Former Nigeria captain and football administrator, Chief Segun Odegbami, has described FIFA’s intervention in the ongoing efforts to reform football administration in Nigeria as a “blessing”, following a three-hour meeting involving FIFA, CAF, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other key stakeholders in Abuja.
Odegbami, who was among the Nigerian football stakeholders at the meeting, said the discussions were conducted in a cordial atmosphere, with participants addressing the country’s football challenges without rancour.
Reflecting on the outcome of the meeting in a piece titled “Meeting with FIFA – foto no dey lie!”, the former Green Eagles captain said the gathering brought members of Nigeria’s football family together “like old friends” and offered fresh hope for resolving longstanding administrative issues.
According to Odegbami, the FIFA delegation demonstrated a strong understanding of the problems confronting Nigerian football, having arrived at the meeting already well briefed on the major issues.
“The FIFA delegation, in their few remarks during the conversation, demonstrated that they know the main issues with Nigerian football pretty well,” Odegbami stated.
He added that the discussions provided FIFA with additional information that could strengthen its report and guide the next steps in the reform process.
Odegbami believes the meeting has created the foundation for significant changes in the administration of Nigerian football, insisting that reforms are now inevitable.
“Reforms are coming, with or without a Normalisation Committee,” he declared, while noting that there appeared to be broad agreement among stakeholders on the immediate priorities requiring attention.
The former international also stressed the importance of FIFA’s role in giving effect to whatever final decisions emerge from the reform process.
“It is also clear that only FIFA can provide the instrument to enforce any final decisions,” he said.
While acknowledging that difficult decisions may lie ahead, Odegbami predicted that compromise would be necessary from all sides.
“There shall be likely compromises by all the parties, everyone giving up a little and taking a little,” he added.
Odegbami stressed that the most significant outcome of the Abuja meeting was the positive atmosphere in which stakeholders departed.
He described FIFA’s latest intervention as “a blessing” and “a necessary step” towards ensuring that any reforms eventually agreed upon can be effectively implemented.
“Mission to Abuja accomplished,” Odegbami concluded, saying he left the meeting encouraged by the “good feelings” shared by participants.
