26052018 - Buhari battles the challenge of CHANGE

44 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 26, 2018
By Jacob Ajom
Numerous attempts have been
made in the past to chronicle
Nigeria’s exploits at the international
football arena. The latest effort titled
“The Class of ’94" is put together by
former board member of the defunct
Nigeria Football Association and later
Anambra State Commissioner for Sports
in the last dispensation, Tony Nnachetta.
The book which is divided into five
sections is a compendium of the “golden
era” of Nigeria football, it’s ups and
downs and the entrance of the new
generation and what the future holds.
Section one covers 1994 to 1996 which
the author describes as the golden
generation. The section chronicles the
triumphal outing of the Eagles in Tunisia
’94 Africa Cup of Nations, the first by
Nigeria outside the shores of the
country; Eagles’ World Cup debut
outing in USA ’94 which culminated in
the epochal gold-medal winning
performance of the Dream Team at
Atlanta ’96 Olympics.
In section 2, the author still on the golden
era writes on the Super Eagles outing in
Algiers ’90, Senegal ’92 AFCON finals,
Tunisia ’94 and Atlanta ’96 and the
monumental contributions of one of
Nigeria’s most successful coach,
Clemens Westerhof. On page 38 the
The Class of ’94:
A celebratory publication on the triumphal
moments of Nigeria football
author writes: “There are some football
pundits in Nigeri who argue that Nigerian
football ought to be divided into two
major epoch to wit: “Before Westerhof”
and “After Westerhof”.
Editor Saturday Vanguard, Onochie
Anibeze was the closest sportswriter to
coach Clemens Westerhof and travelled
far and wide with the Eagles under the
Dutch coach. Onochie was quoted as
saying, “Coaches like Westerhof come
once in a lifetime.” Westerhof built steel
in the boys and gave them self belief.
Onochie quoted Westerhof as telling
the former NFA Chairman Yusuf Ali who
was singing praises of the then Ivorien
hot shot, Youssouf Fofana, not to
bother. “Who is Fofana? I have my
Igboman Uche Okechukwu who will
keep him quiet.” That was how much
Westerhof was able to instil self belief in
his wards and prepared them for greater
things.
Coach Johannes Bonfrer who was
Westerhof’s assistant at both Tunisia
’94 and USA ’94 World Cup and head
coach to the Dream Team also received
generous mention.
Section 3 chronicles the makers of the
golden generation. These includes
players, coaches, administrators and the
power behind the class of ’94, the former
military Vice President, Rear Admiral
Augustus Aikhomo.
The following section recorded the
highs and the lows of Nigeria football in
the post Westerhof era which began
with France ’98, Korea/Japan 2002 and
South Africa 2010 World Cup.
The concluding section, section 5,
according to the author, “is a statement
of anxieties, hopes, aspirations and
commitment to a great future for Nigeria
football from administrators and
coaches to signal a fresh trajectory.”
World Cup:
Church boosts
Supporters Club
Plans by the Nigeria Football
Supporters Club to travel to
Russia for the 2018 World Cup
received a big boost yesterday when
the Spiritual Head of Love of Christ
Generation Church (Cherubim &
Seraphim), Clapper Road, South West
London, Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi
donated a huge amount of money that
can take about 25 members of the club
in an all expenses paid trip to the
Mundial.
She made the donation, when
members of the club led by its president
General ,Word Wide, Dr. Rafiu
Oladipo,paid her a courtesy visit at
the Sheraton Hotel and Towers Ikeja,
Lagos during which she was honoured
as mother and matron of the club.
In her acceptance speech, the Woman
of God described the award as a call to
duty which will spur her to do more
for humanity and commended the club
for founding her worthy to be so
honoured just as she charged members
of the club not to relent in their efforts
at supporting the national teams.
She described the Supporters Club
as an extension of the national team
because their activities on the field of
play inspire the team to go for victory.
I"'m overwhelmed by this recognition
which shows that whatever one is
doing; some people are somewhere
watching him and this award is a call
to duty which will spur me to do more
for mankind.
By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor
& Esther Onyegbula
Serious crisis looms at the
multi-billion naira
International Centre for
Commerce, ICC, at the Trade Fair
complex, Lagos following cries of
alleged mismanagement of funds
and high handedness being levelled
against the Board of Trustees in
connivance with the leadership of
the Balogun Business Association,
BBA, that owns the centre.
The popular market located
around Lagos/Badagry expressway,
situated on a large expanse of land
in the area was meant to be a
massive commercial hub in the
country. The centre is an offshoot of
Balogun market on the Lagos Island
which was said to be one of the
biggest open markets in West Africa.
The traders had to relocate to their
present site at the Trade Fair
complex on September 13, 2002 as
a result of incessant harassment and
intimidation by miscreants
popularly called Area boys on the
Lagos Island.
The centre is made up of traders,
professionals and corporate bodies
operating under the name
International Centre for Commerce,
ICC, owned by Balogun Business
Association, BBA. It was leased in
1994 while the construction of
markets and shops started in 2000.
These shops were constructed
through communal efforts of the
business men and women.
However, the federal government
which is the owner of the land came
in to assist the traders by
constructing roads and providing
electricity.
Expectedly, as soon as business
kicked off in earnest at the new site,
the leadership of the market started
recording appreciable successes
and raking in huge revenue. They
reportedly started with an annual
budget of N180 million but was
increased to N300million and in
Lagos Trade Fair Complex: Crisis looms
at International Centre for Commerce
* As stakeholders accuse BOT of fraud
* Threaten to invite ICPC, EFCC
* Allegations are baseless —leadership
President BBA, Chief Obi
2011, it got to N330million. This
revenue came from daily utilities
which include payments for
electricity, environment and other
bills. It got to a point that the annual
income of the market rose
astronomically to N500million
especially when there was a windfall
like money realised from allocation
of lands and other bills.
In spite of all these very notable
achievements, danger seems to be
lurking in the centre. There are
visible signs of discontentment and
general disillusionment as some
stakeholders in the market are
asking for the removal of, not just
their leadership but also the entire
members of the Board of Trustees in
the market. A two-time Financial
Secretary of the union, Chief
Godwin Umennabuike who said he
Chief Pascal Udeh
joined the business men in 1994
before the relocation to Badagry
expressway unequivocally stated
that sanity was urgently needed in
the market.
He said, “we had problem in the
centre in 2004 which lasted for 30
months as a result of leadership
crisis. We gave the leadership the
opportunity to organise us but along
the line, they started derailing by
failing in their duties in the market.
The infrastructure started decaying,
the roads were so bad and they
incurred debts totalling about N55
million to the Federal government.
The debt arose over their default in
the monthly payment of N7million
to the federal government as lease
agreement.
During the crisis, a lot of damages
were recorded but when we came
in, we cleared the huge debt. We did
well by addressing a lot of problems
plaguing ICC.
“After that regime, we started
having problems with members of
the Board of Trustees who wanted to
perpetuate themselves in power.
They have been holding sway and
teleguiding every leadership in the
centre unlike what happens in other
markets like ASPANDA where their
founders have retired and gave them
free hands to run their markets.
Recently, they had a windfall of
about N1.7 billion in the centre. It
came from the land allocated to us
for extension. However, instead of
using it to provide the amenities
urgently needed, they shared it
among themselves. When we were
in charge of ICC, we itemised the
things needed like sewage, fire
service and even parking lot to the
management board of trade fair.
Land was given to us specifically for
these necessities. However, instead
of the land allocated for these
projects to be used for that purpose,
they started allocating it illegally
and making so much money for
themselves."
Former 1st Vice President of the
union, Chief Pascal Ude also stated;
"The government should therefore
come to our aid and restore sanity
in the market. Danger is looming
and if it is not checked now, the crisis
that will follow will be
unquantifiable. Rmours that the
windfall may have been
innapropriately handled should be
taken seriously and should be
thoroughly investigated by the
EFCC, ICPC or both.
“The cabal and our BOT have
succeeded in manipulating our
constitution by creating other
guidelines they call constitution to
suit their personal interests. Every
leadership has its constitution to
work with. Members of the BOT
drafted another constitution that
said they are life members of the
market. That is the constitution they
use now. It is very unfortunate that
they submitted two different copies
of our constitution to the Corporate
Affairs Commission, CAC, and such
an act was accepted. It shows that
CAC is conniving with them in such
illegality. CAC should tell us why
they should accept two constitutions
instead of one from an association
like ours. It is affecting the market
adversely."
The former Financial secretary,
Chief Ummennabuikealso stated:
“A 10-man committee was set up
some time ago to review the
constitution and I was the
chairman. Unfortunately after
carrying out a very good and widely
accepted review, the cabal still
manipulated it. In the reviewed
constitution, we removed the
vexatious issue of life membership
and stated unequivocally that after
five years, our leaders must seek
renewal from the general assembly
but they wickedly removed that
progressive clause and dumped the
constitution to gather dust.”
Former secretary of the
association, Chief Beed
Onwwuasanya also echoed his
grievances. “There is general
discontentment in the market. What
we need now is for the account of
the windfall to be rendered. They
should also go and register our
constitution so that our leaders will
no longer be teleguided by the BOT
whose members have been in power
for over thirteen years now. Worse
still, an association that makes
millions daily has no fixed deposit
account. They resort to borrowing
any time the need arises. They lack
managerial ability totally."
However, in a swift reaction,
Chief Anthony Obih, the President,
Balogun Business Association,
trade fair complex stated that the
allegation that the leadership of the
association was using thugs to
intimidate other members of the
association was false. ‘’ This is
Nigeria where people have their
human rights; if anyone’s right has
been assaulted, he should seek
redress legally.