African Sports and Tourism Summit and the Untapped Opportunities

It was a great pleasure to be in attendance at the African Sports and Tourism Summit over the weekend. The event which had as speakers Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF 1st Vice President/Chairman Lagos FA, Vinod Kaurani, CEO TrippleBerry, Kayode Tijani, C.E.O SportXclusive and curator of Africa largest Sports library, Tega Onajaife, Advocate for Women's football and Abiola Bakare, Aviation pro.

The forum was an avenue for vigorous discussion about what sports and tourism can achieve together and the economy impact it portend for the Nation.

Seyi Akinwunmi who exhibit a deep sense of humor and Administrative prowess elaborate extensively what Sports, if married religiously with Tourism, can generate to Nigeria's GDP. He sighted Russia, the host of just concluded FIFA world cup as example, as it was on record that they generated a tone of $9m from visitors and tourism during the one month football fiesta. The veteran sports administrator  said lots of tourist would still be willing and eager to visit Russia in time soon after relishing the great hospitality they had during the mundia. He said the current NFF board is striving hard to win an hosting right for FIFA World cup event which will open Nigeria to yet another opportunity to host the world and create further avenue for tourism to thrive in the country.

Kayode Tijani took the audience to memory lane about sports and the need for vibrant Sports archive. He registered his disappointment in the past administrations for their negligence to have a well documented library for Nigeria sports. The ex-Sports editor of BenTv in UK, sighted an example that Nigeria does not have any images either visual or pix of FESTAC 77 events.

He said as sophisticated has his archive was he couldn't lay his hand on any imagery of the FESTAC '77 festival events which later became 'emotional trauma' for him. But as a good student of 'history', he had that there was a sport contingents from the UK that visited Nigeria's team of the 1977 in Lagos.

He traveled to UK's British Broadcasting Cooperation, BBC to inquire about the team. He was shocked to see that what took the lady that attended to him at the BBC UK ofrice was just a click and the documentary of the visiting UK team immediately popped up on the computer screen. Such is the value of having a vibrant archive.

Vinod Kaurani, an astute Aviation guru emphasis that it was not about how much Nigeria is missing in Tourism rather about how much the country can gain. Tourism's financial opportunity is unquantifiable, Nigeria can only add to its GDP if they invest more in Tourism and Aviation.  He said Nigeria must open her window for world to see. The hospitality and serenity added with monumental edifice in Nigeria is enough to attracts any prospective tourist to the country but Nigerians must first start by seeing themselves as a good ambassador of their country, as a proud Nigerian who portraits the image of the country in a way foreigners would be tempted to visit the country .

Abiola Bakare, a renown Aviation cum tourist facilitator was precise in his remarks as he opined that Nigeria can only get better if we tap into the potentials that Tourism/Aviation has to offer sport. He said the influx of tourist at 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa skyrocketed the country's GDP to mind-blowing level. He said the county maximized the tourism sector to attract many tourist to the country and it helps their financial scorecards after the football event.

Tega Onajaife, a member of Nigeria women's league committee task Government , Sports Administrators and Aviation expert to explore the women's National teams and league for promotion of tourism and sport. She said a lot of foreign athletes who came to Asaba, Nigeria for the just concluded Africa Athletic Championship were eager to have a feel of Nigeria tourism. She said they've heard a lot of good things about Nigeria and it was like they were here for two reasons; sport and tourism.

The convener of the event Prince Deji Ajomale-McWord, a Golf affectionado had a rather mind boggling experience to share with the audience. He talks about a Golf club in Jos that had it history maliciously annihilated by a rather grandstanding Administrator who ordered that the history of the golf club which is dated back to early 19th century must begins in 1960s. And the sad story of a Sport Federation in Nigeria that had its archive left behind from their former domicile. It was pathetic and sober reflection for the sport sector. "Which office moved without its archive"? Asked, the convener.

The event was a reference to the fact that Africa has enormous capital and social benefits to gain if the continent is ready to invest heavily and put the right personnel to maned the tourism and sporting affairs in the continent. And Nigeria, with human resources endowment and financial capability can become the Pacesetter for Africa in sports and tourism.

NFF crises; the immediate past and the present..

Normalcy restored as Amaju Pinnick's board resumes
office.

In what looks like covert operation the DSS on Monday
morning storm the NFF Glass House to eject Giwa's 'parallel'
board from the premises where they had began 'fictitious'
duties since fortnight ago, basking on untenable and
misconstrued court injunctions.

While Pinnick led board were dutifully discharging their
functions at the just concluded FIFA world cup as match
commissioners, Barr. Giwa was in Jos pursuing a
'reinstatement order' at Supreme court. The apex court
which has no locus standing to preside over footballing
matters rules the case should be re-open at the High court
where it was abinitio strucked out sighting 'lack of merit'.

However, it is pertinent to know that neither supreme court
nor High court has jurisdiction power to mitigate over football
matters as stated by FIFA charter that all football related matters
must be addressed by Court of Arbitrations for Sport.

Curiously, instead of Giwa to return to High court to seek redress
as stated by the judgement he obtained at the apex court he
rather assume office as NFF chairman at the Glass house.

In a move seen by many as 'order from the above' the DSS
arrived at the Glass House of the Nigeria Football Federation with
full determination to dislodge Giwa's illegal constituted board.
The exercise was carried out without any resistance from the
Giwa camp.
A while later, the Secretary General and other member of
Amaju Pinnick's led board were seen resuming to their respective
duty post.

Needless to say that it took another intervention of Government
apparatus (the DSS) to forcibly restore normalcy to our football after
(another) same government apparatus (Supreme court) had earlier
presided over a case it has no jurispudent power over.

Perhaps this current scenario has nullified the age long sayings that
"two wrongs doesn't make a right".. Only time will tell!
Pinnick is expected to resume office on tuesday morning after

attending CAF 2 day symposium in Morocco over the weekend.

That post was penned on Saturday 23rd July, 2018 when directive came from the Presidency that Giwa and his co-travellers should vacate the Glass House of Nigeria Football Federation office.

Between then and now...

It has been a rollercoaster affairs as Giwa, the illegal office occupant and Pinnick, the embattled FIFA recognized FA chairman has been sharing the office intermittently which has prompted the World Football Governing body to send a warning signal that if the imbroglio, anarchy and grandstanding show of might that plaque our football matters is not amicably resloved Nigeria should expect heavy sanction.

The sanction would include:

1. All our (football) National teams; Super Eagles, Falcons, Falconet, U23, U20, U17) shall be exempted from FIFA (affiliated) organized competitions.

2. Our club side shall be expel from the continental assignments where the likes of Eyimba is our flag bearer at the ongoing CAF Confederation cup.

3. Any Nigerian player who is seeking pasture new shall have his International Clearance paper unapproved as the NFF that's meant to facilitate such document would have been ban from global football business.

4. The proceed that's meant to be share amongst the participating countries at the just concluded FIFA World cup shall not be send to Nigeria as the office and the personnel  meant to address such issues would be no where to be found.

Genesis and wayout.

In every sphere of Nigeria institutions, ego, grandstand-rism, selfish-interest and an individual standing tall above the institution he is serving as been the order of the day. Our football malaise predates current Pinnick vs Giwa-Dalung tussle. The unpatriotic interest of our past and present sport administrators is legendary. Remember the gory years of Kojo Williams, the cat with nine lives Taiwo Ogunjobi and not forgetting the turbulent era of Ibrahim Galadima.

On 16th of August, the Acting-President Prof. Oshibajo summon Minister of Sports Solom Dalung and the NFF boss Amaju Pinnick to emergency meeting at the villa to discussed a way out for this shenanigans and the communiqué of the meeting suggest the Acting-President ordered with immediate effect the vacation of Giwa from the Glass House and his complete isolation from footballing matters. It's left to be seen if Giwa, who flouted Government's first warning would abide and comply with this second warnings.

The role of the sport minister, Solomon Dalung shall be fully explain in subsequent post but one thing is apparent, the sports Minister have not cover himself in glory in all of these rigmarole .The earlier our sports ministers accept that their duties is supervisory not a substantive head of each Sport federations the better. Nigeria is now at a loggerheads with International bodies like IAAF, FIBA, FIFA etc, no thanks to the Sports Minister's unhealthy ministries.

Hopefully,  logic and wisdom will prevail , Dalung would see the need to burge to the FG divine intervention and Nigeria football can once again soar and fly.

Moses bids Eagles farewell

In what came with mixed feelings for the ardent Super Eagles supporters, Victor Moses took to his instagram page on Wednesday evening to announce his retirement from international football.

The former Wigan Athletic and ex-England U21 star sighted club commitment and family bond as the major reasons for calling it quit with the National team.

Born in Nigeria, Moses represented England youth teams at under-16, under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels, but opted to play forNigeria as opposed to being fully capped for England. 

Moses was often criticized of placing more priority to his club's duty than National team call ups by conspicuously unavailable in some National team assignments while he would always be available for club's duties, hence it didn't came as a rude shock  to some when he sighted his reason for retirements.

He wrote, ‘I would like to announce that after much
thought I have made the decision to retire from playing
international football.

’I have experienced some of the best moments of my life
wearing the Super Eagles shirt and have memories with
me that will last a lifetime. Nothing will ever compete to
what it felt like to represent Nigeria on behalf of our
country.

‘’However I feel that now is the right time to step away in
order to be able to focus fully on club career and my
young family as well as to allow the next generation of
Super Eagles stars the opportunity to step up and to
flourish. We are blessed as a nation to have so many
exciting young players coming through and now is their
time.

'’There are so many highlights that stand out for me over
the years; from making my debut, to playing in two World
Cups and being a part of the team to win the African
Nations Cup for first time for our nation since 1994 being
just a few of them.

‘’I have already spoken to the manager by telephone and
would like to say thank you to him and his staff, the NFF
and all of my teammates for all of their support over the
years. Most importantly I would like to say thank you to
the Nigerian people for believing in me and supporting me
over the years. It’s meant the world to me and my family
and I will always be a proud Nigerian supporting the team.

‘’Thank you for the memories and good luck to the team
for the future NG.

Moses, 27,  made  37 appearance for the Super Eagles in 6 years with
the Nigerian senior national team. and scored in his last match for the Super Eagles in 2-1 loss against Argentina at the 2018 FIFA world cup 

Meanwhile, mixed reactions has been trailing his retirement announcement as other former Nigerian international has lend their views on the matter.

In his view, a former Nigeria international, Adokiye Amiesimaka called on football authorities to find out reasons for the Chelsea winger, Victor retirement from the Super Eagles.

“There could be more to it than meets the eye. It is worth
finding out. He is still young and can still play for Nigeria.

“At 27, Victor Moses should be at the peak of his career.
Ronaldo and Messi are in their 30s and are still with their
national teams. It means playing for Nigeria was a distraction.”

But in his own reaction Christian Chukwu, former Super Eagles coach
and captain, said that the retirement of the Nigerian born Chelsea player, Victor Moses, from international football was a matter of decision and not age.

“Victor Moses is a very vibrant and young player, so he
 has the right to take decisions for himself.

"He knows his body more than any person, therefore, it is
best known for him why he retired and we wish him well,’’
Chukwu said.

He was an integral part of the 2013 squad that won
the African Cup of Nations, the third for Nigeria,