NIGERIAN football has become a Nollywood home video: a never-ending story.

Let me quickly say that I haven’t watched too many Nollywood films. But the few that I have stumbled upon always have these sequels upon sequels. Part one, part two, part three, part four. The stories seem to go on for ever and ever. They never end. I am told it’s a strategy by the film-makers to multiply their revenue from a single script. Not very smart, if you ask me, but if it’s working for them, great!

The Nollywood analogy perfectly illustrates the situation in Nigerian football at the moment: a never ending crisis. And now, a new dimension has been added: rib-cracking comedy.

When a “rebel group” announced last week that they were forming a parallel body to run Nigerian football, media spokesperson of the “legitimate Nigeria Football Federation,”

Ademola Olajire dismissed them as a “bunch of jokers to be ignored.” By weekend when the “rebel leaders,” controversial critic Shuaibu Gara-Gombe and President of the National Association of Nigeria Footballers (NANF) Harrison Jalla announced the inauguration venue of the “interim committee” of the “new Nigeria Football Association (NFA),” Olajire realized that they meant business and they couldn’t be ignored.

The “legitimate NFF” promptly invited the Nigeria Police to scuttle the inauguration and secure the NFF secretariat from a planned “take-over” by the rebels. Just before I started writing this, I heard former NFF executive committee member, Chief  Taiwo Ogunjobi on Brila FM radio describing the rebel action as treasonable felony!

“It is treason. It is treason. They (the rebels) want to take over the government by force. That is treason. The Inspector General of Police should go and arrest them. The State Security Service (SSS) should go after them. Even MKO Abiola (acclaimed winner of the 1993 Nigerian Presidential elections) did not do this much before he was clamped in jail,” Ogunjobi exploded. I couldn’t resist a bout of laughter.

But this is not a laughing matter, or, isn’t it ? Latest reports say that the rebel group somehow managed to evade the Police and held their inauguration in Abuja under the cover of  darkness. A certain Jarrett Tenebe was elected chairman of the break-away “NFA.” Now, he is reportedly planning to usurp NFF President Aminu Maigari’s seat at the next FIFA Congress in Zurich, as the legitimate lead custodian of Nigerian football.

Jarett Tenebe? I had never heard of him before, so I Googled the name. I received about 355 results in 0.06 seconds and what I found was absolutely shocking.

Where did Jalla and Gara-Gombe get this man? To put it mildly, Jarette Tenebe means “trouble.” No wonder the NFF people are running from pillar to post; calling police, calling SSS and calling the panapana (fire-fighters). If Maigari underrates this Tenebe, Tenebe will consume him!

Last year, I wrote about my “Crises Fatigue” concerning Nigerian football. Since December 2009, we have been rolling from one crisis to another and many cases are still pending in court as we speak. Now, this. Personally, I am tired of all these crises and that is why I will not support any group attempting to add to the turmoil. Especially the type of group we are talking about now. I’m sure more details will emerge in the days ahead.

However, Tenebe and friends have anchored their action on an affidavit allegedly deposed to by Maigari’s NFF declaring that they (NFF) are not the NFA. Unfortunately for Maigari, the Nigerian constitution does not (yet) recognise the NFF, but the NFA. Jarret and friends now say that since the NFF has disowned the NFA, they are stepping in to fill the vaccum as the body (NFA) recognised by the constitution to manage Nigerian football and the funds appropriated to it by government.

Obviously, this is a constitutional matter, so personal opinion of commentators like mine may not suffice. A legal interpretation is required because, even the act establishing the National Sports Commission (NSC) has not been passed into law which makes the NSC an “illegal” body as well. No wonder, sports minister Taoheed Adedoja was rather reluctant to outrighly condemn the NFA rebels.

I would have recommended that Jarret, Jalla and Gara-Gombe (what a combination!) should go to court. But, as I have said earlier, we have enough football cases in court already. My suggestion, therefore, is that the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) president, Sani Ndanusa should immediately inaugurate the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Nigeria for which former international, “Chief Justice” Adokiye Amiesimaka has been shortlisted as head. All sports cases pending in the civil courts should then be withdrawn and taken before “Adokie’s Court” for prompt resolution. And it should start  with this battle between the NFF and the so-called NFA.

NFF vs NFA vs FFF

lJUST before the “NFA coupists” launched their war against the NFF last week, another group going by the  name, Female Football Foundation (FFF) had been pelting the NFF with stones.

Led by Channels TV female sports journalist Barrong Tony-Uranta, the FFF claims that it is an initiative to help develop and promote women’s football in Nigeria. But, on the eve of their official launch at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel & Towers, the NFF released a press statement dissociating itself  from the activities of the group, practically declaring it illegal.

Before that drama unfolded, I had upbraided the NFF in this column last week for failing to secure sponsorship for female football in Nigeria despite the numerous achievements of our women folk on the African continent. It appears that the FFF wants to do something about that situation and the NFF can only blame itself for allowing such a vaccum in the first place that others now want to fill.

Having said that, we must, however, respect rules and procedure. Since the NFF is the official custodian of the Super Falcons and female football in Nigeria, it behoves on the FFF and any other group wanting to associate with the team to ask for the NFF’s approval first.
I hope that the FFF and the NFF can reach an understanding quickly on this matter so that the Super Falcons can benefit from whatever the FFF is planning ahead of next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

At least, I’m sure that Barrong is not planning to “take-over” the Glass House!
Champions Barcelona!

I HAD planned to be at Wembley on Saturday, May 28 for the 2011 European Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United. I don’t have a media ticket, so I had resolved to buy a popular side seat on the black market.

I told my contact that I was “ready to break the bank” for the ticket, meaning I was willing to pay “any amount.” When I was told that the cheapest seat (back of the goal-posts) costs one thousand, five hundred pounds (about N390,000; yes, three hundred and ninety thousand Naira!), I quickly changed my mind and reminded my contact that it was a criminal offence to break a bank! He agreed with me.

I love watching live football, but my conscience will never forgive me if I spent that kind of sum on 90 minutes of entertainment even if the World Footballer of the year Lionel Messi will be on parade. I watched Messi at the World Cup Finals in South Africa, anyway, so what’s new?

Talking about Messi, it’s because of him that I have tipped Barcelona to beat United to the European trophy for the second time in three years. But if United manage to shackle him like Real Madrid did in the semi-final first leg before Pepe was sent off,  then United stand a chance. For all the greatness that we attribute to the current Barcelona team, they’re short of ideas against a well-organised defence when Messi is off the boil.

Indeed, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has put United’s chances in perspective. Wenger said: “We know how Barcelona will play, but we can’t predict how United will play. Barcelona will control 70 per cent of possession, but how United use their 30 per cent will decide their fate.” I agree with Wenger completely.

Cup finals usually can go either way and with United also enjoying a slight “home” advantage at Wembley, Javier Hernandez’s speed can cause all sorts of trouble for Barca’s defence. But if Barca score first and settle into their passing game, United may spend the entire evening chasing shadows again like they did two years ago in Rome.

I have tipped Barca to win, not because I hate United but because I believe Barca are the better team and they also have Lionel Messi, the best player in the world. But then, United also have Sir Alex Ferguson, probably the best manager in the world.
It promises to be a great final.

Siasia Right On Osaze

lTHERE’S nothing new for me to say about Samson Siasia’s dropping of Osaze Odemwingie from the Super Eagles squad for the up-coming two games against Argentina and Ethiopia that has not  been said by most other observers.

Two weeks ago, I wrote here that the case concerning Osaze’s walkout on Siasia should be closed on the assumption that the player had actually apologised to the coach. Apparently, that is not case and so, the coach is right to wield the stick. Even at the risk of defeat, the point must always be made that no individual is bigger than the national team. See you next week, insha Allah.


Champions United?

This article was first published in International Soccer magazine (i-soccer for short) in August 2010 to preview the 2010/2011 English Premier League. I have recalled it for obvious reasons. Enjoy it...

LI-SOCCER editor Qasim Elegbede is hell bent on demistifying me. He wants to derobe my masqurade and get me into trouble with some fanatical Nigerian soccer fans.

Otherwise, why should he insist that I should pick the likely champions of the new English Premier League season for I-SOCCER when the first ball has not even been kicked. Where did he expect me to get the exposition from when I didn’t live in an aquarium like Octopus Paul of the 2010 FIFA World Cup fame?

Even if I knew that Manchester United are the favourites for the title, why should I say so when I know that Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool fans will nearly strangle me.  
What? Did I say Manchester United? No, I didn’t mean to say that. Or rather, I didn’t mean not to say that. I mean, yes, I meant to say that. My apologies to the fans of the other teams, but my crystal ball is showing me some Red Devils supporters jubilating at the end of the season. I can’t recognize all of them because they are in their thousands. But I can pick out a few faces like Paul Bassey, Kayode Tijani, Deji Omotoyinbo, Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji Fasola, my son Abdulmueez, my daughter Mariam and  some other fanatics.

I can also pick out names like Dare Sonubi, Aaron, Taiwo Isreal, Sokoya Adekunle, Daniel, Adekunle Oluwaseun Ademola and a host of others, who are registered Man U supporters on the NAIJA SUPER FANS forum, www.naijasuperfans.com. They are all singing “Glory, Glory, Man United” with the Premier League trophy.

I know why Qasim insisted that I should predict the likely winners of the 2010/2011 Premier League. At the beginning of last season (2009/2010), my club Liverpool were most bookies’ favourites to give United a run for the title having come so close in the penultimate (2008/2009) season when they (Liverpool) finished second. I was not fooled, however, and in my weekly SOCCERTALK in Complete Sports, I picked Carlo Ancelloti’s Chelsea as the likelies to dethrone United. That prediction came to pass and Qasim decided that I should do it again.

Let me make a confession here. I am not happy to be tipping United. Why should they be the only ones winning everything? If my long-suffering Liverpool can’t break it’s  title drought, I would rather the trophy goes to Arsenal, Chelsea or even Manchester City in that order. But United continues to loom large in my crystal ball. Not even my burning jealousy for their success will melt them away. And this is why....

UNLIKE last season when Sir Alex Ferguson arrogantly lost strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in the transfer market without replacing them, United have not lost any major player this term and have instead consolidated with Mexican World Cup star Javier Hernandez.

Having a stable team to start a new season is critical for success in the Premier League, and United have that with a fine blend of experience (Paul Scholes, et al) and youth (Macheda, et al). Add the unparalleled know-how of Sir Alex, and you have another championship team in waiting. Man U are my clear favourites for the title.

lFOOTNOTE: Last Sunday, May 22, 2011 Manchester United were indeed presented with the 2010/2011 English Premier League trophy at Old Trafford after beating Blackpool 4-2 in their final match of the season. I expect all the Man U fans mentioned in the article to send me a bottle of fruit wine each (no alcoholic wine, please) to “wash” the above title. Governor Raji Fashola, Eko o ni baje o!