Pinnick’s Seven Years of Abysmal And Colossal Failure
While the free fall of Nigeria football continues unabated under the suffocating grip of NFF President Amaju Pinnick, the Nigerian music Industry is growing in leaps and bounds.
And if ever there were any doubts that Nigerian musicians are now the toast of the world, the recent Grammy Award won by Burna Boy put paid to that.
The success of the music Industry in Nigeria today was planted by patriots like Kenny Ogungbe, Dayo Adeneye aka D 1, Don Jazzy, after the Tony Okoroji-led PMAN laid the foundation.
These guys gave their all to the music Industry in all ramifications talent discovery, quality music production, mentoring etc.
Their self-core mandate was first to promote the music Industry in Nigeria and today the rest is history.
There was no budgetary allocation from the Federal Government, no grant from international agencies, but they succeeded in making Nigerian music a global brand.
When Pinnick assumed office as NFF President seven years ago, expectations were high on the deceitful agenda he proposed to Nigerians.
Nigeria football stakeholders can now understand that Pinnick’s mission was just to enrich and promote himself using the platform of the NFF.
His focus was to leap frog to the CAF Presidency and FIFA using money, influence and other tools at his disposal.
Pinnick’s mission was not for selfless service to Nigeria football.
The levity with which the NFF treated their oldest and most prestigious competition, the FA Cup, in 2021 is a case in point.
Actual value of sponsorship funds for the Aiteo Cup has been shrouded in secrecy and deals done under the table.
None of the national teams fared well under Pinnick’s watch, Players and Officials are being owed backlog of bonuses and allowances.
Hawking the Super Eagles matches exclusively to the South-South Governors became the norm.
No official accounts of what state Governors invested on Super Eagles across the South-South states.
The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is grounded as for over two football seasons match officials have not been paid their Indemnities, but not surprising the match officials are not complaining through their official channel, the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA).
NFF under Pinncks watch is not bothered because Pinnick himself is alleged to have ferried all the sponsorship funds from Supersport TV that would have stabilised the NPFL to private pockets using Mediterranean Sports Limited as conduit.
Bringing back the lost glory of Nigeria football must be propelled by selfless service and the ex- footballers Bloc must be ready to salvage Nigeria Football from 2022.
BY HARRISON JALLA.
