By Daily Sports on August 13, 2018

I have been roundly convinced once again that SPORTS PULSE, a weekly column that runs every Monday in your very favourite and authoritative all sports online newspaper, Daily Sports since its debut two years plus now has touched many sports lovers.

After working very hard since our debut, my very unassuming and suave boss, Mr. Isaac Umunna approved a well deserved annual vacation. To be honest with you, I did rest and now back at my desk to continue with the column many of you dear readers have variously described as bold, dependable, daring, unbiased and generally a no-holds- barred copy . I received your several calls and other inquires mainly asking why the column has been suspended and when it will come on stream. Thank you all for being there. As I stated above, I went for a much deserved annual vocation to refresh in order to serve you better.

Your constant touch with me spoke volumes of how this column has touched your consciousness and I’m roundly encouraged. Since I went on break, much water passed under the bridge from the dismal but anticipated outing of the Super Eagles in Russia 2018 World Cup summit to invasion of the Nigeria Football Federation by DSS and the eventual takeover of the secretariat of the Football House by the Chris Giwa-led faction.

It would be recalled that the highest Court in the land, the Supreme Court earlier ruled in favour of Giwa as President of the body. Hell was let loose after that ruling by the respected highest Court in the land. It “altered the equation.” Those that the ruling favoured rejoiced to high heavens describing it as landmark judgment and sundry. It put question mark on the leadership of Amaju Pinnick led NFF which has been on board since 2014 and as a matter of fact preparing to hold fresh election into the executive committee board.

It has been tensed struggle between fans of Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa. The social media has been awash in arguments for and against. Sadly, even those that ought to know better were necked deep in misleading the unsuspecting public and keen football fans on the subject matter.

Truth is that Nigeria as a country is so polarised between political divides. Little disagreement throws up the ethnic side of the geo-political zones involved.

We have seen enough of such in the larger political arena and since the purported reinstatement of Giwa, it has been reinforced in football turf too. The media has not been left out in this tug of war. Many of my colleagues have been using this incident to position themselves in both camps. Objective reportage and commentaries have long been thrown to the wind.

Even far away in my village in Abia State where I spent most part of my vacation, I followed these things like religion. Since Russia 2019 World Cup tournament was cut short, no thanks to the very poor outing of Nigeria. The Sports Writers that were parceled to the venue abruptly returned. However it is instructive to note here that they were not left empty handed unlike what happened to most of us during the 2010 edition held in South Africa.

I have often written on this danger called ‘what the stomach will eat journalism,’ that have taken the front burner in all beats in this one ‘published and be dammed profession.’ My submission is that this is purely antithetical to the tripod on which Journalism stood and won us the respect and freedom which the present day practitioners are enjoying till date, but whom by their irregular actions many have worked to ensure its total abortion.

Sports journalism has witnessed the worst these past months and this is not too good for the growth of the profession.

I learnt in Journalism class that dog doesn’t eat other dogs in the profession. It is one of the age old cannons of journalism and it was strictly adhered to during the active days of journalism when people like Babatunde Jose, Olusegun Osoba, Tony Momoh, Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Haroun Adamu, Dan Agbase, Yakubu Mohammed, Comfort Obi, Minere Amakiri, Dora Ifudu, Tunde Thompson, Nduka Irabor, etc, were actively on the scene. They fought the Military government that was synonymous with Nigerian administration. They weathered the tough and stormy terrain throughout indefinite detentions and jails as they searched and got this had earned press freedom being toyed with by the present practitioners. I digress.

We are discussing NFF perennial like crisis. The present one was as usual mishandled by Solomon Dalung, Sports Minister that has proved worse than his predecessor and compatriot from Plateau State, Danmshi Sango. Sango was bad news for sports administration and all it represented. Dalung in order to save face backed his brother also from Plateau, Chris Giwa and therefore misled the federal government that forgot we are in a democracy and instead sent the DSS and Police men to occupy the secretariat of the Football House.

Let’s be honest with you, that it is the kind of level this government has reduced the DSS and other law enforcement agencies to. It has been our lot and shame too before the international and more civilised community.

Instead of abating, the crisis has lingered on. However, the Federal Government made U-turn and ordered the DSS and her other agencies to vacate the NFF secretariat without further delay. It obeyed. That action by the government of the day obviously was a vote of no confidence on Dalung and his illegal actions and inactions.

Let me state categorically here that I’m not a fan of both Amaju and Giwa. I once upon a time told Giwa that he should rest and prepare for the forthcoming election in various offices of the body. I did tell him also that football matters don’t place in open Court. Giwa and his sponsors are quite aware of that clause in FIFA statute which all member federations are signatories’ to and is binding on all and sundry; For Giwa and his cohorts to hold tight to the contrary smacks off blackmail.

My advice to Giwa remains unchanged. For Amaju and his Committee to wave olive branch to him meant that the Delta State born FIFA and CAF executive committee member is now a repentant democrat who wants peace and harmony to reign again in Nigerian football. Fact however that is there is no how Giwa would defeat Amaju in an election even if Angels conduct it.

Whoever that advises Giwa should tell him to listen to this voice of reason and quickly make u- turn and toe this pathway to restore peace. Again if he is convinced that he will win, he should brace up and face Amaju again in the NFF election slated sometime in September.  He should give peace a chance.

Let me also make it clearer to him that this writer is not begging him for peace but rather telling him the only gospel truth at the moment.

And for Amaju Pinnick, he has done what I never expected him to do to bring Giwa back into the larger Nigerian football family. The Col. Aminu Committee set up by it remained another watershed and roadmap for peaceful resolution of the impasse. Heads or tails, football matter cannot be tried in open court and even the most prejudiced writer and commentator is aware of the obvious.

As I put this article to bed, Nigerian football is on my mind. As you dear readers are going through this, my heart bleeds for the most beautiful game in the globe on how cheap the Nigerian so called administrators have turned the most respected and King of sports in the world. There must be way forward.  I must confess that in all my years of knowing and coming across Amaju Pinnick in sports cum football arena, I have never imagined him as a man of peace. He has demonstrated he is one by setting up credible Committee that has the likes of much respected Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, Col. Aminu, and very urbane Kojo Williams among others.  Read, Like and drop comments to us via WhatsAPP, Linkedin, Facebook, etc.

As we keep our fingers crossed and watch candidates that want to vie for different positions in the upcoming NFF executive committee board, the struggle continues. I urge you readers out there to keep shooting real hard till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted August 13, 2018

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