FIFA needs to understand Nigeria

One of the standing rules of FIFA is that governments are not allowed to interfere in its management of football. Although Nigeria subscribes to membership of FIFA, it has not been able to obey the non-interference rule of the organization.  Soon after the last world cup in Brazil, Aminu Maigari, the President of the Nigerian […]

One of the standing rules of FIFA is that governments are not allowed to interfere in its management of football. Although Nigeria subscribes to membership of FIFA, it has not been able to obey the non-interference rule of the organization.  Soon after the last world cup in Brazil, Aminu Maigari, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) which governs football in the nation was allegedly detained by security operatives under the influence of his rivals. FIFA bluntly refused the move.  Thereafter, a court order was obtained by a rival faction ordering an immediate election in July but the world football’s governing body rejected this too and went ahead to suspend Nigeria until the status quo was restored 7 days later.
Only 2 weeks ago, a disputed election by NFF brought in one Chris Giwa as President thereby removing Maigari. On the day of the election, Maigari had again been arrested.  FIFA saw this as an abuse of its rules and imagined that the goings-on at the NFF glass house secretariat were being teleguided by government. She therefore rejected the election, refused to recognise Giwa and threatened to suspend Nigeria if it did not rectify the abuse of FIFA’s rule. Nigeria has surrendered again. But with the frequency of threats of banning Nigeria from all football matches organized by FIFA, some Nigerians must by now be wondering what gives FIFA such immense power to now and again cow an independent nation. On its part, FIFA itself must be wondering why Nigeria, despite repeated warnings, continues to flout the same rule. Is our great nation hard of hearing? While not blaming FIFA for intimidating us, it is becoming clear that the whole world, FIFA inclusive, needs some orientation about the exact nature and disposition of Nigerians, their country and government.
FIFA has to understand for instance that our leaders hardly believe that her threats are for real judging by the kind of information made available to them by their aides who relish conspiracy theories a lot. Indeed, there is already a story that the threat letters from FIFA are always couched in the Nigerian way of blackmailing people. When the organization gave Giwa who was claiming to be the new NFF leader a few hours to quit the glass house, it was as if FIFA borrowed the words of impunity of those who play God in our clime. In addition, with all eyes now steering at only the direction of 2015, some people may have since convinced government that the nation’s leading opposition political party is behind the threats from FIFA. Why will government not doubt the authenticity of the threats?
There are in actual fact government officials who contend that the rule against government interference in football should not apply to Nigeria. One of them had argued at a recent forum that it was contradictory of FIFA to disallow a government which sponsors football from getting involved in the management of its own business.  
But then, knowing fully well that governments are not allowed to run football why can’t Nigeria allow it to exist as a private sector initiative as is done elsewhere?  This poser justifies why FIFA needs to understand Nigeria. We are not like others. Nigeria’s mixed economy is based on government being the major player in every business notwithstanding that its businesses are generally not well run. People in the corridors of power in Nigeria would never support that our govt should hands-off soccer because it has turned out to be an effective tool for national unity in the nation. Whenever Nigeria is to play a football match, the entire country stands behind our eagles and even if for that period only, forgets any feeling of poor governance in the clime. People who think that government is only about remaining in power will no doubt find it hard to leave such a crucial issue in private hands? Suppose the private handlers are in the opposition, will they not use it to organize an impeachment process?
Well, if soccer is that crucial, FIFA must be wondering at this point why Nigeria cannot assist the NFF to organize simple elections. Again, this poser exposes how little FIFA understands Nigeria. There is ample money in soccer meaning that like our type of politics, getting to control it, must take the form of life and death in which the end justifies the means while the winner takes all. For us, election is not a simple matter and we do not conduct it the way other nations do. FIFA ought to have heard how the process of electing a new chairman for our 36 Governors dismembered the hitherto vibrant Governors’ Forum. Till date, the faction that is recognised had 16 as against 19 votes by the other.  Someone should let FIFA know that in Nigeria we do not believe in technology assisted voting which disallows multiple voting and other vices like under-aged voting. Our strength lies in the use of security operatives who are masked these days. FIFA should please believe it that our security operatives are most agile at election venues than elsewhere -it is our own panacea for election malpractices; hence one of the candidates at the last NFF election had to be detained to ensure free and fair rigging.  
 Another crucial issue that FIFA may not have understood is the overwhelming popularity of those who contested the NFF election. As is always the practice in Nigeria, each of them had to be pressurized by large groups of admirers to take part in the election. The few incredible things FIFA regards as unacceptable in the NFF election are in line with our electoral process in Nigeria. For instance, our national electoral body has just concluded a research on the delimitation of electoral constituencies and found that there are more people settling in the war-torn areas of the North East! FIFA should thus try hard to understand Nigeria.