Governing Bodies
LEKAN SALAMI, FEMI OLUKANMI, THE UNSUNG HEROES OF NIGERIA’S PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Professional football now exists in Nigeria through the efforts of some notable personalities who have long been forgotten.
Greater agitation for professional football emerged in the 1980s. Thanks to inspired personalities like Ayoade Alabi, Femi Olukanmi, Lekan Salami and George Amun among others.
These men met and formed the Professional Football Federation of Nigeria (PFFN), which acted as a catalyst that brought about the eventual change of status for the Nigerian footballer.
The PFFN got registered under the company act of 1968 at the Ministry of Trade in July 1984. It had registration number RC4037.
The body backed by prominent citizens, especially two Emirs from the North, made a major breakthrough when on April 27, 1984 it held the first ever summit on professional football at Royal Bed Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos at the instance of Chief Lekan Salami.
The meeting was expected to come out with a comprehensive data on positive approach towards professionalism. It was of historical significance both in design and choice of venue.
A similar summit had taken place in England in the same month of April in 1888, which transformed English football from its predominantly amateur status. The Royal Bed Hotel, Ikeja, meeting of the PFFN appeared a replay of the Royal Hotel Manchester meeting 86 years earlier.
At the PFFN meeting, Sampson Emeka Omeruah, Minister of Sports, was represented by NSC Chairman, Brigadier Kehinde Sho-Silver.
His address touched on the fundamentals of professional football in Nigeria. He told the PFFN to consider the ethics of professional soccer and urged the delegates to enter into dialogue with the NFA on the modalities of beginning a professional league.
The government seemed to have given a blanket approval to the venture. In 1982, it accepted the recommendation of the S.O. Williams commission on Sports Administration that government should recognise professionalism in sports.
At the inauguration of a new board for National Sports Commission, Emeka Omeruah announced that professional soccer might take off in 1986. When the National Executive Committee of the NFA met in Benin, in January 1986, Chairman, Anthony Ikazoboh, told the gathering that the Federal Government had given the go-ahead for the change of players’ status and called on interested club sides to register as companies with Ministry of Trade.
Everyone seemed to have agreed that Nigeria was ripe for professionalism. But one hurdle crossed, another emerged.
Which body should control it? The next few months witnessed a cold war between the NFA and the PFFN. FIFA recognises only one football governing body in a country.
The NFA, which had enjoyed that recognition since 1959, held steadfastly to the argument. It pointed to Article 41 of FIFA Statutes (1986) to buttress the claim to sole authority to all forms of football activities in Nigeria. The article forbids any form of relationship with sporting associations that are not members.
The PFFN countered that by Decree 34 of 1971 under which the NSC was established, the amateur status of all its various associations, including the NFA, was clear.
Officials of the PFFN argued that the NFA cannot control professional football, while also, their own body needed no recognition from FIFA and CAF as it intended to operate under the jurisdiction of the NFA.
Analogies were drawn from boxing and wrestling bodies, which have dual status. Both are organised at amateur level by national associations under the NSC.
But at the professional level, there are boards of control that were still outside the control of NSC. But such comparison appeared more complex on closer examination.
While FIFA controls football world wide, both at amateur and professional level, different bodies control boxing. The International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) organises championships and tournaments in the Olympic Games.
At professional level, no fewer than four bodies – WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF exist.
When in late 1985, Col. Ahmed Abdulahi took over from Omeruah as Sports Minister; he set up a committee comprising the NFA, PFFN, and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, the referees association and representatives of the ministry to harmonise all issues relating to professional football.
The committee’s report was submitted in November 1986. The bringing together of men from both PFFN and NFA notwithstanding, the former pressed on plans to start its independent league.
It began registration of club sides in March 1986 and reportedly had 15 clubs in its fold. Among them were some division one national league sides.
They were alleged to have paid N25 registration fee while their representatives continually attended the PFFN’s meeting at its five-room secretariat at 3 Western Avenue, Lagos.
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
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Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
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