By Onochie Anibeze
What was the reward to the Spanish team that won

the World Youth Soccer Championship in 1999 in Nigeria?

The boys celebrated to high heavens when their officials handed them a gold wrist watch each. They were junior players and in many parts of the world it is wrong to reward junior players with monetary incentives. In fact, in tennis the International Tennis Federation rules against cash prizes in junior events.

But if you start playing professional tennis at young age and earn money that is your business.

In Nigeria cash prizes are given to soccer players in U-17 category. We would even do so if we had U-15. Our Ikeddy Isiguzo says the monetary incentives form part of what fuels cheating in age grade competitions.

Dr. Ken Anugweje of Athletics Federation of Nigeria says the media are also to blame for elevating what, ordinarily, should be a development programme to what deceives the government and people of Nigeria. He advised that we should adopt the global practice of reporting such age grade competitions as footnotes.

Truly, if you are in the developed countries during age grade competitions you will hardly know any such events are going on. We celebrate these events and our authorities do everything to elevate them in the estimation of government not only as a mark of supposed achievement but also for the ‘largesse’ that usually follows. We, in the media, are guilty as charged.

After beating Ghana 1-0 in their opening match in the just concluded African Under 20 Competition, Nigeria fell to Cameroun in the group match. Nigeria Football Federation panicked and increased winning bonus from $1,000 to $2,000 in their last group match against Gambia.

The players were paid $3,000 for the semi-final against Mali and $4,000 for winning the trophy against same Cameroun. So did the bonus work for them? I don’t think so. They won because they upped their game. Motivating players is always good but money doesn’t always do it otherwise Eagles would have won the World Cup in South Africa.

If, for example, you line out Enugu Rangers and offer them $1m each to beat Barcelona FC will they be able to do so? I understand the situation for the Aminu Maigari led NFF. After Nigeria had failed to win any silverware in football for a while they have been so determined to win trophies.

They did with the Falcons and they have added the African Under 20 title which earned them the ticket to world championship in Colombia.

The NFF did the right thing before the competition and shouldn’t have panicked when the team lost to Cameroun in the group match. They should learn to play their role and leave the rest to the coaches and players. I can’t remember any Nigerian team (all sports) that adequately prepared for a competition the way the coach John Obuh led team did.

They camped at home and abroad, played so many friendly matches and had all that they needed. It was, perhaps, against this background that coach Obuh started talking about lifting the U-20 World Cup even before qualifying for it. If the federation does the right thing people will know where to lay the blame when things go wrong. For this Under 20 team, the federation has done well. If they go to Columbia and perform badly we will not blame the federation. If they win, I’ll congratulate them but will not celebrate them. Why?

My answer is on the agency report on the highest goal scorer in South Africa. His name is Uche Nwofor. The story was published last Tuesday on page 55 of Vanguard. Read the whole stuff:

Dike not surprised at Nwofor’s feat

Enugu Rangers manager, Alphonsus Dike, has stated that the performance of Uche Nwofor at the just_concluded Africa Youth Championship (AYC) did not come to him as a surprise.

Nwofor, who has been consistent in front of goal for his Nigeria Premier League (NPL)team emerged as highest goal scorer at the competition with four goals in five matches.

The Nigeria ‘B’ international started his career at lower division side, Anambra Pillars before moving to Premier League side, 3SC on loan.

He joined Rangers on the eve of current season.

“I’m very happy that Nwofor excelled at the competition and his performance has justified our goal scoring form. I believe people now know why we score goals at Rangers.

“Football is about goalscoring. That’s what people come to watch and Nwofor will always ensure you enjoy a match with goals. In fact, we have several others who can score like him,” the Rangers’ boss said.

Dike told SuperSport.com that he recommended Nwofor to Flying Eagles boss, John Sam Obuh.

“It might interest you that Obuh worked with me at Sharks and Katsina United. So when he was in search of a good forward, I told him about Nwofor and the result is there for everyone…”

Did you take note of the background to the story? Nwafor started with Pillars of Anambra. He played for 3SC before joining Enugu Rangers. Could he still be Under 20? At what age did he leave school? At what age did he join Anambra Pillars, moved to 3SC and then Rangers, two top Premiership sides in Nigeria? I have nothing to add other than ask you if you all took a good look at Stanley Okoro during the championship in South Africa? Is he already tiring? Hahahahaaaa!

However, I’ll be the first to congratulate and celebrate with the team if the likes of Stanley Okoro are screened out. Honestly, some of the players I saw from some other countries didn’t look Under 20. It’s a huge African problem. But must we do wrong because others are doing so? Who loses at the end? Our football. On Saturday, in Vanguard, ex international Adokiye Amiesimaka wondered what Stanley Okoro was doing in the team. “He cannot be less than 33 or 34.” He continued: “Olarenwaju Kayode was also my player in Sharks feeder team of 2002. He cannot be less than 29 or 30. Abdul Ajagun is one of the highest scorers around. He dropped out of SS2 in Command in Kaduna in the 1990s and cannot be under 20.”

Fellow Nigerians, what do I need to add here?