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A menacing choice of action knows of no limit to the very end just as a fighting nursing lion will defend her cub till the end. NSC officials are fighting for mediocrity to the very end which this writer believes is near and that’s a prediction. A restructured NSC will likely be born with a brand new regime and real qualified people devoid of ghosts, spirits, ‘paper people’, paupers and the rest of unknown vagabonds perambulating as special assistants to many of those ghosts, spirits and officials. Tough choices of words but the message is clear and athletes of today and their supporters are no longer going to be muzzled or censored in a democratic society like Nigeria. Yes, their words are more expletives than what’s identified above.

Okay, let us assume the Sports Minister has good intentions for the development of sports in Nigeria and all things remain constant. Let us also assume that the grass root level is the target of such programs as the country has heard from the media in all platforms. Then, is it proper to make enquiry on how such programs will be carried out and if so, can it also be asked whether the current sports administrators can be entrusted to implement such programs with their current level of skills? Though these assumptions does not take into consideration the Sports Minister chasing children born abroad that the NSC or Nigeria never has anything  to do with their development as athletes or their welfare.

Sports Committee (House of Representatives) Can Do Better

If these queries are valid, then who should have been (or be) asking these questions directed at the Sports Minister? It is clear that only the right questions be asked and by that Nigerian people as represented in the National Assembly ought to lead the way. Ideally, the enquirer must be knowledgeable in this subject area (sports). What we’ve got in Nigeria is a hydrologist (Geofrey Gaiya) who never competed in any sport and never qualified to be as an accountant, financial or marketing expert suggesting all kinds of ill-advised hypothesis that materials before him contradicted his lines of reasoning. Imagine, he said that NSC has only one line budget where expenses are lumped whereas the budget, I suppose he had something to do with before been approved was something the National Assembly sports committee review on a daily or monthly basis when that committee seats. The question is, if the Chairman for sports committee at the National Assembly is clueless on data before him, then how do we measure the performance value for money spent on sports through NSC? Loving football or being Rangers fan can never equate skills of administration in any endeavor and sport (or sports) is a very unique endeavor at that.

Let us be clear here, this writer is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30years auditing background along with legal skills (Master of Laws) to complement it and finds it very painful when novices challenges what appears to be wrong to everyone by posing as if they are an authority on the such subject due to their status or acclaimed status. The subject of sports has two directions in all countries and they the administrative and the technical (one can imagine this is the case in various industries). The technical side of things generally can be acquired through participation or directed practical training in that particular (or more) sports area while the administrative skills can be learned academically complemented by practical training. The point is a nurse is not a doctor and an engineer is not an accountant unless he/she gained such skills later.

This writer experienced this knowledge deficit nonsense on a visit to a particular large Bank branch in Lagos where the Manager was in fact a local language graduate who argued about what a ledger is or should be with his staff while this writer waited for assistance. Well, to cut the story short, this writer made sure that Manager obtained a position elsewhere and that staff heads that Branch within six months.

Status of Sports

The Sports Minister returned the same people that for over 20years never acknowledged problems bedeviling sports in the country and simply lacked the skills either administratively or technically. His view was based on the fact he thinks things are changing for the better due to lies by various federations and some reporters hyping Nigeria’s chances even as the truth confronts them.

Case in point, the President was deceived recently due to African Youth Championship results shrouded with age falsification allegations surrounding Nigeria’s team while truth writers suggested the dearth in Nigeria’s team based on the team performance. Fast forward, on the on-going World Youth Games, Nigeria’s boys and girls simply are not in the same league as the rest of the World. So, how do we see 2020 Olympics Games when our youth simply don’t measure up now? Waste of time and money unless changes are made right now.

Again, this writer will advise the President through this medium to immediately address all concerns because the NSC really serves no purpose rather causing more future problems. Imagine, Sports Minister sets up various panels to look into problems he created when he assumed office at huge costs to country. There were scandals from the London Olympics on athletics team selection and coaches, for example, a female marathon entrant accused NSC of bribery to be on the country’s team where the Minister set up a panel made up NSC staff and a jurist along with a police officer. There were scandals in the Football (bonus row, etc.), Volleyball, Swimming and Handball (currently in court) federations since Bolaji Abdullahi assumed office and his efforts has being to restore status quo which never delivered world ranked teams to begin with. Again, where is the country heading in sports?

Way Forward

Again, NSC serves no purpose at this time and must be shut down or significantly restructured.

National Assembly Sports Committees are simply clueless and why does it take Public Accounts Committee to lead in responding to Auditor General’s report and not Sports Committee.

I rest

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

A view of an old saying essentially suggested that no one can satisfy the whole world at the same time but smart people will say that all depends on the definition of ‘satisfy’ and whether or not the review of such criteria is subjective. No, I’m not arguing with myself but the point will be made later. The time has come now that readers of current sports affairs know the inner happenings of the NSC whether through this writer’s articles or similar alternative outlets devoid of so-called ‘decorum’ by mainstream media writers. Well, just a few of those writers are really not honest with themselves that no one believed anything written by them.

The key point is that Nigerians now can distinguish between paid advertorials in disguise as sports news that were funded by the NSC N30Million budget for promotions without proof of real value to Nigerians from the real truth. In fact, recently the Auditor General of Nigeria and the National Assembly queried several fraudulent expenditures by NSC. It should be noted that auditors do not review all expenses rather a sample of them so there are likely more revelations to come in the future.

 Those expenses included advertising expenditure in a newspaper of about N2Million that was never really advertised in any media platform or format in the country. Well, this writer awaits query for the N4Million borehole and illegal payments to Athletics Federation (AFN) in a truly transparent unbiased manner just as done with the illegal Football Federation. Failure of which pundits’ belief that Sports Minister is out to create more problems for himself and the new Director General in order  to retain their cronies to fix the created problems at significant costs to the nation will become a reality.

This modus operandi ‘MO’ has been the NSC tool in awarding contracts including cleaning contracts at various stadiums as noted by the Auditor General whereas NSC has cleaners and groundkeepers on staff. What this writer is amazed about is the value National Assembly Sports Committees (Senate & House of Representative) brought to the nation’s sports when not until the Auditor General raised eyebrow likely based on real truth articles will they now recognizes NSC existence has been a giant N15Billion waste of money. Until NSC is restructured with clear terms of engagement focused squarely on the development of sports governed by at least six commissioners with accounting, financial, administrative and technical management skills the Federal Government simply ought to shut it down.

Realistically, Nigerians would have expected those similar skills in the sports committees of both arms of the National Assembly as well, if the country truly wants a sports reform as declared by the President even if Mr. President remains silent on modalities as it is now. Well, some people will say the buck stops at the Presidency and this writer says that the buck stops at all Nigerians’ laps because they chose who controls the government and must hold them accountable.

Way Forward

NSC must be restructured and every individual at NSC must be reassigned including all directors and the Sports Minister.

We know where the country has been and where the sports administrator led us, so the next challenge is how we remove all these sports administrators because to retrain each of them will be counterproductive due to delay in sports development (that needs to begin now) and the costs involved in retraining them. Definitely, the current picture will lead the country to doom. Nevertheless, production of an athlete with real world repute takes an average of six years which means the stars of tomorrow should have been discovered about the age of 12, therefore, the country best hope if the Olympics Games is the measuring stick, is 2020 Games. In hindsight the 2016 Olympics will likely bring the country two athletes’ surprise (this writer knows who they are) and those that attended the London Olympics will no longer be of reckoning.

NSC N30Million budget for propaganda or is it promotions must be STOPPED as it was not intended for any legitimate purpose.

As to funding concern, NSC, though with the Director General (DG) with accounting skills (according to the government) on paper has fired two blanks that ordinarily mean nothing unless the reader knows few things about accounting. Mr. Elegbeleye the DG resumed office with hiring a former drug cheat as his technical adviser or is it special assistant and also refused an invitation extended to him by the National Assembly, his former employer. And I ask, is this guy for real? As noted, his skills in accounting are based on the government media release as such this writer cannot vouch for such accuracy, at this time.

Full blown audit of the NSC must be performed on all expenditure reported by NSC.

I rest

Dr. Rashid A. Balogu, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

 

 

Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has constituted a panel to probe the crisis over match allowance involving Super Eagles of Nigeria players in Namibia.

 The footballers had rejected the allowance approved for them by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) after two away games with the national teams of Kenya and Namibia, towards qualifications for the World Cup. As a result of the protest, the footballers initially refused to board the plane to Brazil to participate in the FIFA Confederations Cup.

The NFF had offered to pay $5000 for a win and $2500 for a draw, but the players insisted on getting $10,000 for a win and $5000 for a draw. The disagreement was resolved by the intervention of the honourable minister who got additional funds to make up for the shortfall proposed by the NFF.

The panel will be chaired Mr. Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of Thisday Editorial Board and former Special Adviser to late President Umar Yar’Adua. He was also a member of the Presidential Task Force set up to ensure Nigeria’s qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

Other members of the panel are Onoche Anibeze, Group Sports Editor, Vanguard Newspaper; Aisha Falode, sports administrator; Shehu Dikko, member of the League Management Company; Akin Oshuntokun, former MD of News Agency of Nigeria; and Garba Lawal, former Super Eagles player.

The terms of reference of the panel are to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crisis over the match bonus, develop a code of conduct for players on national assignments, and any other recommendations that may be deemed necessary.

The panel, which would be inaugurated on Thursday 11th July 2013, has two weeks to submit its report.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has finally confirmed that national coach, Stephen Keshi has not received salary for five months, dating back to when he won the African Cup of Nations in February.

Speaking with BBC Sport, NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu said the situation is still under control, as the coach hasn’t yet made an official complaint.

“Between the federation and the coaching crew, we don’t have a problem. Obligations to the coaching crew are always settled, and we have the understanding of the coaching crew in this regard,” Ahmadu said.

“We’ve been working together with Stephen Keshi since November 2011 and he knows the peculiar situation of how things are with the federation. We try as much as possible to pay our obligations, likewise the coach, and we’ve had a very good working relationship. I know the coach will not bring to the fore any such matters.”

Similarly, Assistant Coach Daniel Amokachi and Goalkeeper Trainer Ike Shorunmu have not being paid.  And Ahmadu believes people should refrain from making a mountain out of the mole hill 

“Perhaps there are people out there that want to capitalise on such matters to create problems between the federation and the coach,” he said. 

“But I know that obligations to the coaching crew are always settled, and we do have the understanding of the coaching crew in this regard. We appreciate that understanding and right now the focus is not about what is being written in the media but it is on the CHAN qualifiers.” 

Meanwhile, the home-based Super Eagles led by Keshi trumped Cote d’Ivoire 4-1 on Saturday in a 2014 CHAN qualifier with goals from Gambo Mohammed and Ifeanyi Edeh sandwiched between a Sunday Mba brace. The second leg holds in Abidjan in another three weeks.

One-cap Nigerian striker, Shola Ameobi has scrapped the clause in his contract that reportedly prevented his participation at the at the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa, which Nigeria won.

After the recently held FIFA Confederations Cup during which the Nigerian team proved bereft of competent striking options, National Coach Stepehen keshi reiterated his love for the Newcastle striker but said he may never again don the Green-White-Green jersey due to the clause. However, an official of the Super Eagles has now disclosed that the power-playing strike could still feature for the team.

“He said the clause has been removed and he will be ready to play for the Super Eagles anytime he is called upon,” Super Eagles official, Dayo Enebi said on Friday.

“Ameobi said he would love to play for Nigeria under Stephen Keshi because he is a good coach, and above all Ameobi is very proud to be a Nigerian and will always grab the opportunity to don the green-white colours of his fatherland.”

Excited, Keshi is already planning talks with the former England junior international, saying he has qualities and vast experience that the national team can always rely on.

 

I wrote a few days ago about the shock from NSC rising to query the illegal Football Federation demands for N250Million funding on expenditures fully paid by FIFA because there is nothing else to explain such feeling since the Athletics Federation (AFN) perpetrated this fraud for many years and as the article that caused this response being penned a demand few days ago was made through Vanguard newspaper articles written by Ben Efe. However, but a pundit demands proof. Well, here you go.The electronic link is at: http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/imported/9572.pdf (p118) and the text follows:

1 The IAAF and Area Associations

The IAAF's largest and most important system of grants to Member Federations is its support for training, travel, and accommodation costs related to the World Championships in Athletics and other World Athletic Series events. The IAAF also makes smaller grants to assist Member Federations with the costs of basic administrative facilities and equipment as well as for special projects (see Chapter 2). Eligibility and procedure policies vary according to the event and specific information is available from the General Secretary.

2 The International Athletic Foundation 

The International Athletic Foundation supports projects which promote the development of athletics. IAAF Member Federations may present project proposals for consideration by the Foundation's Council. Further information may be obtained directly from the International Athletic Foundation.”

A simple arithmetic by seven years old will say something is wrong when Solomon Ogba borrowed money to attend World Championships, turn over some copy of receipts (bogus or not) to the IAAF for reimbursements as noted above and got paid. Upon return to Nigeria, the same Solomon Ogba made demands to NSC with another copy of the same receipts (bogus or not) and got paid. The question is whether NSC knew or should have known that this is going on, either way, the news cannot be good for Bolaji Abdullahi, the Sports Minister because he was informed of such activities long before Football Federation make their request and he did nothing.

The key to all of this is the hypocrisy syndrome within NSC that ordinarily that some Nigerians consider as way of things but how do we effect change with such idiocy and expect to reach greater heights? The President talks about transformation but people at NSC clearly have different things in mind by using the media budget of about N30Million to propagate against the President Goal and Aspirations for sports. Oh, well I may not know so but I doubt if I am wrong because no one in Nigeria remain happy in the downward direction sports in Nigeria is heading.

 Way Forward

Briefly, I reiterate, funding to all sports federations must stop with immediate effect because NSC must be restructured due to good for nothing people pulling down the country rather than advancing the country in the area of sport. NSC is a supposedly a commission but it does not have any commissioner and even the Sports Minister said its workers are incompetent. Again I ask, for what purpose do we need NSC full of incompetent people being defrauded left, right and center. NSC actions had been reduced to just correct problems its staff created at greater costs to the nation along with being the paymaster to foreign organizations in the name of sports federations. Frankly, this is share nonsense based on Sports Minister account of own Ministry.

I do hope I have shed some light on why not just illegal Football Federation should be probed but also AFN and others. The hypocrisy is too great and fraud or criminal acts have no expiration date, therefore, the Federal Government must seek recovery of all funds paid to AFN, Football Federation and others. This is a matter of urgency and on another note I was informed that NSC hired former drug suspended athletes as special adviser, so no one should expect that our athletes will stop using drugs to enhance their performance as the NSC is celebrating drug violators.

 I rest

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

Barcelona star, Lionel Messi and his father Jorge Horacio have denied accusations of tax evasion for more than three years between 2006 and 2009 in the region of €4m.

Messi and his father are under the investigation of Spanish tax authorities for allegedly avoiding payment of charges due from sales of the Argentina captain’s image rights by operating through companies based outside the country.

Prosecutor Raquel Amado signed a complaint and filed it with the courthouse in the Gava district of Barcelona on Wednesday.

But denying the charges, Messi wrote: on his official Facebook account: “We have learned through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. 
“We are surprised about this news, because we have not committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all of our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation.”

If convicted, the superstar faces as much as six years in prison.

Germany's capital will play host to the competition's showpiece for the first time in its history, with the Europa League set to be contested in Warsaw.

UEFA has announced that the 2015 Champions League final will be held in Berlin's Olympiastadion.

The stadium was built when the German capital hosted the 1936 Olympic Games but has never staged the final of Europe's top competition.

However, the continent's governing body has confirmed that the showpiece will return to Germany just three years after Chelsea claimed the title at Munich's Allianz Arena.

"I already told Michel Platini at the 2012 final in Munich that we wish to host this worldwide event again soon," German Football Federation president Wolfgang Niersbach said.

"The fact that it happened so quickly is credit to our ability to organize things and be a good host. I am looking forward to a big football party in Berlin."

Meanwhile, the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland will host the 2015 Europa League final.

The arena was built for last summer's European Championship and hosted five matches, including the opening fixture of the tournament, one quarterfinal and one semifinal.

 

QPR striker Loic Remy has been arrested on suspicion of rape according to The Metropolitan Police and the France international along with two other men is currently in custody in West London.

The 26-year-old forward is alleged to have raped a 34-year-old woman in west London on May 6.

A 23-year-old man and 22-year-old man were also arrested in connection with the incident at an address in Fulham on Wednesday morning.

The woman said she was raped by three men.

“If ain’t broke don’t fix it” by Bert Lance (1977) (23rd Director of the US Office of Management and Budget). I begin this article with such quote to direct the Presidency attention to the happenings in sports industry after disgraceful London Olympics outing. It is the President of Nigeria that acknowledged systemic failure in the sports industry and by His Excellency order, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) was required to restructure the entire industry since August 2012. Unfortunately, the restructure His Excellency dreamed of is not restructure at all but destruction through recycling of same individuals that brought shame to the country at the London Olympics.

Your Excellency, you directed that Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi supply you with among other things plans and ideas to move sports forward. In that regard, Mr. Abdullahi announced he hired MacKenzie group contrary to the provisions of Procurement Act of 2007 to aid in his approach but when questioned further the Minister said that American group merely setup the ill-conceived party for those that destroyed sports in Nigeria, tagged Presidential Sports Retreat. Monies were wasted that could provide a full year meal for over one hundred hungry athletes in Nigeria. This is not exaggeration.

Your Excellency, the Minister followed up such retreat agenda to confront Chief Executive Governor of Lagos State on stage at the opening ceremony of the National Sports Festival aimed originally for youth as repeated by the Governor while on the podium the Minister said the festival should be open to the same athletes that brought shame to the country in London. On the face of it, there is problem with the Minister agenda but in substance this view was not well thought-out for a Minister Calibre individual in charge of multi-Billion Naira budget. Specifically, the Minister failed to consider that he has annual budget of N500Billion for developing local athletes at grass root level but failed to account for such spending that it has become critical to contradict an Executive Governor that Nigeria cannot develop at grass root in Nigeria rather would rely on children of Nigerians born abroad. A novice might ask, what happened to about N2Billion received in the past four years when Nigeria does not or cannot boast of any athlete in development? Should the country continue to throw away money without any public accountability? There is in fact an individual in charge of the so-called grass root sports development and this writer would like to ask, Your Excellency, is it not your concern that N2Billion was controlled by an individual under direction of the Minister and not one single athlete was developed?

Your Excellency, with due respect again, I ask for what purpose is to restructure an industry full of novices and return such novices to continue? This is based on the rules (not law) to create sports’ federations which by international obligations were outside the mandate of NSC. Those federations were agents of international sports federations including football and for that reason must abide by those foreign rules, the key of which, is the independence of those federations from national government or control or interference. Unfortunately, NSC remained non-compliant and such violations are real time costs and disagreement that is destroying football and athletics. Those two sports received more monies from NSC than all sports combined but yet Boxing is the most productive in terms of investment for the country. Continuation to fund these federations can be seen as wasteful spending and aiding corruption because those entities at no time ever accounted for money received from NSC (I use that term to include verification of spending and paper trail) and in most cases these spending were duplication of grants received from those international sports federations in excess of N500Million (that’s the essence of removing interference of national government). The Minister new this is going on.

Your Excellency, India was recently banned from participating in Olympics in the future because the individual alleged to defraud India people during Commonwealth Games in Delhi was been returned as Chairman due to modifying rules that makes only him qualifies for the position. This is a concern for Nigeria to rethink the way sports are governed. Should the federal government prefer to maintain the current useless structure then, what the Minister did in the so-called federation election that returns the same individuals that were in London must be reversed because most of these individuals lacked skills to lead any sport in Nigeria and some them were thugs to begin with.

Your Excellency, it was further alleged that the Minister setup National Sports Council meeting on the eve of such federations elections in aid to pacify those attending with gifts so as to dance to his wishes and in the end those that agreed with him were part of those that become federation Boards members.

Your Excellency, it is further necessary to review spending activities of NSC because the Minister simply lacks accounting skill to know that his Ministry spent N4Million on Borehole and N400Million on soft drinks machine.

Your Excellency, over 600 athletes attended Benin athletics competition during the past weekend and before such held a meeting to determine their future and before reaching consensus the athletics federations banned every one of them including three banned for three years. This action was by the same federation leader, Solomon Ogba, that brought a former US drug offender Garfiled Ellenwood to be a Coach of Nigeria’s team in London until protest and just in the past weekend the same outgoing Solomon Ogba hired that individual again. Mr. Ogba has being acting without impunity and as mentioned by many athletes who are constantly in touch with this writer that he acts that way because of his political affiliation. This writer believes that other than the Minister, all in NSC staff must be hired based on merit and should NSC continue federations department, those staff must be hired on merit.

Your Excellency, is it possible to say that the Minister plan is a ‘restructure’? I think not, what the country is witnessing is act of destruction as there are litany of perennial problems including impecuniosity of NSC, Football and many federations. Is there any hope of revival? Yes and it begins with removal of the Minister because he simply endorsed all actions that resulted in embarrassment and disgrace of the country.

I rest

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

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Last season’s finalists, Bayern Munich FC of Germany have been drawn against perennial favourites, Barcelona FC of Spain in the semi final of the UEFA Champions League while Barca’s home rivals, Real Madrid FC will play familiar foes Borussia Dortmund in the other fixture.

Munich will host the Blaugrana in the first leg in their attempt to atone for last season’s loss against Chelsea in the final as well as claim the continent’s top prize for the sixth occasion.

However, Barcelona, playing in its sixth consecutive semifinal is seeking only its third Champions League triumph in five seasons. Pep Guardiola, set to end his coaching break at the end of this season, will be a centre point of the fixture, as the teams represent his old team and his new team, which he will begin handling when current manager Jupp Heynckes steps aside at the end of the current season.

In the second semifinal, Jurgen Klopp's men will play Los Blancos in a repeat of the group stage matches, Dortmund winning the first leg in Germany 2-1 and drawing the second leg 2-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid, campaigning for its 10th European Cup title, will also be looking to enthrone its coach, Jose Mourinho as the first manager to win the UEFA Champions League with three separate clubs, having previously triumphed with Porto and Inter.

Dortmund has only appeared in the final once, in 1997 when it upset Juventus in Munich.

The first legs will be played on April 23 and 24 and the return legs a week later on April 30 and May 1. The most fascinating feature about the final, which holds on May 25 at the Wembley Stadium in London, is the possibility of an all-Spanish or an all-German final.

 

Former captain and coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Christian Chukwu has urged the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to late Thompson Oliha, who died at the weekend.

According to him, it is saddening that Oliha and all other players who won the Tunisia ‘94 Africa Cup of Nations have yet to receive government’s pledge of a house.

“To be honest, this is not too good,” he said. “He has not received the house he was promised for helping Nigeria win the Nations Cup in 1994. Now he has died, I don’t know if it is not too late for him to be given that house.”

The former assistant coach to Clemens Westerhof also spoke about the commitment of the late Oliha to the national team.

“Oliha was a perfect example in training and matches, as he was always hard working but found the time to exchange banter with players and coaches alike,” Chukwu said, adding that his death is sad and he will be sorely missed.

“He only left for Europe after the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations but even when he was based in Nigeria, he was still first-choice as the European-based players found it almost impossible to outwit him in training and matches.”

 

African champions Nigeria snatched a winner nine minutes from time through Ahmed Musa to beat Kenya 1-0 away and boost their World Cup qualifying chances in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Musa's goal gave the Super Eagles a two-point lead at the top of Group F as closest rivals Malawi were earlier held to a goalless draw by Namibia at home in Blantyre.

Nigeria, who are heading to the Confederations Cup in Brazil later this month, moved on to eight points with two games to play as Malawi failed to keep pace.

Nigeria visit Namibia next Wednesday while Malawi host Kenya at the same time in another crucial round of matches with only the group winners progressing to the third qualifying round.

It was Nigeria's first win since they unexpectedly triumphed at the African Nations Cup in South Africa in February.

They needed an equaliser in added time at home to Kenya in March to avoid a major setback on the road to Brazil and drew 2-2 with Mexico in a friendly last week before travelling from Houston, Texas to Nairobi for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has confirmed the  Jose Maurinho is set to end his three-year spell in La Liga following a trophy-less season in the Spanish capital.

Jose Mourinho will leave his role as coach of Real Madrid at the end of the current season, the club confirmed Monday.

President Florentino Perez revealed at a press conference that Mourinho's time in charge at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is coming to an end by mutual agreement once the 2012-13 season has reached a conclusion.

The announcement comes after a disappointing spell saw Madrid knocked out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals and defeated by rival Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, while Barcelona celebrated La Liga glory.

“The club and manager believe the time is right to bring our relationship to an end,” Perez said. “I would like to thank Jose Mourinho for all his hard work over the last three years. The team has improved over his time here and I would like to wish him all the best.

"The achievements of this season have not been sufficient for the demands of a club such as Real Madrid, or a coach like Mourinho."

Perez admitted the subject of Mourinho's future has been on the club's agenda for some time, but insisted a final decision has only been reached now and there is no agreement in place for his replacement despite suggestions Carlo Ancelotti has already agreed on a deal.

"We have come to this decision just now, although it's something that has been at the back of our mind for some time," Perez said. "We have no pre-contract signed with any manager. This is something we have to look at over the coming days."

Mourinho, meanwhile, has been heavily speculated to return to Chelsea, which is looking for a permanent replacement to interim boss Rafa Benitez.

“You reflect my sentiment exactly… I share your views though… May I also say that you make sense most of the time…” Bolaji Abdullahi, HM, Chairman NSC

 

Introduction

 

This is the last part of my letter to His Excellency, the aim is to set-up a platform for investigative agencies to do their work. From the media firestorms that Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi unleashed to rebut my observations without proof suggesting one or two things that weren’t really helpful towards sports development in Nigeria, I can discern that his cronies such as Enefiok Udo-Bong and Tunde Akinlabi argued about my credentials academically and sports.

 

Intrigues and Sadness

 

Your Excellency, I like to think that Mr. Abdullahi is not paying this cronies part of the N22Million NSC budgeted for promotion without any necessity because media in Nigeria reports the truth (I would think) about the government for free otherwise it is illegal. I will vouch for that any day but cannot remove occasional paid propaganda from my thoughts.

 

Your Excellency, as the Minister cronies shouted that I’m an illiterate; such statement caused me to laugh out loud with my friends and children as such abbreviated version of my academic and professional credential follows:

 

▪     Master of Laws (LLM) with Merit                                       2009

 

       University of London  (UCL & Queen Mary)                    UK

 

 

 

▪     Postgraduate Diploma in European Law                            2008

 

       University of London                                                           UK

 

 

 

▪     Postgraduate Certificate in International Business Law   2008

 

       University of London                                                           UK

 

 

 

▪     Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with Honors                                    2007

 

       University of London, London                                              UK

 

 

 

▪     MBA / Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD)   1990 / 1996       

 

      California Coast University Santa Ana, CA                       USA

 

 

 

▪     Certificate in Business with Accounting concentration   1989

 

       University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) CA           USA

 

 

 

▪     Bachelor of Science in Accounting                                      1988

 

       Minnesota State University (former Moorhead St.) MN     USA

 

                (2yrs Part time & professional training in California)

 

 

 

▪     West African School Certificate (O’Levels)                        1979

 

     Jibril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Iponri, Lagos Nigeria

 

 

 

▪     General Certificate of Education (GCE) O’Levels      1978

 

 

 

▪     Primary School leaving Certificate                               1974      

 

       National primary School, Yaba, Lagos                           Nigeria

 

 

 

▪      Certified Public Accountant (California since 1991)   USA

 

 

 

My past clients include City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport, Sherriff Departments, Public Works, Los Angeles Unified School District, Port (Sea) of Los Angeles, City of Bernalillo, Bernalillo County, Large Financial Institutions, Large Entertainment conglomerates and others. I have only identified public institutions as I’m not at liberty to disclose private clients. Not one of my clients’ revenue falls below $1Billion (or about N200Billion). It takes integrity and top security clearance to be entrusted with such responsibility.

 

Your Excellency, I was also an athlete that represented Lagos State from the age of 14 to 17 (gained from grass root sports development lacking today), qualified along with others at age of 15 to represent Nigeria at World Junior cross country Championship in Poland before the Military regime pulled out. The record is there and my compatriots are alive hale and hearty. Can we say the same thing about Mr. Abdullahi and that Solomon Ogba of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)? In addition, after a successful untainted (with any drug) career at the American collegiate circle, I maintain assistance to many athletes in excess of 100 including camping about 20 of them in Mr. Abdullahi home state of Kwara. Again, the records are there and the athletes are alive and still on the national team since 2006. Shouldn’t the country worry how an athlete remained on national team for about 8 years? I would and it will definitely bother me even though these are my kids.

 

Your Excellency, Mr. Abdullahi cronies also suggested that they found grammatical errors in my writings; therefore, they can’t comprehend what my articles were about. Unfortunately, from the same media release by Mr. Abdullahi and his cronies the issues were responded to.

 

Your Excellency , the funniest thing is that my writings invite Nigeria’s intellectuals that can read technical writings (not novices) and legal documents and I like to believe the Minister got such skills and if not, he is not qualified to head any Ministry.

 

Interestingly, Your Excellency, that Dr. Ojo-Oba (NSC Staff) in charge of N550Million grass root sports development that failed to deliver a single athlete was charged in criminal case while he was the secretary of football federation N1.3Billion scam and his travel was limited then.

 

Your Excellency, every single proposal delivered to the Minister was free of charge as my contribution to Nigeria but the Minister cronies enjoying N22Million annual paycheques are now having sleepless nights.

 

In fact, the Minister wrote in November 2012 and I quote, “You reflect my sentiment exactly… I share your views though… May I also say that you make sense most of the time…”

 

Your Excellency, the question now is, if the Minister agrees with my writings or proposal (delivered voluntarily and free without any interest in any office as I am happy where I am) and yet he is doing the opposite thing, is it not proper to assume that he lacks integrity, objectivity and interest of the athletes rather he bows to his cronies and cabal with impunity?

 

Your Excellency, I refer to excerpt of my published (copyright) materials again in respect of funding and budget of NSC and you can see why Mr. Abdullahi lacked the skills to remain as a Minister anywhere,

 

“In 201049 NSC continues the same pattern of spending in all those areas noted in 2009 at higher amounts including increase to N550Million for Grass root sports development. Also, N400Million was budgeted for soft drink Equipment, N88Million for security despite the Nigerian Police having such mandate along with questionable African Athletics Centre for N260Million and N880Million for sporting activities.

 

201150budget included similar appropriations noted earlier  in 2009 and 2010, plus cost of resurfacing National Stadium Surulere, Lagos (NSL) by National Institute for Sports (NIS) for N32M while NSC also has budget doing the same stadium for N81M. NIS does not own NSL and did not have such obligation to resurface any tartan tracks (nor does it appear it was done). NSC also had about N5Billion for sporting activities.

 

In 201251, NSC maintains similar level of highlighted expenditures. The commission received approximately N9Billion covering the commission, Football Association and Institute of Sports. The personnel cost out of this budget was about N1.6Billion and capital expenditures amounted to N1.5Billion while the remainders of the appropriations were simply overhead.

 

The budget for 201352 showed a little improvement with reduction in publicity expenditure to about N9Million however; NIS continues its unusual high budget for NSL that NSC has capital expenditures approval away from NIS budget. The National Assembly may have simply missed any of these appropriations except perhaps the notation of unnecessary spending on free facebook.53”

 

Your Excellency, Mr. Abdullahi simply lacked the skill to comprehend necessity for budget or how budget is made or how to read a budget otherwise he would have refer this outrageous spending to EFCC. Well I speak as an expert designated since 1991 before Mr. Abdullahi and his cronies ever step foot on any University campuses, if they truly did. Furthermore, I would think Mr. Abdullahi is subject to requirement to declare his assets and not maintain accounts abroad which I can determine if he maintains an account in UK within minute.

 

Conclusion

 

Your Excellency, my request is simply that NSC be probed and the Minister must step aside to have an effective resolution. Furthermore, AFN leader Solomon Ogba must be probed because multi-Billions received from NSC is simply based on fraud. I have no personal misgiving with the Minister or anyone and my interest is the athletes welfare where there are at least N2Billion in NSC budget for them but some of them cry up to me every now and then for funds, personal issues, travels, education and other concerns. If I can write for about an hour every day until these issues are resolved it saves me telephone costs, travel costs, western union fees and interruptions in dealing with my paying clients’ concerns, so be it because in the end my country benefits and the idiots go home. Simply put I can no longer be “FATHER CHRISTMAS”. Enough is enough. Thank you for listening.

 

I rest

 

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

 

rbaloguncpa@hotma

Dictatorship is a word that Nigerians of years past got a glimpse and reality of what the word meant but nowadays when it raised its ugly head or big stomach the governed rise up vigilantly. This writer wrote about National Sports Commission (NSC) leader and Solomon Ogba (disgraced and no longer a leader) of Athletics Federation (AFN) acting dictatorially and victimizing athletes and NSC maintains blind eyes and ears and in fact wants that man to be Director-General of NSC.

Whatever that is between the two of them will soon be revealed in expose but what happened over the weekend justifies a serious look why the Presidency does not see urgent need to bring in credible and acceptable people in sports.

Solomon Ogba (former NSC imposed AFN leader)

The header here is no misnomer Ogba was imposed by NSC on athletes and discriminated against any athlete who refused to compete for Delta State as slaves and those athletes were over 90% of the national team. He also victimized and intimidated virtually all of them to the point that some of them wrote this writer to aid in finding them a country to naturalise and the NSC leader was informed promptly even with the actual email.

London Olympics Games came with surprise to everyone that Solomon Ogba and his entourage hired a drug violator Ellenwood Garfield to coach Nigerian team. The Minister was informed while he was in London but unfortunately this same Minister joined the parade of drug cheats on red carpet, I refer to Nigeria’s own drug violator Mary Onyali showering her with accolades and Nigerians were amazed with this hypocrisy.

Recently, the Minister announced that not just athletes would be banned in the future but also the officials, but that time is now. Specifically, Solomon Ogba hired the same drug cheat Ellenwood Garfield (of London Olympics outrage) to coach Nigeria’s team in Penn Relays over the weekend.

Again, over the weekend to pacify athletes by intimidation Solomon Ogba illegally banned all Nigerian athletes (over 600) in other to prevent them to vote in election for Board leadership. In fact Ogba also threatened athletes who were not part of his so-called Golden league competition (which is a money stealing scheme). He sent skype threats text messages to some athletes vowing he will deal with them for not supporting him in his foolish agenda of thuggery and corruption, a typical area-boy that he is and was.

Bolaji Abdullahi, Honourable (?) Minister

Well, I hesitated on the use of the term ‘honourable’ because that office is honourable but the occupier, this writer is not so sure based on recent events.

This individual supported Solomon Ogba in all his nefarious actions injurious to the nation called Nigeria and for that reason alone, the term ‘honourable’ appendage to his name got a question mark.

Furthermore, this NSC leader pronounced a communiqué on behalf of various states that was never before the so-called National Council of Sports, essentially he was alleged to be lying because that statements was prepared at least one week before any discussion at the Ilorin parley with states sports council representatives. Again, this is not honourable action.

Going back on Ogba issue, Mr. Abdullahi was reported as forwarding Ogba name to the Presidency to become the next Director-General of NSC. Imagine, the entire Nigerian athletes protest against a person the NSC wants to be its Director-General. I will say this, Mr. Abdullahi and Ogba must leave Nigeria’s sports alone and if they don’t they should expect more protests. Next protest will not just be from the athletes but also from the country’s seats of power as this article will be on the desk of every Government agency in Nigeria, all AFN sponsor and international sporting organizations.

We say, Mr. Abdullahi it’s your call to act honourably or be dishonored and disrespected. Until you ban Solomon Ogba and his destroying supporters at AFN from ever be involve in any sport your actions will be suspicious. The country is in democracy and the athletes that should determine their own future wants freedom and justice not threats, intimidation and drug violators around them or being their leader.

AFN has continually defrauded the country and you are aware but did nothing rather you established a panel to intimidate a complainant of Olympics bribery scandal. The country also became aware of your threat to refer a matter on football management withdrawal of N10million to EFCC but not interested hundreds of millions AFN got illegally from NSC or simply demands records from AFN.

The pending federations elections are as noted many times will be a farce, scam, sham and scandalous and must be jettisoned. Failure of acting in the interest of those you governed, we ask that you resign or we will petition the President to remove you, immediately. This we guarantee you.

I rest.

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

 

　

 

　

 

The prospect of an all-German or an all-Spanish European Champions League final next month remained alive after Friday's semi-final draw. Last year's beaten finalists Bayern Munich, who have already secured the Bundesliga title, take on Spanish league leaders Barcelona.

In the other match, Borussia Dortmund will play Real Madrid, as representatives of Europe's current dominant footballing powers go head-to-head. The first leg matches will be played on April 23 and 24, with the return games on April 30 and May 1.

But with the Spanish and German teams kept apart when European football's governing body UEFA made the draw for the last four, the Wembley showpiece could just as easily feature yet another Germany-Spain clash.

Remarkably, the four semi-finalists can boast a total of 18 European titles between them. Real lead the way with nine victories, although their last success dates back to 2002. Their arch-rivals Barcelona and Bayern both have four and Borussia weigh in with their single victory in 1997 when they upset favourites Juventus 3-1 in the final.

Neutral fans were probably hoping for a Bayern v Barcelona final, promising a feast of football between arguably the continent's two top teams of the moment. The semi-final is given added piquancy in that former Barca coach Pep Guardiola is to take over the helm at Munich's Allianz Arena next year.

But Jupp Heynckes, the man he is to replace, will have reason enough of his own for wanting to reach the final -- and not simply in order to bow out on a winning note in London. He will no doubt also be hoping that Real win through to the Wembley showdown, as a fitting way to bring down the curtain on his long and distinguished coaching career against the side he led to the European crown in in 1998, bringing the Madrid giants their first title in the competition in more than 30 years.

Bayern, having comprehensively dispatched Juventus in the last round, again have home advantage first but are unlikely to find the Barca defence as porous as the Italians, who shipped four goals without reply over the two legs. However, if they are to reach their third final in four years, Bayern will have to do so without the services of leading scorer Mario Mandzukic, who is suspended for the first leg.

Barcelona, in their sixth semi-final in as many years, showed just how reliant they are on World Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi in their hard-fought quarter-final triumph over Paris Saint Germain, eventually prevailing on away goals. But they needed the less-than-fully-fit Messi to come off the bench in the second leg in Barcelona to orchestrate the equaliser on the night that saw them through.

Jose Mourinho's Real are unlikely to relish the thought of another trip to Dortmund in this season's competition.In the group stages, the Germans overran Real 2-1 and then earned a deserved 2-2 draw in Madrid to finish top of the group.

And the way Real struggled to overcome game Galatasary, losing the away leg 3-2, while Dortmund were getting the better of another Spanish side Malaga with two late goals, will doubtless set the alarm bells ringing in the Spanish capital.

There is also the little matter of the bitter memory of their last German semi-final opponents, Bayern, who beat them on penalties at the same stage of the competition last season. The first leg matches will be played on April 23 and 24, with the return games on April 30 and May 1, with the final at Wembley stadium in London on May 25.

Meanwhile, in the EUROPA League semi-finals, Chelsea was drawn against Swiss side Basel while Turkish giants Fenerbache will face one of the competition favorites, Benefica of Lisbon.

Thompson Oliha, a member of the victorious Super Eagles squad to the 1994 African Nations Cup, has died.

Oliha, who was one of the coaches at the Kwara State Football Academy in Ilorin, died this morning. He was even on the bench on Saturday when Kwara Football Academy (KFA) boys played against a Malian team. He reportedly complained of malaria and was hospitalised in the state capital before he gave up the ghost.

Kwara State Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Bunmi Adedoyin as well as Lagos State Chairman of SWAN, Fred Edoreh confirmed the tragedy. 

Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi commiserated with the family of Thompson Oliha, describing him as a very influential member of the Nigerian national team in the 90s.

“He contributed greatly to the success of that team,” the minister said in a release signed by his special adviser, Julius Ogunro.

“He was a dedicated and thoroughbred professional who always put the nation first and who was member of the golden generation of Nigerian football history.

A true patriot, he was motivated by the desire to don the Nigerian jersey than by pecuniary interests. He would be deeply be missed by the sporting community in Nigeria and the world at large. I pray that his soul rests in peace.”

Both the club and the Brazilian forward himself have confirmed he will formally put pen to paper on Monday and join the Camp Nou giants this summer

Barcelona has officially confirmed it has reached a deal with Santos to sign Brazilian star Neymar, who will sign a five-year contract with the club on Monday.

The forward himself also broke the news through his Instagram and Facebook accounts and revealed his appearance against Flamengo on Sunday would be his last for his boyhood club.

In a Madrid derby that went into extra time, Atletico Madrid found the back of the net twice to emerge winner of the 2012 -13 Copa Del Rey.Thus ending  fourteen years of hurt. Atletico last beat Madrid in 1999.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sent off via a red card, gave Real Madrid an early lead. But goals from Diego Costa and Miranda ensured that ATLETICO MADRID secured their tenth Copa del Rey title. Final scores ATM 2: RMD 1.

Sports is one sector where everyone can claim to be a stakeholder.  That’s because the passion we all have for the game. But even that does not give us the liberty to disrespect, ridicule and insult those who have responsibility to administer sports. While criticism if constructive and good intentioned can help sports and make administrators more productive, the bad-mouthing which is the usual fare in the sector is destructive and does no good except to pull down the administrators.

 

 This brings me to one Rashid Balogun.  I first came across his writing about a year ago.  It was a diatribe against someone I cannot recall. But the piece was so badly written; the language poor, filled with spelling and grammar errors that I thought no one would take him serious.  But the man seems unrelenting, posting one article after another and surprisingly some naïve people in the sports sector now reference him! This probably has boosted the man’s ego and feeling like the expert he is not, continued to feed us with his barely readable nonsense.

 

I believe it is time someone told him the truth. Mr. Balogun, you are a very poor writer and your arguments do not make sense, lacking logic and merit. You are like the family member who has a bad case of mouth odour and who no one has told the truth in order not to offend his sensibilities. But anyone who actually did would be doing a huge favour to Mr. Mouth Odour.  So here it is: Mr. Balogun, your articles stink to hell and do not make any sense.

 

 

But don’t take my word for it.  You can read Mr. Balogun’s nonsense in any of the online media that have mushroomed in the country.  He is so prolific at dishing it out that it is obvious that he does not have a day job. It is impossible for a person who is productively engaged to have the luxury of time to post the nonsense Mr. Balogun dishes out nearly every week.

 

 But if those articles make sense and somehow contribute to the development of sports, one can excuse the bad grammar and obvious lack of talents for writing. But they do not. Take the article he wrote sometime in April about “Dictator Ojo Oba takes over NSC (in palace coup).” Typical Balogun, the goal of that piece appears to be to set the Minister of Sports against Dr. Bolaji Ojo Oba, a Director in the Ministry. After several exhaustive readings, what I could glean from it is that Balogun picked issues with Dr Ojo Oba’s comment that secretaries of federations should prepare their handover notes ahead of their redeployment to the Ministry. According to him, this was in defiance of the minister’s directive that the secretaries are to be withdrawn! And so Ojo Oba was a ‘Dictator’ bent on taking over the Ministry from the Minister. What logic!

 

 

The simple truth is that both men were saying the same thing! What I gathered from my investigations was the minister thought it was essential to grant the Federations more autonomy, in which case they, and not the National Sports Commission, NSC, would be responsible for their secretariat. His argument was that the NSC couldn’t blame the Federations for poor performance if it is responsible for their administrative component, which is the job of the Secretaries. And this is a common argument amongst some stakeholders, how the Federations are not autonomous and are tied to the apron string of the NSC.  The minister thus felt it was necessary in line with best practices to free the NSC of this role and make the body play its natural function of making policies, supervising them and ensuring compliance. And the first step towards this was to recall the secretaries who are staff of the NSC. But before their eventual and inevitable recall, they were asked to prepare their handover notes. That was the case Ojo-Oba was making when he said the Secretaries had been told to prepare their handover notes. But Balogun turned this up side down and interpreted it to mean direct defiance of the minister.

 

 Well I am really not surprised, as the man seems incapable of understanding simple procedures. If he does, he would make sense in his writing and not write gibberish such as this:  “An attempt to bite the’ dust’ would not reflect a society norm but will certainly face the wrath of such normalcy. To be an athlete is not a norm but rather a symbol of eccentrics. Let me explain, less than 10% of our society considers themselves as athletes in their lifetime for whatever reason and majority of the population will ask for what purpose would a sprinter be running or who is pursuing him/her or why an individual is chasing after football.”

 

That is the introduction of a piece written by the semi illiterate Balogun who claims to be a Phd holder. Even though I read it 10 times, I could not understand the point he was trying to make. Reason why it grates me each time I read anything carrying his byline. The latest being on the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi. I am sure the minister is capable of defending himself or has hired hands that can, but I think it necessary to expose Balogun for the fraud and charlatan that he is. In his latest piece, he attacked Abdullahi and Solomon Ogba, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, for using drug tainted American Ellenwood Garfield as coach. This is a blatant lie, which an ordinary Google check could have exposed.

 

Then Balogun seems to be obsessed with vacant position of Director General in the Commission, having sleepless nights over beer parlour rumour over whose names were submitted to fill the vacancy. Ogba is the second rumoured candidate he is attacking. I think he should wait for the Minister to officially declare the position vacant and submit prospective nominees to the President. As it is Balogun is doing a very bad job of being a paid pen.

 

 

By Tunde Akinlabi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nigerian Mitchell Obi has been elected President of the AIPS Africa at the elections held in Sochi, Russia.

With the involvement of 24 countries the assembly backed proposals for a consensus to pick the 13 members for the AIPS Africa Executive Committee following the withdrawal of three candidates Kabulo Muana Kabulo(DR Congo), Mamadou Koume(Seneh) and Morad Moutaouakkil (MOR) in favour of Mitchell Obi(Nigeria).

After reports of AIPS Africa meetings in Innsbruck 2012, and Dakar, coordinated by AIPS Treasurer Jorge Ribeiro the assembly-endorsed members proposed by Mitchell Obi and also co-opted others who had been nominated for various posts.

The newly elected AIPS Africa President who will also sit on the AIPS Executive Board as one of the Vice President said that he is committed to work closely with the present members and get more countries to join AIPS.

"Together we can bring back a voice of AIPS Africa that stands for the future of Sports. Together we can build a treasure that can take care, sincerely the growing needs of a blossoming field of sports journalists in the continent. Here the women journalists are close to my heart and they will provide the reassuring pillar," said Obi who has served on the AIPS board as member since 2005 when outgoing President Moroccan Boumid Belaid took the helm of the continental body.

AIPS Africa Executive Committee

President: Mitchell Obi (Nigeria)

First vice president:  Mourad Moutaouakil (Morocco)

Vice Presidents: Kabulo Kabulo Muana (DRC), Amadou Diouldé Diallo (Guinea

General Secretary: Emmanuel Gustave Samnick (Cameroon)

Deputy Secretary-General: António Gonçalves Ferreira(Angola)

General Treasurer: Felix Sohounde Peperipé (Benin)

Executive Committee Members: Ibrahim Abdallah Mustafa Hema (Libya), Ntoto Lacombe (Congo), Yonas Yeshome (Ethiopia), Mufti Mohamed (Sudan), Mohamed Slimane (Niger), Rougui Alassane Niane (Senegal).

 

Erstwhile Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Shuaibu Amodu has been appointed Technical Director of the country’s football team.

Also, James Peters was appointed National Technical Director for Youth and Women Development while Kashimawo Laloko was appointed National Technical Director for Youth Development. All three coaches have been handed their letters of appointment.

Former Ethiopia Coach, Tom Saintfiet was initially appointed technical Director last year but never assumed office following opposition from a section of the country’s footballing community, leading to a revocation of his contract.

 Amodu, meanwhile, twice qualified Nigeria for the World Cup (in 2002 and in 2010) but he was sacked on both occasions before the beginning of the mundial.

More Articles ...

  1. Dictator Ojo-Oba Takes Over NSC (in palace coup)
  2. Eagles begin training in Calabar ahead of 2014 WC Qualifier against Kenya
  3. UEFA Champions League: Ronaldo v/s Drogba as Messi Faces Beckham
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