By Prince Harrison Jalla,Chairman, Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Initiative
It was a no-victor, no-vanquished situation when the players’ bloc held an interactive session from 12–2 p.m. on September 14th with the National Sports Commission, shortly before the meeting with the FIFA delegation.
Although the players’ bloc had already held their own private meeting at Sandralia Hotel the previous night, September 13th, where we resolved to keep our differences aside and speak with one voice as a united front, the chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, was emphatic to the players’ bloc that PFAN is the only legally recognized body officially working with the National Sports Commission and the NFF, having been backed by an Act of Parliament promulgated by the National Assembly (National Sports Commission Establishment Act 2023).
Dikko further advised that the NSC and NFF cannot work outside the law. He appealed to the players’ bloc to close ranks under PFAN and work together as a united body for their benefit in the ongoing football reforms and transition process.
It would be recalled that past NFF leadership, for decades, deployed a divide-and-rule policy to stagnate the growth of the players’ union in Nigeria, using gullible ex-players as bait to prevent a united front.
Mallam Dikko, having served briefly as Vice Chairman to Hon. Nduka Erhabor of the League Management Company and later chairman of the same LMC, as well as 2nd Vice President to Amaju Pinnick for eight years, thoroughly understands the history and politics stagnating the players’ union growth in Nigeria.
Yours sincerely, as the progenitor and founder of the players’ movement in Nigeria and current Chairman, Board of Trustees of PFAN, and the entire PFAN family, give kudos to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, the dynamic and energetic Hon. Bukola Olopade.
Putting the self-induced players’ union crisis to rest is giving the ongoing football reforms and transition process a human face.
The FIFA delegation themselves were happy to see Tijani Babangida, Harrison Jalla, and Chikelu Ileanyosi speaking and making their presentation as one united body.
