Imagine a behemoth – huge and nigh motionless unless stunned with high voltage electric. Then it would stir, half alive, heave so painfully slowly into some uncertain, belated action.
Such is the image the presidency cuts in the brouhaha that has plagued the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, in the last few years. Since after a contentious and fractious election into the federation four years ago, Nigeria’s football house has been embroiled in a ruinous tussle for the soul of the Glass House, the seat of the NFF.
Two gladiators: Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa had emerged, both laying claims to the chairmanship of the NFF board. Regardless of the details of the election, it is on record that the world football governing body, FIFA, eventually recognised the Pinnick-led board and has had extensive dealings with it in the last four years.
The other contestant, Giwa, had challenged Pinnick’s election through the entire gamut of FIFA arbitration procedure, including appeal to the highest level, the Court of Arbitration in Sports, CAS to no avail. Having exhausted FIFA’s proceedings, he headed to the local courts in clear repudiation of FIFA’s statutes.
On April 27, 2016 Nigeria’s Supreme Court had ruled that the relevant matter in contention be “remitted to the trial High Court for expeditious hearing and determination on the merit.”
FIFA responded by reminding Giwa that recourse to ordinary court of law is prohibited according to Article 59 paragraphs 2 and 3 of the FIFA statute. On account of this, on January 10, 2017, FIFA Disciplinary Committee upheld the ban imposed on Giwa and his cohorts by the NFF Disciplinary Committee.
Giwa and his group were barred from taking part in any kind of football-related activity for five years.
In fairness to Giwa, he seemed to have taken FIFA’s ruling in his strides and returned to his base in Jos, Plateau State. He was running his Division One Football Club, Giwa FC until the emergence of Solomon Dalong as Minister of Youth and Sports in this administration.
Giwa’s fire of rebellion seemed to have been kindled afresh as he has returned to the Supreme Court once again and managed to obtain some favourable rulings which he has deployed to disrupting the football house at will.
Last month, while Pinnick was still in Russia playing critical roles in the last FIFA World Cup, Dalong seemingly teamed up with Giwa, and corralling some security agencies, they forcibly occupied the Glass House, pretending to take control of football administration in Nigeria.
But it was a charade; a farcical drama that heaps shame and odium on the entire country. It has been a cat and mouse story that has seen Giwa and Pinnick’s factions hijack the football headquarters in turns like infants playing hide-and-seek.
FIFA has apparently watched the Nigerian theatre of the absurd in horror and bemusement. Since no arbitration or mediation seems to help the situation, the world football body eventually moved mid-week to stem the seeming un-ending malady. It issued ultimatum last Tuesday to ban Nigeria from global football for undue influence in the affairs of its football governing body.
Obviously miffed, FIFA handed only a four-working-day grace lasting till Monday, August 20, 2018.
Surprisingly, the Presidency which had for nearly four years watched the show of shame disinterestedly suddenly awakens, inviting the factions to a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
A possible outcome of this meeting would be that Nigeria might be able to stave off the looming ban. But it casts the country in bad light that for four years, Nigeria’s football has been embroiled in a shameful and damaging tussle. There is a similar disgraceful tussle in the basketball federation which has lingered for about two years. These have taken untold toll on our sports, not to mention the taint on the nation’s image.
It is a puzzle that it would take the presidency so long to wade into the crisis and set the factions on the path of honour. We want to put it all down to leadership failure. This matter could have been managed many moons ago. ‘Proactive’ is the missing word.
