Uhuru, a Swahili word which means “freedom or independence” was popularized by Kenyan nationalist and leader Oginga Odinga who used it in the title of his 1967 autobiography, “Not Yet Uhuru “.
The phrase was used to express the fact that “a long-fought struggle or goal is incomplete, even if nominal independence or a milestone has been reached”.
That is the position of Nigeria’s most versatile former Green Eagles player and captain, Chief Olusegun Patrick Odegbami who is many things rolled into one.
His versatility as a football player, journalist, writer, businessman, football school proprietor, motivational speaker, radio and television analyst and a sports activist is a story for another day.
Odegbami has been in the forefront of those agitating that football administration should be open to all Nigerians who have a stake in the game in one way or the other.
This struggle which he has carried over the years as a solo crusader have always been frustrated by the aloofness of most stakeholders including the government which provides about 90 percent of the funds with which football survives in the country.
The struggle however, took a more vociferous dimension this year when those who have been aloof in the past suddenly discovered that the people managing the game everybody says is the only unifier of Nigerians across ethnic and religious divide are destroying it.
Why? Because for the first time since 1994, the Super Eagles missed two World Cups consecutively in 2022 and 2026 while the Super Falcons, Nigeria and Africa’s most successful national team, failed to qualify for the 2027 World Cup for the first since women’s World Cup began in 1991. This was the last straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.
That was when the agitation became louder and several voices joined, saying enough was enough. I must mention a few people who added their voice to the campaign that the Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF board must go.
Former Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Dr Danladi Bako who was also a former chairman of the Sokoto state FA, former Secretary General of the NFA, Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro, Sylvanus Okpalla, former assistant Super Eagles coach, Adokiye Amiesimaka, former Green Eagles winger and former chairman of Sharks Football Cub of Port Harcourt, former Green Eagles player, former Enyimba FC and Super Falcons coach, Kadiri Ikhana as well.
as Tony Ubani, Editor of Sporting Vanguard and president of the Guild of Sports Editors.
Odegbami saw that if Nigerians shout till eternity, calling for Gusau and his cohorts to resign for failing the country and the doctored NFF Statutes wasn’t reviewed, the same people would
return to continue destroying football from where they stopped.
That was why he wrote, asking President Bola Tinubu to stop the NFF Elections scheduled for September 27, 2026, failing which he would head to court to halt the process.
His prayer was answered as the government asked security agencies to investigate the NFF administrators, to find out how they spent the N17 billion it provided the federation to pay all
monies owed the various national teams’ players and officials.
They quickly resigned but the security agencies have affirmed that their resignation won’t stop the probe into the financial misappropriation and misapplication of funds meant for football they are facing.
Nigerians are happy with this development and pray that the NFF is sanitised for a fresh life to be breathed into the house.
However, for Odegbami to be totally happy that he fought a good fight, he has said it is not Uhuru, stressing that going on with the election as planned without reviewing the manipulated NFF Statutes would amount to pouring of new wine into an old wine bottle.
As a result therefore, he wants a fundamental change to the NFF Statutes and the amendment of the electoral guidelines to end the monopoly of State FA chairmen and allow a broader, more inclusive group of stakeholders—such as club owners, coaches, referees, and players unions—to vote and be voted for.a
He equally advised that the rule which allows heavy financial costs tied to contesting elections, which holds back qualified candidates who do not have loads of money from contesting, should be removed.
As if the president was reading Odegbami’s mind, he said the reform the NFF needs “must respond to a long-standing need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.”
Reiterating why a new lease of life was necessary at the NFF, the president said that, “Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system.”
He has directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad, consultative reform process.
The reform is expected to commence with a normalization committee, to be endorsed by FIFA and CAF, put in place pending when a new election is held. Meanwhile, Odegbami is already looking ahead, urging a break from the past as stakeholders look for the person to steer the new ship of football.
”This period provides an opportunity for serious interrogation of the subject, a clean sweep of the past failures, and a new start for Nigerian football administration”, he surmised.
The post ”Not Yet Uhuru”, by Patrick Omorodion appeared first on Vanguard News.
