Once again let me state it clearly: the key to the development of the Nigerian league is the football pitch – the ground on which matches are played! Although there are several factors to be considered the turf is number one. Let us fix the grounds. Forget about the old tale of government (not clubs) ownership of the stadia. Which State government (that incidentally also owns the club) will not readily surrender the responsibility to fix the grounds of teams that are in the Premiership to the NFL board?  Working with grounds experts (a few of them still exist in Nigeria and we know them) the NFL should directly contract out the fixing of grounds to them. The details of what shall be provided at each venue (20 in all in the first year) will be worked out! To ensure that this works the process must start now and terminate before the start of the season. Thereafter every club shall ensure strict usage regime to ensure that the quality of turf remains good throughout the season.
The second step in security. Every away-club and all the match officials shall report directly to the Police Commissioner of that State on arrival for a match. The commissioner shall provide the highest level of security for them throughout the period of their stay until departure. He will be held responsible if anything happens during this period. The NFL shall pay for this service. In addition, each venue shall also be secured against hooligans and touts that may disrupt matches, or intimidate match officials.
The third step is perhaps the most important in advertising the game, attracting audiences to matches, promoting the league and its players, and bringing much-needed revenue to the league. It is television. Football needs television as man needs water! Already significant steps have been taken already by Globacom and Supersports to address this issue. But everything would come to naught if the first two steps are not taken. Having said that, well-informed and well-trained commentators and analysts must be introduced to Nigerian television. If it takes a national audition of interested persons to be conducted by the partnering television stations (NTA and Supersports) it should be done. The NFL’s role is to ensure that this standard is attained in order to promote its ‘product’ well to the outside world.

In the first year, between improving the grounds to a high standard, providing security for all participants, and packaging the league to the highest standards for television transmission, lies the key to the much-sought-after revolution in the game in Nigeria.  The grounds will improve play, help coaches in tactical development, make games more attractive, reduce tendency for cheating and poor officiating, attract television and its corporate sponsors, take Nigerian football to the world, and bring in enormous revenue to clubs and the league!

There are other factors to be considered also in this reform process but for starters the above should do the magic. The funds are there. They just need to be judiciously deployed.  A determined leadership is also in place. What is left is the will to do the job!