By Clem Oluwole
It is nice to be back after some weeks in the limbo. Actually, I went on leave. And while I was off the scene, a number of burning issues cropped up. Some have been handled by sports commentators and analysts. However, I will like to pick on some of the issues for the benefit of my readers.
One of the major developments on our national sports scene that has bothered every sports loving Nigerian is the way the Moscow sex scandal probe report has been handled.
I need not bore you with what I have written in this column about the sad episode. But you will remember I joined in the call for a probe and the appropriate authorities set up a panel to determine whether or not a sex scandal really took place far away in the Soviet land.
Now the report of the probe has been submitted and actions are being taken against some individuals or bodies found guilty by the panel. One of such bodies already dealt with is the National Sports Commission (NSC) itself. What about the Nigeria Olympic Committee?
The reconstitution of the NSC board and the inclusion of some members of the Moscow sex probe panel drew criticisms from some quarters. There was this argument that why should those who sat on the panel be made to come and implement what they recommended?
There are two views on this issue. One, there should be separation of powers. Like in a democratic society, one body legislates, then another executes. The panel has made its far-reaching recommendations and another body entirely should be made to implement same. By so doing, the public will be convinced that there is no witch-hunting or vendetta. Those members of the probe panel in the Dankaro-led NSC board may be too emotional in their implementation exercise.
The other side of the coin is that by including some members of the probe panel on the NSC board, it will be easier for them to implement what they recommended. But anyone who strongly believes in what is called separation of powers will surely frown at the inclusion of the probe panelists on the board.
On top of this is the decision of the minister responsible for sports not to publish the contents of the report. The reasons given by the honourable minister for keeping the contents of the report in the fridge are, among other things, that it will lead to divorce suits and that some of the female athletes may become no-go areas for prospective suitors.
The fact is that the minister has virtually revealed everything. He will do the innocent married women and the unmarried female athletes a world of good by separating the grains from the chaff. As at now, all women and girls that went to Moscow stand to be seen as prostitutes. The probe was at the instance of the public and the public has the right to know what the contents are. The minister should not provide any cover for morally and sexually bankrupt individuals who derive pleasure in tarnishing the image of this country abroad. It is a criminal act.
Unholy pilgrimage
By now the Green Eagles are in Brazil. This is the third time in a little over one year that the Eagles have gone on this pilgrimage to the soccer crazy enclave.
Questions have been raised in certain quarters about the rationale behind what can be described as unholy pilgrimage to the soccer passionate country.
According to one of the secretaries in the NFA, the latest trip to Brazil (like the previous ones) ‘is part of our training strategy’.
One wonders the types of strategy the Eagles go to Brazil to acquire. Is football changing daily in Brazil? Before the last Nations Cup tournament, the Eagles went on a tour of Brazil. Before we met the Tanzanians, they went back to Brazil with the Flying Eagles. The results of the trial matches the Green Eagles played there were very disappointing and little wonder we could not beat the Tanzanians in the first leg in Lagos. Even in the return leg in Tanzania, it was John Chidozie and Christian Nwokocha (both did not go to Brazil) that saved us there. Now we are to face Guinea and a 25-man Eagles squad (excluding coaches, interpreters and officials) is now in Brazil to be groomed for the next assignment. If there is any magic in Brazil, then we need not spend thousands of naira to import John Chidozie, Tunji Banjo and Nwokocha to do the job that matters.
There is a good friend of mine who told me the other day that when you show too much love or likeness to anybody (woman or man), she or he takes you for a ride. Simply because Nigeria and the entire Nigerian sporting public are showing keen interest in seeing Eagles qualify for Spain ’82, a trip must be made to Brazil, the home country of the Eagles’ Chief Coach, Professor Otto Gloria. Let somebody tell us what the professor takes home anytime the Eagles fly to Brazil.
I think there is more to it than meets the eye. The trip to Brazil for strategic or skill acquisition is just a disguise. If it is not, then why can’t the Eagles take a trip to another footballing country? Argentina (current World Cup holders) readily springs to mind. During Father Tiko’s time, it was Yugoslavia. Even the Flying Eagles went to Yugoslavia late last year as part of their training programme for the current Junior World Cup qualifying race.
Now the main reason why the national team has to go abroad to prepare for an assignment is that there are better and more sophisticated training facilities in those countries. Why can’t we vote sufficient money for the purchase of these facilities to be used at home instead of spending hundreds of thousands of naira on a group of footballers some of whom may not even remain in the Eagles before Spain ’82, if we qualify, that is.
We shall save a lot of foreign exchange by importing these facilities once and for all which could be used by generations of Eagles. The Eagles are not a permanent and consistent team. But the facilities will be permanent and anybody called to camp can be exposed to them. After all, how many of those who went to Brazil in preparation for the last Nations Cup are now in the squad today? Whenever we decide to hatch a new breed of Eagles, the pack will have to be taken abroad year in year out where there are up-to-date facilities to train them.
It is absolute waste of money. And nobody should fool us.
(Culled from Saturday Commentary, first published on March 7, 1981).
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