What President Buhari should know about Pinnick

Pinnick

Technically, Nigeria is now in a position where no decision can be taken in continental and global football without inputs of Nigeria due to the strategic positions Mr Amaju Pinnick has placed Nigerians in both CAF and FIFA. Apart from Amaju Pinnick who is the first Vice President of CAF and a member of its Executive Committee, there are 17 Other eminent Nigerians occupying key positions in CAF Committees.

Today in Warri, the Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Authur Okowa made my day just one week after Mr President’s intervention in the crisis rocking the administration of Nigerian Football.

Okowa said, “I insist that Nigeria as a country and those occupying important positions, must make it a duty to constantly promote, project and encourage our own shining stars,our best materials. The President of NFF, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick is a shining star of this country who has attained a position(1st Vice President of CAF) that no other Nigerian before him has attained. We have a responsibility to project and promote him to reach even higher heights.

I am saying this not just because Pinnick is a worthy son of Delta State; I am saying this because he is now a global citizen deserving of our encouragement and love. As a Nation, we should project our best in every field so that they can reach the zenith of their careers. I am looking forward to Pinnick becoming the President of CAF in a few years.” HE Gov Okowa. Ameen, Your Excellency.

Now let us look at this !!!

The people and government of Nigeria have celebrated the ascension of Hajiya Amina Gombe to the enviable position of Deputy Secretary General,United Nations like wise the leadership of African Development Bank. But regrettably the unprecedented feat achieved by this Nigerian in the world of football is being seen by those who should celebrate him as a CRIME against the Nigerian Nation.

There were two attempts to reach the pinnacle of African Football before the emergence of Pinnick but they all ended in, if I can say, Disasters. It still pains me when I remembered the efforts government put  by sponsoring Alh Ibrahim Galadima to contest for the vacant seat of CAF Executive Committee.  I was the Secretary of the Presidential Committee set up to ensure Nigeria got the seat. Unfortunately Nigerians who should for all intents and purposes work with the Committee to realize our mandate became MOLES and worked within to scuttle the move and got an Ivorian to fill the post. The rest is history.

The second failed attempt was the re-election of Dr Amos Adamu as CAF/ FIFA Executive Committee Member. The then government did a lot to get him re-elected but then it is not going to last long Dr Amos Adamu was found wanting and the center could no longer hold.

This two instances were fully supported by the governments then, so sad that the present scenario had NO government INPUT And yet Mr Pinnick doesn’t deserve even a recognition for working his way to become what he is today which also by extension has placed several Nigerians in key positions in both CAF and FIFA.

And the sad aspect of all this is that there is an orchestrated script to derail this journey.

The question is – If Nigerians are denied by their government to become part of a global trend, should we be happy if those positions are occupied by Ghanaians, South Africans and or Egyptians.

Since Gov Okowa has spoken, I want to sincerely offer my advise to him, that as soon as the President comes back from his vacation, he should intimate him of Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick’s unprecedented incursion and exploits in the World of Football Politics.

He has achieved in 3 years what we could not as a government and a people achieve in 30 years or so. He deserves to be celebrated.

*** The President must know this.