By John Egbokhan

A groundswell of outrage has greeted the outburst of the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Bar. Solomon Dalung that the Super Eagles do not need to play at the coming FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Dalung told the Hausa Service of the authoritative Voice of America monitored in Kaduna yesterday that it was not necessary for Nigeria to be at the World Cup because of dwindling financial resources, conspiracy theory, inability to win the trophy and football corruption.

Solomon Dalung in Rio

Coming at a time that there is a renewed belief in the Eagles, who sit pretty atop their World Cup qualifying group, comprising three former African champions, Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia, Dalung’s statement has attracted scathing responses from renowned football administrators.

A former boss of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Galadima said on telephone last night that the statement was damaging, uncalled for and totally regrettable.

‘My reaction is to pray that what he said was actually taken out of context, because at times, such do occur and that it is my honest prayer because it is a damaging statement. Nigerians would not take it kindly because football represents more than just a game to us.

‘’I really do not know what he wants to achieve witch such a statement, more especially now that the Super Eagles are doing well in the qualifying campaign for the Russia 2018 World Cup. It is most depressing and totally uncalled for that such can come out of a man who is supposed to be charting the path to our qualification for the World Cup’’, added Galadima.

Reacting, another former head of the football body, Kojo Williams said it was ridiculous for Dalung to say Nigeria do not need to be at the World Cup.

While noting that the Sports Minister was ridiculing Nigeria in the eyes of the world, Kojo said he was not surprised with the development.

‘’Ordinarily, I do not want to talk about this man but because it is football, I need to tell him that we need to be t the World Cup because that is the life and soul of Nigerian sports. Football is what gives us joy. But I am not surprised because they kicked his friend out of the NFF and all his attempts to get him back did not work.

‘’But my pain is that he is ridiculing us in the international space. We are a big football country with a rich culture and for one man to have a jaundiced idea like this does not speak well for us’’, Kojo added.

Also speaking, a one-time Vice-Chairman of NFA, Bar. Nwabuifor Obienu poured sour water on Dalung for having the temerity to kick against Nigeria’s bid to qualify for the next World Cup in Russia.

Seething with rage as he spoke on the telephone, Obienu said, ‘’this is absolute rubbish. The problem we have is that when square pegs are placed in round holes, they malfunction and that is what you are seeing in this current Sports Minister. This sort of thing will crop up as long as men are given appointments based on party affiliations.

‘’This is as worse as it can get for our sports. As we have a sports minister who does not believe in the World Cup project, thereby, putting our qualification bid in jeopardy, despite the excellent performance of the Super Eagles I think we are in trouble as he may frustrate the efforts of the federation to qualify for the World Cup’’, added Obienu.

He pointed out that if there was a time that Nigeria needed to be at the World Cup, that it was now that the masses are going hungry after being promised change by the APC government and are now poorer than ever and in dire need of a World Cup appearance to get the people jumping with joy again.

‘’Does the minister know that once you qualify for the World Cup, you get a lot of money to prepare your team? Does he know that for every match you play at the World Cup that you are paid huge money? Is he aware that a World Cup fee is given to every participating team at the end of the tournament? If he knows all these, then he would be fighting tooth and nail to ensure we qualify for the World Cup’’, Obienu said.

Also reacting, a former Secretary-General of the NFF, Sani Toro lampooned Dalung, by asking, ‘’does he know what he is saying? He does not know what it entails to go to the World Cup. He does not know what the World Cup does to the image of a country who qualifies.

‘’He does not know that Nigeria will get a lot of money for qualifying? He does not know that a lot of business will come into the country if we qualify for the World Cup. I am sure he was misquoted, but if not, he should come out and apologise to Nigerians by saying sorry’’, said Toro.