Nigeria Content Online

FIFA,
according to its code of ethics, is supposed to constantly strive to
protect the image of football, from jeopardy or harm but the ban on
Nigeria seems to be protecting a particular clique from harm and not
football development in the country. This piece is not to review
whether the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) ban
is good or bad or whether it will do the game any good. What it seeks
to achieve really is what the world governing body of football, FIFA,
really wants? Is it that FIFA consciously supports corruption and
corrupt officials or they do not just want any kind of government
interference in their ‘cup of tea’?

There had been
various warnings to the Nigerian government that the hammer would fall
but in an era where next year’s elections are on the front burner,
football can go burn itself – football will not run or ruin the country.

It is also a well
known fact that FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, was irritated, vociferous
and quick to officially react when French politicians debated about the
performance of their national football team in South Africa.

That has been the
kind of imperial authority that the Switzerland-based body seeks to
wield over the game and that has led many to call FIFA a monopoly. What
FIFA does not understand is that it can so irritate countries to mutiny
and that could spell its end. How the English Premier League was formed
should be an adequate example for the football body.

FIFA can consider
itself important now but it is the game, most importantly, the players
that are important. Without them, there will be no game to administer
and the faster Blatter and his mates get that, the better it will be
for them in their handling of football affairs.

Nigeria’s President
Goodluck Jonathan tried to ban all national teams from international
soccer games for two years, following very poor performances by the
Super Eagles in South Africa added to immense corruption allegations
against football officials, but he was dissuaded from that line of
action by pleas from the Nigerian people.

Cleansing the football stable

Now it was
inevitable that the football house had to be cleansed with the FIFA
ban. But the recent pronouncements, out of court settlements and
re-instatements – no one actually knows when the Aegean stable will be
cleaned.

Though FIFA has not
come out to discuss the allegations of corruption levelled against its
officials, they are quick to issue a ban over government interference.
I believe the nation has more to gain by this ban – because there will
be no competitions to go to and therefore no estacodes or monies to be
shared. If the ban can go on for up to two years, most of the so-called
football administrators will find other businesses to do – like
importing rice! A member of the deposed board of the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF), Felix Anyansi-Agwu condemned FIFA’s action but blamed
it on the work of saboteurs.

“It should now be
clear to Nigerians who are the real enemies of Nigeria. Why should a
group of two or three people stand out and want to scuttle what the
majority have done. The election into the board of NFF was free and
fair and everybody saw it.

“I want to say in
clear terms that this is sabotage against the President of this country
who wants Nigerian football to move forward. These are the same people
who advised him to withdraw Nigeria from international football.”

Former chairman of
the Nigeria Professional League Board, Onyuki Obaseki is more concerned
about the slap on Nigeria’s sovereign status by FIFA.

Obaseki questioned
FIFA’s intrusive nature on Nigeria’s internal affairs, saying that the
country was a sovereign nation with laws that govern it.

“A court order
stopped the NFF from conducting the elections that brought about all
these problems. The NFF defied that order and FIFA is now suspending
the country,” Obaseki said.

Saluting corruption

Internal political
interference in sports can have many consequences but one thing is
sure, financial and political excesses need to be moderated – the
financial part is what makes FIFA culpable in this matter. Sports, nay
football may have major political and economic implications in a
country like Nigeria and yes, FIFA’s intervention at times may be
welcome and needed but wisdom and justice is needed especially in cases
of apparent corruption.

FIFA comes across
as saluting corruption with the inaction of the body towards the
infamous Jack Warner from Trinidad and Tobago and the wanton excesses
of the North Korea government concerning its players and coaches.

Blatter and FIFA
have been very quick to threaten Nigeria and France with bans – and
have actually suspended Greece in the past – but on cases of corruption
and human rights abuses, they have been conveniently silent.

The North Korean
government has subjected football coach Kim Jong Hun, and his players
to public ridicule. The safety of the coach in the totalitarian regime
is at risk and FIFA will not act as the body knows where its bread is
buttered.

President-elect of
the NFF, Aminu Maigari refused to comment on the situation. But
Bertrand Ekenwa, a football agent, said: “Nigerian football has been
put in jeopardy because of a selfish few. It’s only a madman that will
think of challenging FIFA.”

Well, the gauntlet has been thrown down and time will show who was right or wrong.

In the end, it just
seems that some people are taking advantage of FIFA’s protective laws
to perpetrate a lot of corruption and disharmony in Nigerian football.

This will not be the first time that Nigeria will be banned and may
not be the last. Nigeria was banned in 1996, by CAF, for pulling out of
the Nations Cup in South Africa and also suffered a two-year FIFA ban
in 1985 from age-group competitions because of age falsification.