'Sport Minister’s Inexperience Cost Nigeria Fifa Ban', Says Gara-Gombe

The seasoned football administrator has blamed the country’s suspension by the world football governing body on the inexperience of the sports minister and his advisers

EXCLUSIVE
Shina Oludare

Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Sports and seasoned football administrator, Alhaji Shuaib Gara-Gombe has disclosed that the inexperience of Nigeria’s sports minister and chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, provoked Fifa to impose suspension on the Nigeria Football Federation.

The football governing body came hard on Nigeria following a law suit that stopped the duly elected Aminu Maigari NFF board from functioning but the government's appointed caretaker group moved to sack the board via a hastily organized congress. However, Fifa lifted its hammer after the court case was withdrawn and Maigari's board was reinstated.
Gombe, while expressing his happiness about the lifting of the suspension, said all the issues could have been averted.
"I feel relieved because at this time in our football history we should not be going through this kind of avoidable prejudice by actions and inactions of very few people in our society to warrant such sanction from Fifa,” Gombe told Goal.
"The ban could have been averted. It was sheer inexperience, selfish interest and lack of patriotism.”
The former Gombe State Football Association chairman gave a road map on how to avert such  ‘embarrassing’ occurrence in future.
"Honestly speaking, we need to come up with a transitional arrangement towards the disengagement of government from funding and administration of football in Nigeria.
"Without doing that, these problems will keep resurfacing. We had this kind of scenario in 2006 but it was carefully handled and we escaped Fifa’s sanction. In 2010, we had a similar crisis which was well handled maturely and with experience,” he continued.
"It happened again this year and we got banned by Fifa because it was not managed properly due to the inexperience of our minister and it is regrettable.

"For instance, the Falconets preparing for the Fifa Women’s U-20 World Cup in Canada, I'm very sure they have put in their best in terms of preparations. If this suspension had not been upturned by Fifa, it would have been demoralizing and could have affected the careers of the young girls.
"The Super Eagles are African champions and our U-17 team are World champions and qualifiers begin next week. If we have not been left free by Fifa, we could have suffered irreparable blows. I'm happy the ban was lifted,” he concluded.
Nigeria's U20 Women's team are expected to challenge for the world title in Canada next month after resolution of the crisis rocking the country's football.
Source:goal.com