‘NFA remains in control of Olympic teams’

18.03.2008

THE Nigeria Football Association (NFA) said on Monday it was shocked by media report that the National Sports Commission (NSC) has taken over the national male and female Olympic football teams from the association.

NFA Secretary-General, Bolaji Ojo-Oba, said it was strange that those who were supposed to set agenda and educate other Nigerians that were passionate about the game, were unaware that once a team qualified for the Olympic Games, it became the responsibility of the National Sports Commission or the Ministry of Sports as it used to be called.

“Once a team qualifies for the Olympics, it becomes the baby of the NSC. Our ladies who have secured a berth in Beijing will now have the focus of the NSC on them, while the male team will also have the same benefit once they overcome South Africa in Abuja on March 26. That is how it works.

“As for now, the male team is firmly under the NFA. We are in charge of the team’s entire programme and Coach Samson Siasia liaises with the secretariat everyday. People should stop misleading others.”

In a related development, NFA Executive Committee Member, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi has lampooned talk that the NFA has forgotten the issue of raising a team for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009 because its officials were jostling for positions within the Local Organizing Committee.

“That is idle talk. We are fully focused and will not be distracted by all these reports. FIFA has commended our preparations for the Championship and they expressed satisfaction with the structure they met on ground last month. They are coming back in May.

“When FIFA comes to any country aiming to host any of its competitions, it wants to see football people in charge. The Chairman of the NFA is only nominal Chairman of the LOC, because there is a CEO, who was the one FIFA rightly appointed into its Organizing Committee.

“They talk of Amanze Uchegbulam, who is the Vice Chairman of the NFA and Vice Chairman of CAF Appeal Board. There is also Bolaji Ojo-Oba who is Director of Organization. If he were not Secretary General of the NFA, he would probably have higher responsibility within the LOC.

“I played international football for Nigeria after captaining the first club to win continental honour for this country. I managed several clubs to excel and was Secretary General of the NFA for 33 months. If I’m not qualified to be in football business in this country, then something must be wrong.

“I’m not in interested in the brickbats that people throw, I’m only interested in people talking with facts. Whoever is interested in working in the LOC should turn up at the LOC Office in Abuja with their credentials or simply keep their mouths shut.

“As for raising a team, we are on top of the situation and coaches have already set to work”.