Let me quote from a document of FIFA to the Nigeria Football Federation in November 2009:  ‘According to the FIFA Statutes, the NFF is obliged to manage its affairs independently and ensure that its own affairs are not influenced by any third parties’.

On the surface this is a very simple and very clear directive. The NFF, is a public organisation of an associative nature involving a collection of clubs and other members, all involved in the activities of association football. In several countries around the world that directive is easy to follow. In America for example private football clubs, owned by various persons, communities or organisations come together to form a national football association or federation. Government has no business with them as their ownership and funding are entirely private sector. There are no third parties in these developed cultures, like their governments, that influence or interfere in their activities.

The same condition applies to communist countries where every thing belongs to government. But how did the condition apply and work here? China, South and North Korea and Cuba are a few of such countries. They are all active members of the FIFA family despite their political ideologies. It is easy to understand why works and does nt. attract the ire of FIFA. Governments own and fund football in their countries and are not considered as third parties! Indeed, government is the primary and only party! FIFA has not dismembered the national federations even as they are run by government agencies in those countries!

Nigeria – a case study for FIFA

What about the case of Nigeria, most African countries and, indeed, some other third world countries outside Africa? These countries do not belong to the First World. They are also not communist. Their economies are in the developing category. Their economies are largely driven by their governments. In Nigeria, potentially the richest of the developing countries in the world, the biggest industry is still government and football development is in the country’s social activity agenda, funded exclusively and almost entirely by government. The reality is that the level of economic activity and development in the country makes it difficult and almost impossible, for now, for football development to be driven by the private sector. In most of the 36 States of the country only Lagos, Rivers and Delta have any potential for sustaining their football programmes outside the funding of government. So, whereas Nigeria is neither a First World country nor a communist country, it lies somewhere in between with funding mostly provided by government and a sprinkling of support from the private sector. Its relationship, therefore, with FIFA must be unique, based on a basic understanding of their peculiar situation.  FIFA understands this perfectly and has applied this without creating a special clause for it in its statutes.

FIFA must face this reality in the light of developments in Africa that may spiral into crisis if not handled with care.

Almost all clubs in Nigeria are owned by local government or State governments or their agencies. Although many are incorporated as limited liability companies their ownership is still government. Their funding comes from government. As result, State Football Associations are headed by government-appointed/elected chairmen.  These football associations constitute the single largest constituency in the country’s membership of the Nigeria Football Federation. As a result every Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association/Federation since Independence has been an appointee of government. The outgoing President of the Federation is a director of sports in the Federal Capital Territory, a pure civil servant. All the members of the executive committee of the NFF are appointees of the State governments whose chairmanship they head.

The Federation itself is given life of existence by an Act of the National Assembly as a B category parastatal of the Federal Government with annual budgetary allocations that take care of its running and expenses for competitions and other activities. It also generates revenue from sponsorship but this is only a compliment of the primary funder.

In practical terms, government is the primary party in Nigerian football. It cannot therefore be referred to as a third party! When it gets involved in activities of the national federation therefore it should not be considered as a third-party influence. It cannot be an external party in a situation where it (directly or indirectly -it does not matter which now) owns and funds the federation. FIFA must stop seeing governments of such countries as an interfering third-party because, everything considered, the reality is that it is not.

What this means is that FIFA’s principle of independence and interference must be given a different interpretation and understanding in the case of several African countries.

Thats why FIFA will be tested by the unfolding drama in Nigeria. From it must be born a new understanding and philosophy that must respect the unique situation in Africa. That way FIFA shall stop being used by selfish interests to drive a wedge between it and Governments. A better understanding is what is needed.