By Harry Awurumibe, STATE HOUSE, Abuja
In continuation of his wide consultations towards realising his dream of leading Nigerian football to the promised land, frontrunner in the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Elective Congress, Dr. Christian Emeruwa on Thursday stormed the nation’s seat of government, the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Head of Safety and Security Department who met with the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, briefed him on his lofty plans to revolutionise Nigeria football.
Emeruwa told the Presidential Spokesman that as a patriotic Nigerian in diaspora, he has heeded the clarion call of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to come home to practicalise all the knowledge of running football he has acquired by working for international and continental football bodies like Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and CAF.
He told Adesina that Nigeria’s football architecture needs total restructuring if the country must meet the demands of the modern era, adding that the country has the human and material resources to rank among the best football playing nations of the world.
Said he: “What Nigerian football lacks, currently, is proper planning and the will to do the tough, but right things. In fact, the current strategy and vision of the country’s football is inconsistent and no longer fit for purpose”.
Dr. Emeruwa posited that: “The time for change is now. Football is a powerful instrument that we have failed to utilise in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that the NFF has become a beggarly organisation that does not give anything back to the society. That is what we want to change.
“We have to push and break boundaries. Transparency, accountability, careful planning and a growth that creates opportunities for all stakeholders is what I am offering Nigeria,” he said.
The former Head of NFF Integrity Unit before he was tapped three years ago by CAF to work in Cairo, Egypt, described football as a powerful tool, which, however, cannot be effective without activities.
“Nigeria is too big a nation to be made to look like a joke by poor management. I am committed to using Nigeria as an example of progress in African football. That is why I am not looking at running a local football that is not in tune with the best global practices”, he concluded.
Responding, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity thanked Dr. Emeruwa for coming to share his vision for his country’s football, acknowledging that he is very impressed with his presentation and wished him good luck in his mission while promise to keep his eyes on how the election unfolds.
