Ladipo carpets Sports Minister

Dr. Ladipo who is not against a reform being carried out in the NFA but says such reform should have been the job of the FA especially the sacking of the Secretary General whose letter of employment was duly signed by former NFA chairman Brig. Gen. Dominic Oneya (Rtd.).

"I hear some people are saying that the minister is still hiding under the much dreaded decree 101 which all lovers of this game has cried out against to do what he has done and if that is the case in this very case then I will say the minister has erred this time around and need to be told without fear or favour because the minister present action could run counter productive to our aspiration of making it to the world cup come 2006.

"I also did not want people to personalise this issue becuase it is neither the sacked secretary general, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi nor the incoming secretary general Chief Segun Odegbami but Nigeria football is what is at stake here.

"The NF&OSSC big wig was, however, confident that the sacking of the NFA secretary general and other key officials of the Nigerian football house would not attract punishment from the world governing body FIFA but still want the Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima led new look NFA to come up with a position on issue so as to safe the country's football.

He therefore advise the honourable minister to work in line with FIFA laid down rules so that we wont be inviting the continental and world bodies to impose saction on us which would be counter productive at the end.

"The ministry could employ other means to get involve in ensuring that things are done properly especially as it concern the day-to-day running of football and other sports in the country and not through direct interferance", he advised.

On the clubowners stand: I'm backing the club owners for demanding that they be represented on the board of the new league management committee headed by Sanni Lulu, because they are the one investing money into the league, they (club owners) should also be given the mandate to elect who heads the management instead of the present arrangement which saw the minister setting up a commitee for league without a single person from the club-owners association.