AFCON
ZIK’S 1964 NEW YEAR MESSAGE STILL APT FOR NIGERIA 56 YEARS ON
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
On January 1, 1964, Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe in a New Year message analysed the state of sports in the country and urged the then young nation to brace up and protect its reputation.
In probably the only instance, a Nigerian leader used sports as theme of New Year message, Dr. Azikiwe urged citizens to develop the zeal to win always. He further offered some stop-gap measures for improvement of sports in Nigeria.
Even in 2020, the views expressed by Dr. Azikiwe, are still relevant.
Below is the full text of the message delivered on January 1, 1964.
Whilst we are on this topic of building a favourable image for Nigeria with African states, I would like to make few remarks on how our performance is helping to dwarf the stature of Nigeria among other nations.
In particular, I feel that our image has been distorted by the regular doses of defeats handed to some our teams by sides representing friendly nations.
The passing year has not been too bad especially in sports like athletics, boxing and lawn tennis. But in others like cricket, football, hockey and table tennis, we have been very much below form and did not come up to expectation.
Our standards in athletics are still under the international level. In football, we are still inferior to our African neighbours, relatively, not to speak of European sides.
Consequently, Nigeria has been unable to hold high its head among the sporting nations of the world in spite of our being the largest populated nation in Africa and the 13th among the 120 or more independent states of the earth.
Three factors are responsible for our short-coming. The first is our attitude to sports. The second is our general unwillingness to assimilate scientific techniques in training.
Lastly, we have not actively created the atmosphere on a national basis, where we can discover it to the glory of Nigeria.
Let it be clear to all concerned that gentility in sports is a by-product of the Victorian era with its aristocratic traditions. By the beginning of the 20th Century, the idea of not playing necessarily to win, but having the “honour” to participate formed the basis of British ethics of sportsmanship which, in our innocence, we have inherited.
Whilst this idea is still desirable from the point of view of pure amateurism in sports, the entry of the United States of America at the revived Olympic Games in Athens and the participation by the old nations, supported by the new nations who were born after the end of World War 1, has revolutionized international competition in sports.
Even the United Kingdom is now changing its former complacent attitude. Today, the emphasis is on winning and not merely participating, although the spirit of amateurism and scrupulous respect for the code regulating any particular sports still pervades the atmosphere of world sporting communities.
In other words, if the United States of America could engage the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in a football match, the players of both sides are made to realise that like true amateurs, they must respect the international football code, but in addition, they must play to win in order to safeguard the prestige and honour of their respective countries.
Nigerian sportsmen and women, who engage either in competitive or combative sports, must now understand that whilst an amateur sports man or woman is a person who cultivates sports as a pastime and contests for pleasure and not for monetary gain, the spirit of modern international sports has now transformed the athlete into a devotee of sports who loves his country more.
In the spheres of athletics, boxing, cricket, football, hockey, lawn-tennis, swimming and table tennis, we should now address ourselves seriously to teaching basic techniques to our athletes and encouraging them to be in peak physical condition the year round. This calls for state “intervention” in order to ensure efficiency of a high order.
The Federal and Regional Governments have already “intervened” on a moderate scale. The stars foretell that much more will be done in the future in view of the existence of advisory sports bodies to those Governments. This is definitely an admission that there is need to stem the tide of distortion to our national image.
As a stop-gap measure, our armed forces, including the Army, Navy and the Police (both Federal and Local), supported by our universities, teacher-training colleges and secondary schools, can be used in the immediate future for a crash programme in order to deploy our manpower resources and thereby select only the physically fit and technically prepared to be worthy wearers of our national colours for extramural competitions.
However, I hold the view that, in the long run, our future salvation will lie with the masses of our people who are able-bodied, both employed and unemployed. It is from their ranks that we should discover hidden talents.
The popularisation of sports throughout our motherland will be our saving grace from the present staccato of defeats and humiliations suffered by us at international sporting competitions.
I do not intend to be pessimistic but I hope that the New Year will give us a new lease of life and a fresh approach to the problems raised by our participation in international sports of a dual nature.
It is now incumbent on us to protect our reputation which is being badly mauled owing to many factors which we can overcome by short-range and long-range careful planning.
Who knows whether it would not be better to suspend bilateral sporting contests with our neighbours, in the meantime, and concentrate on training our athletes and seasoning them by intramural contests and international competitions of a multilateral nature?
A truce or moratorium of this nature should be of psychological value and should enable our sons and daughters to acquire proficiency in sports, imbibe skill in their specialities, and cultivate higher love for their country.
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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