Pius Oleh is one of us. What do we do with him?

Squatting from left Etim Esin, Dominic Iorfa, Pius Oleh, Dr Sam Okwaraji, Friday Ekpo, and Ademola Adeshina

Pius Oleh is definitely one of us. He played for the Super Eagles. He was Samson Siasia’a team mate and friend. He is a FIFA agent. To have been a FIFA agent, he would have worked hard enough. He would have invested so much on the endeavour. For any profit he makes as result, he would repatriate some portion back to Nigeria, at least, to his friends, family and other support lines. This he has to do for years to come.

Someone somewhere brought him into the current fray. It was obvious that he erred because he probably did not ask questions on how these things are done moreso, he has never done it before. Added to his inexperience is that we do not have a football institution in the country. Had we one, our own institution would have helped him to correct these things, do his work well and by now be smiling to the bank for a nice day’s job. Surely, some guys back in the NFA would have also smiled to the smiled to the bank because as it is usual their hands would have been greased.

Now, let us assume that the NFA (I have resolved on my own never to call them NFF again because even the ir supervising minister, Professor Taoheed Adedoja took his time in his second ministerial briefing to refuse to call them NFF but NFA.

Aminu Maigari’s board have wasted N70million tax payers’ money on the failed trip. It is clear with all intent and purposes that they knew what they were doing. They promised the nation that they were going to report the match agent to FIFA. It is clear that if they do and the match agent is found culpable, he may lose his FIFA license. Despondency has been gained back.

Despite all, the agent gave them an undertaking that he was going to pay them back all they’ve lost. I think, and seriously too, that we need to re-look at the whole matter carefully with our common and national interest as the lens.

We have nothing to gain ‘killing’ the man. We have everything to gain supporting him to do it again, better and recoup some lost funds. There is a simple concept I use in teaching in my MBA classes as a lecturer, never be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are human. I prefer a staff to take a wrong decision and correct same later than not take a decision.

I plead for Pius Oleh to be given what a social worker will call rehabilitative social support.

God help us here. My grounds? It is proven he had used his youth to play for this nation. It is our duty to help him recover and be a better and smarter business man in football management. His errors and mistakes in this Obama fiasco is also a fundamental admittance that we do not have a functional FA secretariat!

PROFESSOR ADEDOJA’S FAUX PAS:

No one can take it away from him, he is a suave speaker, eloquent deliverer of words, logical thinker but obviously one who has no institutional support. It is so sad we do not have institutions in our country. It is only structures and people we have. The man spoke about Dispute Resolution Committee to look into all matters of sports disputes in the nation including those of the NFA.

You will agree with me this is brilliant. You will also agree with me that committees by their nature are ad hoc. This is one important development that needs a permanent and lifelong function.

Had we people who can think like one of the guys in there whose nickname is ARMOURED TANK, the minister would have been told that what he was looking for in sokoto ( pronounced as sakwato) is just at the ebb of his sokoto (pronounced as sokotow).

His ministry does NOT have the powers to set up a lasting solution. Under his ministry is the National Olympic Committee (NOC). They own and have the powers. I pray the minister can goad them to in weeks complete the processes to initiate the moves and conclude the setting up of a NATIONAL SPORTS RESOLUTION CHAMBER. This done, they have the powers to order all sports matters in court to be withdrawn and taken to that chambers for resolution and from there appeals can go to Lausanne in Switzerland. This can be done and concluded in less than two weeks and yet the minister will have achieved his vision and aims.