By Emma Okereh
As the contest for the General Secretary seat of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) hits up, football stakeholders have admonished the Ibrahim Gussau led president of the NFF to ensure that it places competence and experience above mere sentiments in the choice of the head of the federation’s administrative structure.
The stakeholders who spoke on the heels of lobbying and blackmail from certain quarters reminded the NFF president and executive board members that it is only when they get it right in the appointment of the General Secretary that the smooth running of football will lead to the peaceful federation as it has been now, under the head of the incumbent General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.
Rising from its meeting in Abuja, the stakeholders under the auspices of Grow Football for Peace and Development (GFPD), maintained that Nigerians are watching the Shehu Gussau led NFF board at this critical period, even as they urged the Federation not to succumb to cheap blackmail and tribal sentiments in its choice of GS.
The group, which included renowned and retired Nigerian ex– internationals, football coaches and administrators warned that football is never administered on quota system as being demanded by some members of the family, stressing that the game only grows with honors when only competent and experience administrators are given the mantle of leadership.
Coach Ademinro Osaduwa, who spoke on behalf of the GFPD, emphasized that the current NFF board under the leadership of Ibrahim Gussau has worked in harmony with the current General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi to introduce landmark reforms which has impacted on the smooth running of football in the country.
The group noted that it was under the Mohammed Sanusi led administration of NFF that the federation was unbundled with the creation of several departments from the existing ones, inline with what is obtained in FIFA and CAF, a development he said, has paved the way for easy administration of the game.
He therefore wondered why any lover of football in Nigeria would ask for a change at the secretariat of the NFF, when it has been obvious with proves that the federation currently has the best hands in it administration
“We believe in the best for Nigerian football, and we have seen the transformations that eased football for growth under the current General Secretary. We therefore wonder why any lover of the game in this country would call for his replacement. For the first time we have followed diligently to observe that documents are now made ready as at when due for swift release of fund for our various national teams on international assignments, unlike in the past.
“Under this present NFF president and Secretary General, Nigerian national teams from the junior to senior, both male and female have qualified in all international football championships, including the world cup and the federation has always made frantic efforts to ensure adequate preparations. We have not heard of non payment of training allowances and bonus that used to turn against the country in the past.
“We advice that the NFF must remain firm and not listen to blackmail and tribal sentiments at this age of our football. We are only calling for experience and competence. Football administration is not a turn by turn rotation.
“”We must not forget in a hurry that we have a Mohammed Sanusi who is the leader of all Secretary Generals of CAF member nations, who conducted the last elective positions for CAF.
“In his reforms that have unbundled the NFF in line with what is operated under FIFA and CAF, Sanusi created new department at the NFF, including the Women Football unit, inter club competition department, players union unit, integrity unit, as well as the security unit.
“In terms of experience, the NFF board should note that the current GS is an asset who the federation needs more that he needs it with his tall experience as a former football player, a certified coach, a CAF instructor and renowned CAF match commissioner, a former president of the National Association of Colleges of Education Games (NACEGA), as well as a Physical and Health Education lecturer, a field he has contributed immensely with several published books and journals.
“With his achievements so far, we believe that he is still needed on a high note at the NFF, and the board should not cave in to any agitations from any quarters to erode the already set standards and return Nigerian football administration to the dark days,” the stakeholders warned.
