Dalung Identifies Nigeria Football Problem, Proffers Solution

Dalung Identifies Nigeria Football Problem, Proffers Solution

By Niyi Busari

The immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has identified structural defect as the major challenge facing Nigeria football, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Dalung, while speaking with www.bsnsports.com.ng traced the structural defect which according to him is the major problem affecting the development of the game in Nigeria back to 2006 when the then Chairman, Nigeria Football Association, Ibrahim Galadima was illegally removed from office and statute was smuggled into the country and imposed on Nigeria.

Dalung argued that contrary to some people's opinion that the leadership of the NFF is the major challenge faced by the nation's football, he revealed that the leadership capitalised on the loopholes created by the structure and system to carry out 'illegal' actions.

"Nigeria football is not having leadership problem but structural defect, even if these set of leadership in Nigerian football leave, the problem will still continue because we have not dealt with problem. We need to deal with the issue of the FIFA and NFF statutes. Dalung told BSN Sports

"The problem of Nigeria football started when Ibrahim Galadima was illegally removed from office and statute was smuggled and imposed on Nigeria, capitalising on the fact that Nigerians love football and did not want to be banned. The imposed statute changed many things which contributed to the problems facing the game today.

He warned that until Nigeria government deal with the structural defect of the federation and correct the anomalies, then everything will be in place and football will start witnessing the sweet memories of the past.

"And until we deal with the main problems, the challenges will still continue."

He revealed that the solution to the structural defect was recommended when he was in office by the Elders Committee which he constituted to find lasting solution to the challenges facing Nigeria football. The committee then recommended that Nigeria must pull out from all international competitions for two years, bring all stakeholders together to deliberate on way forward and put everything in place within that two years.

"We need to go back to the recommendation of the Elders Committee which recommended that Nigeria should pull out of all international competitions for two years, come back home and put our house in order. By the time all ideas and suggestions by these men are put to use, the Nigeria football will surpass the achievements of the past."