By By Victor Enyinnaya on August 1, 2022
As ardent readers of this column every Monday would readily agree, that I’m an incurable optimist and so do I push vehemently any cause I believes in objectively and vigorously too.
Truth about it without any atom of prejudice is that I have reported sports for decades both locally and internationally and as such have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. I‘ve not really cared a hoot to border about most unfounded criticisms from the other side about my style of writing since the debut of this newspaper and the column many years ago.
Therefore, I have over these odd years developed thicker skin and moved on despite name callings being devised by these hard to please people and their agents who are not always too comfortable with the analytical and independent mind of this columnist.
It is instructive to note that it has won me both valuable friends and detractors alike. The valuable ones mostly from those who accept constructive and objective criticisms this page offers every Monday on vital national issues in sports and its personalities.
The country is on her worst of times, if you like on edge today via the messy affairs APC/Buhari lame duck government which dragged the entire citizenry into this deep valley for seven years plus now.
Recalled that APC/Buhari through vicious means of lies, bigotry, desperation, propaganda, and other designed deceitful foul means got into power unprepared where it unleashed on Nigerians the worst of economic, insecurity and other untold hardship any civilized and God fearing minded individual can envisage on planet earth. Another name for Nigeria since 2015 is hunger, insecurity, corruption, nepotism etc.
The ‘eyes of Nigerians have seen their ears’ this sadist regime of APC/Mahammadu Buhari have visited on them. To put it mildly and clearly too, the miserable impact needless to say the immeasurable and obvious mess in all facets and true sense of the words the citizenry have found themselves today in soaked disappointing stance in all ramifications.
Nothing is at ease in today’s Nigeria. Make no mistake about it; no sector is spared of the worst state of the failed nation APC and Buhari clueless and inapt administration have plugged or visited on the entire country presently.
The kind of desperation to rule Nigeria by Mahammadu Buhari since the return of democratic rule in 1999 – 2015 when he climbed through deceitful and foul means have held Nigeria on her knees throwing up so many dangers the country is grappling with today which may take only the grace of God for her to survive.
Nothing, absolutely nothing is working.
Nigeria has suddenly become suspect state amongst the comity of nations in furtherance poverty capital of the World. This is a typical sad State of “beast of a nation” where terrorists are more powerful and most dreaded than the State securities system etc.
Let “heaven” fall if it likes APC and Mahammadu Buhari government have brought misery and sorrow for Nigeria and Nigerians. It flows down to all sectors. No exception.
For instance, look at international embarrassment Athletics’ Federation of Nigeria (AFN) displayed by misspelling Nigeria on the jersey of victorious Tobi Amusan and as usual Federal Government through Sports Minister has kept mom over that. This high flying Daily sports portal has long identified and congratulated Amusan and Brume on their great exploits at the recently concluded World Athletics Championship and we are keenly keeping eye on the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
It means nothing to the sitting government because it has lost face both locally and internationally. It is nothing. So AFN executives’ architects of the silly and avoidable mistake have been returned with clean bill of health panting them at the back as well as the kitting company.
It is against the above inflammable backgrounds therefore that the call by ex-international, Tajudeen Disu on the need for the Federal Government to ban Amaju Pinnick and his co-travelers like Shehu Dikko, Seyi Akinwunmi and sundry from vying for the Presidency of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) come September 2022 elective congress of the apex football governing body becomes the best way forward if Nigeria football must move forward as it needed complete fresh air to breathe in life and vitality into the game is already gasping for air .
Disu advanced this cogent reason and way to go insisting that (Pinnick and his co-travelers) have destroyed Nigerian football in every aspect. According to him folding our hands and watch these people make their way back to lead our football would be to sound death spell on the game.
The ex-international recent vivid outcry was re-echoing the long standing view of this columnist on these dangerous musketeers’ of the worst order who hijacked Nigerian football grippingly, holding it down not minding suffocating the beautiful crowd pulling sport to extinction.
Note that I have said it oftentimes here that Amaju Pinnick, Delta State born sports administrator rode on the wonders he performed during his tenure as then executive chairman of Delta State Sports Commission to clinch the Presidency of the NFF when the body was equally in dare need of “messiah” to lead Nigerian football out of mess visited on it by his immediate predecessor.
Then, he (Pinnick) curried lots of sympathy across the country. Such raised formidable opposition to the spirited propaganda Giwa and his followers mounted.
It would be recalled that with the above fun fare Amaju Pinnick led NFF rode to power, truly, much was expected from him due to his antecedents because Delta State sports flourished under his watch.
Sadly, he could not find his feet managing more complex Nigerian football. The round leather game has been under siege, trial and error status ever since.
However, continuous narration of Nigeria and football fans on this monumental failure that is Amaju Pinnick and his co-destroyers of the sports are seen in many circles as an aberration and bad news.
One pleads to that Federal Government should heed to the call recently by the likes of Tajudeen Disu that these people that have held /inflicted this open wound on Nigerian football for years now should be ban from contesting for any elective position in September 2022 congress of the body.
Disu’s recent plea came out of sheer patriotism to save the only game that has kept Nigerian fans together these long years despite obvious differences.
According him allowing these set of people access to lead the pack in NFF again would imply doomsday for the country’s football.
Last line, if this is one legacy the present Mahammadu Buhari regime would leave for NFF, then history will not judge them too harsh as far as football is concerned.
Outright stopping Amaju Pinnick and his frontline executive committee members from contesting would remain the only tonic that would ensure a rebound of the fast declining Nigerian football.
They have acquired lots of funds like their fellow politicians jostling for positions in the larger Nigerian polity to enable them clinch the sensitive NFF slots without much hassle. They must be stopped! The Sports Minister, Sunday Dare is fully aware of their scheming to come back to the glass House and must apply civilized means to stop such move from seeing light of day.
To this columnist, other objective analysts and pundits must rise up to sensitize or highlight that Amaju Pinnick and company did not forget anything in the NFF to warrant them back there. Nigerian football fans and the game have suffered a great deal of humiliation, deprivation and they must be told in clearer terms forthwith.
Therefore Tajudeen Disu’s view, is my view too. Ours in Daily Sports and this Monday-Monday column is simple, standing constantly on the part of justice and truth. No more, no less!
Keep shooting hard till next week. Meanwhile, We Wait!!
Source Daily Sports Nigeria
Posted August 1, 2022
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