Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi (BSA), the First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, was in Lagos to outline his plans and objectives for a new NFF under his leadership.
“I have come to the conclusion that I needed to come out not because I’m egocentric or that I think I’m better than anybody, but because I honestly believe that I’ve been prepared for this job. I’ve gone through all the channels of Nigerian football, and I don’t think anybody else who is running or who has declared the intention to run can have the confidence to say that.
“I started from the grassroots like everybody else with little teams here and there, then I became the legal adviser to the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), after that, I was appointed to the Presidential Committee on Football Development, by then President Goodluck Jonathan. I was appointed as well as legal adviser to the then Minister of Sports on football matters. At that time, we were to be banned by FIFA for appointing the NFF and my legal advice help us do a turnaround and we were not banned by FIFA.
“Thereafter I was appointed the chairman of LSFA, and we then, turn around football in Lagos. As time went on, I chaired the organising committee of the CAF Beach Soccer Championship held in Nigeria. I was elected into the NFF as First Vice President and I believe I am the first to be re-elected into that office.
“I also showed the desire for reform and chaired the committee but, unfortunately, we did not get to present the report. I’m also a founding member of the League Management Board.
“I’ve gone from the bottom to the top. I’m equipped to be the NFF president. You can assume that the room has been swept clean, but I know where the cobwebs are. The NFF has come a long way, in spite of what a lot of people say, from where we were we took over. There are things we have done well and things we have not done so well, but I think history will see the things that have moved forward in Nigerian football for the past eight years.
“One of the things I’ve been discussing is how to bring bac the league on television. When I was in the league board, we were on TV. There are ways we can ensure that it remains on TV. It is not by sponsorship; it is by investment. There must be a partnership. The bodies that make up the league must be empowered to take decisions that benefit them. And the only way they can do that is when there is money at the end of it. That is a return on their investment. There must be an incentive to give properly. This is not about punishing when things are not done well, but also about giving incentives when things are done well.
“In terms of ownership, it is the job of the NFF to convince the states of the benefits of allowing the private sector to owe those clubs too. Free funding to these clubs. I was talking to a governor recently and he told me to embark on a journey, not to finish, of intercontinental, he has to bring out N200 million. Imagine if it was a private investor, he would not put N200m down unless he’s going to get a return on it.
“So, the issue is how we restructure the league. My answer is that getting the league back to a good state is to drive it on the four pillars that I enumerated: the football development to make it part of an ecosystem that works. The business of football, the infrastructure, which makes it good for the eyes to watch, and technology, which involves data retraction, which can be sold and invested in the league.
One important thing is that we must be prepared to hold the team down to licensing regime that exists already must be followed. I’m not ready to compromise that.” he said.
