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| Rotimi Amaechi, Chairman, Nigeria Governors' Forum |
THIS IS A GUEST CONTRIBUTION FROM MIKE SIMEON ENAHORO (www.realjazzman.blogspot.com)
"When the king
and chiefs go mad or are missing, the village idiots and court jesters will lay
claim to the throne" (Xhosa Proverb).
These past 16 months
have been horribly tumultuous for Nigerian football. We have witnessed
the worst administrative crisis in Nigerian football. Ever since the
start of the crisis (Galadima's ouster leading to Sani Lulu’s emergence), this
period has really set us back a long way.
We still have two bodies
laying claims to the running of football in Nigeria (with each one claiming to
have the ears of the powers that be) and inevitably slowing the deployment of a
roadmap towards credible football development in the country.
To the crux:
Ramson Victor Baribote has finally gotten his wish and dream, but at what
cost? He was selected (sic)! Sorry, elected unopposed, to be the new Chairman
of the NPL. He will head a fragmented organisation, with vindictive
individuals; people, he publicly accused and challenged their credibility and
substance. What kind of an organization will he inherit? An organization
that is broke, disrespected, with little or no goodwill, and is suffering
dwindling fortunes. Notably, a situation he help create, given his 16 months
"righteous war"!
When other leagues are
counting the opportunities emanating from multiple revenue streams and at a
time when they are driving towards excellence and an increase in followership,
our NPL cannot boast of average attendance of 5,000 spectators
per game!
Furthermore, the rot
doesn't stop there, sponsorship of the league has been dogged by cryptic
style dealings, wherein the selection of the title sponsor and release of its
funds was chaotic (to say the least). Today, the NPL title plus all forms of
sponsorship and entitlements (TV rights inclusive) cannot guarantee each team
100 million Naira per season. Last estimate received was around N20-30 million
(that's being generous!)!
A South African Sports
Marketing firm, valued the worth of the Nigerian football league, as a 8 billion
Naira annual turnover "monster" (given our football patronage and
culture, population and geographic spread of the teams, as some driving
factors). With this assessment, NO OWNER SHOULD PUT A KOBO in its NPL team. The
league should be self-sustaining (if the right things are done). The NPL
is a cash cow that doesn't need any form of government support or investment.
Today, the story of the
NPL, is akin to the Xhosa parable above. The "real" owners of
the league have abdicated "their thrones and passed on their
responsibilities", whilst the proverbial "village idiots and court
jesters (no target to any of the protagonists or any current/active
"actor" in this crisis) have laid claims to control of the league.
IMPOSSIBILITY
IS POSSIBLE IN NIGERIA:
I was accosted a couple
of days ago by some young people and accused of standing by and watching
the crisis brew over, and the funny analogy they gave me, made me laugh. They
said "can the chairman of Leyton Orient (a second div English league
team), be contesting and seek s{election} to be the chairperson of the
EPL"? or can an official of a seconda division club in Spain be vying for
the management of the Premiera Liga!!! Can the PSL in South Africa be run
by someone whose affiliations are not part of it? (I can see the face of Jomo
Sono). According to one former leader…. I dey laugh ooooo!
The management of the
league is so shambolic, that we are yet to conclude the 2010-11 league season,
at a time other countries are in the 2011-12 season! Incredible. Everyone in
the NPL organisation should be sacked! They are a corrupt bunch and don’t
deserve to administer over anything (not even their children's lunch money...)
Who are the TRUE owners
of the NPL clubs? The State Governors.
I want to appeal to the
State governors, to see their NPL clubs, as self-sustaining, fully funded
entities that the states can use to generate IGR, ensure that they co-own them
with serious and liquid private sector giants. What stops Adams Oshiomole from
allowing Bendel Insurance to fall into private hands? and be satisfied that the
state maintains a 30% ownership that will generate revenue for the state,
instead of its current costs (Insurance players are being owned over seven
months salary, they cannot meet some away match commitments, and have not been
paid sign on bonuses, to date) and failings.
Why would Chibuike
Amaechi disagree to allow Rivers born private citizens or consortium to buy
majority stake in Sharks and Dolphins, and run both to profitability, and bring
in the muscle required to turn their financial fortunes around....
Bendel (Edo) Insurance
need to get an Estako born Chairman (nominated and ordained by Oshiomole), and
watch, the team experience a change in fortune, focus and investment! (sadly,
that's the Nigerian way).
Are the governors aware
that they have a socio-economic cash cow on their hands? Do they know that each
NPL club can generate almost 1 billion Naira in annual turnover, and can easily
contribute up to 50-100 million Naira annually as IGR (Internally Generated
Revenue).
Does Talba realise that
Niger Tornadoes is a goldmine? Does he know that the club can run itself
without recourse to any kobo from Niger State government?
Does Amaechi know that
both Dolphins and Sharks can provide part time jobs for up to 2,000 youths in
Port Harcourt for up to 38 weeks in a year?
Does Ajimobi understand
that the Eko fan base can be exploited by 3SC, to ensure that they reach a
weekly revenue target of about 20-40 million Naira every weekend they play in
Ibadan?
What is the mandate of
the boards of directors of each NPL club ?
WHAT THE STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE LOSING:
I'd like to make a
prediction, I bet, if
a State governor pronounced that the board of any NPL club must raise its own
funds, and will receive NO KOBO from the state government, that many appointees
will decline accepting the appointment. Let the private investor take control of the clubs.
I still don’t understand
the rationale behind state government, keeping control of these clubs, that:
1. They can’t maintain, or partially sustain
operations and budgetary requirements?
2. The players and coaches are at the mercy of
greedy "selected and personal interest driven persons" who have no
stake or desire to invest in the future of the clubs;
3. They will refuse private sector participation
and funding?
4. They will not honour their obligations to the
team to meet their league obligations due to lack or inability to fund
requirements
I
BLAME THE STATE GOVERNORS FOR THE NPL IMPASSE (and in a nutshell, the NFA
crisis), of the last 16 months. ( I can hear a collective grasp of astonishment
from Nigerians!). Here's why:
1. Their representatives "the club chairmen" have abdicated
their responsibilities and allowed the "village idiots and jesters"
to take over the NPL
2.
They have settled for "individual
interest" over the club's best interest, because of the stupid deals
(sponsorship and TV rights) they sign up and accept.
3.
They have not found and
discovered new investors to ensure that government's investments in the clubs
are reduced and subsequently whittled down to occasional disbursements
4.
They have BADLY
compromised and politicised their function, that it is costing the state
governments more than they bargained or budgeted (should the state even be
paying for a club?)
5.
The governors are also
part of the problem, the calibre of the individuals appointed as chairmen of
NPL clubs, show their interest and level of commitment or lack thereof.
It is my summation that
the NPL impasse would have been resolved if the state governments take the
rights of ownership of a Premier league club seriously.
Had the "REAL"
owners gotten involved, they would have elected an NPL chairman who would seek
to PROTECT their interests and secure the best deals possible for their teams.
Many professional
football clubs worldwide, sustain themselves through the TV rights money, hospitality
and catering services, in field and grounds advertising,
and souvenir and replica paraphernalia sales, gates and
season ticket holders.
The Emirates consortia paid
a huge amount of money to Arsenal, Allianz insurance to Bayern Munich, Manchester
city got almost 500 million USD for a 4 year sponsorship and stadium name
change from Etihad.
AON and Manchester United
was previously the world's leading partnership agreement. Samsung and
Chelsea, Southampton FC and Lieberherr, MTN and the PSL of South Africa.
It is clearly evident
that State governors have not wizened up to the FACT that owning an NPL team is
a money spinner for the state. WAKE UP !
Today, only one state in
the Federation seems to understand that. Lagos State, and the appointment
of Seyi Akinwunmi, as LASFA Chairman, has begun to reap the desired benefits
for the state. That young man is breaking and tearing down borders and driving
the state to "the promised land". A true king in the making....
Well done, Eko o ni baje (and you are making sure of it)....
True football club
chairmen are not "hungry" people, who "need" the position
to become relevant. The position of a club chairman is reserved for
successful and wealthy businessmen and administrators. Those who have the
acumen to drive profitability out of any sporting entity. Take a look at some
of the names of football club owners and chairmen: Benny Elkestine, Alan
Sugar, David Gill, David Dean, Roman Abramovich, Tony Fernandez, the Qatari
royal family, The richest Ukrainian, Twenty (20) of the top 100 richest people
in the world own sporting franchises, etc....
It is a shame to see
that we in Nigeria, have not recognised that the ownership of an NPL franchise
is a key money spinner, and can generate considerable Return On Investment (RoI),
IGR for the state and its private sector participating owners.
If allowed, I am ready
to make a presentation to the
governor's forum on how to turn
these teams around and leverage on the over 8 billion Naira annual
turnover potential.
The true "kings and
chiefs" must not throw away this throne to the "village idiots and
court jesters".... It is time for them to wake up and take this kingdom
back.
Let me use this
opportunity to wish Ramson Victor Baribote well, in his
"achievement"!, we don siddon dey watch, now no more talking, it is
time to perform. You wanted this, fought
for it, now you have it. Let’s watch what you do with it. Good luck son....
To some, I may sound
bitter or non supportive, no. I am only tired and worn from the war that
has been fought in my name (without my voice), and I am wary of what the
current victor (coincidental) can deliver. With a fragmented house and daggers
in dark places. I can almost see the end before the beginning. I may be too
quick to draw, but remember, we have been here before. So truly and with all my
heart, I want to see the young man succeed, but deep down, my grey beards tell
me to be apprehensive.....
SIDE PASS:
Sunshine stars giving
the referees of one of their matches a ride. I dey laugh ooo!! When Jide
Fashikun ran the story, I bellowed out laughing. What have we not seen in the
leagues? And this is at premiership level, please go down to the lower leagues
and see what is happening. Tscchhhuuuu!!! (typical Yoruba woman
exclamation), Oturugbeke! Shuo!!! It is worse. this again is the result
of the "village....and co." running our football leagues these past
years. I blame the kings and chiefs, who let this happen!
THROW-IN:
Coach Samson Siasia, our
own “no nonsense, Robocop” national team coach calls his “reserve bench warming
big boys” to order. Bros, if dem no wan play, plenty, Eyimba, Sunshine,
KD united and beach soccer boys available…. Have we checked out what Nigerian
fathered boys are doing worldwide…. Please, let’s not pet anyone to come and
spoil our “rejuvenated Green-white-Green” for us. Please carry on
bro. Well done….
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