He was given a gold badge to sit on the VIP stage during the Glo-Caf Awards on Thursday night in Lagos. But he preferred to sit where he would interact with many friends including his colleagues in the media.

It was the first time Suleiman Habuba would be attending the Caf Awards as an ordinary man. But is he one? The former Director of Communications only resigned last year and had a chance to move to International Olympic Committee but he preferred a private life having served football at such top height for a decade.

*Globacom Director Events and Sponsorship, Bode Opeseitan (l) and Suleiman Habuba during the CAF Awards

He is still serving football from a different perspective. He is a Fifa instructor and a football consultant. And with the World Cup going to Russia in 2018 and Qatar 2022 after the expected spectacle in Brazil this summer, Habuba may have his hands tied to football matters.

Mustapha Fahmy, the former Secretary-General of Caf hired him as head of communications and Habuba remains grateful to the Egyptian football administrator who is now Fifa’s Competition Director.

It delighted many in African football to see Habuba in Lagos. He was busy exchanging banters. And the media men had part of him too.

Asked at the red carpet how life is after retirement from Caf, Habuba smiled. “You can see for yourself that I’m from you guys now. I’ll sit with you and enjoy the Awards ceremony without running around trying to satisfy you guys and making sure many other things are put in place.

How would Habuba remember his stay in Caf?

“It was interesting and at the same time challenging. Meeting people from all parts of the world  with different perspectives in the football business, exchanging ideas, trying to build brands, effecting the communications duties were all interesting. You get some things right and err in some and move on from there. That’s life to me.”

Habuba holds Mustapha Fahmy in a high esteem and says “the man was my source of inspiration and I wish him well anywhere he is especially now that he is in Fifa.

On what he feels about Africa’s representatives at the Brazil World Cup, Habuba says “I expect that they will do well if they prepare well. Note that many African players play in Europe where they play against most of the players that they will meet in Brazil. That puts them in good psychological position. And if they use that and their physical attributes to their advantage they will have good stories to tell in Brazil.” Habuba is now a Fifa instructor and football consultant