By Mark Baber
June 24 – The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has had a busy week, criticising national teams for their lack of success, holding manager Steven Keshi to account for allegedly making a job application to another team and attempting to haul record-breaker Vincent Enyeama up on charges he brought Nigeria into disrepute.
The Super Falcons, cleansed of any lesbians in their ranks and having had the benefit of only a single warm-up game, had been charged by NFF Executive Committee member, Chief (Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma with “making history” and were told that: “You must not let yourselves and the country down because I know that God will do it for you; He is always behind you and He hears your prayers because of your commitment and behavior.”
Onyedinma declared: “We are all praying for you; Nigerians are praying for you and I know that you are praying for yourselves too.”
Unfortunately the Super Falcons crashed out of the World Cup with two losses and a draw and Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mohammed Sanusi couldn’t hide his disappointment with the team, saying: “The NFF and indeed Nigerians are not happy that the team could not make it beyond the group stage of the competition. Sincerely speaking, the NFF believed Canada 2015 was the opportunity for the Super Falcons to show how much progress has been made in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The NFF were also disappointed to read reports that men’s national team manager, Stephen Keshi’s name had appeared on a short-list for the job of national team manager of the Ivory Coast. 1st Vice President of the Federation, Barrister Seyi Akinwumi said Keshi had a case to answer and needed to explain how his name surfaced on the list saying: “Keshi has been queried and has to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the NFF for allegedly applying for the Cote d’ Ivoire national team job.
“Looking at it morally how will he (Keshi) feel if you see today in the newspapers advertisement for the Super Eagles’ Chief Coach job. That is what he needs to explain.
“I heard that he said that he didn’t apply so let him come and defend himself before the Disciplinary Committee.”
Akinwumi assured that “we are not witch-hunting. If he is found not guilty tomorrow (today) we are moving on to the next plan of the Super Eagles. It is nothing personal but it is not right that we should see something like that and keep quiet. So it is not witch-hunting.”
Keshi turned up to face the committee, and denied having a made an application, leading the Committee Chair, Chris Green to declare: “The committee has made some recommendations to the Executive board and we cannot disclose them to the press right now. On Keshi’s part, we will investigate the issue, and take it further by going to Ivory Coast to get to the roots of the matter.”
Meanwhile, Vincent Enyeama, fresh from beating the all-time record for Nigerian caps, was also called to appear before the disciplinary committee with regard to comments he had made (and apologised for) regarding the suitability of Kaduna for the AFCON qualifier against Chad.
Enyeama opted not to turn up to meet the NFF disciplinary committee, for which insubordination he may now, reportedly, be sanctioned with exclusion from the national team and being stripped of the captaincy.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734920914labto1734920914ofdlr1734920914owedi1734920914sni@r1734920914ebab.1734920914kram1734920914