Similarly, the impact of serial inchoate and generally misguided annual fiscal plans is clearly visible in the parlous state of our economy despite our fortuitous favourable human endowment and abundant natural resources.
Let us, therefore, examine, hereafter, how poor planning and lack of commitment could thwart our expectations for creditable results in two areas; that is, football administration and the war against corruption.

We recall that in February 2013 the National football team, the Super Eagles, won the Africa Cup of Nations against all odds. Regrettably, neither the expensive high profile foreign coaches nor the occasional modestly remunerated indigenous handlers succeeded in bringing back the much-longed-for golden fleece in 19 years!   Indeed, after our failure to qualify in 2012, the National Football Federation (NFF), in desperation, appointed Stephen Keshi as Head Coach, with a comparatively modest salary of less than $400,000 per annum.

Keshi, who was the Super Eagles captain, when they last won the cup in 1994 took what appeared to be a hurriedly assembled “patch-patch” team to South Africa, and unexpectedly against popular expectation, but with individual brilliance and the indomitable Nigerian team spirit triumphed over other more fancied teams to lift the African Cup of Nations in Feb 2013!

Although, the whole nation went into joyous rapture, the Football Federation inexplicably appeared unhappy at Keshi’s unexpected success during the competition; consequently in frustration, Mr. Keshi threatened to resign soon after the victory.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President and several other eminent Nigerians, persuaded Stephen to rescind his decision, with the assurance of government support to provide whatever was necessary to facilitate his job, including a free hand in matters relating to choice of players and training options for the national team.

Nigerians were therefore surprised, in July this year, when media reports first suggested that the NFF owed the Head Coach over four months’ salary arrears and allowances!
Christopher Green, the NFF Technical Committee Chairman, also confirmed that “We are owing Keshi about four months salary; Green, however, promised that all Keshi’s outstandings would be settled before July ending 2013.

Nigerians who believed the NFF’s promise were therefore, subsequently shocked by news of Keshi’s expressed frustration because of non payment of his salaries for over seven months as at November 2013!   Incidentally, there is no evidence to confirm whether or not the executive and staff of the NFF and the National Sports Commission were also deprived of their salaries for seven months!

Surprisingly, in place of the expected humble apology to the Coach for the unnecessary burden and horrible stress of living without income, the oppressive response from the NFF was a cheeky query berating Keshi’s motive for bringing his frustrations to media attention!

In a country where we earn over N600bn annually from crude oil export alone, and a minister’s bullet-proof cars are purchased with hundreds of millions of Naira, it is sad that in spite of the honour and joy that Keshi’s commitment and sacrifice brought to Nigerian souls in Feb 2013, our government has regrettably chosen to pay Stephen with such counterfeit coins, despite huge expectations that Keshi will, once again, make us proud, six months hence at the World Cup in Brazil.

It is inexplicable that Nigerians expect such miracle in spite of the apparent lack of a serious plan and government’s lack of commitment to the indigenous coaching crew from whom we expect so much in Brazil 2014. While, for example, serious contenders even among the other fellow African teams have already selected training camps and appropriate hotel accommodation, the Nigerian Federation is still unable to pay even the salaries of the coaching crew!

Keshi

In a similar media report in December 2013, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission disclosed that it is broke!   The disclosure was a fallout from the Senate Public Hearing on the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency.   The EFCC Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Adegboyega confirmed that “The grim financial position of EFCC was in spite of several appeals for fund”.   Adegboyega noted that the commission has been starved of funds to finance its operations; consequently, he lamented at the public hearing that “As at now, EFCC does not have up to N2m in its account; we don’t have money….   If we can afford to pay salary this month, (December 2013), that is all.   That is the situation under which we operate”.

It is ironical, in the first place, that in spite of the Oronsanye and other such reports, which recommended reduction in the number of government agencies to curb duplication and waste, and promote optimal resource application, government still actually contemplates the establishment of a Nigerian Intelligence Financial Agency (NIFA), which will inevitably overlap the functions of the currently cash strapped EFCC.   Besides, Adegboyega had noted that “The proposed NFIA, if autonomous, would be exploited by corrupt politicians, and would also open a floodgate of injunctions, restraining orders, and other litigations to stall anti-corruption trials”.

Once again, Nigerians are confused that in spite of the public outcry against corruption and our odious international label as a corrupt country, and in spite of President Jonathan’s avowed crusade against corruption, somehow, the government has managed to starve the EFCC of funds which were properly appropriated for the operations of the Agency; ironically some other Agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission for which there was no budget allocation in 2013, continued to function with fanfare!

So, the questions are, where is the money budgeted for the payment of salaries and allowances for Keshi and his assistants and how adequate was EFCC budget in view of the ravaging spread of corruption, particularly in the management of government funds nationwide!

Undoubtedly Mr. President’s promise to tackle corruption cannot be taken seriously if the battalion in the forefront of this war is without tanks and ammunition! Similarly, any expectations of stellar performances from the Super Eagles in Brazil this year will be worse than the illusion of a mirage if we do not seriously plan comprehensively and remain fully committed to working the plan!

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIANS!!