It’s better we lose by doing the right thing – Ogbadu

Sports in the country are something that give a kind of joy nobody can get elsewhere.  Sports is all embracing, it affects everybody in the society. Those in authority have failed to lay emphasis on the development of sports generally in the country, instead, the much attention has been on football. To be fair to […]

Sports in the country are something that give a kind of joy nobody can get elsewhere.  Sports is all embracing, it affects everybody in the society. Those in authority have failed to lay emphasis on the development of sports generally in the country, instead, the much attention has been on football. To be fair to the Nigeria Football authority, it is only football that gives us the type of joy we want. Before football came up, we have other sports like boxing, athletics, table tennis were among sports that really projected the image of the country to the outside world, but today, the story is no longer the same, we no longer have what it takes to compete in these sports in the continent, talk less of the world. The likes of late Ifeajuna for example, look at what he did in the Commonwealth Games in the 50’s. What of Dick Tiger in boxing, one of the best boxers the world had ever seen, what is the state of table tennis today? We concentrate so much on football, with all sincerity; football is the odd man standing out today. We should all help to revamp other sports. Why is the situation so today, because we have neglected the grassroot. We have forgotten about school sports, many of our schools today don’t have sporting facilities, not to talk of equipment.

Please can you educate more on the MIR test that our U-17 players are been subject to by FIFA?

The full meaning of MIR is MAGNETIC IMAGING RESONANCE. In the past many various means have been adopted to ascertain the age of people. When the age cheat syndrome became endemic in football, FIFA decided to devise other means. Among them is the use of x-ray to determine player’s age. With the use of x-ray on the bones, you would be able to determine people’s age. But this is not the best for footballers because it exposes them to the danger radiation. Because if you want to know the age of people you can use x-ray, even when a child is in the womb, you can use the x-ray to test the bone to determine the age.  So because players would have to undergo a lot of screening, it is advisable for them. This is the same technology that FIFA wants to use, but in a less damaging way and highly more sophisticated way.

Magnetic Imaging Resonance (MIR) is a highly more sophisticated way of studying the bones and the tissues, without the effect of x-rays. It is a medical imaging techniques most commonly used in radiology to visualize the internal structure and functions of the body. It provides greater contract between different tissues of the body. It is very powerful in detecting muscular problems in the body. It does not use ionizing radiation, so that you can see the image without any negative effect. With this the age of the boys can be ascertain, because at a certain age, most of the long bones do have gaps, but at age 22 and above, you can no longer see this gaps again. So when you do an x-ray of someone who is supposed to be 16 years, and you can no longer see the gaps, then, he is no longer 16 years. MIR is new technologies that will enable you see the bones properly to assess the age of the person to how the bone is and the density, without any risk to the person. The medical use of it is not for age determination, it is use to ascertain if there are tumors, someone who has a fracture, you want to see how the fracture is healing among others.  

With this do you think we can get the approximate age of players for these competitions?

Yes we can, if it is done properly.

Recently, NFF President, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi insisted that no player above the age of 17 years would be allowed to participate in the forthcoming championship in Nigeria, we have been drawn in a very difficult group, with one month to the championship, what is your views on this?  

First and foremost, the NFF have not confirmed the number of players that have been dropped. But one thing I have to say is that I commend the NFF President for that. I have been an advocate of the fact that we must not win at every time, but we must lay a foundation. This I have told the NFF President at various times.  The biggest problem the NFF has is that Nigerians would always want them to win everything. That is why our football keeps on going down. To me is better we lose the competition and do the correct thing. You go and bring someone is 27 years to come and play for the under-17, by the time you expect him to play for the senior national team, he is off. How many Nigerians are playing in Europe now, those that are playing, are they excelling? When last did any Nigerian player get nominated for African Footballer of the Year? Or even the best players in their teams. This so because most of our players have passed their age, so if it is true that up to sixteen players would be removed from the team, and it would affect our preparation, that is not the issue. We must start from somewhere, if it means not going for any competition for years, and develop our soccer from the grassroots, we would be better off it tomorrow, instead of us pretending.

We have read some comments about the AGM as relates to the dictatorial approach of the President during the meeting, how do you response to that?

The person that made that comment the one I saw was Paul Bassey in his column in Vanguard Newspaper, naturally if you read his article, you would find out that he was naturally hurt because he was recognized. I think the Media Department of NFF should note that. But at his level, he is veteran journalist, a sports administrator; he should not allow his personal feelings to affect his analysis. We expect people like him to be the think tank that would contribute in moving Nigeria football forward. He was talking about the South-South team not been given fair hearing at the AGM especially as relates to the scandal in Zamfara. Where was Paul Bassey when the two teams from his zone laid the precedent that he is crying about. Was it not in his state that teams beat themselves 13-0 that led to the Calabar Rovers been disbanded by the then Governor of the state. Why did he not talk then since the NFF had no evidence to punish them. Because it favors his own zone. He only complained because he lost out of the Secretary General position. Most people come to complain because of their personal motive. That is the problem with Nigeria Football. The way he berated every body in the board as if they are fools, was very disheartening. He should realize that Sani Lulu may be the President of the Federation, but he is not superior to many people in the Board. Either by age or wealth. There are people of high standard in the board, what would they lose if they tell the president off. So, he was not fair to the Board members. Even the likes of Colonel Mumuni Aminu, Tijani Yusuf and Amos Adamu. That is very unfair, we should learn to accord respect to those in authority, so that such would be extended to us, if we eventually get to a leadership position.