Note! I have never had a one-on-one with the CMD and I have never earned a kobo from him to write this, but the attacks on him and the lapses in our FA pushed me to do this.
After reading a few attacks, paid jobs and funny statements about the Edo State Football Association election which now stands suspended till further notice, I could only shake my head in pity and saw nothing but pull down tactic pushed out by who I will tag as an enemy of progress and innovation because I don’t know him or her in person. The question I asked myself after reading those things was – do we want good for this state’s football at all or do we just want to rejoice in our primitive years’ glory while our contemporaries are making headway elsewhere?
A news story was spread abroad about the governor imposing his brother to become Edo FA chairman can only be tagged as childish by whoever must have orchestrated it. I laughed after reading the poorly sponsored work and I asked, for how much?
The Edo State Football Association needs urgent surgery to have it healed from diseases affecting it and revive it to what state it should. In this simple work, I will be highlighting a few things that should be noticed before going into the election, else, it will be sitting down on gunpowder should we continue in error.
The Hunter
Who’s the hunter in this game? A couple of statements made by people about someone sponsoring someone or imposing, as in their words is nothing but a terrible assumption which should be thrashed and not given any look. What’s in the FA that the governor as alleged will want to impose his brother (A Chief Medical Director of a Federal Government Teaching Hospital – one of the best in the country and Africa with innovative programs since his assumption of office) to be the head? If the governor wants to fix his brother to make money as in many people’s thoughts, are there no other agencies he can fix him that no one would even dare to question?
Who knows maybe the alleged hunted here is the hunter? Even the accuser is not bold enough to come out straight – I’m sure this will make the brain behind the story come out and attack me. Verdict: there’s no hunter in this game, only some weak vessels are peddling unfounded rumours to weaken someone they perceive as a threat to the needed light in the Edo FA.
The Hunted
There must be a reason for something being hunted – either as prey or as an obstacle – anyway, it is, there’s no hunted in the Edo FA election! Everyone is only looking for a way to contribute their quota to make Edo Football move forward. Has anyone asked why anyone would want to be hunted in the FA? ‘How much dey the FA account to want to turn it into a game reserve where hunting games can be played/observed?’
It’s quite unfortunate that we have been configured to toe this part of blackmail when we perceive someone to be bigger than us or have an edge over us. If not, why not use that money in spreading the rumour to tell the world what better things you would do as a board member or Chairman/Vice-chairman if elected? Let’s visit the scripture a bit: Genesis 4:7 says “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door…”
The Hate
I’m still trying to wrap my head around it when we decide to turn ourselves into people’s enemies or turn people into our enemies for no just cause. If a man I attack today for my selfish purposes happens to be the one I will run to tomorrow, for dare assistance, how would I reconcile? By saying it was the days of the unknown? No room for that – serve people what you want them to serve you.
The Rumour
Professor Darlington Obaseki was accused of trying to force his way into Edo FA courtesy of his brother’s aid – how on earth would anyone have imagined that a man of that status would want to force his way into the 16 by 12 feet or there about the office of the FA chairman? Wahala for who wan be chairman o.
It was spread abroad that Professor Darlington’s name is not amongst the names of people who have picked the form as released by the FA.
I have the following questions to ask:
- Who signed the memo stating that the form is closed and that Professor Darlington didn’t or hasn’t pick the form?
- Who signed the memo that spoke about the closure of forms?
Who’s the chairman of the Electoral Committee for Edo FA?
So, whatever must have been sold into the media should be reanalyzed by the progressive stakeholders of this great state. We shouldn’t be “Heartbeat of the Nation” by mouth, we are too intelligent to be pushed off balance by a half-baked/beer parlour story.
As far as the Edo State FA I know is concerned, the forms are still available for every well-meaning Edolite to pick until a signed memo is released by the working FA Secretary or Chairman Electoral Committee – anything outside that, please, let’s thrash it.
Someone should not be stopped from running in the forthcoming election with needless statements of – “What does he know about football”; and “Is he not contented being the CMD”. Football as of today is not for only those who have played it, but for those who know how to and are ready to move it to another level. Before I proceed, which football club did Giani Infantino play for or which position did Patrice Motsepe play as a football player?
Which club did the past chairmen of the Edo Football Association play for before becoming the chairman? If you want to talk about playing football to be in a position, then such should be contesting for the Players Union position as football is not only for ex-players or coaches. Football has many stakeholders holding it up and all of them (Players, Coaches, Fans, Journalists, Investors, Referees and what have you) have the right to contest for any position they so desire.
We can’t keep serving the table and remain in one spot for years all because people who haven’t played football or coached shouldn’t become chairman or board members.
The Bitter Truth
What’s the state of Edo FA?
How many successful programs have the FA organized in the last three years?
Would any well-meaning Edolites come out and beat their chest that their FA is the best in the country or amongst the best 15?
Don’t get it twisted, Edo Queens and Bendel Insurance FC’s recent successes are not FA achievements.
Let’s measure the achievement in the grassroots, primary and secondary school activities, local government successes in the past years, sponsors brought on board, the financial transparency of the FA, and how many students, and youths have been awarded scholarships for their talents and performances in the game. We should be talking about how many football stakeholders – Referees, Coaches, Players, and Journalists – have been empowered in the state by the FA. Unfortunately, we left all these aside and we are serving the table.
Going further, what qualifies someone to become a board member or FA Chairman? What qualified those who are there now? If we are ready to get serious and move our football forward in this state, then we shouldn’t allow the rave of the political scene to end there alone, let’s bring it into our football, let’s ask questions, let’s suggest way forward and let’s stop all these beer parlour talks.
Edo FA Election should be made open for every well-meaning Edolite who has contributed to the development of the game in the state. Everyone should go to the polls to test their popularity.
Every aspirant should be allowed to present their manifesto to the “Sports Writers” in the state and have it shared abroad – when I’m talking about sports writers, I’m not talking about those who can’t boast of at least 10 bylines or off air dub this year, I’m not talking about those who can’t boast of at least 30 bylines in the last three years on any platform, WhatsApp inclusive; I’m talking about active sports producers, reporters, editors and presenters.
Let those competing for the biggest football seat in the state tell the world through these credible men of pen what they intend to do with Football in the state; their programs, how they will drive in sponsors, how they intend to empower stakeholders, how they intend to open doors for youths development with modern-day programs, how they intend to take the FA to the desired status of Edolites.
From the seat of the chairman to board members, all should come out and tell us what you would do to change the narrative beyond the stipulated meetings and constitutional duties.
Come out and tell us how you all would unite and make football a curriculum in our schools, at least at the local level where teenagers and youths can be taught how well they can explore the football industry beyond playing it – football is too broad not to be explored – an innovative FA will grant us that and that’s the FA we want or what we should be discussing, not talks of how someone is trying to impose someone that’s unfounded.