Nigeria Content Online

Last Friday, my day
went sour on reading Ikeddy Isiguzo’s column in the Vanguard about the
plight of Willy Bazuaye, a former international and assistant coach of
the U-23 team that won gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
He needs five million naira to address health challenges occasioned by
the stroke he had in 2003.

The campaign
against corruption has met with little or no success because we have
failed to take care of our citizens in their old age. People now opt to
take care of themselves; as governments have been derelict in
addressing pension/terminal benefit issues and instituting a social
safety net.

After Ikeddy’s
piece, I had to Google similar stories and read the article in PM News
that prompted his column. The earlier piece can only prompt one
response: Weep for Nigeria.

Bazuaye’s experience

According to
Bazuaye, “when I discovered that I could not meet up with the medical
expenses I incurred daily on my treatment, I took the courage to inform
the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Abuja. But I didn’t believe my
ears when the officials in Abuja told me they won’t do anything about
my situation. They said there is nothing they could do to help me
because by the time I suffered stroke, I was only a contract staff with
the NFF. That was how I have been struggling with life since then.

“At a stage, my son
personally went to complain to Taiwo Ogunjobi, who was then the
Secretary General of the NFF. But the NFF official said his hands were
tied because I was on contract with them.

“I also went to
Patrick Ekeji (Director General of the National Sports Commission) who
was one of my players when I was assistant coach to Father Tiko in the
Green Eagles.

Oh! I was stunned
that Ekeji snubbed me. He said I was too old to be in the NFF in 2003.
So, I came back home to face my predicament alone.” Pray, what has age
got to do with compassion? Is it when he had stroke that the
authorities knew that he was too old? Prior to the ailment, was he not
competent and effective?

Contempt for contemporaries

The issue of
contempt for our contemporaries informs the snobbery meted to Bazuaye.
When they want to avoid responsibility, the coaches are on contract.
When they want to cheat the coaches, then they are public servants.

To hear the NFF
hands-off Bazuaye’s case on the excuse of being on contract, one would
think NFF was looting banks in order to pay him then. They should tell
us how much they were paying him that immunizes them to aid a former
employee. How much were they paying Bonfere Jo who was brought in to
take charge of the U-23 team after Bazuaye had qualified the team for
Atlanta? Even as an ex-international, will it be asking too much of NFF
and NSC to assist Bazuaye?

The 71-year-old
former soccer tactician is disappointed that everyone has abandoned
him. “I’m surprised that my country people, Nigerians, are not thinking
about what has happened to me for the past seven years,” he said.

The campaign for Bazuaye

Nonetheless, our
appeal goes to players that were coached by Bazuaye to come to his aid,
especially those playing outside our shores. Nwankwo Kanu, who was
captain of the 1996 Olympic team, has a humanitarian heart and we
implore him to lead the campaign to come to Bazuaye’s rescue. Ekeji
should not make us despair.

What Bazuaye needs
is less than $35, 000. If the internationals contribute $1, 000 each,
we will arrive at the amount needed to restore his health.

In addition to the
Bazuaye’s appeal to the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, to
come to his assistance, his state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, should
also come to the aid of the distinguished servant of Nigeria and Edo
State.

Let’s try to do our best now that Bazuaye can appreciate our help.
Let us not wait until when the Lord calls him; to start shedding
crocodile tears and talking about how ‘his shoes will be too big to
fill’. May we ask: how can NFF convince the present internationals that
if per chance they fall on hard times in future, they would not be
treated like Bazuaye? So, when we demand commitment from our players,
we should also expect responsibility and compassion from our sport
leaders.