Mba caught in the web of greed

Before the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Mba was just an ordinary player in the Nigeria Premier League. He had played for Rangers, Enyimba and Dophins before moving to Warri Wolves from where he was invited to the Super Eagles camp by Coach Stephen Keshi.Even among the Home Based Super Eagles, he was not highly […]

Before the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Mba was just an ordinary player in the Nigeria Premier League. He had played for Rangers, Enyimba and Dophins before moving to Warri Wolves from where he was invited to the Super Eagles camp by Coach Stephen Keshi.
Even among the Home Based Super Eagles, he was not highly rated until the international friendly match against the Lone Stars of Liberia where he scored a brace in the first half to give the Eagles a 2-0 win in the Liberia Independence Anniversary celebration match.
It can be said that Mba’s rise to fame began in Liberia because after that scintillating performance, the coach and Nigerian football fans took note of his marking, attacking and shooting abilities. There and then, he began an integral member of the team and when he eventually made the final list for South Africa, it was not a surprise to anyone.
At the championship proper, he was not in the starting eleven as he did not play in the opening match against Burkina Faso. However, in the second group match against Zambia, Mba came on as a substitute for one of the foreign based Eagles, Nosa Igiebor and that was the turning point for the former national U-17 player.
His contribution in the match forced the coach to drop Igiebor for Mba to start against Ethiopia in the final group match. From then on, the midfielder whose vision for goals has seen him played as a striker behind the main striker did not look back again. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and marched on.
Mba would become the hero for Nigeria when he scored a spectacular goal against highly rated and star studded Elephants of Ivory Coast to hand the Eagles a semi-final clash against the Eagles of Mali. The all action forward was not done as he went on to score the only goal against Stallions of Burkina Faso to hand the Eagles their third African title. Mba became an instant hero.
By his sterling performance, he was clearly the best player among the Home Based Eagles. Right there in South Africa, his rating soared just as he became the toast of everyone. Like a hot bride, agents swooped on him with mouth watering deals. But it was not yet time to discuss business as each member of the victorious Eagles was occupied with celebrations lined up for them.
When the victory parties ended, it was time for business. Unfortunately, that was when Mba’s ordeal in the hands of Warri Wolves and Rangers International of Enugu started. It will be recalled that few weeks to the 2013 AFCON, the media was awash with reports of Mba’s move from Warri Wolves to Rangers. Still no club raised any eye brow.
However, it was after Mba’s heroics in South Africa that Warri Wolves came out to say the striker is their ‘property’. The management of Wolves went ahead to put a price tag of N12m on the player, if Rangers FC was interested in the player’s signature. But Rangers replied that they cannot pay for what belongs to them as he was only loaned to Warri Wolves. That ignited the ‘fire’ that is now threatening to consume the AFCON 2013 hero.
Although the player came out to say he is a Rangers and his heart is with the Antelopes of Enugu, Warri Wolves insisted that he was going nowhere. Rumours of interest from European clubs like Arsenal in Mba exacerbated the ‘war’ between the two local clubs. Certainly, each calculated the pounds or dollars that would accrue from the player’s transfer and refused to shift ground.
A comic relief in the transfer saga which caught the attention of many who believe Nigeria is still witnessing a glorified amateur football league was the claim by Warri Wolves that it had paid N3m into the private account of the General Manager of Rangers as transfer fee for the player, a claim Mr Ozo Paul Chibuzo promptly denied.
While the tussle over the player lasted, his career began to suffer as the number of the foreign clubs that had indicated interest in him began to wane. Furthermore, in the 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Kenya in Calabar, the Nations Cup hero was a shadow of himself. Obviously he had become match rusty.
Mba did not need a Daniel to help interpret the writing on the wall as he instantly cried out that his blossoming career was in danger. He personally pleaded with the NFF and other well meaning Nigerians to intervene in the transfer logjam so that he would move on with his career.
Thus, when the two clubs could not settle their row, they were invited by the Nigeria Football Federation for a meeting. The first meeting did not yet any positive result as the federation merely gave them a period of one week to end the transfer saga.
After the two clubs failed to resolve their disagreement, the NFF finally ruled in favour of Warri Wolves but the decision did not go down well with Rangers who still believe Mba is their bona fide player.
However, considering the contribution they believe Mba would make to their Champions League campaign, Rangers FC decided to negotiate with Warri Wolves to have their former player officially transferred back to them.
At the moment, Warri Wolves have not settled financial terms with Rangers but have provisionally released Mba to play for Rangers in the CAF Champions League. An official of the club was quoted on Thursday as saying the management listened to pleas from well-meaning Nigerians especially the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and wish to state for the avoidance of doubt that Mba remains a player of Warri Wolves and all financial and federating rights remain with Warri Wolves.
The club said apart from national interest, it wants to save Mba’s career but the fact remains that Warri Wolves eyes are glued on the foreign currency that would pour in whenever the player gets a foreign deal.
Although left off the hook by half, Mba’s ordeal continued on Thursday when he could not jet out with Rangers to Angola for the CAF Champions League match against Libolo. The player could not retrieve his passport from the USA embassy where visas are being processed for Eagles friendly against Mexico on May 31 in Huston, Texas.
From the foregoing, it is clear that Mba is like a goldmine and each of the clubs wants to make a fortune out of him. Therefore, the agreement reached between Rangers and Warri Wolves is at best a temporary reprieve for Mba as the transfer haggle is certainly far from over.