An attempt to bite the’ dust’ would not reflect a society norm but will certainly face the wrath of such normalcy. To be an athlete is not a norm but rather a symbol of eccentrics. Let me explain, less than 10% of our society considers themselves as athletes in their lifetime for whatever reason and majority of the population will ask for what purpose would a sprinter be running or who is pursuing him /her or why an individual is chasing after football. Gratuity / rewards showered on the individual or acceptance that the person partakes in in this endeavor is not the issue rather why less than 10% consider sports good hobby for them.
Who Controls National Sports Commission (NSC)
Few days ago this writer penned a report on observation about the consensus view that the Sports Minister Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi had been reduced below a toothless barking dog by his staffs. Strange enough every single day those staffs had been coming out to reverse his directives. Below is excerpt of one of the directive and latest verbatorial by one of his staff Dictator Ojo-Oba:
·On January 7, 2013(Guardian)
The Honorable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has directed Secretaries of the Sporting Federations to prepare their handover notes ahead of their redeployment to the Commission.
·On January 9, 2013 (Punch)
The NSC on Monday announced that the secretaries of the federations/associations are to be withdrawn and redeployed to the Commission to pave the way for the employment of new secretaries from outside the government setting by the federation in what is explained as a bid to give them greater autonomy.
The minister, who was on his way to Portugal to visit the Super Eagles in camp preparatory to the 2013 Africa Nations Cup, said that there were other fresh ideas being injected to make the federations more professionally run.
·On January 22, 2013
Minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi has debunked the claims that the Commission is planning to retrench all sports federation secretaries who have been redeployed to the NSC Headquarters in Abuja.
Trustsports gathered that the redeployment of the secretaries is part of the reform of the sports federations, where the federations will be empowered to appoint their own secretaries, thereby granting them greater autonomy.
Speaking at an interactive session with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Lagos chapter at the weekend, Abdullahi made it clear that the reform is meant to make the federations function better, just as he said redeployed the secretaries would be posted to all the geo political zones of the country to administer the grassroots programme of the commission.
·On April 8, 2013 (Guradian)
Dictator Bolaji Ojo-Oba said: “So the secretaries are still in place and functional; what we have advised them is that they (sic) should prepare their handing over notes, because they will not remain in office after the new boards have been inaugurated,”
I ask, can anyone believe any new directive by the Sports Minister. I think not. Is Ojo-Oba telling Nigerians that it takes 4 months to prepare hand-over notes? Talk about incompetency and foolishness on how Nigerians will perceive Ojo-Oba statements. Did the Minister say that those illegal secretaries should remain in office until new Boards? I don’t think so. Is this not National Sports Confusion I wrote about last year? Is this not a palace coup? Do Nigerians care? I think they should because salaries been paid Ojo-Oba should have been directed towards athletes not him. And I ask who the hell is Ojo-Oba?
Federations’ Election is Scam, Sham and must be slammed!
Ojo-Oba who believes he is the Chairman of NSC when he announced further that the recalled NSC staffs who illegally occupied the federations’ secretariat will conduct those federations’ elections. This usurper may think he has spoken well but I hate to tell him that his pink slip at NSC is been prepared and he has just ‘gassed’-out.
Unsuspecting Nigerians would likely want to know why these Ojo-Oba statements are mere rubbish and ought to be disregarded along with its messenger, to that, I will identify few key areas where even a primary school drop-out will understand.
Firstly, any credible election demands Independent umpire and that is key requirement in conducting any election even for class prefect in schools as well as in Universities that I think Ojo-Oba holds some sport degrees. Now, why would an illegal occupier of the secretariat who also is a potential candidate is mandated to conduct an election where his / her fellow Board members are contesting? Anyone that fails to see a problem in this scenario ought to be severely ‘flogged’. If I have my way Ojo-Oba will be sent to school to learn Basic Ethics in administration.
Secondly, skills required to conduct an election must be learned and I fail to hear or see any federation secretary trained in electoral processes. I should ask, if Ojo-Oba does not know that independence is key in conducting an election then how can he comprehend that special skills are necessary? Either way it’s clear, idiocy is the only requirement because athletes are considered dumb by NSC and they failed to challenge NSC in anything, so far. I personally don’t consider any athlete dumb but I don’t understand why federations’ boards’ leadership run is not part and parcel in athletes’ quest for glory.
Thirdly, infrastructure to conduct an election (credible or not) simply does not exist although no one believes that NSC will spend less than N100 Million in salaries for its so-called illegal secretaries and many ghost workers including cats, dogs, eagles and other animals with dead men (women) names.
Fourthly, the timing is not convenient considering pending NSC Act, training for those illegal secretaries, Dictator Ojo-Oba, Sports Minister, etc. These people are never trained in conducting an election but yet an election is to take place in less than 2 weeks.
Fifthly, NSC or shall I say Ojo-Oba fails to inform Nigerians who is eligible to vote in such election, are we not to guess that only those illegal secretaries, Ojo-Oba, Sports Minister, current federations’ board members are the only ones allowed to vote. To this end I say the estimated N100Millions for this so-called election is nothing other than redistribution of the country taxpayers’ funds to the pockets of those illegal secretaries, Ojo-Oba, etc. essentially money grabs.
Moving Forward
1.Ojo-Oba must be called to order or dismissed by the Sports Minister immediately.
2.So-called Federations’ elections must be postponed because those illegal federations’ secretaries lacked the skills to conduct any election and are not independent of those sports federations and I might add any conduct of national election will likely falls within INEC jurisdiction because it has broad powers not just derived from Nigeria constitution (on elective offices) but by any law or decree. It is my position that independence and skills must not be toyed with, therefore, Sports Minister simply has to invite INEC to assist based on his Ministerial authority (the question is he a Minister with power).
Excerpt of INEC Act
Independent National Electoral Commission Decree (Decree No 17 of 1998)
4. (1) The functions of the Commission shall be to-
(a) organise, conduct and supervise all the elections and matters pertaining to elections into, all the elective offices provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979, as amended or any other enactment or law;
Electoral Act of 2006 (Update)
Section 2. (1) In addition to the functions conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution, the Commission shall
have power to: (a) conduct voter and civic education.
(b) promote knowledge of sound democratic election processes.
3.The Sports Minister must seek INEC help to determine who is eligible to vote as well, failure of which, the result of such election will be scam, sham and slammed by even ghost workers.
Again, Ojo-Oba you need a serious lesson in administrative ethics, corruption, electoral processes, laws of Nigeria and many other things. I aint mad at you but I royally disagree with you.
I rest.
Dr. Rashid A. balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.),
