By Paul Bassey
I am at the Khartoum International Stadium. The time is 19.05 Sudanese time, 17.05 Nigerian time.
The first quarter final match of the ongoing 2nd Orange African Nations Championship has just come to an end and with it the impressive run of an experimental South African side that defied form books to top a group that included Ghana , Niger and Zimbabwe .

On the night, South Africa was a sorry side, emphatically beaten 2_0, different from the bunch that won all its three matches, scored six goals and conceded only two.

Though a lot of people believe the penalty awarded Algeria for their goal was soft, there was no disputing the superior side as the Algerians were in complete control of the match.

As I am writing this Sudan is set to take on another surprise team, Niger .

The NFF President has said here that Niger needed to advance this far for them to lay claim to a worthy victory over Nigeria .

On Saturday it was the turn of Tunisia and T.P. Mazembe dominated Congo DR , while Angola had Group C leaders Cameroun for foe.

In other words, as you are reading this there are only four teams remaining in the competition from the 16 that started the tournament over two weeks ago.

Since I was not privileged to know the four before filing in this report, and since I cannot claim to have the gift of clairvoyancy, all I can say is that we are likely to have a worthy winner after a very keenly contested tournament that defied the form books all the way.

I have stopped talking about Nigeria’s participation in the tournament, but as a colleague remarked the other day we should not get used to Africa doing without us in Continental competitions.

That I, Linus Mba and referee Edibe Peter are flying Nigeria ’s flag here does not seem to be enough consolation.

Edibe before I forget is doing very well here.

I did a match with him in Port Sudan , and on Sunday he was on the lines in my quarter final match involving Tunisia and R.D. Congo.

I pray he goes on to feature in the final or at worst in the third place match which will be held same day with the final on February 25 at El Merreikh.

I quickly remind that though we were not in Rwanda for the U_17 and are not here for CHAN we will be in Libya for the U_20.

NFF president Maigari believes Coach Obuh has a killer squad capable of coming home with the trophy that is why we pray that the current unrest blowing through Benghazi and Tripoli will respect the universal language of football and allow CAF to move in and organize the trophy.

Twice I have made mention of the NFF President. Yes he is here.

Last Thursday, the honourable minister of sports hit town with President Maigari, Alhaji Galadima and Alhaji Abba Yola.

Last Friday the minister had very fruitful discussions with the CAF President Issa Hayatou on the way forward for Nigerian Football which a lot of people agree is facing very hard times.

Yes the CAF elections were discussed and frankly too which afforded Nigeria the opportunity of charting a course of action different from the original plan.

Let it be said that the politics of football has not changed. It is as exciting and as interesting as the game itself and winners do not emerge till the final whistle has been blown.

In two days CAF will go to the polls and Nigeria expects to be able to sustain the momentum maintained by Dr. Adamu.

Will it be easy? My answer is an emphatic NO.

First of all we need to appreciate the actors and the scenario that is being played out here.

The first is that Since Dr Adamu is insisting on clearing his name by going to CAS, then his CAF Executive Committee position is not vacant., going by the CAF Statutes that empowers the executive to declare the position vacant and fill same, not by election.

So until CAS hears the case, it is a no go area. Don’t ask me when CAS is going to hear the case.
The second is that with the FIFA Position a hot cake, the candidature of Alhaji Galadima will need some work to scale through. When I say work, I mean a whole lot of work.

For instance, the FIFA Position is being contested by three members of the CAF Executive Committee, Mohammed Rouaroua of Algeria ,Suketu Patel of Seychelles and Jacques Anouma of Cote D’Ivoire .

Add to this Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia and the World Cup made famous Danny Jordan and you will understand why we are going in there as under dogs.

But as earlier said…..down to work……so help us God.
Some update. Almamy Kabele Kabele returns to the Executive unopposed, Congo ’s Constant Omari is also unopposed from Central Africa while the Zone West B battle will be tough with five candidates, Moucharaf Anjorin of Benin remains the front runner.

Also look out for another titanic battle in COSAFA that has pitched together Danny Jordan, Walter Nyambilanmu of Malawi , Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia , John Muinjoh of Namibia and Justinho Mendez of Angola .

All this work work and more work has not allowed me the opportunity of telling you about my lunch by the Red Sea and the special post lunch Ethiopian woman’s tea that is accompanied by special fumes capable of driving away bad spirit and bringing……the holy spirit.

See you next week.