The round leather game called Football has been a sort of religion in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, just like a church or mosque, where citizens congregate irrespective of tribe, colour or language to listen to the sermons from preachers or Imams.
Apart from Football, over the years, being a source of unity, love and brotherhood, it has been a great crowd puller, like a religion with everyone operating with one faith.
That same religion, football, has not fared well in the last few years, with all indications showing that it has been murdered by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), aided by the Chieftans of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
As a result of the negligence and unpatriotism of our football mangers and heads of Sports Commission. Nigerian flag will not be hoisted when the FIFA 2026 World Cup kicks off in June in three nations of United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
Despite CAF's aid of changing the rules of qualification at the middle of a game and after much pressure from the echelon of NSC, who was allegedly rumoured to have collected huge sums of money from the Presidency to ensure Nigeria's qualification for the Mundial, no positive result was achieved.
It was surprising that Eritria pulled out of the world cup qualifications race after playing eight((8) matches out of ten games.
Nigeria took part in the CAF play off with all the assurances from NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and DG Hon. Bukola Olopade that the Super Eagles would pick the sole African ticket to be part of FIFA Continental World Cup play off.
But DR Congo emerged as the 10th Africa Nations representating the continent.
When Super Eagles failed in the African play off, the General Secretary of NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi came up with other trick called PETITION against DR CONGO claiming that Congo fielded 5 inelegeable players against Nigeria during the FIFA Africa playoff in Moroco.
It was however gathered that the NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, had advised the General Secretary to drop the petition.
But because of his alleged quest to hang onto his position after spending over 10 years as General Secretary, with accumulative 20 years in the secretariat as a Contract staff, against civil service rule, he didn't soft pedal.
With the non-challant attitude of NFF President towards the petition and his refusal to grant interview on the subject matter, but the Chieftans of the Sports Commission bought the idea and managed to convince the occupant of Aso Rock Villa that the petition if given presidential back up, Nigeria will be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.
In the dramas that followed, the Commission's big wigs Shehu Dikko' and Hon. Bukola Olopade, ironically took over the responsibility of NFF, by appearing in media houses both radio and television station, claiming and assuring Nigerians that the petition has merit and FIFA verdict will favour the Super Eagles.
But critical football watchers (like the Writer) neck deep in football politics and rules knew that the NFF was using the Petition to keep Nigerians busy with different newspaper headlines, giving fake hope they knew will never come to past.
Even when the verdict came from FIFA, it was concealed by the NFF General Secretary as directed by the Chieftans of Sports Commission.
With pressure from Nigerians, Sanusi had no option than to admit that he had received FIFA decision on the petition.
He had stated "Yes the federation has received the decision of FIFA on the Petition against DR Congo and we are preparing our response to the verdict. We are working with National Sports Commission to know the next line of action. Going to CAS is our next destination"
Having seen the decision of FIFA and the reasons why the petition was rejected due to procedure, I expect NSC to query the NFF General Secretary Sanusi for failing to follow the simple procedure of filling protest /petition having spent over 10 years as the head of Secretariat, and quietly ask him to step aside.
The most annoying is that the NFF Emergency Congress held in Bayelsa, didn't mention the failure of Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and didn't apologize to Nigerians in their Communique.
The same line was followed by the Chairman of National Sports Commission headed by Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade. No apology from them.
These football managers should rise up to their responsibilities and save the game of football in Nigeria.
Nigeria surely has great potentials that it is such a pain that the Super Eagles will not be at the championship.