Women football referees deserve support, not attacks

The physical assault or attempted molestation of Olufunmilayo Alaba, who officiated the South West derby between 3SC and Ikorodu City at the Lekan Salami Stadium has once again highlighted one of the risks that female referees in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are exposed to every season. Although considered as the weaker sex, most […]

The physical assault or attempted molestation of Olufunmilayo Alaba, who officiated the South West derby between 3SC and Ikorodu City at the Lekan Salami Stadium has once again highlighted one of the risks that female referees in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are exposed to every season.

Although considered as the weaker sex, most of these female referees have demonstrated competence and courage to justify their inclusion in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) list of match officials. However, they are oftentimes left with bad memories following attacks on them by hooligans who pose as fans of the clubs.

In the case of Funmilayo, her only offence was that the week 32 match, which must have been handled to the best of her abilities, ended in a 0-0 draw. Despite the support from their vociferous fans, the Oluyole Warriors failed to subdue their less illustrious opponents who ran away with a crucial point.

With six matches remaining, the hosts needed victory in the match to boost their chances of a top three finish. So, the frustration on the pitch boiled over into the stands where the teeming supporters of the club couldn’t control their emotions. They, therefore, decided to transfer aggression to the match officials and the centre referee, FIFA Funmilayo was their main target.

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In order to save her life from the hands of the violent supporters when she blew the final whistle, the referee had to disguise herself in a Policewoman’s uniform. So, soon after she served as an arbiter in a football match, Funmilayo became a ‘Policewoman’, not to maintain law and order, but to escape from the misguided fans who were baying for her blood.

I remember how some years ago, one of my male cousins, Victor Tertsea Akpoo, the eldest son of the legendary Sir Cephas Iorhemen Akpoo, had to dress in Police uniform to escape being lynched by angry fans. This happened some decades ago, so I may not recall every detail about the ill-fated match but I remember that at the end of the match between Zamfara United and Enugu Rangers, violence erupted at the Gusau Township Stadium and Akpoo jnr who was the second assistant referee was beaten to a pulp before the police intercepted him from his attackers.

Although he had attempted to sneak through the crowd using a tracksuit offered to him by one of the players, his flag, which he hid behind, gave him away. That was how he was ‘apprehended’ by the hooligans who beat him mercilessly and dislocated his left shoulder before the Police came to his rescue.

He was eventually escorted into the referees’ dressing room where the first assistant referee, Sanni Zubairu, who is now president of the Nigeria Referees (NRA), had taken refuge in a Police uniform. When he entered the dingy room, Akpoo jnr, who was also given a Police Sergeant’s uniform to wear in order to leave the stadium safely, didn’t recognise the other ‘Sergeant’. It was when he looked closely that he discovered it was his colleague. I am told that since that day, they have nick-named themselves ‘Sergeant’.

So, what happened in Ibadan when Funmilayo dressed in Police uniform to leave the stadium is not unprecedented. Apart from using security personnel uniforms to save themselves from ‘general beating’ after matches, Nigerian referees have also devised so many other methods to escape from their attackers. I won’t be surprised if there is a Nigerian football referee who did it the Diepreye Alamieyeseigha way. Remember, he once dressed like a woman to beat the British security operatives on surveillance at his residence in London.

Well, in view of the latest attack on Funmilayo, it is necessary to plead with hostile supporters not to chase away women referees from the NPFL. Referees like Ndidi Patience, Hannah Eliagwu, Yemisi Akintoyo, Funmilayo, all FIFA referees and Mfon Friday Akpan, Beauty Kabenda Terah and Abibat Yusuf, who are FIFA assistant referees have demonstrated their skills to win our confidence. So, even when they fall short of expectations, they shouldn’t be targeted for attacks, for there is no perfect referee in the world.

Moreover, Nigerian women referees deserve every encouragement because in recent times, they have been the country’s saving grace at international competitions. While the men have been missing in action at even AFCON competitions, the women referees have been everywhere continentally and globally. Now, Ndidi Madu and Hannah Eliagwu have been joined by the young Funmilayo to inspire the next generation of women referees, so anything that will work against their growth should be condemned.

Surely, some fans are still struggling to accept the fact that women referees have come to stay in the NPFL. However, if such critics are asked why, they won’t have any tangible reason to give. Maybe they don’t believe in the ability of the women referees to perform like their male counterparts. So, based on this assumption, such people are quick to vilify the female referees. This has to stop because some of these referees are handling matches better than the preferred male referees.

In addition, even as female referees are not insulated from ‘egunje’, they are less prone to taking induced decisions. This is not to say that they are saints but when put side by side with the male referees who are hardened and can fabricate and award controversial penalties even against home teams, the women with the whistle are lesser evils.

It is against this background that the NPFL must take stern actions against clubs that allow their supporters to molest referees, especially the gentle ladies of the whistle. Every match official deserves maximum protection from the undesirable elements that pose as fans at match venues. However, any assault on female referees should be viewed with more seriousness. Therefore, in the case involving Funmilayo, the NPFL should start with 3SC to send a strong signal that anyone who toys with its female referees would face dire consequences.