The 2010 FIFA World Cup task force set up by the Federal Government and inaugurated by the President, Umar Musa Yar’adua which has on board prominent but respected names like John Masteroudes, Ex internationals like the one Ernest Okonkwo nicknamed ‘Mathematical’ Segun Odegbami, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha among other have the mandate to motivate and mobilise forces towards ensuring Nigeria picks the sole ticket in its group.
This task force is not only a complete waste of human resource and a strong distraction from the goal at hand. It marks a clear loss of confidence in the ignoble managers of the football in the country led by Alhaji Abdullahi Sani Lulu. The FG was only using the king of diplomatese Jack Warner used at his last press conference to technically express its distrust and loss of faith in the Sani Lulu led NFF.
Beyond that, the task force has in its midst so many strange bed fellows who ordinarily have no business there.
THE FRAUDULENT NFF CHIEFTAINS:
It is a clear indication that the occupiers of the Glass House are fraudulent. They are not honourable men. We read in the books that among thieves there is honour. These men have no honour. How on earth can they take government money and go to the black market to change it to Dollars and put $236,000 in the coffers. That on its on is a criminal offence. Where is the EFCC, ICPC and the Police? Did the police not investigate the matter? I will not be surprised if their report says no money is lost.
Did a company, Goldenwing33 Nigeria Limited, not approach the same NFF to raise N2.5b for the second round campaign of the Super Eagles? The NFF called them to a meeting where they demanded for the Business and Strategic Plan of how the company intends to achieve its goals. The next thing the NFF did was to steal one of the four products of the company to sell the idea to Afribank Plc ho has already paid N250m, the first of four tranches. Now both parties are going on to sell a stolen intellectual property.
Nigerians have lost confidence in the Sani Lulu led mafia ruining Nigerian football from the ungodly building called the Glass House located on Olusegun Obasanjo way. It is a fact that they have already bribed and located their own people to in a Maurice Iwu manner connive Nigeria and Nigerians a fait accompli for another tenure;
Under this mafia, we have had our most woeful results which are more terrible than what we had under the man they coloured a villain, Ibrahim Galadima who is doing wonders with Kano Pillars in the African Champions League. Some of the assets they profess are lack of accountability, tribal sentiments and display of poor understanding of modern administration of the game. Did our high profile Super Eagles not became Super Chickens under the tutelage of Sani Lulu? Did Nigeria not lose her place of pride in African female football circle?
JOHN FASHANU:
It was the unguided conduct of these charlatans that led our government to appoint a John Fashanu who should be on the blacklist to the task force. Fashanu, who never played for Nigeria and had no love for Nigeria when he was a player, got rehabilitated and was voted into the NFA. Therein, he was elected Vice Chairman. He never attended a meeting until he was suspended. What other role does he have in football? These in addition to all the dirty reports from the Oceanic Bank Plc project.
Take the case of the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who is the Chairman of the task force. How much support has his government given to Sharks FC of Port Harcourt and the new premier league returnees, Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt to deserve the chairmanship of the task force. This is not the basis to measure him though but his charity would have been measured from home, methinks.
For Odegbami, I think it is another day. He knows he should not near the NFA and such structures again because of the monitoring of the Super Eagles scandal that was dorned on him which he played into and when he last bidded for the NFA Chairmanship was used against him. Sad.
Olajide Ayodeji Fashikun,
Director, Sports Development & Marketing,
Nigeria Sports Development Fund Inc.,
NICON Luxury, Suite 59, Area 11, Abuja-Nigeria.
P.O. Box 8863, Wuse 2,
Abuja-Nigeria.
Telephone: +234-805-362-2797.
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