Ex-internationals are not celebrated in Nigeria

Ex-internationals are not celebrated in Nigeria

Taribo West needs no introduction to followers of Nigerian football. He hung his boots after attending two World Cups (1998, 2002). He was a celebrated footballer whose hairstyle remains iconic in FIFA record. Taribo spoke with Jacob Ajom, on the state of the game in Nigeria. What do you make of the tussle for the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation?

Those fighting for the leadership of the NFF are not honest to themselves; be it Giwa or Pinnick. But the Pinnick-led NFF, as in the last few years, has been able to prove a certain kind of credibility, because not that only Nigeria qualified for the World Cup but also we did not hear that players bonuses or coaches salary were being held or any such problem. Taribo West Since he came on, we have experienced an incredible move to the summit, FIFA and CAF delegations were in Nigeria and somehow, he has put a certain kind of fingerprint that stood out against his predecessors. But I don’t see any of them having a good manifesto for football in Nigeria.

As far as I am concerned Giwa has nothing to offer. He only wants to enter there for the spoils of office. He also said that the time has come when somebody needs to confront this people and tell them that football should not be suffering because of their personal ambitions.

One day, I was being interviewed on a TV show when some players from one of the northern states, whether Nasarawa or Kaduna United, I can’t remember, protesting over unpaid salaries as they were being owed for, like six to seven months. They went to the state house to see how they can inquire through the commissioner for sport and the governor how their money would be paid, but they used teargas and security to chase them away.

What about the Players Union that claims they are out to protect players interest? As far as I am concerned, the players union are all not serious; be it Jallah or Popo. They should be careful about what they do because a time will come when they will give account of everything they are doing; if they don’t pay here, in the day of judgment they will. He said that association is madness, am standing as a voice to speak to them whether Harrison Jallah or Austin Popo. Even the one the NFF is trying to bring they are all madness and they have nothing legal that gives them the status as a body for footballers be it former or current footballers. should enter as a revenue to bring blessing to umbrella the football family.

There are a lot of footballers after retirement live from hand to mouth, they are people who have served this country that are competent in the area of administration or even in coaching but they have jobs, the country is not helping matters, politicians are eating the money. In those days there were sports clubs like NEPA, NICON, NAVY, ARMY, Federal Palace because money was being invested in stocks. After the military tenure, that money has been deviated to politicians and there are a lot of sports gifted people, talents that have nowhere to show case their talent or make a living.

Only in Nigeria can you see some one like Uche Okechukwu, a Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo retire and nobody gives them anything to do and no body celebrates them and recognizes their value and their contributions to the development of football in the country. And someone will say they want to open a football association and be extorting money from people what kind of madness is that. But how do you think all the genuine ex-footballers can come together to form a body that will give footballers recognition?

A body will come and I have been praying about it, and it wont only be a body that is straight or genuine but also a body with integrity, and when it comes in force, all other bodies that call themselves players’ unions will cease to exist. The situation at the NFF is still uncertain because the minister is saying that the Vice President’s intervention is temporary don’t u think its a wrong signal to FIFA? I don’t really know the decision or agreement they reached, but the Pinnick’s board is already out of its tenure so the necessary procedures will take place. But if it is Giwa they should stop him because he knows nothing about football or what football world is talking about.

This Giwa you are talking about owns a football club? You can be rich and run a football club like Giwa FC and play in the Nigeria League. That does not make you a practitioner. And this God fatherism from the North should stop because Giwa and the minister are from the same state and they want to manipulate it by doing this brotherhood of a thing.