FIFA BAN 15-man committee to resolve crisis

As Nigerians anxiously await the world soccer ruling body, FIFA, to lift the ban on their country, a 15-man reconciliation committee to resolve all issues related to the court cases that led to the ban will be set up Monday.

According to President-General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, one of the conveners of the stakeholders meeting held Wednesday, the committee is to see to a peaceful resolution of all crises to ensure a lasting solution to the impasse.

The committee, which would have Nigeria's FIFA executive committee member, Dr. Amos Adamu, representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, NANF; Association of Players of Nigerian Football, APFON; The Nigeria Football Supporters Club, NFSC; the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF; the Nigeria Premier League, NPL; the National Sports Commission, NSC and the media, he said, would take complaints from all aggrieved parties with a view to reaching a logical conclusion in the interest of Nigerian football.

“We want a situation whereby we'll make good our decision of an out of court settlement of all cases that have brought us to this level with a view of reaching a logical conclusion that would see no one as a victor or vanquished. It's unfortunate that we're in the situation where we find ourselves but given the overriding consequences it's in our interest that we settle the matteras early as we can.”

He said that as Harrison Jalla has been convinced to withdraw the case from court in the interest of Nigeria, it behoves all of us to help facilitate the process of formally withdrawing the case from court . “The ban is a colossal loss of money and time to Nigeria. It would be better for us to get our football back on track, while restructuring our football as we play in the various competitions. Being out of FIFA's competition is like having one's child in a class who sits for exams and fails. He is pulled out with the hope of returning him to school many years after, that child would have lost interest but allowing that child to resit that exam would further help him to concentrate better.”

Dr. Ladipo noted that there are many Nigerian youths who are breadwinners of their families and closing the door against them would only lead them to crime, which would in the long run be detrimental to Nigerian society. He stressed that grievances are a daily occurrence in all spheres of life but there's always room for dialogue which FIFA also supports,” he said.