Editorial Suite
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THE squabble in the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has proved to be intractable. Just when you think that the problem has been resolved another ugly fight breaks with the warring parties in the NFF resorting to court action which is very much against the rule of the Federation Internationale Football Association, FIFA. In recent times, FIFA has threatened several times to wield the big stick by banning Nigeria from participating in its games because of recalcitrant and quarrelsome attitude of members of Nigeria Football Federation, who breached its rule by going to court to resolve their conflict instead of taking their case to the sport arbitration panel. The latest threat of ban was averted on October 31, when President Goodluck Jonathan intervened to talk sense into the warring factions to withdraw their cases from the court.
There is no doubt that the constant fight in NFF is affecting the growth of football in the country. But why has the bickering persisted? Why do the members of the NFF who should know better act contrary to the rules of the game?
There is no gainsaying that one of the key issues is money, which is regarded as the root of all evil. Football in recent times have become a big time commercial venture and those who controls the NFF are most likely to line their pockets with the money from FIFA as well the largesse from the federal government which is meant for the development of the soccer game. But it does appear that money may not just be the sole cause of the unending crisis in the NFF. There is also a tinge of politics involved and other factors which are not so obvious to the ordinary eye but they have been chronicled in the Realnews cover story for this week entitled: Nigeria Football Federation’s House of Discord. It was written by Olu Ojewale. Enjoy it.
Maureen Chigbo
Editor
— Nov. 10, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT
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