Akinkunle Bolarinwa
Executive Board Member of the Ondo State Football Association, Dr. Babatunde 'Tee' Akinbinu has advised State Football Associations Chairmen in Nigeria to borrow the template for football development exemplified by Ekiti State Football Association in the last three and half years.
"The reason why Ekiti State FA works and looks so beautiful is because Mr Bayo Lanlege the Ekiti FA chairman threw his hat in the ring and is leading from the front on matters of football development in Ekiti State without any subvention funding from the Government of Ekiti State."
The sagacious Sports Physician asserts that Nigeria needs pragmatic leadership to lead the new path for football development.
"It is a huge irony that I am in Ondo and he is in Ekiti, really. If we had 30 State FA Chairmen in Nigeria like Mr Lanlege of the Ekiti State FA, out of the 37 State FA Chairmen we have in Nigeria, we would NOT be talking about bad governance in football administration. Football development at the National level particularly depends on the input by her affiliates, especially the State FAs which make up 84% of the NFF Congress".
He said, era after era, Nigerians complain about sordid tales of graft and fiscal miasma which often signpost football associations in the country. 'It often heightens when any of the National teams fail at international competitions, but that's the ultimate test. Where we fail to prepare, we prepare to fail.'
"Until all of us stop lamenting and decide to commit ourselves the governance, administration and development of football in our local communities into State FAs, which in turn forms the National NFF General Assembly, NOTHING WOULD CHANGE in National football - and we would continue to lament".
He believes that states football associations are often lethargic about football development, with many State FA Chairmen holding on to office for decades for the mere allure of estacodes from international trips during National Team engagements or other gains from the NFF without trying to develop football in their States and local governments despite collecting money from the NFF and affiliation fees from many teams in the States.
'Many State Football Associations have never had their financial status *publicly audited.* Many State FA Chairmen across the country routinely handpick paid lackeys to continually vote them into into every four years. As there are no limits to tenure, a large section of State FA Chairmen in Nigeria have been in office for more than ten years! All these happen due to the lack of interest and participation in football governance at the lower tiers of football administration by many well-meaning and knowledgeable Nigerians.
The NFF doesn't form itself at the National level by fiat. It is what the State Football Associations do that engender what is seen at the National Football Federation (NFF).
"Ask yourselves what your State FA Chairmen do, everything is about leadership and we must be universally accountable to the people we represent".
It is because managers of Nigeria football have brought the once-upon-a-time booming industry to ruins.
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