The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently upheld the five-year ban on Chris Giwa, the proprietor of Giwa FC of Jos, from all football activities by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The NFF premised its action on Giwa’s attitude deemed inimical to the development of the sport.
The development has raised eye brows with some schools of thought feel that the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF was high handed, while others felt it was the best way to treat a snake on roof top.
Those against the ban but pleaded anonymity for political reasons believed the sanction should not have extended beyond the country.
They believed that Giwa had some points that could have helped restructure of the Nigerian football if taken into consideration.
“There was no point for Pinnick to take this case to CAF, because efforts to end the crisis were already at an advanced stage. The National Assembly was already involved and it was in Pinnick’s favour, because they supported him,” a group opined.
This school of thought added, “It is a shame that Nigerians would always wash their dirty linens in public instead of settling differences amicably. Besides, if a careful study is taken at Giwa’s case, one would agree that he has some points, because the present NFF is built on a wrong structure.”
From the other school of thought, “It is high time for Giwa to be thought a lesson in a hard way; no individual can be bigger than a nation. He was in CAS, he failed, at the court, he failed, what more does he want?”
In the same vein, Giwa was seen to have taken a constituted authority for granted without recourse for the rule of law by flouting all orders at all levels of concluded litigations; that he was being too pampered and encouraged by some powers that be for personal reasons.
Sadly, Giwa had ignorantly allowed his personal ambition to affect his club, Giwa FC, which has been demoted to the lower league by the League Management Company (LMC) even when the case has no bearing on the club.
The club failed to honour some Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches even when they were performing above average in their games.
But, the big question is, how did we get here? Why always NFF at the CAF and FIFA headquarters? Why is Pinnick board still to be settled since taken office in 2014?
Although, Giwa is not alone in the “capital” punishment from CAF; the others hit with the ban are Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong.
Their sin: this “big five” challenged the legitimacy of the 2014 elections that saw Amaju Pinnick elected as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
However, Giwa had been playing the lead role, the “actor” of the drama which had turned the Nigerian football into a laughing stock, while FIFA threatened severe sanction if the dispute continued; the sanction could prevent Nigeria from competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in football.
Invariably, Giwa’s machismo was hinged on his initial election by the group as the NFF President on August 26, 2014 following the resignation of Aminu Maigari.
But, a case was filed against the validity of the Giwa’s NFF elections by another group and was interestingly won in the court, leaving the future of the apex football body in total crisis.
Giwa since then has been moving in and out of courts seeking “total” annulment of Pinnick led board and the development has not augured well with Nigerian football growth and the following decisions were taken against him and his group by the NFF Disciplinary committee.
“That he, Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are found guilty of breaching Art. 69(1) of the NFF Statutes by taking football matters to the ordinary court and failing to submit to the jurisdiction of FIFA and the NFF.
“That Christopher Giwa is guilty of breach of the general rules of conduct as contained in Art. 13 of the FIFA Code of Ethics when he invaded the premises of the Nigeria Football Federation and falsely presented himself as President of the NFF on 6th May, 2016.
“That Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are found guilty of failing to comply fully with the Statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA and NFF in contravention of Art. 13 1(a) of NFF Statutes 2010 in relation to the NFF Election held in Warri Delta State on 30thSeptember, 2014.
“That Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are in breach of fiduciary and loyalty as contained in Art. 15 of FIFA Code of Ethics 2012 by carrying out various deliberate acts and conducts capable of attracting a ban from FIFA on the NFF capable of putting the administration and development of football in Nigeria into jeopardy.
“Based on the findings above and in Line with the provision of Art 65 (3) of the NFF Statutes 2010, the NFF Disciplinary Committee hereby pronounces the following sanctions on the following persons:
“Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are hereby banned from taking part in any football related activity for a period of Five (5) years each.”
This no doubt is a weighty sanction; Pinnick would have finished his term and handed over to someone else before Giwa can feel the taste of football again.
Giwa saw the handwriting on the wall but, failed to decipher it, perhaps was overwhelmed with some discordant tunes of the apex football not properly founded and that creating a crisis could help his cause.
Giwa got his tactics and approach to game wrong in all departments and undermined the background and influence of Pinnick in the local and international football politics.
Some school of thoughts felt Giwa should have swallowed pride and accepted Pinnick’s carrot for peace, unity and understanding which the sport stands for; but the penalty thereafter is now seen as using a sledge hammer to kill a fly.
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