Former players fighting for enemies of Nigerian football
It is no longer news that on Wednesday, November 3, the newly established All Nigeria Football Players Union (ANFPU) was inaugurated with fanfare in Abuja. What is news, however, is that the inauguration was done by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The heavy involvement of the NFF in what is supposed to be an exclusive […]
It is no longer news that on Wednesday, November 3, the newly established All Nigeria Football Players Union (ANFPU) was inaugurated with fanfare in Abuja. What is news, however, is that the inauguration was done by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The heavy involvement of the NFF in what is supposed to be an exclusive business of former football players has become a source of concern for discerning minds.
At the inauguration of ANFPU in Abuja, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick was represented by his friend and second vice-president, Malam Shehu Dikko, who spoke extensively as he warned players unions against dabbling into football politics. Curiously, the very organization he was inaugurating is a product of football politics. We shall get to that shortly.
His admonition no doubt was informed by recent happenings in the other players union under the leadership of former international, Tijani Babangida. The former Ajax of Amsterdam dashing winger is the president of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN).
Not long ago, the National Association of Nigeria Footballers (NANF) and the National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF) decided to become one. The amalgamation of the two bodies gave birth to PFAN.
Before the harmonization of the two associations, NANF was led by Harrison Jalla, the man most people know is the pain in Pinnick’s neck. He has been at the forefront of the relentless struggle to jail the NFF president on allegations of corruption. Funny enough, he is the one who has tasted prison on account of his anti-corruption battles.
Although he is a member of PFAN which is led by Tijani Babangida who enjoys a cordial relationship with Amaju Pinnick and other bigwigs in the NFF, Jalla has remained the most vocal critic of Pinnick and his lieutenants. Another ex-international who complemented Jalla was Edema Fuludu but recent events have shown that he is now treading more cautiously.
The confrontation with the NFF leadership took a new dimension on June 26 when PFAN Project 2022 Task Force Committee was inaugurated in Warri with Prince Jalla as its chairman. This committee has said it is fighting to rescue Nigerian football from the iron grip of self-serving and opportunistic stakeholders like those currently in charge of Nigerian football.
Therefore, the Task Force is vehemently opposed to the Congress’ approval of the proposal by the Executive Committee to amend the 2010 Statutes of the football federation. The group is suspicious of the move by the NFF leadership because almost everyone is in the dark about the sections of the Statutes that are to be amended.
Following the outcome of the controversially convened extraordinary congress in Benin which gave approval for the amendment, Jalla and his supporters immediately wrote petitions to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, FIFA and CAF but the NFF leadership has since inaugurated a nine-man committee headed by Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi to carry out the contentious amendment.
While many are left guessing what is to be added or expunged from the 2010 NFF statues, the general feeling that the proposed amendment is basically to help carve out a third term for Pinnick or extend his current tenure beyond September 2022 has continued unabated.
As if they have correctly read the handwriting on the wall, the ‘rebellious’ group in PFAN are vehemently opposed to the amendment of the 2010 NFF statutes. They are, therefore, seen as a major threat to the third ambition of Pinnick.
So to counter or neutralize them, the NFF in its wisdom decided to come up with another players union. And it was not hard to get the needed warriors. In a twinkle of an eye, PFAN is completely embattled by the grand arrival of ANFPU.
Those against my assertion shouldn’t forget that Pinnick’s strong supporter and Personal Assistant, the combative Chikelu Iloenyosi is not only the chairman of the Board of Trustee of ANFPU but it’s live-wire. In addition, all former footballers loyal to Pinnick have decamped from PFAN to ANFPU.
As it is, the battle line is now drawn. Former internationals are rearing for war. They are baying for one another’s blood. Unfortunately, it is not for the survival of the game they toiled under the rain and sunshine to serve. They are grouping to fight for the enemies of Nigerian football.
Instead of pooling their resources to wrest football administration from those who are using it to feather their nests, they ready to become accomplices in the unpatriotic act of retarding Nigerian football.
They have the right to dump PFAN but the speed with which they have relocated is suspicious. And the warm embrace by the NFF only goes to show that the new ANFPU is like a militant wing of the football governing body
Whenever I listen to former internationals trading words with one another over some questionable football administrators, it makes me sick. But this is what has become of the players union.
If the former players, especially the ex-internationals do not unite against their common enemy, they will sooner than later become a serious laughing stock. Already some Nigerians are asking what sort of former players are these?