By Maduabuchi Kalu on January 1, 2017

Former Flying Eagles’ coach and the current coach of Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin, John Obuh, has heaped the blame of the ineffective football administration in the country particularly as it affects the national teams on the door steps of Decree 101 of 1991.

He said if the government was desirous of making the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) function effectively like their counterparts in other climes; they must do the needful by enacting the necessary legislations to replace Decree 101 which has been identified as the greatest problem militating against the development of football in the country.

Obuh stated this in an exclusive interview with Daily Sports on how to avoid the recent national and international embarrassment the country suffered following the inability of the NFF to pay the entitlements of the Africa conquering Super Falcons, which resulted to the players staging sit-in protest in their Aguda Hotel, Abuja until President Buhari intervened to bring the ugly situation to an end.

“Well, if the government wants football to run well in this country like it is done in other places, they know the necessary things to do,” Obuh declared.

“Don’t forget that Decree 101 of 1991 is still there. It is this Decree that has hampered the development of football in this country over the years. As far as that Decree is thee and nothing is done to repeal or replace it with a more progressive Act, I don’t see us making any progress particularly as it concerns the funding of the game in the country.

“Therefore, if the government actually wants the Federation to function effectively by fending for itself, they have to enact the necessary legislations to enable the federation work. Once the Federation have necessary laws, I think the federations will be up and doing and companies can come and partner with the Federations, not just the Nigeria Football Federation but other sports federations in the country,” Obuh enthused

On the inability of the NFF to settle the entitlements of Super Falcons, Obuh said from the way things turned out, the Federation was exonerated as nobody was accused of embezzlement. He said it was not as if the government released money and someone or some group of individuals sat on it or diverted it to their private pockets. He explained that the money was not made available in the first place.

Speaking further, Obuh said what the NFF was suffering the same thing other Federations are suffering but explained that what makes the case of NFF peculiar is the passion and the following that football enjoys in this country.

He said that what happened recently was a true reflection of what is happening generally in every aspect of our national life as nothing seems to be working in the country.

“From the way things turned out in respect of the Super Falcons entitlements, the NFF seems to have been exonerated from what happened in respect of the none payment of Falcons allowances and bonuses.

“For the fact that nobody heard anything about money being released and embezzled exonerated the NFF. So, it was not their fault that the players were not paid because government never released any money to them. So that has to be noted.

“We all know how things are in the country at the moment. Nothing seems to be working. The reason why the case of football is like this is because of the way Nigerians follow the game if not, the same thing is also happening in other Federations and other sectors of our national life.

“Of course, we need to re-orientate ourselves. The reception the Ghanaians received was more of companies and individuals than the government. Unfortunately, companies here don’t seem to identify with sports generally. That is why I am saying that there is need for us to re-examine the way we do things in this country.

“Companies are not playing the roles they suppose to be playing. In other countries government do less in terms of sports development but the story is different here and we need to change that because there is a limit government can go. Our companies need to identify with our sports generally not only football but sports in all ramifications,” Obuh explained.

•Photo shows Coach John Obuh

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 1, 2017

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