By KATE OBODO
Former President   of the Nigeria Cycling Federation and Secretary General of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Moses Iloh has lamented Nigeria’s  absence in the on-going  Nations Cup.

He was however, quick to add that it would continue to speak ill of the poor  management and organisational skills of those at the helms of Nigeria’s football affairs.

According to Iloh, “It is clear that we do not have people who are capable of managing football in this country. Honestly, it is a shame that  Nigeria, a  football loving country, is not participating in the on-going  Nations Cup, when countries that could be referred to as ‘small teams or underdogs’ in African Football like Botswana, Sudan, Libya, to mention but a few are there,” Iloh said.

Continuing he said, “Frankly, it is disheartening,  watching the Nations Cup without Nigeria is like   watching the Olympics without football. I would only watch that, if I have nothing to watch for entertainment . Truly,  it would have been  wonderful seeing Nigeria participate in the Nations Cup. Of course, that aspect of unity  is something that money can not buy neither can religion either.

When it comes to football, everybody is united and excited and we tend  to forget our differences,” Iloh said. He opined that  the main problem confronting the game has been disunity among the persons in the running football in the country.

“The problem is that there  has been disunity  in our football today. How can the game grow when the people entrusted with its management are always going from one court to the other. Is that how to organise or play football?  Instead of being in the stadium, they  are always in court..

I have been waiting for somebody in the Senate to ask what the problems are  but nothing of such. Instead, they are more concerned about how they will benefit from fuel subsidy,” he stressed.