The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Football Federation

  • Lulu, former NFF President, promises to transform Kogi State

    A former president of the Nigerian Football Federation, (NFF) Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, has promised to turn around the fortunes of Kogi State if voted into office as the next governor.

    Speaking after he purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination form to contest for the party’s governorship, Lulu, who was in charge of the NFF between 2006 and 2010, said it was incumbent on him to work tirelessly to bring smiles to the faces of Kogites whom he said have become despondent in the last three and a half years as a result of hunger, deprivations, and economic disempowerment.

    “It is a known fact that I inherited a debt of N300 million when I assumed office at the Glass House as the president of NFF  in August 2006 but left a robust N2.8 billion at the end of my tenure in 2010,” explained Lulu.

    “A state like Kogi in dire straits today needs an experienced, focused and one that has zero tolerance for corruption like me, at this point in time.”

    Meanwhile, a close confidant of Lulu, Alhaji Abdullahi Ndanusa, has enjoined Kogites to work collectively to ensure that his friend of over 40 years wins his party’s ticket and the overall state election, describing him as one of the most focused, down-to-earth and egalitarian administrators he has ever related with.

    He lamented the current situation in Kogi, saying it has degenerated to the level that the people of the state can no longer fold their arms and allow the situation to deteriorate further.

    Read Also: Kogi deputy governor as ghost worker

    Speaking in a similar vein, Otunba Adekunle Olawoyen described the aspirant as a household name in the country and one that has made his mark in sports and other spheres.

    Olawoyen said Lulu is the man that will rescue the state from its grinding poverty and general backwardness even as he charged the APC card-carrying members in the state to effect the real change by voting Sani Lulu as the party’s flag bearer in the coming primaries.

    Women Leader of Lulu’s Campaign Organisation, and a front line of Buhari/Osinbajo Support Group, Ambassador Fatima Adams, equally described Lulu as the best person to take over the reins of leadership of the state, describing him as a tested and trusted administrator.

    “He is a calm and accessible person. He has a listening ear, he has tasted power before but he does not allow that to intoxicate him; Kogi State will turn a new leaf with Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi in charge,” she noted.

  • ‘NFF hasn’t paid for Eagles’ Russia 2018 W/Cup outfit’

    Gt Stitches, the designer of the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s ceremonial attire to the Russia 2018 World Cup, on Thursday accused the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of failing to pay for the outfit, nearly eight months after the Mundial ended.

    The clothing brand’s CEO, Esimaje Awani, made the allegation in a post on GT Stitches’ Instagram page.
    He said: “NFF refused to pay for ceremonial outfit almost one year after World Cup! This can only happen in Nigeria!!”

    Awani, who did not say how much the deal was worth, accused NFF President Amaju Pinnick of avoiding him over the debt.

    He said: “My brother Amaju has stopped picking my calls cos (sic) of this money. Someone at the office told me court is my only option!! What a shame!!”

    Responding to a critic who criticised him for “coming out now to spill this”, Awani challenged the NFF to deny his claims.

    He said: “Please, let NFF come out and say their part! I have not been paid period. Some persons might not be patient as I was on the subject matter.”

    The Nigerian-Canadian designed the outfit last year and it received critical global acclaim.

    The Super Eagles sent social media agog when they arrived in Russia decked out in the green and white local traditional attire complete with a green soccer ball printed on the collar, white loafers and boater hats.

    Nigerian luxury designer David Bowler designed the team’s other official suits for the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    These, alongside the jerseys designed by Nike which sold out in days in the United Kingdom, won Nigeria the best dressed team award at the Mundial.

    There has been no official comment on the matter from the NFF.

  • As FIFA axe dangles…

    Imagine a behemoth – huge and nigh motionless unless stunned with high voltage electric. Then it would stir, half alive, heave so painfully slowly into some uncertain, belated action.

    Such is the image the presidency cuts in the brouhaha that has plagued the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, in the last few years. Since after a contentious and fractious election into the federation four years ago, Nigeria’s football house has been embroiled in a ruinous tussle for the soul of the Glass House, the seat of the NFF.

    Two gladiators: Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa had emerged, both laying claims to the chairmanship of the NFF board. Regardless of the details of the election, it is on record that the world football governing body, FIFA, eventually recognised the Pinnick-led board and has had extensive dealings with it in the last four years.

    The other contestant, Giwa, had challenged Pinnick’s election through the entire gamut of FIFA arbitration procedure, including appeal to the highest level, the Court of Arbitration in Sports, CAS to no avail. Having exhausted FIFA’s proceedings, he headed to the local courts in clear repudiation of FIFA’s statutes.

    On April 27, 2016 Nigeria’s Supreme Court had ruled that the relevant matter in contention be “remitted to the trial High Court for expeditious hearing and determination on the merit.”

    FIFA responded by reminding Giwa that recourse to ordinary court of law is prohibited according to Article 59 paragraphs 2 and 3 of the FIFA statute. On account of this, on January 10, 2017, FIFA Disciplinary Committee upheld the ban imposed on Giwa and his cohorts by the NFF Disciplinary Committee.

    Giwa and his group were barred from taking part in any kind of football-related activity for five years.

    In fairness to Giwa, he seemed to have taken FIFA’s ruling in his strides and returned to his base in Jos, Plateau State. He was running his Division One Football Club, Giwa FC until the emergence of Solomon Dalong as Minister of Youth and Sports in this administration.

    Giwa’s fire of rebellion seemed to have been kindled afresh as he has returned to the Supreme Court once again and managed to obtain some favourable rulings which he has deployed to disrupting the football house at will.

    Last month, while Pinnick was still in Russia playing critical roles in the last FIFA World Cup, Dalong seemingly teamed up with Giwa, and corralling some security agencies, they forcibly occupied the Glass House, pretending to take control of football administration in Nigeria.

    But it was a charade; a farcical drama that heaps shame and odium on the entire country. It has been a cat and mouse story that has seen Giwa and Pinnick’s factions hijack the football headquarters in turns like infants playing hide-and-seek.

    FIFA has apparently watched the Nigerian theatre of the absurd in horror and bemusement. Since no arbitration or mediation seems to help the situation, the world football body eventually moved mid-week to stem the seeming un-ending malady. It issued ultimatum last Tuesday to ban Nigeria from global football for undue influence in the affairs of its football governing body.

    Obviously miffed, FIFA handed only a four-working-day grace lasting till Monday, August 20, 2018.

    Surprisingly, the Presidency which had for nearly four years watched the show of shame disinterestedly suddenly awakens, inviting the factions to a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

    A possible outcome of this meeting would be that Nigeria might be able to stave off the looming ban. But it casts the country in bad light that for four years, Nigeria’s football has been embroiled in a shameful and damaging tussle. There is a similar disgraceful tussle in the basketball federation which has lingered for about two years. These have taken untold toll on our sports, not to mention the taint on the nation’s image.

    It is a puzzle that it would take the presidency so long to wade into the crisis and set the factions on the path of honour. We want to put it all down to leadership failure. This matter could have been managed many moons ago. ‘Proactive’ is the missing word.

  • Osinbajo, Sports Minister meet in Aso Rock

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday met behind closed doors with the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.

    The meeting started at 4.20 p.m shortly after Dalung arrived the acting president’s office in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The world football ruling body, FIFA, is threatening to sanction Nigeria over government interference.

    Read Also: Osinbajo orders SARS’ overhaul

    Four officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) were said to have met with the acting President in his office before commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later

  • “Road to Russia”, Geo travels partners NFF

    “Road to Russia”, Geo travels partners NFF

    Geo travels and Tours has announced its partnership with the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF for the FIFA 2018 world cup finals in Russia.

    The country Director, Geo Travels and Tours, Mr Alex Ekeoma announced this at a media conference tagged “Road to Russia” in Lagos on Monday where the partnership with NFF was unveiled.

    The event aimed at sensitising the public on the opportunities of travelling to Russia to support the Super Eagles in the three group matches and beyond.

    Unveiling the partnership package, the NFF Vice chairman, Alhaji Shehu Dikko who represented the chairman, Amaju Pinnick sought the support of Nigerians in realising the objectives of the Russia 2018 Super Eagles campaign which is, seeing the Super Eagles go beyond the group stages of the mondial.

    Ekeoma said, Geo Travels and Tours in its commitment to redefining travel will present packages that all football-loving Nigerians and supporters could choose from to make it to the world cup with packages, starting from as low as N500,00.

    He further added “Nigerians will also have the option of choosing from a number of our customized packages that gives them the flexibility of choosing from the first, second and third, or all the three games.”

    Still on the package, the Head of Business, Geo Travels and Tours, Damilola Osikoya, said the synergy with NFF is the company’s own way of making travelling to the World Cup as easy as a phone call.

    “Geo Travels and Tours aligning with NFF is our own way of making travelling to the World cup as easy as a mere phone call”.

    Miss Osikoya continued that Geo Travels and Tours will also adopt a flexible payment plan for Nigerians wishing to book now and pay on a later date.

    In another arm of the Travel and Tours package, Geo travels and Tours in partnership with Crenov 8, a leading management and Digital Consulting firm, will also be hosting two major events in 2018. This include the Geo celebrity crush Faster Dubai Tour in the first quarter of this year.

    According to Mr Daniel Jones, a management staff of the company, the celebrity Tour will come up from the 30th of March-April 4th, 2018. This event is geared towards connecting fans of Nigerian music, and culture in an affordable package with the rest of the World.

    “Later in the year”, he said, “We shall also be hosting meet the farmers conference in November. It is an annual conference focused on agriculture, which aims to connect large scale agro commodity producers to buyers alike.

    Geo Travels and Tours is an Independent subsidiary of the Nepal Group, a leading downstream oil and Gas trading company in Nigeria. Geo travels and Tours is a leading travel company with more than two decades of experience in inbound and outbound travels. Over the last two years, the company had experienced significant growth. It offers services in visa assistance, flight bookings, Hotel bookings and tourism.

    “Our team of dedicated professionals offers the best service available to make travelling experience memorable”, he said.

    Mr Jeffrey Ikepeze, the business Development manager, added that the company believe it’s the job of a travelling agency to not only offer its customers the most enjoyable trips possible, but also give them a travel experience where their personal comfort is enhanced and their needs are met in a manner that is most convenient to them in a speedy and cost-efficient package, hence this media conference.

    Dignitaries at the occasion were: NFF Vice Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, NFF Board Member, Alhaji Musa Nuhu, Alhaji Ahmed “Fresh” Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, chairman , Managing Director, Nepal oil and Gas, Barrister Ngozi Ekeoma, Director, Geo Travels and Tours, Mr Alex Ekeoma, CEO, Payport, Mr Bassey Eyo, CEO, Instance Group, Mr Ubi Frankline, Chairman Nigerian Supporters Club, Mr Femi Okumagba, Head, Sales KLM, Ikeobasi Akpan, Chairman, Plateau State NFA , Mr Yahaya Kwande, Business Development Head, Crenov 8, Mr Ajodo Gbemishola and a host of other dignitaries.

  • Why always the Nigerian Football Federation?

    Why always the Nigerian Football Federation?

    Watching Italian international Mario Baloteli make his debut for Liverpool against Tottenham at the weekend one could see why the young man wanted to return to the English Premier League. His much hyped erratic nature and eccentricity is best suited for the English league where the fans like to hero worship.

    And probably for the first time in his turbulent career, Super Mario cut the picture of a happy man enjoying his game and Liverpool fans appreciated him, in sharp contrast to his troubled time in England the first time he came to the EPL to join Manchester City, a couple of seasons or so ago.

    His period at City, though better forgotten, will always be remembered by the message “why always me” that he inscribed on his inner wear when he pulled up his jersey after scoring a spectacular goal. Of course he knew why he asked that question and the fans knew why too.

    When I read yet another twist in the craziness going on in the house of Nigerian football called the Nigerian Football Federation, one was left with no other choice than to ask; why always the NFF. Between the time this piece was written and the time you are reading this, it is not unlikely that the situation at the Glass House as the NFF headquarters is called might have taken another turn for the worse.

    I wouldn’t want to bore you with the stories of the removal, reinstatement, removal and yet another reinstatement of Aminu Maigari, the embattled president of the Nigerian Football Federation. Maigari, undisputedly a cat with nine lives has been removed several times in recent weeks by his opponents, who in spite of strident denials, are definitely working out the scripts of their masters in government. But on each occasion, the world football governing body FIFA ordered his reinstatement citing illegally in the process.

    I have no sympathy for Maigari and the entire football house; they deserve what is happening to them. My worry and annoyance is the way they are turning themselves and indeed Nigeria into a nuisance before the global family of football. By now FIFA would have been tired of Nigeria and probably considering bringing down the hammer on the glass house. That would be nice; don’t you think so? Bring down the hammer and smash the glass house. But wait a minute; would that solve the problem?

    I don’t think so. And since beheading is not the solution to headache, may be FIFA needs to take another look at the laws governing the administration of football worldwide with particular focus on developing countries where the government is the one paying the piper and think it deserves to be allowed to dictate the tune.

    Just as it is with the larger society, especially our government, bad leadership is the bane of Nigerian football. We have selfish leaders all over the place who think only of themselves and self interest. And the selfishness is not restricted to the rank of NFF officials alone. Look at the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi. He wants as much as N11 to N12million per month to coach the senior national soccer team. That to me is grotesque.

    While the jury is still out on whether Keshi has done enough for Nigerian football to deserve that humungous salary, I believe he has done his best and you cannot ask a person for more than his best. But the question is, is his best good enough for Nigeria? Or put succinctly, is Keshi’s best worth N12 million monthly? I doubt it and I say NO to it.

    To deserve the N12 million or so that he is asking for, Keshi would have to deliver a semi final ticket for the Super Eagles at the world cup on a consistent basis and the African Nation’s cup every three years. Did I hear you say haaa? A coach who wants to be taken seriously and earn top salary must deliver consistently at the highest level. Does Keshi have capacity to do this? I have a serious doubt.

    We wobbled and fumbled to the last AFCON Finals in South Africa where we won the cup. We all saw the deficiencies in that team but God gifted us the cup and those deficiencies were really exposed at the World cup in Brazil. Do I need to say more? And Keshi wants us to reward him with a N12million salary?  What kind of leaders are these for goodness sake? If the coach of Argentina could resign for failing to win the world cup even though he took his team to final match, why must we reward the failure that Keshi was at the highest stage in world football with a mouthwatering salary offer, when his more successful colleagues elsewhere are throwing in the towel for not meeting reasonable targets?

    And those who wants us to break the bank to pay Keshi are quick to threaten us that more mouth watering offers are waiting for him elsewhere are he will dump us if we fail to act on time. And I say let him go if he wants to go. They told us South Africa was chasing his signature, what happened? Shakes Mashaba got the Bafana Bafana job. They even mentioned Angola. If he is so sure of himself let him go there and shame his detractors in Nigeria by winning trophies including the world cup for that employer that is offering him that multimillion dollar contract.

    I hear that he is back again to tinker the Super Eagles. The truth is that we don’t need him again as he cannot take our football further than where he has taken it. My fear is that we may regress from where we are now that he is back. I suggest he be put in temporary charge while we look for a more technically knowledgeable coach that would play with the flair and swagger that Nigeria is known for and win trophies in style. We don’t need Keshi anymore the same way we don’t need Maigari and co, but in removing them, we should take the normal steps and avoid ridiculing ourselves before the world.

    I am sure no other FIFA member federation has received more warning letters from the world governing body than the NFF. If there is a desk officer at FIFA for each federation, the person handling Nigeria would want to go on leave any moment from now to avoid further headache as a result of the infighting in the house of Nigerian football. The question to ask I repeat once again is why always Nigeria? Why always the NFF? Can’t we put our house in order?