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Four years ago, Ibrahim Galadima became one of
the least popular people in the country for his comments after Nigeria failed
to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Nigerians who were only then coming to terms with
the fact that the Super Eagles were not going to the Mundial in Germany got
furious that the head of the football house was quoted as saying that
qualification for the biggest football event in the world was not Nigeria’s
“birthright.”

Such was
the public uproar that not a lot of eyelids were batted when the then sports
minister Ismaila Sambawa decided to nullify the outcome of the polls
re-electing Galadima as the NFF boss.

However, just over a week ago, the man under
whose tenure Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time
since making a debut appearance at the tournament in the United States of
America back in 1994 was nominated as the country’s representative ahead of
next February’s elections into the executive committee of Africa’s football
governing body, CAF.

And if Galadima or anybody in the NFF thought
four years was enough to make the majority of Nigerians forget the memories of
that 2006 World Cup failure, they were proved wrong because as soon as news of
his nomination emerged, criticisms came from all directions.

Old sins still fresh

From former footballers like Emeka Ezeugo, Nduka Ugbade, Steve
Abarowei and Jonathan Akpoborie, to football analyst Bode Oguntuyi, as well as
sports writer Dare Esan, the general opinion was that the Kano based
businessman was not good enough to fly the country’s flag at the polls taking
place in Khartoum next year. He will be up against the respective heads of the
football associations of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, Kwesi Nyantakyi and Jacques
Anouma.

The Galadima critics opined that other candidates such as former
Nigerian internationals Segun Odegbami and Adokie Amiesimaka, as well as a
former handler of the Super Eagles and FIFA technical instructor Adeboye
Onigbinde would have been better placed to vie for a spot in the executive arm
of the continental body.

“There are lots of other Nigerians who can represent us and do a
better job like Odegbami, Adokie and even Onigbinde,” Oguntuyi told NEXT in
Lagos. “These are people I believe that can elevate Nigeria’s status in CAF and
FIFA but I guess they were not even considered in the first place by those that
nominated Galadima.”

“A lot of politicking takes place within CAF and FIFA but these
organisations also know the importance of having technocrats and that’s why we
need the likes of Adokie and Odegbami who can represent Nigeria in CAF and FIFA
the way the late Patrick Okpomo did,” added Esan, editor of Nigerian sports
daily, Complete Sports, recalling the late secretary general of the Nigerian
FA, Okpomo, who died in 2004.

Efforts by NEXTSports to get the acting secretary general of the
NFF, Musa Amadu to comment on how Galadima’s name emerged from the discreet
selection process proved abortive as the NFF scribe refused to comment on the
matter offering instead to speak on the issue at some other time.

Subsequent efforts also failed to yield positive fruits as
NEXTSports was informed by an official in the NFF secretariat that Amadu, along
with a handful of board members had journeyed to Germany for last Thursday’s
international friendly between the Super Falcons and their German counterparts.

Galadima also refused to comment on his nomination when
NEXTSports got in touch with him but he had earlier told the BBC why he decided
at this point to come out of his shell.

And according to him, winning a place on CAF’s executive
committee would give him the chance to help rebuild the organisation’s image
and salvage the continent’s dignity especially in the light of the recent
suspension of four of the continent’s top football administrators by FIFA,
including Nigeria’s Amos Adamu.

Project Galadima

“It’s not a Galadima project but that of Nigeria and Africa,”
Galadima told the BBC.

“There are several aspects of the African game that require
development. Our youth and club football needs to develop and the women’s game
must take a professional path as well.” He then added: “The entire set-up needs
change, which I hope to bring on board. The NFF has put me forward with the
backing of the sports ministry in Nigeria not because I’m the best amongst
several millions.

“They are confident I can represent Nigeria and the continent to
the best of my ability.” The decision of the NFF and the sports ministry didn’t
however go down well with Adamu whose seat Galadima will be vying for at next
February’s CAF Congress.

This is because Adamu recently launched an appeal against his
three-year suspension by FIFA over a cash-for-votes scandal and felt the NFF’s
decision could lead to confusion if his appeal is successful at the end of the
day.

There are however a cross section of individuals, mostly those
who have had a first-hand experience of working with Galadima who believe his
nomination is a step in the right direction.

One of those who see the move in a positive light is former NFF
executive member Taiwo Ogunjobi, who worked as the FA’s scribe under Galadima.

“I think Galadima’s nomination was well thought out and I am
hopeful that he will represent the country very well on the CAF Executive
Committee board,” said Ogunjobi in a chart with Supersport.com.

“He is a man of integrity and having worked very closely with
him some years back, I can say without hesitation that his candidature will
bring good tidings to both the image of the country and indeed the development
of the game both in Nigeria and on the continent of Africa,” he added.

Another is former member of the Federal House of Representatives Lumumba
Adeh. “I want to call on all well meaning Nigerians to give total support to Galadima’s
candidature. The government has a special role to play because it is going to
involve diplomacy and stuffs like that.”