By

Chinedum Ohanusi 

Like I told Mallam Gara Gombe last night, his was a very interesting and mind bugging write-up. I savoured it a lot,  especially the solutions he proferred.

As a former Nigeria Premier Football League Referee, I share about 60% of the sentiments he talked about, and will try to specify those, as well as comment on the other 40% or there-about that I do not take; hook, line and sinker.

To start with, I must acknowledge his steadfastness and knack for accountability, transparency, and uprightness; these are the essentials somewhat lacking in our sports ecosystem; and that includes football.

Let me also say that match-fixing, or match-manipulation are easier perceived, and talked about, but rarely proved; given that they are not transacted openly, and even with Close Circuit TV Cameras,  it won't be easy tracking such behind clandestine doors activities, of these evildoors.

Now, to his write-up, I make bold to say that to a reasonable extent, I am in sync with the NPFL Chairman, Hon. Olugbenga Elegbeleye, who not long ago gave Nigerian Referees a resounding approval ratings, compared with their peers on the African Continent.

Perhaps, his double portfolio as 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) would have led him to realize that in as much as the Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau led board has in just two years done 500% more than Amaju Pinnick and his cohorts managed to achieve in eight long years, to reposition Refereeing in Nigeria; they are yet to invest enough on Referees and Refereeing.

As we speak, the Amaju-led board, contrived with the defunct LMC headed by our current Czar in Sports, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the late Nigeria Football Referees Association (NFRA) Boss, Otunba Tade Azeez to owe match officials in Naija, more than 500 million Naira, in a space of about three seasons. Most of those owed are either Referees, or Referees Assessors; and it is my fervent prayer that one day, these debts would be defrayed.

Having said that, I think Gara's postulations would have appealed more to me, if it were written at this time, in the sense that the issues of who appoints match officials, who pays their fees, and control measures that ensures that erring ones are brought to justice; are essential ingredients, that defines the Sporting Integrity of our football, or any sport.

There was a time, when someone who did not know Jack about Refereeing, was foisted as Head of the Referees Appointment and Development Committee of the NFF, and despite interventions by both CAF and FIFA Amaju Pinnick was adamant. He looked the other way, and instead opted to take a few selected elite refs on a tour of some English Premier League venues - a jamboree! 

But on the inception of Alhaji Gusau's administration, the tide has completely been altered. A renowned and well respected retired FIFA Badged Referee, Ms. Faith Irabor (a contemporary of mine) now heads the Referees Appointment and Development Committee; with reputable names like Calistus Chukwudi Chukwujekwu, Abraham Zakowi among others in that Committee.

Referees' match fees are now paid with little or no hiccups, Referees training and retraining have been enhanced, and our younger Referees have started to command the attention of both CAF and FIFA. These are proofs that Refereeing in Nigeria is not dead yet as Oga Gara claimed in the long essay. I commend both this NFF Board and NPFL hierarchy for the quick turnaround.

However, I subscribe to the call by Oga Gara that the payment of  indemnities of all match officials, be investigated and reviewed if found wanting. The simple reason is highlighted in an old adage that says, "who pays the piper often dictates the tunes he churns out". No need to say more.

Let me also say the question of match fixing and manipulation is not 💯 % exclusive to Nigeria. It is a global menace, in football, and all of sports. To make it sound as if Remo Stars FC and Kwara United (last season), Enugu Rangers and El-Kanemi Warriors (the season before) are not worthy champions of the NPFL or Winners of the President Federation Cup is uncharitable.

Like I was about to say earlier, no one is capable of giving what he or she does not have. I would have loved to see Oga Gara compare the annual budget of the NFF for the training and retraining of match officials, to that of say, the English FA, and then to South Africa's SAFA. 

About seven African countries have begun using the VAR technology in their domestic fixtures, and at least three more are on the brink of embracing the evolution, but Nigeria's football Sheriffs are still foot-dragging. My candid thoughts are that in addition to providing the Referees in the NPFL and NNL with common wave lengths (Communication Gadgets), we should introduce the Hawk Eye (Goal line Technology) in the upcoming season, and infuse the more expensive component or complete package (VAR) the season after. Why blame a child for a poor job done, when you never armed him or her with the right tools?

The ball is now in the courts of the NPFL and NFF to invite Oga Gara Gombe over, so that the harrowing claims of match-fixing are trashed out. This is not the first time we have heard of such, with some club officials saying brazenly in the past, that there was no match, they can not influence its outcome.

An independent audit panel may be needed to ascertain the facts and fallacies, to save the sporting integrity of our elitist league from collateral condemnation. Searchlight must also be beamed on sports journalists, some of whom we hear are also used as go-betweens, staff of the various league bodies who influence the appointments of match results, and club officials, who I consider to be the main culprits; in the sense that if there weren't a willing giver in the first place, there won't be a receiver at all. 

During my active days, I realized that some of these so-called inducements - cash, women, and other gifts rarely get to the Referees as released from source.

On the other hand, it is up to our Referees, especially the new generation, the new NFF is banking on to continue to show that they are worth being trusted and invested in. This they can do, on and off the field of play. Ours is to give them the support they need, like we were also mentored in our days. But that's if the authorities allow us to come close. How much one earns alone, does not determine whether he or she will succumb to the temptation of receiving bribes, gratifications, or overtures to manipulate games, be it for betting sake, or just for the fun of it. A thief will always steal, irrespective of how much he already has.

*Chinedum Ernest  Ohanusi*
* Former Premier League Referee,
* Former General Secretary FCT Football Referees Council,
* Former Secretary FCT SWAN, 
* Presently, the Head of Sports at Radio Nigeria Headquarters Abuja.