By Abdulgafar Oladimeji
The monster roaring to consume the Nigerian sports sector is the outcry and tussles surrounding the upcoming appointment of the next General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, NNF, Nigeria’s federal minister of sports development, senator John Enoh has stated.
The minister in his remarks , while addressing NFF Annual General Assembly, AGA held last Friday in Asaba, Delta state capital , Enoh admitted that in the aftermath of the loud decry against Team Nigeria’s performance at the 2024 Olympics, NFF is now swimming against the tempest that may make or mar sports life in Africa’s most populated nation.
He noted that the federal government is weary that football statues prohibits government interference in football, he however pointed out that, there are expectations of government, which are legitimate and eligible to be accommodated in the running of the affairs of the game of football.
He further cautioned the august gathering over the issues bordering on the appointment of the General Secretary of the federation, he said the matter is gearing to stir bitter emotions amongst Nigerians, warning that, if not properly handle it would send the federation to the chasm.
Enoh who spoke with an voice loaded with words of caution had also warned that the game of football is the centre of gravity for national unity in Nigeria , he said NFF must proceed to handle the issue of the next appointment of an GS with the prism of national interest at heart.
He said “ we can not grow football without listening to what Nigerians are saying, Nigerians have deep emotions for football, therefore every step should be for the happiness of Nigerians.
“we can not continue to operate in an atmosphere, full of confusion, we need peace in this sector, you should be guided not to trigger negative emotions or contribute to the unhappiness of Nigerians, you have to listen to whatever Nigerians are saying.” Senator Enoh stated.
Also speaking at the august occasion, former NFF president and incumbent member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Pinnick had opine that the incumbent GS, Dr Sanusi Mohammed deserved to be reappointed as NFF scribe.
The former Nigerian football generalismo is widely quoted in sections of the Nigerian sports press to have told the gathering that the incumbent GS should be retained to continue in office, after spending over one decade as Nigeria’s top football scribe.
He argued that the incumbent GS has performed tremendously well, since his ascension to office till date.
Nigeria’s ex-international and frontline football advocate, Segun Odegbami in a lengthy podcast has warned that the issue should be accorded the thought on the need for an equilibrium of balance .
He added that , it is imperative to strictly adhere to an arrangement that is embroidery in the spirit of fairness to avoid setting the precedence that would hunt down the smooth transition chain in the cycle of football administration, which may result to catastrophic ripple effects on the administration of football in Nigeria.
Odegbami as he is fondly called then advised NFF executives to strictly adhere to the principles of careful balancing, which has been used to invoke the spirit of governance stability in Nigeria football . He appealed that common sense should prevail on all those deploying their resources with the mission to impose unpopular decisions against popular stance , warning that their planned retrogressive actions will hatch bad precedence in the country’s football ecosystem.“`
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