Club Owner’s Association gets legislative backin

Except the House Committee on Sports, members of the Professional Football Club Owner’s Association were stunned by the Sports Minister during their courtesy visit to solicit for assistance in their determined bid to bounce the Pro-League back to its former place of pride.

Solomon Mantankari, who represented the Sports Minister, Colonel Musa Muhammed, during the visit, tongue lashed visiting members of Professional Football Club Owner’s Association that they were also guilty in the alleged bribery scam that almost took the shine off the Pro-League in the country.

Mantankari told the visitors that though the Sports Ministry has set up a committee to restructure the Nigeria Football Association, which report it is expecting in two weeks’ time, “we will take up this matter seriously to ensure that NFA is put back to its proper perspective.

“I know some of the things happening in the league and I must say that some of these faults are your own (members of professional football club owner’s association) fault. We are all guilty. I’m informed that there are a lot of bribery going. You would not want to say it, but it is a fact. There are bribery and what have you that are going on at the NFA. And it takes two to tangle. You cannot say all sorts of things about NFA and absolve yourselves. No. You are not telling the full story. Something is wrong somewhere. Let’s resolve to do what is right and move football forward”, Solomon Mantankari told the visiting members of the FIFA Technical Instructor and former Super Eagles Coach, Chief Festus Onigbinde-led Professional Football Club Owner’s Association.

But chairman House Committee on sports, Honourable Sirajo Harisu worried at the complained lodged by the professional football club owner’s association said his committee has received one protest too many against the Nigeria Football Association.

“With the representation of this club owners association, something positive would be done once and for all. Yes. There are lots of problems at the NFA. I receive lots of petitions against the NFA every time. If we had had this type of representation when we had a public hearing, we would have done with the NFA problem. But we had just two persons honoured our invitation, and there was nothing we could do. Now that the club owners association have come with the same issue, we will do something positive about the NFA”, said honourable Harisu.

Before the club owners embarked on the courtesy visit to the Sports Minister and the House Committee on Sports, honorable Lumumba Adeh, who was the chairman of the meeting, had told the members that, “before we delve into the business of the day let me correct an erroneous impression already being created in some quarters as to the objective of this meeting.

“Contrary to such feelings that this meeting is aimed at castigating or targeted at ridiculing certain people, the purpose is to draw attention to the fast decline in the standard of administration and organization of our football generally and the professional league in particular. For the avoidance of doubt, let me categorically say whereas we should not spare the truth, our aim is the improvement of our league through good and efficient organization and administration of the league”, said honourable Lumumba Adeh.

He stated that of particular concern, is the manner with which the NFA through the pro-league department has continue to issue regulations, decisions and policies that ultimately affect the clubs without even the mere courtesy of consent or bordering on the effects of such on the clubs.
“It is high-time this master-servant relationship imposed by the FA be stopped. I appeal that a forum like this should stand for the truth for the good of the game no matter whose ox is gored and resist the flagrant abuse of rules and regulations”, he added.

Honourable Adeh, who is the proprietor of JC raiders FC also noted that the shrouding in secrecy matters that affect the clubs and the chaotic planning of the NFA, which has resulted in no one knowing when the next football season would kick off ass well as the final outcome of the recently Pro-League, need to be properly addressed.

In a statement to the honorable minister, the members of the professional football club owners prayed for autonomous of the pro-league.

“If professional football must maximize the support required from corporate Organizations and the commercial sector, a complete restructuring of the whole concept is very essential. For this vision to be achieved and indeed provide better opportunities for more people to enjoy the game and most importantly assist the NFA achieve sustained excellence, autonomy for the League is the answer.

“Over a decade of Professional football in Nigeria under the umbrella of a department in the NFA the league has seen little or no progress in all dimensions. Consequently and regrettably too, the business aspect of the game and the professionalism required in its execution are virtually non-existent. It is indeed sad to reflect that to date clubs have not benefited in the areas of sponsorship, marketing and TV rights. Even interest due to clubs on the hundred thousand naira deposit by each club at the inception of the league in 1990 is yet to be properly accoutered for to the clubs”.

Chief Onigbinde, who is the vice chairman of the association emphatically, told the Sports Minister and House committee on sports that a well package autonomous Professional League shall provide high standards with integrity and ensure aggressive marketing, commercial and partnership drivers.

The former Super Eagles coach also pointed out that autonomous pro-league would ensure that clubs behave with utmost good faith and honesty to one another and other stakeholders; comply fully with NFA/FIFA rules and resolution; respect contractual obligations and responsibilities; uphold the principles of fair play not only to the letter but also the spirit and check the migration of the footballers and enhance their value.

“For now, our players are sold for peanut only for the clubs buying them to resell for megabucks in Europe. A typical example is our John Utaka. He was sold to a North African club for only $20,000.00 and just six months after, the North African Club sold him to a club in Qatar for $2 million. The Qatar Club eventually sent him to Lens FC of France for $4 million. Good business no doubt. Football all over the globe is big business and if properly packaged, will not only reduce financial commitments of government, it will also have positive impact on the economy of the country”, said Onigbinde in statements to both the Sports Minister and House Committee on Sports.

Remarkably, the meeting attracted representatives from over 28 clubs in the Pro-League.

By Fidelis Ebu in Abuja

Questions from users received up to now: 1


You won't be able to add comments, unless you are logged in
Not Registered yet ? Click here to Register.