At a forum, the Minister of Sports Dr. Tammy Danagogo addressed some members of the media circle soon after taking office, a colleague of mine asked him about the sports policy of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
. It was a tricky question and we all waited to see how he would manoeuvre his way out. I thought he would tell sweet lies answering that question but he actually handled the question well.
I have had to think about that party and the other ones in Nigeria as regards their sports policies. I just could not remember anything. But what do we really expect from people who don’t really have policies on very more serious things as education and health to begin to think about sports. People simply jump from one political party in Nigeria to another and then back because they have no ideal except the one that addresses only their pockets directly.
The reason I have started on this line is that I hardly hear people talk about what exactly they would do for the various associations they want to head in Nigeria including the football federation. Even when they hand you a list of things they want to accomplish, they cast the papers aside after taking the oath of office and there’s hardly anybody challenging them on what they had promised to do.
For those that wanted Aminu Maigari removed as the NFF president I am not sure they can hold on to what the man said he would do at the start of his first tenure. One has not forgotten the story behind his emergence but I believed he must have shown interest in leading and should certainly have said what he could accomplish before he assumed power. I sincerely believe that we could do better in getting the heads of association to get a second term or be ejected from office even before they run the course of their first tenure if we make manifesto and ideology to count.
This month a Nigerian who just won an election at an international level stated his manifesto/plans for his tenure and asked to be held accountable if he failed to fulfil his campaign promises. In Nigeria you can promise bringing the World Cup to the country within three years in office and hardly anyone would raise any objection. The talking drum for any aspirant is the cash in his bag. Once he is able to throw around some cash and promise followers appointments, then he wins. I have seen officials gain leadership of associations because they boasted that they could bring sponsors from both local and international levels and the only reason they give for low performance is lack of funds. As soon as they assume office they settle into Abuja to harass sports ministry officials for funds and will not undertake any programme unless they are able to get government cash.
I have used Maigari’s name because he is the current legitimate occupier of the office. We don’t need a third party prodding to remove him from the office if we were running a sporting system that had a framework. Nobody is held accountable based on the pre-election promises. We only begin to hear of removal if there suddenly becomes personal disagreement with fellow board members or somebody of higher authority. And this is wicked and selfish because it does not help the people those in the offices are meant to serve.
The NFF election is the next major item on the agenda of the Nigerian sporting family and we can hardly hold on to any promises made by those contesting. Ask those who have been cleared to contest for the office of the president and I can bet that there is nothing on paper. Everything is dependent on the lobbying power for some and the others are counting on bullying using the apparatus of government.
From the street of Lagos, Durban or Timbuktu one can understand what direction Real Madrid would be taking depending on who wins the presidency. The reason is that the contestants announce their goals and follow it to the letter. Sports is a very big business and football is the biggest in Nigeria with so much of public funding and as such we can no longer continue to wait for any person to curry favour of voters by cash or hanging on the instrument of government and the bad men of yesterday to succeed.
The only way our sporting system can become self sustaining like in other major countries is for us to put the right men there. The man who gains office through fraudulent means will only perpetuate fraud while in office. The least every serving sports minister owes the public is to encourage men with integrity and quality knowledge of the office they intend to occupy to vie for offices. Those at the zones must hold their representatives accountable rather thanspeak up only when they have been prodded to do so.
It is indeed very disheartening that every one step achieved in Nigeria football is followed soon after with two quick steps backwards. My fervent prayer is that at the end of the current brawl in football, the person that takes charge will work carefully and with purpose knowing full well that there are enemies from within and without watching for any slip..
. It was a tricky question and we all waited to see how he would manoeuvre his way out. I thought he would tell sweet lies answering that question but he actually handled the question well.
I have had to think about that party and the other ones in Nigeria as regards their sports policies. I just could not remember anything. But what do we really expect from people who don’t really have policies on very more serious things as education and health to begin to think about sports. People simply jump from one political party in Nigeria to another and then back because they have no ideal except the one that addresses only their pockets directly.
The reason I have started on this line is that I hardly hear people talk about what exactly they would do for the various associations they want to head in Nigeria including the football federation. Even when they hand you a list of things they want to accomplish, they cast the papers aside after taking the oath of office and there’s hardly anybody challenging them on what they had promised to do.
For those that wanted Aminu Maigari removed as the NFF president I am not sure they can hold on to what the man said he would do at the start of his first tenure. One has not forgotten the story behind his emergence but I believed he must have shown interest in leading and should certainly have said what he could accomplish before he assumed power. I sincerely believe that we could do better in getting the heads of association to get a second term or be ejected from office even before they run the course of their first tenure if we make manifesto and ideology to count.
This month a Nigerian who just won an election at an international level stated his manifesto/plans for his tenure and asked to be held accountable if he failed to fulfil his campaign promises. In Nigeria you can promise bringing the World Cup to the country within three years in office and hardly anyone would raise any objection. The talking drum for any aspirant is the cash in his bag. Once he is able to throw around some cash and promise followers appointments, then he wins. I have seen officials gain leadership of associations because they boasted that they could bring sponsors from both local and international levels and the only reason they give for low performance is lack of funds. As soon as they assume office they settle into Abuja to harass sports ministry officials for funds and will not undertake any programme unless they are able to get government cash.
I have used Maigari’s name because he is the current legitimate occupier of the office. We don’t need a third party prodding to remove him from the office if we were running a sporting system that had a framework. Nobody is held accountable based on the pre-election promises. We only begin to hear of removal if there suddenly becomes personal disagreement with fellow board members or somebody of higher authority. And this is wicked and selfish because it does not help the people those in the offices are meant to serve.
The NFF election is the next major item on the agenda of the Nigerian sporting family and we can hardly hold on to any promises made by those contesting. Ask those who have been cleared to contest for the office of the president and I can bet that there is nothing on paper. Everything is dependent on the lobbying power for some and the others are counting on bullying using the apparatus of government.
From the street of Lagos, Durban or Timbuktu one can understand what direction Real Madrid would be taking depending on who wins the presidency. The reason is that the contestants announce their goals and follow it to the letter. Sports is a very big business and football is the biggest in Nigeria with so much of public funding and as such we can no longer continue to wait for any person to curry favour of voters by cash or hanging on the instrument of government and the bad men of yesterday to succeed.
The only way our sporting system can become self sustaining like in other major countries is for us to put the right men there. The man who gains office through fraudulent means will only perpetuate fraud while in office. The least every serving sports minister owes the public is to encourage men with integrity and quality knowledge of the office they intend to occupy to vie for offices. Those at the zones must hold their representatives accountable rather thanspeak up only when they have been prodded to do so.
It is indeed very disheartening that every one step achieved in Nigeria football is followed soon after with two quick steps backwards. My fervent prayer is that at the end of the current brawl in football, the person that takes charge will work carefully and with purpose knowing full well that there are enemies from within and without watching for any slip..
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