By Ikeddy Isiguzo
IT was simply amazing watching the Eagles in their games against Ethiopia, then Kenya. I am not referring to the goals that have beclouded us about the team and our preparations. There are issues which we must forget, it seems, because the team won.

We are being asked to remember the first time the Eagles scored four goals in a game. We are told that with a little hard work, the team would be the Eagles of our dreams. What can one say to that conjecture except to ask what our dreams are?

Those who are interested in cataloguing games the Eagles won under Samson Siasia are doing a great job of telling us how well Siasia is doing. The illegitimate Nigeria Football Association would be glad the victories can divert attention from its laxities.

It is not surprising that praises for the Eagles are amassing, the same Eagles that we all watched. What can victory not do?

There may be causes for celebration, but they may not be really related to the general performance of the team and the sustained tardiness of the NFA.

Kalu Uche definitely had reason to celebrate. Injury put him on the sidelines for 18 months. He was happy to have played, and he scored twice against Ethiopia. His first goal, the Eagles’ second in the game, was crucial in rescuing a match that could have ended with a leaner margin or worse.

What else was there to celebrate? We can try the ineptitude of the NFA. Twenty-six years after John Fashanu could not play in the World Cup qualifier against Tunisia (we could not get him a Nigerian passport), NFA could not get Victor Moses a FIFA clearance to play against Ethiopia.

Like Fashanu, who never played for Nigeria, Moses arrived the country expecting to play, not knowing that some fellows in the NFA are content to occupy an office without a clue about their work.

Why did we invite Moses when we did not know how to get a FIFA clearance? What does the International Department of the NFA do? The response of NFA’s acting

General Secretary, Musa Amadu, a lawyer, indicted Nigerians for refusing to appreciate the efforts of the NFA to get the clearance.

His explanation: “FIFA replied to our letter, but there are still some procedures to follow before Victor Moses will be eligible to play for Nigeria. FIFA requested more documentation on the player. We are following due process in this matter. It is very unfortunately that many people do not understand what it takes to get this issue resolved and they just resorted to unnecessary castigation of the NFF.

“Immediately Victor Moses arrived on Monday March 23 for the game, we quickly wrote FIFA declaring our intention to use the boy in the match. But FIFA replied that it is not done just that way, that there are certain conditions that should be met before he could switch nationality.

“Among such conditions according to FIFA, about five of them, is that the player’s British passport and that of Nigeria must be forwarded to FIFA.

Again, FIFA requested for a letter of encompassing intent to change nationality from the player and NFF and also letter from the British FA that Victor Moses has only played for it at the youth level and never featured for it at the senior level. As it is right now, we have secured his Nigerian passport and only following due process in handling the matter.

“We cannot give FIFA half of the requirements. We have to get all of them intact and send it across to FIFA. That will enable FIFA attend to it once and for all.

“We are working towards getting all these things done including correspondences from the British FA. That Moses did not play in the matches against Ethiopia and Kenya does not mean that he can no longer play for the Super Eagles.

“The next match is coming up in June and so between this March through May, we will sort everything out so he can play for Nigeria, this I can assure all Nigerians.”

I have quoted Mr. Amadu extensively so that Nigerians would know the type of people working very hard for our football. He demands our apologies for expecting NFA to know how to transfer a player’s nationality or if in doubt find out before putting the player on the plane.

What is there to celebrate when our football is stuck in this mud? If Mr. Amadu is Moses will he return to play for Nigeria unless he does not get an offer elsewhere? Why is Mr. Amadu sounding as if FIFA invented those rules for Nigeria? Even if we had all the papers, should the player have arrived in Nigeria before we find out if he is eligible for the game?

I doubt if an illegal NFA can discipline anyone, otherwise I would have suggested that Mr. Amadu be sanctioned, for his handling of this matter and his more ridiculous explanation which says – I am right, Nigerians are wrong!