Ernest Osogbue.
As part of efforts to engage stakeholders, and intimate them with the current leadership situation in fct swan, the interim management committee, paid a courtesy visit on the nff president Ibrahim Gusau, at the nff headquarters in Abuja.
The swan delegation, led by the interim Chairman, Edwin Akwue, included other members of the committee, and a handful of fct swan members. The delegation was received by the nff director of communications, Ademola Olajire, who ushered them into the office of the nff president for the engagement.
In his opening remarks, the interim chairman, while acknowledging the cordial relationship between the nff and fct swan, said the visit became necessary, in order to introduce the interim committee members to the nff president, with a view to continuing the cordial relationship until a new exco came into place.
The interim chairman, also presented a report on the observations of fct swan members, on the recently concluded fifa world cup, and how it relates to the performances of the ten African teams, and the implications for the Super Eagles, going forwards. He equally informed the nff president, that swan intends to conduct a presidential debate involving all the nff presidential candidates in the lead up to the nff elections later this year, as part of engagements with stakeholders.
In his remarks while welcoming the fct swan delegation, the nff president, said it was not very pleasant to have the fct swan continually embroiled in leadership crises, according to him, before the last executive committee came into office, there was disharmony in fct swan. Having an interim committee now, is equally a pointer to an unhealthy leadership situation. He therefore, charged the sports writers community to always elect persons of integrity, who have genuine love for the association and its members at heart into office.
According to the nff president, the leadership challenges in swan, often affect the cordial relationship between the sportswriters and the nff, as it tends to disrupt the existing smooth working relationship. He gave instances of how some well intended gestures from his office, had been misused, and misinterpreted, leading to misunderstandings on a few occasions, which in turn, exposed a lack of synergy between the national swan, and the affiliated state chapters. In his view when credible persons come into office, most of the challenges in swan will be in the past. He therefore, urged the interim committee to do its job with integrity and the fear of God. He promised to look into the fct swan report on the performances of the African teams, to see what lessons could be learned. On the presidential debate, he advised that it should be in liaison with the national swan, to avoid conflicting signals, as the nff election was a national event.
The nff president, equally used the opportunity, to trace the challenges which ultimately led to Nigeria not being at the world cup. He pointed at the mixed signals from Nigerians on whether to appoint a local or a foreign coach. And the nff efforts to listen to the people as a responsible public institution, which ultimately led to the issues that precipitated Nigeria’s absence at the world cup. While acknowledging that it was now water under the bridge, Gusau maintained, that the nff was now well positioned to handle matters concerning the various national teams without difficulties, hence the recent appointments and reassignments within its fold. He therefore assured Nigerians, that the various national teams are poised for success sooner than later.
It would be noted that following the recent dissolution of the fct swan exco, an interim management body was set up by the national swan, with the mandate to oversee, and conduct fresh and credible elections into the fct swan exco.
