By Harry Awurumibe
An African adage says “a mad man dancing in the marketplace does not feel ashamed of himself but his kingsmen suffer public ridicule from his actions”.
This maxim is apt in describing the public nuisance the different factions of Nigeria football supporters group pose to Nigerian fans and various national football teams at every international football matches within and outside Nigeria in the recent time.
To put it in the proper perspective, the once harmonious and entertaining rendition of songs by the popular Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) during important national team matches have suddenly become a source of distractions at various stadia across the country and beyond.
Instead of being a source of encouragement to the players and comfort for the fans, the so-called Supporters Clubs have become a source of worry to all at the football matches involving Nigerian teams.
For the past seven years now, the once united Supporters Club has split into several groups with each claiming to be the recognised group in Nigeria.
Anyone who has followed Nigerian football especially from 1980s can vouch for the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) led by Dr. Rafiu Oladipo as being the 12th player whenever Nigeria’s Super Eagles (then Green Eagles); Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets before the Super Falcons debuted in 1991.
This group has followed the national football teams to away matches across the world, drumming, singing and dancing in support of the Nigerian teams to the admiration of football followers across the globe.
From China to Japan, Australia, England, Colombia, South Korea, Brazil, France, Scotland, Holland, Canada, Sweden, United States of America (USA) and anywhere in the world where the FIFA World Cup final in every category have been staged, Supporters Club have found their way to the events.
But in the recent time, the group has split into four factions with each trying to outwit the other not only in the stands but outside the stadium. This kind of unhealthy rivalry has become a big distraction to the players on the pitch, technical officials and fans who are also disturbed by the cacophony of voices emanating from the various groups of supporters.
As at last count, over half a dozen Supporters club with no fewer than five different Supporters groups have emerged under different names and led by persons who were former members of the Dr. Oladipo’s NFSC.
Aside the NFSC which now has Reverend Samuel Ikpea as National Chairman and Dr. Oladipo as President General (PG), there are also Super Eagles Supporters Club headed by Prince Vincent Okumagba; Authentic Football Supporters Club and Nigeria Eagles Supporters Club led by former members of NFSC with each claiming to be the true representatives of Nigerian football fans.
Sadly, during Nigeria’s male or female football teams international matches these different Supporters Clubs always come to the stadiums singing in incongruous tunes to the displeasure of the national teams and fans.
Recently, Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa has had a course to speak out against the disruptive activities of different football Supporters groups who sing hateful songs against each other during Super Eagles, Super Falcons and other national teams matches. He encouraged the warring parties to close ranks but to no avail.
In fact, these Supporters group will be at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on March 29 for the all important FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers final round return leg cracker between Nigeria and Ghana.
On that auspicious day, they will, like they have done in previous matches, flood the stadium with their musical instruments but wearing different apparel to also disturb the peace of the fans and players in pretence that they are drumming support for the home team.
These shenanigans have been one too many hence it has become imperative for the higher authority which is the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development headed by Chief Sunday Dare.
Indeed, their disruptive tendencies have reached high havens and such acts will be inimical to the success of Super Eagles when the Black Stars of Ghana come call on March 29.
The Minister must act fast by barring any member of the aforementioned groups from entering the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja under their different group names. He should also extract a pledge from them to adopt one single leadership on the day if they must be allowed into the stadium.
Also, for the sake of fatherland, there is need for every group claiming to support our national teams especially this win or burst match to see the need to operate under one umbrella.
Luckily, this line of argument has been canvassed before Nigeria crashed out in Garoua, Cameroon during the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by the veteran leader of the 65 year-old NFSC, Dr. Oladipo.
“There is no need for each group trying to outwit the other if truly the intention of such groups is to support the Super Eagles to win matches”.
“Nigeria is bigger than any individual’s interest or ambition hence I am calling for closing of ranks to show that we are one united group flying the flag of our great nation, Nigeria”, Dr. Oladipo popularly called ‘PG Worldwide’ to this writer before Super Eagles surprise crash in the match against Tunisia in the Round of 16 match in Garoua.
The once formidable Nigeria Football Supporters Club broke into various factions over seven years ago and has continued to drift apart the more due to ego and greed.
Prior to FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, the umbrella body of Supporters Club had remained indissoluble, united in one accord, singing and cheering the Super Eagles to victory at matches.
Things, then, fell apart shortly after the FIFA World Cup when a major crack occurred in the club, leading to the emergence of a new group, Super Eagles Supporters headed by Prince Vincent Okumagba.
Thereafter, two other groups also emerged from the breakaway group, bringing the number to four different Supporters club in the country and more yet to be known.
As at the time of this report, it is not clear if some groups will want to return to the fold even as some claim that they have the full support of the country’s football authorities to operate on their own.
Can things return to normal in the group ? Time will tell.
Harry Awurumibe is a Public Affairs Analyst
