SportsNigeria3

In my life, once again, I discovered that everything is connected. That life is like a jigsaw puzzle. I was in Abuja early this week. I was invited to the 2nd Memorial lecture for late Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia held at the University of Abuja. I was the only discussant at the event that had Sen. Chief Jim Nwobodo, former Governor, former Minister, former Senator, and former Chairman of Rangers International Football Club, as Guest Speaker. The topic was: ‘Sports for National Development – the Ogbemudia example’. What an experience it turned out to be for me, another exciting chapter in a new political learning curve. I have now learnt to surrender to the elements. Things around me just don’t happen by accident any more. Everything is a piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is, ultimately, a new Nigeria in the making for me. Attending the lecture added one more piece to the puzzle. Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia was my ‘father’. He loved me as his own biological son. We first me...

Am I the only one thinking this way? There is something not quite clear about the issue of whether some football matters can be taken to a civil court or not. Nigeria has been threatened several times with a ban because certain stakeholders had taken internal matters within their federation to a civil court. The usual ‘refrain’ by a school of thought has always being that football matters should never be taken to court or else a country’s FA will be banned or sanctioned. Yet, here we are, a third division club in Belgium has taken FIFA to a Belgian civil court, over the rule imposed by FIFA of a ban on third party ownership of players. Plus the decision of a Belgian Appeal court challenging the blanket power of the Court of Sports Arbitration (CAS) (as result of the same matter) to have exclusive jurisdiction over all football matters. The appeal court says such exclusivity is illegitimate. I am waiting anxiously for FIFA’s reaction. Will FIFA ban the Belgium club, or ...

Permit me to tell you about two foreigners that played very significant roles in my career in football. I do not expect that many younger people will know, or even remember them. The first is my first contact with a foreign coach. Playing under him took me to the tipping point, that moment, in time and circumstance, that makes the difference between being  good  and becoming  great  in an athletic career. Allan Hawkes  took me there. He was the White, British-born coach of  IICC Shooting Stars FC  when I joined the club as a student of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, in 1974. Before I joined ‘ Sooting ’ I was already a rising star in the football circuit of Western Nigeria. I had played for a few small clubs that actually won laurels in that part of the country. I was even shockingly awarded best player of the Ibadan Football Association, IFA, league (the biggest league in Western Nigeria). I had played for  NTC Football Club  and w...