the decision to stop Nigeria from participating in all FIFA-arranged competition for a period of two years. The order was a fall-out of the crisis that engulfed the NFA shortly after the South-Africa organised 2010 World Cup.

As good as the idea was, President Jonathan had to soft pedal having weighed the long-term implication of the decision.

Still, the problem remained, more so because managers of football see themselves as untouchables.

Today, over five football- related cases are pending in different courts across the country. The sacked Davidson Owumi versus the Nigeria Football Association is on in Lagos while the league sponsors, MTN, versus NFA, is on, on the other hand. There is also Globacom and the Nigeria Professional League problem yet to be settled.

Weeks, the NFA organised election into the board of national amateur league board. While the constitution provides for at least two representatives each from the zones, the South East had three representatives while the North West had just one member. Aisha Falode, who took part in this election, petitioned the FA board drawing their attention to the lopsidedness of the amateur board. Her petition was upheld.

Emeka Inyama, who was affected by the annulment, is in court challenging the right of the NFA to cancel the election. Harrison Jalla-led National Association of Nigeria Footballers is another case that is giving football stakeholders cause for concern.

What then is the way out? Well, Adedoja, who is also the chairman of National Sports Commission, has an idea. Until recently, the role played by the minister for sport, has been suspect with many accusing him of taking side in the cases.

Disturbed by these accusations, the ministers seem to have woken up and now want to bring peace to the troubled glass house. The only problem is his idea of ‘peace’ will emasculate the NFA, even more than the present court cases. It will bring doom instead of hope.

Speaking in Abuja during the week, the minister was reported to have said that it is right for any Nigerian to go to court to seek redress on any issue, be it football-related matter or otherwise.

With the pronouncement, the minister seems to have opened the way for more court cases and one wonders where this will lead us.

If the goings-on within the football circle are anything to go by, this leeway is an invitation to chaos. In a country where serving is seen as an opportunity to steal money, it is likely that, like in politics, football matters can now be dragged as far as the Supreme Court as against FIFA Court of Arbitrations for Sports.

What many had expected the minister to do was to engage all the parties in dispute, preaching tolerance in a moderated parley. While this would have doused tension, asking people to play strictly by the rule would have been a permanent solution.

Until this is done, Nigeria should wait for another FIFA hammer on our already beleaguered football.

AllAfrica – All the Time