I have watched with amusement the conspiracy and attempts by Nigerian members of the Confederation of African football (CAF) and top shots in football administration in the country, to perpetuate Cameroun-born Issa Hayatou in office as president of the confederation. For anyone that cares to know, Hayatou was elected in 1987 when the then office holder, Yidnekachew Tessema of Togo retired. That means Hayatou had been on the CAF seat as president for 30 years. Another election is coming this month, March 16 and he is seeking another term. That would be his 8th consecutive term if he got it. Presently, he is 71 years old. I do not have any problem with old people. They have as much right as any other person to contest for any position they so desire, so long as they have the health and the vigour to handle the task attached to that office.
Even Tessema who was Hayatou’s predecessor in office was 66years old when he left the CAF seat though he died shortly after on August 20, 1987. This is not the fate we wish Hayatou. Nobody wants him to die in ‘office’.
No doubt, Hayatou has contributed immensely to the development of soccer in the continent. He has an enviable record of having held forte as FIFA president when Sepp Blatter was suspended and was being investigated over corruption allegations, before the present FIFA president, Gianni Infantino was elected. He contested for that position against Infantino. He equally presided over the affairs of CAF in a way that led to an increase in the number of African representative at FIFA World Cup from two to five. His tenure equally led to the expansion of the number of countries participating in the African Nations Cup from eight to 16, among many other achievements.
In spite of all these, he did not also escape the tar of corruption which led to the sack of Blatter and many other top shots of the football body. Hayatou was accused of taking bribes from Quatar to support the country’s bid for the 2022 World Cup. In the 90s, he was equally accused of taking money to get a preferred company to win the television rights to a World Cup event. He denied all the allegations and nobody could make any of the allegations stick. Unlike Blatter and the others who were swept away by the bribery and corruption allegations, Hayatou position in Africa and CAF’s numero uno was unaffected. Definitely, the story would have been different, if it had been outside of Africa.
Back to the present. If Hayatou got the mandate of other CAF members, he would be spending the next four years as CAF president, in fact, with the new CAF rule, he could be there for the next 12 years, he would then be about 83 years old, haba! Isn’t it the honourable thing for him to step aside for some other people to pilot CAF’s affairs?
We all know Hayatou is not experiencing the best of health. Last year, he had a kidney transplant which further slowed him down, though his loyalist would not agree. This is where I have a problem.
Why would some people want Hayatou to continue as CAF president? And why should the support for that perpetuation in office be coming from Nigerians? Such that their is opposition to NFF president, Amaju Pinnick who has a different opinion and who is seeking a seat on the CAF executive board. Are those in support of Hayatou not self-serving, believing that with their support for Hayatou, they would also retain their seat on CAF board. Of course, it’s obvious that with Pinnick’s interest, someone has to drop.
During the week, some football administrators and Hayatou’s loyalists in the country came against Pinnick over his stand. A press statement issued and signed by nine persons which include, banned FIFA and CAF member, Dr Amos Adamu, Barrister Chris Green, Paul Bassey, Aisha Falode and Amanze Uchegbulam reads, “We , Nigerian members of CAF hereby declare our unalloyed support for President Hayatou and his leadership of CAF, one that has brought great developments to the game in Africa, including the hosting of the FIFA World Cup on African soil for the first time.
“Dr Hayatou goes into the March Elections as an overwhelming favourite. Even if he was not, it is a political faux pas to indiscreetly react otherwise, in a terrain where the interest of our football (Nigeria) should be paramount over any personal interest and consideration. “Mr Pinnick as an individual has a right to declare support for whoever he pleases but when such support is made in the name of Nigeria then there is need for extreme caution given the political colouration of CAF elections of which we are well grounded and versed in.
“We do not remember Mr (Ahmad) Ahmad, (head of Madagascar football association and Hayatou’s challenger) visiting Nigeria to solicit or canvass for votes nor do we have any record of Mr Ahmad’s pedigree in the running of football in Africa that would have led Mr Pinnick to dangerously throw all of Nigeria’s eggs in his basket. We stand dangerously threatened.”
I have a lot of issues with the statement from the football administrators, though most of them are former. Why do they think it is necessary to continue to support Hayatou. Even if we do not have anybody qualified enough in Nigeria to contest for that position, why not support another person who is young and would better serve our interest? What does the statement, ‘there is need for extreme caution given the political colouration of CAF elections of which we are well grounded and versed in’, mean? Are they unhappy that Pinnick, who is presently the President of NFF, did not consult them before making his intention known. Even if Pinnick was not grounded in CAF politics, in what way have they guided and liaised with him on the matter. For someone holding the position of NFF president, should it not be automatic that his bid for a seat on the board of CAF, be supported? Come to think of it, all the aforementioned people, how did they get their seat on CAF board? Was it not based on their country of origin?
Even if it was in their personal capacity, are they not Nigerians that should work in support of Nigeria? To them, he is Mr Pinnick, are they saying they do not or will not have anything to do with him, going by the tone of their letter. In Nigeria today, the face of Nigerian football is Pinnick and nothing should be done without his input. CAF board is not a cult that is meant for only one person or a group of people, the earlier this is made clear, the better. It is thus important for the presidency to wade into this matter. It is the Federal government’s way of showing support for Pinnick, who represents our football interest by virtue of his position.
Not only that, Nigeria should have a position on who to support for the election and what we stand to gain from that support.