Former International, Adegoke Adelabu, has expressed support for some stakeholders call for the implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye Report on running the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which he said, would also promote accountability.
The report, which aims at restructuring and rationalising government’s commissions and agencies, recommends that the Federal Government should quit funding the NFF. Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Adelabu said though government still spends money on football in the country, but that it was high time it gave an autonomous NFF a try. He said this would also encourage interested companies to be involved in sponsoring football in the country.
“The Oronsaye Report will give sports more accountability; it will enable us have the professionals running our football. We are going to see more companies getting involved in sponsoring our football.
“I know there won’t be a question of anyone running to any government’s official for assistance. The person running the NFF should be someone that is competent on the field and able to do the job well. He is not going to be a politician and this is going to put a lot of things into perspective. I think implementing the report is a welcome idea,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders believe that the latest move will release the nation’s football body from the clutches of the government. Over the years, many have criticised the government for interfering in football matters, and which at some point, almost led to a ban by FIFA.
“This will stop further debate about the controversial status of the organisation and that government stops further funding of the NFA/NFF in accordance with FIFA’s statutes,” as the Oronsaye Report suggests.
They stated that the current NFF board should be able to run football without funding from government, based on their experiences in the past. In 2018, the NFF was 65 per cent self-funding, and the stakeholders believe that with an enabling environment between then and now, that the NFF should have been fully self-funding.
“It’s a good report from Oronsaye but left for the government to provide the enabling environment for our football to thrive.‘’If the President implements the Oronsaye report, it will make our football more profitable, enjoy freedom (from government), promote creativity and draw more investors into the game as they feel better doing business with a body that is not tied to the apron strings of the government,’’ former Super Falcons coach, Godwin Izilein, said.
For 1984 African Nations Cup finalist, Paul Okoku: ‘’Football will be better run in an atmosphere without interference. But the NFF has to show greater transparency and accountability, as it seeks private sector funding because the companies bringing money will demand accountability.”
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