IT was a surreal scene reminiscent of a bitter clash among supporters of two rival political parties.Very appalling and scary?Yes,but it wasn’t a political clash.But,it had all the images of a bruising battle.The behaviour of the dramatis personae was simply horrifying. And embarrassing too.                                
Few sights could have done more damage to football administration in Nigeria than the ugly spectacle that played out exactly a week ago  at two different locations in Abuja.It was an evident demonstration of everything wrong with those entrusted with running football in the country.It was indeed an episode good for a box office home movie.
It bore all the trademarks of shame,sadness,frustration and high-profile indiscipline. And you begin to ask:Is it in our DNA,in Nigerian character,never to get things right,always disobeying authorities and rules in which our country willingly agreed to abide by?
Without stretching matters too far,last Tuesday’s two parallel congresses of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was arguably an open sore.
It has been festering for a long time.Watching the two factions of NFF fight  for the control of the Secretariat of the football house known as the Glass House was chilling.It reflects what we see in Nigerian politics,a “do or die” affair that has given our nation an ugly name within the international community.
It was a clash of supremacy between the newly-elected but disputed factional group led by Chris Giwa ,a football club owner,and the 3-member interim committee set up Aminu Maigari.Maigari was until recently (perhaps remains) the authentic NFF president officially recognised by world football governing body, FIFA.   How these factions emerged,as I said earlier,would make a good movie.
The Giwa-led group had emerged after a purported election held at Chida Hotel,Abuja.The splinter group  was immediately received and endorsed by the Minister of Sports,Tammy Danagogo,in what many sports analysts consider unbecoming of a Sports Minister.
However,in an interview yesterday with Brilla FM,a sports radio station based in Lagos,the Sports Minister denied taking sides,but claimed that his interest and that of government was to ensure probity in the affairs of football administration in the country.  He may be right, as sports in Nigeria,in particular, football is heavily corrupt.
Regrettably, under the stewarship of Danagogo,Nigeria has been queried a record four times in less than seven months. Meanwhile, the group supported by Maigari held its own congress,of all places,on the roadside of  Maitama District of Abuja.Each group claims its  executive is the authentic NFF.
Until Fifa described him as an illegal occupant of the Glass House,Giwa saw nothing wrong in his election.He had told reporters last week that the NFF General Assembly which reportedly met in Warri,Delta State, November last year had fixed election into the board of NFF on August 26,this year. But, according to sources,majority of NFF members agreed that the election should hold this Thursday,Sept.4.
But FIFA has a different idea.No encouraging words for the Giwa-led executive, with a stern warning to the members to stop parading themselves as NFF officials.In a letter signed by its scribe, Jerome Valke,Fifa said it would not recognise the election from which Giwa emerged.
As at the time this column went to press last night which was the deadline given to the Giwa group to vacate office,or face its hammer, Nigeria could be in for real trouble by the end of today.
There are many consequences of Fifa sanction on Nigeria.One of the immediate the consequences is the likelihood of our senior national team, the Super Eagles missing out in next year’s Africa’s Nations’ Cup.
The qualifier for that competition which Nigeria is the defending champions holds this weekend,Sept.6 in Calabar against DR Congo and with South Africa on Sept.10,in Cape Town.This is barring any sanction from Fifa.
It baffles the mind why Nigeria has learned nothing and forgotten nothing from our past experiences with fifa. Less than two months ago, Nigeria narrowly escaped fifa’s hammer following reported government interference in the management of football affairs in the country.The World soccer body had temporarily suspended Nigeria from all football-related activities.It was sequel to the sack of Aminu Maigari-led NFF Board on July 5,by a hurriedly called NFF Extra-ordinary congress.
This was after a High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State,in  suit instituted by Mrs.Ebiakpo Rumson-Baribote,  wife of former 2nd vice president of NFF, had declared the Maigari- led Board illegal.Fifa viewed the action of the court and alleged government hand in it contrary to its relevant statutes,especially Article 13,paragraph 1,and Article 17,paragraph 1.
Fifa however lifted the suspension after the Maigari-led board was reinstated before the July 17 deadline given by it.
But,like a magic circle that never stops turning,Nigerian football house and those who run it are always slouching towards ignominous end,moving from the sublime to the ridiculous.When the officials fight,they are not fighting for the good of the sport nor their commitment for probity. It’s about money.
The present crisis has its root on how the Maigari-led NFF spent N2.2bn subventions in the last one year as well as the N850m reportedly released by the federal government for Super Eagles’ campaigns in the World Cup in Brazil.
This amount is outside $1.5m (N240m) that fifa reportedly gave the federation as grant for the 2014 World Cup.All these are legitimate issues,but when politics mixes with sports,the real issues take the back seat.For now,fear looms over the Glass House.

Before another Fifa hammer falls