‘Erekere’: Latest comedy film by Nigeria Football Federation

A copy of FIFA's original letter

I never knew I had such a value like this. I want to send my heartfelt gratitude to some jokers who sat down in the Glass House carrying the insignia of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to nail with a life ban on a journalist they think has been too critical of their activities.

Between the time when they released my name alongside four members of the interim committee of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and this morning, I had received more than 120 calls from people who I respect so much including some who I would never have imagined would call me for anything due to their social status in the society.

I am resolved the more to continue the due diligence I had observed on the activities of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the best ethos of journalism and good governance. I went through my reports both in the National Accord (www.nationalaccordnewspaper.com ) and on this blog (www.olajidefashikun.blogspot.com) and found out satisfied that I had done my job to my own satisfaction fulfilling all the principles and ethics of journalism.

I wonder what quality of intellectitude and mindset exists in the people who are gathered and given the mandate to manage Nigerian football. I am not surprised at the low quality of their decisions and the rationalization of their inane actions most times. No wonder the minimum qualification to get to the board is school certificate, whether fail or pass.

Despite that some of them forged school certificate to sit on board. Some were dismissed from the civil service after a thorough examination of the allegations against them. Some of them have a penchance to force our young girls in the national teams for sex, some steal public funds for private activities et al.

I am not surprised at the fact that as people who can forge school certificate results to sit on the board of the FA they can equally forge FIFA’s letter head without having enough intellection to know how FIFA writes their letters. For those who are familiar with FIFA, the salutation “Dear friend” is always handwritten.

FIFA letter head has a logo with two balls and its motto. The motto in NFF’s FIFA but fake letter is different from the world acclaimed original. These are the same people who went to a court of law to swear to an affidavit to say they are no more NFA, that the NFA is defunct, and is materially and otherwise different from the NFF. They hurriedly responded to the Jarret Tenebe NFA project and claimed they are both NFA and NFF. I scorned them and made their foolishness open. These were my sins. Yes, for being a journalist. To that, I am happy, satisfied and fulfilled to be a journalist who is banned for doing his work. What a big honour. I think I should be in church on Sunday to do thanksgiving as a bigger comic relief.

I also think like I did the “Fantastic Four” will commence a demand for the investigation of the source of that fake FIFA letter. Kuje prisons still has space and accommodation for people who conspired between themselves to fake FIFA’s letterhead and embarrass the people and government of Nigeria. This fraud will not go down like that. Watch out for part two of ‘Erekere’ (bad joke, in Yoruba).